Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Just after four o'clock.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Welcome back the conversations we get into in the break
Dave Logan, Ryan Edwards and Nick Ferguson in studio. We're
on till six o'clock to night five six six nine
zeros are kwait? Common spirital text line. I want to
finish us off this conversation we were having just before
the break about the the collusion case, the details that
came out last week that Russell Wilson and his agent
(00:23):
were looking for a seven year, three hundred and fifty
million dollar, fully guaranteed contract from the Broncos when he
was traded here. Of course he got here, the Broncos
ultimately decided not to give him that deal, which is,
can you wait for a second, can you imagine if
the Broncos had gone forward and bringing in Sean Payton. Okay,
you play out the rest of this thing, and Sean
gets here and it says, I can't work with this guy,
(00:46):
and you have him on the books for seven years,
three hundred and fifty million that hasn't even kicked in yet.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
You make you work. You have no choice.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Yeah, at that point, at that point, does Broncos ownership
tell Sean Payton.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
I'm sorry, No, there would have been another head coach.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Okay, right, because of its three fifty Because they already
took the biggest deadcap hit in the history of the NFL,
and they had the over ninety million in dead cap
just last year, but it was eighty five total between
the two years that they split it. You'd had three
hundred and fifty billion dead.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Part of the way that Sean Payton was enticed, aside
from a bag full of money and I think wanting
to get back into the game and viewing this franchise
in its proper place, was a guarantee that Sean Payton
was not locked into keeping Russell Wilson if he came
(01:50):
to the conclusion that that was not the best.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Thing to do for the team. So here we said, so,
it would have been a different coach. So if you just, hey,
by the way, I want you to coach.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Here's a five year, one hundred million whatever, what of
the deal, and oh, one last thing, we're locked in
to Russell for the next five years, you'd had a
much younger coach, somebody that I think would have been
a first time head coach.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
And I have no idea who that would have been.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Well, I'm thinking if we were to rewind here, then
I'm thinking maybe Dan Quinn is not a Broncos head coach,
not Sean Payne, because think about how he even got
to Sean Payton becoming It was Harbaugh, it was Dan Quinn,
it was the Miko Ryans right, and then when that
fell apart, Dan is like you had to go to
Sean Payne and he was able to write his own check, like, hey,
(02:42):
this is what I want. I want the money and
I want for the autonomy. When when he comes to
certain things relative to the.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Team and we're thrilled with the direction. I didn't think
all Broncos friends are thrilled it. But I saw this
break last week. I was like, God, can you imagine
for a second the fallout? Because you're right, Day's right.
You just would have gone in a different direction because
you would have told Sean upfront, we are not taking
We're not taking a bath.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Yeah, Harball, I think Nick, you're right. I think I
think Harball for sure. I don't I don't think Quinn,
I don't think. I don't think that's true, but Harball
for sure. But if you were if the Broncos were
to do, then that was a situation. Given Russell a
fully guaranteed contract, Now you would make it difficult on
(03:25):
yourself from a team standpoint, because you don't make yourself
a landing spot for a great coach. You would have
to go out and get a younger coach who's looking
for an opportunity opposed to a coach who has a
lot of experience and saying, you know what, that's not
my guy.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
You're now kind of like Nathaniel Hackett, maybe.
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Exactly exactly, because why would you tie yourself to a
player who you're not too fond of but you don't
think he can do the things that you want.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Him to do in your office. Somebody's got to win
this game, you coach.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
I still maintained that the pairing of Hackett and Russ
I'm not saying the Hacket was going to eventually be
a very good coach, but I think that was the
absolute perfect storm worst pairing of all time, where now
we have one of the best.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
I think the worst pairing of all time. You could
make the case was Russell and.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Sean, but they they had some success at least like
Russell Wilson looked like quote unquote competence quarterback at times.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
No, I agree, I thought he looked better under Sean.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Would you talking about this from a relationship.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, point yeah, I'm talking about on the field product
standpoints Daniel Hacken and Russell.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
From the standpoint of driving somebody to drink. I think
both of those guys drove each other to drink. That's mixing,
backing or whatever. Yes, whatever they do, that's what it is.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
I want to go back to something you asked me before, Dave,
about guaranteeing the contracts of coaches, because no salary cap
as we know on coaching salaries.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Right, Why would why would that? Why should that be consideration?
Speaker 2 (04:52):
Are you saying that just simply because I was bringing
up the fact that you should never fully guarantee player contracts.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Okay, yeah, I mean I I will be the benefit
of guaranteeing coaches.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Of not guaranteeing coaches, of doing something like we're doing
with player salaries.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I don't know that there would be any benefits. Okay,
now you'd have to. I mean if you said.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Every NFL head coach and every assistant coach, I mean,
every contract in the NFL is guaranteed from coaches standpoints.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
So when.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Let's say when a head coach gets a six year contract,
very few of those are handed out. Kyle Shanahan got
one in San Francisco. That's six years of guaranteed money.
To me, that's how it should be. But if we're
talking about players being guaranteed and trying to come up
with a realistic way that that could work, then to me,
(05:56):
the only way the owners are not because of the
nature that danger of the game and the injuries involved,
owners are not going to guarantee five and six year
five year deals for players. But my argument would be, Okay,
you know what, we don't want a five year deal.
We understand that we want two years guaranteed, and then
(06:17):
at the end of those two years we'll come back in.
There'll be a lot more negotiating going on, but we
will have met your expectations. We might have exceeded your expectations,
or maybe we didn't play to what you thought the
level of play we should attain.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
So you know, that's the only way two or three.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
But that's the only way that I could see players
ever getting contracts guaranteed.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
I can see teams pushing back on that two as well,
probably because it sounds great in theory.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
But here's what we're looking at.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
Potentially, we have a buzz guys with two and three
year guaranteed deals with the ability to go back to
the table after that he earned more money. But now
teams are saying, well, now we got to reevaluate our
roster because how we're going to kind of put this
roster together because now you have more guys in that
free agent pool, and they're not.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Wanting to break up their team.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
By giving guys longer contracts, you have them for a
longer period of time, knowing as though you don't have
them to go here for five years.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
No, you're right, so the league, No, I think that
would absolutely be one of the arguments. I think there
would be plenty of arguments from the league standpoint. But again,
for younger players to come in out of college, not
a first round pick, but a mid round pick, you
can get your first two years guaranteed. Then if something
(07:40):
happens to you in rookie training camp or what have you,
you got two years of money and then if you
outdo the contract, you go back in.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
I mean, that's going to change workingman's comp a lot.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Uh, how so well as far as okay, you get
younger guys who are not some of the top tier
players coming into the league, free agent guy, you give
him a guarantee contract because you just can't get one
guy and not give the others. So then that player
gets injured, and then we know how difficult it is
for guys get their money. As far as workman's call,
that number goes up for a number of players who
(08:14):
could potentially get injured in that two or three year period,
which that's an allotment of money.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
That the league definitely doesn't want to pay. Well, number
that numbers is, that number is a finite number.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
That number.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
You got fifty three guys in the team, whether they
have guaranteed contracts or not. If you have, If Nick
Ferguson is one of those guys and he's not on
a guaranteed contract and he gets injured, well then and
he can't play anymore, then the league has to deal
with Nick Ferguson and his family in terms of workmen's
comp same thing for guaranteed those two years of guaranteed compt. Listen,
it's never gonna happen. And I understand from the owner standpoint,
(08:47):
why they don't want to guar fully guaranteed contracts. I'm
just saying the only way that I could ever see
them even considering doing that would be on a short
term basis control.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Actually, NBA free agency is underway. We have our first deal.
We'll tell you about that when we come back. In
the divorce of Calvin Booth and Michael Malone, who side
did you take?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Wow? I thought it would be a quicker reply than that.
Speaker 3 (09:26):
Probably, although I'm sure there's blame to go around, sir,
I probably would side with Michael Malone.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
Thank you so much for that. Is that what Nick
said or not?
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Ryan?
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, I said that.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I thought you would side with logic and reason that
Calvin Booth and how long have you been working with
Dave appare of you?
Speaker 1 (09:48):
You're not reading your room? You like how I tried
to sneak in logic and reason. I thought you'd side
with me. You missed me. Yeah, you know, deep down somewhere.
Let me get back to you. Yeah, let me get
back to you on that when you're when you're done
in the kitchen.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
The Memphis Grizzlies and All Star former Defensive Player of
the Year Jared Jackson have agreed on a five year,
two hundred and forty million dollar maximum renegotiation extension.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
And all that money is guaranteed, right, all the guaranteed.
So do you think it should be.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
The NBA is different than the NFL. It's different. I
just asked if you thought it should be. Yeah, it
probably is, probably fine. Why I didn't even do that.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
The design of the NFL because of the injury rates
is just it's just a different construction. Plus, you're talking
about fifty three to almost seventy man roster. It's it's
just a it's an Applesto Orange.
Speaker 1 (10:50):
Because of the NFL generates more money than the NBA significantly.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Yeah, but there's also a fewer players to pay. You're
only paying fifteen guys on your and the NBA does
generate a lot of money. In fact, I think they're
number two in the country as far as money generated
through TV contracts. So the money's justified to a certain extent.
It's just it's, like I said, it's an Apple st
Oranges conversation. Now, if we wanted to get into Major
(11:16):
League Baseball in those contracts, I think.
Speaker 1 (11:19):
Major League Baseball is out of control.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
If you're asking my honest opinion about that Major League
Baseball is over the top. You need to salarycap that thing.
You need to figure out what you're trying to be about,
because there is no such thing as parody.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Not really.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Okay, okay, the other contract they got done. If you
want to push back on that, I'm here for it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
No, I think major League Baseball would be better if
you figured it out a way to even the playing
field in terms of or even if it was closer
in terms of revenue that you be able to spend
(12:02):
on salaries. Yeah, I think I think I think they'd
be better because teams like and we know the teams,
teams like the Dodgers and the Yankees and the Mets
and the Philadelphia Phillies and the Nationals to a certain degree,
they they might not even have as smart a bit
as as baseball or of baseball people, but they've got
(12:25):
the ability, because of a financial windfall, to spend a
hell of a lot more money trying to go out
and secure secure players. So in that regard, yes, I
think you're right.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
It's great for basketball players one, because you work with
a very large salary cap.
Speaker 1 (12:44):
You have very few players on.
Speaker 4 (12:45):
Your team, so does that mean that some.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
Bum players get large news. Absolutely, we've seen it in
years past.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
It doesn't happen in the NFL because there's so many players.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
I know it sounds bad, but you were thinking the
same thing, player, Yeah, please go for it.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Okay, now, Nuggets fans, prepare yourself for this. Normally I
don't do this, but since you guys asked me, I'll
call MPJ one of those players.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
What do you mean? Oh, come on, he's starting small force.
Can you hear how over Joe Jode?
Speaker 4 (13:26):
I am because when I think about what you are,
overjoy Okay, yes, I thought you said overjeweled.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Over Joy could be in that com No.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
No, because the expectations for Zignology are not that high.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Did you see his contract. I'm not saying that it's rational.
Four years, thirty million. They have to give this money away.
They have to give it to some people.
Speaker 4 (13:51):
And when we look at players and you say, okay, well,
based on what you're being paid, your.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Little production should be to a certain level. Would you agree? Well?
Speaker 4 (13:59):
And once again well no, no, no, I don't mean
your hands because the audience can't hear your hands.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
What's your agree? Disagree?
Speaker 2 (14:05):
We're gonna get to a break here. Some nice compliments
on his attire today. Passersbys just coming in saying, nice
work on the salmon.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
I'm glad that someone actually noticed. Oh my god, hold
hold on, that's I'm saying. With that nonsense, hold on
for one second here.
Speaker 2 (14:27):
Every time I noticed you and what you wear, you
give me a hard time for noticing it, And then
this time I'd say nothing.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Because it's not genuine.
Speaker 4 (14:36):
You're saying that to kind of poke fun at it
in a way.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
That's who just said, my ear, there's a female component
to this?
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Was that grant? Was that you?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Somebody said that to me? Are you hearing thing? Is that?
Speaker 4 (14:54):
Man?
Speaker 1 (14:55):
I know? Somebody say like there's a female component. I
don't know. Sorry, go ahead. What were you guys talking about?
You out a worried lavender Dave? Yeah, I like lavender.
I got lavender shirt, lavender ties. It's really good for
like your senses as well. That ain't lavendar. No, I'm
just saying, like, in general, lavender is good for like.
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Here and what what again? Long sleeve? And think about
the weather I felt.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
Or not felt it was cold this morning.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
That's that's the Yeah, this flannel flannel the middle of
the summer.
Speaker 1 (15:33):
I mean you with long sleeves, it's all white.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
I'm out in the I'm out of the sunshine with
the kids, and I don't need to get like burnt.
Speaker 1 (15:41):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Yes, I wasn't outside at all today except for the
walk I do with my wife in the morning, and
I was not wearing this obviously is gonna be here.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
I would submit to you that you're the only person
in Denver, which, yeah, hey, there has this has to
be a good thing. I think wearing flannel today. You're
probably right about that. Okay, well, there's so feel good
about that.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Some people might wear a summer flannel, but yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:05):
Otherwise, long sleeve. That's not summer. This is a long
sleeve flannel show. This is a fall flannel. Yeah, I
just I was feeling it, that's okay.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Just like Nick when he lays out his outfits on
the bed and he goes by and you know, points
to each one and you know, the shorts and the
shirts and hat and s.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
People are let me, let me put this off.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
This before you start saying something that's not true. I
don't need to do that. I don't need to need
to put my clothes on the bed anymore.
Speaker 1 (16:32):
You know why, they're already color coordinating in closet, so.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
You kind of like American jigglow style and how so well,
that's what I've never seen.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
That move that I've never seen you for real, go
back and watch, I've never seen it.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Go see it. Okay, that's Richard Gear. Go yeah, Richard Gear. Yes, yep,
he had all of his.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Suits like in in perfect order color wise.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
That would be me. That would be me. I named
nickname you the American jiggle.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Okay, just for that purpose, yes, right, okay, yes, if
you gotta give me an American jigglow, what are you
gonna get Ryan.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
Then we don't have to do nicknames for me. I'm
good working.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Oh no, we give the nicknames. And was getting one
Trapper John? Okay, Well, you love.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
Flannel and trappers has an outside, you know, outside trapper connotation.
Speaker 1 (17:25):
So so every time he opens his water bottle, trapper
is that for mash? Was that mash?
Speaker 3 (17:32):
I don't know? Maybe Trapper John? Yeah, hot lips was mash?
Okay for sure?
Speaker 1 (17:38):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Yes, no, Trapper John will lie had its only he
was right, yeah, yeah, Trapper John?
Speaker 4 (17:45):
Yeah, okay, was that the guy with the with the
glasses on mash the small guy with the glasses.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Who was Trevor John? I can't. I don't know who.
Who wasn't? I don't know?
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Hold on, well, that's right, are that you're talking about?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
Okay?
Speaker 2 (18:10):
Trapper John? This guy here? Yeah, if you see that
was it was? I don't know, there's alan all that
there was?
Speaker 1 (18:17):
Trap there was. I can't remember this guy's name.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Okay, okay, yeah, but anyways, there you go, I'm trapped Johnny.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
More flannel of this all right? Those are wearing flannel
out in math. Anyways, Well, it sounds like the name
sounds really fitting.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
It sounds like someone who actually goes out and traps.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
And grabs fish out of a stream like a grizzly bear.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
The hands yep he uh.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
The cole More deals that came through here quickly. And
then when I get to this Jannis on Takopo thing,
so Dorian Finney Smith, who was recently with the La Lakers,
just on a four year, fifty three million dollar.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
Contract with the Houston Rockets.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Rockets continuing to load up and there's a spottering of
other deals that come through the Nuggets again barring a
decision to make a major decision with their starting five.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
I just don't know what kind of moves their ultimatelyonaire
you make.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
But one thing that was brought up we saw on
the TV a little bit ago, the Yana Santa Takumpo
deal and the fact that he's considering his options. You
think about this in terms of Nikola Jokic, and I
hear this a lot from Nuggets fans. If the Nuggets
only win one championship with Nikola Jokic is going to
be a disaster for the organization, Like what a letdown,
(19:34):
A significant letdown from the front office, from coaching, from everybody,
and certainly Nikola Jokicic has been tremendous. But you know,
the Milwaukee Bucks probably feel the same way, don't they.
The Milwaukee Bucks, who have one of their best players
in franchise history, one of the best players ever to
play in the game, and Yanna Santa Takumpo are now
(19:56):
in a position where they might be moving on from
their star.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
It's not like they haven't t They've absolutely tried. They
just have not been able to do it. Do you
think that that fan base fill is a similar way to.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
The Nuggets fan base fills like what a disaster by
the Milwaukee Bucks not to get a second ring while
you had Giannis.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Probably, I mean I yeah, yeah, probably yeah, And I
mean I I don't know if you're Milwaukee this year,
and Nick talked about it earlier with with all the
injuries in the East, I mean, if you're if you're Milwaukee,
don't you think like, hey, if we can we can
pull off a couple of deals, and we still have Giannis,
(20:34):
Dame's hurt, but we still have they resigned Bobby Portis.
Milwaukee may think like we've got a chance coming out
of the East. So but I do think the fan
bases would would agree in both Milwaukee and Denver. If
it's only one championship with generational talents like Jokic and Anteitakupo,
(20:58):
then that's that's not good enough.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
No, it's nine.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
It puts a lot of pressure on the Nuggets organization
being as though they got three top players on I
guess these these massive deals. You got Nicolo Jokich, who
was well deserved, and then you can question MPJ and
Jamal Murray. So with that, it makes it really difficult
to trade those two players.
Speaker 1 (21:18):
Because of that value.
Speaker 4 (21:20):
So if you're gonna sit on these players and you're
not gonna move them, you're not gonna do anything with
the draft because you don't have draft capital. Now you
have to go out in free agency and look for
bargain basement free agents to.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
Make this team competitive.
Speaker 4 (21:33):
And I say that not to undermine the play in
the NBA, but you want to be more than competitive.
You want to be able to know that you can
go out and compete with the OKAC, You can compete
with maybe Houston now right, because those are the teams
in with Jared Jackson going back to Memphis, that tells
you they still believe in John Morant and they're gonna
(21:54):
continue to get better.
Speaker 1 (21:56):
No, I mean absolutely the case.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I guess I just keep hearing this hell up as
though what an abject disaster it would be if the
Nuggets only get one with Nicola jokicchen I think we
all want more than one. You got to be greedy
when you have a player like this, you kind of
have to be right. I don't know if the front
office is. I guess we can get a debate on
whether they're they're doing enough or they continue to try
(22:20):
to do enough. I think they put themselves in a
bit of a tough spot with some bad contracts. But
it's again, now you're seeing the end of that era
for Milwaukee, and it's just an acknowledgement. For me, it's
just tough to win. I mean, it is tough to
win championships, and so I guess I am saying that.
I don't know if I'm gonna feel as though as
(22:40):
an abject disaster by the front office and the.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
Nuggets that they only get one.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
It's gonna be frustrating, it's gonna be disappointing, but it's
not a disaster because it's just that you have to
catch some breaks to win championships.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Yeah, I look at it differently. I think you've got
you've got the best player in the world, and you
you've had him in his prime. You've gone to one
NBA Finals and won it. I just think they've missed
and maybe their vision has been different. I mean, there's
(23:12):
no you know, it's not it's not like my idea
of what they should be going after. Maybe it doesn't
doesn't mesh with theirs. But I've said for years this
team is is lacking in perimeter scoring when you have
somebody that can operate at the free throw line extended
and in the blocks and occasionally pop out and hit
(23:32):
threes and is one of the world's greatest passers.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
For a footer, you got to have guys.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
I mean, you're going to get wide open looks in
this league from guys that understand how to space and
then it's just up to them to knock those shots down.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
And they haven't.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
They haven't done it on nearly as consistent enough basis.
So this year again, shooter and perimeter defense, excuse me,
shooter and backup big. You gotta find somebody that can
come in and give the big fella a rest and
(24:11):
not feel like Holy you gotta hold onto your boost straps.
And every time Jokich is off the court because they
get boat raced, they get up leads. I mean that
can't continue, and that's up to the new management to
make sure it doesn't.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
Yeah, well, you have a once in a generational player
like Nicola Jokic is, and I think, you know, we
hear it all the time. We get a chance to
see because we live in the city. But he is
one hell of a dynamic player. Even though he has
that old man at the ret league type of game.
He moves everything slowly, but he knocks down shots. He
(24:44):
gets everyone involved. And to waste his best years by
not putting an adequate group of players around him.
Speaker 1 (24:51):
It, yes, I mean waste feels like a strong word.
What word would you whether mean? Because you're not gonna
win every year? You're just not No, you're not going to.
Is it a waste every year that you don't want to
another team that doesn't have the color Yogas on your team?
Speaker 4 (25:05):
You can say that you can use that justifier, but
not only though you got that guy who's a walking
double double triple double.
Speaker 1 (25:13):
You can't waste that talent. You have to exhaust everything
you have to, even if that means that you have.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
To move off of guys who are fan favorites, because
right now the franchise lines with that guy.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
That's that's your.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
Focal point, that's your centerpiece, So you had to put
pieces around him. Not doing that and the Cola Yogis
finished his his career. He with the Denver Nuggets only
when one title that would be catastrophic.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
Okay, all right, so we disagree on that a little bit.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
Do do you agree with Nick Dave that it's a
waste every year they don't want a championship.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Well, you're not gonna be able to win a championship
every single year.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
But I agree. I agree with Nick in this sense.
I mean, they've been to one Western Conference Finals, right two.
Speaker 1 (25:57):
Because they went to the ball. Uh wasn't the bubble? No,
that wasn't. That wasn't Yeah Lakers.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
Okay, I don't count that, just like I don't count
the Lakers championship in the bubble.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:11):
So I mean, you're not gonna win a championship every
single year. Boston brought back the exact same roster of
a team that dominated last year, and people say, well,
Tatam got hurt. Yes he did, but they were losing
that series and they were going to go down three
to one even had he not you know, torn the Achilles.
Even if they win Game five, which they did three
(26:35):
to two, I'm not sure. I'm not sure they win
at Madison Square Gardens. So it's yes, it's hard to
win every single year, but I think they have to
be better than they've been with him, and I think
they have to give him some help. You got to
find somebody that can knock down some shots on a
(26:56):
regular basis.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
And again I think.
Speaker 3 (26:59):
You you look at the plan, the overall plan that
they've had with with Jokic, right. Uh, you know, you
other teams have proven you don't have first round draft choices.
You gotta have guys that are competitive, that can play basketball,
that are tough, that bring a little street to them.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
You got to have those guys.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
You look at Oak City, you look at even Indiana
to a lesser degree, I mean, those rosters are not
filled with like lottery picks in the first round. Sure,
lou Dort, what are your favorites players of all time?
Speaker 2 (27:35):
How about that championship, by the way, which one last week?
I wasn't here to celebrate it with you.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Oh we did. We celebrated. Yeah, we went, uh yeah
you dunk on Ben?
Speaker 3 (27:46):
Congratulations, Well I did win the bet. He's still those
we two dinners now whether or not he pays and
when he pays, the two separate things.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Yeah, this has been Yeah, good luck with that. He'll
speaking of moonwalking.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
He'll he'll find a way and be like, what, well
there is own sorts of stipulations and yeah, that's that's
classic with him. Let me ask you this just before
we hit the break in at the top of the hour.
Short of a championship, Nick, I'll ask you first, short
of a championship, what is not considered a waste of
a year? Because, again, as Dave just said, as I've said,
(28:19):
you're not gonna win it every year. So in your opinion,
just making the finals, you're losing the finals, that is
that a wasted year still for you?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
No, it's not. It's not a wasted year. Conference finals. Yeah,
getting there, I.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Mean, as difficult as it is, is not it's not
a waste in my mind. The idea it becomes a
waste when you are not putting the pieces around Nikole
Jokic and you are wearing him down like breaks on
the car because now you're putting so much pressure on
him to be that guy all time because you don't
have a backup center.
Speaker 2 (28:50):
Right, So to like Dave's point, bringing in Dario Sarich
like that, that is an obvious failure.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
That makes sense. Well, I mean it makes sense, Jordan,
that makes any sense. Either it's a house. He didn't
really help them, it's a player coach. Whatever.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Russell was a players coach, and he wanted he want
to ring with Boston.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
So listen, I we we actually all agree that they
don't have sufficient backup center.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
They don't. It's something they absolutely have to address. They
have to defensively and to find perimeters shooting. And let's
just keep going. And by the way, everything you has
are laying out.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
Is quite literally what we saw in the finals from
both of those teams. They had all those things. You
check the boxes on every single thing that they have.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Well, Oak City was not a grade three point shooting team.
How how yeah, you're right, you're right? Well, hell, yes,
I'm read. What are you shaking your head like? Argue
that back and look at the numbers? Did they in
Oklahoma City ranks in terms of their three point shooting
efficiency in the league without googling it.
Speaker 1 (29:58):
I think we've already looked at it that we were low.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Okay, So my statement that Oak City is not a
very good three point shooting team. They won on defense,
but they found a whole bunch of guys that were
committed to Like again, it's.
Speaker 1 (30:13):
Like high school basketball. College defense is effort.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Are you willing to put out the effort necessary to
try to stay in front of your guy?
Speaker 1 (30:23):
To be disruptive?
Speaker 3 (30:24):
Because it wears on you the longer you're able to
play with that kind of mindset. Oklahoma City was able
to do it. Denver's got They don't have to be
as good as Oak City on defense, but they got
to have a few guys like Christian Brown and others
that are willing to get up in your grill on defense.
To do that, you also need occasionally a shot blocker
(30:48):
at the rim.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Right.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
One thing Oak City could do they challenged you on
the perimeter to the point they took away easy looks
and then if you took the ball inside, you've got
home grin and even to a lesser extent, you've got
hard and stunt. So a lot of work to be done,
I think for the Nuggets coming.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
Up, no doubt, we'll talk about this a little more.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
On the other side, what do you think cursory thoughts
of the blockbuster? Earlier today, Dolphins trading Jalen Ramsey John
hus Smith in the seventh to Pittsburgh in exchange for
mink of Fitzpatrick in a fifth.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
I think the Miami Dolphins got a better deal.
Speaker 4 (31:25):
And the reason really yeah, The reason I say this
is because when when you when you look at Jalen
Ramsey from from Florida State to Jacksonville to the Rams
are now going to the Pittsburgh Steelers, benefactor of a
great pass rush, right And when you watch him one
on one, he gambles, he gets beat a lot. So
Miami gets a younger player, Pittsburgh overpays for a guy
(31:48):
who's on his way out. Well, they're pushing their trips
to the center of the table because they're hoping with
one year, Aaron Rodgers, this is the year. But that's
gonna be very definitely because you got Lamar Jackson and
you got Joe Burrow in that saying division good luck.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
That's fascinating. All right, Well, I can't wait to hear
Dave's explanations.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
Did you saying it? And then Dave briefly.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
My explanation on Jalen Ramsey is, I think he's on
the a little bit on the down side of his career.
He's absolutely a gambler, always has been, and I think
he's lost a little bit of his sticky ability as
a corner and he guesses a bunch lots. So Fitzpatrick,
(32:32):
I think is a great player. I think John Smith
will help the Steelers two good good tight ends. So yeah,
I think I think Jalen Ramsey has seen his better days.
Speaker 1 (32:45):
Okay, let's get back into that. On the other side,