The Ringer NFL Show - Chase-Higgins $$$, Kupp to Seattle, Offseason Winners, and March Madness With Tate Frazier

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

The guys react to the remaining NFL free agency moves as the turbulent deal-making period comes to a close, including the Bengals locking down Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Cooper Kupp to Seattle, Derek Stingley Jr.’s historic contract, and more (9:28). Along the way, they run a vibes check across the league to decide which teams made their fan bases the happiest (45:26). Later, The Ringer’s resident college basketball expert, Tate Frazier, joins them to talk all things March Madness, including the matchup between his Tar Heels and Craig’s Aztecs, the biggest storylines this season, the SEC’s recent dominance in the sport, and much more (52:58). Visit theringer.com/events for more information on our upcoming Chicago live show! Click here to join The Ringer NFL Draft Show Bracket Challenge! (Password: CLOYCEBOX) Check out our 2025 Ringer NFL Draft Guide here! Email us! [e-mail] The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Hosts: Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly, and Craig Horlbeck Guest: Tate Frazier Producers: Kai Grady and Carlos Chiriboga Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello there, friends of the program. It's Tate Frazier, and it's officially that special time of the year where we go on a March through madness together for the 85th edition of the NCAA tournament. What makes March so special, you ask? Well, it's the unknown. It's the fact that this is basically Survivor on a basketball court on CBS without Jeff Probst. And no matter how much you prepare, you can not predict this kind of chaos. And that is what we will be covering on this podcast, one shining podcast, all the madness,

all the David versus Goliath personified. It's the best show in town. The ball is tipped. And here you are with us. Come listen and join us wherever you get your podcast. Welcome to the Ringer NFL Draft Show. My name is Danny Hyfitz. I'm joined by Danny Kelly and Craig Coralbock.

And this podcast is an absolute shambles. It's a mess. I was at a bad support this weekend. I took me 17 hours to get home. Craig's bat threw his back out over the weekend and can't move in the chair and is debating doing the show from the floor. And D.K. is reveling in how we're old. older than him all of a sudden.

I just wonder. I have so many questions because we haven't talked about any of this yet. High Fitz barely made it home. Craig has been immobilized. And I mean, I'm doing relatively fine, but I'm concerned about you too. Craig, first of all, how did you hurt your back? What's going on? I was doing a workout at my home gym.

I was in a garage with weights. And I was doing a kettlebell swinging workout. You know, when you swing a kettlebell between your legs. And that was on my last set. And I even debated whether or not. I actually, Liz, my wife's in the other room. And she was like, you want to be done? And I was like, no, let's 10 more minutes.

And then we'll go. I walk out into the other room. I started doing kettle bowl swings. Like the third to last swing, something in my lower back fucking ruptures in a tragic fashion. And I collapsed to the ground like a sack of doorknobs. And I couldn't get up. And since then, it's been, I don't know, less than 48 hours since I've done this.

And sleep has been a real problem. I can basically only lie 100% flat on the ground. You look, no pain. Just like Roger Goodell when he threw his back out at the draft a couple years ago. Let me tell you're sitting there. It's like, I can tell you're in pain, man. Yes, I have a heating pad on my chair. This is the first time I've sat in a chair in 48 hours.

It's not going well. I'm pumped full of Advilf, not helping. And I feel older than Harrison Ford right now. So, I, I was, I didn't say this before the show, but you also look. look terrible. Like, I look terrible, too. Like, it takes one to no one. But, like, I'm checked out in San Diego State gear in honor of March Madness. It's all I do to do. It's the best sports week of the year. It's one of the best sports weeks there is. It's shortly during the NFL offseason. And we're, like, at an all-time low. Craig, did Liz help you

get dressed? No. Luckily, I can put on a shirt in a pair of shorts or pants on my own, although it acts. Underwear is the hardest part because you really have to bend over for underwear. Sox? No shot. No shot. No one. No fucking shot. We're going to go through all the NFL stuff that's happened since our last recording. We also are going to be joined by the legendary Tate Frazier. Yeah. Basically been at the ringer as long as anyone except Bill, basically.

And so, Tate is... First employee. First employee of the ringer. Tate's going to... Our kindred spirit, because like us in August in fantasy football, Tate has to spend the entire month pretending he knows what's going to happen in this March Madness thing that literally is unpredictable. And so Tate's going to come on.

And we might as well explain Marsh Madness to him because I think, you know, it's kind of a toss up of what's going to happen. So Tate'll come on. And then also, we do have some big news. Greg's got back news. We have big news. As you know, the NFL draft is in Green Bay at the end of April. And we are not going to be in Green Bay.

We're not going to do it. But we are going to go to Chicago. We are going to be in Chicago, in the Midwest, and specifically, we're, going to kick off draft week with draft week with live show. We will be at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, Tuesday, April 22nd at 7 p.m. And you can join us. The tickets are going to go on sale this Wednesday. Wednesday, today's 17th, 19th.

I always have to do the math. Wednesday, March 19th, a 10 a.m. Central time, which is 9 a.m. Eastern time, which is noon Pacific. And more information is going to be there at ringer.com slash events. That's the ringer.com slash events. and again, show is Tuesday, April 22nd, 7 p.m. at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Tickets are on sale 10 a.m. Central time this Wednesday, the 19th. And again, Ring her NFL Draft Show.

And, yeah. If it's his voice will be better. I know. Dude, I was in the, I got five hours of sleep last two days. All I need, I'm not going to do the plain thing at the beginning. I'll tell people what happened to the bachelor party at the end of the show. All you need to know is two things. It took 17 hours door to door.

I was, I mean, I went through security three times yesterday at the airport. That's how bad. Like, I've gone to two bachelor parties this year. Shout out to my friend Bobby and my other friend Brian. The two bachelor parties combined, I was in the airport for over 24 hours between these two bachelor parties. And these flights were short flights, right, home? They were two hours apiece.

None of the flights were over three hours. Anyway. What was in your voice? Were you screaming a lot of this bachelor party? I was dying. I don't know. Just yelling at the gate agent. I did do photograph by Nickelback for karaoke.

Oh, you can hear that. The grovely voice. Look at this photograph. No, I'm too trying the show off. No one's going to come to the live show now. Yeah, we have, it's like Happy Gilmore. I'm like 364 days to tough it up before next year's hockey tracts. I got to get back.

It's going to be at the live show. He's just going to, we're getting him like a floor. You're going to fucking rule me out like Hannibal Lecter on one of those journeys. We should do that. That would actually be incredible. That would honestly feel great for my back. I would love that. We just all get our little animal.

We turn you upside down halfway through the show to just like lengthen out your back a little. Yeah, release of pressure. They should have done that. You should have done that. You could do it upside down. Actually, my dad has one of those things, Craig. I don't know how much it would cost a shit. Can we get that to Chicago?

Oh, my God. That's, yeah. Okay. So you guys, what are you NFL stuff? And Craig, literally if you're, if you get pulled a grip cord out, let, you know, if you need to get down, just get on the floor at any point. If you're in too much pain. Good to know.

Hopefully the Percocet sets in soon. Yeah, we'll see. He's going to start speaking with a southern accent. This is our chance. Did we ever say on the show publicly? Oh, it hurts to laugh. Craig, the way you're sitting, I can't go over it. You look so uncomfortable.

You just look so just. I don't know what the word is. I was so annoyed because, you know, March Madness is legitimately my favorite weekend of the year in sports. I think it's the best week in sports. SDSU, I thought was going to make the tournament. I'm always very excited to watch them. I go to a bar with my friends.

And of course, they're in the goddamn playing game this year. So the game is tomorrow instead of Thursday or Friday, which gives me two or three less days to heal up. So now I've got to go sit in a bar tomorrow and let them play. And your friends are going to get some table and there's not going to be a back on the bar stool. And you're like, guys, we have to go home. Yeah. So did we ever tell people?

I don't think we ever said this in the show, but we had joked instead of risers and fallers or winners or losers, we want to do a fantasy episode on uppers and downers where we were on different drugs. and if you get prescribed anything for your back, that might be our shot. If HR is listening, I am only on Advil right now. Okay. Oh, wait, one more thing.

One more thing before we start. We're going to have Tadon later to talk March Madness. We're going to do a March Madness ESPN bracket pool. So we're going to do a tournament. I don't know if we actually figured out what the winner's going to get. But Craig, you made the thing while you were, you threw out your back and you were lying on the ground and you made an actual pool for us for the show. How do people join?

So it's an ESPN bracket. It's called the ringer NFL show bracket challenge. We'll put the- NFL show? Sorry, the ringer NFL draft show, bracket challenge. It's on ESPN. I'll put the sign up link in the description of the episode, or you can email us. We'll send it to you there too.

We'll also put the password in the description. It's all caps, cloice box. Cloice box, baby. C-L-O-Y-C-E. We are going to have a prize. We're debating, shipping a coveted gentleman's piss club exclusive t-shirt to the winner. You can't get these anywhere. You cannot.

So we only, there's only about four in existence. So we are debating sending one out to the winner. We probably will do that. So sign up, link in the description, and you can beat Danny Kelly's bracket by picking a team called Lipscomb. That's how we're pushing the limits on how much you can put in an episode description. So number one, we got this live show, the information for tickets on the live show or the episode's description, and how to join the bracket pool. And again, the limit on that, we're not. doing the playing games.

So like standing a state. So basically you have to get in by what? Wednesday night. Basically, yeah, well, no. Well, if you're in fake time. Noon Eastern or the game start noon Eastern Thursday or 9 a.m. Pacific Thursday. So just get it.

Yeah, get them in Wednesday night or like early Thursday morning. But if you get your bracket in and we're doing a limit of one bracket per person. One bracket per person. One bracket a person. And that's, yeah. So, yeah, we're going to do the bracket thing. And yeah, so right. Let's get to the show.

So the Bengals signed Jamar Chase, N. T. Higgins at receiver. They did it. Over the weekend. They did it. Our national nightmares over. Chimar Chase gets four years, he gets $40 million a year.

And he got three of the four years basic guaranteed. So almost $113 million a year. On average, the highest paid non-quarterback ever right there with Miles Garrett. T. Higgins gets four years, $115 million, which I actually didn't divide by four before the show began. What does that come out to?

I mean, it's over a little, a little under 30. One is 20, a little, basically $29 million a year. So not quite what Chimar Chase is getting. So it sounds like 60-ish of what T. Higgins is getting is guaranteed. So they got them both signed. Boy, I hope Joe Burroughs wrist is doing okay. Well, it's funny. It would be tough.

It would be a tough situation if it went out now, as high fits drinks from a water bottle. It's kind of, I feel like it's a really weird spot. I think the Bengals are in a very bizarre spot because Burrough was pressuring them to do this, to bring back Chase and Higgins, or they were going to bring back Chase, but to specifically bring back Higgins. we already know what this team looks like with all these guys on the team. Like it was last year where they didn't make the playoffs. Burrell already had an incredible season.

Burl was like fifth an MVP voting last year. Did he lead the league in touchdown passes? Jamar Chase set the triple crown. It's like all this stuff is happening again. And so I feel like while it's cool that they brought them back and they kind of need it too and I get it and you want to make your quarterback happy. They had to. It feels like they're stuck between a rock and a hard place where they're probably just

going to have this like Groundhog Day last season. again. Well, they just need to get better players on defense. Well, it's hard to do that when you're paying your quarterback and your two receivers, $200 million. And your top pass stresher wants to leave now. Yeah, that's fair. It's tough, though.

I think there's so many variables in football, though, like if they have a better run game, they can control the clock a little bit better. That will help their defense. Things like that where I think they can get marginally better in different areas and it would make a big improvement. But overall, your point is true that they're basically banking. on trying to do what they did last year, which was have an awesome offense. And that didn't get them that far.

So, Mina Kimes, I'm Blue Sky. Shout out Blue Sky. I'm Blue Sky. I'm Blue Sky. And Mina Kimes had a really, really funny post where someone asked basically what you were saying, Craig, where they were like, wait. She's the fucking Giff goat. Dude, Mina is the gift goat. And someone asked Mina, wait, so if the Bengals are spending all this money in their passing game, is that just lock in that the defense will never be good enough for them being a contender? And she tweeted that scene of the Simpsons where Mark McGuire is like,

They're like, do you do steroids? And he's like, do you want to know the cold, hard, crushing reality truth? You want to watch me socks some dingers. And everyone's like, dingers! Dingers! Socks some dingers is the best way to do. There's a thing. Are the Bengals maybe going to have a tough time competing with $100 million

or whatever a year in Burrow and Chase and Higgins? Sure. But it's cool. Dinger! It's fun. Dingers! You know what the Bengals are like happy Gilmore before he learned how to putt? where it's off the T, it looks awesome.

He's like 450 off the T and then he's still, you know, triple bogeys every single whole. So my real take on this with the Bengals, I love this. And I'm like, you know what? Yeah, it's going to be difficult for them to build on defense, whatever. All right, winning a Super Bowl is hard. There's 31 teams don't win the Super Bowl every year.

If we just judge it solely by that metric, it's like, do they have the best roster? Nope. All right. Well, we're going to go home. That's exactly where I land. If it's too. I'm just like, look, there's a million ways to win a Super Bowl.

You have an awesome thing going. Keep your awesome players. Keep your awesome players. And the other thing is, I think they should be celebrated. I've been very difficult on, I think everyone involved in this should be celebrated. The players in the team, the team for getting it done, a small market team kept like the coolest thing. One of the coolest things in the NFL is Joe Burrow with Jamar Chase and T. Higgins. Any other sport, this is one of the reasons the NFL is a little different than other sports.

Any other sport, these guys leave. I think Burrough should be celebrated for sticking his neck out for his guys and getting Higgins paid and Chase paid and Gisickie paid, which is, that was crazy. They should have let his ass go. But, like, I also think Jemar Chase and Tiggins should be celebrated for doing this and staying in Cincinnati. This is not Miami or New York. Like, they're staying with the – Cincinnati's one of the smallest markets teams of the NFL. And they kept this awesome trio that, frankly, everyone else is jealous of. I know Bengals fans kind of hate me.

You know what I would do for these three people? players. And so, like, you know what I'm terrible things for these people? And so, one, the assumption you could just get someone, like with the T. Higgins money, like, do you want, I mean, the bills are giving a smidge less to basically for the combo of Josh Palmer and Khalil Shakir. No offense. I like Khalil Shakir.

You want Khalil Shakir and Josh Palmer? You want T. Higgins? Craig, don't answer that. I would take T. Higgins. Yeah. I have it's, I, I, I, I really like the Bengals. Burrow, Jason Higgins are awesome. They're like the coolest trio in the NFL.

I like, but this is just a, it's just a weird spot to be in. Like the Bengals, I haven't you talk all the time about how you need somebody on the ticket, like to get fans to show up to the game. The fans are happy with this. I'm sure this is awesome. This is just really cool. And even though this might, I don't even know, it's like if they let Higgins go and they signed three solid defenders, do you think they're a better team? Well, I think that the problem. Maybe.

I think it's a false choice because I think it's a false choice. the idea that, well, you could have spent this money on defense. Not really. That's not really how it works. You have to draft better defenders. The problem with the Bengals' defense is they let the good defenders go. They let Jesse Bates at safety go. And then their secondary came apart.

And they couldn't do the cool stuff, Lou Anirumo on the back end, the complicated stuff that was working and stymieing Mahomes in the playoffs. Then they let DJ Reeder go as the defensive tackle. And he went to Detroit. Then the run defense fell apart. And then the Bengals went from this defense that was like a perfect playoff defense that got them to the Super Bowl a few years ago. They let their two of their four or five most important players go.

Then they sucked. And because that's quote unquote, you don't want to pay a safety, quote unquote, defensive tackles are expected. Okay. Rule one is keep your good players. And they didn't keep Jesse Bates. But just because you let Teagan's go doesn't mean the money is going to other good players. You look at the free agent market.

Dan Ward Jr. The Titans, who now we're making fun of him wants to be an all pro left tackle next year. But I just look at it as like what you said, though, too, Hivez, is all these free agents that are leaving on the open market, they're leaving their team, which is letting them go. Therefore, there's, like, potentially something that's, like, not quite worth keeping them. Yeah. I mean, like, this is why free agency is such a crapshoot is because, you know, the vast majority of the players that teams really, really want to keep, they do end up keeping.

There's definitely some, like, some really good players do make escape to free agency. That's certainly true. But I'd say the vast majority of free agents, there's some reason that their team let them go. The other thing is, like, if you're asking the question of how can the Bengals win a Super Bowl, it's by threading a needle that's very difficult to thread. But guess what? Winning a Super Bowl is very difficult to do for any team. And they just need to draft well.

Like, period. They just need a draft wall. They missed all the – like, here's the thing. The reality is they missed all of their defensive draft picks in the last three seasons except one. Like, literally – If you're going to do the Stars and Scrubs model, you need to hit on all your scrubs. And that's how it works. Like, who did well?

The Eagles drafted well and they won. The Rams drafted well and they won a Super Bowl. They're very hard to find a team that wins the Super Bowl that didn't have two awesome drafts in a row. They have one of the main core. They have one of the main core pieces to winning a Super Bowl, which is an elite quarterback. And the two receivers.

And you have an identity. You have something. And again, you listen to the fans. Maybe you sit with them. But like the Bengals drafts a Camtiller, cornerback in the second round, 22. Cam Dillard is really good. Dax Hill was a miss and he got hurt and that's been a mess.

Like, Zach Carter hasn't done anything. You look around. Miles Murphy was a total miss at defensive end. Like Jordan Battle, DJ, like these are guys who are just having. been quite what the Bengals envisioned. You can argue whether it's them, whether it's development, whatever. Also, who's that receiver they took last year in preparation for maybe T. Higgins to leave

who flamed out? Yeah, exactly. Oh, yeah, Germain Burton. That's literally a deletion of a pick. Like they literally better off with Adam. And so they're just missing these picks over and over. And so to me it's that simple where it's not like, oh, well, T. Higgins, if only you could have had a defense.

No, you probably would let T. Higgins go, sign a couple defenders. The defense would still suck, but you wouldn't have T. Higgins. So do the cool thing. Sox some dingers. We'll worry about everything else. Dingers. You want to watch me socks some dinger? Watch the bagels.

You want to know the terrifying truth. Or do you want to watch socks some diggers? I want to watch Burrow and T. Higgins and Chase socks some dingers. Dude, honestly, I kind of, this makes me miss the steroid era of baseball. That was so fun. I was like watching every Barry Bonds, every Mark McGuire, every Sammy Sosa at bat. Shit, I was watching every Brett Boone at bat back of the day. Like, it was just fun.

I'm not advocating that these players put themselves at health risk. It was just fun when they were stocking a lot of dingers. That's all I'm saying. We actually were talking about this at the Bachelor Party because we went to a couple Springs. We actually were in Tampa in the spring training games, which are actually so much fun to go to because all the major league players are almost all of them are playing,

but you're in like these smaller stadiums. So you're just like so close to them. It's crazy. Yeah. But we were talking and we were like, it's so endlessly hilarious to me that Barry Bonds is like not in the Hall of Fame. as like a baseball museum. Barry Bond is just not there.

It's like you never play. It's like that's what the plaques are for. Anyway, other stuff that happened while we were gone. Cooper Cup signs at the Seattle Seahawks for allegedly three years, $45 million. D.K., you noted that there's no guaranteed money been reported on this. So we'll see.

It's probably one year. I mean, it's been three days. And I think a general rule when it comes to hearing about guarantees, the longer you do not hear what the guaranteed money is, the worse off it is for. There's like some sort of rule, scientific rule for that. The worst off it is for the player because usually the agent is wanting to get out as soon as possible how much guaranteed money he got his client.

So anyways, it's a three-year, $45 million deal on its face. I don't know. Like, I'm guessing the guarantees won't be that much. And for, you know, for reference there, the details of Sam Darnold's deal, which was initially reported as three years, $100.5 million with 55 million guarantees. is actually according to the details of the contract of one year 37.5 million guaranteed. He does have injury guarantees. So if he does suffer like a big injury, he gets another like 18 million in 2026. So that's where the 55 million comes from.

But the Seahawks can get out of the Sam Darnold contract one year, 37 million. So that's like a perfect example of how different the initial reporting is versus like the actual contracts. We see this every year in the Super Bowl. in the free agency period. I do think the Cooper Cup, not the US, I think the Cooper Cup signing is solid. The Searox just need depth of the receiver. I don't know if he's going to be worth what he's getting paid,

which is like $15 million per year, according to what we know of the contract. He's basically a receivers coach at the very least, like he's going to come in and turn all these Pookanakua into Pookanakua. That's the hope, yeah. He'd turn Jake Bobo into Pooka. There we go. I'm into that.

I do think that's a real thing. Like there's a reason backup quarterbacks, you know, there's a reason that usually when you have a young drafted quarterback you get like you overpay 10 15 million bucks to a backup quarterback who's like I would like you to take him to be a professional and when to show up to work and just like osmosis be around him and mentor him and like I think it's a smart investment if you're Seattle you have Jackson Smith and Jake well who at this point is almost underrated how good he was at out of state because he just wasn't the same model of athlete as some of these other guys

like not everyone can be Jeremiah Smith but I think Cooper Cup just being around a young group of guys where you just need someone to pop like I I think that's really smart. And they'll probably draft. They'll probably draft a receiver. And the offensive system. I know it's not exactly a McVeigh system. Clint Kubiak, like at the end of the day, like there's a lot of similar principles.

I think Cooper Cup coming in, teaching them the, I mean, Cooper Cup succeeded in large part because, I mean, he's just a really, I think he's in the Devante Adams mold where it's not like he's the most incredible athlete,

but he just has like such a firm idea of what he's trying to accomplish on each play. And every move is intentional. I think that's the simplest way you could put it is, some guys are out here winning with raw athleticism and some guys are just winning with like such intentionality with every single move and every single workout they do from February to March and April is because they need to have like a specific step win on one play in October and they just

know exactly what they want to do. And I think Cooper Cup, like, that's just worth $15 million to me. It's like having him teach the whole room. Can I make an NBA Warriors comparison? I'll put $100 in the jar however much more much $100? Okay. I'll put $100. Yeah, I'll put $100. Yeah, I'll put $100.

That's fine. No, what could, it's one warrior's reference. What could it cost, Michael? How much could it cost, Michael? $100. This is like the warriors, like when they brought back Andre Agudala, when he was like 38, 39 years old. They just wanted him there on the bench basically to be a player coach

with young guys like Jonathan Kaminga and Jordan Poole and stuff like that. Just to like half the time. I mean, he basically didn't play, but during every time out or commercial break, you could see him on the bench coaching up all the young guys. Like drawn up plays. I don't know. I think that's a really good comparison. Then Jordan Poole like worked out

to be one of like the most selfless and beloved players in the NBA, right? I mean, I know you're obviously joking, but I mean, he helped us win a title that year. So for one year it worked. Yeah. And now he's like, I actually, my brother, we were in Washington. My brother was going to buy a Wizards Jordan Pool jersey. And I said, I think that's the single worst investment you could make.

I mean, you can't think of a player purely for on court reasons that I would less rather represent. You could argue that the second Iguodala left is when Poole started to crumble and Draymond punched him in the face and then they got rid of it. So, D.K., you need to keep the Cooper Cup forever. That's absolutely, Craig, say. Other, anything else on Cup, D.K., I mean, is it weird? Actually, my other, I have a question for you. is it weird to just have Cooper Cup on the Seahawks? This is a division rivalry.

I actually, I joked, it's like when the Giants, or the Giants, when the Yankees got Johnny Damon and they shaved him, just shaved Cooper Cubs fucking beard. Oh, he cut his beard too. There was like an Instagram post. Well, somebody shared an Instagram post. I don't actually, I didn't actually check whether it was super updated or not. Maybe it's from a while ago.

But it looked like he shaved his beard down, which is huge news. What's up with NFL players of sessions with having nasty beards? Cups is by far the worst. It's like the James Hardin thing where it's like, For the beginning of that, I'm like, I just think you actually didn't care at all. What are you like? He looks like a Civil War, like general or something. Like the beard needs to go, man.

He looks like a savage. He looks like a cave, man. It looks like, it looks like he doesn't even know it's there. Like, then they like clip their helmet and it's like, it's like beer cubes coming out. With the chin strap in or it's like bleak, bleeding out all the holes in the helmet. Keeney Allen's was terrible. I remember dudes like Brett Kiesel and the Cereck Wettle. Yeah, Eric Weddle.

gnarly. What's up? We need to ask somebody about that. We need to get Keenan Allen or Cooper Cup on. D.K. He's in Seattle now. Can you get to come on the pod? Totally, totally.

I still think. Yeah, he's from Washington too, so it's kind of like a homecoming thing for him. Yeah, right, yeah. Did we ever talk on the show how James Hardin's beard should be studied by the CDC? Like, you could just see like sedimentary layers and like the like the, like the, the ground. Like you could just see what strip clubs. It's like rings on a tree.

Right. Carbid date. I mean, he just goes from the strip club to NBA clubs. court. I can't imagine what's in that beard. Dude, that thing is, I actually think it's the grossest beer. Like, everyone's like, oh, the beer. And I'm like, that thing's horrendous. Cups is the worst. Cups is the worst. At least he's done.

I don't know what he's doing. All right. I don't think Cups in the strip club. It doesn't feel like Cups vibe. I don't, I don't know. He's wild. He's quietly also kind of crazy, but like, I don't know. Falcons keep Kirk Cousins. I have to do a little Mayo Culp on this. I know I mentioned this last week, but it's St. Patrick's Day. This is the day I said he'd be

cut by. I was wrong. I kind of trusted I should have done, frankly, I should have done more homework on this. Should have done your research. You know? Aaron Rogers should have done my research. Should have looked into that. But I was wrong. I thought that the reason I thought the Falcons would cut Kirk Cousins is because I thought

that his salary is guaranteed and they'd also have to pay him a bonus with $10 million today. And if they cut him, they'd save the money. That's not true. They now have to pay him a bonus next year. But his salary isn't guaranteed next year, which I don't know if because I was wrong, I owe more of an apology or more of an explanation on this, but I assume it's boring.

So I'll just cut to the chase. And basically they can keep them or at least credibly threatened to keep Kirk Cousins enough that Atlanta could trade them. They're going to wait until someone gets hurt. Yeah, exactly. You could do the draft. And then at that point, it's August, someone gets injured. And you're like, hey, Kirk Cousins, it's like the $27 million for Kirk Cousins in February. $27 million for Kirk Cousins on August 30th when like, I don't know, J.G. McCarthy in Minnesota like hurts his knee again.

Oh, yeah. Don't say that. Come on. Oh, no. Why, you pick the one guy. who's coming back from a knee injury who hasn't played yet? It's funny how much... I picked the guy who's already hurt.

Is that weird? He lost 25,000. Supercicious and we're always making fun of him for it. I picked the Vikings. The one poor kid who hasn't played a snap yet because his knee gutter. The only first round pick who missed an entire season. I picked him with Sam Bradford. Honestly, is it...

Not going to push back, but can I ask a question? Is it really worse to pick McCarthy than it is to pick a healthy, great starting quarterback. If I said, filling quarterback X here, he loves quarterback X. Yeah. I don't know.

I feel bad because he's so young and he hasn't played. Pick like Gino Smith or something. That seems way worse. He's lived life. Because he's not coming back. He's 35 years old. He's signed a big contract.

He's all right. All right. So anyway, I think the Falcons, they could keep Kirk cousins and I was wrong. He doesn't want to stay, though. No, he's deeply unhappy about this.

Because, again, the reason he's upset, is obviously he was signed and he didn't know about the Michael Pennix being drafted later thing. And so, but he's got 27 million. So whoever has, like his salary is guaranteed. So the Falcons would have to pay him the 27, whether he's on the team or not, which is what I got wrong. So it does make sense to keep them. And if they do, as DK's point is, you might as well just hold on and see draft time if someone blinks.

Because again, those three teams kind of want, like Titans first pick, Brown, second pick, giant's third pick. I mean, one of those three teams that doesn't get a quarterback. We'll see how free agency goes. Maybe they don't want Rogers. one of those teams can be a Kirk team around the next six weeks and if not, worst case, August

you're like, someone's gonna get hurt. So we'll see. Anything else on that? Where do you think he goes? Because I actually was kind of wondering about the Browns with the simple scenario that if the Titans take Cam Ward, which will come to in a second.

And the Browns, I still don't think the Browns take Shudor Sanders because I don't think Dion will let Shudur go to the Cleveland. And I kind of still wonder, I don't know if Cleveland was spending. We're putting a lot of chips or eggs in that basket. Like what, I think,

What if he will? I just am like if D. Again, I'm in this, I guess I look at it as Dion saying on camera. He didn't name the Browns. He didn't name the Browns, but he said there are absolutely situations I wouldn't send him to. Teams with bad vibes. You don't think the Browns is a situation he wants to send his son to? I don't know.

I'm just like, isn't that the first team? You'd be like, I don't want my son on the 33rd name on that jersey. I feel like we're jumping to conclusions here. Absolutely an assumption. But I also would you want, Calvin, if Calvin was, if you were the Sederers. I'm not saying what I would do. I'm just saying let's not just jump to the conclusion that he's not going to be a brown.

It feels like he is going to be a brown. That's the more, the closer we get to the draft, it feels more and more like Sheter is going number two. All right. Well, that's more interesting. I also were fucking saying. So go, take that. So you think Titans are take. So the Titans signed a bunch of offensive linemen.

But the real story is really the Titans just signed Brandon Allen as quarterback and free agency, which if you don't know anything about him, that's because, you know, there's nothing. You don't need to know anything about Brandon Allen. He's not going to start for Tennessee. Titans. D.K., so you think Cam Ward, what do you think? Do you think Cam Ward is the Titans number one and then Shadurr number two to the Browns? Yeah, like if I was going to make a mock draft today, that's probably what I would do. It's feeling more and more likely based on, you know,

just like noise coming out of the combine that the Titans really like Cam Ward. Cam Ward is, if you remember coming out of the combine, like the narrative was 100% like Cam Ward solidified himself as the number one quarterback in the draft by far. And then there was questions over whether Shadur was even the number two quarterback. You know, and a lot of that stuff is media driven. And a lot of that stuff is just subterfuge or whatever. But that's just kind of the vibe that we got out of the combine. And then I think just based on what the Titans have done in free agency,

they solidified their offensive line. You know, they didn't make any big moves for the quarterback position. It just feels like Cam Ward is going to be the guy there. How confident are you in that? I mean, 60%, 70%, 70%. And just to remind people if people are tuning in because I think a lot of people tune in to the draft at different points. So Cam Ward is the quarterback out of Miami. Most touchdown passes in college football history and fourth most I think yards in college football history.

And he started from Incarnate Word, which is just renamed their school to Incarnate Ward at this point. Then Washington State and then Miami. And then he's your number 10 player in your board. And you compared Cam Ward to Jordan Love. Yeah. I think the Jordan Love cop is because he has a strong arm. He's really confident. He thinks he could make every throw, and most of the time he can.

I think the times where he has turnover, the times he gets in trouble, is not necessarily because he can't see what he's looking at, which is, I think, more like a Will Levis thing, where Levis is just like spray and prey. Like, he's down there somewhere. I'm going to throw it up to him. He's like Spider-Man when Peter Parker doesn't have his glasses. Like, it's all a blur.

I think Cam Ward is very opposite in that sense, because I think he knows what's going on. He can read the defense. He just trusts his arm, maybe just a smidge too much at times. But for the most part, he's making big pull. plays, he escapes the pocket, he can buy himself an extra beat, which again is, I think an underrated talent for quarterbacks is the ability to just buy one extra beat in the pocket. That means sliding, moving, shrugging off a tackle, whatever, to get the play off and keep the play alive. Because,

you know, a lot of times timing is torn off by the different things that happen with the defense. So, yeah, I think Cam Ward, you know, I think he's a really exciting prospect. And it wouldn't surprise me to go if he goes to the Titans number one. I don't know if like in a vacuum, he would be considered the number one overall player in a lot of drafts, but this is, you know, it's a quarterback-driven league and they got to get their guy. So, and I don't, I don't even think it's like a, like, I'm not going to call this like a big reach if they take him first overall. And that, so if Kim Ward goes to the Titans at one, which it seems like that's happening as of right now, if, if DK's 70% prediction that Shador goes to Cleveland at two, that leaves the

giants in need of a quarterback, the Steelers in need of a quarterback, and three quarterbacks available in Aaron Rogers, Russell Wilson, and then I guess Kurt Cousson. available via trade. So, Hyfitz, if that happens, if it's Shador and Cam top two, or Cam and Shadour top two, do you want the giants to trade for Kirk Cousins in August? Do you want them to get Aaron Rogers right now? What do you want them to do? Wait till the draft and then go get Kurt Cudson?

I don't want Rogers. I think that, frankly, I think where I'm at is Rogers, I think if you could actually compartmental, if I could sever Aaron Rogers, I would take Aaron Rogers. If I could sever and put a chip in it. I mean, I know he's not an image. and I's guy. But if I could put a chip in his brain and actually just he walks into work and doesn't remember anything else about his outside life. I think Aaron Rogers is clearly the

best football player left. I actually really still believe in Rogers' ability as a giant. I think purely from 1 p.m. Eastern to 4 p.m. Eastern on Sundays, Rogers would be the best guy for 2025 if you're asking me between him and Kirk Cousins and these other options. I do think at some point I'm like, I don't know. It's something about his like world destroying capability and like frankly it's not even just I'm getting into politics and everything it's like everything with Rogers is about himself and he acts like it's not it's exhausting

and it's a team sport but he's so selfish and he's so quite literally self-centered that like it does affect the team did you guys see the pictures that came out from the weekend where Air Rogers is like on a beach like he's been out of pondering pondering life's mysteries like trying to figure out where he's going to go

like there's like this giant you know race to get him whatever. He's just putting this off because he loves reveling in like he's the limelight. I don't have said this at a minute. My Rogers take is that he's Jamie Lannister and that first scene with the Tywin-Lannister in Game of Thrones.

Oh, that's first scene with Jamie Lannister. Where are you going with this? Oh, no, not that one. No. The first scene with his dad. No, no, no. Are you talking about when he's having sex with his sister? You bet. Spoiler! They actually refilmed the whole pilot so people would know that. So it's not a spoiler. But the first time he sees his dad,

his dad's like, you care too much for what people think you. And Jamie Landis is just like, I don't care what anyone thinks of me. And his dad's like, that's what you want people to think of you. That's Aaron Rogers. So anyway, that's a really long answer. I'd rather just do Kirk Cousins. I don't care. That's an epic scene, by the way. He's just like skinning this fucking deer. It's a metaphor. Have you ever gone on a walk on the beach to think about something? It's great. So do you think that the irony of a 9-11 truther, wondering if he should collapse the second New York franchise is just unbelievable to me.

Oh, you were sitting on that. This is too much? You were sitting on that. That's, look. Well, you asked. Anyway. I hope he comes to the Steelers. Inside job.

I still really do. I want Tomlin juggling all those personalities. Or I want the Steelers to trade up for Shador. I want as many personalities in the building as possible, and I want Tomlin juggling all of them. Tomlin's chaos, man. Save for having a Super Bowl team, the next most important thing that Craig wants is just something chaotic

and like a circus. Look, because there's two types of TV shows people talk about. The TV shows that win Emmys that are great, or absolute disasters like The Idol. And you know what? Maybe it'd be fun if Aaron Rogers joins the Steelers and it's like the idol. I actually want to come back around, though, because I know we're dicking around,

but I want to come back to what D.K said about calling me out for the writing off the Browns and Shadur. I just don't want to make it. It's like the detective's curse where you make one assumption and it completely derails the rest of your investigation. Like we're assuming that might be, it might be true. Well, like Joe Burroughs might be bad.

Yeah, no, that's what you're saying. So I think, here's, if I, here's where I think you might be right. My com for Shadur Sanders

is Brock Purdy. Like, I think he's Brock Purdy with like, you know, if Dion Sanders level confidence. And you know who would probably play all right for Kevin's to fancy

Cleveland offense is Brock Purdy. And I, I actually, I still, my thing with Shadres, I think the Dion thing is underrated as the hell of, as the snowplow parent.

Again, I've called Dion the Michael Jordan's Levard Balls. Yeah. But I actually think Brock Purdy, I think Shadur could actually play pretty well for the Brown. I think in some ways he's almost a better fit than Cam Ward for Cleveland and what Kevin Stafansky wants to do there. So I don't think that'd be crazy. I also think that the idea that Cleveland won't take a quarterback is weird to me because I think if you're Cleveland, you do want a quarterback because you have to get out of Deshaun's contract.

There's people making this connection too is the fact that and obviously money talks and maybe money is the only thing that actually matters. but like Miles Garrett after the season was over was like Browns give me a plan to make us competitive again or I'm leaving or I'm in there was even like threats that he's just not going to play like I'm not even going to play even if I don't get a new contract or get traded and then all of a sudden he's like

got a new contract that's a fair point DK you might be right I think that's a fair no I'm not this is not based on any inside information I just don't want to make the assumption that the Browns won't take Shitter or that Shudder won't play for the Browns because I don't know that. Well, I think, but I think that's a fair point, though, because I think that my take on it has been if Dion wasn't Shudder's father, if he was just like a regular prospect, whose dad wasn't the single

most famous person in college football, almost. And the Titans took Camp Ward. If you're the Browns, I think they should take Shadur because I actually think in some ways the Browns are in a weirder spot than the Giants because at least the Giants don't a fucking Deshawn Watson under contract and unplayable contract. So it's like, you know, I think, I know people are like, oh, the Giants are the most desperate team for a quarterback. I'm like, you're the, like, at least.

the Giants can find the money under the mattress to pay Kirk Cousins $27 million that they need to. The Browns are going to get two quarterbacks with Achilles injuries and they're going to add another $27 million guy. And I'm like, the Browns have this scenario where they can get out of this Watson contract. Maybe if the accounting, if they basically can

get the cap credits back with the Achilles, but I'm like, you do need some kind of cost-controlled asset a quarterback here. So, I mean, if Shadur is good and then you have Miles Geard under contract. By the way. Yeah, it's not getting, no, it'll be a quarterback battle in training camp. Yeah, yeah, we'll see who wits.

I keep forgetting that they traded for Katie Biggit. Who cares? Kenny? At the beauty pageant? He work here? Was he funny? Is he funny? Work here?

Okay. Derek Stingley, Texans, quarterback signed a contract for $3 million, $90 million. This happened today. It's the biggest deal ever for a defensive back. Yeah, Derek Stingley's good. I think he's a good example. Derek Stingley is like the reason you say like the cliche of don't judge a draft class for three years. Because he had like, you know, he had that way, the foot injury.

and he still went really high. He's at LSU. There's all these stories that Derek Stingley used to lock up Jamar Chase when he was young at LSU and then he like hurt his foot and then he didn't play

and then he had a tough rookie year and then, but I mean he's basically one of the best cornerbacks in the entire league so he was getting $30 million a year at cornerback and I liked his stat from ESPN

opposing quarterbacks had a passer rating when targeting Stingley the Cowboys game Dak Prescott's passer rating targeting Derek Stimley was three and a half out of 158.

Trevor Lawrence had a zero passer rating. Josh Allen had a zero passer rating. Jared Goff had a zero passerating targeting Derek Stingley, which means nothing when I don't want to count pass a rating, but when it's cool, I want to count pass a rating as a stat. So that's all I have on that. Yeah. Stingley's good.

He's good. I remember there was like a lot of arguments at the draft, at that time of the draft between him and Soss Gardner. It feels like both teams got good players in that case, but like they took the the Texans took Stingley above Soss Gardner. And you know why Derek Stingley got better and sauce got worse?

Why's that? Sauce Gardner started playing golf and Derek Stingley as far as I know doesn't play golf. Guys, I watched golf this weekend. I actually texted you. Did you? You watched the players? Yeah, I texted you the, you know, the, Dr. Marvin, I'm sailing.

I sail, but for golf. You texting me that as I was in the gym right before my demise. Oh my God. It's because it's, it's, Craig got distracted and then he blew his back out. Well, phrasing. We're not doing phrasing anymore.

My bad, he threw his back out. That's a very important difference there. It's not what I meant. But anyways. But yeah, I watched a couple days of the golf. Well, I was working on draft stuff, kind of had golf on in the background. I wouldn't say I would watch golf just by myself.

Yeah. It's great. Just like baseball. I'm also watching, I'm catching up on full swing from Netflix. Oh, wow. It's a great show. Yeah, I am. I'm like, I need to get into something in this offseason.

So let's do this. Let's do golf. Let's do this golf. Other things that happen here, I want to just, one other offensive line news, I want to just mention the Chargers signing Mackay Beckton, who was the left tackle for the Jets, who left, and then he'd be right guard for the Eagles. They revived him.

He's a free agent now. I think this is funny because this is another guy that Jim Harbaugh tried desperately to recruit at Michigan that he didn't get. It's like, just getting white whales from 10 years ago at Michigan. At some point, like, now the tuxed are a little fucked up, like the charges free agency strategy.

Like they're actually not even doing free agency. Jim Harba was just recruiting again, which is kind of weird. Yeah, I feel like as you get older, you know, that stuff starts to happen. You get stuck in your ways. You like what you like, you know? This is like Belle Belichick just hiring Joe Judge

and like everywhere he goes or Patricia. Like he just, he runs out of people he knows. It's like Jim Harbour, but it's just like Jim Harbo is just still doing recruiting. I know. Now the Chargers offensive line outside of their center, Bradley Bozeman, the rest of their offensive line,

the two guards, and tackle all former first round picks under 26 years old. And so I think they're going to move Zion Johnson. They're going to try to move Zion Johnson to center because they just want bigger people. I think that that's actually the nerdy theme I would take out of

the last month of free agency. You know, there's always quarterbacks or whatever. But I just think frankly, I think that this offseason so far is the theme to me is when you know, like the joke about big pickup trucks are like, you know, they're overcompensating. I think that this offseason is teams watching the

Eagles physically dominate on the offensive line and the defensive line. And, like, guys, teams are just physically overcompensating and getting larger people. It's a big man. It's a big man. The Washington, the reason they went got Laramie Tunsel and they went and got like Javon Kinlo. Everyone's like, why did the Washington get Javon Kinla, defensive tackle? Like, he's not good.

Why did you pay him? The answer is because he's bigger. He's big and strong and athletic. And they just were tired of getting shoved around by the Eagles and both sides of the ball. And I think all these teams who, anyone who played the Eagles this year was tired of getting shoved around. Do you think, though, there should be a, like a zag where trying to follow the Super Bowl winning team is sometimes harder than actually just coming up with a different strategy and that, like, maybe we'll go smaller and faster. And that's the way we'll be able to be. That's the Legion of Boom.

But that was the Legion of Boom. The entire Legion of Boom, the premise was all these offenses got when the, basically Patriots were winning with really physical defense and the Colts. Bill gets this part right. the Colts bitched. Bill Pollyan and the Colts bitched. And Phil talks about this all the time. But the cults kind of got the rules changed around how physically could be on defense. It was like the NBA version changing handjacking. Well, they stopped big hits over the middle of field, which helped allow, you know,

spread formations, slot receivers running over the middle of field. You weren't in danger of getting your head taken off quite as much as you used to be. It changed the game the way that these rules were legislated. And so the Patriots get ahead of it and everything gets faster. The Patriots get up Randy Moss to get wet. to get West Welker. So all these teams were like, how do we stop this?

We need faster defenders, lighter, faster, speed on defense. And then Pete Carroll and the Seahawks were like, what if we actually get bigger and beat the shit out of these little people? Well, because it's hard. I feel like it's hard. If your strategy is we're going to beat the Eagles

at their own game, that seems a lot harder to me than we're going to come up with something that makes sense for us that actually disrupts the Eagles philosophy then to just try to beat them at what they already do better than anybody else. So we're just going to get a bunch.

bunch of big players who aren't as good as the Eagles guys. And we don't know how to run this offense as well as the Eagles do or the defense as well as the Eagles do. They should go the other way. They should zag. The big difference here that we're not, we haven't mentioned quite is the chargers in trying to be like the Eagles instead of signing one of the most explosive running backs in football who had set a new record or whatever for 60 yard touchdowns this year.

And also having AJ Brown, Devontas Smith. Yeah. They signed fucking Najee Harris. The us fantasy nerds all season were like, the chargers need to get fast. They're just not explosive on offense. They're so slow. And then they signed Naji Harris and Mike Williams.

He's back. And the other thing is, I'm slow guys. I'm going to get a memento tattoo. I'm going to get a late breaking memento tattoo. I will not take the charges seriously to win a Super Bowl until they fire Greg Roman,

the offensive coordinator because like it just, he's staying around. He's like, he's the perfect example of a coach that's like good enough to make you good, but not good enough to make you great. He's the Tom Tibodo of NFL offensive coordinators where you bring Greg Roman in

and you're like, wow, we are so. competitive, we're so physical, we're so tough. And you get to the playoffs, but the ceiling doesn't. Yeah, the ceiling is like, it is absolute cement ceiling of like you get, like a Greg Roman passing game is unlikely to beat you,

unlikely to win a Super Bowl. It's just so hard when you have nine man protect, you have eight, nine man protections with two routes against five guys. And you're giving them pressure anyway. It's like, oh my God. So anyway. I guess that's pretty fast. But the charges, yeah, charge is probably a beat some shit out of the guys in the regular season.

We're going to bring Tade on a second, but first, Greg, I want to do a little free agency vibe check. Just check it in some fan-based vibes. Like, because, you know, you can win the Super Bowl, but wouldn't you rather just, like, win the off-season? What are the off-season is more fun? It lasts longer. Yeah.

Way longer. Basically, every move is positive. You know what I mean? Nothing's happened yet. It's just selling hope. Nothing has failed. That's the best time of the year. I love the off-season.

You can just start projecting shit. You're watching only highlight reels of all the guys you signed. It's wonderful. Who do you guys think if you had to do the happiest, fans award or AKA who won the offseason who do you think it is? I would say contenders Raiders

Yeah they would be my winner probably I don't think anyone is close to the change that happened from the Raiders on January 5th to today it's like a true 180s like in terms of vibes just 180 degree turn the only thing the readers are going for them at the end of last season was that Brock Bowers was like one of the

best rookies ever right that was kind of most of it getting a quarterback had coach, offensive coordinator, and Tom Brady, and extending your best player, Max Crosby, having the sixth pick in the draft. Pretty good. Ashton Gentie. I mean, again, Gino Smith is the best Raiders quarterback in at least eight years. And that's just when Derek Carr was good pre-broken leg.

And Gino Smith, in theory, like, he could be the best Raiders quarterback in, like, actually, like, 15 or 20 years. The bear's getting Ben Johnson and, like, quote, unquote, shoring up their offensive line. I feel like there's a mission accomplished. There's like a festering fear about Caleb Williams being a bust that I think is holding them back a tiny bit.

But I do think the Ben Johnson in the offensive line with Caleb year two is kind of like, we could win the Super Bowl. I don't know if Raiders fans think they could win the Super Bowl. I think, like, if this works out, we could be a 12-win team immediately.

So I think they're kind of like, they're percolating a little bit. I don't know. You could probably throw in commanders, Pat's fans, bills over the moon. Maybe Broncos, sneaky. I mean, Bill was out here just saying Bill was just victory lapping the Patriots

just winning the offseason because they gave out the most money. But it's probably the Raiders. I think it's the rate. Again, you can't overstate, what are the most important things in football, coaching quarterbacks? They have Pete, Carol, Chip Kelly, and Gino Smith. That's the most.

Raiders haven't had anything like that. I mean, it sounds like an exaggeration, but 20 years? When's the last time the Raiders won the off season, like, let alone anything? But when's the last time we felt good about the Raiders? I mean, even then it was like John Gruden before all the stuff came out. the emails. Like even that was like,

that was 10 years and $100 million. And like that was cool, but also like he'd been a broadcaster for like 12 years. And he got $100 million. I mean, Mark Davis only worth like $600 million. I mean, oh my God. Like that was like a ironically, everyone's like you're going to with this guy forever. And obviously it only lasted like three

years. But that wasn't like a lock that John Gruden was going to come out of 12 years off as a coach. I think this is. I think the Raiders are the clear cut winner. Craig, you made a really good pitch, I think, for the Bears, just based on vibes. Like if we were actually grading the offseason, I don't know that we would put the Bears number one,

but Ben Johnson is like the crown jewel in coaching hires over the last, how many years do you think? I think his reputation, I don't know if he's actually going to be as good as he, his reputation would say, but his reputation is pretty damn sterling based on what he's done with the alliance offense last few years. There's like transformational potential with Ben Johnson,

even though we might just be projecting that on him. He might not actually have it. you make a good argument with the bears. I think that the Patriots, the Patriots are closer to, I don't know. I don't think the Patriots have, like the vibes are all that different.

It's just been a good offseason for them. I think the argument for the Patriots winning the off season has very little to do with the players. The argument is that Mike Vrabel is the next Bill Parcells. He's another good one, yeah. Like hiring Mike Vrabel is the argument to me. Like the reason I like the Raiders is because they haven't had, like the Patriots, frankly, don't get to win

because you had Belichick for so long. But Vrabel, to me, was the best candidate. I'm impressed with the, Raiders because I just want to see what Chip Kelly does in the NFL, but Rable's incredible. And I think the Broncos in terms of the players they got, I like the Broncos players a lot. The upside for the Broncos is pretty crazy. Like obviously Evan Ingram in the Joker role, this Joker, this mystical role that we've talked by the way, Mystical was the word I was looking for the other day.

Sorry, Mystique was the word I was looking for. Okay. And Mystical, I think it was like a version of that. Um, they also got, Dreigh Greenlaw. We're going to let that one go, Craig? Bufanga. What did I say? Nothing. Just mystique's a version of mystical, which is going, all right, you know, do you all I keep going? They're close. There's some similarity where letters.

Isn't mystique just having mysticism? No, probably not. Okay. We had a lot of ghosts that people were, people were hitting me up on, on Twitter. Craig looks more in pain from this conversation than he does with his back. No, I like leaned forward and like something just seared in my back.

Shooting pains. Somebody just jammed a knife in my back. That's so funny. Craig's posture is, it's very subtle. but very, very obvious. My shoulders are kind of tense and up. Wait, can we do, before we get, Tate's coming on here in a few minutes. Can we talk about who lost the off season?

I feel like it has to be the Cowboys. Yeah. It has to be. Not only did they bring in Brian Schottenheimer. The Cowboys, I saw this on Twitter. The Cowboys have not signed a free agent over $6 million per year since Greg Hardy and 2015. It's been 10 years since the Cowboys signed a free agent over six million. The cap has signed a free agent over six million.

The cap is. gone up by $136 million since then. And I haven't given a guy more than $6 million a year. And Greg Hardy's like the worst person who's playing the NFL in the 21st century. Like, that's a person. Oh, God. The owner and GM literally made fun of his coaching hire and called him the biggest risk he could possibly make. He used to be known as career assistant.

He was sitting right next to him. Dude. And he's not also, he's not Brian Schottenheimer anymore, Craig. He's the head coach who's at Dallas Cowboys. That's his name. That's right. And the Cowboys made 18 moves in free agency this year? Second most of any team.

How many can you name? D.K., what free agency decisions that Cowboys made the second most in the league? How many can you name that jump out to you? Are you talking about outside free agents? Yeah. Oh, no, sorry, total. Resignings in free agents, they made the second most moves. Well, Giovante Williams, because sure.

Yep. Anything else tickle you? Oh, Digi Zawa was they re-signed their defensive linemen. Yep. they re-signed cavante turpin that's correct three years 18 million i don't know that's about it who else they got uh their long snapper trent c got 3 million guaranteed they signed miles sanders they signed miles sanders i don't think i even saw that horrendous

it's bad dude what are they doing the cowboys they just like they just guys that don't get the draft not only do they only resign their own players they just stick to like their draft grades without updating the pro person yeah this is a bunch of former first rounders or whatever. Yeah, all the guys they kind of had too high, they come back and get later, but they don't update the grades based on how they actually played football,

which is how you end up paying, what was the draft pick they gave up for Jonathan Mingo? Like a third rounder. Third or fourth round pick for Jonathan Mingo, who did nothing in Carolina. Speak of the devil. I say the words Carolina. Oh my God.

That was unbelievable. Say it three times. I show up. Jonathan Mingo, Jonathan Mingo. Jonathan Mingo. It's like, oh.

The Blamey, All right. We are now joined by a very special guest, Tate Frazier, one of literally the first employee of the ringer. And I think this is a huge, well, we don't have a ton of guests. And we really wanted you, Tate, for one important reason. I think we have more in common our shows than any other shows here at the ringer because I think we were talking a couple weeks ago how you get these texts in March. And it's who's going to win it all, Tate? And then the last text that person sent you was just like March 14th of the previous year. Who's going to win it all, Tate? And like, that's just us with fantasy football where there are just all these tertiary people in my life

who only hit me up on Labor Day weekend before their draft. Who should I draft? It's like, Juan Jennings or Kalil Shakir. I'm like, I don't know. I'm on the clock. And I'm like, I haven't talked to you in two years. It's great to hear that we're in the same pool and we deal with the same people. And I think Chris Vernon is probably the one that comes to mind with this.

Chris Vernon, his last text before was from last year asking me which teams I like. And why Memphis was, you know, put where they were played. So you know how that goes. It's great to see. It is tough. And every single time you give an answer, as you guys know, people go, I hate it. You know what I mean? That's the other thing.

I didn't want you to say that. The low-key thing about this whole situation is people come out of the woodwork randomly during two separate times of year. You give them your answer. And then they say, nah, I'm doing something else. They don't even use it. They don't even use it. I know.

If there's anything more unpredictable than fantasy football, it's a March Madness Bracket. I commend you for the work you do every year. That's the other thing. Tay, I appreciate this too because I think, you know, maybe I shouldn't admit this, but let's be real. We're all, we're just the Wizard of Oz. Like, whoa, what fantasy player should take it the 13th round?

Honestly, throw a dart. I don't know. Who knows? Yeah, I wanted, I want to be the Wizard of Oz. I wish I actually knew the answers to some of these things. But like you said, I figured out a formula though, right? You go on these different shows and people ask you things. You kind of just play the path different ways,

because there's only so many different scenarios that can play out. So, like, I went on Toronto Radio. My whole ploy was, look, it's Michigan State's year, right? So I did that whole run. I go on Seattle Radio, I'm like Gonzaga, best eight scene I've ever seen. It's their year. Let's make it run. You just kind of just drop in, you know what I mean?

And I bring on gas. They give me what they actually think is going to happen. You take that in, you marinate on it. You start thinking, well, there is kind of a path for Louisville to make a run if they get Auburn and, like, you know what I mean? And then all of a sudden you start piecing it together. There people remember the tidbits that were wrong. Of course, we all know this.

This is the business we live in. The haters, they continue to come out of the woodwork. But it is fun just trying to sprinkle in the facts as best you can. And like you said, we're not wizards. We're just having a good time. It's always sunny in Philadelphia. Max, like I'm playing every side. So I always come out on top.

You just do 68 hits with 68 teams can make a run. So I want to go through a bunch of stuff here. Also remind everyone, we're going to do a bracket challenge. So if you go to ESPN, the link is in the episode description. We're going to do a bracket challenge. I mentioned this in the intro, but we're going to do the bracket challenge. and Craig's got a little group and the password's Cloyce box. So you can join that group.

All caps. All caps, Cloicebox is the password. He chose a name that's not necessarily super easy. No, it's kind of hard to spell. I do like that. I like that. You figure it out. Yeah. Yeah. The real ones, though. Tate, I want to start with this, which is, this is perfect timing because the play-in game is your

UNC Chapel Hill Tar Heels versus Craig San Diego State Aztex. And that's the actual playing game for the 11 Cs tomorrow. So I don't even have a question. I just want you two to like fight. Yeah. I just said to Craig before we got on. This is basically America's team, San Diego State.

Everybody loves the Aztex. They love what Brian Dutcher's been doing. They love the flying Dutchman. Everybody loves Magoon Guath and they're happy that he's healthy and he's coming back. There's someone named Magoon Guas on your face. Oh, yeah. Yeah. What is that even mean?

We've been goon in all year, baby. McGooning. Seriously. Now the West Depends a player in the year, rookie the year. That's the thing. It's like San Diego State's a really good team. So for Carolina to be absolutely getting demolished from everywhere right now about how they don't belong in the tournament, they're playing a team that beat Houston, a team that has some very quality wins, a team that is young, but really talented as NBA prospects.

So it's a really tough draw as far as Carolina's kind of entrance. But if you are San Diego State, you also have to fly across the country to Dayton. You're kind of rolling your eyes to that because you think you're above that. You think you're better than that. And they're the only team we've seen in the Mountain West that can actually do something in the tournament. and I know Craig can speak to that as well. So they should probably be a little bit disrespected themselves. You know what I mean?

So it's not just Carolina. I feel like San Diego State America's team. They're upset as well. I know. Everyone's so pissed at UNC. Basically, they were like the last team, man, I guess. Everyone's mad because they were one in 12 and quad one games. I think this is the most mad.

Everybody was pissed when Indiana State didn't make it last year. I remember. But people in general hate UNC and Duke. And I have never seen people so upset that UNC made the tournament this year. And I think the other. reason is I'm in the mid-Atlantic here in D.C. And, like, so I know, I should know a pretty good amount of people who have gone to Chapel Hill. And there should be a rule, like, one of the little factors in their little

formula, are the fans disgusted by their own team? Because all the UNC fans all year, I've been complaining that they're like, this team sucks. And I'm like, and you made it? But, but are they as disgusted as Indiana? You know what I mean? That's the question. Are they as disgusted as Boise State, right? Like, that is the, you know, West Virginia, obviously they have their governor now calling for, you know, corruption and they're going to investigate the NCAA, which he had a sign where the National Corrupt Athletic Association, which is pretty good stuff. If you're North Carolina, right, you really had a tough situation with Bubba Cunningham being, you know, the director of the committee. Yes, that's the AD for North Carolina, Bubba Cunningham. He was running this committee.

He can't be in the room. Everyone's saying there's a human element, even though he's not in the room. The AD of UNC is running the selection committee. and is the one on television, is the one on television defending all of this election. Right. But less we forget. I was in an airport for 16 hours while this. My flight got canceled during the selection show, so I didn't see anything.

Are you serious? Yes. The UNC AD made the call? He was also on the committee. He was the committee chair in 2023 when they didn't make the tournament. People forget this. They don't want to bring that up. You know what I mean?

You got to see both sides of the coin there. Such a politician. The assistant, his vice, you know, is number two guy. Number two, like it's like Dr. Evil and number two sitting there doing an interview. Who's over to Duke? So there is some sort of like, you know, pushback there. But yeah, America's very upset.

They don't know what winds above bubble means. And that is the metric that they used this year. It was a different criteria for getting into the tournament. But let's be honest, what is the criteria always been? Television ratings. And now we have the best ratings ever. The Mountain West and the ACC, they are at odds with each other. There's a culture war that is happening right now.

And now we get to see it front center in Dayton. And that's what America wants to watch. You know what's it? annoying, though, so everyone's pissed UNC makes it. And then the second they do, every single pundit is like, oh, wow, UNC actually could get hot and make a run. Of course. They're like four-point favorites against STU.

No one is talking about S-SU winning the game. It's immediately like, no, listen, I know a lot of people are upset that UNC didn't make the, or made the tournament. But look, preseason top 10 team, they certainly have the talent. We always see a playing team make a splash. We saw it last year. So it's like everyone's immediately like, oh, yeah, UNC could actually win a couple of games. Wait, speaking of UNC, we're going to stay on March Madness here for a second.

But speaking of UNC Chapel Hill, a very important thing that happened this weekend was, Tate, I don't know if you can see the screen. What do you make of this photo of Bill Belichick and his girlfriend at the beach? What do you think of this IG post? I've been told that the official comment is no response. But it is fascinating. I'm going to be honest with you. I like to see that Bill's that limber.

I'm pretty shocked. I didn't know that it was Belichick at first. In fact, I was like, is Bill going to have to get upset about this? that, you know, his girl's got some guy putting her up in the air. And then I found out it was Bill. So it was actually a pretty exciting news to see that he's that in shape. I think we got at least a good five years, right? I mean, based on that picture, we got five more years.

We got a lot of trust. We have video now on Spotify. We're on Spotify. We're on YouTube a video. If the people listening to the audio only one, I recommend tuning to the video and see this picture. Craig, how would you explain this photo for the people who are just listening to this? Bill Belichick is at the beach on a lovely sunny day. I perhaps in North Carolina and him and his 24-year-old girlfriend are doing one of those things where you balance her on your feet.

He's lying flat on his back, feet in the air. Something I could not do right now with my back injury. And balancing his girlfriend like a gymnast on his feet. His feet are on her ass and they're holding hands. Beita Kimes quote tweeted this and said, this is what I do with my three-year-old. We call it airplane. And I actually think there's a bigger age gap between Bill and his girlfriend than me and her child. I think he might be right.

I think I'm right. I can't stop looking at it. I really can't. Yeah, take that away. I can't even talk to you guys. I can't look away. It's unbelievable. I do think it is funny.

Her name is Jordan and it's spelled differently than Jordan like Michael Jordan. And I do think at some point they're going to change the football team to Jordan with an O instead of an A. And it will be Jordan brand. So that'll be the next move. We're excited for that. Okay. Can you give us a breakdowns of this 2025 March Maddenance season? What are the narratives?

What are you looking at the most? We have Duke in Auburn and Florida. And like, who do you like? What's going on? What are the biggest narratives? Yeah, I like the narratives. We love the storylines. I will say we call him the flagship or the main character.

He's from Maine. It is Cooper Flagg. He is a story in college basketball. They didn't want him to be the player of the year. They did their best to make sure that he was not going to be player of the year. The SEC agenda was up against the Duke agenda. It was like a PR war unlike anything we've ever seen. And it does look like the Duke agenda won out.

I do think the wooden award will go to Cooper Flag. I had a vote. I voted. I'll be honest with you guys. I voted for Cooper Flag. It has to be objective here. He was the best player in college basketball. It's pretty obvious. And now we have the ankle situation.

He gets hurt. There is the question mark. When does he come back? Every single one of these guys that are a question mark that are impactful guys are pretty much coming back in the first round. I think Cooper Flag will be one of those guys as well. Maybe they rest them in the first half and they play him a little bit in the second half or vice versa. But he is healthy.

He is fine. He was cheering. He had a third. 32 chain on if you do not see him on the bench during the ACC tournament. So that was turning heads as well. What is a 32 chain? I don't even know what this means. He has a chain with his number, 32, and it is very huge.

It's like an ice. It looks like something that, you know, Cuevo would be wearing while watching a game court side. But it's Cooper Flagg. So there were a lot of NBA people that flag that. They were like, wow, I didn't know that Cooper Flag got down like that. It's funny not all these 18 and 19-year-old kids are also like millionaires. So I'm like it's kind of like every now and then you're like, oh, yeah, right. this 20-year-old is a Lamborghini.

And he has a new balance deal where he literally is a millionaire. So like Mace came out, right, one of our favorite sports analysts that we have out there, Mace came out and said that Cooper Flagg should not play in the tournament, but nobody told him that Cooper Flag is already a millionaire and it's going to be okay. So he's going to play. That's a big storyline. I think the other big storyline is the old school coaches, right? Rick Petino, Tom iso.

They have gone to old school. They don't shoot threes. They put pressure on the basketball. They're switching everything. It's a very physical game. And both of them are kind of coaching old school. Like, you know, they're going after their players. They're yelling at them.

They're pulling them close. And everyone's like, I love this. We miss this in this country. We need more coaching like this. But five years ago, if you did it, it was like, get this guy out of my face. The game is passed him by. So it hasn't been a complete 180 kind of in those, you know,

coaching views. And just look at the coaching carousel and some of the names that are coming up. Now, Will Wade is the hottest commodity in town, which is a pretty big 180 from what we saw back. in 2018, 2019. So that's a big thing that's happening in college basketball. I mean, Rick Patino, obviously, I mentioned him with Izzo, but St. John's themselves, a big storyline.

I'm a little worried. Everyone's a little too hot on St. Johns. The Vegas books said they don't want them to win because there's so many bets on them. I feel like the Italians might turn on Patino. This is like a movie right now. The fact that they're going to have to cook the books to make sure he doesn't win. It's like heart versus head divided moments, potentially with the books and Rick Petino.

I'm full in on St. John's. I'm from New York and I go for it. I was very excited to dive into the Knicks after the NFL season ended and just be like, and the Knicks are just, it's very kind of depressing because they can't be any of the good teams. And the St. John's, like, St. John's in the garden. I won't pretend to have seen a great St. John's team in my life. But it is so cool to watch these kids in the garden.

And like, it's kind of the scrappiness you wanted the Knicks to play with where they're trying the hardest. Like the full court press, like they're diving. Like, I forget, I can't remember the names of the kids, but they're bleeding. They're going back. And they're just like, tape me up. going back out. And I'm just here to inform you,

Catea, since I think, you know, there's like an equal college basketball level here, that St. John's is going to win the tournament. Okay. I'm letting you know. I like the pick. I did say to Kyle Crichton before the Big East tournament started,

that St. Johns had to win that tournament to make me believe that they could win a tournament. And I do think Rick Petino, he talked about it after the tournament. He's like, I told them every game. I'm like, this is a first round matchup. You go home and you never see me again. You never see your teammates again if you lose this game. And they're like, what is he talking about?

So he coached it like the NCAA tournament. So they're already in that mindset. And RJ Lewis, if you don't know the name, you will know it very soon. Biggie's player of the year. Just a fun guy to root for. So St. John's has not been good in a long time, right? And then the CEO of Vitamin Water, the vitamin water guy.

Yes, I want to talk to this. He merged with TB 12. Yes, right. It was basically like, I'm sick of St. John's being bad. I'm going to basically, what Dave Portnoe is doing to Michigan, I'm going to do to St. John's. And then St. John's got a bunch of good players and now they're good.

Is that how that worked? Well, Actually, their best players were there last year. They just happened to be hurt, right? Zubi Ed Jafour, who's their big. He was there last year. He got better. He also had injuries.

RJ Lewis was hurt last year. But Kadari Richmond was the one that they bought. He was on Seton Hall. He won the NIT last year. Vitamin Water came in and said, which guy do you need? And Rick Petino said he's right over there. And, you know, and they were in New Jersey. And they were like, oh, God, the godfather's coming to get his guy.

And they got him. And that was the real big power money move. But as Rick Petino continues to remind us, R. J. Lewis is underpaid. Zubi Edjifor is underpaid. Simeon Wilter is underpaid. And they're high character guys. They don't have a high dollar amount. He keeps saying that, which I think is great. Dude, Petino is the perfect mix of dignified and Slees Bowl to be like a New York City legend. I love it. I just can't believe this guy merged with TB12, but this guy literally is also the TB12, the Noble, that company Noble, which I was like, what do they even do?

But yeah, they just decided to pay the St. John. Is it weird now? Do we like that there's just like, if your alumni has a really rich guy, he can just like turn a program around overnight. I know that it's always kind of been about money, but the fact that it's public now is kind of weird that it can just be like, I'm like praying Kauai Leonard starts giving money to San Diego States NIL.

Like, is that weird now? Yeah, I mean, I think the Steph Curry was the one that really broke me. That like he has a title and he's officially acting as the assistant GM of Davidson and funneling millions of dollars through a private institution. To me, I was like, what the hell? It's almost like feudal. It's weird.

Yeah, and Gordon Hayward, he was on, one training pot last week and I asked him about Butler and he's like, yeah, I'm going to start funneling money to Butler. Damn, dude. Funnaling. It's so weird. Yeah, funneling is the word. I'm going to start washing money and sending it. Dude, this is the Dolphins thing too. Like Stephen Ross

is the owner of the dolphins. He's cared more about getting a Miami championship to a Michigan championship that he did about the dolphins. Like he's the one who got Harbaugh to Michigan. And it was like, oh, what if Harba went to Miami? It's like, Stephen Ross is not taking Jim Harbaugh from Michigan. Like, it's, oh, my. God. And you got Cuban with Indiana, right? That job's open and there's like a lot of infighting

about who's going to get that job. Like there's Ben McCollum, who's at Drake, who's like a D2 coach that just bopped up to Drake and now everybody's in love with him. But he plays a very boring style, more defensive. But you got some big fish in the waters that maybe one of these guys that funnels money wants to funnel some money in to get one of these big fish. Or like the carousel is great too, which is another thing because all these coaches, they're coaching for some of these jobs, right? Richard Petino wants the Virginia job. So if New Mexico wins in that, first round game. There's a world in which Virginia can get their head coach and their new point card.

Wait. They get Donovan Dent and they get Richard Petino. Is that Patino's son? Yeah, he's at New Mexico. New Mexico? Wow. Wait, what's the bracket? Could they coach against each other?

Is that up to be Final Four? It would have to be the National Championship game, which would be incredible. Or actually, I think it would be the Final Four. Actually, it would be in the Final Four. So, Tate, so here's my question. And I want to just go through some of the, some of these games, but I'm a pretty classic March Madness person, which is I don't know anything. I watch three games.

But by Wednesday, I'm going to be an expert, and I'm going to get everything right. So here's my big picture question being a total parachute college basketball fan who's excited to win our bracket challenge. The SEC is just better at basketball than football now? Like, that just seems like a, like that seems like sacrilege and crazy to say. But I'm looking at this. I'm like, so let me get this straight. Auburn's the number one seat in the whole tournament. So they're better at basketball than they are at football.

Bama, I mean, is better at basketball this season, it seems than they are at football. Florida is better at basketball this season than they are at football. Seems like Ole Miss is better at basketball than they were in football. Seems like Florida is certainly better at basketball than football. So at what point is the SEC a basketball conference or am I an idiot? Not only that. It's 14 SEC teams made the tournament this year, which is a record. 14 of 16 teams made the tournament.

I don't know. I'm looking at the list of like Georgia's there. Like everybody's there. Like what is going? I feel like I woke up and the world is what is going. I've never felt older. It was like a concern. an effort around like 2015 where the SEC said,

we also can make money. It was like someone walked into their office and said, we also can make money on basketball. And they were like, what did he say? They were like, we also can make money on basketball. I was like, what did that son of a bitch? Yeah, right. And we're like, we got to do this.

Yeah, right. And here we are a decade later. Like you, I mean, they have the best coaches in the game. They have the best athletes in the game. They've been able to identify and evaluate talent. They've been running pro shops since, you know,

you can pick your date. They didn't know what. they're doing in this new world of the NIL and the moving around. And as far as the teams this year, Alburn is interesting that the number one overall seed, they have the most Quad one wins, but they also are trending down right now. Like they don't look like the Alvard team that we saw during the non-con and not even the team that we saw mid-February. So they're fascinating. Florida's trending up. Alabama's trending down. Right. So a lot of these SEC teams, like, they almost were better a month ago. And I wish I could have seen those versions of those teams in the tournament now. So it is

car kind of hard to forecast what's going to happen with the SEC. I wouldn't be shocked if like one team makes the final four and everyone's like, see, the SEC sucks and dunks all over them. But that's not really how the tournament works. You know, the conference pride thing has gone way too far. Now I'm like fighting battles for the ACC. Like, I really don't care what happens to Boston College, but now I'm having to defend them, you know, and that just kind of is what it is right now. It's a lot of conference warfare. But yeah, it's, the SEC, they know what they're doing. And they got the best town and the best coaches. So that's a formula for success.

I know. I actually root against every other Mountain West team because I want to make S-Dissue just look better, especially as they leave to go to the back eight. That's called the right mindset. That's what you're supposed to do. Are you, do you like chalk or chaos? I know everybody likes first round chaos, but when it comes closer to like the Final Four,

do you like ones and twos or do you like a loyal of Chicago in there? I mean, no shade to a loyal of Chicago. It's a fun story. I think VCU, you know, Brad Stevens Butler, those runs were a lot of fun as well. But at the end of the day, I want to see the best teams play. does feel like the season makes more sense and it feels like it matters more when the best teams

actually get there. When it is a fluke, you almost feel bad for the really good teams if they lose in the second round in some sort of fluke situation. So yeah, once we get to sweet 16 elite aid, I would like to see the better teams. Maybe, you know, we get a sweet 16 run that's a lot of fun. But it ends there with the better team winning. And then once we get to March in the final four, it's a lot more fun. I will say 2023 gets a lot of gripe. Because it's, you know, a lot of teams that people never saw in the final four, but it was a really fun final four, and it was really good games. Buzzer Beater, only buzzer beater ever, Final Four history to go to take the lead. Who was that year again?

Lamont Butler, Florida Atlantic. Oh, yeah. Was that, oh my God. Right. That's what I'm saying. So a lot of people even, like that year would not be considered, you know, like things didn't break the right way, but it still was a great final four. And honestly, whoever gets to the Final Four is usually fun.

And last time we were in San Antonio, 2018, that was the Villanova Coronation year. and to see how far we've gone from Villanova, Jay Wright, unstoppable force to, you know, who's going to be the head coach of Villanova? I mean, just look at where Virginia was. They lost to a one seat. Now Ryan Odom might be their next head coach and Tony Bennett retired.

Like so much has changed since we were there in San Antonio. And that's why a lot of people can't keep up with college basketball because they're like, what's happening? What's going on? And I don't blame them. That's why Bill Simmons is like, I can't talk about it. I don't care. And he hates Rick Petino.

So I'm all on Rick. All right. I have two or I have a couple dumb questions. for Tate. And then do you guys have any other things on March Maddust? I have a couple March Maddust. I have a couple March Maddust. The only thing I want to interject here is I've, as I peruse the list here, there's two teams

from Omaha. Omaha and Creighton. So there's, that's something. I'm from Omaha for the record. Go, go Omaha. I don't really care, actually. But, um, great place, by the way. College, College of World Series.

Omaha. Totally. Totally. My dad went to Creighton. So I guess I'll just root for Creighton. Yeah, Bo Jays. How's Gonzaga looking this year? I got to talk for my constituency here.

How's Gunzaga looking? Well, I have Gonzaga going to the final four. Oh, wow. Hell yes. They're a big Ken Palm team. They're like top 10 in Ken Palm, aren't they? Nice. Yeah, they were just the team that I picked them to win the national championship at the start of the year.

And in the non-conference, they were just still figuring out who's who and what's what. And they weren't quite there. But then they got to the WCC and St. Mary's, I feel like his underrate or, you know, not even discussed. I mean, underrated is probably disrespectful to say, even beyond. They're a really good basketball team. and Gonzaga beat them the WCCC Championship. The fact they got an eight seed is pretty disrespectful.

That's a top team. You have an eight seed going to the final four? Yeah. So you have them over Houston. So why are you picking it over one seat? I have them taken Houston's path. You know what I mean? I think both of those teams are like a one and a two playing in the second round.

And I think that they're basically just going to beat Houston in a one-off game because they have more offensive firepower is what I'm making on in that game. I'm glad we're having this conversation because I was thinking about that in the other second. I can't tell you how. much. Well, I mean, I am a college basketball expert because I watch two Florida conference games. So now I know everything about Florida. But so I was thinking, but that Florida game, they're the bottom left. I never, directions never used to west. It's bottom left. That's it. Florida's the one seed. And if they would play Yukon maybe in that second round, and I'm an expert,

because I know Yukon won the two titles. So one, why is Yukon an eight? And then could Yukon win or do they suck now? Like, because I was wondering if Florida would be the one seed that would lose in the second round. Yeah, Yukon until proven otherwise, like, Like you have to watch out for them in March. They still haven't had a close game in March in two years. So it is like it does feel like they have something up their sleeve. I don't know what it is. I mean, they do great scouting.

They obviously have great sets. And it's also hard to scout their offense if you don't know who they are. So that helps. I think Oklahoma is a tough draw for them, though, because Oklahoma is athletic. Oklahoma has this kid Jeremiah Fears. He's a freshman. He's a study. His name is fear?

Yeah, fears with an S. Yeah. Like it's spelled F-E-A-R-S? Yes. And you've got to look out for Oklahoma. They finished 14th in the SEC this year. Right, right. And they have so much talent.

It's crazy. They were 13 and 0 in the non-time. They were 14th in the SEC, I believe. Last week, I was at this Bachelor party and like there's subconference, or no, it's before I left. And there's some conference title game on or conference basketball game on. I was like, holy shit, did the tournament start? 15 seed. And I was like, oh no, the Big Ten has 15 teams in the 15.

That's really funny. They have 18. They cut three out. The ACC cut three out, too. There were three teams that didn't even get to play for their own conference tournament. It's ridiculous. That's how dumb this is. Other questions.

So, Tate, you have to pick a game 12-seater higher. And if you're wrong, we're going to kill you. Like, you'll die. Yeah. And I want to know who's going to be the Jack Golki, the guy who signs an NIL deal in the hotel lobby. Oh, yeah. I do feel like the – have you guys seen the manager for McNeese, Will Wade? No.

Yeah. They're calling him Oricon. He like walks in with the team. Like, and he has the boom box around his neck and he like wraps with the team. But he's already signed it. He's like big dom. He's a, he's a manager. He like literally picks up the, the sweat of the team. But he also is their high man. And he's got an NIL deal with like tick pick or something or whatever one of these companies. And now he like state manager. Yes. His name is. I can't remember his real name. Yes. His name is Oricon.

Amir Khan. I was really a headline. It said Con sets historic. milestone and I didn't finish the headline. He is setting historic milestones. I think he's the first manager to get an N IL deal. So he's a he's someone to put on your best, dude. That's unbelievable. Look at this guy. Oh my God.

That's name image likeness. That's what they put it in for. You know what I mean? It's not for all the other BS of paying guys under the table. It's for guys like him. So shout out. What, uh, what? Wait, what?

What? Fan duel. Wait, no. No, no. Fandle tweeted out. Oh my God. He's a ringer and boy now. No.

No, never mind. Fields will just tweeted it out. Yeah, our real bosses. We're con. Running it. Oh, wait. So, yeah, wait. So are you saying McNeese is a high seed that we could pencil in?

I would not pencil them in. Okay. I would not. Usually when they play like an actual good team, they do not play up to the level that they play in the Southland, obviously. But I do think Clemson, you know, Will Wade went to Clemson. There is some connective tissue there. He almost took the Clemson job back in 2019 before he went to LSU. So maybe the.

there's something there. The 12 that I really like is Colorado State. And like I said, don't trust the Mountain West, but I think they're severely underseated. They're hot. I think they have the most momentum in the country. And the fact that they got Memphis, Penny Hardaway took the Kobe picture.

Whenever you take the Kobe picture after winning a championship, I feel like you're guaranteed to lose your next game. It's just the karma of the basketball god. So Penny took the plain Kobe picture. They won the AAC championship. And now I'm saying to myself, I like Colorado State. So if you guys are going to kill me,

I'll go down fighting. for the Mountain West, the conference that has given me much ire in my life. Oh, every year we do this. It was New Mexico last year. They got destroyed in the first round. But yeah, sure. Nick Clifford. Let's go. Let's go. So you said you got Gonzagin in the final four. What's your other teams in the final four? Are you allowed to say? Yeah, I'm allowed to say. I just did my bracket. And I've already gotten responses, hate it. A lot of people hate it. Hated it. Hated it. The worst they've ever seen. Could never happen. No games have been played, but can never happen. No chance.

No chance. I got Michigan State going to the final four. Tom Izzo said he's going to die getting this team back to relevance. I do feel like this year is going to be the time that he does not die and he gets them back to relevant. So they get to the final four out of Atlanta. That also could come out the way that might not mean what he thinks it means. I know. It's very interesting.

He went on McAfee today. I was talking about like PC culture and how he's not a PC coach. And I was like, maybe I don't back Tom Mizzo making this wrong. We'll see. He's making the final four, though. down in San Francisco in the West, I got Florida. I think Florida versus St. John's. I just think St. John's doesn't have the athleticism and the depth to deal with Florida.

Also, Florida's point guard, Walter Clayton Jr. was Rick Petino's point guard in the 2023 tournament at Iona. So they have like a connection there. That'll be fun. Point guard versus coach. I think Florida wins. So I got them going to the final four. I got Duke going to the final four in Newark.

That's like playing in their backyard. That's going to be great for them. I mean, Duke fans will be everywhere. I'm going to be at the elite. game trying my best to do like uh you know professor quarrel in the crowd like you know and like i'm gonna be like trying to conjure up some voodoo uh to see if i can stop in there yeah i'll do my best Craig that was a Harry Potter yeah that's Harry Potter yeah that was a good reference sorry Craig sorry sorry it's all right it's right well thank you did notate is also Craig threw out his

back so he actually can't move or laugh I'm so sorry Craig you know I've been there and I hate that feeling I remember you on the floor like Larry Bird recording podcast. I know. This was the worst. The first time I ever went into your office, you were just lying on the ground. Like you had thrown out your back. And then like I came to the point where the majority of the times I saw you, you were on the ground. You're never in your chair in your office.

You were just like lying flat. Well, I learned that I didn't know how to breathe properly, like especially like air into my lower back. You know what I mean? So I had to learn a lot of like breathing exercises. And now I'm so California, I have like a reformer upstairs that I just like work my back out on and watch back. What do you mean you didn't know to breathe? Like I couldn't, it's very, you know what I mean? Tell me how to breathe into my lower back.

How do I breathe? I've never thought how to breathe. You got to work on it, man. But air helps. You know, I can never get air down to my lower back. And like when I would edit podcast, my shoulders were so rolled over and I was so anxious, you know what I mean, that like I wasn't getting air down there and it was making it even worse.

So Craig, you know what's going on. I feel your pain. That's all I'm saying. We don't have to talk about back pain. I got a good. I feel your pain. Yeah. Okay.

So do you have winning the tournament? All right, winning the tournament. I got Florida beaten Michigan State. I got Duke beaten Gonzaga. I think Gonzaga is going to give him a fight, but I think Duke's going to win that game. And then I think Duke's going to play Florida. Everyone's going to be on Duke. And I think Florida's going to win the national championship.

I do think they're the best team in the country. I know they just won the SEC tournament. I know that Todd Golden, their head coaches, never won a game in the NCAA tournament. So this would basically be something that's never happened before. I mentioned this on my show. It would be like Lude Olson in 1987 if he actually won the national championship. So Todd Golden would make him. history. Steve Fisher did it, but he was interim. Kevin Ali did it as a first time head coach

kind of green and goes in and win a national championship. So it is very rare. But yeah, I really like this Florida team. And if you don't know the name, Will Richard, he's my favorite player in college basketball that is not on one of my favorite teams. So Will Richard. Yeah, he's a good one. Will Richard. And R.J. Lewis, too, for St. Johns. Those are my two guys. They're certified OSPers. So those two guys I support. Which team do you think is most likely going to fuck you? Which one seat is going to fuck that? the right question. I feel like Duke is honestly up there as much as

like, I just think that Oregon is a sleeper as like a 5-1 sweet-16 first game in Newark. Cooper Flagg hasn't played that much. He comes back to that game. Oregon maybe gets a little bit overlooked or Arizona, whatever one of those teams ends up

playing Duke. So I would just watch out for them in like the sweet 16 elite eight because when you have the pressure and the expectation to do it, it's not that fun. And I feel like it can get to you a little bit. And it's drumming up. Like the intrigue and Cooper flag going on this run is drumming up. I'm getting more and more ask about what is Cooper Flag going to do?

When is he going to play? And if he plays and drops 30 points in a game, you know, America's tuned in and the pressure turns up. And he had two times this year, late game, Kentucky in November and Clemson on the road, where he slipped on a wet spot, not his fault, blamed the managers. And against Kentucky, he was a freshman and he was only 17, so also not his fault. So two strikes in late game situations. but the third one, we'll see if it happens in March and knock on one.

I love it. Tate, thank you so much for coming on. Wait, I need one final pick. Who's going to win? St.SU or UNC? All biases aside. Are we going to put something on this? Yeah, what do we do for this? Honestly, like, I would see.

If SSU wins, you have to teach me how to breathe in my lower back. I'm going to buy one of you guys, one of those things that turns over and you, like, stretch your back out or whatever. Yeah, there goes. Someone gets the hand-o-elected. Whoever wins that, I'm going to buy you one of those. I do my dad. the guarantee the lock of this game is that Carolina gets down double digits at some point.

It doesn't mean that they're not going to win the game. It just means that they're going to be double digits either in the first half or at some point in the second half. And that's what this team does. They get down and then they make these miraculous runs and either it works or it doesn't. And in the Quad 1 games, as we all see, one and 12, it did not work very often. So I do think San Diego State's going to win a close game. That is not trying to be a hater against my own album mater. But, you know, I think San Diego State's got a lot of talent. And these NBA guys Kyle, man, they love Magoon Guaaf, so it feels like one of those games.

I can't believe we've ever talked about this guy before. I'm just hoping to retain Magoon. We need them back next year. The players are, a million dollars is going to go along. The funniest part of the whole thing, we're like, oh, if only every school could just have this like NBA player benefactor, like Steph Curry to Davidson. Meanwhile, Michael

Jordan isn't doing shit for UNC, which I think is the funniest part. He's a big NASCAR guy. Our starting lineups are presented by NASCAR. It's incredible. I went to the Carolina Duke game. It was like, North Carolina line of starting five presented by NASCAR i was like thanks michael jordan why doesn't he do anything why doesn't he do anything for unc he likes fishing and he likes racing man he's just a good old country boy he did he thinks basketball is lame now and i'm kind of with him sometimes i'm like yeah you look

around it's not wrong it's perfect take thank you so much tape does one shining pot he obviously is like the absolute best for the throughout the whole year not just march badness thanks brother and um you officially can just bother us now on Labor Day weekend and ask us like, oh, ninth round, do I take Khalil Shakir? And you can tell you and then you can say, no, I went the other way with it. We're going to put Tate's phone number

in the pod description, so if anybody has any questions. Do you have a question on who to take in your bracket? Text, Tate. He's very responsive. He loves it. I appreciate you guys. Also, I can't wait to ask when I should take Javante Williams. That'll be my first text. Absolutely.

Thanks, guys. Thank you, D.K., thank you, Craig. Thank you, Kai. Thank you, Carlos. Thank you also. Thank you, Tate. Frazier, the first people ever met at the ringer. Thank you, Lord. Lauren. Thank you, Justice, aka Justice.

What's that? French band, do the D-A-N-C-E. Hell yeah. One, two, three, four, five. Jackie loves French music. Does Jackie like Polo and Pan? I don't know what that is. She probably does.

I don't either. They're a French group. I think there's two of them. Polo and Pan. Have her checking out. Polo and Pan. All right. Justice. Justice.

Oh, I know the D-A-N-C-E. That's good. We're going dancing. Not me. Oh, God. No? Well, yeah.

Your team might, though. Dancing in my head. My team is dancing, technically. So how dare you? They're on the bracket. I can imagine how fun. They get a plaque. Technically, we're on the bracket.

They are. What are you talking about? They punched their ticket. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I can't imagine how fun. that was for you, Craig, because literally just living vicariously through you for the March Madness run when the Stanley State made the finals was one of the most fun sports I think I had

solely because I just was with you like every day for that. And I literally can't imagine like if that was like my school that went to the finals of March Madden. I can't even fathom that. I know. It's almost a bummer because I know that I'll never feel that happy watching a sport ever again. Like that was that was 100% the peak. It's like they were a one seed like Duke and they just like went to the finals. If they were a five seat, they beat the number one overall seat in Alabama. They had the buzzer beater in the final four.

It was like the greatest. And then that was the same year I got married. It was like two months before my wedding, 2023, elite year. Which was better? Buzzer beat her to win the final four game or your wedding? Buzzer beater. Yeah.

Careful. Liz hears you in the other room. She's not going to get you any shit when you can't get up from the couch. Pound for pound just in terms of like, you know, joy per second, that buzzer beater is unrivaled. Oh my God. The overall day of the wedding,

obviously much better, but that was five seconds. Were the best five seconds you ever had? Sure. There's so many things you could say, but you guys don't know what it's like, you'll be there. Richmond will be there one day.

I don't know what it's like. I know what it's like. Percy Harvin returned to kickoff for opening kickoff after halftime to cement the Seahawks Super Bowl victory. And that was, that's not even close. It's not even close. It is close.

What are you talking about? Your team close. No. Your team in the Super Bowl and it's half time? Your team's already in the Super Bowl. The Richard Sherman tip to beat the 49ers, the hated 49ers, send them to the Super Bowl. Oh, that was crazy. Pretty fucking amazing.

Okay, that one's cool. If it's a game deciding play, then that's... I, like, jumped out of my seat and screamed. I know what you mean, though, Craig, because, like, so, again, the ringer just did the best sports moments of the 21st century. And, like, number one was David Tyree, and I got the honor of running the David Terry Right. That's, yeah, totally. But that wasn't to, like, win the game. So, like, I know what you're saying where, like, that was incredible,

but the feeling you're talking about of winning that, like, I know what you mean where it's like, well, like, well, we still have to go score the touchdown to win the game. It was do or die. I mean, like, you're truly like life on the line. They were down one. It wasn't like, oh, that's a tie game if they miss. It's overtime.

That was it. And it was also Jim Nance's last year. So you got the gym dance on the call. It was great. Incredible. All right. They'll probably lose tomorrow. Yeah, they'll probably lose tomorrow.

Episode description Just check out the episode description There's a lot in there We've actually never needed you to check out the episode description more than we do for like this episode Yeah, I know nobody reads anymore But Frasier's phone number I don't know

I'm sure there's like so many people Have never clicked on the episode description But like Chicago live show In the episode description Let's start putting little Easter eggs in there You know Oh that's actually really funny We just put shit in there

And don't tell anyone you gotta open it it's kind of a good idea and then yeah join the bracket challenge it's fun there's nothing better than a bracket pool

uh GP GPC shirt on the line already did it thank you Lauren well it's kind of awkward it was good just let us go Craig's back is killing it

oh yeah okay goodbye everyone