The Ryen Russillo Podcast - ‘Would You Rather’ NBA Player Debates, More Celtic Concerns and a Scoot Revival? Plus, Willie Colon!

Episode Date: March 13, 2025

Russillo starts with another edition of Tales From the Couch following OKC’s win in Boston (0:45). Then, Ceruti comes on to ask Ryen a series of ‘which player would you rather have’ questions (20:01). Next, Willie Colon joins the pod to debate Aaron Rodgers vs. Russell Wilson, share his favorite free agent signings thus far, and reveal his favorite offensive lineman (43:19). Finally, Life Advice with Ceruti and Kyle (79:00) ! Is what I’m doing considered stealing? 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: Willie Colon Producers: Steve Ceruti, Kyle Crichton, Mike Wargon, and Jonathan Frias This episode is sponsored by State Farm®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.® Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We start with some NBA tales from the couch. Oklahoma City, another win against the Celtics. Scoot! The Awakening. Also some other nuggets that I have for you. We also do a little sorruity, who would you rather have? We taped this before we saw Cooper Flagg go down with a severe sprained ankle. So that's the alert. NFL free agency. More on what's next for a bunch of different teams and just talking football with Willie Colon and life advice where we didn't really answer any questions. This Friday, grab your friends. No, we can't really answer any questions. is no one does it alone. And why would you want to, we all need someone to make us believe hashtag. You got this.

We're to start with a little Thursday tales from the couch. I'm not going to go through the entire schedule of last night, cause there's a really important game, a potential NBA final. So I don't know if it's Thursday lob observations, uh, but we'll come up with some kind of title that I'll probably forget about weeks later than never say it again. So Oklahoma city wins at Boston last night. A lot of you, I'm sure you watched that thunder without Jaylen Williams and

those Celtics without Przingus who last played on February 26th. He's played 32 games this year, obviously injuries, but this illness thing is very strange. He's played 32 games this year, obviously injuries, but this illness thing is very strange. So there's the kind of default whenever Boston loses, well, they don't have Przingis because Przingis changes who they are with the five out stuff they can do on offense and the rim protection. We've covered a lot of that stuff. And when they're fully formed, Boston feels like the default favorite on FanDuel as of

today, Boston's plus 185 for the title. Oklahoma City is now at plus 185. Cleveland's still at plus 500. I think that has more to do with Boston being in the East necessarily than who FanDuel thinks Cleveland is as a team when it was at plus 700. I actually bet it because I was like, that just seems like a massive amount of value. Even if you're just gonna hear so many people just look at Boston and go, well, they won it last year. Cleveland still sort of newish, Oklahoma cities are younger, all the stuff that we've been talking about

the last few weeks. But I kind of land on, I think Boston's their best team in the NBA. So let's go through some of the game. There's score versus feel, which I talk about all the time. The score can be close, but how does the game feel? It's 33-30 at the end of the first quarter, and it didn't feel like a three-point game at all.

Boston took 22 threes in the first quarter, paint scoring 18-zip Oklahoma City. Boston took 36 threes at the half, most in any half in NBA history, 63 for the game, third highest total ever, 32%. And that shooting just completely fell apart for them. So we could get into the variance part of it. A three here, three there, Boston gets the win.

Everybody feels a little bit different. Okay, maybe, but I really want to get back to feel, other than the third quarter stretch where Tatum got it going and Boston was attacking, considering how far away that they start, it feels like Tatum will have moments like, all right, I need, we need to be more aggressive, meaning just kind of looking around at his team. But other than that, there's just everything from Boston starts so far away in a game like this

against a Thunder defense that is among the best, if not the best in the NBA, statistically it's the best. So if the first action gets cut off, there's just a lot of ground to have to cover as the shot clock starts to check down on the other side of Tatum is Jaylen Brown, where I think, you know, whenever you look at some of the perimeter matchups defensively, like how many teams will have a couple of perimeter guys that feel pretty good.

When Cleveland plays Boston in the playoffs, which I expect would happen, you know, Jaylen's going to have a much easier time of it because there's going to be a priority of Tatum, which is always the priority, especially he initiates so much offense, whereas against the thunder, because at least they have some people you can throw at them and look, you could switch into case of Wallace if you want to. You can switch into SGA a little bit. Um, and Aaron Wiggins, as much as I love him as a role player, I think that there's some sturdiness issues where if you want to try to get into him a little bit,

he's probably going to give up a little ground there, especially against somebody like physically with the body of a Jalen Brown. But in this case, Brown's numbers now against the Thunder, it feels like a real thing. Sean Grady who does the radio call for the South, he's been doing a really long time, he's great. He posted something. It feels like a real thing. Sean Grady does the radio call for the South. He's been doing a really long time.

He's great. He posted something, we're over a 31 minute stretch coming off of the first game at OKC up until I think it might've been halftime of the game last night. 31 minutes of basketball for Jaylen Brown against the Thunder. Minus 21, zero of 11 from the floor, 0.0 rebounds. If you look at the two games, Brown's played against the Thunder, 39 minutes per game. He's averaging 15 and a half, four and a half,

two and a half on the standard stats. The shooting splits are 38% from the floor, 9% from three with two free throw attempts per game fouled out last night. You know, my rule against Oklahoma City that I've talked about in different games or I've just been so impressed with them defensively is if you dick around with the basketball, you're going to pay a price.

And Jaylen does have a little bit of the. Dick around decisiveness where you're not going to just be able to sit there and work dudes in the paint and have extra time because their help instincts are incredible. So, you know, is it just two games where Jaylen Brown wasn't good against the thunder or is there something specific to this matchup? I believe it's the, the latter where you just have to be more decisive. And I think the only time you really saw that from Boston is when Tatum got to go in there in the third quarter, to be fair, he's also fasting.

So I don't know if that played into last night, cause he was a little slow. He was losing people defensively. And then, you know, the sixth foul, they needed him big time in that spot. And it was kind of a late defensive reaction, more of a rotation thing. I didn't think necessarily it was a mistake, but at that point with five fouls, six minutes to go,

just under six, you gotta let that one go. So the Chet stuff on the positive side of the story of last night with the Thunder, I thought it was amazing. And it's not just a straight box score stuff, but just the different things that he can do. Uh, the options that he gives your offense because of his size and because of his skill set, you know, you can run your offense through them and he's great with the passing. When they run the double big, that means both of your bigs are like, get him an entry pass, run some stuff around them and they're probably going to find you.

You trust their passing. He's also somebody that, you know, you can't, you can't be late on his three point attempts and I know that it's simple to say, well, close out against anybody who's a decent shooter, but there was one play in particular where he was kind of coming up, you know, not fast break, but the transition of possession. And I love those shots in there because the defense isn't really settled. People are kind of scrambling to their matchups.

And you know, Chet was trailing the play a little bit. It just looked like Boston wasn't looking at him as, oh, you know, we're going to make sure we don't take our time getting to him because he's such a good shooter. Size mismatch, it's not so much get it into the post on some kind of switch, but if he gets switched up on the perimeter, his handle is good enough,

even his size, and it can still look a little clunky because he kind of bends down and backs you down and everything, but the shit works. And he gets to the hoop and he gets good looks, his touch is terrific. They ran a handoff with their four or five, so it was a two man game with their center and power forward where Chet was like throws into Hart. I keep saying Hart, Hardenstein. And then Chet ran

a cut where it was like a fake dribble handoff. And then Hardenstein turns around and like makes the layup. And you're going, dude, you're running this with your center and power forward. That wasn't the first half of the game. So he also can switch on the perimeter and he's long and athletic enough where, you know, there's times maybe you feel like Tatum going downhill and getting into him is a matchup that you like. Cause again, Tatum is so spectacular with this stuff, but there's a lot of perimeter guys and just kind of Venus fly traps you, you're not going to get by him, even if you think, okay, I'm smaller and I'm quicker

and it's the seven footer, I should be able to just dribble past him the entire time. And then depending on whether or not the Thunder want to go with the double big, you've got Hartenstein at least allow, like I've now said his name two different times again, you've got him in a kind of this floating thing where he can still be a little bit to the pain if you feel like you

need him to come over and help. And I think that was also part of the thing that Oklahoma city was willing to give up last night, is that even though Horford was six of 12 from three, that's 12 three-point attempts from Horford. It felt like a lot of times Oklahoma city was like, you know, we might be okay giving up that shot trying to stay solid defensively here. So the free throw disparity was massive, but I don't want to hear it Celtics fans. When you take 63 threes, when you take 22, where the fucking free throw is supposed to come from?

And sometimes you guys have to be honest. Now, like any game, you can find a couple clips to try to post something and prove your point. SGA had the BS going a little bit there in the fourth quarter. You know, you got one call that was a little nasty, but there was contact. There was another one where he tried to fall down

that was gross, but you know, what about all the other ones, you know? So when you're that far away, and you're not really putting just a lot of pressure, there's not very much attacking other than that third quarter stretch that I pointed out. Where do you want the free throws to come from? So I don't have any sympathy

for the free throw disparity argument on this one at all. There was also something I think Boston was trying to do where Peyton Pritchard was the primary defender on SJ in the fourth quarter. And you could look at it and say, what the hell, why would you have all these perimeter guys and you would do that? My guess is that they felt like Pritchard

at least could compete enough, but then also removing them wanting to switch and then all of a sudden you're scrambling. Like they actually ran something where they switched into Tatum and then SGA's like, what the hell am I doing here? And then I think he kind of brought it back out and reset everything.

And Prichard actually isn't a bad defensive player at all. It's just a massive size disparity. I'd rather have size on SGA, but my guess is that they felt like if SGA were going to play it straight up, then they would know kind of how to help as opposed to if it's a switch and then they start swinging the ball, they're scrambling a little bit, I don't know. I'd like, I'd like to throw a few things at SGA and try to trap them, but they ran a trap at them

on one play in the first half, and Oklahoma City dissected it immediately and scored again, because they're just really smart. So, yeah, the rebound rate thing that we've always looked at with Oklahoma City, how bad it was last year, it's 23rd on the season with Shetback, you know, they're 16th.

So I also think of the double big that they run out there. It's not so much the total number of rebounds. It's just, is rebounding more difficult? And I think it is. Um, so look, man, you know, I know Przingus being out is part of the Boston argument with this, but if you're getting six or 12 from three from Horford and what he does defensively, um, you know, the Cornett minutes, I didn't feel like he was being attacked the way he was attacked against Cleveland where in the Cleveland laws, you're

like, okay, but those minutes where Hauser and corner are going to be attacked. Is that what they'd be doing, especially in a fourth quarter against Cleveland? Probably not. But I didn't think Cornett was any kind of like defensive target last night for Oklahoma city. So you've got all of that shooting, which is what you would pencil in for Przingus, which would be great, six to 12, and you'd expect to win that game, but it's just not the case. So yeah, like this is two games against the Thunder. We're going back to the one in Oklahoma City.

Thunder outscored Boston 29-12 than you have last night. I think the Thunder are better than them. I think Cleveland's better than them. I'm willing to change my mind. I'm willing to change my mind. I'm open to change my mind on that depending on how I feel going into the playoffs. But yeah, I know what the odds are and I know kind of the default position of feeling good about Boston here because they're proven, but they feel like the third best team in the NBA right now. Um, let's cue the music for the NBA today.

Oh geez. Scoot! Boy did we have fun last night. Scoot Henderson. 30 points against the Knicks. He got Portland back in this game. 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime. He had some ridiculous layups.

The attacking, the downhill stuff, the tough to stay in front of version that I fell in love with before the draft. Eight points in the last 106. He had two free throws. I haven't wanted a second free throw that bad for somebody I don't know in a very long time. If you look at the last three months for Scooch shooting splits from three, 44, 38, 38%. It was even down, he was four, four last night.

So I was looking at it before the game going out, he's kind of dipped to here again a month, but he was just so impressive that Chauncey Billups kept Simons who had a tough shooting night, kept him on the bench from 630 to 116 in the fourth quarter and then kind of shuffled them in and out. But Mikhail Bridge is the hero of this one, the game winner in overtime, hit 33 for total point, we're phrasing. He had a late pull-up dribble too that reminded

me like I went to Nets Celtics after he had first been traded a couple of years ago. And it was just this unleashed offensive version of Bridges that we just never got to see in Phoenix because there's so many other priorities on that offense. He was the fourth option all the time, right? And then you start seeing this dribble where he's staying with the dribble longer and then he's kind of working into this free throw pull-up thing and he's doing it at this angle

that's just kind of tough to even stay with him. He had 26 to gain two years ago with the Nets after that trade and then it went down to 18 and then everybody's worried about a shooting and they're like, what's up with his form and all that kind of stuff. I just liked it for Bridges. And I know he's had some kind of up and down games

this month as they figure out who they are with Brunson being out. We're a week away from an update on his ankle, but at least with Miles McBride, you're like, okay, you should still feel really good about this next starting five. So I just liked it for Bridges because I think there was some kind of doubting moments

and you could go, how are you giving up all these first rounders for this kind of guy when he hasn't made it all style? I just really liked him. And I thought that net stretch two years ago proved that the ceiling for him offensively was at another level that he just didn't have the opportunity for, and maybe it doesn't always show itself at times with all the different players that you have in the Knicks that are really good.

So, um, like I said, we're updated a week away from update there. Mitchell Robinson six games back wanted to sort those defensive numbers for you. So back on February 28th today, Knicks are five and three. So not six games back. He's played in six. The record is at five and three, right? They're third on defense. I don't know if it's small sample or what, because we've been knocking the Kn next defense all the time. So are they figuring out something defensively with Mitchell being back here, you know, because offensively they're actually 26th, which is really weird. So I, you know, I think it's Brunson being out then the next two games.

Um, not necessarily the greatest schedule, you know, after that Lakers thing. I guess, I guess what I'm trying to say here is that there's some numbers here that you could potentially be excited about. I'm just not sure how real they are right now. Minnesota was the game I thought I was going to be talking about a lot this morning with their game at Denver last night. And there just really wasn't much to break this down other than a very impressive win from the Timberwolves. This is six straight, their first six game win streak since the end of 23. I think prior to last night's game in Denver, you could argue that it was schedule related because it was Phoenix, it was Philly, it was Charlotte, it was Miami, San Antonio, but winning by 20 at Denver.

And I know no Aaron Gordon, but that's a really nice win for a Minnesota team where it's important to remember the way we talk about different teams. I have been incredibly disappointed with Minnesota because I have a, I would say going into this year, coming out of the summer, even without towns, I had expectations of, can this team actually win the West? I mean, they're obviously looking at standings last year. They were right in the mix for a one seed and getting the Western Conference finals, and even though it's been up and down, um, you know, defensively, they've been

really good after the first couple of weeks of the season, so that hasn't really been the issue. I think it's been, what do you expect from Randall? They're winning games, the reincorporation of him, even Genzo finally looks like he's in a bit more of a rhythm. They have these rookies that they're playing that are just dogs defensively. Rudy was missing some of that time. Now he's at least back to give you the option to try to muck up some of the stuff defensively

because even if you hate him, there's value in him against certain matchups. Looking at the 6-7 stuff, they're chasing Golden State right now. The percentage point's behind. I don't know how that 5-6-7 is going to match up. By the way, Memphis is your two seed again, four straight, couple threes from jaw. So there's not really much in this game. Other than Denver couldn't really shoot it that well. Yokech is the only thing going offensively.

Jamal got it going there a little bit, but there's something to look at here because there's like Jamal hunting. That happens. They're picking up Jamal Murray full court. So it felt like Finch and the stats, like, let's just wear him out because if Jokic just goes off, that's fine. But if there's no second score, this team isn't going to win the alarming thing. And this kind of brings it full circle back to Boston as I finish here.

But the default positions of teams that have won before and having the best player in the world in Jokic, I'm guilty of it, you know, a it's okay. See, but then it's, Hey, who's that second best team? the world in Jokic. I'm guilty of it. You know, A it's OK, C, but then it's hey, who's that second best team? Well, it's probably Denver. It's maybe because you don't know what's real with LA. Maybe you just don't like Memphis, which seems totally fair.

You don't like Houston's offense, except for attacking Jabari Smith last night. I know the shooting numbers aren't great. Don't look at the box score. I love what I've seen from Jabari Smith lately. And by the way, remember when people were like, hey, Ryan Dunn can shoot? Anyway, the Denver issue that I don't know is solved

with Aaron Gordon's return as important as he is to them, having another night after we just watched the back to back against the Thunder where Christian Brown's primary defensive assignment is SGA, and then last night it's Ant. And like, look, he's a nice player. And I think in theory, like you'd hope that maybe Peyton Watson could be that, but I almost like Peyton Watson more as like a rim help guy, instead of just kind of some lockdown perimeter guy. There are not many options for them.

And so if you're projecting out Denver, who gets the benefit of the doubt, which we all understand, and I'm admitting that I've done that. Like, are they really going to survive against like these MVP caliber, number one offensive superstar options without something better there defensively for them? Because that was just a week of watching who they have against these top players.

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because I guess we've done this before. So the concept is pretty simple. You've heard it before, but who would you rather have of these players? I think it's fun to kind of do it maybe twice a season. So we'd had this list and now it's time to get to it. So there's no prep. I don't even know what these are,

which is I think the way to do it today. Yeah, that's the mood I'm in. So let's go for it. Yeah, it's funny. I think we've done this twice before. People seem to like it. We did it at the beginning of last season. So I think like October of 2023.

So it's been a while and I went back and listened to it this morning. Some funny stuff in there. We did it. We did Steph versus KD one, which was, which was good. We did a Luca versus Devin Booker. We did a Luca versus MB. That was coming off that like weird Lucas season

where it was like, is he actually that great? Like the efficiency is bad. Like the usage rates too high. And then obviously he goes to the finals. So good times there. It seems like those are obvious now. We had ADNB'd one too. The part of this that's funny is that in the moment you'd be like, oh, yeah. And then just looking back, which I think is important.

Like when you're thinking about different trades and stuff, like for real, how. How much of a swing there can be at least perception-wise of where a player is. Wait, so what was the Luka one? Did I pick Booker? No, we all stuck on Luka. We picked Luka. Oh, thank God. Yeah.

Because it was like people were starting to jump off the bandwagon, and obviously, MB's coming off the MVP, and it was like, oh, what do you think? The way you said that, I was like, I know I'm the biggest Booker guy probably going nationally and then I'm like, did I say that? You kind of were an MB guy though,

but that was years ago and then it slowly sort of, you know, as he's become less and less available and reliable. Yeah, I think I, well, the thing that's funny from my MB journey is if you go the full circle part of it, now, granted, he didn't play the first couple of years because the hinky didn't want him to play. So I don't know that, but then he plays the 31 games.

So is this the start of a career for a guy that you already have to make an extension decision on? And I had infamously said, I don't think I'd want to give him the extension. I think I'd want to trade him. And I've gotten murdered for years. That guy wins the MVP, you know, at his best. He was easily a top five player in the league, but then I think I was the first

to just start going, why are we just assuming this guy's like a top five guy doesn't play all the time? I don't think I'm allowed to do a full circle. Like, Hey, I was right about that. Seven years ago, six and a half years ago when I said it about Embiid, but I'm less wrong. I'm not right. I would, I don't think that's right when you get a guy who gets the MVP, but, uh,

yeah, I don't know what it was. It was, it was a couple of possessions against the Knicks and the playoffs where I know what his stats say he did. And then I think the Olympic foul hunting is when I finally was like, you're out really, really over it. Yeah. Anyway, this is your segment. So it is funny because, and I'll get to them in a second, but like, so we were maybe going

to do this like maybe three months ago or so. And I wrote down some names that even from there, it's like, wow, these are stupid. Like I had a Paul George or Jalen Johnson, you know, like, and that was kind of when Jalen was like on the up and Paul wasn't a total disaster yet. And it's like, all right, am I trying to get ahead of this? I had it three months ago, you know, like three months ago, that kind of makes sense, but go ahead. I'm in a row.

I had a Trey young Halliburton one cause Halliburton kind of wasn't awesome. And Trey was kind of figuring it out again. And both those look stupid now. So he's passing the ball up to court. It'll be interesting to see which ones I, I've got I think I got a couple here and then I got a fun one at the end that's like a bunch of players that I want to throw at you but why don't we start nice and easy because I feel like this is kind of the battle maybe with Luca for the second best player in the

league but let's just start off SGA or Giannis and by the way we should we should do parameters this is like this isn't five years this is probably like the rest of this year, the playoffs, maybe even in the next year, like a full year, maybe it's it's short term. Janice. Yes, she's, you know, he's going to win MVP. I understand, but I think I was looking at MVP voting last night and I consistently, I think over

three years, I can, it's not like I've had a vote for a decade, but I think I consistently have Yannis higher than other people do. And I would say if you ask anybody else that they would, I don't know who else would say Yannis. It kind of does feel like we've forgotten about him, which is, which is shitty. Um, would you say Luca over SGA too? Uh, no, not right now. I mean, I think peak Luca is better than peak SGA, but there's just too much unknown of, you know, what will Luca look like all that time off the kind of up

and down, you know, the kind of up and down. I think the best version, again, I've already said it, so I don't need to repeat it. The best version of Luca to me is a better basketball player, but I would feel way more comfortable just signing up for whatever this SGA is gonna be the next couple months. Yeah. You?

All right, how about Donovan Mitchell or Ann Edwards? Wow, the Donovan Mitchell or and Edwards? Wow. Um, you know, the Donovan Mitchell conversation, like he never gets brought up as MVP, right? Yeah. So like the SGA will look at their record, look what they've done. Cause that's going to be the deciding factor against Jokic. But I, then I never hear Mitchell ever. So I don't, I don't know what, I mean, granted Mitchell's numbers aren't SGA, so maybe it's as simple as that. But I was thinking about it the other night when I was trying to figure out my vote,

I was like, you know, let's dig into the Mitchell thing. Cause there's also like a minutes thing with him where he's just playing less because they've been beating teams, um, the way that they have. And I probably should double check that stuff right now. So look, I, I'd like ant better. So I'm just going to say ant, even if I can understand that right now is the worst time to say that. You, I think I'd go Mitchell.

The ant thing is like, he's always going to have it with the, with like defensive side of the ball. Um, but I don't know. There's something about Mitchell right now. Like, do you think, do you think the calves are as good as they are if you just swap those two guys? Um, so SGA on the calvess and Mitchell on the... Donovan on the Wolf.

So if you put Edwards on the Cavs, are they where they're at now? Yeah, I think they'd be fine. You don't? No, I don't think they wouldn't be fine. I just think there's something about Mitchell right now that's just kind of, he's on a different level, I think, than Ant. I mean, step back thing from from Kat losing Kat the

team maybe is getting a little bit too much in my head but there's just something about Donovan and the way he's playing and I think Ant is the more well-rounded player he's bigger he's obviously a little bit younger which I don't think really matters that much in this exercise but I gotta give a slight edge to Mitchell right I think I gotta give credit to right now, but I think most people would take it. And I think you're, I wouldn't argue with you. Yeah, I'd rather have that size. I'd rather have that defense.

Yeah. All right. This is a fun one. I mean, the SGA stuff, if we're bringing that one back to, I mean, the advanced stuff for where SGA and Mitchell are right now. It's the advanced part of it. It's like not even close. Again, what SGA is doing, at least on some of the events. People are like free throw merchant.

I hate that. Yeah, look, he takes more free throws. He plays three more minutes a game and he's still like, you feel like Cleveland still has to share it a little bit more. But the Mitchell advanced SGA, if you put that up, blind resume, you'd be like ones at one seat and the other is like a seven seat in the NCAA tournament.

You did it's not even close. This one might be a slam dunk for you, but I want to ask it anyway. Mobile or cat. Mobly. I think most people would say, I mean, cat is having a pretty unreal. I mean, for, for a cat doubter and I've really never been a cat guy, like you gotta give him credit this year. Um, he's certainly a significantly better offensive player than mobile.

I think the mobile thing has gotten better obviously from three and he's definitely a little more intriguing. I mean, I was, I was kind of captive of the like zag on the mobile thing. I wasn't just zagging for the sake of zagging, by the way, guys, I think that was legitimate zag, like was worried about the offense. Um, but I do think you're right. Like if you want to win a championship, I don't think either guy's a one, but mobile anchoring your defense is probably more valuable than what

cat brings offensively, right? Yeah. Cat's been awesome this year. I, he's going to be second team all NBA. I don't really think there's any doubt as we kind of did it in pencil with Bill and I on Sunday, but I was just looking at him like, yeah, I think it's just going to be cat slot there for second team. But I don't see mobile getting attacked.

I don't see anybody going. This is how we want to close out this game. As great as cat is offensively. His efficiency numbers are outrageous. I mean, like he's like just to just to play the devil's advocate cat side like he's yeah, like he's been unreal. No, I I think a lot of people will think

we're crazy for this one because at least cat gets you buckets. He stretches everybody out that pick and roll stuff. All of those numbers with he and Brunson when that's rolling. But yeah, neither guys have won. You know, you can run your offense through cat. I don't, I still don't even think you really

would run your offense through Mobley where a lot of this stuff is kind of off of something else. But yeah, I'd rather have Mobley. Yeah, I think your team is probably better if Cat's your best player, but I'd rather have Mobley if I'm trying to win a championship. Seriously, ask it this way. Say that trade were on the table. Who would have like a quicker no, the front office. Like if

Leon Rose and his staff are talking about it versus Coby Altman with Cleveland, like who was sitting in the room as they're going at like, we can do this right now, which group is getting to know quicker? Although, you know what would be funny? I mean, shit cat with the chair at Allen, it's a pretty sick fit. Yeah, maybe that's actually perfect. But I, yeah, I mean, if you, I don't know, I think it's Mowboy. I think it's Mowboy. But I, yeah, I mean, if you, I don't know, I think, I think it's Mowboy. I think it's, I think it's Mowboy, but hey, credit to cat. I'm happy for him, man. You know,

we've probably, this has probably been a hater cat podcast for a few years now, but happy for our guy. Uh, here's a fun one. This guy, I like to turn truth or, all right, truth or sphere. I'll give you that realist. I think Devin Booker has been in one of mine every single year that we've done this, getting back to 2022. So I just, let's just keep it rolling. Cade Cunningham or Devin Booker. Oh man.

You're really messing with me. Okay. But what are we talking about? We're because you didn't really say five years out, but it seems like the future is part of it. I said the next maybe calendar year, end of next year even give it like 18 months, even less than that really. But yeah, 15 months. It's not a five year like it's yeah, obviously like if you're building a franchise, you kids a few years younger, but no, I'm both guys are kind of in their primes. They're going to be in their primes for the next two years.

So which one? Yeah. Yeah. The efficiency stuff for Booker's taken a bit of a hit and defensively he's never really been a guy that you're like, you know, I think it's, it's effort and competitiveness is the stuff that I always like about him. But if you look at some of the box score stuff, it's just not really there, um, give me two years of Booker. This has been an unbelievable year for Kade, but Booker's

played in the NBA finals. I'm 28. This has been a Kade truth or podcast. Both you and I have not sold any of our Kade stock over the years. I've been adamant about that and it's just good to see it coming. You know, the fruit is coming to bloom here. about that and it's just good to see it coming. You know, the fruit is coming to bloom here. Yeah.

And she's been great with Chauncey billups this year. This is who just saw it. He saw it in them. What about the actually just to do this quickly, Cade or Mowgli same draft class. Okay. It's Cade right? Yeah.

Yeah. Just because I mean, as much as we all love Mobley and there's going to be, when I'm thinking the all NBA thing, if you were going to use that in the cap part of it, like Mobley's probably making a team, but you know, getting me a bucket when everything's falling apart, that's probably still the most important thing. I mean, it is. I think it's the most important thing. If you don't have that

You have no chance of playoffs Agree, I got two left. The last one's like a bigger one though. So this one is the diddy tie Jerome Nope, not giddy. Although you could do it if you want. I still take tie although giddy. Yeah good stuff you know shooting numbers finally free of the Stringent okc system because he gets to spread his wings a little bit in Chicago. I've never been a giddy guy. I'll be honest. Um, but, uh, I think it is size and his playmaking.

It was really, really fun in the beginning. And then he just became somebody who couldn't hit a shot. Although the guy, he might be in the three point contest next year. If he keeps this up, uh, magic, we've given $30 hit a shot. Although the guy, he might be in the three point contest next year. If he keeps this up, magic, we give him $30 million a year. Who knows? Let's see. Uh, this one is the, I don't want this guy on my team.

All-star debate Bradley Beale or Julius Randall. Wow. Philly, we need to say and throw like a little bit of a, you know, which one I love or not have, but this is, yeah, you have to have the guy little bit of a, you know, which one I'd rather not have. But this is what you have to have the guy from say two years. Who do you want? My God. Yeah, like we're not even talking about like the money or anything just like no dude.

Just honestly, I think I'd rather have Randall. I mean, I watched a lot of last night's game. Phoenix is such a fucking mess on defense and they look around and look, there was a play where there's a clip of Beal like looking around and it wasn't Beal's fault on that one, but there are times with him where he's just completely upright, like, all right, the point guard is coming in. The screen is set up. You know, what's about to happen.

And you don't know necessarily like, Hey, which side should I play or which side should I favor? But you know, what's nice getting into a fucking stance, like prepare. Pick a fucking side and he'll just be completely upright with no interest whatsoever. Like even if you guess wrong, at least you guessed. And I think that guy is so comfortable just cashing a check. Like Randall is going to not get back on defense. He's going to hold onto the ball too.

Like we've already covered all the stuff with Randall that I don't necessarily like, but I think Randall still gonna not get back on defense. He's gonna hold onto the ball too. We've already covered all the stuff of Randall that I don't necessarily like, but I think Randall still competes. He cares. That would be my- And I don't think Beale, Beale is probably one of the most talented, least competitive basketball players I've ever watched.

Like hell, Jordan Poole competes. Yep. I think Randall, if you, I mean, this is like the, I can fix him girl, you know, when she's trying to look for somebody to marry, like Randall's like, if you just channel that energy the right way, like I know that you care, like it just, it's not always in the right way to winning basketball games. And that to me is I'd rather be frustrated with that guy than yeah, the guy who just,

yeah, I don't even notice is there half the time. Well, I think that's the right answer. Man, that was a tough one. You have one more, one more, and this is a big one. I want to do Cooper flag because I know you've watched some games versus a bunch of under 25 guys in the league right now. So when B's and no. And is a no. Polo or Franz?

Polo is a no. Franz is a maybe. I'd say Franz, yes. So just I guess we should just background the Cooper flag thing because I mean, I haven't watched a ton of Duke games I've watched how I sell them the the I guess the prevailing thing is that he's a pretty good defensive process. Obviously he's huge and it's like, will the offensive side of his game ever really kind of get there? Is that, is that, am I getting that right? Yeah, I think what was in the, in the four games that I've watched now with him, the part that's been most impressive is he can play defense, like he can hold up and switches and he had a play, I forget, yeah, it was a North Carolina game

where ultimately North Carolina couldn't score against him down the stretch. And he actually kind of guessed wrong on something, but he was the low man. And there was this window where it looked like North Carolina was gonna get this layup. In his recovery, he get over and blocked the shot. It's just one of those clips where you go,

okay, this is special kind of shit. His aggressiveness is probably my favorite part of it. The fact that he can handle it, he can bring it up in transition. He obviously can finish. The shooting has been good. It's not, you know, I don't know if it's like, I mean, look, the numbers are really good.

The free throw part of it is good. So he's going to be a shooter in the NBA, but I, I love the passing, man. The passing for him, like he got doubled and he found, he found like the perfect skip pass, you know, he's like swung it to the other side, just kind of some of the stuff that you don't really expect to see from somebody this young. So, um, I, I think there's just a lot going on there with him. So Cooper, so if Cooper is Franz, that's a disappointment. Yeah. I mean, I'm not, I don't, I don't love the comp stuff,

but the way I talked about Chet with the open, where it's like, man, this guy can kind of do a bunch of different things. And if he gets switched on to a perimeter guy, you still like your chances, but he's not as big as Chet, but he's certainly sturdier. And, you know, 38% from three is a freshman playing in these high level Duke games with a team that has a chance to win a national championship. Um, so I shouldn't even really question it as shooting stuff,

cause it's only going to get better there. Uh, I, I guess the passing, his playmaking, his vision, the fact that he, he's a willing teammate, that's actually some of the stuff that I fell in love with Paolo, where he could just take every single shot. It would still probably be the best option here for Duke, but he doesn't wanna play the game that way.

And that's why I'm just so excited about him as a basketball player. So it's not the same thing where I think you're gonna be running Cooper flag and high picking roles and then being like, all right, dime dudes up all over the place. Uh, because I think he's, he's different than that, but yeah, uh, there's, there's a lot there for somebody, his size with his athleticism.

And I think he's got some motherfucker in him too. So I had chat down too. So you chat you would take, would you take Cooper over chat? Only because of the injury part of it. Okay. But that might be, you know, that could be the one at the end of a playoff run where it's an absurd answer because Chet might be on the cusp of like putting together something really nice. I love the games.

I love chat last night. God, he's, I love, I love him. I'm so glad you appreciated it last night. I've always been a chat, but I've got shit from magic fans left and right. Cause I've always loved chat and I'm happy we have Apollo, but like, could, by the way, could that be something where if you were to add, like I've got shit for magic fans left and right because I've always loved Chet and I'm happy we have Paolo, but like I just always love Chet. Could that be something where if you were to add, like there's a segment that exists

that I think we've talked about where you go, is this question answered? So you could get into what, like Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, has that question been answered? Yes, I believe it has. I believe it has. Yeah, forget on that one. Hasari Parker. Has that question been answered? Yes, I believe it has. I believe it has. Yeah, forget on that one.

Has the Chet Paolo question been answered? I've always, the answer is still the same. Both teams I think are more than happy with the guy they got. And if you swap them, I think it wouldn't work as well. The Magic need Paolo. And I think, I don't know how Paolo would work hypothetically with Thunder.

Maybe he'd be sick. He'd be an upgrade on, certainly be an upgrade on Jaylen Williams. But I don't know. I think both teams are happy. Both teams played hard. Both teams played hard. Yeah.

Is there anybody else? So Kate, you probably take Kate over to Group of Flag, right? Yeah. Mobly? Yeah. Mobly? Yeah. Look, I'm always going to have just a bit more resistance than maybe other people would on dudes

that I've already seen do it and do it at a high level that are really young. And I'm like, okay, I know, I think at this point, I know exactly what I'm getting as opposed to that, that frightful unknown of, you know, what if Cooper can't quite like figure out where, but I think Cooper's the kind of guy even, even, you know, it depends on the team and where he is in the hierarchy of the offensive options and that kind of stuff.

There's other things that he already does so well that if he's not 20 and 10 as a rookie in the NBA, it could still be really impressive. And that's what I think is so exciting about him. What about, uh, I've got some, I mean, I've got to, what's his front room quick Scotty Barnes, Cooper flag. Contract not, not involved. Yeah.

Maybe you do have the contract in there. If there's a time to just not even debate it, it would be now, because people are just so down on Scotty Barnes. Where was he in the ring or top 100? We just had this up, hold on. He's still pretty high, I think 43, he's high. There's a lot of Scotty Barnes people at the ring. I'm not one of them.

I don't get a vote though, so. You don't have a vote? I shouldn't get a vote though. So you don't have a vote? That shouldn't get a vote. Come on. That's fine. Why not? You watch it. Cause I'm not part of the NBA crew.

I'm just the guy, you know, if we were doing a ringer soccer, you know, soccer world 100 list and yeah, sure. I'd be upset, but not a couple more. Amen Thompson. Yeah. That one's got, it feels so stupid to say no. I'm meaning, you know, cause like what's the best, right?

I think a man is so special that maybe the ceiling part of it, but I don't know. I think we're all, I think so many of us that love league pass have like fallen in love with that dude. Yeah. Um, maybe too much, but I'll say no, which seems really fucking stupid. I can do this forever. So we don't have to name a thousand names, but I just kind of want to get a baseline of where we were at. Yeah, good. Right. And then when Cooper's putting up like 20, say you're like, remember you wanted a man, Thompson. Because a couple because of a couple months stretch on league pass. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah. But dude, there's not many players like Thompson who can not score and feel like they're impacting the game more than anybody else that's out there. And that's, I love that kind of stuff. Um, maybe not as my number one scoring option, but I do appreciate it. Maybe not as my number one scoring option, but I do appreciate it. At Desjardins, we speak business. We speak equipment modernization. We're fluent in data digitization and expansion into foreign markets.

And we can talk all day about streamlining manufacturing processes. Because at Desjardins Business, we speak the same language you do, business. So join the more than 400,000 Canadian entrepreneurs who already count on us. My parents have had a lot of time on their hands lately. At first, it was nice. Hey mom, can you drive me to soccer practice? Sure can. We're having slow cooked ribs for dinner. It was awesome. And then it became a lot. Some friends are coming over to watch a movie. Oh, what are we watching? I'll make some popcorn. Thanks a voila. They can order all our fresh favorites from Sobeys, Farmboy and Longos online Which is super reliable and now my parents are reliable a little too reliable Voila your groceries delivered just like that. Very excited to talk to our guy Willie Cologne of SNY

and Breakfast Ball on Fox Sports. What's good, man? What's going on? Good seeing you, brother. Yeah. Happy New Year. Happy New Year to you. I haven't talked to you since the New Year.

Has it been that time? I don't know. I mean, we got a lot going on, but I always, we didn't even really necessarily have a plan. I was like, let's just talk about a lot of this stuff and what's going on. So let's start in your backyard. One of your stops, the Jets.

I talked about it on Tuesday a little bit with Shil Kapadia and that it kind of fascinates me, like how many people think Fields is still good. And you come from it, like played for the Jets, you also played for the Steelers. So I know you watched a lot of the Steelers stuff. What do you think went into this decision and talk more about the anticipation in the city for what

he's going to be next year? Well, I think there's a lot of question marks, um, just around Fields as a whole. You know, I think when he landed lot of question marks just around Fields as a whole. I think when he landed in Pittsburgh, there was a lot of issues with his mechanics, his foot, his footwork in the pocket, his accuracy. You know he's an athlete. He does a damn good job with the ball in his hand when he's running. However, he goes four and two when he's a starting quarterback and then he's ultimately

benched by Russell Wilson. And a lot of people are saying like, eh, you know, was that the necessarily necessarily right move? But then you see when Russell got into the offense, he saw an upgrade, especially in the pass game for the Steelers. Nevertheless, man, I, I don't know if he's a bad quarterback, a good quarterback. I just know he's an athlete. And I know Aaron Glenn and the Steelers seem to, excuse me, the Jets seem to have some form of optimism to allow them to be QB one for the Jets, which is weird because I thought Tyrod Taylor was going to be the guy to at least be the bridge until they possibly go into the draft from next

year's draft and get a starring quarterback. So the fact that it gave Justin Fields all that money, there must be, you know, they must be seeing something or know something that we simply don't know. I think a lot of people are just up in the air, up in the air about it and don't necessarily know how to feel. They just don't, they got a young athletic quarterback who walked out of Pittsburgh with a winning record. Did you ever have to work with somebody, you know, that felt like this was their last chance at the position, you know, because I want to say myself, I feel like I had to work on myself. I feel like that was me in Pittsburgh, man, because I got, I got hurt and, you

know, I was playing right tackle and then they drafted Marcus Gilbert and I was forced inside to play guard. And I think my situation was more due to injuries, but I don't think I've ever played with somebody who's like, hey man, if it doesn't work here. For offensive lineman, it's funny, in my career I was a defensive tackle,

moved to offensive line where I played right tackle, then forced inside. If I didn't make it there, there was nowhere else for me to play. You know, it was just like, bye bye. You know, you're just not good enough. So there is a sense of anxiety and a heightened sense of, man, I got to make this work. And you know, when I came off my second IR, I was, I wasn't, I wasn't even forced to play right guard. I was moved to left guard, which was different for me because I had, you know, when I came off my second high year, I was, I wasn't, I wasn't even forced to play right guard. I was moved to left guard, which was different for me because I had, you know,

most of my career on the office line, I had played the right side. So I really had to kind of change my mindset and my mechanics just to survive at left guard, which was tough, but I was able to do it. Were you as equally, I would imagine more happy because when we had asked you about Rogers and now he's officially a free agent and you, you'd already talked Were you as equally, I would imagine more happy because when we had asked you about Rodgers and now he's officially a free agent and you'd already talked about this, like this isn't the breaking news part of it,

it's just the transactional part of it that he's gone. Do you think he has anything left for the next team? I do, I do. I thought the last couple of games for the Jets, he played well. I think once Olufashinu, their first round draft pick for the Jets, was able to crack I think once Olufashinu, their first round draft pick for the Jets, was able to crack the starting lineup and replace Tyron Smith, he seemed more comfortable

in the pocket. And at the same time, he was a lot healthier. Last year, he was dealing with a lot of knickknack injuries. He was dealing with the ankle. There was a hip issue. There was a hamstring. Every week you looked at the injury report, Aaron had something. I think towards the later, the back end of the season, excuse me, he, he started to feel and look more mobile, right? He was able to kind of evade the rush and get outside and make some of those off platform throws. And then you, you started to see the numbers and his production kind of pick up. So which led me to believe after watching him for a couple of games that,

you know, there's still something in the tank. Um, it was just weird that he just didn't have the chemistry that we thought he would have with Devontae Adams, Garrett Wilson and him seemed like they weren't on the same page. But overall, as far as him making every throw in the field, he could still do it. If your, if Mike Timeline calls you up,

says we can bring back Russell Wilson or we can bring in Rogers. What would you say? Well, to be honest, I'm going to go with Aaron Rogers simply because I know Aaron right now can make every throw in the field. One of the biggest bugaboos with Russell last year was that he simply struggled with throwing the ball in the middle of the field. Um, you know, everything was in moon balls.

Yeah. He could, he could, he can make the layups, but he seemed, he seemed boxed in at times. And he took a couple of bad sacks, which we knew that was his thing. But when he was decisive and deliberate with the ball, he was money good. Um, I like Aaron, I like Aaron when healthy and if he's able to stay healthy, which is the number one question, I think he'd be super productive, especially now that you have DK Metcalf, and now you got George Pickens.

And so they continue to put weapons around him. I think he'd still make it go. It feels like those last couple of games, I don't know if it's changed your mood on it, but God, you were so over it about Rogers the last time we visited. And I don't know if that was just what you saw on film every week, or I didn't know if that had more to do

with his personality. Like, look, he rolled in there, got everything he wanted. They kept trying to double down and giving him everything he wanted. It didn't work out. If he still wants to play football, and if I were another team, like I'd go, all right, you know, where are we at?

We kicked the tires on this. It'd probably do worse than bringing him in. So it seems like you've, have you softened on the tape because you like the tape better, or have you just, where are we at? We kicked the tires on this. He'd probably do worse than bringing him in. So it seems like you've, have you softened on the tape because you like the tape better? Or have you softened on not having to talk about it every single week and his personality?

Because it felt a little bit more personality driven than maybe it was filmed. So I don't know, I'm asking. No, you're right. I think I was just exhausted about everything. The fact that this team went into the second year and with Aaron healthy in this offense, especially with a revamped office of line, I just suspected his team to perform better and they didn't with him in the starting lineup.

And then you start to see him age week by week on top of the appearances on McAfee and everybody chasing the headlines after every interview he did on top of all the headlines that were coming out of that locker room, man, it became exhausting. So yeah, I was really bitter and somewhat exhausted from the fact that I thought he was going to be the savior for the New York Jets. And he simply wasn't. And sure, his first year he tears his Achilles. Nobody expects that.

And everybody kind of gave him a pass. But overall, going into the next year, I just thought things were going to be a lot better than they were. And to your point, they gave him everything he asked for. You know, so I was I was just more exhausted and disappointed that the Jets weren't in a better position for that team to finish five and twelve with the roster they had felt like a huge letdown.

And Aaron, we know there's a lot that comes with him. He's just a different dog and a different breed. Overall, I'm okay with the personality if you're winning. The Jets weren't winning. So it just wasn't adding up to me in my head. Is it fair to say that a lot of us completely overrate the personality of the quarterback and how much influence that has on a team?

And let me back that up a little bit more. When I think about baseball and travel and the time you're with guys, like if there are personalities that just aren't clicking and it's that many dudes traveling for that many months, gone that long, like it's tough. that many dudes traveling for that many months, gone that long. Like it's tough. Like these are almost roommates on the road,

even if you're not technically all in the same room. Basketball is a less inversion of that same thing as hockey. But I think we lose sight of how nine to five the NFL is. And now with the schedule, with the extended game in the last couple of years, so maybe it's nine road games. Okay. You know, you want to throw some of the pre-season stuff and then, okay, fine.

Like, but ultimately most of the week you're waking up in your own bed and you're going into work and you're at the facility and then you go home. So that negative personality, when it's around you constantly in the day-to-day of the other sports, I can see how much of a negative impact I can have on a team, but I wonder if the quarterback, even if the guys don't really like them

or don't vibe with them, you're still not with them that much. Or am I dismissing that Sundays, that personality is still super important? I'm kind of going in a circle here on this, but I think it's at least worth pointing out the distance there are between personalities for an NFL team. Listen, I don't, first of all, I think you do make a good point. NBA baseball is different because those guys are on the road for an extended period of time. You get to know a guy a little more

intimately, especially when you're sitting around and he's on the phone with his wife and talking to the kids. You get to see the human being. However, when it comes to football, I think in particular, specifically about Aaron Rodgers, I thought he did a great job of immersing himself into that locker room. When you see him at sauce garnet at games, when you see him at different events with his teammates and Aaron being 41 years old, there was a sense that he's going to be this cranky old dog in the locker room. That simply wasn't the case. A lot of those guys really took to Aaron Rodgers and got to know him.

And I think he kind of opened himself up. I think everything we learned about him from a personality standpoint in New York was that he really wanted to be in New York. He brought the house, he was hitting the Knicks games, he was eating out, he was really kind of buying into the New York market and what it entails. And watching him talk to the media, you know, yeah, he would get kind of snarky and kind of get agitated with some of the questions. But I watched every presser he did at the end of games.

He handled it the best way he could. Obviously, everybody talks about that Mike Williams situation where he kind of dumped Mike Williams over a hot bed of coals and kind of cooked them up. But overall, guys loved him and guys responded to him. And it seemed like, you know, on Twitter and you if you're a diehard Jets fan, there wasn't a lot of that core meeting Quentin Williams and Saul Skarner and then on and on really had anything bad to say about Aaron Rodgers. If anything, they were advocates of his and really wanted him to stay in the building. I remember towards the end of the

season, I think Quinton Williams has a quote, quote, pretty much saying that he loved Aaron Rogers, loved his leadership and really wanted him to continue to be the judge quarterback. So, and I think a lot of that happened was cause Aaron opened himself outside the locker room by spending extra time with these guys and not just saying, hey man, I'm here to win games and I'm too old to be talking to you young kids. That wasn't it at all. Let's look at some of the other signings here. Some massive money for Milt Williams,

defensive tackle here, Philadelphia, third highest average annual salary for that position. That's including Chris Jones, as in Tuesday pointed out, like Chris Jones is kind of all over the place. I don't even know if he necessarily counts. Do you look at it as, I can't believe Philly let this guy go or do you look at it as the fact that he was available should be concerning,

you've spent a hundred million dollars on somebody who's not household name? Yeah, I think number two for me, the fact that you let a guy go who, you know, very few people will know, and he got paid on top of that. But I also think that's indicative to Harry Roseman and powers to be in that building feeling like they're able to let a guy like that go and kind of reload.

There's no question the impact that defensive line had in the Super Bowl and was able to kind of turn it up in the playoffs. It's just interesting all these guys are getting paid, man. I mean, you look across, like, I look at- Give me a couple. Yeah's just interesting all these guys are getting paid, man. I mean, you look like, I look at- Give me a couple. Yeah, give me a couple of you were like, whoa. Bro, Javon Kenlaw, let's keep it buck, man.

Like I watched, let's keep it buck. I watched that guy. I watched him all season with the Jets. And the fact that he got paid to go to the commanders. And man, I was like, man, I started, you know what's crazy? Every guy I play with or know in the league, we were somehow, I was texting each other

and we were kind of like, man, can you believe this guy get this money and all this other stuff? But I instantly started rubbing my knees like, man, I know you've got one game in you somewhere daddy. You know you got something in you. Because it's insane. You never wanna, you always wanna stay out of guys pocket which I think I try to.

Especially with this, I've been on the field since 2016. So there's a part of me, there's part of this dog that I'm like, man, I can still, I could whip something up. I could turn on the engine one more time. But to see some of these deals, man, I'm like, damn, I gotta have something to show off so I can get some of that money, man. Cause some of these guys, man, I'm like, damn, I got to have something to show off. So I get some of that money, man, because some of these guys, man, I, they getting paid. But listen, it's the market, you know, God bless their pockets and bless them and their families.

Give me a signing you like. I mean, I like Darius Slate to the Steelers. I like that. Do you like Metcalf in the trade? I like Metcalf. I just don't know how those between him and George Pickens. I don't know how those, you know, that those two personalities on the field and hostile situations, I don't know how that's going to happen. That's this is where you Mike Thomas magic really is going to be on display. I was, you know, because I've seen the UK Metcalf kind of lose it, if you will.

And I've seen George Pickens lose it, both because they felt like they weren't getting the ball enough, but they of lose it, if you will. And I've seen George Pickens lose it, both because they felt like they weren't getting the ball enough or they were getting slighted or some type of way. But yeah, those are, I mean, Slayer I like, I like Hargraves to the Vikings and on and on and on. So those things are kind of pop out right now. Do you think the Steelers ownership hates Mike Todd? No, I don't think they hate him, but I think they're ready to turn the page.

You know, I think, you know, you heard Shannon Sharpe say the other day that the standard of the standard just doesn't mean anything. It means mediocrity. And I think that's starting to be the running consensus around a lot of people who support Steelers or are fans of it. It's funny, I was a Super Bowl man and I ran into a lot of my old teammates because everybody was kind of horn themselves around media row and kind of, you know,

kind of, you know, trying to shake hands, kiss babies type thing and find a doer so they can walk through with their media career. But on and on, you know, we were talking about the culture to Steelers. At one point it meant something something and now it feels like it's just something that you just say And it doesn't has doesn't have as much weight as it once did and some of the stories I was here coming out of locker room was was interesting man. So I'm leaving it at that Well, I don't know I mean I'm not trying to have you give away secrets, but no, but it was just, I got the feeling that the old way and what I was brought

into doesn't doesn't exist anymore. Um, and now I was, and that was disheartening. Okay. Um, were you surprised with the chief's moves at offensive line? In particular, the bears. Well, the Tooney one, you know, the Tooney story is kind of funny, right? Cause was it that Tooney was so good at tackle or

they were so desperate to not play the other guys? Um, you know, but then I don't even think Tooney was good at tackle. Uh, I thought he was solid. I think he was what they needed at the time. I think he's obviously a better guard. Made a lot of hay there. I think he's what, 30, 31 years old? So he's still serviceable.

He's still battle. He's all pro. And then, you know, the Bears desperately need talent on the offensive line. I think Ryan Pohl's did a horrible job of signing that one guard. I think it was Nate Davis, gave him $30 million and he was an absolute dumpster fire. And I think after watching Ryan, excuse me,

Kayla Williams last year, they needed to protect the young man. He was gonna be chucking and ducking this year and they couldn't have that. So, and they got Jonah Williams too, which I'm really happy about. So yeah, I think the Bears did a great job thus far of filling some holes in the office lawn

so the young fella can come. I'm putting you on the spot here again. I didn't mean to do this to you all day. No, it's fine. Drew Dahlman at center, is that, is that, hey, this is terrific? Or why was he available at 26 years old? I think the question is why was he available? I think that's what I think about it. Like what a guy who's 26 years old? I think the question is why was he available?

I think that's what I think about it. Like a guy who's 26 years old with that amount of experience underneath his belt felt like he would have been locked up right away and he wasn't. So that's the first question that comes in my mind. Okay, the Kansas City thing though, back to it, is just the Jaylen Moore story that you're gonna spend that much on a tackle that was a backup.

Yeah, but he was healthy for the most part, right? And I think he just had to love, I think that was pretty much it. I think it's hard right now to find quality office linemen who don't have that red flag next to the name, meaning injuries, right? You know, like I think about Morgan Moses going to the Patriots. No, Morgan Moses is a, like I think about Morgan Moses going to the Patriots.

No, Morgan Moses is a warrior. I mean, he's dealt with a knee fracture, dealt with enough injuries, but had to play through them. But he just, I think he got like 11 million or eight million to go to the Pats. And some people are saying like, that necessarily doesn't help us because if he's only able to play five games,

that doesn't lock up our office of line. So I think if you're a healthy office alignment right now who has enough starts underneath your belt, you're gonna get paid. And we saw that across the league. Yeah, you're absolutely right. I think that might be the lesson in all of this is that it's not even the escalating cap space.

Then when you start to factor in the essentially like your cap space credits that you get that you can roll over, which I feel like no one ever talks about. So even if the cap is in the high 200 millions, there's teams north of $300 million as far as not cap space, but their cap number.

And then it just turns into like, Hey, who's available out there at offensive line. And we've been talking about this for years and just that college football is not supplying the NFL with enough offensive linemen. I don't been talking about this for years and just that college football is not supplying the NFL with enough offensive linemen. I don't know if that just becomes a generational thing. Like you would even suggest as something like

they're running into the Steelers guys, be like, hey, it's different there, it's different there. Maybe it is specifically very different. So I'm not gonna tell you, I'm not gonna argue with you about the team that we play for with guys that are still like in the mix. But I also think that there's a very cyclical thing of once people are replaced and as things evolve,

it's like, oh man, it's not the way it used to be, it's not the way it used to be. But specific to offensive linemen, and I think you're right, when you look at some of these numbers on some of these guys and whether or not it's people you trust that are watching the film or looking at some of the grades on this stuff,

it's like, I can't believe like the Packers spent this much on this guy, like all these different signings, is it? Where did Kappa go? I think how much Kappa got paid too. I think he's a solid guard. Alex Kappa from Out of the Bengals. I forgot where he went, but he's a guy who I thought

was good, but he was, you know. Raiders. Raiders, right. That was a much lower deal. But I remember him with Tampa. Yeah. And I thought he was a beast. I thought he was a dog too.

Yeah. Like I remember him far more with them than I do Cincinnati. But is there, you know, the guys that you talked to, is that divide happening? Is that position being diminished as far as NFL ready guys in a way where receivers can line up, corners can just go, defensive ends just go. The skill that is needed, the development that is needed, is so thin that that's why

we're seeing what's happening with the market with that position. Well, I think right now, listen, I think from the neck up, a lot of these guys aren't being taught that they're going to be able to do that. is so thin that that's why we're seeing what's happening with the market with that position. Well, I think right now, listen, I think from the neck up, a lot of these guys aren't being taught the fundamental, I guess, I guess the foundation of what it takes to be in office alignment. Like I was extremely fortunate to have office alignment coach Damian Rebluski, who not only taught me the mechanics

of being in office alignment, but also was able to sit me down and teach me football, right? And then but also was able to sit me down and teach me football. And then once I was able to get into the league, I was fortunate enough to sit in the room with Alan Fannigan and Jeff Hardings and understand how they looked at defenses through their lens, understanding shells and rotations and all that stuff. I think through this time,

a lot of these office line coaches have kind of pretty much dumbed down the offense and listen, this is what you do. This is all you need to know. Instead of, instead of seeing the big picture. So I think about time these guys get to the league and compared to especially where they come from, I think once they get in there, man, a lot of these guys are pretty much starting over from the neck up as far as learning the game and how to play the game from an office

alarm perspective. And I think that that hurts guys. And I think, yeah, you can be big, fast and strong, but there's still a lot to the game. You have to understand. So for you to be effective, especially depending on the scheme, you just, you know, you get drafted into. And, you know, a lot of guys, you know, just a different game. A lot of these guys are playing more than a two point stands.

You don't see a lot of guys getting into three point stands anymore. I think leverage, handwork, eye, you know, being able to be, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, you know, just a different game. A lot of these guys are playing more than two point stands. You don't see a lot of guys getting into three point stands anymore. I think leverage, handwork, being able to be, you know, eye disciplined where you put your hands and how to see things on the field. All those things matter.

So how you're taught in college and how you transition into the league matters. And I think that's why you see good office line men like Tristan Worse and a lot of those guys you can tell they were taught Right, not just from a mechanical standpoint, but from the neck up they were they were they were taught the game the right way That's why they able to succeed is penny school your favorite offensive lineman right now. He makes Dan He makes it sexy, you know, if I'm a fat chunky kid who wants to be a running back Put on a school tape and you got a hybrid. The fact that they hand that man the ball, the fact that he is allowed to run their out and still, you know, get a rep and a tight end,

if you will, and then go back to office line and play tackle. I think, yeah, I'm a fan of him because he seems like a hybrid office lineman. I love him. I think he's made the position way more sexier than I think I've ever imagined. And, you know, if I have, you know, my son, my son, my son grows up to be office alignment. I'm like, there's, there's a chance you get the ball in the game, son. So stay ready. Which is, which was never said during my time ever. The only time an office alignment got the damn ball, if you were like on your way out the door in retirement and they just wanted to give one to the gipper, like, you know, Hey man, you're about to retire next year. Let's

do something fun with you. That's no longer an option. You're actually a threat within the offense and we're seeing it with Penea Sewell. So I, I love watching him and he kicks a lot of ass. So I love, I love everything about his game. Did they ever do that for you? No, I, no, I didn't. I think the closest I ever got to the ball was against the Giants, my Super Bowl year, man. Ben got, I think it was a sack fumble, the ball rolled in front of me and I picked it up and I'm actually picking up the ball and I see green pasture in my head.

I'm about to go 60 with this thing. I'm about to take this thing to the crib and I have it in my hand and I'm running. I actually see my right guard doing that, throw a block. He actually gets the guy and it opens up even wider. And man, some dude, I don't know who he was. I got shoestring tackled to the point where my leg gets kicked up in the air and I probably averaged a yard, a half a yard. It was embarrassing.

But in my head at that time, me having the ball in my hand, I was going 60 and there was nobody gonna catch me. And I got shoestring tackled right there on the spot. Embarrassing. Didn't feel good at the moment. I got teased relentlessly about it. The NBA loves tribute videos.

Raul Neto got one from the Wizards, which I always like to try to keep track of the more surprising tribute videos. Like I love- When did that become a thing by the way? Well, it's less than 10 years, the frequency which would lead to videos where you're like, that guy's getting one.

What always shocked me was it might be a player that has some cache, but he mother fucked everybody in the building, hated it, wanted his way out, and you're like, here's a tribute video. And so I don't know if the PR people are just really nice. I don't know if it's a front office thing where everything's about positivity and appreciation. Because some, cause some of these NBA guys specifically in the NBA, cause if you're number one guy, it goes wrong.

It's a nightmare. So there's teams that just straight up told me stuff. Like we just absolutely kiss this guy's ass. The point is, I think a lot of it is just, even if we don't think we should give this guy a tribute video, let's make sure that we do it so that we can't be criticized for not doing it. It's just that I believe the standard has like nose dived of this guy's getting a video. Did you get a video when you went back to Pittsburgh?

No, no, no. When I went back was for the 10th anniversary of Super Bowl, and I was lined up with the rest of my teammates and they kind of call your name step forward, you give a way, give a wave to the crowd and kind of step back. I personally didn't get one. I think my only tribute I get at times is me either, you know, getting in a fight on the field with somebody say,

Hey, I remember that game in Baltimore or, you know, I'll play off runs at, you know, different games, associate our game against San Diego. I think we did well as office line, but, uh, yeah, I didn't, I personally did not get a tribute video. I'm looking it up now. You never played at Pittsburgh when you were with the jets, were you? No, we played, uh, I played, no, it's still just came to me. Yep. So that's why you didn't get the video. You didn't get to go to Heinz.

So we can't, we can't say that it's. I love you for the thought, but I'm pretty sure they ain't looking for me. I thank you. It warms my heart that you think of me in that light. I'm pretty sure the Steelers would have not, they wouldn't even acknowledge my presence. So I don't even think the Steelers do that, honestly. It doesn't feel like a Steelers thing. And it doesn't really feel like an NFL thing, unless you're the quarterback, you know, or maybe you're gonna be Randy Moss or something like that. Yeah, cause I remember when I was on the Steelers,

I remember when we played against Chris Hope. And he was at the time with the Titans and he was a part of that 2005 Super Bowl team. He got nothing. Lawrence Timmons when he was with the Dolphins got nothing. Joey Porter when he transitioned to the Dolphins got nothing. So those are all those were all significant pieces of part of our team and they had nothing.

So I doubt Willie Colon was ever on the list of getting anything. Did they even, did you ever pull when you were playing tackle? Yeah, I pulled all the time. We, I forgot the name. We had a, it was like, I was on the right side. So we was like 35 chief. And that's when I pulled, it was a tackle pull.

Yeah. So, all right. So there's something for your son. But I had the ball in my hand. I was going to, I was going to find work. It's different. It's different when you get the ball in the hand. I always pulled.

I always had pulled. I always had plays where I was able to pull. But there was nothing where Peney Sewell, he's coming around to Ben and he's getting the ball, they're handing him the ball to go get yards. That's a dream. I would have loved, especially the genesis of my career, I played in the triple option. I was the fullback, right? I was a 250, 250, excuse me, 250 pound fullback

as a freshman in high school. And I was averaging like four yards a clip and all I was doing was running dives. I loved it. I guess I think of the Penne Sule pull as just a different level of pulling. And so like where you're able- It makes you look sexy.

The amount of ground that he covers as quick as he's out. Like when you look at it and you were like, he's already outside. Like, are you kidding me? And so I think there's certain guys that they're just never gonna ask. And I'm glad to know that you're one of the guys that was asked to do that though.

But you're saying at right tackle, you were pulling not at right guard. I was pulling at every position I was throwing it. I was pulling that tackle on that guard. I was I was a guy especially on trap plays and counters and all that stuff. Yeah, I was I was coming around to it's coming in there. I miss Lawrence Timmons. I used to think he was a beast.

He was a dog man, especially young Lawrence Timmons was viciously good. How fast he was. Well, he was a receiver in high school and then he converted to a linebacker when he got to Florida State and then he watched it and then he was a prick too, which was wow. Like me and LT were getting in fights in training camp all the time and I loved him. But he was just one of those, I don't know, you ever play with somebody who's like really athletic, but just a numbskull, right?

You just can't explain it. Like he just, he's really good, but just has like this prick mentality. He was like that, cause he would, he would like blitz and he would try to like ear hole you. But like in practice, you know, like, like LT, why are you trying to ear hole me in practice? Like we're on the same team and I get it.

Like I would do dirty things to my teammates at times. But this is like Thursday, right? I'm trying to get ready for Sunday. I don't need a concussion before Sunday. And you know, we got the Titans or the Ravens, but he was that type of guy, man. And then if he ever got you, he would kind of look back at you and laugh.

Like this little sneaky little third grade giggle he would give you. And I'm like, I'm about to fight you. Like, because now you piss me off. And I know you and I'm like I'm about to fight you like because now It's you piss me off and I know you know better You've been here long enough to know not you shouldn't eat a whole your teammates, but he was he was good, man I remember our game against the Chargers They and this is when the Damien was there

No Damien's I think was a Jets whoever it was I think I would could have been the Chargers anyway, the Damien was out in a flat man and Damien was wide open and LT's on damn there on the other side of the ball on that side of the field and he he I mean he shot out his shoes and made a tackle one-on-one with Lauren with LT with Damien Thompson and I was like damn this guy's damn good like he was just he was just a He was a damn good linebacker man. He was tough He played his ass off. So I was I was always a fan of his He looked good linebacker, man. He was tough and he played his ass off. So I was always a fan of his.

He looked great in a uniform, man. He looked like somebody that should be back there patrolling stuff. There's just so many Steelers over the years. You're like, that guy looks awesome. I mean, it just, it seems like a factory on that side. Brian, Mike Tomlin would, before, I think it was either before we started training camp, we kind of go through this, like this montage of guys who were putting into work during the off season.

And I remember this one picture of LT with those, you know, those macho man Randy Savage glasses, they're like the reflectors, and in no shirt off, and like these tights, and these tights on, in sand doing farmer carries. And he was like, I'm not gonna do that, I'm not gonna do that. And he was like, Mantra man Randy Savage glasses, they like the reflectors and in no shirt off and like these tights

and these tights on and Sam doing farmer carries. And he looks like shredded. And he goes, if you're not putting in this type of work, then this is a picture of success. If you're not putting in this type of work, we don't want you in the building. And I remember saying to myself, I know I was putting in work and I still can't look like that guy. Like, yeah, I know I was putting in work

and I still can't look like that guy. Like, yeah, I know I was doing my job. I know I was doing my part. I mean, he looked like, he looked like, he was, he was, he looked like a Greek god. It was intense. Yeah. I think the other part too, is I loved him at Florida State too. And he looked so nasty in that uniform.

Yeah. And you know what his middle name is, right? I don't know. Elijah Wan. Was it? Yeah. Damn, how do you know that? I just looked it up.

I was trying to figure out how, I got stuck in this Trey Hendrickson thing, which was the whole point of what I wanted to close. So his initials is lot? L-O-T, baby. I don't even know what that means. I wish I knew that when I was in the locker room with him. I think he's got a lot of potentials in his lot. LOT baby. Even though I was in the locker room with him. Yeah, I think somebody must have just been a huge. I imagine I don't know.

Maybe there's like yeah, my dad was a huge Rockets fan. Let's close on this. The Trey Hendrickson market has been described as lunacy, crazy, absurd that teams want to pay Trey Hendrickson because I think he's outside of that top tier of the edge guys that we constantly talk about. But sometimes I wonder if that's gonna-

Are you out of the top tier? Yeah, I don't know. I think that's completely unfair though. I think like Micah at his best, Miles at his best. I think there'd be more people that would go, look, I'd still rather have Miles Garrett over that. But Trey was so good this past year, then it's not like he's lined up

with a bunch of other all pros. It feels like a lot of times he's doing it on his own. Although one of their tackles I like. Sam Hubbard did a good job. I liked Hubbard. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I thought he was good. Yeah, you're right, he was good. It's not the Philly D-line, I think, he was, I thought he was good. At least. Yeah, you're right. He was good.

It's not the Philly D line, I think is maybe the point that I was making. And now I've done a bad job of the point, but the whole thing is that sure, teams would pay him, right? He's 30, he's a stud. It doesn't look like he's slowing down anytime soon. I'm just surprised.

Maybe it's just the Cincinnati history and wanting to pay people. So I shouldn't be surprised by this, but okay, you've now shown him that he can make the money he wants to make somewhere else, but you clearly aren't interested in getting rid of somebody that's this good. I don't understand the strategy is the point.

Well, I think a lot of reports that trade demand is ridiculous. I think the bank has really done a bad a lot of reports that trade demand is ridiculous. I think the bangers really done a bad job of really, you know, realizing that one, he wants to get paid to, he's been trying to get paid for some time. This isn't the first time he's kind of knocked on the door. And three, he's all they have. Like, I don't know. I mean, Jermaine, that's Hubbard's retired, Jermaine Pratt is gone. I think Von Bell is gone. They don't have a defense. He is the defense. I don't understand how you don't make it work with him,

especially because I think they were three and eight in one score games, right? They need help defensively, and he's the only bright spot. I understand wanting to pay Jamar Chase and T. Higgins, but right now you don't have a defense. You need something. You can score all the points in the world, but right now you don't have a defense. You need something. You can score all the points in the world, but if you can't stop anybody, you're pretty much going to repeat what happened to you this year.

I understand Joe Burrow is a damn good quarterback. Understand what Jamar Chase can do. But I also understand that Jamar Chase was extremely efficient because they had a damn good number two in T Higgins. So I understand what you want to do offensively, but you got to figure it out defensively and let it go Hendricks. I don't know how you make sense of that. Like you need him on your defense. So and like to your point he hasn't slowed down. Like even I remember Hendricks when he was with the Saints. He was a dog dead and he's only continued to be a dog. So it's

definitely a head scratcher. Good stuff Willie. It's always continued to be a dog. So it's definitely a head scratcher. Good stuff, Willie. It's always great to catch up. Enjoy the Biggie's tournament this weekend. Yes, let's go Johnny's. Let's go Johnny's, who as of taping this right now, we're up 18-3 on Butler. Oh, thanks. And it's gonna air later,

but we'll keep people updated on the St. John scores throughout the rest of this podcast as that game is tipped. You're the best, buddy. Talk to you soon. Thank you, brother. Appreciate you. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. State Farm helps you score an affordable price when you choose to bundle home and auto insurance

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I drive a Ferrari. 355 Cabriolet. What's up? I have a Ferrari. 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.

Life advice, life advice email address, life advice, rr at gmail.com. We told you we'd update the Johnnys throughout, still up on Butler, number one Johnny's fan. Kyle, sorry, I tried as hard as I could to try to move this around. But it sounds like your day is doomed anyway. Yeah. But hey, this was a good game to be busy for.

It's 21-7, Rick's given him the business, so all's well that ends well. Ryan really did try. Cause yesterday he's like, can we, could we avoid taping during that nine o'clock? I'm like, trust me, Kyle's already got one taping and then he's doing bill at 10. So it doesn't really matter, but it's all good.

But he did try. Yeah. Seriously. Yeah. I would like to not do the show today. So I could watch the Johnny's, but I think it's a little harder for me. That would have been great if I just said, hey, I don't ask for a ton of time off,

but let's do this on Thursdays. I should just do that one day. Yeah. Maybe not. How about I don't? How about I don't? Especially if it turns out to be a dud, that would have been just a bad look.

Yeah. Which is looking like it might be. What if it were the Biggie's final and it was just whatever my schedule was, it just, well, you know what I would do is I would go, hey, I'm not taping at five o'clock at tip off and we're just gonna tape another time. So I wouldn't ever miss a show,

but it would be funny if you just like getting older and just over it in life or all your money's secure and just go, hey, I'm taking Thursday off. And they're like, what's he doing? Imagine Bill talking to Saruti going, what is he doing? He'd be like, ah, I don't know. It's a nine AM tip against Butler. It's the first biggie.

He's like, he's missing a show because of that. Be like, I don't know. He's getting real comfortable down in Manhattan Beach. It does make me reminisce about the days though in like high school when you skip school for the tournament. Man, to be young, good times. Did you ever, I think I did it one time. Like I, you know, during college football every now and then I would get sick and I might, maybe I used to sick days the entire time I was at ESPN. I think I remember specifically like there was, there was a day I was legitimately sick.

Um, there was another time I got sick when I was in Louisiana, which no one believed. And I had to go and get like a shot at a urgent care place. I was just done. It was the kind of thing I was eating dinner, Ruffino's the night before we were supposed to do something and it was just an inhale and I immediately felt something in my throat where I went phrasing. I just was like, this is, I go, I am sick. I am immediately sick. It also happened to me on a flight to Dublin once, but I just inhaled and went, uh-oh, I'm sick now. And I know there was one day, there's probably some stuff, like some family stuff going on, but I just woke up one day.

It was like, I'm fucking over it right now today. Like I'm not coming in. I think it's the only time I've ever done something like that. And it was the most incredible freeing feeling. Just, it was power, you know, and it wasn't like a tendency. So nobody was ever going to be like, what the hell happened? Like, I just woke up. I go, I need a fucking day.

I went to the movies. Wow. Yeah. How old were you? I don't know, like 40. Nice. Good for you. It was, and I felt guilty later that day. I felt pretty guilty about it, but I just,

it was just at a moment where I woke up, I go, I don't wanna talk about any of these fucking guys today. An existential moment. You're like, what am I even doing? Yeah, like, oh, this guy's good, this guy isn't. And we're gonna be back tomorrow to talk whether or not this guy's good or this guy isn't. And we're gonna be back tomorrow to talk whether or not this guy's good or this guy isn't. Check us out at One Eastern.

Every once in a while I'll have like, not an out of body experience, but something like that, especially like sometimes with college stuff, it's like, I mean, they're good, but they're not great. And those guys are bad. And I was just like, you know, if you like dull it down too much and don't like refine it, what you're actually listening

to, you're like, what the fuck is this? Um, but you know, it was, it had way more to do now that I'm remembering everything, it was like on the phone, you know, like everybody deals with stuff in their life and it was on the phone, you know, kind of a family thing. And then I was like up all night and I just go like, I'm, you know, that was, I was pretty tapped out. And then I woke up routine shower and then went, Nope, not today buddy. Wait, you saw a movie? Yeah. When you never do it.

What did you go see? I want to, do you remember what movie you saw? I think it was the dumb and dumber. I wish it was better than that, but solo dumb and dumber. Wow. And West Hartford, there's like three a plus jokes in that, in that one, I think. Right. There was, yeah, I think they're all in the trailer. Wait, so dumb and dumber was the fake sequel. So Dumb and Dumber 2, right? I was only aware of two of them,

but maybe am I missing one of them? Yeah, they misspelled two and that came out in, yeah. So I nailed it. It was 2014. Damn. So Ray Nechie may go back through my work log right now. Like you weren't. Raise us to HR.

You weren't sick that day. Yeah, I think when you don't do it all the time it's really powerful feeling. So we're giving you life advice before we even get started here. All right, let's get to a couple emails that we will now read. We had some feedback on the Target shirts.

People were very, very unhappy with giving. Good fellows. Good bridge. I couldn't remember the name. They were gonna give me shit again. I'm like, man, I just don't have enough. Oh, no, no, no. You were shit free on like last episode. Yeah, yeah.

Sup dudes, NBA comp cooler than Reggie Miller, but way less cooler than Michael Jordan. Okay. Just want to apologize to Beachfront Rosillo for being such a broke boy and getting some of my clothes from Target. Don't hate fellas, as someone in their mid thirties who has a decent enough style,

they get some affordable, nice looking clothes or casual wear and work. Some of those regular folks go there for more than a pack of undershirts. Context, I'm a vice principal, my wife works at education, we do decent enough, make about 175K a year, we just had our second kid. Sruti, I would say prepare for the initial,

holy shit, this is hard phase for about one to two months until you get in your groove. As a result, paying two daycares has tightened up the budget so I'll often shop at Target if in need of some casualties, dress pants or athletic wear. I can tell you it'd be a tough conversation with my wife if I grabbed a $50 Legend shirt and showed her Rosillo's modeling photo and said,

but this podcaster has his own line. All right, this guy's, I'm writing the crosshairs. Anyway, it's all in good fun. I know you've worked your ass off to have a nice life, so no offense taken if you want to flex here and there. Just don't sleep on fashion by Target. So I guess- I like their plain long sleeves, not bad.

For the record, I do have some, like, the Goodfellow brand Target shirts and they are good. That's what he recommended. He said Goodfellas is great. Oh, mesh shorts. Yeah. So I bought that when I went there, I bought like a pack of white tees and

then some of these like thicker Goodfellow white tees that are actually really dope. And then these mesh shorts, I like a mesh short for some reason. I love a mesh short. Speaking of legends, they, they, I have one pair of legends ones, but, you know, I wish that there was more color variety. I like a mesh short for some reason. I love a lot of legends. They they I have one pair of legends ones But you know, I wish that there was more color variety I only have the black but they have some pretty good ones at Target if you're looking for that kind of thing So what's up? I'll tell you why that just remind me I've given sorority next to zero legends items Have I ever done anything for you?

They get you the rest of the thing. So I Do have legends gear I bought some some stuff before I even knew that you were involved too. And then you were like, oh yeah, this is the brand that I deal with. I was like, oh cool, I got an Instagram ad. But yeah, like if you're looking for, you know. Yeah, that gets me too. They look great. You know, if you could send us a promo code, Ryan, even that would be cool.

I mean, I've got like three pairs of shorts. Even a promo code would be sick. You know what I can do is I can, I can get you guys, I'll get you guys some gear sent out to you. Cause I think I realized as you were talking about it, yeah, look, I deserve shit for that. I originally thought Euro Saruti though, it surprised me a little bit.

Like I feel like he might be a little bit more of a rag and bone Vince guy if you were grabbing shirts. I didn't realize that they were undershirts, but you know, I don't think you're a Tommy Bahama guy. I'm not. Yeah, I don't see that. Kyle? Yeah, I got the Tommy right there.

Kyle's got it on. Tommy V back in the cut. Love it. So yeah, I thought it was more like a designer shirt thing and knowing you the way I did it surprised me. The undershirt thing made a little bit more, but you know what, I deserve getting heat for that. Whether or not my assumptions were

that Saruti had a floor, and that's irrelevant in the grander scheme of things that yeah, I was wrong to say that and to question you on that. I thought it was gonna be a decent enough joke and people were not happy about it. Yeah. Totally fine.

People on target. Yeah, you gotta stay off target. I still think the graphic tees are garbage at Target though. I would agree. I think no logo, if you're going no logo, it's totally passable, but the, you know. I got a guy I wore all winter now that I'm thinking about it. It's like a zip up gray, like fleece deal more every day, every single day.

It's really cashing in on the public points right now. That's great. How much? Uh, I promise I'm not farming for this, but I really don't care, but I do. Yeah. It's a, you know, I got, I got a couple of numbers from there, you know, not afraid to admit it. All right.

So I had to go to it, you know, we're a little behind here, but I promise I'll try to stay on Kyle St. John's schedule. Can we get an update on that score by the way? They cut the lead to 10, but like 31, 21. All right. All right, so there's a men's wicked official logo T-shirt that's on sale was regulated between 29.99 and 35.99. Now it's 18.99 $29.99 and $35.99. Now it's $18.99 to $19.99. Men's frog and toad

fishing short sleeve light blue. It's a couple toads in a boat fishing. One is reading and it says, today I will take life easy. So I don't know, Kyle, if they have a double X, let me double check. They do in stock. And you can pick it up. I bet they have all of those left. I could have that shirt in six hours, it says. Yeah. Hell yeah.

There's a deep gravity one. Oh, here's a Fleetwood Mac one. It's not deep gravity. It's the phi gravity, but I wouldn't expect you to know. You would know. know well come on I like your wife doesn't I mean we listen to the music every once in a while it's a pretty famous song to find oh I see defy yeah yeah yeah that's the we're still talking wicked yeah gravity at T.J. Maxx it is a well no that's a that's a target number this Mickey Mouse hoodie actually looks

kind of dope this crew I mean, I still can't ever get this guy Mekinos You just had this Mickey Mouse t-shirt and you look like the coolest motherfucker Europeans love Mickey Mouse gear as adults It's very I've noticed that tight. They do. Yeah, very tight You know what I really miss is like the old man. All right, the old Navy USA shirts They just like they those dogs on it or like a truck. Well, yeah, sometimes it was just a flag. Sometimes it was just a flag.

Yeah, I can see it, but like a lot of the gray, like Heather gray or whatever. I just, they moved away from that. And you know, I was back home in July last year and I went to old Navy and I was really disappointed, but they did, they had a lot of cool, just speaking about guys looking cool in shirts. I thought the old Navy America shirts were, really pulled it off for a lot of cool, just speaking about guys looking cool in shirts, I thought the old Navy America shirts were really pulled it off for a lot of dudes.

If you could send something to the chat, I'd love to check that out right now because I'm just locked up, I'm adding stuff to my bag. I remember, I don't know, when the law was, well, the law was passed that if you were a male wearing a button down, you had to wear the white undershirt. It was behind you into the early 2000s. And then I think Bush overturned it.

I don't know, I forget. I don't want to get political. It was overturned. So now if you wear the white t-shirt underneath the dress shirt, it's like automatic asshole alert, I guess. So back in the day when the law was still in place, I was Mr. TJ Maxx.

I mean, maybe I could afford Marshalls, but I love grabbing three packs of, I always felt like it was Kenneth Cole. And he'd be like, hey, these are nice. These are really, I could just wear this. Stay flat collar. Yeah. Yeah. So a three pack of those, this is kind of looked right underneath my Ike Bahars. Let's, all right. Nobody likes an Ike Bahar joke more than Van Pelt. Let's, all right. Nobody likes an Ike Bajard joke more than Van Pelt. Love it, Outta Rotation shirt Wednesday, bring it back. I know, those things are so fucking Outta Rotation

we couldn't even give them away. Poor Smallman was trying to sell them for me on Poshmark. She was so excited. She was so excited and I was like, look, I'm gonna take care of you. Oh man. Like your cut's gonna be huge on this, but this is amazing because I just don't want to donate all of these.

And then we should have really just given them away to listeners as being worn in rotation. Like this is a Rassilio. Boot cut, Rassilio jeans. That are like back in style now. That's what I should have done because it would have been really funny over the years to have dudes just post pictures

and be like, I'm wearing a Rossello Oh seven. Like this is banana Republic monogram. Like he must've fucking thought he was the man when he left the mall with this one Burlington mall after a Celtic shift. So like, you know what? I'm going to treat myself. You know, I'm not just getting a banana Republic. I'm getting a fucking monogram.

This is the worst life advice we've ever known. We haven't even read one yet. No. We should have small men on. By the way, you know what? We should just have small men on. Storytime. And do life advice with us.

We can storytime and then pretend we're going to read an email. Totally agree. How do we never think of that? That's actually insulting. She's busy. Yeah, but we apologized to her on behalf of not coming up. She should just stop by. All right. Okay. It's what I, so we apologize. Yeah, but we apologized to her on behalf of not coming. She should just stop by. All right, okay.

Is what I'm doing considered stealing? I guess if you're getting shirts from Target, you are, because they're awesome and they're low price. Fellas, five, 10, two, 30, Claire comp, Draymond Green, undersized big man that doesn't like to shoot, tries to play make, prides himself on the defensive end, no gym stats to share since I don't max out, more of a three times 12 guy.

All right, cool. My wife and I live in a big but walkable city. I go to a nice gym. It's a 10 minute walk from our house. Up until recently, I was able to go about four times a week right after work. However, this routine all changed as my wife and I welcomed our baby boy into the world a few months ago.

Congratulations on behalf of all of us. Since having our son, the number of visits to the gym has dipped to a measly two times a week. Interjection here, you're still going. Look in the mirror, be happy you're still going. I'm proud of you. I don't even know you. I just met you a couple of sentences ago. And since I try to maximize the time I get to spend with my son after work, I now only go later at night around 9 PM once my son has gone to bed. I've also stopped walking and now slowly drive to the gym since I wanna save all my energy for my workouts. My gym validates parking, $5 for three hours,

and since I only go two times a week, I figure $10 a week shouldn't break the bank. Here lies the dilemma. Two weeks ago, as I was leaving the gym parking lot, the car in front of me clicked the ask for assistance button at the gate kiosk. This normally rings a couple times before a gate agent answers on the kiosk speaker,

but since this was late at night, after one minute of ringing, the gate just magically opened without the car in front of me having to pay. Being inquisitive myself, I immediately tried it as well. And after one minute of ringing, the same thing happened, and I drove away without having to pay.

Since the first instance, I've done this three additional times without paying. During today's gym session, I noticed that management has now put up a poster that says, failure of pay may result in prosecution. Sounds like they got a broken gate. Yeah. Jigsaw. Yeah. Yeah. The sign should say, we're going to try to scare you, but our gate's broken. This scared me enough to pay this time around. Oh, fear of work here, especially since there are cameras near the exit. What would you recommend I do? Should I be honest and pay back the $20 I technically owe them?

Do I just pay going forward and look fondly on those two and a half weeks of free parking? Do I continue to hack until they fix it and or send me to jail? There's an immediate no there, Kyle, on the payback concept, the payback option, I should say. Just the concept of paying for parking at a place that you're going to, that you already pay to go to or even work at if it's one of those places, that's just ridiculous.

So, I mean, that's just one of those systems that's like a predatory system. So if you, like those two weeks, like those are your glory days. I can't honestly say if I wouldn't just keep trying to like, oh, really, are we gonna, like, you're gonna send me clips attached to an email with my termination of my gym membership? Like what, how does this work?

But you know, if you would, wow, if you don't wanna rock the boat, maybe just, sorry, I'm overstimulating Johnny's clearance. It's a one, it's a single digit lead over here, I'm sorry. But if you don't wanna rock the boat, I guess maybe you're done. Maybe you could talk to some other guys at the gym and be like, dude, if you push the button it opens and see what happens to them. But I definitely wouldn't feel bad. You found a hole in a rotten system for a couple weeks, you're not paying that money

back. Keep that 20 in your wallet, like it's the first dollar you ever made or something. But yeah, I'd like to find a way to test the limits to see if that's just like Ryan said, that's just scaring you. That's like saying we've got cameras rolling and we don't. But I guess we wanna be adult,

maybe just look fondly on those two weeks. You definitely shouldn't pay it back. That's already a win for you definitely shouldn't pay it back. Like that's already a win for you. Do not pay it back. Like the tribunal is telling you. Yeah, that's insane. I just don't feel like this is worth like what like what I don't who knows I could you actually get arrested for this like is it really worth like, you know, getting this

like little one over on the gym for the parking situation to like have an actual consequence be in your future. If it's not that big of a deal, I'd probably stop clearly like there, it might just be a scare tactic, but like, why, why would you press your luck in that way? You know, like if they actually have like a, maybe undercover cop hanging around looking for people doing this and you're the guy that gets screwed. I'm just saying like, who knows? Like you never know. And you're the one guy that gets screwed. Like, that's just, it's probably not worth it,

in my opinion. Well, this is a very age-related answer for me, because there was a stage where there's nothing, there's no entity in the world I hate more than anyone affiliated with parking. Whether you ran a garage, worked at it, gave out tickets, the city, boots, towing, signs, I hated all of you.

I fucking hated you because I lived in Boston and I bought an apartment that was supposedly had parking because it was like a non-starter. It was a non-starter. Not look at anything. Unless you're a licensed. Right. And then the realtor kind of fucked it up. The guy who was the listing agent and the seller lied.

And then all of a sudden I was living on ComApp without parking. And especially once I was commuting back and forth to ESPN, like there's not a ton of spots at 4 a.m. Rolling in after this all night shift. So my war, like it's a racist would be like, oh, the Northern section of that country. Like I have nothing to do with them. That's how I felt about people with parking. So if I had access to this hack, you could write,

you could mail me letters, you could sign. I'm not doing shit. I'm hitting that buzzer and I'm leaving for free. I don't care that because it was like an ethics thing with me that I was so down in the parking game financially over the years where you would just go. I don't care. There's nothing I can do to even get back to even.

But if I have access to something that, that balances the ledger a bit more in my favor, I would just keep hitting that button forever. And then when somebody caught me, I would just be like, why do what? What? I pushed the distance. What the hell?

Not riding a guy's bumper out of here. No, no, I brought it in before. And you know, you're right. Yeah. Younger, this is an age thing because younger me like I you know how many parking tickets I had unpaid in West Hartford when I was living there I was like yeah he's not matters was this like a coupon I don't really care did they no I don't think I ever did pay it

Wow I love you know what though I change your name what the hell yeah I don't understand there's a long story of why I actually didn't get charged these that I don't want to share on the podcast. Okay. But I could share off air, but yeah, but older me is like, I don't know. Like what's the, like why? Yeah, it's shit to lose guy.

That's why I do most of the things I do now. It's also $5, okay? It's also $5. Right, but think about this. How many dollars a day is it to go to a gym for a month? Like how many, like that's more, it's more at a park there than it is to go to the gym. If you went every day, if you just like,

if you broke it down, I mean, I know the guy's saying it's 10 bucks a week, but you know, still. The fact that he's even presenting, should I go back and pay it, tells me this guy's a very good guy. He's not gonna, yeah. He might even be like on the line of like,

I don't, you might be like annoyingly concerned with some things if you've even suggested us. Cause I don't know that there's anybody that's gonna be like, I don't, you might be like annoyingly concerned with some things if you've even suggested us. Cause I don't know that there's anybody that's gonna be like, hey, you get it. Like, will there be an email from somebody to be like, I actually manage a parking garage and considering our overhead, electricity, and security, and all of these different things.

Please read that email if it comes up. There's always one and it might be fake. So maybe I won't even read it now cause they've given you the idea. But this is something where there's, as divided as we can be on certain topics. I have a hard time believing there's many people on the other side of like do the right thing

and get square with the parking garage because every one of us, almost anybody who's lived in a somewhat dense area has all of these horror stories about the park stuff. And look, I'd say a lot of them are all of our faults, but the time when it isn't, you are just filled with this absolute supreme rage. Honestly, the Burlington stuff was even worse than Boston,

not because of the options, because the Boston options were worse for me, but Burlington was a fucking free for all. It was like the Wild Wild West where these tow trucks were just allowed to just tow everybody. Even if you weren't necessarily wrong. Yeah.

If you were suspected. Yeah. You just start towing people all over the place and then they bring your car to like some other town. You're like, how is this legal? How, how are you allowed to operate and do this kind of stuff? So anyway, don't pay it back. Sounds like you should probably pay the five bucks because you have a

guilty level that maybe induces guilt a little bit more, which might be a good thing. It might just be better than a lot of other people. By the way, just checking real quick, St. John's 3726, halftime. That's the only one we're doing because of St. John's and because Kyle has to tape. And look, we were gonna do Mail It in Thursday

or Mail It in Friday and tape it today, but that's why it's called Mail in it we're just doing it next week St. John's pushing it back no we're doing it next week because everybody has all these taping things so thank you to Kyle thank you to Saruti thanks to Wargon not great today John from Creus Ryan Russell Blackpats Wargon would have had some stuff on the Wicked Compo

if we let them, but that's all right. I know, we were just on a heater. Once we started talking about small- Family owned parking garages all over the country. Yeah, I don't know, something, something. I don't, well, we'll find out Tuesday, won't we? That's a good reason to come back. Make sure you check out our YouTube page,

even though we promised something would happen this week. It'll be next week. The Ryan Russell podcast, ring our 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-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. Call 888-789-7777 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 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.