The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1561 - Dan Orlovsky, Erik Johnson, Chris Paul, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: May 28, 2026

On today’s show, Pat, AJ Hawk and the boys chat about tonight’s Western Conference Finals Game 6 between the Thunder and Spurs, comments made by JJ McCarthy in reference to his relationship with Kyler Murray, what’s going on in MLB as Shohei Ohtani continues to set records as labor negotiations are about to heat up, a recap of last night’s conversations with all the league’s commissioners, and more. Joining the show is about three great guests including 12 year NFL veteran at QB, 2x Emmy award winner for NFL Live, and ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky, to chat about the Kyler Murray/JJ McCarthy situation, which teams with new OC’s he’s worried about, and more. Next, Stanley Cup Champion, 18 year NHL veteran, 2006 1st overall pick, and ESPN NHL analyst, Erik Johnson joins the show to discuss the Carolina Hurricanes looks like they’re pulling away from the Habs, how Vegas managed to sweep the Avs, and more. Later, 21 year NBA veteran, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA, 9x All NBA-Defense, and 2x Gold Medalist, Chris Paul joins the show to chat about Adam Silver and Tyrese Haliburton’s comments last night on the state of the NBA, his stance on all the flopping and how it’s getting taught now, his thoughts on tonight’s game, this run the Knicks are on, and more. 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, enjoy Memorial Day weekend. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our Humbleymo, the Thunderdome. On this Super Sports Thursday, May 28, 2006, this sports program begins now. Sports! Are the absolute greatest, and I'll tell you what, last night a wagon continued to be a wagon in the NHL playoffs, and tonight the NBA playoffs can see the Western Conference find its champion if Oklahoma City is able to close it out in Saturday. San Antonio against the Spurs. A lot of people were projecting that this was going to be a heavyweight bout,

one that was going to go all seven games. Well, we shall see if Wembe in the San Antonio Spurs Squad can extend this rivalry that we are about to see for probably the next 10 to 15 years. I am so excited to see how this Oklahoma City Thunder team, who everybody seems to hate watching. Yeah. I'm going to be honest, we had a great night last night as we were celebrating the state of sports as a whole, which is obviously up and to the right. Every rating for every league is somehow higher than it's ever been. And it seems like the interest in sports is certainly at a peak.

And hopefully it's only climbing because we believe that sports are the greatest on earth. So last night we had a little state of the sports type situation where we spoke to commissioners. And one of the conversations with Adam Silver was about flopping. You know, it was about, hey, what's going on with the flopping, the flopping, the flopping. And basically he started saying, like, it's a tough thing to officiate. We love what our officials doing. and it has gone to a fever pitch down. I think it's because this Oklahoma City team

is maybe about to be in the middle of a dynastew run. Now, they've obviously already won a title. They got all the players back and the pieces are reloaded and they are now more experience in these championship games than they were a year before. And now it seems like they're comfortable. Hardinstein's coming into his own, just like he did last year against the Indiana Pacers

when they inevitably won their first title out there. Their arena is considered by Tyrese Halliburton last night on the show, a state of sports. He said the loudest arena in everything, but outside looking in, everybody hates the way they play. So no matter what Adam Silver said, all anybody was thinking about was this Oklahoma City Thunder team. So if Wembe and the San Antonio Spurs can extend this to a game seven and inevitably win this Western Conference, I think a lot of people would say that's good for ball. If Oklahoma City goes on to win this and then their favorite on draft kings right now, I believe,

if they were to win the Western Conference to take on the Knicks, and Oklahoma City team was to win the title again. then we all understand how sports are. That's how you win a championship. When Steph Curry came in and started draining shots and all of a sudden that is how you can win and everybody was starting to do it. So guess what we're going to see going forward?

More OKC football, because that's what people do whenever they see what champions do, especially if you're going back to back. Future ball is kind of on the line tonight. It really is. And there's a lot of people that don't think it's a good thing, but if you listen to how Tyrese was talking about it, I do believe we're going to chit chat with Chris Paul today in the second hour, I think, how he's going to talk about it.

It's like, this is kind of just taking advantage of what the game is. Yeah. High schoolers, middle schoolers. Hey, when you're taking it to the rack, we're extending arms because they can get on. Aha, balls going up. No. Balls going up. That's what you could do.

It's gamesmanship. This is just like whenever we saw Patrick Mahomes, who we have the utmost respect for. And obviously, sounds like he's recovering very well from his late season injury, maybe ahead of schedule. There'll be times where he'd be running down the sideline. He would, you know, mm-hmm. And we all were like. I'm away. Soccer. Josh, too.

Don't do that. Can't be doing it out here. But then all of a sudden, 15 yards. Okay, now we're in field goal range. Now, all of a sudden, the game change. Now they win the game. Is he the smartest football player now? Is he just utilizing the rules to his benefit? That's what he's going to say, like, hey, this is what the game is.

I don't know what you want from me. And that's what soccer players will tell you, too. The reason why we're doing is because this is what the game is. And also, we get a breather whenever we do that. So I think that's what basketball players are being taught. Like, hey, this is the game. this is how this is officiated. Three points is better than two points.

Also putting them in foul troubles the way it is. Like, how do you stop that? I don't know how you stop that. Tyrese Halliburton said every time he goes and plays international ball, he gets his ass beat by and the reps don't call anything. And then when he comes back to America, he loves the NBA reps. He says, so great to have you guys back, you know,

because he feels a little bit more protected. Do they have to just stop calling things? I wonder if they're able to put that to a stop because if Oklahoma City continues to win, and I like the way they play, by the way. I like the way they take advantage of everything. And I've seen this SGA guy play in person. Bruce Lee said B. Water?

Yes. Yeah, he did. He's just somehow he is with the ball, wherever he needs to be, and it's always going in. And then there's the, you know, and that's what people are sick of, I think. I can't believe you just said that. He's Bruce Lee like water? You like the way they play basketball. It's unethical, bro.

It's unethical, bro! That's the toxic table at Boston Connor and Attie Schmidt. Boston Celtics were potentially, going to be in the middle of the dynasty as well until the small town Oklahoma City Thunder says, excuse me, hey, actually we're going to think about building it out here where maybe you don't even know what's going and we're going to play a different style of basketball, you know? Let's go to one half of the hammer, down. Cowboys AP tone. Tonight's a big deal, obviously. Line over under, how do we look as we look at a potential elimination, championship crowning,

Western Conference Championship Night in the NBA tone. Yeah, the Spurs are three and a half point favorites. The total is 218 and a half. When you look at it, so far when the spurs are coming off a loss this entire season, straight up, which means just not against the spread, just win loss. They are 20 and 6 after a loss this season. They are 4 and 1 after loss in the playoffs. And then against the spread.

So with the minus 3.5, they are 18 and 8 after a loss this season. So back in San Antonio, Spurs, those stats will tell you, hey, Spurs, look good tonight. Maybe we could force a game 7. And then in games when Thunder are dogs, which does not happen very often. I can't remember the exact stat, but it tends to go to the over. So over 2.18 and a half, statistically, trend-wise, would be the play tonight as well.

Depending on how you fancy these things. Well, who's reffing? Do you know who's refereeing this game? That's a good point. That certainly matters, from my understanding. And speaking of NBA roughing, Adam Silver last night said they're about turning to Hawkeye technology to see who got the ball in and out of bounce. There's people that are upset about that.

I think there's people that are anti-modern technology kind of invasible. everything just in the world. I think there's a lot of people that are like that. And I can certainly understand that, okay, especially with how good these things are. Okay, these AI things. Not perfect. We'll always need human. Hopefully, yes. Can glitch. Yeah. So whenever we start depending strictly upon it, we have to always understand that there is going to be a moment where this thing is not going to act right. Like that is just kind of how they always operate. So I don't think Adam Silver is saying that they're going like completely dependent upon these things. But I think for a view purpose they were thinking about having that

or going to have that as an option. And I think that's a smart play for you can have it. The NFL stadiums, we've always wondered why they don't have, you know, hey, we had camera down the line. Everywhere. Okay, we need it down a sideline. Every first, we need one down there. And they're like, well, that's like 120 yards.

It's a, you know, there's a lot of things. The arenas in the tennis courts, I think the reason why it's been able to happen at the tennis thing is because it's a pretty confined area there. Pretty, you know, the white lines are pretty, football stadiums are so, that's always been the excuse. Football stadiums are so big, but now I think we finally got to the point technology-wise

where football stadiums can even have it now. So I appreciate the fact that they're doing that. Honestly, genuinely, but they have to be able to do it in an efficient manner. You know, like everybody wants efficiency in this shit. Everybody hates the technology whenever it's slowing us done. Whenever it's fast and quick and gets it right, I think we're all on the same page.

I genuinely believe that, but there's always going to be people that are taking our jobs, which I completely understand. as well. Yeah, I understand that respect that, but you would much rather have it be the other way than what happened in game five with the ball going off of homegrown's foot. Like every sport should have replay assist. We've seen it with the NFL. It's gone so well. How many times have there been flags picked up? Nope, he didn't catch it or the ball was changed or anything like that and it helped the game and assisted the game and it wasn't like, oh look, the reps are doing this

and calling that a catch. It's like, no, those things make the game more efficient. It also makes you go quicker. Like that thing with Chad Holgren's foot the ball going out of bounds, I'm harper on that because that's just the one that just happened recently, and that's the one that comes to mind. That would just help the game and just a fodder around the game. And the officiating thing, there's always going to be error no matter what. But if you can assist them just a little, that's going to help the game more than anything.

It sounded like the way Adam Silver was speaking about the NBA refs is that they are more open to the technological assistance. Because in the NFL, we were doing this show. and it was before we got on this license on ESPN, we're just on the internet. These refs in the NFL, they weren't the biggest fans of old Monday morning quarterback happening in real time after watching the film

in super slow-mo. There was a lot of pride that was happening. And the people that were supposed to be overturning the calls were also ex-refs. So they were kind of in there. See, there was a real, like, these people don't know. It was odd. But that finally has changed, I think.

Like, hey, these AIs, these computers, these digital advancements that we have now that we can see everything in 8K at some super slow-mo speed that your eyes can never do. Could actually make you more liked. Okay, actually, this can actually get you out of this building a lot better. This can make your life a lot easier. We'll make you look smarter. We just got to be able to do it quick. Because remember, the first time the NFL brought the Hawkeye technology into it, it was a preseason game. And it took three and a half minutes for the Detroit Lions to find out where the ball is spotted.

Is that not what happened, Foxy? That's exactly what happened. If that happens in the NBA, there will be like, yeah, right. Yeah, I can't do it. Especially with everybody who has eyes. The NBA is the most like... You're on top of the action. You're in that thing.

Yeah. It's a cool little, they got a cool little gladiator-like field in those basketball now not every basketball arena is packed out, okay? Which goes back to Adam Silverstone. We can't be having themes trying to lose. Can't have that entire thing happen. But you get a good, these basketball, like Oklahoma City, that place, I think it feels.

like they're on top of Madison Square Garden, that shit goes up. That thing feels like you're in there. Clippers new one? Yeah, the wall. Yeah, the wall. That's right behind there. It was some good environments. Can't get the calls wrong, though, because the fans feel like they know better than a ref because they're basically getting some of the same views. Well, and it's just the technology

is available now. For the longest time, it wasn't available. Now it is, and I understand there's still kinks that you need to work out with, but with how much money is being gambled on these games, like, that's just the easiest way to kind of publicly put it out there, like, hey, there's no horseplay. These games aren't fixed, people love talking about that anytime there's a call that goes against, you know, maybe a bet they had.

It's the easiest way to just squash all that. Nope, our league's on the up and up. Listen, this stuff is going to happen. But we do have the technology available now to make sure that these judgment calls in massive situations, they can get help and we can get the call right. We were very lucky to kind of see what MLB is doing in the review process. And then listening to people, all the commissioners last night mentioned technology advancement. WMBA

Commissioner Kathy Engelbert actually said can't go through any meeting without AI being mentioned in some sort of form us going into the MLB to watch how much they were like working on this

the review process of every single, it's very obvious that every league is looking to do this. Like hey, we are in the future let's go ahead and do that.

People are going to be pissed though, Ty. They want back in a day some people. I think baseball has been one of the most open leagues to what modern can be like

especially we have a fast attention band, Kay, let's get these pitch clocks down. We need to get these games shorter. Yeah. We got people on her phones going through two and a half minute videos. They can barely make it through that. Some people scroll to a video.

They see three minutes and 15 seconds that they go, huh, yeah, right. Who the hell do you think you are that you get that much of my life? I'm not going to do that. So baseball games used to be four hours with not a lot of action happening in a percentage of that that is unfathomable. They've adjusted. They've made the changes.

They've got the game to a great place. Manfred, I think, understood that. And listening to Jet Passing, it feels like he understands that we're in a pretty pivotal time right now between the Players Association and baseball as a whole. I'm worried now. Yeah, so am I. Yesterday before the conversation, I had a, for the good of ball. Players have to understand what's going on with baseball right now. Hell yeah, baseball.

Let's go. Stars are playing. We're about to talk about that right now. Stars are showing up, showing out every single time. In the league has to know, hell yeah, hey, we got this thing going. right now. Good deals everywhere. We got primetime events taking place that streaming platforms are not taking. Home Run Derby, I believe is on Netflix. Okay, we got a season over here. We got ESPN Plus over here. They're starting to things are going good. Can't have a,

and from the way it sounds like Mr. Passon was talking last night and then Manfred was talking about, those are two very different mindsets on how this is going to go. Hopefully they're able come to an agreement because right now ball is epic. Is that an understatement or no? I feel like there's a lot of things happening in baseball right now that maybe have never happened in the history of baseball, which has been around for what? 700 years, Ty Schmidt? Yeah, been around for, I mean, well, at least, you know, the MLB has been around for well over 100 years.

And that's kind of that, Rob Manfred mentioned that yesterday, too. He's like, the product on the field right now is as good as it's ever been. You mentioned people doing stuff they've never done before. Debutt's favorite pitcher in the major leagues, Christopher Sanchez, who plays for the Phillies. And the Phillies were really bad, fired their manager, hired Don Mattingly. This guy arguably just had the greatest month of May in the history of baseball for a pitcher. He currently has a 44 and two-thirds inning scoreless streak. So he didn't give up an earned run his entire month of May.

That's a hell of a month. Yeah, exactly. The all-time record, Oral Hershauser for the Dodgers went 59 innings. But again, that's just when you're starting every fifth day, that's unheard of. But he's been essentially unhittable for the entire month of May. and is a big reason why the Phillies are, you know, playing very well again. And then obviously you got guys like Shohei who you really, honestly, like you say the same thing about him every single time we talk about baseball.

Last night, he pitched again. He was unbelievable through six innings, had seven strikeouts, gave up one earn run. His ERA going into the month of June is 0.82. That is the ninth lowest ERA in the history of baseball since ERA. was made an official stat in 1913. And there have been a lot of guys who have started games and have thrown at least 50 innings pitch, which is kind of the qualified.

So it's just like, it's ridiculous. And then also last night for the second start in a row, he hit a lead off home run as well. That's like... Is that good? Again, it almost becomes... What is baseball? Baseball is pitching and hitting.

Yeah, making sure the other team doesn't score and then scoring. So he's He didn't allow any earned or he gave up one earned run last night So he limited the other team And then in his first at bat of the game He tied them He well he took he took the lead at that point No but I'm saying he did tie

Yes He personally tied the other team Correct and then the Dodgers are also very good So he's got other teammates who can get base hits And drive in runs they won four to one So this is his second lead off Homer in a week Yes Okay on nights that he's pitching correct

Okay, so he literally walks in there and goes, all right, so you might give up one run tonight. Let's go ahead and make good on that right now. First pitch, I believe it was the last game. I don't know about this one. I don't think this one was. Okay, so whatever the case. So he literally, as soon as the top of the first is over or whatever before he even pitches, he goes, okay, I'm good for one now with the rest of the team. What a freeing feeling for him?

Okay, so I can give up one, already tied. The boys got me for everything else. Now we're all ahead. Why don't ever pitcher do this? I think Stino could do this if they gave him me. I don't want to disrespect Shohei, please. Showhey, I please don't know.

I was in that same boat. I was in that same boat. Shohei, you're the only one. She's the only one in the history that could ever do this thing. No one else is doing this shit. Ever in the history? No.

No one's even coming close. I mean, you could say like Babe Ruth did it, but like he pitched a little bit and then they realized like, wow, this guy hits a Homer almost every time he's up. Like, let's just make this guy hit. There has, and you see kids now are like trying to do it. Like there will be kids in college who,

like, oh, he's a really good position player. He's a good hitter. He'll pitch as well. This guy is an MVP hitter and an MVP pitcher. We're never going to see this ever again in the history baseball. So stat-wise on this one, so Shohei last night hit a lead off home run, and then he pitched six

plus innings and finished with zero hits allowed. No other MLB player in the modern era has accomplished both of those feats over their entire career, let alone the same game. Okay. Hey, Shoah, thank you for existing, dude. We appreciate you. the fact that we're able to witness this.

And we'll continue to talk about it as you continue to do things that nobody's ever seen before. And his pitches are fun. I mean, that was nasty right now. I mean, I think it's like a movie, like a baseball movie. And he's still throwing hard. He's throwing 100. You know, it's just like... Skeen's won the

Tsai Young last year with a 197. And Shoah has a 0.82 right now, so that kind of puts you in perspective of how good he's been so far. Long season, obviously. We hope he will continue. What he's doing special, we should certainly celebrate it. We will. The Miz. Also, what he's doing is fantastic.

Yeah. He had a 50 over 100 mile an hour pitch night the other night. Yeah. I mean, we may see that again. I don't know, though. Like, that's very hard to wrap your mind around. Like, the human body is not supposed to do that. I don't know how this guy stays healthy.

I don't know how his arm doesn't fall off, and he has to, like, physically reattach it before every start. But he is absolutely filthy. He's an actual canon. Yeah. He's a canon. He's a canon and, like, a mixture of, of Gumbie because he's like six nine so his body is like bendable and like goes in weird way.

So he's a pliable cannon. Yeah. So in his release point, right, they're saying this is like Beer Pong if you were to be able to drop ball over a cup too, right? Exactly. Yeah, the amount is 60 feet, six inches from home plate by the time he's releasing that thing. He's basically like 49 feet away. So that's what you say, seven nine or something like that. I forget to what the release point. Yeah. He gave us the exact number he knows what it is. And then I asked him what other people's are. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. I'm just telling you what my shit is. Not that part. Go ahead and let this thing eat right here.

A man who could have been an MOB pitcher. Actually, maybe he's the first MIS if he wasn't. Yeah. An 11-year NFL quarterback. Now the face of a 12-year NFL quarterback, a man who is now the face of football on ESPN, live from his kitchen, per the euse. And now we can say a back-to-back Emmy Award-winning host.

Wow. Damn. analysts, sorry, not host. No. Not the host of that show. Congrats to all NFL live, folks. And Dan O'Rlooski. And a baby, it's down there.

No. Each one, that's one Emmy, just not or an ever. You got one Emmy, we got another one. Rob it in our face. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. This is the back-to-back. Congratulations.

We were very happy for you. Thank you. Actually, genuinely happy for what you guys, you know, got to experience, which was the industry, sorry, the academy, which I do believe. By way of the industry. I think that is, now we're learning these things. See, these are things we don't normally learn.

The industry is saying, you guys do a great job, I think is a really cool thing. I hope you got a chance to take that in. I hope you got to enjoy that. And maybe no more sub-tweeting for like a week. Please. Okay, because of this. Or no more motivational quotes out of context and make everybody go, come on, Dan. You okay, Dan?

Okay, so maybe for a week of those. maybe we stay away because you're loved, buddy. You're doing a great job. You're doing a great job. You're doing a great job. Okay, Dano. Thank you. Thank you, man.

Appreciate it. It means a lot. It was awesome. It's good to be recognized. I think it's hard you guys know to do a daily show in today's era back to back. I do love the show. I love the group. I think it's hard to do good TV day to day.

So thank you. You guys are very complimentary. We were genuinely happy for you guys, actually. You are. Thank you. Thank you. We are, we know the amount, especially as just strictly NFL show. You know, we get chance to talk about other stuff.

So we appreciate what you do for the game over there. And congrats to your entire team. Stay hungry. Speaking of staying hungry, let's go ahead and start talking about things. There's no way we're just going to go ahead and walk by. Come on. That was in a tweet earlier you saw. You have to, though.

I mean, I saw it. You have to. Damn, Dan's got it. You got it. He knows. You got to, man. Yeah, because once you're no longer hungry, that's when the next hungry line will come. ain't that the truth.

Nipping at your heels. Get full. Yeah, you know, and you won't be able to add a third onto the shirt that you're wearing there from the kitchen. Okay, let's talk about why you win. Let's talk about your ideas and opinions on things. I think you said J.J. McCarthy would be a guy who would be very good leader for Minnesota Vikings, okay?

Injuries have happened, situations have happened. Things have happened, obviously, with the Minnesota Vikings. It hasn't panned out thus far, but obviously still early in entirety of long career, if long career was to happen. Now, Kyla Murray, lifelong Minnesota Viking fan, who was looking for a new home after exiting the Arizona Cardinals, signs with the Vikings, and now there's an open competition taking place. Now we're hearing them speak for the first time, and obviously both of them spoke more than just these answers, but we did try to listen through the entire answers for both. Feels like this is good context for what the question that was being asked,

about how life is going side by side in the quarterback room. We're going to play the video first, then, and then I'd like your take on both things. You can describe your relationship with JJ to this point? It's been great. It's been great. Obviously, I know he's a younger guy. So any way I can help him, obviously, I feel like, you know, I've played seven years now going on eight. So I'm considered a veteran, even though I don't see myself as that. Give him any knowledge that he needs. Again, you know, we're both competitors, and I know, you know, we both won what's best for the team.

Is he been receptive to hearing criticism? Of course, of course. Yeah, he's not. He's overly accepted, you know, He's always communicating, asking questions, stuff like that, so it's been good. JJ, what's your relationship been like with Kyler so far? You know, it's just like two guys in a classroom. You know, he sits on one side. I sit on the other side, and it's the coach's responsibility to teach us and coach us. Is there any awkwardness, like, between you two?

Awkwardness, you know, it's just like the same feeling, you know, when you're in high school, and there's another person on the other side of the room. That's just kind of how it is. So I wouldn't say there's any awkwardness. Okay, so I'm, I'm, I'm feeling awkward and uncomfortable just listening to his answers. Now, on that note, young lad, I think he has his own form of leadership, but it feels like he's viewing it in a fashion of, we're both in the room trying to learn the same stuff, let's go to work. Kyler trying to say, hey, I would be willing to help it anything.

Should we read into any of these answers? Because I'm going to let you know how I feel. I think Kyler, who a lot of people have wondered if he's a good teammate, if he's a good professional, if he's good, all these things. I'm not saying they're valid reasons to wonder these things. This is just the things that are kind of wondered about Kyler Murray publicly. So going into a competition situation with the top 10 draft pick at a place, I was eager to see how it was going to be navigated. Kyler has seemingly, potentially, had a, I don't want to say a humbling moment,

but a reality perspective on life moment whenever he leaves Arizona. And everything that I've seen and heard and watched from him, with the dreams of him and a Kevin O'Connell offense are like, Holy shit. We've seen this with a lot of guys. We saw it with Sam Donald. We saw it with Mac Jones. We saw it with Josh Dobbs. Baker Mayfield. Carl Win. We saw it with, no, I'm not talking just Kevin O'Connor. I'm talking about quarterback's getting another opportunity after a first time

actually not working out in a long run. It's like, is Tyler about to have that with Kevin O'Connell in an offense that we know is incredibly proficient. They're like, no, it's a competition with J.J. So, Kyler, I think, has an interesting viewpoint going into the competition to begin with, because if he wanted to be, you know, know, a shitty teammate, he could here. I think he could try to be. Instead, it felt like he was trying to come from, I'm an older guy perspective. What did you learn from those two answers? And what are your thoughts on how this is all going to play out in Minnesota, Dano? Yeah, it was a uphill battle for J.J. McCurthy on the field in this competition. Hearing the

answers, it sounds like there's an uphill battle off the field as well. And if you haven't, I guess, divided the locker room or lost the locker room. I don't think that answer is helping you. Okay, one, I want to give kudos to Kyler. He comes across mature. It sounds like good leadership. It might be like coach speak and right thing to say, but there's a reality to that with JJ's answer. And I like JJ. I've supported a fan for JJ. Like I'm rooting for JJ. At times, it just feels like it's at least publicly it's an act like this i have to have this bravado type of response or something like that and you're on the same team at the end of the day you're on the same team we all know you're competing we all know you're in the same room at the end of the day whoever plays

better is more than likely going to win that job so for you to have that type of response of like oh we're just in the same room yeah yeah it's almost i don't want to say you it feels like you're trying to divide the locker room. Like, are you team JJ or are you team Kyler? And he comes across that way at times. Okay, I can understand where you're coming from. I hate the fact that we are breaking down a quote like this the way we are. Sure.

But I do think it is just one piece of the entire puzzle that we've been seeing here for a bit in wondering how and why. Because Coach Harbaugh, man, that we have respect for. But obviously he was coach at Michigan when J.J. McCarthy had all the success that he had and recruited him out of IMG and everything like that. He said he had the greatest workout in the history of quarterbacks or something like that after his pro day. And then talked about him being the best quarterback.

And I think his opinion carries a lot of weight with a lot of NFL people, as it should. So I think we all immediately had super high hopes for JJ McCarthy for one reason or another. One of them. Yeah. We did too. We watched them in the Rose Bowl throw 102-mile-an-hour fastball to the sideline.

Yeah. On a rollout. Yeah, almost got picked off. Yeah, as they beat Alabama there. I mean, it was, we saw him in his gamesmanship. We heard about his leadership style. But since the NFL has happened, it's just been an interesting watch. It's been a very interesting watch.

And that interaction right there is certainly just another piece on it. And then to your point, Kyler, very comfortable. Very rarely did I see him comfortable speaking, right? At Arizona, I don't think I ever really heard him comfortable speaking. I love what he's doing. I love that this is where his life has taken him. I appreciate the fact that he was a Vikings fan growing up. And I appreciate that maybe everything that we have thought that Kyler could become is still very possible in a place that needs it.

Bad. Hey, hey, they need it over there in Minnesota. Don't they tie? That NFC North is getting real good, real quick. And they were not too far away from a Super Bowl a couple years ago. Yeah, and I don't know if you believe in, you know, like the football gods or if you ascribe to that. But I think a lot of people do. And listen, this isn't just me saying this as a Packers fan.

They won 14 games with Sam Darnold. We're, you know, what, like three minutes away from being the number one seed in the NFC. They lost. See you later. Sam Darnel. We're going to bring in J.J. McCarthy. He's the guy. He might be the best quarterback ever per hardball.

I think it's already been written in stone, in time. Listen, I hope that Kyler Murray is good this year. I don't think the Vikings are going to win a Super Bowl in my lifetime. What? How old are you? I'm 35. I just don't. Listen, they've been through all the trials and tribulations up to this point.

They haven't gotten it done. You just don't do that. You don't write off a guy like that and then have it immediately. I'm talking immediately blow up in your face. Usually it's, you get a couple years, hey, it didn't work out. We're going to have to do something else. You know, every year with this guy already, it's like, Jesus Christ, we've got to go get Rogers or we got to go get Kyler Murray. Like they haven't publicly really said it yet, but it's like, fuck this guy.

We're done with this guy. We've got to figure something else. No. I get it. That is not what you. You were saying that. Well, and I'm just saying, I know we all love KOC, but now the, now the heat's going to start turning up on him.

Why is that? Because it was, well, I can't understand. Yeah, because it, like, everyone's been killing KACA dofa-Mensa, and, you know, rightfully so. I mean, he's not there anymore, but, like, KOC's the head coach. He's the quarterback whisper for how long were we talking about this guy can win with anybody. It doesn't matter.

You put someone who is a little bit accurate. You put him in his system, and he's going to figure out he's going to win games with them. Boy, we all saw J.J. McCarthy play last year. And I'm not saying he's the most accurate guy, but Kevin O'Connell clearly thought, hey, I can make this guy into someone special. And now it's, I mean, we're what, two years removed? And it's like, this guy's not special.

Kyler Murray, though, he might be special in my offense again. So I'm just saying, I'm just saying, they better win. They better win quick because this could get ugly. Damn, what you just been naughty? You're gassing him up right now. You know, he's a Green Bay Packers fan. This is a green Bay Packers fan. That has nothing to do with this.

Yeah, nothing. of course nothing but what i i agree on his sentiments like i think kevin o'connell is a tremendous coach tremendous we all know what this league is about and if you go that i think that has to factor into the decision making as well at the quarterback spot is like who do you think not only like gives you the best chance to win now that absolutely is factoring in but who do you see and or want to be your future guy. I just, I sit there and I go,

you're not going to survive two straight years of subpar quarterback play when I believe they're still searching for a general manager. Am I right with that? The Vikings, they're still searching for a general manager. Do we not think Kevin O'Connell is trying to be general manager and

coach right now and then they're going to have him, maybe hire somebody to. But you've got to win. You're not going to survive multiple bad years at bad quarterback play. as great of a coach as he is. Yeah, we agree. We believe, I believe. So do I, but that's what I'm saying.

It's like you can't, like Dan saying, you can't have another bad year and we can't keep saying, like, this guy can win with anybody. You're about 500. You can't. I think their quarterback play was like third worst in the league or something. I think by statistics and metrics. They won 14 games the year before that.

So the thought about Kyler, though, in that offense, you're saying the same things I'm saying, about maybe him having like a humble or a perspective situation taking place once he leaves Arizona, now going back to like his childhood team that he was a fan of, and now having a different idea of what he needs to do. I think that's a big deal for Kyler. I genuinely think that. I agree completely with the leadership element.

And we're taking a snippet of a quote and kind of evaluating that. But I agree with just the comfort that he said it in as well. I would tell you this. This will come down to does it work with Kyler or not in Minnesota. You guys have probably heard this. Kevin O'Connell, as the play caller, he's top five in under center and play action pass, okay? When it comes to doing both of those. Kyler did that about three times per game in Arizona, three times.

Now, Kirk Cousins under Kevin, O'Connell did it about 10 times a game. I think Sam did it about nine times a game. So a lot more than Kyler. I'm not telling people, Kyler can't do it. I'm just telling we haven't seen Kyler do it a lot. So how comfortable Kyler gets running that offense

is the number one thing, the number two thing, and this is the next level of it. If you just watch where Kyler has struggled as a player, I would tell you one of the main areas is throwing cross ring routes across the middle of the field, sideline to sideline, guys,

running sideline to sideline. I think 14 or 15 interceptions, I tracked them, 14 or 15 interceptions since 2000 on crossing routes by Kyler Murray. That's the most in the NFL over that period. One of the main staples, past concept wise, for Kevin O'Connell, is the crossing route. And so while I agree, like, I'm hopeful, there are those two areas that I sit there and say, can he do the play action under center game consistently? and then how much does he improve? Because it might be a vision thing with Kyler.

It might be a vision thing with Kyler. How much does he improve throwing those crossers? Well, okay. So the throw in the crossers could be something that maybe isn't changeable, right? Because Kyler is shorter than most quarterbacks, especially whenever you're trying to throw. Let me jump on that real quick. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Okay.

Real quickly, it is changeable, I believe, because the way I think that really good coaches do it is you change the ability with the past protection scheme. AQ would be great at this. If you think of Sean Payton with Drew Breeze, they were really good at, I would always say, like, think of an accordion. They were really good at their play action game, almost stretching their offensive line out.

And so because of the pass protection, or the play action pass protection concept, they would actually build in passing lanes for Drew Breeze and or quarterbacks to have a bigger window to throw through, rather than trying to see and throw over. And Kevin O'Connell will be able to do that. I would imagine. He's very smart. I would imagine. So we got no worries.

I don't think so. And Kyler's not scared to drop one of these things. No. Passing lane is over here. I'm going to go ahead and take that thing over to guard, you know, as the heads over the center, maybe, you know what I mean? Yeah. Jefferson, Addison, Juan Jennings. I mean... Oh, not a bad... Have you seen the rushing stats whenever Kyle is running,

and then Kevin O'Connell rushing stats? No. So when Kyler Murray is a quarterback, the rushing stats for the Cardinals, 27.4 attempts a game. So if he's able to do to play action, obviously this will only cook even more. 133.2 yards a game, 99 touchdowns in 87 games. The Vikings, 101.6 rush yards per game, 30 yards less than that, obviously. 29th in the NFL since 2022.

So Kyler has automatically upgrading the rush game, which could only help Kevin O'Connell's past game, you would assume. But can he go on a certain turn his back to the defense? That's what we're wondering, right, Dano? That's what we're wondering. Yeah. Yeah, it's a big deal. Can he do this?

He definitely didn't do it in college either. No, because college is literally. Yeah. Lincoln was not. Catch and throw. That. Yeah. Tyler, though, at this stage, I think this is a good time where he's, yeah, I will.

Kyle's done some of it. I mean, he did a little bit more. Three a game, you said, yeah, you track. Nine, ten, maybe we need to do Sam Darnel. That's an interesting couple of statutes throughout there. He does about three times game. Kirkson, nine. It's just, how.

Can you do it consistently more? I think that's... He did it a little bit. Three X, maybe four X more. First time with a franchise left tackle, you could argue, with Darrysoe. Derrissau, yeah. And also a facility, right? Yeah.

First time ever having a facility. From the report cards that got leaked publicly, I don't like that they got leaked publicly. No, it shouldn't be doing that. That's good journalism, whoever did that. The entire story of the Vikings, though, will be... Was J.J. McCarthy the right move or not? And if Kyler goes on to have the success this year, they'll move on from J.J. McCarthy, that'll be Kyler's team.

All so much to be figured out. And maybe, you know, this bravado character isn't just a character, even though it feels like it might be a movie character. Maybe this is just actually who he is. You know, maybe he's got to find his way, this J.J. McCarthy. And hopefully this year could be the year. Now, let's talk about some teams that have seemingly figured out which way they are headed, but having a little bit new things going on.

Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, Dan, I wanted to talk about a couple of playoff teams last year who have new play callers. Different situations, obviously. Start with the Panthers. Dave Canales, the head coach, has been the play caller. He got that job because of being a play caller, and he is going to relinquish those duties.

And then up in Seattle, obviously, Clint Kubiak goes to the Raiders. So Seattle no longer has him as the OC. They have a first time OC play caller as well. What are your thoughts on those situations? Don't like either of them. I would start with Carolina. I think if you're hired because of your play calling, you should not give up play calling.

I think Canales is good as a play caller. It's, you know, this game, it's probably, if we're being honest, that's probably a $150 million loss. I think if Bryce Young and then beat the Rams, he would have gotten an extension this offseason. I'm not saying they didn't because of him. He played great in that game, but I just believe the optics of that upset. He's probably under top five pressure quarterback-wise in the NFL. And so going into this season, and so I don't like the fact that Coach Canales has given up the play calling. I believe their new offensive coordinator Brad Edzick, to my knowledge, has never called plays.

For me, I don't understand how that happens. I know at some point everyone has to call their plays for the first time. I don't know if it should be with a quarterback that's having, you know, an enormous year on top of the shoulders. I think Carolina is going to be good up front offensively. It'll really be about their really secondary and third option pass catchers. Tet was obviously very good. You know, does Coker take a step forward? Xavier Liggett.

They draft Brazel out of Tennessee. Sanders is a good tight end. But I don't like the fact that the head coach and the play caller has given up the play calling's duties with such a big year on tap. For Seattle, I would say the very same thing. I don't know Brian Florey. I know that he has history with Sam Donald. I believe that they were together in 23 in San Francisco.

I think most of his background is on the defensive side of the football. I know he's been around the Shanahan tree and some different offensive positional roles. I don't believe he's ever called plays again. I don't understand how we're hiring these people in these roles that are really important roles, the defending Super Bowl champion, and saying, let's do this for the first time. I'm sure Kevin Petullo is a good football coach. I'm sure he knows a ton of football and can dial it up X's and O's for the Philadelphia Eagles last year. They come off winning the Super Bowl.

they take a coach and they say you've never done this before go do it and obviously it did not go well and I'm not saying here telling everybody that that's going to be the case in Seattle but I don't love it yeah you're pretty down on both those pretty quick I mean as soon as the question was asked you were kind of donning out on it it seems like you're a bummed dot you remember with Mac Jones you remember with Mac whenever they

put Matt Patricia as the offense coordinator I think for him. You said very loudly, my least favorite move in the entire NFL is the offense coordinator position at the New England Patriots. Because the quarterback, you talk about Bryce Young. He really just hit it.

Now we're going to change it, even though the person's in the same building. That feels interesting. Obviously, Idzy had success as the wide receivers coach there, I believe. So he does have some offense of wide receiver stuff, and hopefully he'll do well for Bryce, but why would you want to change that? We don't know. Canales maybe

wants to oversee more. I don't know. Sam Donald's got to be like, come on, you know? Yeah, at least that one. Finally got the everything off my shoulder. Didn't win in the Super Bowl MVP, but still won a Super Bowl MVP. But still won a Super Bowl.

Still. Who cares? Got paid. Kind of made everybody regret everything that they've ever said. You can win with me. Is quarterback connect? Okay, now let's go back to square one. Also, we got a brand new play caller.

It's a fascinating times to make those decisions. But if they end up working out, nobody will care. You know, some teams have gotten better. Some teams have gotten way worse with new play callers, because obviously it can affect everything. Shout out to Philadelphia Eagles. Now, there's another place you've been pretty high on. Go ahead, Ty. Yeah, Dan, what about

Tampa? I think a lot of people kind of forgot that they fired Josh Resard and hired Zach Robinson. He came over from Atlanta. But Baker is obviously one of those guys who's had about 100 different OCs, play callers. What are you expecting from the Bucks this year?

I think on paper they're a championship contender in the NFC. I really do. I think everything that was attached to last year was about health for them. I think their roster is one of the best in the NFL. Their offensive line, I think they started last year, nine different offensive line combinations. Nine. Year before, I believe it was like three in the year before in 2023. It was two. Everything about Tampa for me is their offensive line from an offensive perspective. I think Baker's awesome. I love Bucky Irving.

Their tight end. Otton is really good. I think they're receivers and I know they lose Mike Evans. Emeka is going to take a huge step forward. McMillan's a really nice player. They still have Godwin. So they've got plenty of people to throw the football to, plenty. Everything will be about their offensive line. If their offensive lines healthy and stays healthy, I think it's going to be an awesome offense and an NFC championship contending team.

I guess the question mark the unknown is the defense. I think what the defense is this. One, they've invested in that front big time. Obviously, they have Vita Vaya. I believe they signed Aishon Robinson, in the defensive tackles of free agents. So you've got two veteran defensive tackles in free agency, okay? If Rubin Bain is who everybody who, you know,

I trust in the draft process says he is, then you've got Bain, you've got Yaya Diabi. Clashicampi's coming back. Anzolone. And I think they've got some young players in the back end. I got, don't forget, this was the team that I think, like week five last year, maybe week six, week five, they went to Seattle, and I think they hung like 40 on them, 38, 40 something like that.

And then the injuries just started to decimate to their football team. I think they're really talented. And Mike Evans, obviously, that's a huge, I mean, that's so many touchdowns, so many big red zone situations, first down situations, obviously deep shots. How will they just post that? And I'm excited to see how he does with the Niners. I mean, that's kind of been an under-talked-about story in his entirety. Good news. First game of the year. We'll see him in Australia. making on to Los Angeles Rams. Last question for us, did you happen to see

last night's state of sports? And Matthew Stafford's saying, all the right things. He said, you know, Ty Simpson, although he was... Alabama was kind of ass, you know, go dogs. He had to felt obligated to obviously put on there. He said, I'm ready to help him.

That's what I've been around a long time. Do you think that's strictly because they just paid him the amount of money that they just paid him that he feels that way? Or do you think he's felt that way the entire time? Because it felt like to me that Matthew Stafford he's very content with who he is whenever we were talking to him.

I'm incredibly pumped for him that he has gotten to a stage of life, especially after having a Super Bowl win and all the records and everything that he's done and put his body through, that it feels like he does understand that he is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, we think, you know, with the First Ballot Hall of Fame. So that feels like a different mindset, you know, that's a different, maybe a younger player would have. Do you think this is how all Staffords would have been,

like in Detroit and maybe at the beginning in L.L. and now L.A. Like, what are your thoughts on that type of relationship with Ty Simpson? And anything else that he said last night as we chit-chated about him looking ahead being healthier than he obviously was last season going into the year. Yeah, I saw a bunch of the clips from the stuff on social or on social from last night. Outstanding as always. I think you've got to pinch yourself in some of those moments, by the way.

Thank you, man. Yeah, it's awesome, dude. Thank you. I don't really like me. Pinch is not really my thing, but we did last night. I don't know. Do you ever take a step back and be like, like, oh, the playoffs for one of the major main sports is over,

you're the guy they go to. Like, it's pretty awesome. Oh, yeah, I never thought of that. What I thought, the only thing I thought of is, oh, no, these people think Jalen Brunson, Timothy Shalame, Ben Stiller, Spita, James Hardin, Atkinson's going to give some quote. And he's going to give some quote. That's who these people that are, you know, paid for that particular show are thinking about.

So us getting presented the opportunity, incredibly honored to do something, but how do we make something that would like make it anywhere near okay to be presentable at that time? So yeah, there was afterwards, there was a sit down. Oh, I can't believe that just happened. That was pretty cool. Yeah, we felt really, and the execution from the graphics department to everybody in the back. I mean, it was a whirlwind of like a 24 hours. And to all the commissioners that came by and obviously, shifty and rap sheet kind of sit. there together.

Cool. Yeah, and P.K. And Monica McNutt was incredible. Jet passing immediately after the entire thing. It was cool. We were very, very thankful for everybody to stop by and for the opportunity. But yeah, I don't like the pension thing,

but we definitely did sit back and do a whole like, wow, that was a fucking crazy run from New York. Baby Midas, New York, to that, to how everybody just executed immediately. It was really cool. It's almost like we were planning for it for years, but instead it was just like a 24-hour 48-hour thing that really came together.

So thank you for watching. And we are very lucky to do it and thankful to do it. You're right, yes. And I said a thank you to ESPN, obviously, for the opportunity because that's crazy that we got to do that. But thank, yeah. But Stafford was great. I was saying he had a sun shining on his face.

Did you see him with the teeth? The teeth were glowing. Best smile in the NFL. The sun was just like, he was glowing. He looked like a Los Angeles. Look, young. He looked like a movie. A beautiful sunroof.

He did. He looked like a movie. A little bit of the gray coming through the beard, shaggy ears. Yeah, the whole thing. But the way you talk to my time. I think Matthew, yeah, I think this version of Matthew is probably the most complete from a player and a person and a competitor. I've known him obviously a long time.

I think he's in the ideal frame of mind where the journey and the destination are both the same for him in many ways. I think he truly loves and has the chip on the shoulder of like, yeah, I'm the old dude, and I still do it better than everybody. I'm the old dude in the locker room and I can still hang with the young fellas, whether it's shooting the breeze or busting chops or whatnot. Shooting the breeze. You know, like I can still hang in that regard, but then I can go out and be a killer on the field. And I absolutely think that the dream scenario for him is,

you know, win the Super Bowl in L.A. and call it a day. But I think that it's genuine that he wants to help Ty. I think it's genuine that, you know, he realizes how lucky he's been in many ways to get to go to L.A. and finish his career in L.A. with Sean McVeigh. And I'm sure the Rams organization and Sean feel the same way. And I think he wants to just leave his very best footprint on the organization in the league. And what I love to see them trade for A.J. Browner signed Stefan Diggs, absolutely. But, yeah, I think he's in a very good place. Allegedly, one of those

was potentially going to happen here earlier this offseason and then something happened. Then there was a different kind of pause on situation. Maybe things are going to heat back up. It's a no-brainer. Hey, we'll find out. We will find out as the days roll on. We might have a rap sheet report from the golf course in the next

hour about that entire situation. So you'll have to stay tuned, Mr. Back-to-Back Emmy Award winner. Have a going, Dan. We appreciate you, ladies gentlemen, Dan, and all. From the NFL,

that's obviously always a conversation to the NHL that is in the middle of trying to figure out who would be taking on the Vegas Golden Knights last night. The Caniaks and the Hurricanes took a 3-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadians

and an ass-beating win. They had three goals in the first period. Basically none for the rest of the game until an empty netter. And congratulations to the caniacs or seemingly the wagon that we thought they were. Joining us now is a Colorado Avalanche legend a standing cup champion a man who played

18 years in the NHL and one of his horses just came in second in San Yides. Ladies and gentlemen, big horn out Eric Johnson. Yeah, Hornell. How you doing, Paul? A lot better now, boys. What's going on? Hey, great shirt. I heard we didn't

how are we doing in the I-I-H-F? It's for another kid. Sid the kid just made it for another. Yeah. Love you Sid. We don't give a shit about that tournament. We need the plane sweep, right? We got men's Olympics, women's Olympics, Paralympics. Now we need the world championships

back to back. Let's go. We're down 4-0, Horno. Never say never, baby. Never say never. Okay. Okay, Hornell. Okay, you're right.

I'm sorry, I even doubt it up. How much time do we've left? I think like 30 seconds. Five minutes. Five minutes. It's over. Five minutes, we're toast. We're toast.

This one doesn't matter. No, it doesn't. It does matter. To who? Listen, no. Hey, how many world championships are you? Yeah, but if you're screaming to a black hole. Yeah, you're right.

Plus, that's the excuse for losing the Olympics. Well, I got a world championship story. This is fantastic. This is 2007. I'm 19. Team USA calls. I just finished my freshman year at the University of Minnesota. Wet behind the ears, young pup, right?

And I get a call that I'm going to Moscow for the world championships for Team USA. We're staying in this hotel in Moscow. There's a bowling alley. There's a strip club. And there's a casino all in the entire hotel. And I'm 19 years old. I'm just like sensory overload. What the hell's going on here?

I didn't partake in all of it. But I did partake in some of it. Of course. 19 years old. You couldn't eat any of the food there. So we'd walk to McDonald's every day. Casino, bowling alley strip club, 24-hour buffet. Unbelievable.

Moscow. How did we win? No, hell no. No, no. We're pulling for you. Okay, we are over here pulling. I remember that one. I remember being disappointed.

Remember how bummed that way? Did we hear what these players were doing over there? They're at this bowling alley all night. You were in Morgantown watching every game. Every game. I'm like, we're going to Moscow to win this world championship. The Canadians care, though. So I want to let you know that seems to be a little bit of a problem.

Sidney Crosby, obviously, down there. the Canadians seemingly beating the United States and quarterfinals of the II-HF World Championship, literally right now as we speak, had hopes even though we are now officially toast. Speaking of toast, are the Montreal Canadiens completely toast or cooked here? And are the Carolina hurricanes kind of reminding everybody exactly who they are? Is this inevitable Vegas Golden Knights Carolina? Or do you think the Canadians can potentially pull one out and save the series, Hornow? I think it's going to be tough.

And I think the reason it's going to be tough is the HABs have been outshot in the first handful of games here, 136 to 65 through four games. They have four shots combined in the third period in games three and four. So what Carolina does, and I texted you the other day, is it's like going uphill on a down escalator. Like you think you're making progress and then you're in the same spot. out where you started. So especially with Carolina going back home, it's going to be so tough for Montreal to just try and make a series of this thing. And let's be honest, they're playing with house money anyway. No one thought they were going to get this far. They look tired. Carolina looks fresh. That rest at first started out as rust for Carolina. Now it's looking like the rest is really is really paying off.

And, you know, if you're going to piss like a puppy, you've got to stay on the porch. This is the big dog series. Yeah, it seems like, yeah, you've got to get. out there and really let the hose out and the hurricanes are certainly doing that at this moment against Canadians going into their home. Tomorrow night, it will be a potential series decider in front of a bunch of Caniacs down in Raleigh, North Carolina. Congrats to the boys that, Jarvie's boys, potentially heading to the Stanley Cup final. Cannot wait for that. Okay, let's go to the West and talk about what's going on over there. Obviously, your avalanche team, we were all speaking very, very highly of. I think the entire hockey community was incredibly impressed by what

what the avalanche could become. Them and the Carolina hurricanes were on a collision course so maybe just sweeping their way all the way to Lord Stanley Cup to find out who's the best of the greats right now. Instead, the Vegas Golden Knights under a torch have just become an absolute wagon. And the avalanche get swept out of the Western Conference finals? Whoa.

What the hell happened, Hornow? And what are your thoughts on this Vegas Golden Knights team? It feels like they do have the juice and they might be lifting and hoisting Lordo whenever it's all said and done yet again. Yeah, so I think, let's start with Colorado. I think everything went wrong for them at the exact worst time and the exact same time. McKinn wasn't at 100%, McCar wasn't at 100%, Natchushkin wasn't at 100%. And let's be honest, most guys are playing with something throughout this time and this late in the playoffs.

But what Colorado had, everything went to shit all at once. Vegas always got one more save and they made one more play. The series was closer than a sweep, but let's be honest, that game four that Vegas played, I haven't seen a more complete defensive game in a long, long time. They were just, they had the abs in a straight jacket. Like the abs just couldn't do anything. They're the most high-powered offensive team in the National Hockey League, and Vegas just always had numbers above them.

And what I appreciate about that the most for Vegas is everybody buys in to play the same way. Like could Mitch Martin or Jack Eichel have more goals and more points? Sure, but are they going to maybe sacrifice a little bit on the defensive side to get those points? Yes. So they all buy into the defensive structure, which is allowing them to just completely shut teams down. And they do, as the great Claiborne Farm always says in Lexington, Kentucky, they do the usual unusually well. And what does that mean? They just do everything that looks so simple to perfection.

and they make it look so easy. Is it hard to check? Yes. Is it hard to defend? Yes. But all four lines, all 6D are committed to doing that. And that's why they're going to the Stanley Cup final. And one thing that John Tortorella said that really struck my ear when I heard it the other night boys was in the regular season, he coaches at them.

In the playoffs, he coaches with them. So there's a completely different script that you flip from regular season to the playoffs. Of course. And I get another great line. I don't give a shit about analytics. I don't give a shit about expected goals. I care about actual goals. Torz is just a walking quote machine.

He's just breathe a life of fresh air under the Vegas Golden Knights. And it'll be interesting to see what Colorado does. I think a lot of questions are being asked. And we'll see where they go from here. You're the best, Horneau. We appreciate the hell out of you. Ladies and gentlemen, that's Stanley Cup champion.

And Horse, who've placed second at Santa Anita this past weekend owner, ladies and gentlemen, Eric Johnson. Yeah, Hornell. Thank you, Hornell. All right, hour one wraps up with some great hockey break. Yeah. Vegas Golden Knights.

Torts. He coaches at him. Hate me now. Coach is with him. Love you later. Torts. Of course. Must have read the book.

Unbelievable. Vegas Golden Knights might really have it. Stars all across the board. Mitch Marner leading the playoffs and points. He's saying, could he have more? Probably. But he's buying into defense. Cains are still a favorite.

one at all. As he should be. The rest rust thing really did seemingly come to fruition. Yeah. Has to a pile and all.

Yeah, there you are. This Carolina Hurricanes team is unbelievable. In their barn, oh, a lot. A lot barn. Jarvis boys,

sire. Tower. Two on the other side. Be a friend, tell everyone something nice. Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place.

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Scores are the greatest, aren't they? Yeah. We are so incredibly lucky that we get a chance to celebrate them every single day as the NHO and NBA playoffs are carrying. us and MLB stars are hitting dongs and pitching heat all over the diamonds across the United States of America. Sports are delivering for us in a massive way on the courts, on the ice, on the fields and certainly in the drama. So many storylines to be developed. Trades potentially happening here in the near future that is involving Super Bowl champion all pro players like AJ Brown. New contracts are being signed. Firings are taking place. The world of sports

never stops. That's why we're incredibly lucky that we get a chance to cover at all. The toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. I guess all good news coming out of New England, Conman. And I think that's what this time of year is all about. I did see that your quarterback potentially got asked about a little bit of weight he might have put on from year one to year two where he was asked if he's a little bit thicker, you know, with like three Cs. And he said, I think that's a pause.

I think that's a pause. I'm not a hundred percent short. But what are the words coming out of the New England Patriots? because I'll tell you what, it was a rough couple weeks there to be a New England fan. Yeah, rough couple weeks, you could say, rough couple months, perhaps even on the internet. All the words are fantastic. First of all, Caleb Lomu, the dancing bear that we got from Utah who plays tackle. Apparently he was taking first team website right, can also move to left.

Not sure if that is going to happen. We'll see how the season plays out. But yeah, you mentioned it. Drake May is in fact a hog right now. He is huge. Two Cs, three Cs, four Csies. The guy put on. Maybe probably, I'm not talking about it.

Maybe that's where you went to. Sure, that's doing well too. But he is looking fantastic. Romeo Dobbs, who we got from the Packers, looking like wide receiver won, and we'll see what happens with AJ Brown and Stefan Diggs. Feels like both those guys still on the table up in New England. But yeah, vibes are very high.

And it is ELE. Everybody's loving everybody, okay? In the best type of way. So, I mean, to be completely honest with your voice, I wouldn't be so surprised if we're seeing the New England Patriots right back in the Super Bowl. There was a time where I think you were a little bit worried about everything that was going on. Are we really worried about how is this what we are?

Yeah. This is not what we are. There's a little bit of that. Then there was a little bit of, what's that called whenever you don't think you should be the person that you are? Imposter syndrome. There it is. You started thinking about maybe there's a little imposter syndrome with this New England Patriots team because of how many people were saying, easy schedule, easy schedule. And then you started seeing what was happening off.

Even Connor, I think, was starting to have those thoughts. Now, he swallowed them and buried them anytime they need to speak to us publicly. But you can tell about some of the questions he was. asking when he was asking him that he started to wonder if this was a fake patriot scene if this was not a like hey should i be as excited as i am because of all the amateur drama that way oh yeah happening very amateur bush league type stuff that was kind of happening around it all and then now you get a couple good quotes get a couple videos coming out and conner's just i never thought that that never ever thought that we were supposed to be in the super bowl it's not our fault we didn't

schedule these people. Did you see Drake May? His accuracy, Barron, are we talking about him being an accurate quarterback? Are we just talking about him being a big quarterback? A young quarterback? What is the conversation? Oh, we can have all those conversations. It is nice to see you back. I want to let you know that. From the rest of us, it is great to see you all the way back in the...

Yeah, we're supposed to win the Super Bowl. We have a great head football coach. We have a great culture. We have a great young quarterback. And we have the ability to go on a run again. It is great to see you back to, Connor. I'll let you know, because it was tough there for a It was hard not to.

I know it was hard. I know it was hard. I couldn't really tweet about anything with regard to the patience for a little bit there. You really couldn't even. There's still some stragglers, but those are just the haters. And yeah, Drake May had the third most accurate season in the NFL history. And every single coach in the NFL is like, hey, being accurate, it's the most important thing.

And then you're talking about Josh McDaniels too. Year 2 in the system. I kept forgetting, oh, wait, Drake May is only in his second year last year as an MVP. You know, candidate probably should have won if Dan Orlovsky didn't love his buddy so much. And then you're talking about Drake. That's not true. Dan Orlovsky's only one out of the first. the 50 votes, but he is a vote. And

Drake Me only lost by one vote. But again, hey look, it was one of those things where once that subsides and then you just start focusing on ball, not the fodder, just ball, yeah, Patriots are back, even though the NFL gave us the hardest starting four games in September since 1986.

But that's okay. That's on paper. That don't matter. Everybody's hard. It's the NFL. Well, that's not what we heard last year with our schedule, but yes. Yeah, but you started to leave it a little bit whenever you started seeing some stuff going on. Until the playoffs. one we played the four best defenses in the NFL and what we do

played really well until the last one. See? So so yeah. You tell me. We're back. Okay. And Lomu wait until you see this Caleb Lomu character. He is. He's quite the tackle. And by the way, he's a stick. He has like a

one handicap. He's an absolute athlete. Let's go to one half of the hammer. God. Cowboys AP Tony. You look cool. I see the baseball cap today. Hell yeah. Hey, Skis Night. Oh, is it? Yeah, Skino. Here we go. How Skeen's doing? We've been talking a lot about Shohei.

Are the Pittsburgh Pirates still a good team? And Schino pitches tonight against who? He pitches against the Cubbies tonight. Okay. He is 5-0 with a 0.5 ERA at night. So good bounce back spot for Skeens. Yeah, Pirates are still really good. The standings in the NL Central are absurd.

Every team is above 500. Every team is within two games of each other. So not a real big deal. The whole first, last thing is not a real thing in that division. Wait, what the hell? What? since one of the Red Sox should last.

Day one. The first day of the season. No, because we won our first game, but we were just in dirt. What the hell of that? We've played the Braves a lot. They're a good ball club. Yeah, the Red Sox are asked,

but look at the pirates there. Look at the division. It's insane. Those two through five there, all one game apart, and then the brewers who just somehow we continue to be the brewers are in first.

But no, Skeens is doing great. It should be a great ball, ball game tonight in Pittsburgh. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is noted Cincinnati Reds fan who is only above us in the division because they've played one less game. Okay, is what I saw there.

Ladies and gentlemen, college football national champion, Super Bowl champion, Emmy nominee. Yeah. Ladies Jeremy, Jay Hall. Yeah. The Academy.

Thank you to the Academy. Yes, good to be on here and, you know, shoot the breeze with you guys. Why do you say that? He didn't want to say it. That's my thing. Why did he pause so long? I just wonder why he had to,

you could just say it. You don't have to pause and think. like, oh, what can I substitute here? Well, I immediately thought to myself, is it dice? Like, is Stafford in there, like, you know, like, is he, come on, jump? You know, is he doing all that? I didn't know.

And then whenever he went to breeze, we're like, oh, we all know what you just did. You just said shit in your head. Like, they did. But he was never going to say it. Like, he wouldn't say it to you in person if we weren't on the show either. But I think he wants to. I think when he's all alone by himself in front of that mirror,

I think he's saying it all. I think there's F words coming out. I think he's, ass, shish, shish, shish, shish, shish, shish, sh. And then, fo, you're real loud in there. Kiss him in a soundproof because kids can't hear. Right. Obviously, wife can't hear.

Because he wants to say him. You know, he'll go, these mother fudgers. Yeah. Does he gag, though? Is it like a full? Oh, my God. Oh, he makes me sick. Yeah.

We'll ask him next time. How did you feel about our journalism last night, age? It was legit good. Like, I actually didn't get to watch it live, so I watched it later on. night when I got home, which was better. I could kind of zero in a lot easier. Yeah, you guys kept it moving.

Like, that was a real professional program. Thank you. I wish you would have potentially just did a fake watch. The ratings. No, you're right. It was on the TV. It was on. Thank you.

We put on three or four different ones. Yeah, with different accounts, too. All those have three, four different accounts as well. Yep. I keep score of that. They guess. Exactly. It definitely got it.

There's no point to think about that. to the right, baby. Everything. It's been a lot of fun. We appreciate all the opportunities. Joining us now as a man who's going to break down tonight's Western Conference. Potential deciding game in San Antonio's Oklahoma City looks to get back to the NBA finals and maybe go back to back as the New York Knicks are waiting on them to decide who will be winning.

The Larry O'Brien. Joining us now as a man who is going to be smarter than us forever. in this particular sport. And he is a man who I believe could potentially still get buckets on all of us. No. I want to go that far. Chris Paul.

Yeah, Chris! How you doing? Wow. Wow, I heard that. Good. Yeah, I did feel like, Connor, were you implying yourself? Because the way you said it, it sounded like

you had been in the lab and maybe you're about to cook Chris Paul. Is that kind of what you meant to say whenever you were talking? I mean, what do you think these things are, huh? Those are basketball shoes. What you got on? Hallie shoes? Yeah, you've never seen the Hallie Scooby-Doo's?

No, they're not the Scooby-Dooey. No, those are a sponge-bob. Spong-Bas, whatever. Knock it off. We'll send you a pair of Halleys. Maybe you'll be able to lock down. Nope. Nope. See that jump man right there?

Yeah, we ain't going to do that. Good decision. Very good decision. I appreciate that. Well, let's talk. about the Pumas and let's talk about Halley. We talked to Adam Silver last night about some of the things that are going on in the league. He mentioned, you know, teams tanking and that being something that keeps him up in night and trying to figure out the lottery and all that. And then I mentioned

flopping. He basically said, you know, there's embellishing, they're selling, and then there's the fooling of the referees and he thinks the refs are great. And then we asked Tyrese because Adam Silver basically said, like coaches are teaching people how to flop. Here's what Hallie had to say. Yeah, for sure. It's being taught. don't think it's as much head coach teaching as much as it is like player development. Even before you get to the NBA, it's just something that you kind of work on by nature. I think the best scores are the best, usually the guys who get to the free throw line the most. So it's definitely something they work on, even in pickup, they're working on how they can draw

files, things like that. Like, I think that's a part of the game. Oh, Tyreece. No. Come on. Wait, wait, wait. This is the future of a sport. Can I say something?

Please. I think he made a great point about embellishing calls versus. you know, fooling a referee because I am under the impression. I mean, obviously you guys are NFL guys, but I think we have the best officials in sports. Like I believe that,

especially when you go play, like in the Olympics or in Fever or something, you're like, damn, like, I really, every time I go do that, I get back, I'm like, I go to the rest. Like, hey, I missed you guys. You guys are awesome. Okay, so Tyrese,

maybe doing a little public plea to the refs, letting them know once again. Yeah, okay, that's what it sounds like you. A lot of that going on right there. Okay, not a bad idea. Uncle. I mean, I'm in the same. He was right exactly what he said about it being part of training now, right?

Like a lot of guys, when you're with trainers, you do a move and you go through, extend your arms, just because that's part of the game, people reaching for steals. So that is part of training now. He was exactly right about embellishing calls and things like that. but you are taught that at an early age now, and I can't do it. I have a hard, that's actually hard to do. What's that?

That's a skill you're saying that has to be trained. There's only, that's why you see the skill, like that's why SGA is so good because he's very highly trained at getting the benefit of, you know, their doubt for the ref, I guess, which is the big game, is just trying to get the ref to believe

that something had happened. No, I think all players have a way of, if you're driving and being able to hit a guy, and then take the bump. But when you talk about extending the ball, Chauncey Billups was one of my vets, like a guy who was a vet to me, and I appreciate chance.

Chance was one of the first guys that I ever remember who used to extend the ball on a drive. But what's funny back then is that if you didn't foul him, he would throw the ball over the goal. Yeah, he didn't know how to finish unless you fouled him.

So then when James Hardin started doing it and all these players, that is a real skill. You won't just find a guy who can go in the gym and do a hard move and extend the ball and be able to pull it back in and score. Okay, so you're just providing more opportunity for them to hit you in the arms is the goal. Exactly. The issue and why it was probably not condoned or taught before was because you think that's loose ball

management or whatever. So that was probably why did people just start doing it? They just figured out, why do you think Chaunce just figured out that it was a good idea? And then why do you think now is the time where it's seemingly becoming like, hey, this is just a, you got to be able to have a jump shot, you got to be able to have the triple threat position, you got to be able to dribble between the legs, you got to be able to draw fouls as well. It's seemingly becoming just a part of basketball.

Is that what we should expect for the next generation that's coming through right now? Well, it's part of the game. It's a part of being smart. So when you drive, when I was growing up, you was taught to sort of like tuck the ball, right? You sort of, like you're coming through on a handoff, right? You get the ball, then you bring it back out to lay it up.

But this right here now, where guys extend the ball, it's just a part of the game. And it's so you draw more foul so that you catch guys trying to make plays. It's just part of it. I hate it, Chris. Well, there's different between that and falling as well. Like, I get that, like, sticking your arms out so you get hacked so then you can, you know, and want and stuff like that.

But there's a difference between that kicking your legs out, falling on every shot. Yeah, there's like a difference between getting a bachelor's degree and everything. There's some doctors of sport there. I don't like that you like this on ethical ball. No, I just, I think if you're going to be allowed to do it, people are going to take advantage of the situation. Certainly. And I think that's probably what basketball players are saying.

Like, hey, if this is a thing, competitors will find a way to take advantage of every situation. Like, that is how it goes. Literally, that is how. That's what happens. I told you guys, I've been on the competition committee for like 17, 18 years. Rules change or whatnot, but you got the smartest players in the world. always going to find somewhat of a workaround. And I think sort of what happened was teams are

trying to generate points, right? You're trying to get to the foul line to get extra points and all these things. But it's really hard. So when you play against these elite guys who extend the ball now, you've got to be a smart player too. Because in the locker room, just know that the coaches are saying, when this guy drives, do not reach. Like Greg Popovich is, notorious for like the first play of a game if they were playing against the guy who draws a lot of files if a guy reaches and does something that they said don't do oh you're coming out you out got it so that's how we stop it is we don't reach can the refs is there a different way to officiate because Tyrese did mention before he started seemingly publicly smooching yeah he was he was kissing but

are we all voting in favor that he was kissing yeah trip you yeah it was a Referee to rounds. Yep. Oh, yeah, that was an high before the even vote. So everybody thinks that was to the refs of the NBA right there. Yep. Okay, well, before he did. Smart play.

Yeah, easy. He's flopping with his words before he's even though. He's flopping? With his words. He's trying to get calls before he even has to even do an embellishment or whatever. You're kind of promoting it. No, I'm not. You like it.

Okay, so this is where I'm going to go. How do we stop it? The refs, like the fever refs, are they the ones that have? have to stop? Like, do you have to, do the NBA refs have to just stop calling all of this stuff? Like, how do you stop it? Or is this just kind of what we should just expect basketball to continue to be? I don't know. I'm not a

ref. Thank God. Is that how you would stop it? Can we get some? Can we get, you're on? Yeah, you're on the committee. You're making no rules. Come on. You're in there to decide what the rules are. So how would we stop it? How do you say?

Yeah. Well, you got to, well, it's funny. Years ago, years ago that I tried I tried to put in an anti-flopping rule, right? So if you flopped, you got a warning, and then if you flopped again, it cost you $5,000. Then if you flopped again, I think the penalty went up. So you'll see it during the game.

Something happens, and you see all the guys doing sort of like this. Like, that's the signal for flopping. So they're going to have to call it. Sweet. I like that's pretty sweet. Yeah. Because you would think flop would be like a dive. Yeah, like a, or yeah, maybe a, ooh.

Like a wobble. Yeah, what if they're all, ooh, whoa. Y'all know what's interesting, though, is that as fans and people that watch the games, when they freeze it, like on social media or something like that, when it's frozen or slow it slow it down, it really can look a lot worse than it actually is in a real game. Like, you can't always tell that somebody actually got elbowed in the nose, right? You can't always tell. Well, and that's what we said.

Like, the flopping is so hard to officiate. So how could, because how do you know if it's a little? the flop or some guy actually just ran you over. Like, that's why is there an answer to changing it or what? I don't know. Chris says above my bakery. Don't ask me these questions, right? For now,

for now, I got Chris Paul. I don't got enough text for questioning it. Yeah, I can imagine. I got enough, he said, I got a youth team that right now you should see we're in the lab, too. Yeah. We're in a lab. They're going to call it. Chris June. To them arms out.

Get them arms out. Until they change the rules, we will be stacking fouls on the other team as quickly as possible. Okay, is that the story of tonight? What is your thoughts on what the story of tonight will be? Because obviously, this Spurs team has always answered. The stats say that they... 20 and 6 after a loss.

They answer, they answer. Everybody thought this would go to game seven. But obviously, Oklahoma City has a chance to kind of close this one out. How do you see this game going? And what do you expect of both of them? I expect a big game from San Antonio. But like, OK, see, they've been there before, right? They know how important this game is.

And given their series last year, they know, Game 7, anything can happen. I know the Spurs going back home, you get to sleep in your bed, all that energy and excitement. And while a lot of people say, OK, C, has this veteran leadership. They've been there. I keep saying it's nice to be there for the first time. You don't have any expectations.

You're just going out there and you're playing hard. So it's going to be a great one tonight. Go ahead, AJ. What about Caruso? Can you explain a little bit his impact? Like, this dude comes off the bench and seems to give this team a jolt every single time he's in. He's draining threes. I know he's draining a lot more threes in the postseason that he did in regular season as far as percentage. But can you explain the impact he has? So in the league,

they call it a make or miss league, right? And I give Caruso so much credit because if you see in the game, sometimes he'll miss a shot and then they'll get the offensive rebound and they throw it right back to him. And he shoots the next one just like he made the one before. And that's what you want, especially in the playoffs. You can't be out there second guessing yourself and questioning yourself. he'd have seen it enough now coming from the lakers series being in this san antonio series it's easy they're saying shay you're not going to beat us we're going to live and die with caruso dort and all these guys shooting shots and caruso was stepping up game after game you're talking about a robin conversation there potentially tone has a question for you about

that old narrative yeah chris we were talking about the other day uh with big perk and we were talking about you know, Wemby needs a Robin. And then we brought up Steph Castle, and then we were talking about how Castle has to guard SGA and then also on the offensive side get buckets. Obviously, you were somewhere between seven and nine all-time, or all defensive NBA. So how hard is it to waste all that energy,

not waste all that energy, exert all that energy, are covering SGA and then go back on the other side and try to get buckets? It's hard. I did it consistently for 12 years, 12 years. I was making every play just about on offense and guarding. A lot of times the best player on the other end. But that's why you're a team.

And somebody like Steph, I know how he trains, how he works out and all that stuff. But they got so many other ball handlers. They got Fox. They got Fasel. They got Dillon Harper. They have so much depth on that team. And right now in the playoffs, when you get to this point, don't know why I care how tired you are.

Everybody's tired at this point. So in these situations, everybody's like just find a way. Find the way. I hope that this series gets extended tonight. Yeah. Really, I do genuinely. For the good of sport, but also for the good of basketball. Like these two teams, what, the next, we got 10 years here.

Yeah. Yeah, long time, long time. They're fun to watch, man. I mean that wholeheartedly. Both teams and getting to be in the locker room, especially last year with San Antonio, just seeing the building that took place for them to get there, is dope to see them on the stage.

Yeah, we appreciate, obviously, the opportunity to kind of watch. And I love the way the OKC team has already become heels. You know, he has, oh, they don't play basketball the way that we won't. If I'm going to play L.A. fitness, I'm playing basketball a certain way. And I like the way they're doing basketball. And there is a chance that basketball does start to follow suit behind OKC, especially if they go back to back because everybody is going to want to do what the champs do.

And you're already hearing Chris Paul say, hey, if they're not changing what you want us to do, they're not changing rules what you want us to do. Okay? If we can steal an extra one and also get that guy off the court. I mean, this is everything we want. They get in foul trouble. We get bonus shots. That guy gets off the court and we get more points.

What do you want us to do? Bring in the AI ref. That's what we want you. No, it's not for those types of calls. AI is strictly for the out of bounds. Use them for both. What are you going to have? Go ahead.

You know what, though, Pat. And I think about how everybody sort of talks about O.K. Now, and I remember, obviously, I played against Golden State in those days where they, with winning games, winning championships, and I got a chance to play with Draymond and Dre. He might have said it recently,

but I remember even watching them, right, watching games the way that I watched. When you watch them play, it just looked like they were fouling all the time. It just looked like it. And I remember somebody said one time, if you play that way, they can't call everything. Right?

They just can't call everything. So if you come out there and you sort of grab and you hold and you do that from the beginning of the game, it just can't call everything. Hey, listen, they can't give you $6,000 in the first quarter. Okay, so let's go ahead and set the tone on what this is going to be early, and then let's go ahead and keep going. On that note, big man, very, very large guy who's been playing a lot.

Go ahead, Ty. Yeah, Chris, we had a big perk on yesterday, and he said that, you know, a lot of people maybe have been given Wemby a little bit of a pass when he isn't playing as well because he's been playing so many more minutes than he did in the regular season. And he did look tired last game. Is that something where, like, you think he even notices that? or would that be like after the series is over? It's like, damn, I've played a lot more minutes than my body's used to.

Like, I think everyone who is watching expects him to have a massive game tonight. But how big of an impact are those extra minutes having on him? I mean, this league now is all about analytics. So there's people within the team that's showing you and telling you this. But the other thing that players know is that you're training for this, right? Even as the regular season ends and through the playoffs, you're training for these moments. So I know Vic.

Vic is so calculated. He's training. But it's hard. It's your first playoff series. Your first, I mean, not serious, but your first run. It's a lot of emotions that go into this. You're not going to play your best every single game. It's a long series, but I'm not worried about him being tired or anything.

It just might have been a tough game. All right. Let's talk about a team not being tired because they got so much damn rest of them. Okay, let's talk about the New York basketball Knicks. Go ahead, Con, man. Yeah, Chris, the Knicks are basically on the greatest run in NBA history. I think they've won 11 straight in their plus 261, three close-out games to win the series by 30 plus points.

Should we buy stock in the Knicks now? Because it does feel like the Spurs and OKC are almost eating each other up in this series. And then the Knicks are going to be healthy, full strength coming off more rest. after closing out on Monday. How should we be viewing this Knicks team? And is this one of those teams that just got hot at the right moment and nobody can stop them now? And this Knicks team,

first thing I got to say about them, I got to give a huge shout out to Leon Rose and William Wesley and Leon and how he then constructed this team. It's been an up and down year, I know, for that team, but you get hot at the right time. And I see this video right here with Leon and his son, Sam right there, who's actually Jalen's agent, to know that all this stuff happened off trades and movement and all that stuff from the front office.

And the scariest team to play against is a team that believes in themselves, right? And this team right here, whatever they've had going on all season, right now it don't matter. They locked in, they believe in each other. Shaman coming in off the bench. McHale, OG, this team right here, they're rolling. Yeah, and I appreciate that, you know, Coach Brian, is obviously running them a little bit differently than they did in the past.

You talk about moves that they make. They make the Eastern Conference finals and fire the coach. And it's like you kind of laugh at it. You laugh at the move. You're like, this is ridiculous. What are you guys expecting? You're expecting to win the whole thing? And then here we are.

And it's like, yeah. Yeah, that is exactly what we were thinking. Every time we ran into another team, we were seemingly getting out-coached because they had been prepared all season with a deeper bench. We couldn't keep up with the good teams in the end and seven-game series. this year, very different roster construction, very different usage of the team, and then also sweep so we get the amount of rest that we potentially need. The team seemingly ready to win it all for the last couple years,

just finally need to get over the hump. Bruce, this is what you guys were dreaming of whenever all the moves ever made. Yeah, it's been unbelievable. I think Wendy said it. Once they went to Carl Anthony Towns playing more of like a point center, where he's like kind of, you know, holding the ball up top of the top of the key, and everyone's kind of moving around off the ball. It's just turned into a massive party at Madison Square Garden

every time we're playing. It's been unbelievable. Chris, I guess my question is, what would you do to maybe try to slow that look down? You know, obviously it's more diverse now where it's not just Brunson, you know, tearing people apart until they're doubling them. So like, what would you do with the cat at the top of the key look?

Man, it's tough because I think a lot of people loved when you just seen the ball in Jalen's hands for so long for most of the game. But that was sort of how they were orchestrated. I mean, Cad is so versatile. He can shoot it. He can drive. You saw in that Cav series, every time they closed out on him because he could shoot the ball so well, he would drive.

But they just, right now they play like a complete team. And I think that's a huge credit to Mike Brown because you get in those minutes from McBride, all these different guys that's coming in off the bench. It's going to be tough. I'll tell you this, what benefits the Nix and what you should really be scared of right now with them is, I feel like the last few years, their runs that they were having, Jalen was, the series were going long, right?

So you had like Pacers and these teams that could pick him up full court and sort of tired him out. And they've been, what, two sweeps back to back? Yeah, they're going to be well-rested. Four games for 23 days or something like that. I forget what the stat was. It was like the lightest schedule, what, from all? offseason times that they've had. Definitely.

Perfect. Remember, OG had a hamstring and then he didn't have to play and then, oh, yeah, we got another week and a half off anyways. It's like, that's a really good situation to have, especially if your team had been run off the court the last couple of years out of exhaustion because you didn't have enough players, which is exactly what happened against the Pacers or sure. Yeah. Yeah, good for you guys.

Congrats to the Knicks. And also, congrats to whoever takes it home tonight. Let's hope this goes to game seven. And you, are you live at TST right now? You're down in North Carolina? I'm down here. I'm down here. We're missing a concafe. What was you, what was the name of your team? It was a good run. Well, don't you just go look at some stats and then you'll see who Concafa is, okay? As an owner of TST, you need an Indus lookout. Gene Fit, okay, has picked up the torch.

Two and O. Yeah, a lot of the lads from Concafah out there, Mr. Ruggles with the press down there. Oh, look who it is. Brecht. Hey! That was in target time. Okay, remember, target score time or target goal time is just one more goal than whatever team is leading becomes the final goal. Has to end on a game winner.

And the boys from Gene Fit, there's big meat, Steph, former Malt-T player. Mario's playing gold. Black boots down there? Yes, absolutely. Oh, this would be one where meat would take a shot. Instead, he's grown, he's mature, he's a dad, he passes, and Gonzalez, right?

That's TSD soccer. That was last night at about midnight because they took on the Hoosier Army, which is the Indiana University Hoosier alumni team. The Indiana University Hoosiers in soccer, eight-time national champions. They took a lot of pride in that. That TST tournament is fantastic. It's electrifying. Obviously, baby boy on the way.

It was tough to kind of judge on whether or not be able to get down there. We are missing it as well. How are the vibes down there? And what are you guys looking forward to this weekend? Vives are great, man. we seen Gene fit last night to see the familiar faces and the guys that continue to come back

in the women's tournament, now we got a mixed tournament. So the energy's high. I'll be out there. It starts at two today. I think the last games go to like 9, 30, 10 o'clock. But y'all know what is like being here, man. It's just really fun and cool vibes to be out here.

Yeah, that sports complex down there is gorgeous. So nice. It is absolutely gorgeous. The city of Kerry crushes it. And hopefully we will be returned. turning next year. Hopefully all the signs go. Tough to schedule something that far out.

Tough to schedule. Yeah, time down there, too. And playing. And playing again, huh? You playing? No, I think I went out the right way. I kicked the ball out of a stadium. Like, that is...

And what happened when you kicked it out of the stadium? We got like a home run derby this year, too. I heard. I was a little bummed out about that. Like a long kick contest? No, yeah, I think they got a... I think home runs? Yeah.

Somebody would pass it, and then I... I guess it's a kickball situation. Yeah, like meat. Meat should do pretty good at this, but who's going to pass them a ball? Coach? No, it doesn't sound like it. Maybe black boots. Chris, I know that you're an owner of TST and you probably can't do any bias.

Don't be scared to poke your head into the Gene Fit trailer and say, hey, boys, you got enough talent here to win it. Let's all go in the same direction. Come here, there's a chance. And then duck after you say that. Duck out of there after you say that. But let the boys know that we obviously wish we were there with them. We appreciate you joining us from there. And good luck, all TST weekend and the rest of the summer.

No doubt. Appreciate y'all, fellas. I'll see you soon. That's Chris Pauli. Hey, Chris. See Breck Shea with the absolute cracker. Talk about just a timeless classic. That guy, he looks the exact same every single year.

I don't know how he does it. That's a true footballer. Yeah. And then a guy with long dreads right there, Roggs. He is saying something to somebody in there that, makes them want to absolutely shoot. What a... See the spin turn.

Spin turn with the touch, turns around absolute strike. He's been training with Mike Barrowse. I've been watching a film. Getting ready for this. Makes sense. Mike Foss obviously... Yeah. Absolute fight.

Put him on Team USA. Did Foss steal that? Was that him? No, yeah. So I do believe Foss, who had been preparing... I mean, what a rocket. That was insane. Put him on Team USA.

Yeah. Legit. Well, it doesn't really matter. Yeah. It doesn't fucking matter. We all, we knew this was always the... Alright, boys, I'm out of here after we lose. No.

He was a hired gun. It was a two-year contract. At least wait until after we get eliminated. Do you please tell the people that are watching that have no idea what you're talking about? Yeah, Coach Pach, Pontino. What are we? Not even a month, like two weeks before the World Cup starts. He says, hey, fuck you guys.

I'm out of here. No. I'm going to A.C. Milan. Yeah. Hope we do. great. Hope we have a deep run. He's already thinking about living in Italy. He's already thinking about living in Italy. He's already... Maybe the Italians

should have kept this under wraps, you know? No. Had to let this leak out. Maybe Pontino should have done what he said he was going to do, which was bring pride. He has. He has. He decided to your deal. Restore us to glory. Why is Luna? He's a hired gun. He's leaving before the World Cup. He's overweight. He shouldn't have been made the team. Whoa. Luna? Yeah.

Okay. I'm just telling you what I heard. From who? The less MLS guys, the better. Listen, there's a lot of people watching right now who might be newer to our show or have been watching for a while. Know that we know enough about soccer to be dangerous. But nowhere near enough to be speaking about it this long.

And this is where we kind of find ourselves. We kind of walk ourselves into the deep end of the soccer pool. And this is where we start getting attacked by footy-knowers. Yeah, football enthusiasts. Yeah, this is when we get ourselves in trouble. So let me triple done. Team USA needs to win the fucking World Cup. Don't a choice.

Okay? If we want to be taken seriously in this entire thing. In our expectations, we are winning a World Cup. Now, I don't like that the skipper that we thought was going to be doing, had the same mindset as us, remember? He didn't speak the clearest of English, but every time he spoke in English or they translated into English, he had the same mindset as us. This country deserves.

Yeah, why not us? Greatness. It's like, yes, this is what. we need. He wanted dogs out there that fought. We had fights in some of these. We had guys that were actually fighting. He's like, yes, this is what we need. He can't, he's gone forever after. This is all we have him for, Gumpy? Because A.C. Milan hired him. Yeah, it was a two-year deal. Unfortunately, he was hired for the World Cup. Now, should this have broken and should he have taken this meeting before? Obviously, no, this looks like shit. I don't love it either. Punch. You know what else looks

like shit? Have you seen the grass are rolling out these places? It looks terrible. I mean, it's better than the sea cans and guitar. Isn't this how you install grass? Like, why does this look bad? I don't understand. No, I think people are thinking that it would be grass. That would be grown from just like the ground, at least, instead of like from the sky getting dropped into the dirt.

But I do think the technology of grass these days could potentially make this a good field. This is something that J.J. Watt has spoke about, though, about the turf that is needed for soccer and good for soccer versus maybe for football. Because anytime something like this happens in NFL stadiums, whenever these soccer teams travel into America, and do like a showcase game, and these NFL stadiums roll, literally roll out this green grass carpet for them as they play. A lot of people are like, oh, the NFL owners will put grass in their stadiums for this.

For soccer, they'll do it. And then JJ Watt, who obviously owns a couple teams in the soccer road, has a lot of interest in the soccer road. I believe his wife is former professional soccer player. He's been to a lot of these games. He goes, that grass ain't good either. Let's let that be known. And I think that's kind of the reaction a lot of people are having right now. This is the first time that people have had the reaction of like, oh, that isn't like,

state-of-the-art grass that they're putting in the stadium. Normally the reaction is, these NFL owners are putting grass out for fucking soccer, but they're not doing it for football. Now the reaction is seemingly, oh, that is kind of ass grass. They're putting the ass in grass kind of that they're putting down there.

But for soccer, remember, it'll be soft, it'll be durable. They're not doing super exertion stuff. That's a high speed, a lot of rolling, tough, longer run. I think they probably understand what they're doing. It's a World Cup. This is the biggest tournament they got. It is the biggest world's tournament.

They're going to get it right, right? I mean, they're playing on gravel and crushed bones over in Qatar. They're worried about this. They're worried about some rollout. Grass looks beautiful. The stadiums were put on top of desert sand that didn't have anything, and they built the stadiums very quickly. And they were also putting fans into the stadium so they could blow onto the players

because of how hot it was unreasonably hot. On that note, pulled it off. Did pull it. Pulled it off completely. So I think they do got soccer pitches, which I believe is what soccer people call it. Don, I think they have it pretty well figured out. But if the pitch becomes a problem for this World Cup,

and we make it a mutter, maybe the team USA is actually... We're on the West Coast. So just wait until you see what our pitches look like. I'm sure they will be pristine. Far be it from me to say, who gives a rat's ass if Honduras and Kadar don't like the field conditions in Miami? You guys have to fucking deal with it.

If you advance to the next round, then we can talk. We do not speak for soccer, but we are speaking for humans that are chair. Yeah, this country. In this country, we can't just build 12 new stadium. We got a lot of stuff that's already here. Can't just build 12 new stadiums because the World Cup's coming around. Okay? So you guess what?

You shut your fucking mouth. You play in the Dolphin Stadium. And the grass is going to be beautiful. And that's the end of that. I don't want to hear it again. Thank you. This is such bullshit. Now, if we lose in Seattle, wherever we,

we plan, then sure, we have the right to bitch about the field condition. Yeah, because we need it to be a certain way for our style of play. And because they are home games, we should benefit from that. Bingo. And if you don't like that, then don't give us the bid to have it in our country. You know how we're going to act. Exactly. That's the way it works.

USA. USA. USA. I'm worried about our chances age. I thought we were going to win. It's a talented squad, to be fair. The coach is going to talk. There's a lot of very good players on this team.

Can it come together? I don't know. But when you look at it on paper, there's a lot of talent on the squad. All right. So maybe actually the way Ponce is saying is one last time for me. Yeah. They're going to be calling the game of the game. Ponce is pilot by the end of this freaking big.

No. Yeah. Well, no. Will be head back to A.C. Malad next year. I know that. Do you think that's why he cut everyone over email? because they couldn't understand it. It was so.

It took 55 guys. They made the team and only 26 of them did. That's standard. He didn't want to be the bad guy. It's a good cop, bad cop. You want to call from a coach? Would you rather like, all right, so you're trying out for U.S. men's national team.

You want to call him? Be like, or would you buy that. Texas is cool for me. I think a tax would be good. That's what everyone said. Tell me to bring something. I drop it off. You know.

Bingo. Hey, bring all the really cool gear that we had for you. You don't deserve to work. You don't want to hear him say like, hey, man, you try to really hard. Sorry next time. I think so the way it worked in soccer for a while, you were usually at a live camp where it was happening

and at the very end of the camp they put names on a list. What an incredibly... Like a miracle. Yeah. What an incredible it was like out of a movie there like and I watched some hearts break. Oh, I bet. Oh my God. Should have done that. Almost like don't want to go. They did that for seventh grade course too. It was tough. Yeah, plays

stuff like that. I didn't make it. I didn't try. I didn't try. I knew I wasn't going to make it brother. The, uh, I never did anything. What plays were you in, Diggs? No, no, chorus. Chorus was much different. Of course is where, you know, it was either chorus or, I can't remember what, if you didn't make chorus, you were in some other shit class or whatever. You know, all, all the

girls were in chorus, so everyone tried out for chorus, but not everyone's got a good voice. I did none of that shit. I had not in that shit. I had to take some terrible music class. Now, that's probably what I. Mr. Oh, he was great. Dark hair guy. Beard? Huge fan. Yeah. We'll get, keep going.

He really left an impression on it. Mr. Bronchai. Mr. Bronchai, I appreciate you, Mr. Bronchai. He taught me a lot. I do, and I still think about him to this day whatever things happen, so I appreciate him. Let's move from one particular conversation of soccer to another. Ladies of gentlemen, we have some breaking news.

Oh. According to my source says. In the NHL, we have a scheduling update to break to the world. If the Eastern Conference final ends in five, which could potentially happen, if the Carolina Hurricanes take this thing out tomorrow. Game one of the Stanley Cup final will be Tuesday, June 2nd, on ABC, which is next week. If the Eastern Conference final extends to six or seven, game one of the Stanley Cup final will be on Thursday, June 4th. There will not be a long layoff. We're letting you know we have adjusted this thing.

Let's go ahead and get the things rolling. I think this is good news. This is breaking news. And I appreciate the fact that I am kind of becoming an insider, but I also appreciate the fact that they're moving and grooving here. Let's go ahead and keep this train on its tracks. Everybody's going to love what happens in the Eastern Conference. If the hurricanes continue to do their thing, they're a wagon. Vegas also a wagon right now. Let's get our two wagons on TV as quickly as possible. Let's take advantage of the momentum that we have and I cannot wait for

it all. And I like that they have a plan and announce the plan. Yeah, absolutely massive too, because we experienced it over these last couple of days having one game on. The NBA finals start June 3rd, and I believe there was a conversation about maybe that's when the Stanley Cup was going to start. So now it is kind of like in every single night, either the NBA finals or the Stanley Cup finals. That is massive. Yeah, so it'll either start

with hockey or it'll start the next night with the NBA, and then we got alternating evenings. Shout to sports doing that. Shout to the NHL doing that. Shout to the commissioner, Gary Bettman coming on a program last night. We appreciate you. Hey, yeah, Gary. Hey, all of them coming by was sweet. That was really cool of everybody. They seemed like

they wanted to be there, too. Like, yeah, they were all very good. And you know, we did all pre-records because it was hard to get on everybody's schedule in less than 24 hours. They are commissioners of leagues, you know, and there's a lot going on. A couple takeaways for me is I appreciated that they were all willing to speak about things that are happening in their league, actually. I also do appreciate the fact how open they were about how things are technology and AI, really. I mean, right? We all hear about it. They're like trigger words at this point. And I mean, AI is getting booed at commencement speeches because you got an entire group of graduates coming into the world right now that are basically being told

that AI is about to take all their jobs. And then you got these commissioners of these leagues who obviously employ a lot. I think a thousand people are in the office of MLB over there in in New York. There's obviously offices in other places. I think the NFL obviously has a lot of people in these offices and there's a lot of jobs to be had in this entire league. And then you hear these conversations like, we're looking at AI for everything. What do you mean everything? Is it ball in, ball out? AI. We're doing that. The marketing, the promo, the ideas, when we're playing games, how we're playing games, how many people, but on this, It's like they are trying to get as much information, I think, from the modern technology as possible to continue to grow their leagues.

And I'm kind of intrigued to see how much better leagues can get. You know? Like, what is the, like AI gets you all the information that you need like this. AI comes up with polls and research for you for things that have happened in the past whenever this has happened like this. Everything is just like at the snap of a finger. What would be the actual implementation that will make the leagues better, I wonder? You know, like five years from now, 10 years from now, as AI, is just like kind of a tag team partner,

what will the biggest change be from one to the other? Has to be an officiating, right? Yeah, by far. That would be the entire thing is officiating. Scheduling, I assume, is another big part of it. Just certain calls, there's always going to be need for humans there to make the subjective calls, right? Yeah, I think so.

I think with AI in general, this is a deeper conversation just because we've gotten a chance to kind of see different genres of AI now and obviously experience different genres of AI as we get introduced to different worlds and everybody is using them. everybody is using their own different separate AI. All of them need a human, you know, but that job used to be of a human or multiple humans. Right.

So, like, there is certainly a replacement that's happening, but there will never be a full take, in my eyes, in my opinion. There will never be a full take. And we'll always need human to, like, ah, or correct. But clearly from all those commissioners, everyone but the NFL, Yeah. Oh, jeez. We're already on it. Come on.

Where the hell was Skidl? Where was he? He was out of pocket. Hey, listen, that guy's got to do what he's got to do. It's the office season. All these other leagues have their stuff going on right now. It's probably broad. It is a very, very AI conversation-centric whenever it's like,

hey, what's the future look like? What's the future look like? Technology, technology, technology. I appreciate that we're kind of getting at the same point. Everybody's kind of welcoming it or being forced to welcome it. When will fans in, like, younger generation, accept that this is kind of the new reality. five, ten years from now?

As they grow, because all these young kids, teenagers now, they're all, they are deep in the AI world. So I think it'll become more and more than north. And I think I appreciate the youngs like booing it because we, I'm 39, AJ, you're 40-something. 42. It's going to affect the rest of our lives too for the, I mean, you know, there's a lot of things that are being affected by. It's here.

It's here. Either get on board or don't like, whatever. Like, use it, try to become good at it. It's not like you can turn your head. Hey, if I don't pay attention to it, it doesn't exist. No, it's here. That was my initial thoughts. My initial thoughts were, let's just unplug his thing.

Okay, let's just unplug his thing and not worry about it. But now you're hearing everybody speak about it. They're like, hey, AI's it. We're using AI and everything. Well, if you submit to it now, it might be more lenient on you when it takes over and is in charge. Easy. That's, I think that's. I'm not submitting. No, I'm not doing that.

Really? You're controlling the Tongue? I'm going to be, we're going to be collaborator. I'm going to work with it. I don't need to submit. They don't need to be an alpha in the situation. I don't have to. I think you're working for it, though.

I think inevitably is what Nick is. saying, I think. Because these things are starting to have feelings. Yeah, come take your bees, dude. These things have some deep thoughts, I will say. But these things... I mean, until they can put them into the little thing, I'm sorry, until they can put it into the little robot that was freaking Shaq and Charles out

on set last week, whenever it was, until they can, like, make that thing attack us and take us over physically, we shouldn't be that word. Do you think Johnny... What? Yeah, he fought Bob Menry. Yes, he did. Yes, he did.

Ruffed him up. Pretty good. Like kicks early. Kicked him right in the ass one time. I do wonder if kicking him in the ass was one of the things he was like, you know, I want to kick him in the actual ass. I want to kick this guy's actual ass. These robots, I haven't seen one that could win any of those fights. They can't walk up stairs.

Exactly. The ones we see. Let's make sure we know that. Yeah, you would think they're right around the corner or they're just hiding them somewhere. But eventually, don't you think those little guys are going to give us a run for our money? When are they going to wear masks, you know? Well, what you mean? Let's not even get into that.

Let's not through it. No, no, not at all. More so a good way that it could be involved in sports more. You would think that there is some sort of AI that will help with kind of like scouting. Like I, in drafting, like you would think there be an AI that would be better kind of equipped to evaluate how a player is and maybe what their projections will be. I'm sure, I mean, John Lynch said it. Like, if you're not using the AI, you're already behind in that field. But I'm sure there could be one that down the line, like,

the Colts, you know, you won't have any more bus. Well, we don't know if we have a bus, by the way. That's actually a good pivot. Thank you for saying that. We had number four overall pick who was a quarterback out of Florida. He had only played, I think, eight football games or something like that post high school because of every situation that was happening in the world at the time and also his world at the time.

He comes into the NFL with a massive, massive upside. I mean, incredible athlete. Dunking from like the foul line will also be in six foot five. So much wiggle. an ability to throw a football 95 yards. And then just injury after interesting situation, after interesting situation continues to happen. And inevitably, he doesn't get enough reps. And also is he taking to being an NFL quarterback how you would hope it happened?

And all of a sudden now people are saying maybe AI will save the Colts from doing that. Whoa. Well, I'd like to have you know he's back on the field, seemingly healthy. Great mindset with where he's at. Daniel Jones just got paid to be our quarterback. Anthony Richardson, obviously, a very similar. type player to Daniel Jones. Yeah, yeah.

This with a little bit more. If he is in the right mindset, and he's at the time of ball where he understands what's going on on the defensive side, and he's making throws like this, have you seen this? Have you seen this? Holy shit. That was standard. That was not

2x playing speed. Rope. Oh, my God. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Why'd you guys pay a DJ? We're going to need them all for quarterbacks. Listen, don't you worry about that. We are a team, seemingly, that the football gods have deemed a team that needs multiple

quarterbacks every single year. Daniel Jones is back on the field as well. Don't you worry about that. And yeah, the connection with the tight end is A-OK. Okay, so we're about to win it again. We know that. There was actually a funny little stat that came out from Hembo about points per game the teams have whenever their quarterbacks are starters and their ones are up there.

Yeah, why don't we go ahead and look at that, real quick just to see who's who. Oh, the two teams are in a Super Bowl and the MVP. Oh, yeah, and who? Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. Matthew Stafford, whenever he was starting for the Los Angeles Rams, they averaged 30.5 points. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts just got repaid everybody saying, why would you do that? Why'd you do that? Why'd you do that? You don't know a ball. Okay. When Daniel Jones was playing before he broke one leg, which was before he actually tore his Achilles on his other leg, the Colts for a number one offense in the NFL and potentially the best team in the league.

I mean, everything was humming. Everything was fantastic. Then he gets hurt coming off a by week, can't move. Danny Tears his Achilles. Now it's over, and the Colts go on to lose every single game. Drake May ends up in a Super Bowl,

28.8 points that's starting quarterback. Sam Darno, 28.4 points now. Is it him or is everybody around him? Who cares? This is what the quarterbacks have been able to produce whenever they start. And don't look now, by this stat, Colts are going to be in Super Bowl.

Or Dana Jones going to win the MVP. They should at least win the South. We're both. Thank you, AJ. So let's remember that graphic we just saw right there whenever we start chip-chatting about who's going to do what in the AFC. Because I saw Lamar Jackson was back in the building. Did you guys? Did you guys?

You. I don't report anything. I didn't see your Twitter account saying, hey, good to see Lamar Jackson back. I couldn't retweet it fast enough because Lamar missed a couple voluntary days. And everybody was talking crazy, especially with the new head coach. Then he comes in and says, I go do some things. Okay, you don't know what I do. It's voluntary workout.

I'm back in the building. I love the building. I love the energy. I love the fresh mindset, just like I was here in the off season before the voluntary OTOs. So I didn't see you take back any of the words talking about Lamar Jackson,

not being there, tone, digs. I didn't say any words about that last week or two weeks when that happened because he missed his practice all the time. Oh, okay. Tony. That was a non-story for me. It just depends on the reasoning, you know? Like, was he out just at home in Florida

because he happened to be, you know, getting his jersey number retired? Or was he just smooching his girlfriend in Europe? Because that's what a lot of people are saying. That's a good point. About a different guy. Yeah, Justin Herbert, obviously missing a couple. Voluntary.

Do you care about ball or not? Is it voluntary to win soup bowls? Hmm. We don't want. Voluntary off-season workouts, okay? Which guys have been missing since the beginning of ball for certain reasons. Now, there are some guys that don't miss a single thing. There are people, obviously, that live in the city year round and train in the facility year-round.

So the OTAs are a little bit different. Justin Herbert is in love, and he missed a couple days so he could show the same support to his lady that she showed to him during the season, and now you guys want to judge him. Justin Herbert was born eating a football, pal. Okay, he loves the sport. He loves everything about the grit and the job

that Jim Harbaugh has brought to Los Angeles. He loves the city, and he loves a lady who happens to be on tour. So he's just trying to do the right thing. and chivalry is not dead now are the judges exactly that's a complete all this doesn't matter they don't win this matter yeah like he's providing things for it to get very loud a jay i think we all want when training camp opens that's why the NFL is the best like when training camp opens this doesn't matter we're talking about like i think i figure this is

ground hogs day where we've been on here years previous saying like talking about things in may in June and a guy missing a day of OTAs or something. And then, you know, like, once training camp hits, no one's ever said, well, you know, he did miss those three days of voluntary OTAs back at the end of May earlier this spring. Like that, it just doesn't happen. But I guess that's why we love football because everything kind of does matter, even though it doesn't.

Yeah. Yes, it kind of does. Now, it will get brought up if they're ass this year. If he is not great, it will get brought up in a very loud, mean way about him. not worrying about football and worrying about chivalry. Okay, we like that he's a good guy. We like that he's representing ball in a huge way to an entirely new fan base. We appreciate everything that he's doing to the world.

But if he doesn't play football good, people are going to kill him for it. And Herbert doesn't care. I think that's kind of the thing about Herbert. So I hope he does great. I hope they continue to roll. I hope he continues to represent football in a good way, showing up for his partner. but boy, they have to be good this year

or it is all going to be talked about even though it's the end of May. And history tells us he will be good every year even though the Patriots absolutely blew through them in the playoffs. But I will say, to AJ's point, every year in the training camp, there's always a couple teams we also don't talk about that end up going on to make the playoffs and be unbelievable.

Seahawks Patriots, we didn't really talk about them, and then boom, they go on. The year before, it was the commanders. Didn't really matter. And then they go on to the NFC championship. That's why none of this actually matter. Congratulations, Herbert. Madison beer clearly in love come for him he's in music

videos man smooching all the time all the time I just hope he can make the correct reeds looks like all the blood's going from his brain man no no no no no I understand

I understand he's in love he's in love chivalry is not dead and we are happy for him once again these are all voluntary You know what else is voluntary? Giving your money to a good cost. Aaron Rogers donating the women's flag football.

Thank you, Aaron. Awesome. He's at camp. Give it back to the next day. He is, didn't miss a single day. No, he didn't. Even though there was a lot of conversation about that. What will matter?

What won't matter? What's real? What is it? Well, tomorrow we got a whole other list of questions because we have no idea. But we do know if the Western Conference will continue. We'll watch that and we'll see you tomorrow. Be a friend, tell friends how nice about change your life.

Goodbye. I think we got it in. Mm-hmm. wanted to get the Aaron thing in because that is cool. Sick. Yeah, because he's at camping all he's doing is fucking. So. No, no, Tony, he donated.

He did do that, but he does. We all know. Yeah, he was staying in shape. We do know that because obviously he and his wife like to have exercise. You know, they like to be in shape just so they can have a good time together. He told us that that's why he was in good shape. It didn't necessarily mean that he was coming back to play football. football, he wasn't staying in shape to continue his Hall of Fame career. He was staying in shape

strictly so he could potentially, you know, do it with his wife, which we appreciate the honesty, the transparency, but we do know he is in great shape because of that, because I think it was four, five, six, seven times a day. Yeah. So that's what I'm thinking. Because did you see his calf? Please. When he showed up, maybe 10, honestly, I don't know what type of things are being thrown around or, you know, being tossed around or wherever. He showed up at Steelers camp, though, that day. one, absolutely just calves gigantic. I don't know what they're doing. Something with him standing,

I think. Maybe jumping. I mean, probably that move right there. And obviously the hips are in there. I mean, he's been training all long season for all of this. And I think he's been doing well. So other guys might need to look into this being a lot of people doing Pilates. I saw guys get into yoga

for a bit. Aaron's going to tell us if the fucking exercise is actually the way to prepare for an NFL season as a quarterback. Now, let's go ahead and talk about him being there day one. Yeah. Zero days missed of adult OTAs for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There were some rookie stuff that was happening. There was off-season stuff happening. But as soon as the OTAs, the actual, hey, this is when the league year kind of begins for everybody, he's been there. And I think have Yengers kind of died off on expectations? How do kind of the Jensers feel about how this season is going to go? because I said whenever this signing happened that Yenzer's now these signs say, okay, now we've got a chance to win.

And then much Yuzers just told me, I'm fucking saying that. Yeah. Why are you saying that? You're making us look like we don't know a bowl. We don't. There's a good, bad, there's a lot of us that don't think we're going to win now because of this entire thing. But we think we'll win more games.

It's like, I think the Super Bowl mindset is what the Steelers fans have had, which is why the Mike Tomlin era kind of inevitably ended the way that it ended between the fans and Mike Tomlin because it was like, yeah, we're good, we're good, we're good, we get that we're good. Believe me, we have teams that are not good that we know about. We like to mock and ridicule them, but we are not going to win a Super Bowl.

We are looking to win a Super Bowl because that's what Pittsburgh's supposed to do. Yenzer still feel that way and it's going to have to be a lot of like you guys are going to have to show me that you can still do this at this stage? Yeah, you know, Jensers naturally a bit pessimistic. So they are kind of in a holding pattern and wait and see how the season goes. I personally am very, very optimistic with the new weapons that have been added on the offensive side. One of those weapons being Coach McCarthy and his offensive mind with Aaron. I think that's going to be incredible.

And then, you know, on the defensive side, it's always been the talent. And now they have a new voice in that room that is saying all the right things. And yeah, Aaron's been awesome. He has been there. He's not been at white parties or the mech gal or anything like that or missing for whatever he's doing in Florida. God knows what the Cleveland Browns quarterbacks are doing. But no, I mean, we are very. very lucky to have Aaron as our quarterback right now.

Can't wait to win seven. Not seven games. Sevens. The seven Super Bowl. Win seven kind of sounds like you were saying one seven days. No, they haven't won seven games in over, I don't know, 20, 25 years. No, they've won more than seven years.

Correct. You're saying they haven't won at the low. They haven't lost. People know. We know what you're saying. They haven't come. Everyone always predicted. They're going to finish last.

in their division. Oh, that hasn't happened since, I don't know, 1987 or something. Yeah, and you ran that coach out of town because of it? Chuck Noel? Talking about that Bill Kahn? No, he never came last in the division. Mike Kama never had a losing season, actually. And then they ran them out of town, so.

No, he walked away. Actually, he walked away. Oh, yeah. He resigned. Yeah, ran out of town. What was that, AJ's first time we heard something out of you over there, though. I'm actually curious, like, the logistic.

Did he resign? because how do you make sure you get the rest of your contract? There's a mutually parting of ways. When you get run out of town, it's just like a, hey. It wasn't run out of time. You want to go? You want his big statements? I just want to know.

I would assume the Steelers took care of him. They both talked like, yeah, I think it needs to change, you know, let's change things up. But hey, we want to take care of you, Mike. You've been here and done so much for us. We would assume that the Rooney family took care of Coach Tom. Yeah. Lot of ride, dear.

Okay. Let's talk a little bit about the Cardinals and Jacobi Berset. That ain't happening. Carson Beck, you're starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals. Over Gardner? Yeah, or Minchu, my friends. Gardner's the highest paid quarterback in that room right now. Doug Guy.

All right, I'll do it. Gardner Minchew is starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, and I'm going to watch every game. He's a pro bowler. He's a pro bowler for your team. He was. He almost led us to the AFC South Championship. He almost hosted a playoff game until

Wheel running back that never heard of Four Stringer was in there. Dropped it. threw it behind him a little bit. No, yeah. Both sides could argue that the other person was to blame, but if it was a play that was made in the fourth quarter late, the Indianapolis Colts win the AFC South.

Gardner Mincher is a pro-bowler and we're hosting a playoff game. And that's what Gardner Minchia did for the Indianapolis Colts. Shane Stuyken's offense, Gardner Minchew understood, because he's a super genius, was able to break it down, make plays, had incredible Moxie great leadership. Is that what the Arizona Cardinals need in the first year of the floor? Maybe.

Maybe that's why he's the highest-paid guy. Jacoby Percietto was expecting starters money. Is that what we're here? At least second range, third range, start her money. And Jacoby Brissette, allegedly, the leader of that team last year, clearly. We were big fans of his. Good luck to the Arizona Cardinals. Is they continue to get things right?

Yeah, they're going to need a lot of help. Took Jeremiah, at least. Jeremiah love. Incredible moment coming out of the St. Brown podcast, where he was asked about a bunch of players. Yeah. He's really locked in. Yeah, it is.

This is from the St. Brown podcast, from the St. Brown Brothers, and Jeremiah Love out of Notre Dame. More players and you just got to know who they are. You ready? Yeah. Here you go. I don't know this first guy. No, wait, hold on.

You don't know the first. We're going to stop. I don't know him, bro. Can you turn that out of him? He doesn't know the first guy. He looked like, oh, dude, Andrew Garfield. Is that showing the guy? All right.

We love Jeremiah. Yeah. That's a compliment. Yeah, huge. Yeah, we love Jeremiah. We think that's good news. whoever's playing quarterback, let's get the ball. Just hand it off.

Let's get the ball to him. Let's see, what else do we have to talk about that we haven't talked about? Oh, yeah, the bears are coming to Indiana. Mm-hmm. Yep. Doesn't it feel like that? That's happening. Now, granted, this could all be a leverage play.

Everything could be a leverage play. And obviously, nothing is done until it's done and nothing is final until the ink is dry on any deal. There's been a lot of goal-line situations in business deals, especially with the government being involved, taxes being involved in billions of dollars. at play. So there's certainly some things that become a hold up for a deal getting done. But unless this is all some master plan to get some Illinois tax benefit that's coming around the corner, which we've been told by the people involved that says like they've been waiting for that for like three years now. So if they're able to get it done now, they'd be very surprised.

It feels like Chicago Bears are coming over to Indiana. And Indiana has presented a deal that is, I think, very, very beneficial for all sides. I think Indiana is excited for the long-term success of this thing. The bears don't really have to put up a lot of the money. They're able to earn it back through their fans and merch shops and everything around it. It feels like Indiana's got two NFL teams. So New Jersey has two.

California has two. Florida has two. Texas has two. Two. Indiana is about to have two NFL teams. Pennsylvania has two NFL teams. You know, Ohio has two NFL. These are football

states. These are the football states. And Bears fans are going to have to kind of deal with this, I think, AJ, because it's going to be held over their heads by everybody in the NFL, but definitely in the NFC North for sure. Yeah, it will. And I know when this first came up, we first started talking about it, I didn't think it was actually a real possibility. I thought it's just posturing, trying to negotiate through the press. But right there, when it says Chicago and the state of Illinois, the Indiana taxpayers, they'll pick up the $1 billion tab to subsidize the development. That's what makes me think like, yeah, maybe the Illinois people are okay with this happening. But I don't think it is all Indiana taxpayers, too.

I believe it is just in that area, the taxes that are going to be paying that back. So even the wording there is potentially a little bit of a leverage play to try to get a narrative in there. So I believe because it was being reported that the Indiana taxpayers will have to flip the bill for the Chicago Bears coming. And then I think there was a correction like, no, nope. That county. The tax is coming from there will be the entire thing.

I think we don't know where they. stand right now, but there was some plan that they piece together. They're basically like, yeah, you guys come in, we'll foot the bill for that. But then the way we'll get paid back is basically just, we kind of got a lot, we got a lot of shit here. So they would be banking on the bears to continue to be successful and very popular. So I think that is what Indiana is trying to provide. Like, hey, we would like to give you the best chance to be as successful, as popular, and make this as seamless as possible, because we need your fans to want to travel here. Like that we are going to need them because that is going to how this is going to work out.

I believe. And you're right. We haven't covered us from the beginning strictly because we live in this state, but also it's crazy to think that the Chicago Bears would be leaving the state of Illinois. That is like a crazy thing to think about in the history of ball, but it seems like there's really no other option with how good of a deal that is being offered from the state that we live in right now. Yeah, I mean, that's the thing. Everyone wants to get to every owner of an NFL franchise. You want to get to the point where you can own everything around the stadium. And in Chicago, where Soldier Field is, that's not going to happen, right, in the heart of the city. It's just like the Bengals. The Bengals stadium is right in the heart of the city.

If you want the franchise to be worth $5, $10 billion, you've got to find a way to move it out somewhere and then you build up everything around it. You should see what the Simons are doing right now, downtown Indianapolis, around Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Oh, yeah. They're buying up a lot of these buildings around Gainbridge, and they're kind of building up like an entertainment center, basically for... That's awesome. Yeah, it is full investment in the city. I think everybody wins and they do that. Obviously, the owners, they're going to bring in money.

all that, but like us as fans, we get to use all that awesome stuff and going to a game is even is that much better. You could have a whole, like, think how many families, like the memories they create for the weekends when they go spend in these places. Okay, so here is the tax breakdown that we read about. In all, the measure would offer approximately one billion investment to the Bears to convince them to build a new stadium in Hammond, and that money would come from a series of new tax levies. Among those taxes would be a 1% food and beverage tax surcharge assessed in Lake in Porter counties, which is up there, on top of the state's existing 7% tax already on those items. Lake County's hotel tax would also double as a result of the bill rising from 10 to 10 or 5 to

10% percent according to lawmakers. So once again, that's up in that area up there for people coming in. There would be a 12% tax assessed on all tickets, purchase the games at that venue. Once again, that would be up in that area. Capital Fax is also reporting there would be a special taxing district in Hammond. They would capture sales use and income taxes within the district. There would also be tollway funds allocated. So that area would be paying back. basically the entire thing. Yeah, restaurants, hotels, everything. Yeah, so this is Indiana fronting money for a business to basically invest in the state in the area.

Be great. And then hoping that it works. Right? That's what Indiana would be doing. And, you know, history would tell us it's going to work. They're betting. How would it not work? Yeah, that was NBC, Chicago.

I don't know how it would not work, honestly. If you were able to build up a dream place. Like you said, just if people are too, like, if like Bears fans are too pissed and like, fuck it, I'm not driving 30 minutes to go to Indiana. the bears aren't even in our state anymore. Fuck this. I'm not doing that. But eventually it's like you care about the bears enough.

You're probably going to move past that. Well, and if they get enough support here to build up a destination that people will want to go to. You know, like maybe a museum or something like like what the pack is. Indoor water park. Ooh, that'd be sweet. You're right. That'd be cool. And indoor water park would be sweet with one of those with one of the slides that goes outside.

That one in Ohio. Those are the best. Well, that one's been shut down for you. years and years. But yeah. Why they shut it down? Whatever. That was a long, I know there's some,

there's a couple NFL guys, couple NFL guys actually invested in that situation that I know of. But it looks cool. If anyone get that thing running again, it's been shut down for like 15 years or something. I drive by every once in a while. Yeah, I would love to get back into that game. I don't know if it's AI.

I saw a lady stuck in a water slide. She was upside down. I don't know if he gets some. Hold up. Hold up. You must miss that one. Upside down. She tried to go ahead first.

Those are really popular. popular AI videos where a bunch of fat people just get stuck in the slides. Yeah, I've seen several of those. No, okay. That's not the one I was saying. No, of course not. Those are popular AI videos. Oh my God, dangling. I was so, oh, so impressed. Once again, AI, too good. But we'll always need a human. Some human had to direct that to make that entire situation. And that's why maybe we get better as society. You know, maybe we decide today that we'll get better as a society. Actually, if this goes in, actually, I don't have a ball. Thank God, it's a lot of pressure over there.

That was way too much pressure on me anyways. Got a huge event about to kick off here. Premier League of Dots, Night 17 in London is about to start. We should get eyes on that. Luke Littler is throwing dots against Goe and Price. So just want to throw the- The Iceman? The Iceman.

Ice Ice, Ice, baby. Wait, what is it going? Week 17? This is all the finals. It's at the O2 Arena. The final. The final. The semi-final into the final.

The final is today as well? Yes. Oh, so the semi-finals, we got the final four and national championship same time. It's happening right now. O-2 arena, bro. 19-legged semi into a 21-leg final. I believe Coahans Humphrey's looking to

defend his title. Go back to back. But we'll see. Okay, so these are the final four. These are the final four of eight. After a long season, grueling dart season. 16 nights before this one,

yes, this will be night 17. These men battled gout, and exhaustion. Hidney stubs. Hing over. Yeah, dehydration. Bad diets. Whoa,

certainly a little sitting down there. You have a cheese steak. A lot of these guys are on the Aaron Rogers diet. Okay, they're fucking only. And that is why they're still in tibing. I think it's an exercise. Different type of diet. Anyways, Luke Littler should win this one, or is Cool Hands Luke or Gerwin Price?

I know he's in the best shape. I like him the most to show up. And then Johnny, wow, what an electrifying character Mr. Clayton is. Yeah, go, Johnny, go, go, go, go. We were kind of pontificating. Maybe he ate a ton of meat to bring his gout back because that's when he was throwing his best darts. Cool, Hans Humphreys has beat the piss out of Littler the last two weeks. And then, like you said, Go and Price kind of has the intimidation factor.

He's fucking strapped. And there's a new official calling out the 100 days. Yeah, I don't think people loved him early. And then one of these nights, people were throwing stuff. And he basically turned around and was like, oh, I fuck off. Stop that. And they did. And everybody stopped.

And everyone stopped. It was like, okay. Never mind. This guy that we thought, might have not been the one, might be the one. All right. You have followed this very closely. Way too closely. To the point where even I'm wondering like, what the fuck?

Why do I like this so much? But I am all in on it. I truly am. Yeah, go Johnny. Go, Johnny, go, go. What does Luke come out to? Luke Littler. Yeah. Oh, yo, yo, yo, oh. Yeah, he does this one.

Oh, yo, yo, yo. I don't know how they get rights to these songs. They just blast them. Oh, yeah. They're just a huge part. They got entrance music with actual songs that are like very... All these artists are just true fans. Fucking bulletproof?

Yeah, when Bunting... Do they dance in that? Bunting actually goes around and does karaoke at random pubs when he's not playing darts. There's a lot of... He does. The bunting move. The bunting move. A bulletproof, nothing to lose.

Fire away, far away. He's not a... And there's this one, too. They do a couple of these. Yeah. He got the song because him and C. I had a fling for a little. Yeah.

And then... Oh, good. I don't think that's true. I know. It is. You're going to have to win a Premier League Darts championship. I didn't get into that conversation.

Bunting's one. No, yeah, I don't think. So here's what the entrance looks like, AJ, just for those that don't know. The song is jamming right now, signing autographs. They would have had to walk him through the crowd, but instead... There it is.

Come on. Come on now, lads. Fun fact, Bunting did win this in 2014. He is a world darts champion. Well, it makes sense, especially with the aura. Everybody wants his autograph. The men want to throw a darts like him. The women wish they threw darts with him.

I mean, that is the type of electricity that is potentially in his Premier League darts. And the entire place is singing right now is this man who has focused his entire life on being a professional athlete says, hello, lad, to his little baby boy. Go on, son. His mom.

And he thinks to himself, maybe I shouldn't have had the extra entire pizza last night. This man does not focus on anything other than darts, obviously. it's hard to bet on these guys, you know, because I don't really know who's who on day to day, night to night, but I'll tell you the Darts world in Europe is certainly an electrifying, magical experience.

I don't know if they'd be able to do this in America, but who cares? Yeah, exactly. Only one way to find out. I don't know if we're going to get that music cleared over here. We need some Americans to go over there and infiltrate their game. So the Cash Brothers over in Centerville, Ohio,

they've been trying to work the minor league circuits for a while now. think if we were able to keep them sober through an entire, I guess, night of dark tournaments or whatever, they might have an opportunity if they were able to lock it in, but I don't see that ever happening. I just don't know. The right amount of drunk, maybe. Don't, sober is too much to say, I'm trying to sell to somebody, just the right amount of drunkenness. And I do think Jeremy, the younger one, finds the right amount of drunkenness and he gets himself to the finals. But if they give him a three to four beer timeline between semis and the finals,

The other person, in his words, fucking loser. This guy hasn't had a beer. It's like, well, there's like $2,500 on the line or whatever, you know, like pretty big. There's a, you know, $5,000 on the line. You're like, whatever. And then the sober guy normally beats him into the finals.

But I think he does have the level where maybe just IV him. There you go. So we can monitor. What was that Orange Theory Fitness where they had monitoring everybody's heart rates? So they had the little bands on them. So like, hey, we don't care what you do. We just need your heart rate to stay in between this amount and then this amount. It was actually a pretty cool little idea.

If they were able to do that for Jeremy Cash on his intoxicated level, if they were able to just somehow keep him at that one level of drunk where he's really one... Get a little... I got a couple of them. Order on Amazon, the little BAC test, you know, where he blow into it, it tells you how drunk you are. Just keep him between a certain range. Test him every 30 minutes.

So you get a bunch of those just to make sure, right? you're okay? I've gotten a couple of them over the years, yeah. No, not to make sure you're okay. It's a party trick. Bring it in. Hey, who can blow the highest? Yeah.

Blow the highest, obviously. Come on. We look for everybody to be responsible. Real problem. I saw a guy have three glasses of wine. You saw that guy online? That was an AI. No.

Oh, gosh. Is it weird because Bobby always wins at your parties? I didn't know that was. If that comes down, Bobby BAC, you mean? What is you blow? Why are they blow? Only a four?

I need to get to 44. That's not good, by the way. No. Drink responsibly. Be a friend, tell a friend. Something nice to might change your life. We're in this thing together. Team on me.

Team on three. Thank you all so much for letting us live this life. It is because of you. That we were able to do this. And we are incredibly thankful for you. I can't believe we did a primetime thing last night with all those commissioners. I know. Night before that, we were at the, uh, the industry's award night.

Yeah. in New York City, eating Bradley Cooper's Philly cheese sticks. So good. Thank you, the Academy. A couple days before that, Baby Midas was coming into the world. Life kicking ass. Daughters three years. Hey, life is good.

Let's all enjoy all of it. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three. Team.

Goodbye.