The Ryen Russillo Podcast - Florida’s National Championship Comeback and a Masters Preview With Scott Van Pelt

Episode Date: April 8, 2025

Russillo is joined by Scott Van Pelt to recap the NCAA tournament and explain what made Florida so good, why Scottie Scheffler is the betting favorite at The Masters, and why Augusta is such a special place (1:14). Plus, Life Advice with Kyle (57:10)! Should I have stood for the national anthem at a bar? Check us out on YouTube for exclusive clips, livestreams, and more at https://www.youtube.com/@RyenRussilloPodcast. The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit www.rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available. Host: Ryen Russillo Guest: Scott Van Pelt Producers: Steve Ceruti, Kyle Crichton, Mike Wargon, and Jonathan Frias Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You're listening to the Ryan Risillo podcast presented by FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, is the best place to bet on the NBA. Because not only does FanDuel have all of your favorite player props, but now you can even check out stats and recent performance trends right in the app before you make your picks. Just download the FanDuel sportsbook app today to get in on the action. The ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and helplines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 plus and present in select states, gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. He's a mentor, he's a friend, never an adversary. Scott Van Pelt joins us from Augusta. We'll break down the Masters and the field and just talk a little golf, a couple of guys when we talk in the shop.

But we're going to start with the Florida National Championship and an incredible comeback win for the Gators, something they've been doing all tournament long. So a deep dive on both of those and an extended life advice with Kyle. Enjoy the part. Now streaming on Paramount Plus. Name's Conrad Harrigan, family man. And if you cross my family, well, you'd better pray.

From the underworld of Guy Ritchie. We shake the right hands, break the wrong ones. ...comes the next great crime series. And when someone forgets their place... I've got a man for that. ...starring Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren. We've got everyone where we want them. Mob Ladd, new series now streaming on Paramount+.

You know him as Scott van Pelt. I know him the same way. What's up, man? It's good to see you. You are Augusta, the 89th playing of the Masters. How are you, sir? I'm good. I'm psyched to talk to you. It's been too long. This week, as you know, is the work week that I look forward to the most. It was lousy Monday, kind of rained out and sun's out. Supposed to be awesome this week. And, you know, it's a fun time of year. So I'm in a good space. You're catching me in a really good headspace right now. I want to talk a lot of Masters. I unfortunately am not going to make it this year. There was a thing that was in play a little Wednesday, Thursday, maybe half a

Friday, you know, juggling life, but, uh, didn't work, but I'm going again. At some point I'm going again. And, and I'm, as we've talked about in the past, like, you're so spoiled. You get to do all this cool stuff. And usually after like a couple of days, I'm like, I'm good. And when I went a bunch of years ago with all my friends, well, two guys weren't even my friends really, but went with this crew and I didn't wanna leave.

I didn't wanna leave. And I'm never like that with anything anymore, which is normal. I think you grade with a sharp pencil, right? And I think that's cause we've seen it. Like if it's really good, we'll tell you it's really good. But then people will be like, this is something. Then you see it and you're like, it was good.

But then this place, and I try to explain it, like it will exceed your expectations in a way, really nothing else does in the sports space that I've seen. So, you know, coming back here, like, dude, it's been a long time. Christ spelled 30 years, for God's sake. Like, not quite, but almost. And then you start doing the math, you're like, good God, you wake up one day and then,

you know, you're the old cat, but whatever, here I am. And it's, it's even however many years in, you don't come and go, eh. And you're like, holy smokes, this place is something. Yeah. I don't want to do too much of this and get in front of, I want to talk tournament and then we'll get back.

We'll do. Gotcha. Gotcha. I, I screwed up. Just the, we're just, we both have this huge grin on her face because I'm so happy to hear there and I'm like, I, I'm not even that guy and I love it so much. Um, but anyway, we'll, we'll do more on that. All right.

So last night. So going in, I, I've, I know this tournament isn't what everybody wants out of the tournament, we want all these crazy moments you want, at least that Cinderella, I think people want the Cinderella until it like gets to the elite eight or final four. Um, but I liked the talent and how special these top teams were. I know historically we've talked about it already. These, these one seeds were off the charts.

If you go 30 years of the tournament and it plays out that way. So it's very chalky, but I, I just really enjoyed this tournament. And then you have last night's game where. You know, Florida was this darling through the SEC tournament run kind of everybody's pick if they weren't picking Duke. Houston, you're like, all right, who are all these dudes again? You know, and they've been on this multi-year run

with Sampson where they're certainly deserving of all the praise. And Houston gets up 12, you're like, how do you come back down 12 in the second half against Houston? And there's just no way you're thinking it's possible and Florida pulls it off. Yeah, somebody I saw made the point that you get what they're saying that being down a dozen to Houston is like being down 50 to

another team, right? Like you see there were the Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, those SEC teams that are like up 15 down 15. We don't care. We're just gonna keep playing like we play and we're gonna score in the 90s and double digit leads, kind of like the NBA. They can evaporate quickly. Against Houston, that's just not how it goes. And so I give Florida a ton of credit for just staying in the fight.

Now, a lot of that probably comes from the fact that they don't have to go back too far in the mental Rolodex to go, we're down 9 with 2 51 to go against Dan M. Right. We were, Auburn had us down a pretty decent number, just keep plugging away. And you had to think at some point, Clayton's going to score buckets. I believe he didn't make his first basket till there were eight minutes left in the game and it was an and one, and then he hits a three and like they're chipping away and they're chipping away.

And then the thing that really bums me out about it, I love Kelvin Samson. I love the whole idea of the program and what it's about toughness, the DNA of that. I hate for them that the last three times they had a basketball, they didn't take a shot. Like that's really going to be hard to live with. You don't get the ball on the rim. For a team, it's as offensive, rebounding, centric as anyone. They just turned it over three straight times.

And for as much, Ryan, as we talk about the toughness, the defense, and the rebounding of Houston, Florida won that basketball game because they were tough, they guarded, and they rebounded. They guarded and they rebound. They out rebounded Houston, which I don't know how they did it because the length of Houston at the rim is insane. So in retrospect, Florida was that team. They really were all year.

That's who they were. They've been as good as anyone and them winning feels like appropriate. But if you tell me they're down a dozen and they're just, they're not going to get any points from number one. If Clayton's not going to make a basket, like, well, it's probably going to lose. And somehow, you know, they're in the Riverwalk. My wife and kids were there, by the way, which is fun story. They rolled the dice and went and like got a picture of my little guy, 1250 asleep on the Riverwalk. She's like little guy left it all in the field I'm like what a memory man for life. They were they were in the building, but I didn't see that path being how they got there

I thought they would be you know Make a shit ton of threes and just be who they were and that that's how they'd win that that was not the script I saw being how Florida got to have a parade You're right though. They're down to Yukon. They're down to tech raid. You're right though. They're down to UConn. They're down to tech. The tech game still is probably one of the best moments you're going to see from a player in Clayton just kind of taking that thing over and then down, as you mentioned, to Auburn. So we can sit here and say, Hey, you're down 12 to you, but it's Houston, you know? And when I'm trying to figure out like, what is it that's working? Like there were turnovers that was partly

Houston's aggressiveness. There's also just some horrible passes from Florida. And when they go to the head coach at one of the interviews, they're like, you know, how you feeling? It might've been at halftime. And Todd's like, hey, we're turning it over, but we're not shooting it great. Meanwhile, Houston couldn't shoot it for long stretches. And Cryer, it felt like the only guy that was keeping him in like every moment you would go. Houston really needs a bucket here then cryer would just get free. So I think the world of his tournament and how he just kind of answered it every time they needed it from him. But the turnovers weren't necessarily leading to points off

of turnovers for Houston. So that's how Florida is still in this thing. And you're right. Like Clayton's first point was at 1457 to go in the second half. Yeah, and John notes down that his first bucket was an and one that tied. It was like eight minutes to go. His first three was at three minutes to go on the game. And this is a guy who had 30 plus in his last two games. I mean, that's just not the game script for Florida to win this, no chance.

And they tough rebounds. And I just, again, I give them credit for just having that sort of chameleon quality, just, I didn't think they were winning a game in the sixties against Houston. No, I just, no way I thought that would happen. The early contest at the rim. Nobody feels comfortable. Like con is a big player.

Right. He had a baseline, great great postmove turn. He got clear late in the game. It was a bucket they really needed. And even though he was clear and shook to the face, he was like, I, they were thinking about it. Like you always think about like, again, this is stupid, but anybody that's ever played basketball, like when you get your shit just sent back, there's certain guys like just don't want to go down there anymore. Like I'd rather not have the embarrassment than maybe the opportunity. And I think there's a lot of players in college in the pros now that just drive

and maybe they're obsessed with kicking it out to threes and making it look cool to the corner. It's like, you probably would have been fouled or you could have had a layup there and it's like, I don't want to do this Houston, the Richard block when he went up for early to dunk it like Houston sets this tone. And then when I'm looking at like what's happening with Clayton, I'm going, you know this guy.

OK, he's not like the off the paper. Kind of like again, that'd be more on testing. But when you think about him athletically compared to other guys, like I don't know that he's like that, but man, damn, he just keeps getting by everybody all the time.

So maybe there's more to the whole thing. And then when you're looking, if you're a ball handler against Houston and you're waiting for That seam and you're looking for these attacking angles next thing You know, you're still 30 plus feet away from the hoop and you're passing it to the other gardener's seven seconds up in the shot clock And you haven't you thought you were running something but you're just you're still out there for 20 seconds and nothing's happened Yeah, I just the the condom I that his and I get it because Roberts got him a couple of times and then there's like They've they've got seven dudes with with length that are gonna challenge every shot and I understand it after a couple come back

You're like I enough of this but truly in a game or a bucket I understand threes, we value them more than twos. We, I can do the math, but a bucket and a one point game where Houston's having a hard time scoring, let's take that. And he, you just saw him. No, thanks. No bid on this shot. That seemed like point blank. But you know what? On the other end, Ryan, Houston couldn't run anything for the last five minutes. They just looked so bogged down. And again, Florida's got a shit ton of links too. And they got four or five guys that they

just, you know, run them in. So, I mean, I loved it. There was somebody at some point made about like the number of five stars on the floor, which was zero. And you know, Florida's found guys from all over the place, some from the portal, some internationally, this and that, like famously, you know, Florida's found guys from all over the place, some from the portal, some internationally, this and that, like famously, you know, we know that the Clayton, he was heavy at Iona and blah, blah, blah. He's turned into something different.

But Houston, Roberts is a sixth year guy in the line, you know, from that Duke game about what Sampson said is we trusted our grownup against their teenager. And that wasn't being disrespectful, that's what it was. Like this is an adult, he's a 24 year old man. And Cooper Flagg's the number one pick and he's awesome. But in a gotta have it moment, we're like, we're gonna trust this man. And it felt like it was all men out there last night.

And it wasn't pretty necessarily. And again, I think you feel cheated as a fan, You just want to see the ball in the air. Right. And I feel so bad for Sharpe because he was great for them all year. He hit the biggest shot of that Duke game I thought down six, he had to hit a three and he had the patience to find the window to shoot it. But man, he turned it over twice in the last 30 seconds. And it's like, I don't know, man, that's, I imagine that'll stick with a young man until he's an old man. Yeah, that, um, I don't care who you are. Like it's, it's weird when you feel incredibly bad for somebody you don't know and likely will never meet. And I'm sitting in the hotel room watching the game and I'm just wondering, like, they once cryer got stuck on the other side?

You're like, okay, this is, this is bad. Got to go. Yeah, like, okay, now this, this could get a little ugly. And I thought there was some possessions there where you want to be fair because like there's even times against Houston where I thought how cut deep and there's been versions of him where I've seen him more aggressive with his shot. And I think it's back to kind of some of the

Houston stuff we're talking about and it could feel a little like the screen grab world of evaluating quarterbacks where we show the all 22 and you're like wide open wide open I'm sorry to jump you I just we both hated so much that I like I couldn't wait to say it I'm sorry no I'm so happy you said it because it's also like the hole you go be like dude you said it because it's also like the hole. You go, be like, dude, you can't believe you didn't hit the hole between the tight end of the tackle there. And you're just like, yeah, okay,

because the guys aren't moving because it's a screen grab. And so there's times when I'm watching going like, I think he could have gotten a little bit deeper there. And I'm sure when you actually have the ball and you're on the court and you're like, no, that wasn't there. But whether it was getting the ball out of Crier's hands and some of those late possessions, knowing how important he was to saving them.

But I was just thinking about Sharp last night. I was thinking about him again this morning, because I think that Duke loss, like Bill brought this up on Sunday of like how long the Duke loss is going to haunt Cooper flag. And I think we ultimately we're talking about two different things. Like it's not going to be a negative on his NBA career, but that guy's going to be in Maine visiting family one summer, pumping his own gas and he might be 50 or 60 and somebody's going to come up to

him and act like the first person that's asked him about this. The same way somebody tells me, Oh, and E that's new. Like, all right. He's like in bar, bar, somebody comes up to him. Yeah. Somebody is somebody I can't do whatever the main accident is I've never been able to do it Somebody's gonna bring this game up to him I would say every week for the rest of his life every day might be extreme But this is going to happen every day of his life

But I think for Cooper it's a teen thing and I felt fine about how Cooper played I mean he was he was great in the game. He was best playing a floor, wasn't he? Right, right, right. So I'd rather be, I'd rather be Cooper than, and this isn't about being the number one pick and then where Sharpe's career going and all that kind of stuff. I still feel like the Duke collapse is more unfathomable than somebody making a mistake at the end of the national championship game, but that's going to be a really tough, like that's going

to be this clip for sharp that now his life is different. Yeah, man. I've talked about that through the years here about like there's a, there's a guy Scott Hoke that missed a putt and Scott Hoke had a tremendous career, one a ton made a lot of money, but he missed like a two-foot putt to beat Nick Faldo. The rest of his life is different if he makes it because he's a master champion for the rest of his life and he missed it. So, he's not.

One year I was standing here and he was on the other side of the ropes with all these other folks. It's like, if you make that putt, you're over here wearing a green jacket for the rest of your life. And I'm not trying to be dramatic, but like if Sharp takes that shot. All right. So Chris Jenkins, he's a forever guy because he gets that incredible archidiocano, flips it back, ball in the air, Jay Wright, bang, title, confetti the whole bit. Like if Sharp makes that shot, you become a forever guy. And instead he gets caught in the air and I'm with you.

I don't obviously I haven't met him, don't know him. But I just you see the guy just crouched down and I can't fathom what you're trying to process in that moment. And so like, I don't know what flag did wrong. He just took a shot. They ran an ISO and, and, and Robert's challenged him, made him shoot it shorter than he wanted to. I don't feel like he did anything drastically wrong in the end. I mean, Proctor missed the free throw. They couldn't get the ball in bounds. There was a call, which I get that people don't love it. My point on that,

and I'm curious where you land with this. If you stop the world from spinning at that moment, and you let Duke analytically look at this moment and say, all right, that was probably a shitty call. But you can send a 62% free throw shooter to the line for a one on one. Or Cryer has the ball in his hands and Houston can run clock and shoot a shot to beat you and you'll never touch it again, which would you prefer? And if I'm Duke, I'm saying let the guy go to the line. You think he's making two? I don't.

And he did. Okay, even with that, we got 19 seconds and we got the ball, give it to the number one pick. I'll take my chances with that. You know, does that make sense? Like the way people turn it into that decided the game. I'm like, no, it didn't. Robert's making two free throws, playing great defense, challenging and, and cryer make it two free throws. And then them, I saw you tweet it, decided to throw a football pass or whatever that was. That decided the game. I don't want to hear

that it was the call. It was bad call, but that's not why they lost. They still had an opportunity to win it. That's just how I saw that last chunk of time. Yeah, Robert's making those free throws. You know, I'm always a big proponent of like, if you're down six or eight, just start falling at two minutes. Cause I think kids are going to miss free throws. And time and time again, Houston's guys made big free throws.

And like Robert's is almost this forgotten thing. Cause I mean, in that moment to go like, all right, this is us going for a national championship and knock these down when you're a 60% guy. When he made that first one, you saw him. Like he was like, I was like, okay, like he, it's the old Shaq line.

I make them, I make them when they matter. Like you just, after he made the first, I'm like, damn, he's going to make them both. And he did. And then, but then you still have to stop Duke. And it's, they kind of reverted to a couple of plays early in the year when they lost, they didn't lose much, but when they lost, it was sort of ended up in flags hands and you're asking them to make something happen in a moment. And then it becomes, well, they didn't have any close games and they mostly didn't, Or you're on the floor with a team full of adults that just don't blink much either and you missed a shot.

And then it becomes, that's what your legacy is forever. Duke was awesome, Flag's awesome. They lost, just part of that happens, man. Yeah, they lost because they couldn't inbound the ball. They lost because Proctor dribbled it off of his leg and then also missed the front end of a one-on-one. And the biggest issue, the reason why they lost is that what? 1030 to go, they made one field goal, which is the flag three.

But look, one of these, these four teams were really good and it wasn't always beautiful. But I appreciated the final four at least for that. Cause you felt like, Hey, and it, and it honestly plays out this way is that all of these teams had chances because of what they had done all year, the confidence that they had had sure Duke not being challenged all season, which Bill has brought up with me, I don't know if that's what came back to haunt them. They didn't get anything from their guards or guards killed them in that game. But when I look at Florida and everybody kind of, they were, became kind of a darling during the sec tournament.

Well, there's a reason. I mean, cause when you watch them in the SEC tournament, you're like, I'm supposed to pick a team against this group because it seemed like they had checked every single box and you're right to get a national championship with Clayton being a non-factor for that long. After having so many huge moments for the last few weeks, you'd never think you're winning a title with that way. But you know, to your original point too, like this is a Florida team without a top 100 recruit.

So, can I ask you a question about that? Like the guys on the floor last night, because you obviously, you know, consume and know so much about the league. What guy on the floor last night does the league look at and go? Him. It's like a, like a stock you could buy in the NBA. I get that we don't see stars. I think Hauk is pretty compelling given the way the league plays and what he can do. Yeah, definitely. Because I think if you've only watched him like last night, you're going you guys are nuts because there's probably not that much that he did that.

I've seen him in SEC games, you know, stretching the floor at that size, but he's got more shit to him too. Like he can put it on the deck and He can drive It didn't seem like he was super interested in doing that I think the Clayton jr. Thing is really Interesting because I looked at the ESPN mark after the first game that I'd seen from a few weeks ago Where it was like a real full game. I Was like this guy's probably gonna be a pro, right?

And then I didn't even see him in the second round on the mock. And I was like, this can't be. So then I started calling around and teams were like, Hey, look, he's borderline, but he's maybe late first, early second. That was before this run. Now, when I had asked Brown again about him, I'd say, okay, where's Clayton Jr. And it's like, okay, he's probably definitely in the twenties now, whatever. And I was like, all right.

So is he, are the knocks against him, all the knocks that we can already figure out. And they were like, all right, so is he, are the knocks against him all the knocks that we can already figure out? And they were like, absolutely. He's older, he's not huge, he's not a natural point guard, worried about his defense, athleticism, you know, not bad, but if you can get away with like, hey, can I have a freak in the back court? I'm gonna prefer the freak, right, at the NBA level.

Of course. I thought the shot that the freak at the NBA level. Of course. I thought the shot that he made in the right corner against Auburn, where he reset his entire launch thing, where he had to get his arms away from the contest. Like that kind of shot, I went, holy shit. Like off the wrong foot, that one, the one where it looked like that, not that one. There was a contest, he was in the right corner and he basically had to find a way to clear the contest. So he just kind of moved his body to the right. We're talking about the same one. Yeah, I'm talking about the same one.

Now he was clearly frustrated last night because he took a corner three in the left on a cruiser. What the hell are you doing, dude? Like, that was one of the worst shots of the entire game. And he was clearly frustrated. Then it seemed like he didn't want to shoot at all. So we know the playbook. And if you were working for an NBA team

and you were sitting there banging the table saying, hey, this guy has it, then there'd be somebody else being like, you know how many times we've been burnt as an NBA team talking about a college guy who's older saying, hey, this guy has it. But I do think that his shot making is like the full palette of shooting as

opposed to just, Hey, he has a good three point shooting percentage. So I do think he has a chance. But maybe it may be now that it's getting like, it's like when I liked Evan Turner and then it was like, Evan Turner was going to be a top five pick. I was like, geez, I liked him, but this is that. The difference between liking him and top. But I hear you. I just, I think, I don't know, anytime there's a smallish guard that I kind of have to squint

to see what, what other people see or I don't see it at all. Like I feel like, well, I didn't know Brunson was going to be this either. And I don't, I don't think anybody did, but then to just compare them to a guy that becomes a true all-star and a, and a face of a franchise in New York City, that's a big stretch too. I just like watching the game, I thought I love college basketball and I love this final four because these teams felt worthy

and then the games kind of lived up to it. But I don't, it doesn't trouble me if these guys don't translate to the next level because sometimes those can be different things. Often they're different things. But I don't know, I just was curious what you thought. Like the Howe kid's a fun story just because I happened and he was on my radar several years ago,

just because he was this guy that Northwestern was looking at and then he visited Maryland and they thought maybe they were gonna get him. But then he had this affinity for Florida and they called and that was the end of that. But I didn't look two years ago. I don't think golden knew he was going to become a guy that had the ability to really floor it, get to the Riemann score, obviously shoot threes, but then play defense

and challenge. I mean, he had some big time block that turned into an and one when the game really started to swing. I don't know. I just, he looks like, I think he's a guy like if he were, like I said, if we're stocks, you'd say you'd want as much of that as you could get from the guys out there yesterday. You said once with me, it was when Aaron Brooks was lighting it up for the Rockets out of Oregon, and it's one of the best lines you'd ever said, I think in the six years of doing the show. Cause I'd never forgotten it.

Cause it was just so perfectly said. And you were like the road to the NBA is littered with Aaron Brooks. Where you go, Oh yeah, this guy was a smaller guard and he scored and granted Brooks is smaller than Clayton jr. But it's why teams it's why Clayton jr. Was outside of the first round. It's why he's now projected as a first round, even though the momentum, I think teams are like people are losing their minds a little bit on this guy, but I know I enjoyed the hell out of them.

And I think that shot against Texas tech, like it would be hard to ignore that. Cause I don't think there's five players in college basketball that would even. Well, look, I shouldn't say there's not five players in college basketball that wouldn't take that shot because both know that's not true. There's plenty of dudes who will take the shot, but to have the. The composure to go, you know what? I, I like this look sprint out to the three point line, turn around, hits the three and it's game.

That's the key. It was, it was, it wasn't just the stones. It was just how casual and like assured he was that this was the play to make at that moment. So Hey, let me tell you about one of my favorite bets that Bandwell has right now. They're called player performance doubles. If you don't know about them, you gotta check them out. There these two leg parlays that are already made for you. Fandual takes an NBA player prop that combines it with a bet

on that player's team to win. They have a bunch of them for every game. You just have to pick the one you like. So we spent some time on this. It's a dicey time of the the year try to figure the whole thing out because you're like, alright How long is that guy gonna play? I like this team? I think they're going to win but then we found one All right, the Pacers are probably beating the Wizards They're laying 19 points in this game, but you can get it as a pick them if Miles Turner scores 22 or more points and with Siakam questionable with the elbow and even if he plays, well they don't want to have him out there all that much,

ramping Turner back up here, you have to factor in like is Turner gonna get the, well he's at least been scoring. So the Siakam part of it, whatever, they'll probably play these guys deep into the third quarter. Anyway, so you're gonna get Turner 22 or more points and just picking the Pacers as 19 point favorites

but not having to lay the 19, that is going to pay out at plus 280. So again, it's just Pacers and then Turner 22 or more points. And whether you wanna ride with my pick or make your own, FanDuel is giving all customers a profit boost exclusively for these bets on Tuesday. Just head to fanduel.com slash Ryan, R-Y-E-N to get your profit boost exclusively for these bets on Tuesday. Just head to FanDuel.com slash Ryan RYE to get your profit boost.

Make every moment more with FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook. Must be 21 and older, present in select states or 18 plus and present in D.C. Opt-in required. Bonus issued is non-retributable profit boost tokens. Restrictions apply including any token expiration and max wager amounts. See terms at Sportsbook.FanDuel.com. Gambling problem? call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. All right, we did more on that than I thought we were gonna do.

So let's talk to Gustav. Yeah, let's do it. Sheffler's won two of the last three, chance to repeat. Only Jack Faldo, Tiger, as you know, but just wanna make sure the historians are ready to go. There was a stretch last year when I was looking it up with Scheffler where it was like, he hadn't played a round over par in like a million, right?

It was just absurd. He's not playing at the same level. So what's it like, even though he's the favorite going into the field? I think there's certain people through the years when you'd come here, obviously Tiger was the one that most people would identify and go, of course. And Scheffler's joined that group

where it really is irrelevant if you've played well or not. Mostly he plays pretty well. And for him, when he doesn't win, I almost wonder now if he's reached that place, and Koepke's lived in this place his whole career where it's like, yeah, if I win, cool, but there's four a year that I'm really kind of ginned up to try to win. And Shep would play pretty well recently in Texas where he was right there in the mix

and the mix early and then didn't win. But I don't think he cares. It's just let's, let's knock the rust off whatever's not quite right. Because when he comes here, he knows what it is to win. He knows what it feels like to win. And so I just will, as long as he's playing, I'm going to have him on that list of people that when he's on the first page on Sunday, you just go, well,

right. Why wouldn't he be? You know what I mean? He does everything this place asks you to do. And knowing that you've done it is just got so much weight here and because you come back every year, unlike the other majors. So I think form for him coming in truly doesn't matter at all. What makes him so special?

Like, I mean, I hate that we're sitting here in 2025 and I'm still like hinting at certain Tiger questions where it's like, what made him so special? But to try to put it in your perspective, what is it about Shephler's game that has had him at this level where it's like, okay, the conversation starts with him and then it's everybody else.

Not to say, because it's definitely not the gap between Tiger and the, in the field, the way maybe we talk about this game. No, because he's different. Of course, like Tiger was singular, right? And at some point, you know, he'll be 53 coming off God knows what other surgery. Unfortunately, he's just had so many of them. At some point, we'll finally just go, you know what, it was a hell of a run. We're not going to use him as the yardstick because it's unfair to him and everyone else. What's different about Scheffler is that he's just this incredibly, he's so content with

who he is and doesn't give a shit about any of the rest, and truly doesn't. A lot of people can say they don't care, truly doesn't. Had lunch with television Steve Sands, dear friend, and Justin Thomas during the rain out yesterday, we just started talking about him. And I think Justin looks at a guy that's a peer and just was sharing how there's a certain it's, I think people marvel at someone that can wake up every day and do the same thing. Even after you got great at it, like it takes a discipline to just, I'm just going to go hit balls and not going to change what I do because what I do is

really good tiger changed it a million different times and I would always wonder why dude, why do you mess around? What are you going to do is wake up and do do what you do. Right. Chef would does that. And what he does is he drives it great. He hits his irons close. He makes putts. When he misses greens, he gets up and down. He knows how to win. And when he's close, he does. And that

sounds really simple, but it's really hard to do in this sport. And he checks every box and he wakes up the next day and he does it again. And this is a sport where everybody's always chasing. If you're top 20, you're trying to catch the 19 guys in front of you. And then if you get to top 10, you're trying to catch the nine guys. And sometimes you can open the door and let everybody else catch you because you stopped doing the thing that made you top 10,

if that makes sense. I think Scheffler just has the genius of that guy is he does what he has always done. And I think he'll continue to always do it. I don't think he's going to wake up someday and want to be some new version of himself. And there's a lot of that's just there's a secret in that I think applies to anybody that's good at what they do in life. Roy's a great topic because I think it's it's so different. I mean, he comes onto the scene, he's immediately kind of the next guy. And he's also a star, you know, he has a crossover appeal.

That's just hard for a lot of guys on tour. Uh, but we're talking 10 years without a major, uh, he's never won at Augusta. He's second in the odds. He's been playing great this year. So what are we looking at? I picked him. Um, you know, every year, um, we're just asked to pick a player, which is always fun. Like, right, hey, who's going to win the Super Bowl? All right, I can get the, I got the Chiefs and the

Eagles. You want me to pick one of, I mean, and this field's smaller than like the other majors, but I got to pick one out of all these singular people. It's a difficult thing to do. Last year, I picked Scheffler because I said, I don't want to be sitting there Sunday when he wins and go, why didn't I just pick him? And the reason I picked Rory this because I said, I don't want to be sitting there Sunday when he wins and go, why didn't I just pick him? And the reason I picked Rory this year, Ryan, is I just, and this, I don't mean it to sound like some, you know, some horrible cliche, but I truly believe in life that there's a time that it's someone's time,

and it feels like it's his. And I think it's a combination of how he has played, how his prep has worked. And, and just at some point, a guy as good as him flushes whatever's happened here, good, bad, or indifferent, and just goes out and plays to his ceiling. And I don't know why I think it's this week, other than what I just said, but I really, I like him. He played great last year. Should have won, could have won, I should say. Not should have. DeChambeau was excellent at Pinehurst, but could have won Pinehurst. Missed a couple of close ones and that was gutting. And he's had a number of

close calls. It could have won, should have won at St. Andrews a couple of years ago. Had the lead, it was gutting. This guy's got scar tissue. He's a thinker, but he's open about it. I just, I appreciate that there's a combination of just absolute bad-ass and then the vulnerability of just like, fuck this hurt, man. Like I got knocked down, but I'm going to get up and keep swinging. So I don't know, rooting for him to overstated. I just think if he won, I think a lot of people would just go right on. Good for that dude.

You know what I mean? You finish the slam and finishing the slam, here's the hardest one, because you're gonna come every year and you're gonna get asked every year about. And every year you don't do it, it's like you add a pebble to the scale and it gets heavier, right?

Because you're, I only got so many chances, man. So, I don't know, I just have this odd sense that it's his turn and his turn and his time. He just needs to play well starting out. I'm sorry I'm rambling. It's just that he's put himself out of position so often early, shoots 74 on Thursday and then you're screwed because there's too many good people between you and the lead. So for him, I feel like it's just start well and then you give yourself a great chance to do it. Let's talk about the course though because now that I've been playing a little bit more,

now I'm starting to appreciate stuff. We did a boys trip to Pinehurst so I think we played one two four and five two was out of the gates everybody thought I was lying they're like you're so full of shit you're way better than your 10 and then after two they're like no you suck you're right never mind. That's always fun right you have you had two or three good shots in a row and they're like you're a sandbag you You're like, stick around. No, like I was leading the thing based on my handicap. Like I was out of the gates. Like I played great.

And then two was what happened. It was, uh, it's just a lot of sand, man. There's just a lot of sand. And it's funny because I've played it at two, I played it a few fancy courses now, because it's nice to get the invites. And, you know, like I played Riv, and the guy was looking at my clubs, he's like, Ooh, you know, I was like, what do you know, on TV, buddy? Think all that TV money went.

I love it. Right. And I was like, you know, some people have, uh, criticized that perhaps like. It's a little too much of a players club, you know, not quite the shaper that I plan on being understood. But, uh, you know, I like, I like, I like the way they feel. He's like, yeah, whatever makes you feel good. And then by whole 14, he's like, you may want to find a more forgiving piece of equipment. And I was like, I was like, you were on my side and like the first few holes, he's like, I'm no longer aligned with your.

But he got the blades. He got, you got tour blades out there. Those things are hard to hit. There's like a sweet spot. The size of a, of a pea. Biner's was funny because the caddy. That place will magnify your mistakes in a really gruesome way. So like the first day, I think we had the same caddy and you know, look, the dudes were fans of the show. They love you, which is really cool.

And I, you know, with everything that we've done, I still love how often, you know, dude, it's been 10, it'll be 10 years that we signed off this summer. Can I say something real quick on that note? I'm at the airport, I'm at National Airport Sunday, and I'm sitting there and we got a delay, and I just end up holding court with like, this one guy said hello,

and then some other people straggled up, and then it ended up, it ended up with this group of people, and they're like five or six six people and we're just talking. And we weren't talking about show I do or the show you do. They were talking about the show we did. And I told them the line, remember the research group where they came back and they said about you and our show

rather that it's not the biggest church, but it's always full. Remember that line? Yeah. And that stuck with me. And I was like, it was, we always end up doing some version of this anytime we talk, but I think it's always full. Remember that line? Yeah. And that stuck with me. And I was like, it was, I, I, we always end up doing some version of this anytime we talk, but I think it's basically just what I'm saying is to those people in the airport,

to the people that you're talking to at Piners, it's just really cool that they enjoyed, obviously what you're doing on your own, but what we did a long time ago, it's just, it's really, really, uh, one of the treasures of this career of mine is that thing, that space that you and I had for them to still talk about it. It's like a TV show that had a limited run but people are still fans of it. That's really, really fucking cool. So when they did like the caddy assignments

when I had to play two, because everybody's like, look, two's gonna be a little tougher buddy than one. Like one I'm going. That's serious, I got to play one after two. Thank God. Cause I almost left. I had two was going to be the last round and then I go, I'm playing again in the morning. Thank God I played one.

Cause I got to get on the plane, like feeling okay about myself. Cleanse the palette. Cause two, two was just horrifying. And then they were like, Hey, there's a caddy that handles some of the famous guys here. I was like, Oh, you know, like your joke, who are we playing with? He's like, no, you know, he wants to meet you. And I was like, all right, yeah, whatever.

And then the beginning, it's like, all right, yeah, nice. You know, like they have hope that you're gonna play this great round and I'm in that fucking sand. And it's not the sand trap, it's the shit on the sides that you're allowed to practice swing out of. And so like the first few times I'm like, I'm going to, I was like, I think I can clear this. Like I can get a hold of this guy's like, absolutely. You can get a hold of this. Next thing you know, you're flushing the iron right into one of those mounds and you think your wrist

is broken. And then even if you've got it out, it's now it's just in the sand trap. And it's the native area. I believe the native. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I would like to be area I believe they called it, the native area. Yeah, well I would like to be deported from that area. Yeah, so look that was rough. Look, there's a reason why I wanted to bring this up and it wasn't for us to do story time, which I hope people don't mind too much, but now that I've played some courses

and you understand like this was the concept, this was the setup, right? This is why this place is a layup, this is why this place is so fucking hard. What is it about Augusta and the way it sets up for guys that like is unique to the place? We talking routing here? No, I know what you mean.

No, it's the genius of the place is, and you've been here so you can speak to it, just it's immaculate, it's perfect, it's pristine. Everything feels almost make believe. But the thing that I've heard going back to way back when I started with players from like literally at this point, another generation and then to Tiger and then all the guys that have chased Tiger is that it if you understand how to play it, it's very playable. But if you're fractionally off, and if you don't if you don't know where to

miss and you miss in the places where you can't miss, you're doomed. And so it's a process of learning what to do and how to do it. And then it's a matter of executing. Like you can, Rory McElroy arrives, like as you and I talk early week, he knows exactly what he can and cannot do. The question then is, can he do it? And I think that it's the ultimate kingmaker course because you're a forever player. Like I was talking about Jenkins is a forever player in the tournament, right?

And Sharp had a chance to maybe be one. You win here and you're a forever guy. And it's because of what it asks of you. And you can't kind of fake your way to it. And yet there've been guys that have one incredible moment. Charles Schwartzal goes bananas on the second nine. Danny Willett goes bananas on the second nine. And it's a place where those guys have a two hour window of time where they executed. They knew where

to hit it. They catch the right slope on 16 and now it's close. And all of a sudden, holy crap, they string the birdies together and they get to come back here for the rest of their life. It's that too. It's that carrot at the end of it. Knowing that someday, you know, the great Wright Thompson, and I can only hear his words and his voice

about talking about putting on a green jacket that reminds a man of who he was all those years ago. And you're like, get goosebumps, right? Like when you were the best version of yourself and that's what this place does. So it's the course. Yes. Yellowstone season eight.

Huh? Yellowstone season eight. Yeah. It's along those lines. He's up there on the gulch. Right? What'd you say? Some lied about some shooter. And he gets along those lines. He's up there on the gulch, right? What'd you say? Some lied about some shooter on the,

I remember something about a gulch or something. Yeah, we used to do this stupid Brett Favre impersonation. That was it. And then it wasn't even Brett Favre anymore. So then all we would say is like terrain references. It'd be like, he's up on the ridge there. And I don't even know what we were doing. No, I don't either.

Like here, here comes Farber. He's pondering his next move up on the Crescent. I don't know. He's out there by Fiddler's Gorge. That's better. I like Fiddler's Gorge better. Anyway, that's right, Thompson, talking about the mythology of the place.

So yeah, it's the course. Yeah, it's the fact that's right, Thompson, talking about the mythology of the place. So yeah, it's the course. Yeah, it's the fact that you can, right now, if you've watched this at all, and I say, night toll, and you go, yeah, you got to hit it down there at the bottom of the hill. Then you hit it. And then there's the debt. That hole's got like three different distinct tiers. And if you're short, you're going to roll back down the hill and you're kind of screwed. Like you just know the holes and in ways you probably don't about other golf

courses. So I don't know. Maybe I'm overstating it cause I've been here so much, but I don't think so. I think there's probably plenty of people listening that they just nod their head and go, yep, I know what every hole out there looks like. No, that actually is, I think the best explanation that I've ever heard about like, cause people have knocked it, not knocked it, but whether you had the tiger part of it, where, you know, early on we're going back 25 years ago and like this course can't contain this dude, right?

And then you had Bryson talk about it being a par 67 years ago, comes out of the gates, I think he shot a 65 and then he was over par the rest of the way. And everybody's like very protective of the place. Like how dare you, you know, this blasphemous statement heading into this. So I think for people that don't really understand it, and I put myself into that group, it's like, okay, but like some places are long

or some places are narrow and some places, and it's like, is it any of those things? And I think your explanation right now is the easiest one to now kind of understand and how this course specifically to its setup like maybe misleading and that there's just a lot of shots out there. As you said that you can't get yourself in trouble with. A couple thoughts before we close up. Is there a master's Chris Paul for you?

Someone who you're like, man, I want this guy to get a jacket more than anybody. I think probably Rory for the reasons that I, that I, that I spoke to earlier. Um, there's, there's plenty of guys. Justin Rose is a guy that could have slash should have won here. Who's an awesome, awesome human. And I've said often that, you know, when your chance presents itself here, you better take it because if you don't, then you're Scott Hoke on the other side of the ropes. I've said often that when your chance presents itself here, you better take it. Because if you don't, then you're

Scott Hoke on the other side of the ropes, you're Ernie Ells that had a chance, you're David Duvall who was sitting in the Butler cabin watching, and they said, oh, don't worry, nobody ever makes this putt. When Mark O'Mara was on 18, because they think it's going to be a playoff, then he buries it. They're like, sorry, we're going to need to have you go

because Mark's going to come in here and put the jacket on. Like the chance when the window's there, you just have to hope that you can slip both arms in it because if you don't, you have no idea if the opportunity presents itself again. And Rory's never been that close. You know, he stood on the tee on 10 famously, and then it all went wrong. I just think in the sport for who he has

been to the sport to win would be, it just would feel entirely appropriate and it would feel like a the end of a chapter in the book that would allow him the ability to put that book up and then just work on the rest of another book a Different book that doesn't include chasing this So that would be that'd be my guy. I'd like to see Rory for that reason Our favorite Homa I Know it's been a bit of a struggle in comparison. I mean last year he was just playing so well Do you think it's a matter of him clearing his hips?

I think it's probably, it's probably tempo, right? I think it's tempo. And then you really want to, you really want to dig that left heel in. I don't, you tell me what, what'd you learn at Pinehurst? I learned what not to do. I learned, you know, it's funny is the guys in the group, the only guys, I mean, we had a guy shoot a 79 and another guy shot an 82. On two?

On two, yeah. Yeah, these guys could play. And one guy didn't even bring, he left the Villa and left his driver in his bedroom. It was like, I'm not even giving myself the option. I'm not hitting this today. And then the other guy that I think that shot the 82 didn't, didn't hit it yet in his bag. He's like, there's a few times I wanted to go to it, but I started playing so well.

It's like, I'm not even going to hit it. I love that Michael Kim, friend of the program has been on a run here qualifying. I just, I love this sport now in that. Imagine if you were an NBA player and it's like what happened in 2019? Like I averaged four points a game. Then they go you're getting 28 a game now. Maybe that's being a bit dramatic.

And not really it it you know, like I think there's this group. I don't know where the defining line of how many guys that are qualifying every single week, but this line of, of, of players from down where you go, like who's in and who's out, just because of how, how delicate the performance can be. It's a fascinating sport. I'm looking at tee times, which are embargoed. So I can't, I can't, this is, this is high level. All right.

But the last thing I want you to do is get anybody in trouble or get yourself just like, but I, because I've been in the sport for so long that I, I, there's really no one I don't root for because it could be a player or it could be a caddy or it could be some combination of both. And there's always, you know, this is, this is a, this is a, this is a, this is a, this is a, this is a, There's really no one I don't root for because it could be a player or it could be a caddy or it could be some combination of both. And there's always, you know, this is crunchy Dave from whatever, like these guys have got

stories, sleeping cars, like people to travel in circus. And it's a hard fucking sport to play well. It's so difficult. It's just you. And, and when I, like Max Homa, who, you know, is such an interesting and thoughtful guy, who I think so many people have come to know, because he's been so open about the struggle and he got to like a great place. And now he's currently in the midst of a

tough stretch. Yeah. It's like, I'm rooting for the next part where it's like the light comes on again for him because it will, but when it's out and they're really no different than you on two in the sense of like, I don't know what the f**k I'm doing or why, or why isn't, I'm the same guy that did that. And right now it's just not happening. And that fascinates me. So I root for the player over the course always, because it's such a temporary thing when it's going well. And for those really rare people that only exist in that Scheffler space, it's impossible to comprehend. And that's like, you mentioned the guy in the NBA, the NBA, like Bert LeBron, whatever people, if they love him,

if they don't like to root for him, if they're sick of him, whatever, he's 40 years old at the level he's at. It's impossible. Makes no sense. People that only live in that space on that, in the penthouse forever, they're the true outliers. And so this sport has the guys that go, you know, they, they bought the, they bought the

great house and then they kind of got overextended because they leased a second vehicle for no good reason. And they probably had to trade it in, got it downsized, got it, maybe had to move into an apartment with a buddy because things got sideways. I root for them to make, buy that house again. You know, that second lease felt a little specific. There was a, there was a utility vehicle, I think, and a sports car. Right. Van Pelt calls me up and goes, are you a two car guy now?

I'm hearing that we're in boats and we've got this, we've got real estate. He's a magnate and things have changed. Thanks. But there was a window there. I just want to, I just, cause I was, I always felt like you were living in the space because I'm a decade older where I remember coming to the place where I was like, hell yeah. And I think maybe when it came to the two car thing, I think maybe I was just a little jealous.

I think that was, I wasn't trying to big, I think maybe I was just a little jealous. I think that's what that was. I wasn't trying to big brother you. I wasn't trying to son you. I think I was just pissed because I'm like, fuck, I want another car. No, because that's what was really cool. And I mean, it remains one of my closer relationships with you is that I definitely felt like I was like,

he's fucking big brothering me again. And my problem is I would be like, don't, you know, like I didn't know how to handle it. because I'm obviously the older sibling, right? I'd never been a younger brother in my entire life. And what I appreciate more now that I have a little bit more seasoning is that I was kind of doing exactly what you were doing just 10 years later. So like when I finally moved to Hartford and then I moved into the fancy Hartford 21 and you came over to visit, you were like, dude, I should have done this.

This place is sick. And the best punchline of the entire thing is having a 21st floor apartment at Hartford, Connecticut, and anyone describing it as sick. And then I bought a bar and just had every cordial, imaginable captain late night was back. And then I didn't, I think I had cordial, imaginal captain late night was back. And then I didn't, I think I had people over one time in the two years that I lived there. That's right.

Right. But then when I moved, but the thing is my expenses were so low, my expenses were so low. And then towards the end of the Connecticut run, I remember my father being like, I thought you were doing better than this. And I just went, well, I don't know. I'm like, it's pretty turnkey. I mean, I'm battling with the HO than this. And I just went, well, I don't know. I'm like, it's pretty turnkey.

I mean, I'm battling with the HOA a lot. But yeah, when I had that moment where I was like, maybe I'm just gonna be here. Maybe this is just what I'm gonna do and I'm gonna be here. Granted, you were on like bigger shows. I was like, I'm getting a lease. I'm getting a little Lexus.

I've always liked him. I've never had a car car. I've always been a truck or SUV guy. And then I would have a choice each day. Although I think the HOA got in my ass about like, oh, so you're just taking up an extra parking spot. I'm like, I'm also not having any dependents. So I think I'm allowed to use one of the fucking

main parking areas. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna put on my driving gloves and I'm gonna go 184 and we're gonna go five. We're going down to Groton, baby. Let me just quickly adjust this to sport mode and I will be using the driving pedals. Now look at you, how's the view?

How's the view where you're living now? How's the HOA doing, kid? I think things, who won this game? Brasillo did. I'm complimenting myself on the second part of it because I'm like 600 bucks a month to live this game. Rossello did. I'm complimenting myself on the second car part of it because I'm like 600 bucks a month to live this lifestyle. It's exes only six. I might get a fucking third one. That might be the Tuesday car. But what you realize is, you know, this isn't,

this isn't the best way to set it aside. You know, trying to navigate these tariffs right now. All right. The boat is good. We had a rough, rough day on the seas just a couple days ago. So, no, I checked the charts. I was on it two plus. You know, the rhythm of the swells was a little quicker than I would have liked, but it had been a really, really windy week, okay?

Incredibly windy week. So I felt like, all right, it's died down a bit, a little Friday, okay? Incredibly windy week, so I felt like, all right, it's died down a bit, a little Friday sunset deal. I come out of the marina, I'm immediately just bow down. All right, you know, a little power up, slow off the back, just getting hammered. And then I was like, this is really, really bad.

And I'm like, I have to drive into it to stay straight into the swells, but I'm gonna have to turn this thing around and then I was worried that I was gonna lose power in the boat because the alarms are going off the thing was getting its and it's a big boat and as soon as I had it yeah as soon as I had to turn around I knew I was gonna get kind of I was trying to time it perfectly so I could get it turned back around it and you know I caught one pretty good on the side but it was fine she held she held up well but I don't think the bilge loved it

at one point, because the alarm went off for a second. And bilge management is really something I had never had to consider. At least I knew it was the bilge. The first time that thing goes off, you're like, oh. Yeah. You're trying to be like, hey, Ry got a boat. And it's like, oh, the alarm went off 15 minutes into the ride. I mean, that's the thing with,

you entertain on a boat. You're looking through the manual flick. What's that noise? Right. Like get the, get the fire extinguisher ready. I don't know what that alarm is. All right. Uh, thank you. Enjoy a Gus. Say hi to Faldo and Ogilvy for me and the boys. Part three is Wednesday to Eastern. Enjoy a Gus say hi to Faldo and ogle V for me and the boys are three Wednesday To Eastern then we'll see from the Butler cab and Thursday and Friday I'm doing the par three this year home is gonna be with us

Windham Clark's gonna be with us a little ESPN plus just getting things going early noon ish East Coast So it's actually fun day pop par three is a cool deal gives you a little shot at the adrenaline of what's coming, but it's also like, you know, it's like it's actually a fun day. Part three is a cool deal. Gives you a little shot at the adrenaline of what's coming. But it's also like, you know, it's a wild deal where everybody just sort of enjoys it and then you get going. I don't know, you don't do this anywhere else. You know what I mean? Like have this kind of fun, uber relaxed day

in advance of the first of the most important rounds of the year. So always enjoy. Wednesday's my favorite day. So I look forward to that. And this, I look forward to this. I I'm psyched that we could catch up and always happy to do it.

Yeah. That's going to be great. And I'm fired up for you on the part three. So again, you said two Eastern on ESPN. Okay. And then your podcast. Yeah, we're going to bang that. I'm going to knock that out right now.

I think I used all the good stuff. That's fine. All right. What day does it come out though regularly? I'm allowing you the room. Well, we normally on Mondays just sort of, you know, post whatever went on on the weekend.

We normally do that. And then during college football, we were doing those late night ones. And then you and McShay can't put together a great one too. I just think that that's a fun time to be on. If it's better for you on the West coast, if you're on the West coast, because you don't have to do it at 2 30 in the morning, waiting for BYU, Iowa state to finish. We had a BYU Utah one that was a little later than some, but no, but typically it's Monday. BYU, Utah, one that was a little later than some, but no, but typically it's Monday.

So. Were you surprised? Um, well, I think I was surprised a lot of us through the industry stuff. It's, it's some of the conferences that you and Steve didn't go six kids, two dads for the title of the pod. It's it was on the list. We're thinking about it. Thinking about it. Yeah. Might have been misleading. You're way more successful and accomplished in the podcast space. So I defer to whatever you think makes sense

Yeah, well table that I'll go left for next time you're the man always one sir you will You want details fine I drive a. 355 Cabriolet. What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you can possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid. So, now you know what's possible. Let me tell you what's required. Our email address to help you is lifeadvicerr at gmail.com. We've got Kyle, we always have Wargon potentially.

So Rudy on call. So our guy, who knows, don't want to share too much, but good things, good things, but he's not with us today. What's up with you, man? You looking, wait, you just finished up the Final Four. Are you in San Antonio right now? I'm in San Antonio in the Airbnb with a little bit of an extended checkout.

And I'm heading back to the West Coast, but a couple of Central Time kids right now. The rare extended. Well, although I imagine there's not a ton of people Tuesday knocking on the door. Yeah, right. Like do they have it rented out on the Tuesday night after the Final Four? Likely no.

I think a lot of Airbnb's are doing cleaning after the Final Four, cause I've noticed a lot of dudes treat this like the Super Bowl where they like bounce before the actual game, but they spend like five good days having fun and then like you go to the media section on the title day and you're like what the hell happened? Anyway. A zag on checkout times. I see this a lot, right? I've seen people complain about it and I know that I've complained about it in the whole

idea of like, you have to check out at 11, a lot of places go 12. If you have the AMX Platinum, one of the features, if you want it, a lot of places to let you check out a little bit later. Sometimes you just have to ask. I had a flight that was delayed and I just said, Hey, is there any way I can check out at like four o'clock this afternoon? They said for 60 extra dollars, you can. I go, you know, that's totally worth it.

That's the most worth it anything's ever been. Yeah, right. And it wasn't like one of those deals where you like went out and you're just going out, you know. No, it wasn't even that. It was just the flight was delayed and I was like, it's just gonna suck to have my bags down here and then walk around a city for three, four hours until you get to the airport. So I understand, and I don't want to call it selfish, but it seems like a selfish argument and because so many people would benefit from the can I check in early? Can I check out later?

Like who's walking around America going, I don't want that, right? But it just seems to be a generally accepted thing as if it's almost this scam. And I would just ask anyone this, does anyone think about the hotel workers? Does anyone think about the person who has to manage the outflow versus the inflow of guests.

That if you just told everybody, yeah, no, it's cool. You just chill out, like feed up two o'clock. You do you whenever you want. Oh, people disrespect hotel rooms. It's not just like, uh, you know, you're cleaning off a table at a diner or something like you got to check. You feel like you're right. Oh, you, you want to check in at one.

Yeah. Well, no, you can do whatever you want because we let people leave when they want and then you can check in whenever you want. And we're just going to figure out a way to make it work. I don't know if the math adds up on that. So even though it's a generally accepted thing because it would benefit a greater number of people.

So then because of that, then everybody just agrees that it must be a great idea. I don't know. I've thought about it. I've thought about it too often. I go, if everybody got their way on this, would a room ever be clean? Would you actually want that? Would you want your room to just be like, yeah, we just kind of padded down the everything's a red roof in. It's like, yeah, I don't know. If you're down a couple of towels, let us know. Yeah. Well, we'll run some up. Like here's a toilet brush

Yeah, nobody checks until 6 p.m. Ever All right. I thought that was at least worth worth mentioning. All right, let's read a couple emails here There's like a hotel manager going finally Somebody can I just say it gets it because I don't think we're gonna get to it I showed war gone off air. A nice little gift from J. Kyle man. As we ended the season yesterday, he handed me a signed Rick Patino baseball card.

I mean, he's throwing a baseball, certainly a trading card. And, uh, I was over the moon. That's incredible. But, uh, a lot of people that ran into Kyle in the basketball world I had a few people reach out to me going salt of the earth salt. Oh, no what this high end? Yeah Yeah, look you were in the mix and people reaching out to me just going that guy so approval rating even higher if that's possible It's great. Let's get to the emails chance apologies for the long email, but here goes six foot one two fifty five Let's get to the emails chance apologies for the long email, but here goes six foot one two fifty five

Former college offensive lineman bench 335 for three. Whoa, all right big dog Squad 455 for three. I'm a 31 I've been on four dates now with a 34 year old woman who is quite frankly out of my league in terms of physical attractiveness She's drop-dead gorgeous picture attached and while I'm not a bad-looking guy picture attached I know I'm punching above my weight here. Kyle, I don't know if you want to check your inbox here. I will. We're handling you the data on this one as well. She's also exactly what I'm looking for.

Ambitious, professionally minded, fitness oriented, former college athlete. We share some overlapping hobbies, real estate, Pilates, good food, good wine. The dates been pretty awesome, but here's where I'm stuck. I've paid for literally everything on all four dates. Date one, drinks and dinner, 350. Dinner and Hamilton on date two. I like Hamilton. We all do, Greg.

Dinner and Hamilton, $900. Date three, Pilates class. Use one of my credits for her to attend. Date four, social club, pool, lounging and dinner $200. When I say I paid for everything, I mean I even paid for her Uber's home after dinner. She hasn't reached for her wallet once. Look, I'm not the guy who's gonna ask to split the bill

on the first or even second date, especially when I'm the one suggesting the date activities, but after dropping almost $1,500 over four dates, I'm starting to wonder, am I being used? A few things to note, I won't go into our perspective professions, but for context,500 over four dates. I'm starting to wonder, am I being used? A few things to note, I won't go into our perspective professions, but for context, we both do well. She definitely makes more than I do,

probably around twice as much. I make around 300K and she makes around 600K. She doesn't come from family money. I do. The dates happen in quick succession. Date one on a Friday night, date two the next night, date three on a Monday morning, two days late, Monday morning date.

Oh, that was well- You're getting crushed. It's like a barrage of charges. Yeah, you're right. Yeah, he got a reprieve with the Pilates. Yeah, but he used one of his credits, which he did point out to us. Date four the following Friday,

despite the no paying thing, everything else is green flags. She asked about my life, compliments my intellect, even says it's the thing she finds most attractive. She's big on PDA, even though we're just four dates in. In terms of little things, she's a tenant. She doesn't have her phone out on dates. It hasn't been late, even once to the date.

Maybe that's just a major green flag for me in particular, but I think it matters. We've known each other for about a year through a social club we both belonged to. Both of us were in a relationship at the time. We saw each other in a large group of mutual friends at a fundraiser recently and she initiated the flirting with me

which led to setting up the first date. The big question, how do I bring up the conversation around date costs without sounding petty or making it weird? Am I overthinking this? Is the time to put a stop to the endless paying? Appreciate the help. All right, she is very attractive. Certainly.

You are, you are not as attractive as her which you pointed out Kyle smile and I like long gold chain on our guy in this photo yeah look I love this guy okay Oh line Oh lines are givers so I'm surprised they sacrifice so look I understand kind of what you're saying here, but I'm, I'm worried. I'm worried like this always happens. This happens whenever, you know, I'm debating with somebody else or, you know, sometimes I'm trying to make a point and you know, when you want to get your point across, there's certain things that you should do or not, should not do.

Um, but sometimes the old Toreiko rule is like making the extra points can detract from the main point that you're trying to make. And so you're all right. Dinner drinks, Hamilton dinner, social club pool dinner. But then the fact that you throw in that you had to use a class credit to the Pilates thing to like, Hey, this is the like of the four dates. Like I even kind of went in on this one instead of just being like, oh, sweet. I had a credit, it didn't cost me anything.

I don't want to suggest that you're cheap, but you clearly think about this a lot. All right. Um, now look, if you're out there in the wild and you're just crushing it, and this is something that does bother you and you have other options, then, all right, fine, bring it up, but you're going to right, fine. Bring it up. But you're gonna fuck it up by bringing it up. You are.

It sounds like everything about her is something that you really like. And some of these guys are- The no-phone thing is huge. Like, doesn't reach for a phone on the day once to check the time even, that's huge. Because that could take you out of it. Like, I wonder what she's doing over there.

And then the bill seems like it costs even more when you're like, is she even enjoying this? So that's a major green flag. I agree with you and him. Yeah, right. And look, I don't know if it's something with me in particular, but I mean, I'm just at a point in my life and have been for a long time that I'm just going to pay for stuff and I'm not gonna freak out about it. I think it's nice if the other person can offer like one time or grabs a lunch early on,

which would be the absolute like best way to, if you're a female woman listening to this right now, is like grab an early like 40, $60 lunch. Yeah. You know, early on. Right. So then it's like, all right, she gets it. This is great. And then you never really have to buy anything again, if the guy's willing to pay for everything, but he's just constantly thinking about that lunch

and points you could trick a lot of us dudes. So true. By doing that, just pick up like the third thing in the lunch and you're just off the hook forever for it. I don't know how you bring this up without it being weird because even if you're right, it's probably not gonna go great with this. You might be just on a heater of emotion

and she's super into you and you've hung out four times in what the span of eight to 10 days here. So I would just say you need to ride this out. It seems like you really like her. It seems like you're getting along. The fact that you were both in relationships before and met each other and then she's initiated all of this. So it says that maybe she'd always had some interest in you.

So I'd ask you this, are you looking for a long-term person and the fact that maybe, maybe, I don't know, like, are you constantly worried about money or should you not be worried about money because you also come from money? Like there's also guys that I know that it's kind of a default of like the entire way they navigate their 20s and early 30s. I'm not saying this is great, but like if I don't have it, but you know the guys that have it, the people that know like no matter what it's probably all going to work out for them financially. There should be a little bit more freedom than the day-to-day obsession of there should be a little bit more freedom than the day-to-day obsession of what the, you know, I'm checking my Chase account, it's like you spent 1200 more dollars this month than you

did last month, you know? Just look at your app going, I don't need this. I don't need this right now. So, you know, if you're on the tighter end of the spectrum listening to this right now, maybe you're arguing, hey, you know, but he already told us he's making 300K. Is it because she's making 600K and it's pissing you off a little bit? I'm just telling you, this is a damn near impossible thing to pull off without getting some sort of, like she's going to tell you, like, oh, you know, he actually kind of said, you know, hey, do you mind getting a dinner, you know, and then it's all going to be talked about in a way that's not fair to you at all. I'm

really like, oh my God, he actually, he said that. And she's not going to go, yeah, like literally, I paid for nothing the entire time. Her friend Jennifer's not going to be on your side. That's for sure. You know, and then they all start working together in their hives. And now you're, you know, you might be a six, you're getting downgraded to a four and a half

because you brought this thing up. So then they're in her ear, and you know, who knows? We're all more impressionable, I think, at times than we wanna be. So I'm just telling you, you asked, hey, should I just put this to bed? Should I stop worrying about this? The quickest advice would be yes, if you like her enough. I mean, if you didn't have a good time, if you weren't attracted to bed, should I stop worrying about this? The quickest advice would be yes, if you like her enough.

I mean, if you didn't have a good time, if you weren't attracted to her, all these different things, but like you're starting to get into the thirties there, buddy, not everybody's going to be going for this offensive line look that you're rocking, Kyle loves your gold chain. I love the confidence that comes with that gold chain. And I bet you're a hell of a time, but you said yourself, she's out of your league and I would say the pictures. Yeah.

Confirm it. Right, Kyle. I mean, I don't want to be a Dick about this guy, but this is no, he asked. It's totally true. And I was thinking, uh, like I have a point to make, but I was going to ask, how much of the blame pie do you think that Hamilton took if they just went to another, like just another restaurant? It was like a cool $300 night.

You left a nice tip, you feel cool about yourself. But like you throw the Hamilton, even that this far removed from the premiere, it's still quite a hit. And I just wonder how much, if he was just like, man, if we didn't do that, then you'd have, you know, three dates cost as much as your Hamilton tickets,

it sounds like. So I was thinking about that. But the other thing is like- It's a good call. Like, was it Hamilton? Yeah, Hamilton break. Yeah, yes. Maybe it's like, you know, I'm not really into theater now.

I just, I realized, but you know, whatever. But I think, I think about how long ago this was totally traditional. Are we talking like three years? Like every dude would be like, of course I'm paying for everything. Like think about how that wasn't, we're not that far removed. And that's why I think those men on the streets where there's like a guy who comes up would be like, of course I'm paying for everything. Like think about how that wasn't, we're not that far removed.

And that's why I think those men on the streets where there's like a guy who comes up to me like, do you think you should pay for everything? Like, do you get so many of those reactions that those guys want? Because it's, we're not that far away from when everyone thought this way. It's like, well, yeah, I'm the man I pay for everything.

And so I think, I think that's not so crazy that she might be in that world. And I saw a tweet like yesterday, it was like hot girls in their 20s just think, wow, I just keep getting so lucky. It's just like, they must just think to themselves, I'm on a heater of luck right now. So I think you add all that together

and decide if this is the person that you wanna be texting and excited about seeing or not. I know, maybe marry her, get some of that family money and you won't worry about any of this. So you're in there for the long haul. But he has the money though. He has the family money. Oh, that's right. Well, I don't know what you're getting. So it sounds like she's got a pretty good foundation. I think, I think this is totally normal in your situation.

And sometimes you get a girl that has that whole package and it's like, I don't want to owe you anything, but other girls don't look at it that way. So I guess my point is this, there was a point not so long ago that this was across the board, how everything was done. So it's not so crazy. Yeah. It does suck though.

It does suck. Don't worry about it, man. Don't worry about it. I. Don't worry about it. I think, you know, you're going to be paying for everything if you marry her anyway, right? Actually, she, you know, who knows? You get married. Big cash infusion there. You're going to wait for your inheritance. 600k a year.

Who knows? It might all come around. He gets season tickets to Hamilton. Alright. Here's one of the darkest emails we've ever gotten. And yes, of course, super late at night. I'm sitting on my ass at a gas station, smoking cigarettes. My feet are drenched in rain. I'm throwing in the towel. Is this depression or just a bad day thing?

Yeah, check in with us Thursday. Let us know. Any, had any of those? Yeah. Check in with us Thursday. Let us know. Any, had any of those? Yeah. It was more in the cabs days before Uber was in Poughkeepsie. You know, it was just like there was two cab companies and you wait too long to secure one. You wait till last call.

Everyone's doing that phone call. And, you know, they're like 40 minutes and now everyone's gone. You call the cab company. It was like, hey, it's been 50 minutes. And they're like, well, we're not here yet. And then you get upset because you had a few and they're like, we'll call someone else. And they hang up.

And I'm like, I think I'm done here. I don't know. Got to walk down the old route 44 to get home or something. I don't know what to do here. So I've had a couple of those asked out, just waited too long to secure the rides, but Uber's changed the game. Yeah. Smoking in the rain at a gas station. I mean, who knows when that was sent, maybe 2 a.m.

Just check in with us Thursday, we're worried about you. Okay, standing for the national anthem at a bar, yo guys, best NBA comp, bow outlaw, no jump shot, but all hustle can rebound and jump into passing lanes. Your thoughts on this as I still occasionally think about this, is it a bar in San Francisco watching the Packers-Eagles playoff game? Go Birds.

Been here multiple times. It's known as an Eagles bar, where you get fans from all over the East Coast who relocated to the Bay. Maybe 30, 40 people in the back room at different picnic style tables before the game, and everyone is pretty excited and hyped for the game. During the broadcast,

they're showing the national anthem performance. This then resulted in a woman mid 50s standing up along with her husband and yelling at everyone else for not standing up. At first I chuckled, thinking she may have had too many, but they were both serious and continued to yell at people to stand for the anthem. This may come as a shock to you, but no one stood up.

Except for one guy who was close enough to them, I guess he might have felt guilty and did. I'm all for being patriotic and of course we'll stand for the anthem in person for any game that I'm at, kudos to you. But standing up for an anthem of our to the lady. Do you do that at home when you watch a game? Seems a bit off to me and curious. So what you guys think here?

Am I crazy? No, you're not crazy. I mean, crazy. This is kind of like an endearing part of being out at a bar. You just get people from all walks of life. But definitely not normal. Like I was just at that, I was just at a Houston or San Antonio brewery

and there's a large bar and there's people standing in line. I took a picture of it. I was so fascinated. And I was like, this is how they do it here? I didn't wait in the line, spoiler. I just stood next to the line and sat at a bar like normal. And I was like, this is how they do it here? I didn't wait in the line, spoiler. I just stood next to the line and sat at a bar like normal. And I was like, hey, you mind if I close out? But that's just how some people do bars, I guess.

So it's just to each their own. And I think a bar is a pretty cool place to just, you know, find out what other people are up to. Some people are standing for the anthem. So I might've stood just to be like, well, it's not a big deal But not out of principle like to anti-stander. It's just you know bars are a little looser find a new experience Darwin you're like a Darwin button for dive bars. Yeah

Wargon yeah When I stand at a bar, is that the question? Yeah, I wanted to. If someone asked you to. No. Okay. No chance. Yeah, no.

No words either. You're not saying anything. You're just like, yeah, I'm just like, leave me alone. You single me out and you want to, you want problems with me, I guess we'll talk about it. Right. It's different when you're there. Totally different.

I was defined about it. I don't know. Right. It's different when you're there. Totally define about it. I don't know. I think in a bar, you can get more people rowing in the same direction in a very short span of time. Like somebody just started singing a song everybody knows in a bar. That's what used to happen, right? If the anthem ends and someone chants USA. Okay. People are going to chant it. Sure.

Yeah. Wow. Nice master share, by the way. Thanks. I don't know if you're gonna get a 100% participation on a chant going, maybe. Depends on the age, age range. Age, if it's USA hockey or something like that,

I think you have a really good chance. But yeah, I don't know. God, I'm in the beginning there, Wargon. But I think you're right. I think you're right on this one. I don't think anybody does this. As an aside, I remember't know. God, I'm in the beginning there. Wargon, you sounded, but I think you're right. I think you're right on this one. I don't think anybody does this. As an aside, I remember we were talking one time, I think it was when I was with Kinell

and somebody that was working on the show suggested that when they're watching a game on TV at home, he has his children stand up for the anthem. And we were just kind of looking around going, really? And then he was almost annoyed that we, it's not that we were annoyed. We just thought it was weird. You know, you want to know who was super annoyed? My father, my father was listening in the car while he heard this conversation

happening, he's like, there's no way that's true. He's like, that guy made that up. He was like, he was upset about it. I was like, look, I don't, maybe I put you two guys on a call, but I don't know. I don't know that there's going to be a resolution of this entire thing. Really, I think back to the emails original question, you're not weird. That's it's like to sit here and say, Hey, definitely don't do it. Sounds as if we're being

disrespectful. That's not the memo here. It's pretty clear that I don't think I've ever seen that. I don't know that I've ever been to a bar before a game and the anthem's going on. Not that I like to go to bars to watch games in general all that much, but people aren't standing. What if the guy, let's say it's a man, got a Marine's hat on, it says veteran. A mailman?

Yes. He did 20 years in the Marines, 20 years for USPS, and he's got, he's got both on. And he goes, son, stand for the anthem. Are you, are you going to argue with that guy? Does he have to have, he's got the hat? He has the veterans got his years on it. Yeah, I might, I might stand up and give him a yell pat on the back. Yeah, I think so.

But that feels like that feels like a Coors Light equation scenario. Yeah, like zero Coors Lights not standing three to six standing. I'm gonna ask him a few questions after seven plus not stand. Let's get one more email. Thanks for working on. That was great. Appreciate it. Oh my god. I wanted a hey guys. You didn't give it to us. We have it in post, man. Oh, that's right. Oh, great. Hopefully. Okay. Should I keep artwork by my ex? I really want that. I'm going to go back and listen to this episode now because I want to hear it. Hey fellas, love the pod, especially life advice. 54, six foot one, two 45, benching two Oh five coming back from a bad pinch

nerve heading back to two 25. You certainly are with an arrow, sir. No squats or dead lifts. I said, sir. He's like a couple of years older than me. Um, no squats or dead lifts because knees and back always feel tender from pickup hoops, what do they play? One or two times, uh, one or two times too often per week.

I love this. All right. Player comp, very discounted. Brian Scalarini after his red hair fades a dirty blonde and gray like mine has. At least you have it. At least you have it, sir. Uh, decent player, but never as good as others I'm playing with. Can shoot the three, post up a favorable matchup. We'll randomly have an amazing game and better than people expect one-on-one. What's your usage in three-point ratio? All right, my situation is this.

I broke up with my recent ex two and a half years ago. She's a very good artist and one of very, and I won a very good drawing from her in a card game. All right, wow, this guy's a regular Doc Holliday here. The drawing is of a tree representing how I see myself as shade and protection for my family and crew. I got it professionally framed and hung it in my bedroom. I should mention that I have no lingering feelings

for my ex, the chapter is well and truly closed. But I chose this spot in part because it's a legit, nice piece of art in part because it's a legit nice piece of art in part because it reminds me of who I am and strive to be in the world. How about that? A tree providing shade which is interpreted as protection. I like that. The issue is I recently started dating a woman seriously, someone I really like and respect. I suspect it would look odd to her that I keep a piece of art by my ex not only in in my life, but in my bedroom, what would you do in this situation?

Leave it hanging where it is because it's important to me as it's aesthetic and it's symbolism and not the person who created it. Maybe, and maybe hope my new lady never asks who the artist is and if she does, do I lie about the artist, tell the truth, because, but focus on the symbolism as to why I've kept it or do I move to a different non-core location in my place, give it

away some other solution I haven't considered. I welcome any and all suggestions. Thanks guys. You know honestly I think the art could be like a really nice test. Could be a test for whoever is next in the dating pool because it sounds like based on your hoop skills and are underrated or underappreciated based on first impressions. Is it more of a red flag if you started dating somebody and be like, you have a picture of art that you're ex drew in your bedroom?

That might be a really good sluice box of life right there. Where if somebody was upset about it, does that mean that they're actually the issue? Whereas opposed to somebody that you meet, you're getting along with, I mean, they're in your room. Um, and they go, I think that's really cool. And then maybe you realize that that person gets it as a mature way of looking at the world, which I'd imagine at your age is probably more your

preference, um, than dealing with the bullshit of somebody who's maybe emotionally unstable or insecure, not because of their upbringing, just because they might be a little bit younger about certain things. So I would say leave it there and use it as a test. If it's a test, I'm going to consider it like I did in high school, like the SAT, and I'm just going to take the ACT instead because I heard there was less math. So I think I think as long as it's not important to you for this person or future people to know what the backstory is on this painting,

never has to see the light of day. And if it was me, I'd probably think about what I would say if the time comes, but got it at a consignment shop, whatever. You like it, I don't think you should not have to have it. I don't think you need to. So you say lie. Yeah, I do say, I say lie if it comes up. I don't think you should not have to have it. I don't say you say lie. Yeah, I do say I say life.

It comes up. I think it just seems like, you know, I guess if I guess if enough time has passed and like the relationships going well, I was just thinking like, like you say, it's a test. Maybe she fails the test and the last person that she was with cheated on her and she found out it was like this whole backstory thing where he had a ex-girlfriend that was coming around.

It's so it just might be one of those things like why introduce the shit into your life, man? It's not actually a, you know, malicious or you're not doing anything wrong, but, uh, you like it where it is and it doesn't change what the thing means to you. You like it's life advice. You're anonymous. You could have totally said if you're like, yeah, sometimes I still thinking about her, but you never do. So, um, at least that's what you tell us.

So I would just, I still think about her, but you never do. So, um, at least that's what you tell us. So I would just, I take the ACT instead, dude. Yeah. Or just put it in the hallway. Yeah. Right. Always great. Put in the hallway. Hallway underrated spot for good paintings. Usually people put them in like a living room or a bedroom. Yeah. Maybe jump,

boost your hallway game a little bit. Yeah. But again, how many, there's a certain age where you, you can't have nice stuff on a hallway wall. Yeah. But again, how many, there's a certain age where you, you can't have nice stuff on a hallway wall. Yeah. Cause you just know dudes are going to be banging into stuff. All right. Uh, that'll do it for the show today. Thanks to war gone. Thanks to Kyle, Jonathan Frias, and, uh, we're not going to get emotional about sorority, but maybe we'll have them Thursday.

Maybe we won't, but we're excited either way. You can check out our podcast on Spotify app where you can watch the video, of course, our YouTube page. So please subscribe, ride with us to the podcast and bring your Spotify. Must be 21 and older, present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in DC gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER77 or visit ccpg.org forward slash chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24-7 support in Massachusetts or call

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