July 21, 2025 • 44 mins
In the show's opening hour, Willie P reacts to the Hornets winning the Summer League Championship and how, despite it seeming minuscule right now, it could be a sign of culture shifting within the Hornets organization.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to the Kyle Bailey Show powered by Victory
Chevy Charlotte. Want to drive a sweet Silverado trail Boss
like KB. Go to Victory Chevy Charlotte dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And oh, there it is Sweet Victory. Indeed, Charlotte is.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Title town Easy Schworts Radio ninety two SEVENFNZ.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Happy Monday to you on a day.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That we will remember as a day where we celebrated
the frivolity, but also we're very, very happy about the
fact that the Charlotte Hornets were able to put something
in the trophy case this weekend with a Summer League
Championship trophy, defeating the Sacramento Kings yesterday late in Vegas
(01:11):
by a final score of eighty three to seventy eight.
And I'll say it like this, part of me again
wants to keep this all in perspective and be somewhat grounded.
But seeing how many people were up last night with
me and you too smoke, seeing how many Hornets fans
(01:34):
were up and live tweeting about this game, treating this
like it was something serious, I think we have no
other choice but to go all in and say this
is one of the greatest moments we've seen in the
history of the basketball team, especially since the franchise came
back in two thousand and four and champions. Oh the
(01:54):
folks so good to say, yes, oh, yes, I believe
I got to say that the the the Conkoin Nipple
wing three. My my wife, who many of you know,
has a very long commute to work. She goes to
work four days a week for a very prominent hospital system.
And I won't put her business out there fully, but
(02:17):
you know she drives a long way to do so
as a doctor.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
She tapped out at halftime.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
She's, you know, as big of a Hornets fan she is,
she just she couldn't she could not compromise her sleep.
But I woke her up with the Conkinipple wing three,
and she texted me from the bed and she was like,
is something wrong?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Did you Did you break something?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Because I definitely would when cogani will hit that three,
I was like, bag, maybe look for as much hell
as I rightfully give Tyler Hansbrough for his UH celebration
when he beat Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament down
the road here, I celebrated like Tyler Hansbrough did when
Conkinipple hit that three. My hands were flailing all over
(03:01):
the place. I didn't know what to do with my body.
I was going crazy. He had to get back down
to earth because they quickly responded with another three on
the utter end. But holy crap, by the way, what
we're the concerns for Continent Latin now after that gone
completely gone.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
The first game was an anomaly.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
We found out I do not need the energy people
like Big Ben who's saying stop being Hornets Homers. For
goodness sake, can you didn't say goodness listen, I'm not
here for your anti treating this like a fun thing,
because this is a fun thing. It's fun if you
want to sit here and say I have a grounded
(03:38):
approach and say this is nice, but I'm okay with it.
But if you're just sitting here and trying to, you know,
raid on our parade, throw a wet blanket on this excitement.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I'm not here for you today. I'm just not because.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
How many times have we gone through this period of
the season and thought the Hornets gave no blanks about
the Summer League and gave no quarter to this period
of time in the season, And now we actually have
developmental pieces plural that you can be excited about in
konkerin Nipple, Ryan Kulkbrenner, Leah McNeely. I know that James
(04:17):
probably didn't showcase himself very well. But as you and
I have chronicled, I've been with you for the last
six days, We've said it almost repeatedly, probably isn't the
tournament that Sion James necessarily has to showcase his talents.
He also didn't play the last half. To be fair
for him, we now at least know that that t
John Salon can play functional basketball.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Given a.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Platform to be able to do so. Is he a
complete player yet? Not the slightest, but he at least
looks like he has taken a step. How big that
step is I think will be determined during the NBA
regular season. But hey, in a game relative to its peers,
where everything else was equal, everybody else said rookies, second
(05:00):
year guys, maybe a couple of thirds just to be
aptitude guys. But in a tournament relative to their fears,
gentlemen who wore the logo and the name of the
Charlotte Hornets got to hoist a trophy. If that doesn't
make you excited. Then I ask you to seek joy
in your life somewhere, because that should bring you joy.
(05:20):
I'm not gonna apologize for what I just did to
start to show, or what I did last night, because
Willie I was born in nineteen ninety seven. Yeah, I'm
I'm nearly twenty eight years old, Okay. I started watching
basketball in around two thousand and three, two thousand and four.
I technically went to a Hornets game in two thousand
and two, yet I can't remember who they were going against.
(05:41):
I just remember we were sitting in the nosebleeds and
I got a couple of T shirts in a Bennet.
The last time they want to playoff series, I was
technically still in preschool. Mmm, I've had nothing really to
cheer me on. One of the top fifteen moments fifteen
twenty moments as a fan of this team was when
Chris Douglas Roberts hit a game winner. MHM, does anyone
remember Chris Douglas Roberts. Do you even know who that is?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I do know who that are?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Okay, Yeah, I remember him more in college, but I
remember him also in the NBA.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
His NBA career didn't last that long, I have had
barely anything to cling on too. Okay, I watched Jason
Max Seal. Every single performance at Jason Max Seal. I
remember when the Hornets barely put up seventy in a
game back in twenty fourteen when they were honoring Kendall Gill.
This is for Sagana Job, This is for Primo Brezich,
This is for Walter Herman, Adam Morrison, all those things, well, no,
(06:30):
screw him, He's got his NBA titles, but points stance,
all right. This is for Derek Brown, the og Derek Brown.
It actually played for the Bob Kats. Okay, for all
of us that have had to watch all that, we'll
take a grain of salt in the victory of a
Summer League championship and we'll love it. The definitive text
from our guy named Special Sauce last night was fun
(06:51):
and it's very important. I realize it's Summer League, but
winning habits have to start somewhere. We're gonna have the
Summer League winning head coach, Chris gent on our program
at five o'clock. I will ask him to properly contextualize this.
But if you stayed up like me, pass the end
of the game and saw the joy on the phases
of the players. You saw the joy on Conk Nipple's
(07:13):
teammates as he won the Summer League Championship MVP Award
and then lamented how he had to wear a headband
during the entire thing. There is at least something of
a vibe change around this organization, and we have been
starved for it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
If you think that this all doesn't mean anything, you've
not been watching the Charlotte Hornets for the last two,
three four seasons, because the Hornets have been an organization
that has been mocked, decried, and just downright made fun
of by everybody in the National Basketball Association media and
even those outside of it. It happened last week, I mean,
(07:55):
Paul George took to the microphone and said, I'm not
going to join that franchise. My career would be over,
when we all basically said back to him, Hey, by
the way, we think your career is over anyway. By
the way, Paul, the Hornets now have more championships than
you do. So much for playoff Pete.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Just say it.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
But again, I understand that folks are going to sit
here and try to throw cold water on this, But
the difference between the Hornets winning this title and say
Sacramento winning it, or any one of these other teams
winning it is that the Hornets actually have some pieces
that contributed to this that are going to be part
(08:33):
of their rotational roster. kJ Simpson, T John Salon, Calkbrenner,
Canipple McNeely. These are guys who are going to help. Now,
I will sit here and tell you this. It did
chat me a little bit when I saw on Sunday
that PJ Hall signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, knowing full
well that we probably could have gotten rid of some
two way spot that we had held for Damien Baugh.
(08:56):
No offensive, Damien. I like PJ Hall's game. If there
is something to be said about PJ Hall, it's that
maybe he is a bit small for what the Hornets
are looking for from the center position. But if there's
one thing that we need, it's more big men. So
pardon me if I was not a little bit salty
about that. But if that's the only thing that dampers
you about what happened in Vegas, then everything else is.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Cake for me.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, I you know, I got bummed out a little
bit when I saw PJ Hall Sinnday till. First off,
congrats to PJ Hall because he earned that over the weekend,
throughout the whole entire summer league. And I'm not I'm
not I'm out at him. I'm not out of him.
Go get your money, son, I'm I'm I'm happy for him. Yeah,
it's just one of those situations where I think they
didn't want to have two centers that were undersize, and
they they know what they have with Moose and Moos
(09:40):
is no longer two way players, so they picked Moose
in between PJ. Hall, and I get that, especially since
Moose is a lot better of a defender than PJ.
Hall is and I think will be in the NBA.
It's stings, but no pun intended, But there are there. Yeah,
there are good problems to have. Like I didn't really
think that much of Jalen Simms, you know, I know
he played a little bit in the back half this
(10:02):
last year.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I feel bad that there's not a spot for him either. Well,
it's just one of those.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Things where I'm like, Okay, he's probably earned himself or
really put himself into consideration of a two week contract
and going to get least get into training camp before
Summer League. We fought kJ Simpson was going to be
as good as gone. Now we look at kJ Simpson,
I'd argue he was the MVP of the whole entire
Summer League if you accumulate all the stats for all
six of the games. So you look at that, and
(10:25):
we didn't even get to see as much of Lee
McNeely as we fought.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
I feel bad about that.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I feel bad, But from what we did see, it
was very promising to see what we saw from Lee McNeely.
I don't know if he'll be instantly into rotation to
start the year, but it's one of those things were like,
all right, by the back end of this year, he
could be one of those guys that comes off the
bench and becomes a spark plug. Well here's the other
part of this, and it was brought up already by
somebody on the text line.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
The Hornets still have a roster.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
That's eighteen deep and needs to have three dudes wait
before they actually start the season. Look, I I do
have a feeling that these things worked each other out.
I think we all kind of feel like the Kwan
Jeffries is probably somebody who you look at and say,
is is cyonaras so long? Nick Smith Junior is probably
(11:11):
the other one who you think is probably a lock
to not be here. And then it comes down to
what can they package together to trade to either get
a center or free up some other spots to maybe
get another one of these guys who they liked in
summer league on the roster, because that's the ultimate sign
of where you're looking at this roster and saying, hey,
(11:31):
if you want to go young, I think you have
the birth to do that a little bit now because
you have probably more veteran leadership on this team than
they've had in a very long time. You have Grant Williams,
you have Colin Sexton, you have Spencer Dimwiddie. You have
a lot of guys who have at least played a
representative amount of basketball in the NBA. Miles Bridges can
(11:52):
be considered a veteran now quite frankly, Oh no.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
He's in an NBA terms, he's definitely a veteran.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So part of that you look at and say, okay,
you're at least now surrounding the people like Brandon Miller,
T John Salon and even to a certain sense, LaMelo
with veteran leadership, even though Willmello is a veteran, probably
closer to a veteran now in NBA terms. I don't
know if you would necessarily say that if you go
(12:18):
by strictly games play, But we'll get into all that
today completely a breakdown of what's going on with the
summer league and how.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
To properly contextualize it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
We'll talk to Sam Purley off Hornets dot Com at
three point thirty. We'll also talk about a big Charlotte
FFC victory back in the win column again, third in
a row, four in a row, unbeaten after a three
to two victory, coming from behind after a one nailed
depsite at half time to beat Atlanta three to two.
They get a season sweep of Atlanta and also get
themselves back up into the solidified playoff line above the
(12:49):
second playoff line, if you will, outside of the play
in into seventh ahead of another winnable matchup against Toronto
in advance of the league's Cup. We got to talk
about the NASCAR race over the weekend and now how
we have a battle of the ties in the NASCAR
in season challenge Panthers on a day when the Panthers
rookies report, how in the world would we have ever
(13:11):
had in the history of our radio station, the Panthers
rookies reporting in training camp usurped thrown off the front
page by something else, anything else the Hornets did that.
That's how I think the excitement of this city is
looking at right now, and not to necessarily bury the
lead on that because the Panthers rookis reporting. Also, it
(13:33):
combined with the fact that we did get Nick Gorton
signed over the weekend, which all of them baby, which
quite frankly, if I'm looking at it and saying, man
oh man, I did not want any drama going.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Into training camp.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I'm happy we don't have any of that drama going
into training camp. No, that's in the utter. Queen city
in Cincinnati. What a shame for them, What a shame
they don't have their not their second round pick. They
just got Demetrious Night sign which congrats to him. Local
guy here sayce you played at Charlotte South Carolina. No,
they don't have their first round pick sign Still, it's
hold out season, baby, Matt and Giebra also goes it's
(14:06):
a good thing when other organizations are signing players from
our summer league roster. It is, but I also would
have liked to keep one of those and that particular
guy in PJ.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Hall.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
But hey, it does at least give the Hornets some
credence to Hey, what they're doing organizationally is working, and
winning culture is not something that you can sniff at
and scoff at, because they've at least built something of
a winning culture in the Vegas Summer League. I hope, pray,
(14:40):
and we've seen other examples of this, but I also
hope and pray that it does translate to the NBA
roster into the NBA season.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Will it p in for KB? For one more day?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
KB is back tomorrow ahead of ACC Media Days which
begin tomorrow in earnest here in uptown Charlotte. We'll have
all that for you this week here on WFNZ. Also
Panthers training camp getting under way, with the rookies reporting
today and the veterans reporting tomorrow. Will come back though,
and I'll ask you this, how excited are you? How
(15:11):
excited are we allowed to be? And what are the
best victories individual player type victories that we saw. We'll
also talk to Sam Parley of Hornets dot Com. Next
Sports Radio ninety two to seven WUFNZ Sports Radio ninety
(15:35):
two to seven wufn Z. I actually did text our
friends over at the Hornets after again, by the way,
five o'clock, we'll talk to Chris Jent, the Summer League
winning head coach of the Hornets. I did ask them,
by the way, I had to form my own sanity
curiosity and also maybe to help inform the masses about
whether or not they will be selling Hornets Summer League
(15:57):
Championship gear through the official team store. I've not gotten
a yes or no answer yet from them, but just
to let you know, I have put in the inquiry
for you, because that's how I feel. I feel like,
as somebody who has granted the access to certain people
who might know these things, or at least people who
know people who might know these things, we'll get that
(16:20):
I will buy some type of Hornets Summer League Championship paraphernalia. Second,
and I know the Crown Club put one out. I'm
not quite going to go that route, but I will
at least repeat something that they said.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Scotty and then those guys are great.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I'm not trying to blow up their spot negatively on this,
but they did say, if you are one of these
people who are coming out here and mocking Hornets fan
celebrating a Summer League championship, you must live a pretty
miserable life, Like what do you genuinely want from fan
base who has not want a playoff series in as
long as they have? So, you know, part pardon me again,
(17:04):
I'm I'm I'm totally endorsing that behavior of of being
angry at the folks who are mocking us for being
as excited as we are about a championship.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
If if the Hornets do not sell any merchandise for
the Summer League championship.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Big miss, this is bull blank, Thank you very much.
Boss man. Wow, you went, you went, You went full
chin on that.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Why do you have to call him that?
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Saulto sulto Walter Sammy says, this, uh, not necessarily relating
the Summer League, but imagine the hype the LA Lakers
would have gotten if they had picked up somebody like
Colin Sexton. That pickup was so undervalued. I LA got Sexton,
and that speaks to what we were talking about earlier.
Everything the Hornets do get somehow summarily ripped by everybody.
(17:50):
You cannot rip this. They can never take this away.
And look, I understand that we could be sitting here
two months, three months from now and have half the
starting lineup on the shelf. Canipple looks like he's lost
out there. Mcneely's nowhere near his summer form, and we
still have no solution at center. I realize all these
(18:11):
things could be one true. Allow me to just enjoy
the moment while we have it is that. Okay, can
we not make this about OMG, they're still gonna stink
in November.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Can we not make it about that? Please?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I did not know where you're going with that voice,
but I agree with I don't know what that voice
was supposed to be, but it just it was. It
was It was buzz. It was my buzz, killington is
what it was. We're still gonna stink in November. Guys,
don't worry about it and joy and have your fun.
Now what what?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I don't know. I did not expect that to come
out of your mouth. I just that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Rachel says, you are a man of the people. I
don't know if I'm a man of the people. I
just like fun.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
You're a man of the people until you give your
food check takes. Stop it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Okay, just because a man prefers to have one condiment
over another does not mean that I need to be
assailed by you today.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
That belongs to the Morning show. I'm sorry say as
I say. Don't take their brand. Wind breaking jokes and
childish food takes. Don't take the Morning Show's brand away
from them. They've worked very, very hard to earn that.
Texter Goes. I gotta tell you, boys, I'm very hyped
about Summer League title. You have to start somewhere, and
(19:42):
this shows a lot of harder these guys. This is
the way to build. Give me my Summer League championship,
Birch so the best victories I think of the Summer
League t John Salon is going to be a rotation
player for this team. He has to be because they
don't have a backup four necessarily outside of Grant Williams.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And you might even have Grant.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Williams at the current construction of the roster having to
play a little bit of small ball five. You might
even have to have Salon play a little small ball five,
given how they want to be a four or five
out team. So Solon has become playable in major rotation minutes.
Conk Nipple look as somebody who still wonders.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
What he's going to be in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
From a solidifying aspect, He's somebody who I feel like
we maybe underrated his ability to conduct offense and make
those things happen. I think kulk Brenner is the one
player who probably got better as the course of the
Summer League went on. He was probably at a certain
level the beginning of Summer League. I think he rose
to an even greater level, and maybe his rise level
(20:48):
was higher than anybody else's. I think over the course
of Summer League, and we already talked also earlier about McNeely,
I think he very much opened a lot of people's eyes,
and I think he turns into maybe a deal kind
of pick in the first round. Man who covers the
Hornets as close to as anybody for Hornets Dot Com,
our good friend Sam Pearley, who was embedded in as
close to them as well physically as anybody else was
(21:11):
talk about the Summer League championship. What's going on, Sam,
how are you and this has got to be.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
A fun thing cover.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Oh absolutely, and thank you for having me will Yeah,
very fun. I was out there for the first three
games as well as the few days before the game started,
and then kind of followed it along here from Charlotte
just like everybody else. And yeah, really fun. And obviously
finishing it the way they did was, uh, was certainly
a thrill and obviously a good sign of things to
(21:41):
come for the franchise.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
What is the proper way to contextualize this in the
big picture.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
It's a really good question because obviously summer league it's
much lower stakes. In the regular season, you're really seeing
a handful of you know, rotational players playing throughout the league,
and as the cop petition kind of progresses, you know,
more and more guys kind of you know, fade out
a little bit with the games kind of stacking up.
But I think it just goes to show you that,
(22:09):
you know, even if it's summer league, if it's G League,
if it's you know, the NBA regular season roster, that
the hardest organization is committed and has done this now
two summers in a row. To go back to last year,
going seven to one in Summer League overall, that they're
bringing in the right guys. They're bringing in competitive guys,
guys are about the right things, getting better, improving, and
(22:32):
that there's a standard and a understanding that when you
come into the organization, whether you're you know, the top
guy on the roster or you know, the guy at
the end of the bench in the summer League, that
there's a this is how things are done here, and
it doesn't matter, you know, what you're standing is that
this is how we're going to play and this is
how we're going to approach things. And I think you've
(22:54):
seen that in the last two summers, and you know,
it's it's something that I think had it not for
some of the injuries this past year, you would have
seen a little bit more obvious, I guess or parent.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
At the at the NBA level, If we ask a
player who improved this situation the most, I would say
the answer is probably PJ. Hall, because he went from
being out of contract to contracted with another team. But
if we're talking strictly with the under contract Hornets players,
who do you think improved their position the most?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
When it comes to the Hornets.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Yeah, I mean I was really impressed with with kJ
Simpson and kind of being around him for a few
days out in Vegas before the game started. Just you know,
he didn't get a chance to play at Summer League
last year, and because he was hurt and played a
lot his NBA rookie season, maybe more so than I think,
(23:49):
you know, people were expecting, just because of the injury
situation and things of that nature. But I was so
impressed with his demeanor and the responsibility that not only
that he understood that he had, but the one that
he embraced is I'm the point guard. Everything falls on me.
It's my responsibility to make sure everybody's organized, doing what
they're needing to do in the spots they need to be.
(24:14):
And he was really excited to have sort of that
responsibility when when Summer League started. I thought he was
really instrumental in getting out some of the fast starts
they did, particularly in the Utah game, Dallas game, Philadelphia games,
and last night too. I mean, he didn't shoot particularly well.
He was four or fifteen, had seven rebounds, five assists
(24:38):
in three turnovers, and I think if you look at
the stat line it's slightly underwhelming, but if you watch
the game, and you see how just aggressive he was being,
how competitive he was on both ends, and how much
his intensity and his spirit kind of helped wild this
team across the finish line to beating the Kings coming
(24:58):
down to the final minute. I was just super impressed
kJ Simpson, not only so much on the court. You
could see some obviously some big steps he's taken, but
off the court from me from a leadership standpoint and
from a just intangible just he always had that before,
but you could really feel it and see it this
(25:18):
Summer League.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Talking with Sam Furley of Hornets dot Com after the
Hornets were Summer League champions with their victory last night
over the Sacramento Kings eighty three seventy eight in the
championship night in Vegas, I think a player who also
maybe improved his standing just within Summer League is Ryan Culkbrnder,
because I think I wouldn't go so far as it
call what his open the Summer League was discouraging, but
(25:41):
I would say that he looked a heck of a
lot more comfortable at the end than he did at
the beginning.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
For sure. And I think with the with the NBA centers,
as you know, there is a pretty steep learning curve
at times, just adjusting to having to cover more you know,
floor spacing big man five out offenses. It's just going
to be and Ryan has acknowledged that the you know,
during post raft media availability and things like that, it's
(26:10):
just going to be a different defense and a different
set of responsibilities that he's going to have at the
NBA level as opposed to Creighton. And I think at
thet I totally agree with you. At the start of
you know, summer League, you could tell that things were
moving maybe a little fast, you know, just kind of
having to guard some of the better shooting big man
like Kyle Phillipowski in particular comes to mind. But by
(26:31):
the end of it, I mean you could really kind
of see him settling in, getting a little bit more comfortable.
I thought he did a really good job using a
physicality around the rim to clear out space for rebounds,
whether he got them or not, blocking shots even you know,
just being at the rim and kind of fearing drivers
(26:51):
away from opposing teams to you know, steering them away
from the rim and having them kick out and things
like that. Stuff that doesn't this a show up in
the box score. You know his numbers, he's putting up
fifteen and twenty, you know, fifteen point twenty rebound kind
of games necessarily, but you know, he was I think
had nine points in the first quarter last night. Was
really good in that pick and roll with with Cohn
(27:11):
and kJ to start before the Kings made some defensive adjustments.
But yeah, I totally agree. Definitely a guy that looked
a little bit more comfortable or much more comfortable as
the tournament pressed, and you know, even saw some of
the three point shooting. He hit a couple threes, and
I think that's something that the Hornets haven't necessarily had
a lot, is a floor spacing big man, not necessarily
(27:33):
implying he's going to shoot five to six threes a
game moving forward, but even if you can do one
or two and keep the defense, honest, I think it's
something that with the Hornets can use to their advantage.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Certainly so and kan Ka Nipple, I think it showed
a great deal leadership after earlier in the tournament he
didn't play the second night of a back to back,
he plays the back to back in the semi finals
in the finals, and you could see how much it
meant that the guys around him. I feel like any
any time you have a dude who exudes leadership and
guys flocked to you need more of those guys on
(28:03):
your team. And I think independent of what he did
on the floor, because I think what he did on
the floor, by the end of it also incredibly great,
but you can at least tell that dudes love playing
with this guy and he is a leader, which I
think is something to hornes steam more of.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
And the quote that really stuck out to me from
con a summer league, which is not something necessarily you
hear from me from a nineteen year old rookie, It
was after the Dallas game where he really kind of
so he played the first game, didn't play super well,
sat out the second game, and then the third game
against Dallas a week ago, the first half did not
you know, didn't look necessarily very good, and then something
(28:41):
kind of flipped in that halftime and he really started
to kind of feel it in that third quarter, and
after the game, he you know, kind of had the
wherewithal to say, you know, I didn't feel like I
was bringing enough effort and intensity in that first half,
and I needed to do better, and I just thought,
kind of in hindsight, that was something that you don't
(29:01):
necessarily hear from a a nineteen year old rookie, particular
at Summer League, just kind of having the presence of
mind and awareness to say, hey, I wasn't good enough
and it was because I wasn't giving a good enough
effort in that first half, and I need to be
better because if I can't be what I need to be,
then the guys around me who are looking to me
for leadership can't be as good as they can be.
(29:21):
And I just that quote really kind of stuck with me,
is Okay, this is this guy's kind of wired a
little bit differently for a nineteen year old that's just
at the very beginnings of his NBA career, and he
really kind of took off from that point and there
was no looking back. And again last night too, I mean,
you look at the stat line and Conn even said
(29:42):
after the game, he said he didn't play particularly well,
didn't shoot great. I said, he, you know, was kind
of frustrated with some bad turnovers and a couple of
bad defensive possessions he had, but you know, he made
the plays he needed to in the final minute, he
got the defensive rebound off the cliffer jumper, got it
up court quickly despite quick double team from the Kings,
and then knock down the three. And I thought another
(30:04):
thing he did that was really good was kind of
burning some time off and those inbounds pathes towards the
end and just not giving Sacramento any time to kind
of crawl back into it in the last ten seconds
or so. So he's a fun player to watch. He
does a little bit of everything, and like you said,
you can tell guys like playing with him because he
(30:26):
just seems to be where he's supposed to be at
all times and makes things easier for them.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
It's stuff from Sam Purley.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Of course you can find his stuff at Hornets dot com,
not just with Summer League, but I'm sure plenty to
lead up to before training camp, preseason and then when
these things.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Count for real.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Love following our coverage throughout the summer, Sam, and we'll
talk soon closer to the season.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Absolutely, thank you will for having me as always.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
At his Sam Parley joining us here Hornets dot com
and again we'll talk to Hornet's Summer League head coach
Chris gent at five o'clock, I am going to ask
coach gent. I didn't have time to ask this to
but I didn't want to ask him a coach jent
about t John Salona what the next step is for
him since he is on staff with Charles Lee and
just found out also by the way, that when KB returns,
(31:09):
he will return with Hornet's main head coach, Charles Lee
as well as part of tomorrow's Kyle Bailey Show, it
is time for our first check of the head lines.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
It's smut g Ludwick. Who is smoked? Where is smoked?
Where there's smoke, there's fire. Let's go.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
All right, so, Willie, we're a day away from ACC
kickoff officially getting underway here in Charlotte, North Carolina. But
the Big twelve had some news today, or specifically the
American Conference because Big twelve. Yeah, because it's no longer
the AAC. They're just going by the American Conference now.
They even got their own cheesy little eagle mascot, which
(31:49):
is interesting. But here was the big news today regarding
the American Conference. Memphis, one of the members of the
conference and longtime member of the conference.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Apparently big athletic fans.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Apparently they're a big fan of at Big twelve, as
they made a two hundred million dollar offer to join
the Big twelve, per Ross Fellinger's reporting, but within the
last hour, Brett Murphy says to Big twelve is not
interested in two hundred million dollars. He never want to
be the team that is pursuing the conference. You always
want the conference to be pursuing you. Same thing works
(32:22):
in agency work as well.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
So now Memphis definitely failing to b lose right now.
But I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Who's not feeling all.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
I know.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
That was all right? Well, anyway, in.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Case you just now are tuning in, we kind of
mentioned this earlier, but it was more passing.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Do you want to let people know?
Speaker 3 (32:39):
On Saturday night, Nick Scoreton did sign his rookie contracts,
So that means every single pick from the twenty twenty
five NFL draft Ford to Carolina Panthers is officially on
the roster, and he reported along with the rest of
the Panthers' rookies today the veterans do so tomorrow we'll
hear from some of those tomorrow in advance of the
first practice on Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Aaron sh Arlotte we'll come back big weekend as well.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
On the soccer pitch, Charlotte FC a three two victory
over Atlanta and nodded, we will chit chat with Anna
Whitty to join us. After Charlotte's third consecutive win and
fourth unbeaten. On the spin, what's ready on Honey two
seven fenz It's Bronico at the halfway line. Forward passed
(33:27):
for pet bl pet Bl one touch for Zaha in
the middle, Zahi to the area.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Discus well, friend, Zaha.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Get Sala de lade two one fifty ninth minute.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Look at you chirp in Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
It is a badass song too, my badass group, but
not a badass soccer club. Apparently not this year. Charlotte
a three two victory over Atlanta. Although it did it
looked blue. I'm not going to lie to you, it
look bleak. I was about as about as angry at
a first half as I'd been in a very long
time with the way that that first half looked. But
(34:10):
boy did they flip the script ever?
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Did they?
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Three goals unanswered in the second half. They hold on
to win three to two. Person who was on the
call sitting right next to me watching all that take place?
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Was Anna Witty.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
She joins us on WFNZ after Sharylon if C gets
its third consecutive victory, fourth in a row, unbeaten, They're
up to seventh in the Eastern Conference table.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Anna?
Speaker 2 (34:31):
How are you good?
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Afternoon? I'm doing good. I'm doing good that we're here
to talk about Atlanta. But wow, was that second half ugly?
And then the changes they make to so Morales here today.
I'm pretty mind blown by the decisions down there this season.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Yeah, that was pretty curious. They make a halftime sub
and it ends up being that that player who gets
subbed off is actually sold to c F Montreal, So
apparently it had been something that had been in the
works for a little bit, but a curious change.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
What did you think?
Speaker 3 (35:03):
This is always my favorite game of the year, not
only because we've won the last three, but because we
see the Charlotte FFC fans really show out and show
up for their team on the road. What did you
make of the mass exodus of people heading down to Atlanta.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Oh, it's fantastic. The fact that this is a year
four in a league and there are fans over two
thousand fans getting on the road to travel on a
Saturday afternoon to watch their club play in Atlanta. It's
fantastic and I think that's the biggest reason, honestly that
Charlotte got honored the twenty twenty six in the last
All Star Game next summer. The fact that this team
has been able to build such a massive culture that
(35:42):
so many people want to be fans of is huge,
and I think a big piece of that is people
coming to Charlotte. They're looking for a soccer team to
root for, and they're here seeing what happens in the stadium.
They're seeing the conversations and how Charlotte's been really good
this year. So I love it. It was awesome. You could
hear it in the crowd, especially as that game progressed.
And I do think the player's credit just feeling a
(36:04):
little bit at home in Atlanta Stadium helping them bear
in the second half for sure.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Part of our duty here, though, and I think we
have to do kind of look at this as a
two sided coin here, because I think you could be
very rightfully alarmed by the way to look in the
first half, but then also equally gratified by the way
they came out in the second half.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Which one are you more inclined to focus on.
Speaker 5 (36:27):
I'm focusing on the second half. Look, May and June
was really ugly, and they really struggled to find results
when they did find them. Being on the road has
been something that has really paralyzed this Charlotte team this season.
And the fact that Charlotte proved that they could pull
themselves out of literally despair. I mean, it was the
ugliest first half of soccer I've seen them play since
(36:47):
the Chicago game. I don't even know which one is worse.
And for them to come back to get that first
goal right as soon as the whipple blowed, the substitutions
that came on and that didn't allow the game to
drop off. That it's hard to do when you're on
the road. That it's hard to do period, when it's
such an intense game. The second half was night and day.
The midfield looks so much more solid and the confidence
(37:08):
was so much better. So I'm focusing on that second half,
especially since they're coming back home to play Toronto on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
I'm choosing to be happy that pet Biela is not
going to the All Star Game. Because he ends up
getting an extra couple of days of rest in advance
of Charlotte's next home contest against Toronto. But independent of that,
how incredible has it been to watch this player grow
over the course of this season, grow into this league.
(37:35):
And I'll just go out and say it, he's Charlotte's
best offensive attacker that they've had, at least from a
productivity per game aspect, because that there's nobody who has
scored and assisted on the level relative to the games
they've played that they've had in their young history.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
Oh, no doubt, No doubt. And the fact that Ford
Patrick Augemont started the season here in Charlotte, he contributed
to Gold, but I would go on the record to
say Bell has been better now they play different roles,
but the fact that Bell has also led the weight
on the defensive end is something that a lot of
this attack hadn't done before him. I think he's done
a great job on both sides of the ball. He's
(38:15):
got this like swagger, this composure where he doesn't ever
get too hot. He doesn't allow moments of the game
to impact how he plays for the rest of the game,
and that's super important to be able to have. I
think he's by far the best player in this attack.
I've really enjoyed how he can flow into a game,
whether he's out wide, if he's central. I've really enjoyed
(38:36):
how Charlotte has dispelled so many different attackers at times.
But Tokomandi comes in, Vargas, Avada, Zaha up top and
he can play with all of them. Tiger Small's got
some minutes against Atlanta. He can play with everyone, and
I just think he brings this composure too into the midfield,
like Westwood and Bronico don't have to do as much
running because Bronico helps them in the midfield. And I
(38:59):
have the credit bl for what's allowed west Wood to
play every minute this season so far at thirty five
years old, Like bl is so much to the midfield,
so much to the attack. Credit to him. This is
one heck of a year and I hope he can
continue to write it out as Charlotte hopefully pushes for
a playoff spot.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Charlotte f C broadcaster Anna, what are you joining us here?
Charlotte ff C victorious three to two over Atlanta. They
played Saturday against Toronto. Of these main contributors and who
is a player who maybe maybe your mind has been
changed about them over the course of this season. Maybe
they didn't have the best start, but now are big
(39:36):
contributing to the squad and to this run they've been on.
Speaker 5 (39:40):
There's nobody at the beginning of the season in particular,
just because Charlotte started so strong and I felt like
that was a team effort. But one person in particular
I would say at this point is Milanda. He had
a Spello May in June where some of his games
were just really inconsistent. Even Coach Smith said, we're seeing
our center backs play on care teristically like four. And
(40:02):
the fact that Milanda now these past three games, has
been a huge piece of that back line. Green has
featured in their privet, has featured in there. They've played
a three back at times. He's done great in his
one v one setups, whereas I felt like he struggled
halfway through the season in one v one spots, and
he's been smarter. He's holding the line a little bit higher.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
You can tell.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
Alana is a big piece of where they choose to
hold the line, and so he's not allowing attackers to
get more space and more time without physical touch on them.
So I've enjoyed Milana. He's always one of been one
of my favorite players, but I was not impressed in
May and June. This has been a much better month
for him.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
This is a very interesting stretch for Charlotte because they
have another winnable game on Saturday, and then they'll play
three Leagues Cup Group stage games before their next MLS contest,
which comes on the tenth of August. Last year of the
League's Cup almost felt like it derailed Charlotte off cseason.
It's at them a long time to get themselves back righted.
How do you feel like Dean Smith negotiates it's this
(41:00):
next part of the schedule because I think while there
is a desire to get young guys some experience, in
some minutes, I do feel like he can't do anything
to mess with the competitive edge of the squad.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
It's a balance, right, especially when you're so far along
in the season, like they're taking on Toronto on match
day twenty seven. It's been a long year for Charlotte
up until this point. It's important that these three group
stage play games are at home. It's something that they
can sleep in their own bed, they can train in
their own facility. I think we're going to see coach
Smith deploy more of Tiger Small's We're going to see
(41:32):
more minutes from Scardina. Defender Nathan Byrne is reportedly going
to get more minutes as League Cup comes a little
bit closer. I see they're also being a balance too,
of wanting to build more chemistry like Toklamadi continuing to
be a big part of that nine role, but also
resting legs. I mean, Smith has said they're here to
win trophies, they want to win championships, but Leak's Cup
(41:54):
is a hard stretch and it being right in the
middle of the season, you have to be really smart.
So I don't see him going out full force wanting
to start every consistent number. I see him trying to
also balance out some of the talent he has because
the depth does important as they get closer. I mean,
the end of the season isn't till October and it's
July twenty first, so they still got a long way
to go. Like I'd be careful with injuries and managing loads.
(42:18):
So I think we'll see a good balance.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
JERNNFC Toronto FC.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
We will get to see a very cool giveaway, and
we'll also have a chance of talk with the man
who's part of that giveaway, Caroaren Vargas. The Sumrsault bibblehead
is my favorite giveaway that we've had in a very
long time, my favorite, honestly since the last bibblehead we had,
which was the Brand Bronicle bibblehead couple of years ago.
But man, oh man, not only is it apt time
for him to have a bobblehead because he's been here
(42:44):
since the beginning and the Summer Assaults a very innovative idea,
but it's coming at a time where he has also
proved to do some very very good work for Charlott
of C, including a primary assist on Saturday.
Speaker 5 (42:54):
Hopefully we can get out of this interview with Vargas.
You know, where does he learn to do this back
flip and how did he learn because maybe he was
a gymnast in a former life, I'm not sure, but
it's really impressive how he can nail it every single time. Look,
I feel like this has been his best year, these
last handful of games where he's won that starting midfield
(43:14):
position out wide, he's been so much more clinical. I
felt like He's been smarter on the ball. His runs
have been timed. He doesn't look chaotic in really hard
decision making times. He does a really good job of
staying locked in. Like his goal I believe was NYCSD
and typically we'd see him skyrocket that shot, but the
fact that he hit it right underneath the crossbar, I
(43:36):
just think shows a lot of his maturity. He's still
kind of a younger player, so I think this is
huge for him.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
I can't wait.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
I've never had a bobblehead so cool. I like didn't
know they could make stuff like this, so I'm thrilled
for it too. It should be really fun.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Don't put anything past our friends to Charlotte FC marketing
to bar Mitt Charlotte of C Toronto if you want
tickets to get to that game for that bubblehead, Charlotte
Football Club dot com slash tickets were on the air
seven o'clock Saturday.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Hannah chats soon. Appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (44:02):
Appreciate you. We'll chat soon.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
Have a good day.
Speaker 3 (44:04):
That is Anniwitty joining us Charlott FFC broadcaster here on
the Kyle Bailey Show. We'll come back. Best audio in Sports.
Joe Person joins us about half hour from right now.
We'll talk panthers with him pounding to get to on
this beautiful Hornets Summer League Championship Monday, Sports Areadio ninety
two seven WFNZ
You're listening to the Kyle Bailey Show powered by Victory
Chevy Charlotte. Want to drive a sweet Silverado trail Boss
like KB. Go to Victory Chevy Charlotte dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And oh, there it is Sweet Victory. Indeed, Charlotte is.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Title town Easy Schworts Radio ninety two SEVENFNZ.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Happy Monday to you on a day.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
That we will remember as a day where we celebrated
the frivolity, but also we're very, very happy about the
fact that the Charlotte Hornets were able to put something
in the trophy case this weekend with a Summer League
Championship trophy, defeating the Sacramento Kings yesterday late in Vegas
(01:11):
by a final score of eighty three to seventy eight.
And I'll say it like this, part of me again
wants to keep this all in perspective and be somewhat grounded.
But seeing how many people were up last night with
me and you too smoke, seeing how many Hornets fans
(01:34):
were up and live tweeting about this game, treating this
like it was something serious, I think we have no
other choice but to go all in and say this
is one of the greatest moments we've seen in the
history of the basketball team, especially since the franchise came
back in two thousand and four and champions. Oh the
(01:54):
folks so good to say, yes, oh, yes, I believe
I got to say that the the the Conkoin Nipple
wing three. My my wife, who many of you know,
has a very long commute to work. She goes to
work four days a week for a very prominent hospital system.
And I won't put her business out there fully, but
(02:17):
you know she drives a long way to do so
as a doctor.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
She tapped out at halftime.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
She's, you know, as big of a Hornets fan she is,
she just she couldn't she could not compromise her sleep.
But I woke her up with the Conkinipple wing three,
and she texted me from the bed and she was like,
is something wrong?
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Did you Did you break something?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Because I definitely would when cogani will hit that three,
I was like, bag, maybe look for as much hell
as I rightfully give Tyler Hansbrough for his UH celebration
when he beat Virginia Tech in the ACC tournament down
the road here, I celebrated like Tyler Hansbrough did when
Conkinipple hit that three. My hands were flailing all over
(03:01):
the place. I didn't know what to do with my body.
I was going crazy. He had to get back down
to earth because they quickly responded with another three on
the utter end. But holy crap, by the way, what
we're the concerns for Continent Latin now after that gone
completely gone.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
The first game was an anomaly.
Speaker 3 (03:17):
We found out I do not need the energy people
like Big Ben who's saying stop being Hornets Homers. For
goodness sake, can you didn't say goodness listen, I'm not
here for your anti treating this like a fun thing,
because this is a fun thing. It's fun if you
want to sit here and say I have a grounded
(03:38):
approach and say this is nice, but I'm okay with it.
But if you're just sitting here and trying to, you know,
raid on our parade, throw a wet blanket on this excitement.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
I'm not here for you today. I'm just not because.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
How many times have we gone through this period of
the season and thought the Hornets gave no blanks about
the Summer League and gave no quarter to this period
of time in the season, And now we actually have
developmental pieces plural that you can be excited about in
konkerin Nipple, Ryan Kulkbrenner, Leah McNeely. I know that James
(04:17):
probably didn't showcase himself very well. But as you and
I have chronicled, I've been with you for the last
six days, We've said it almost repeatedly, probably isn't the
tournament that Sion James necessarily has to showcase his talents.
He also didn't play the last half. To be fair
for him, we now at least know that that t
John Salon can play functional basketball.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Given a.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Platform to be able to do so. Is he a
complete player yet? Not the slightest, but he at least
looks like he has taken a step. How big that
step is I think will be determined during the NBA
regular season. But hey, in a game relative to its peers,
where everything else was equal, everybody else said rookies, second
(05:00):
year guys, maybe a couple of thirds just to be
aptitude guys. But in a tournament relative to their fears,
gentlemen who wore the logo and the name of the
Charlotte Hornets got to hoist a trophy. If that doesn't
make you excited. Then I ask you to seek joy
in your life somewhere, because that should bring you joy.
(05:20):
I'm not gonna apologize for what I just did to
start to show, or what I did last night, because
Willie I was born in nineteen ninety seven. Yeah, I'm
I'm nearly twenty eight years old, Okay. I started watching
basketball in around two thousand and three, two thousand and four.
I technically went to a Hornets game in two thousand
and two, yet I can't remember who they were going against.
(05:41):
I just remember we were sitting in the nosebleeds and
I got a couple of T shirts in a Bennet.
The last time they want to playoff series, I was
technically still in preschool. Mmm, I've had nothing really to
cheer me on. One of the top fifteen moments fifteen
twenty moments as a fan of this team was when
Chris Douglas Roberts hit a game winner. MHM, does anyone
remember Chris Douglas Roberts. Do you even know who that is?
Speaker 2 (06:03):
I do know who that are?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Okay, Yeah, I remember him more in college, but I
remember him also in the NBA.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
His NBA career didn't last that long, I have had
barely anything to cling on too. Okay, I watched Jason
Max Seal. Every single performance at Jason Max Seal. I
remember when the Hornets barely put up seventy in a
game back in twenty fourteen when they were honoring Kendall Gill.
This is for Sagana Job, This is for Primo Brezich,
This is for Walter Herman, Adam Morrison, all those things, well, no,
(06:30):
screw him, He's got his NBA titles, but points stance,
all right. This is for Derek Brown, the og Derek Brown.
It actually played for the Bob Kats. Okay, for all
of us that have had to watch all that, we'll
take a grain of salt in the victory of a
Summer League championship and we'll love it. The definitive text
from our guy named Special Sauce last night was fun
(06:51):
and it's very important. I realize it's Summer League, but
winning habits have to start somewhere. We're gonna have the
Summer League winning head coach, Chris gent on our program
at five o'clock. I will ask him to properly contextualize this.
But if you stayed up like me, pass the end
of the game and saw the joy on the phases
of the players. You saw the joy on Conk Nipple's
(07:13):
teammates as he won the Summer League Championship MVP Award
and then lamented how he had to wear a headband
during the entire thing. There is at least something of
a vibe change around this organization, and we have been
starved for it.
Speaker 2 (07:31):
Like that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
If you think that this all doesn't mean anything, you've
not been watching the Charlotte Hornets for the last two,
three four seasons, because the Hornets have been an organization
that has been mocked, decried, and just downright made fun
of by everybody in the National Basketball Association media and
even those outside of it. It happened last week, I mean,
(07:55):
Paul George took to the microphone and said, I'm not
going to join that franchise. My career would be over,
when we all basically said back to him, Hey, by
the way, we think your career is over anyway. By
the way, Paul, the Hornets now have more championships than
you do. So much for playoff Pete.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
Just say it.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
But again, I understand that folks are going to sit
here and try to throw cold water on this, But
the difference between the Hornets winning this title and say
Sacramento winning it, or any one of these other teams
winning it is that the Hornets actually have some pieces
that contributed to this that are going to be part
(08:33):
of their rotational roster. kJ Simpson, T John Salon, Calkbrenner,
Canipple McNeely. These are guys who are going to help. Now,
I will sit here and tell you this. It did
chat me a little bit when I saw on Sunday
that PJ Hall signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, knowing full
well that we probably could have gotten rid of some
two way spot that we had held for Damien Baugh.
(08:56):
No offensive, Damien. I like PJ Hall's game. If there
is something to be said about PJ Hall, it's that
maybe he is a bit small for what the Hornets
are looking for from the center position. But if there's
one thing that we need, it's more big men. So
pardon me if I was not a little bit salty
about that. But if that's the only thing that dampers
you about what happened in Vegas, then everything else is.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Cake for me.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Yeah, I you know, I got bummed out a little
bit when I saw PJ Hall Sinnday till. First off,
congrats to PJ Hall because he earned that over the weekend,
throughout the whole entire summer league. And I'm not I'm
not I'm out at him. I'm not out of him.
Go get your money, son, I'm I'm I'm happy for him. Yeah,
it's just one of those situations where I think they
didn't want to have two centers that were undersize, and
they they know what they have with Moose and Moos
(09:40):
is no longer two way players, so they picked Moose
in between PJ. Hall, and I get that, especially since
Moose is a lot better of a defender than PJ.
Hall is and I think will be in the NBA.
It's stings, but no pun intended, But there are there. Yeah,
there are good problems to have. Like I didn't really
think that much of Jalen Simms, you know, I know
he played a little bit in the back half this
(10:02):
last year.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I feel bad that there's not a spot for him either. Well,
it's just one of those.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Things where I'm like, Okay, he's probably earned himself or
really put himself into consideration of a two week contract
and going to get least get into training camp before
Summer League. We fought kJ Simpson was going to be
as good as gone. Now we look at kJ Simpson,
I'd argue he was the MVP of the whole entire
Summer League if you accumulate all the stats for all
six of the games. So you look at that, and
(10:25):
we didn't even get to see as much of Lee
McNeely as we fought.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
I feel bad about that.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I feel bad, But from what we did see, it
was very promising to see what we saw from Lee McNeely.
I don't know if he'll be instantly into rotation to
start the year, but it's one of those things were like,
all right, by the back end of this year, he
could be one of those guys that comes off the
bench and becomes a spark plug. Well here's the other
part of this, and it was brought up already by
somebody on the text line.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
The Hornets still have a roster.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
That's eighteen deep and needs to have three dudes wait
before they actually start the season. Look, I I do
have a feeling that these things worked each other out.
I think we all kind of feel like the Kwan
Jeffries is probably somebody who you look at and say,
is is cyonaras so long? Nick Smith Junior is probably
(11:11):
the other one who you think is probably a lock
to not be here. And then it comes down to
what can they package together to trade to either get
a center or free up some other spots to maybe
get another one of these guys who they liked in
summer league on the roster, because that's the ultimate sign
of where you're looking at this roster and saying, hey,
(11:31):
if you want to go young, I think you have
the birth to do that a little bit now because
you have probably more veteran leadership on this team than
they've had in a very long time. You have Grant Williams,
you have Colin Sexton, you have Spencer Dimwiddie. You have
a lot of guys who have at least played a
representative amount of basketball in the NBA. Miles Bridges can
(11:52):
be considered a veteran now quite frankly, Oh no.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
He's in an NBA terms, he's definitely a veteran.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
So part of that you look at and say, okay,
you're at least now surrounding the people like Brandon Miller,
T John Salon and even to a certain sense, LaMelo
with veteran leadership, even though Willmello is a veteran, probably
closer to a veteran now in NBA terms. I don't
know if you would necessarily say that if you go
(12:18):
by strictly games play, But we'll get into all that
today completely a breakdown of what's going on with the
summer league and how.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
To properly contextualize it.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
We'll talk to Sam Purley off Hornets dot Com at
three point thirty. We'll also talk about a big Charlotte
FFC victory back in the win column again, third in
a row, four in a row, unbeaten after a three
to two victory, coming from behind after a one nailed
depsite at half time to beat Atlanta three to two.
They get a season sweep of Atlanta and also get
themselves back up into the solidified playoff line above the
(12:49):
second playoff line, if you will, outside of the play
in into seventh ahead of another winnable matchup against Toronto
in advance of the league's Cup. We got to talk
about the NASCAR race over the weekend and now how
we have a battle of the ties in the NASCAR
in season challenge Panthers on a day when the Panthers
rookies report, how in the world would we have ever
(13:11):
had in the history of our radio station, the Panthers
rookies reporting in training camp usurped thrown off the front
page by something else, anything else the Hornets did that.
That's how I think the excitement of this city is
looking at right now, and not to necessarily bury the
lead on that because the Panthers rookis reporting. Also, it
(13:33):
combined with the fact that we did get Nick Gorton
signed over the weekend, which all of them baby, which
quite frankly, if I'm looking at it and saying, man
oh man, I did not want any drama going.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Into training camp.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
I'm happy we don't have any of that drama going
into training camp. No, that's in the utter. Queen city
in Cincinnati. What a shame for them, What a shame
they don't have their not their second round pick. They
just got Demetrious Night sign which congrats to him. Local
guy here sayce you played at Charlotte South Carolina. No,
they don't have their first round pick sign Still, it's
hold out season, baby, Matt and Giebra also goes it's
(14:06):
a good thing when other organizations are signing players from
our summer league roster. It is, but I also would
have liked to keep one of those and that particular
guy in PJ.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Hall.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
But hey, it does at least give the Hornets some
credence to Hey, what they're doing organizationally is working, and
winning culture is not something that you can sniff at
and scoff at, because they've at least built something of
a winning culture in the Vegas Summer League. I hope, pray,
(14:40):
and we've seen other examples of this, but I also
hope and pray that it does translate to the NBA
roster into the NBA season.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Will it p in for KB? For one more day?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
KB is back tomorrow ahead of ACC Media Days which
begin tomorrow in earnest here in uptown Charlotte. We'll have
all that for you this week here on WFNZ. Also
Panthers training camp getting under way, with the rookies reporting
today and the veterans reporting tomorrow. Will come back though,
and I'll ask you this, how excited are you? How
(15:11):
excited are we allowed to be? And what are the
best victories individual player type victories that we saw. We'll
also talk to Sam Parley of Hornets dot Com. Next
Sports Radio ninety two to seven WUFNZ Sports Radio ninety
(15:35):
two to seven wufn Z. I actually did text our
friends over at the Hornets after again, by the way,
five o'clock, we'll talk to Chris Jent, the Summer League
winning head coach of the Hornets. I did ask them,
by the way, I had to form my own sanity
curiosity and also maybe to help inform the masses about
whether or not they will be selling Hornets Summer League
(15:57):
Championship gear through the official team store. I've not gotten
a yes or no answer yet from them, but just
to let you know, I have put in the inquiry
for you, because that's how I feel. I feel like,
as somebody who has granted the access to certain people
who might know these things, or at least people who
know people who might know these things, we'll get that
(16:20):
I will buy some type of Hornets Summer League Championship paraphernalia. Second,
and I know the Crown Club put one out. I'm
not quite going to go that route, but I will
at least repeat something that they said.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Scotty and then those guys are great.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
I'm not trying to blow up their spot negatively on this,
but they did say, if you are one of these
people who are coming out here and mocking Hornets fan
celebrating a Summer League championship, you must live a pretty
miserable life, Like what do you genuinely want from fan
base who has not want a playoff series in as
long as they have? So, you know, part pardon me again,
(17:04):
I'm I'm I'm totally endorsing that behavior of of being
angry at the folks who are mocking us for being
as excited as we are about a championship.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
If if the Hornets do not sell any merchandise for
the Summer League championship.
Speaker 2 (17:18):
Big miss, this is bull blank, Thank you very much.
Boss man. Wow, you went, you went, You went full
chin on that.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
Why do you have to call him that?
Speaker 3 (17:29):
Saulto sulto Walter Sammy says, this, uh, not necessarily relating
the Summer League, but imagine the hype the LA Lakers
would have gotten if they had picked up somebody like
Colin Sexton. That pickup was so undervalued. I LA got Sexton,
and that speaks to what we were talking about earlier.
Everything the Hornets do get somehow summarily ripped by everybody.
(17:50):
You cannot rip this. They can never take this away.
And look, I understand that we could be sitting here
two months, three months from now and have half the
starting lineup on the shelf. Canipple looks like he's lost
out there. Mcneely's nowhere near his summer form, and we
still have no solution at center. I realize all these
(18:11):
things could be one true. Allow me to just enjoy
the moment while we have it is that. Okay, can
we not make this about OMG, they're still gonna stink
in November.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
Can we not make it about that? Please?
Speaker 3 (18:28):
I did not know where you're going with that voice,
but I agree with I don't know what that voice
was supposed to be, but it just it was. It
was It was buzz. It was my buzz, killington is
what it was. We're still gonna stink in November. Guys,
don't worry about it and joy and have your fun.
Now what what?
Speaker 2 (18:54):
I don't know. I did not expect that to come
out of your mouth. I just that's what it is.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Rachel says, you are a man of the people. I
don't know if I'm a man of the people. I
just like fun.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
You're a man of the people until you give your
food check takes. Stop it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
Okay, just because a man prefers to have one condiment
over another does not mean that I need to be
assailed by you today.
Speaker 2 (19:20):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (19:20):
That belongs to the Morning show. I'm sorry say as
I say. Don't take their brand. Wind breaking jokes and
childish food takes. Don't take the Morning Show's brand away
from them. They've worked very, very hard to earn that.
Texter Goes. I gotta tell you, boys, I'm very hyped
about Summer League title. You have to start somewhere, and
(19:42):
this shows a lot of harder these guys. This is
the way to build. Give me my Summer League championship,
Birch so the best victories I think of the Summer
League t John Salon is going to be a rotation
player for this team. He has to be because they
don't have a backup four necessarily outside of Grant Williams.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And you might even have Grant.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Williams at the current construction of the roster having to
play a little bit of small ball five. You might
even have to have Salon play a little small ball five,
given how they want to be a four or five
out team. So Solon has become playable in major rotation minutes.
Conk Nipple look as somebody who still wonders.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
What he's going to be in the NBA.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
From a solidifying aspect, He's somebody who I feel like
we maybe underrated his ability to conduct offense and make
those things happen. I think kulk Brenner is the one
player who probably got better as the course of the
Summer League went on. He was probably at a certain
level the beginning of Summer League. I think he rose
to an even greater level, and maybe his rise level
(20:48):
was higher than anybody else's. I think over the course
of Summer League, and we already talked also earlier about McNeely,
I think he very much opened a lot of people's eyes,
and I think he turns into maybe a deal kind
of pick in the first round. Man who covers the
Hornets as close to as anybody for Hornets Dot Com,
our good friend Sam Pearley, who was embedded in as
close to them as well physically as anybody else was
(21:11):
talk about the Summer League championship. What's going on, Sam,
how are you and this has got to be.
Speaker 2 (21:15):
A fun thing cover.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
Oh absolutely, and thank you for having me will Yeah,
very fun. I was out there for the first three
games as well as the few days before the game started,
and then kind of followed it along here from Charlotte
just like everybody else. And yeah, really fun. And obviously
finishing it the way they did was, uh, was certainly
a thrill and obviously a good sign of things to
(21:41):
come for the franchise.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
What is the proper way to contextualize this in the
big picture.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
It's a really good question because obviously summer league it's
much lower stakes. In the regular season, you're really seeing
a handful of you know, rotational players playing throughout the league,
and as the cop petition kind of progresses, you know,
more and more guys kind of you know, fade out
a little bit with the games kind of stacking up.
But I think it just goes to show you that,
(22:09):
you know, even if it's summer league, if it's G League,
if it's you know, the NBA regular season roster, that
the hardest organization is committed and has done this now
two summers in a row. To go back to last year,
going seven to one in Summer League overall, that they're
bringing in the right guys. They're bringing in competitive guys,
guys are about the right things, getting better, improving, and
(22:32):
that there's a standard and a understanding that when you
come into the organization, whether you're you know, the top
guy on the roster or you know, the guy at
the end of the bench in the summer League, that
there's a this is how things are done here, and
it doesn't matter, you know, what you're standing is that
this is how we're going to play and this is
how we're going to approach things. And I think you've
(22:54):
seen that in the last two summers, and you know,
it's it's something that I think had it not for
some of the injuries this past year, you would have
seen a little bit more obvious, I guess or parent.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
At the at the NBA level, If we ask a
player who improved this situation the most, I would say
the answer is probably PJ. Hall, because he went from
being out of contract to contracted with another team. But
if we're talking strictly with the under contract Hornets players,
who do you think improved their position the most?
Speaker 2 (23:26):
When it comes to the Hornets.
Speaker 4 (23:28):
Yeah, I mean I was really impressed with with kJ
Simpson and kind of being around him for a few
days out in Vegas before the game started. Just you know,
he didn't get a chance to play at Summer League
last year, and because he was hurt and played a
lot his NBA rookie season, maybe more so than I think,
(23:49):
you know, people were expecting, just because of the injury
situation and things of that nature. But I was so
impressed with his demeanor and the responsibility that not only
that he understood that he had, but the one that
he embraced is I'm the point guard. Everything falls on me.
It's my responsibility to make sure everybody's organized, doing what
they're needing to do in the spots they need to be.
(24:14):
And he was really excited to have sort of that
responsibility when when Summer League started. I thought he was
really instrumental in getting out some of the fast starts
they did, particularly in the Utah game, Dallas game, Philadelphia games,
and last night too. I mean, he didn't shoot particularly well.
He was four or fifteen, had seven rebounds, five assists
(24:38):
in three turnovers, and I think if you look at
the stat line it's slightly underwhelming, but if you watch
the game, and you see how just aggressive he was being,
how competitive he was on both ends, and how much
his intensity and his spirit kind of helped wild this
team across the finish line to beating the Kings coming
(24:58):
down to the final minute. I was just super impressed
kJ Simpson, not only so much on the court. You
could see some obviously some big steps he's taken, but
off the court from me from a leadership standpoint and
from a just intangible just he always had that before,
but you could really feel it and see it this
(25:18):
Summer League.
Speaker 3 (25:19):
Talking with Sam Furley of Hornets dot Com after the
Hornets were Summer League champions with their victory last night
over the Sacramento Kings eighty three seventy eight in the
championship night in Vegas, I think a player who also
maybe improved his standing just within Summer League is Ryan Culkbrnder,
because I think I wouldn't go so far as it
call what his open the Summer League was discouraging, but
(25:41):
I would say that he looked a heck of a
lot more comfortable at the end than he did at
the beginning.
Speaker 4 (25:48):
For sure. And I think with the with the NBA centers,
as you know, there is a pretty steep learning curve
at times, just adjusting to having to cover more you know,
floor spacing big man five out offenses. It's just going
to be and Ryan has acknowledged that the you know,
during post raft media availability and things like that, it's
(26:10):
just going to be a different defense and a different
set of responsibilities that he's going to have at the
NBA level as opposed to Creighton. And I think at
thet I totally agree with you. At the start of
you know, summer League, you could tell that things were
moving maybe a little fast, you know, just kind of
having to guard some of the better shooting big man
like Kyle Phillipowski in particular comes to mind. But by
(26:31):
the end of it, I mean you could really kind
of see him settling in, getting a little bit more comfortable.
I thought he did a really good job using a
physicality around the rim to clear out space for rebounds,
whether he got them or not, blocking shots even you know,
just being at the rim and kind of fearing drivers
(26:51):
away from opposing teams to you know, steering them away
from the rim and having them kick out and things
like that. Stuff that doesn't this a show up in
the box score. You know his numbers, he's putting up
fifteen and twenty, you know, fifteen point twenty rebound kind
of games necessarily, but you know, he was I think
had nine points in the first quarter last night. Was
really good in that pick and roll with with Cohn
(27:11):
and kJ to start before the Kings made some defensive adjustments.
But yeah, I totally agree. Definitely a guy that looked
a little bit more comfortable or much more comfortable as
the tournament pressed, and you know, even saw some of
the three point shooting. He hit a couple threes, and
I think that's something that the Hornets haven't necessarily had
a lot, is a floor spacing big man, not necessarily
(27:33):
implying he's going to shoot five to six threes a
game moving forward, but even if you can do one
or two and keep the defense, honest, I think it's
something that with the Hornets can use to their advantage.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Certainly so and kan Ka Nipple, I think it showed
a great deal leadership after earlier in the tournament he
didn't play the second night of a back to back,
he plays the back to back in the semi finals
in the finals, and you could see how much it
meant that the guys around him. I feel like any
any time you have a dude who exudes leadership and
guys flocked to you need more of those guys on
(28:03):
your team. And I think independent of what he did
on the floor, because I think what he did on
the floor, by the end of it also incredibly great,
but you can at least tell that dudes love playing
with this guy and he is a leader, which I
think is something to hornes steam more of.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Yeah. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (28:19):
And the quote that really stuck out to me from
con a summer league, which is not something necessarily you
hear from me from a nineteen year old rookie, It
was after the Dallas game where he really kind of
so he played the first game, didn't play super well,
sat out the second game, and then the third game
against Dallas a week ago, the first half did not
you know, didn't look necessarily very good, and then something
(28:41):
kind of flipped in that halftime and he really started
to kind of feel it in that third quarter, and
after the game, he you know, kind of had the
wherewithal to say, you know, I didn't feel like I
was bringing enough effort and intensity in that first half,
and I needed to do better, and I just thought,
kind of in hindsight, that was something that you don't
(29:01):
necessarily hear from a a nineteen year old rookie, particular
at Summer League, just kind of having the presence of
mind and awareness to say, hey, I wasn't good enough
and it was because I wasn't giving a good enough
effort in that first half, and I need to be
better because if I can't be what I need to be,
then the guys around me who are looking to me
for leadership can't be as good as they can be.
(29:21):
And I just that quote really kind of stuck with me,
is Okay, this is this guy's kind of wired a
little bit differently for a nineteen year old that's just
at the very beginnings of his NBA career, and he
really kind of took off from that point and there
was no looking back. And again last night too, I mean,
you look at the stat line and Conn even said
(29:42):
after the game, he said he didn't play particularly well,
didn't shoot great. I said, he, you know, was kind
of frustrated with some bad turnovers and a couple of
bad defensive possessions he had, but you know, he made
the plays he needed to in the final minute, he
got the defensive rebound off the cliffer jumper, got it
up court quickly despite quick double team from the Kings,
and then knock down the three. And I thought another
(30:04):
thing he did that was really good was kind of
burning some time off and those inbounds pathes towards the
end and just not giving Sacramento any time to kind
of crawl back into it in the last ten seconds
or so. So he's a fun player to watch. He
does a little bit of everything, and like you said,
you can tell guys like playing with him because he
(30:26):
just seems to be where he's supposed to be at
all times and makes things easier for them.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
It's stuff from Sam Purley.
Speaker 3 (30:32):
Of course you can find his stuff at Hornets dot com,
not just with Summer League, but I'm sure plenty to
lead up to before training camp, preseason and then when
these things.
Speaker 2 (30:41):
Count for real.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
Love following our coverage throughout the summer, Sam, and we'll
talk soon closer to the season.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Absolutely, thank you will for having me as always.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
At his Sam Parley joining us here Hornets dot com
and again we'll talk to Hornet's Summer League head coach
Chris gent at five o'clock, I am going to ask
coach gent. I didn't have time to ask this to
but I didn't want to ask him a coach jent
about t John Salona what the next step is for
him since he is on staff with Charles Lee and
just found out also by the way, that when KB returns,
(31:09):
he will return with Hornet's main head coach, Charles Lee
as well as part of tomorrow's Kyle Bailey Show, it
is time for our first check of the head lines.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
It's smut g Ludwick. Who is smoked? Where is smoked?
Where there's smoke, there's fire. Let's go.
Speaker 3 (31:26):
All right, so, Willie, we're a day away from ACC
kickoff officially getting underway here in Charlotte, North Carolina. But
the Big twelve had some news today, or specifically the
American Conference because Big twelve. Yeah, because it's no longer
the AAC. They're just going by the American Conference now.
They even got their own cheesy little eagle mascot, which
(31:49):
is interesting. But here was the big news today regarding
the American Conference. Memphis, one of the members of the
conference and longtime member of the conference.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Apparently big athletic fans.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Apparently they're a big fan of at Big twelve, as
they made a two hundred million dollar offer to join
the Big twelve, per Ross Fellinger's reporting, but within the
last hour, Brett Murphy says to Big twelve is not
interested in two hundred million dollars. He never want to
be the team that is pursuing the conference. You always
want the conference to be pursuing you. Same thing works
(32:22):
in agency work as well.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:24):
So now Memphis definitely failing to b lose right now.
But I'll tell you.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Who's not feeling all.
Speaker 3 (32:29):
I know.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
That was all right? Well, anyway, in.
Speaker 3 (32:34):
Case you just now are tuning in, we kind of
mentioned this earlier, but it was more passing.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
Do you want to let people know?
Speaker 3 (32:39):
On Saturday night, Nick Scoreton did sign his rookie contracts,
So that means every single pick from the twenty twenty
five NFL draft Ford to Carolina Panthers is officially on
the roster, and he reported along with the rest of
the Panthers' rookies today the veterans do so tomorrow we'll
hear from some of those tomorrow in advance of the
first practice on Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Aaron sh Arlotte we'll come back big weekend as well.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
On the soccer pitch, Charlotte FC a three two victory
over Atlanta and nodded, we will chit chat with Anna
Whitty to join us. After Charlotte's third consecutive win and
fourth unbeaten. On the spin, what's ready on Honey two
seven fenz It's Bronico at the halfway line. Forward passed
(33:27):
for pet bl pet Bl one touch for Zaha in
the middle, Zahi to the area.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Discus well, friend, Zaha.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
Get Sala de lade two one fifty ninth minute.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
Look at you chirp in Atlanta.
Speaker 3 (33:47):
It is a badass song too, my badass group, but
not a badass soccer club. Apparently not this year. Charlotte
a three two victory over Atlanta. Although it did it
looked blue. I'm not going to lie to you, it
look bleak. I was about as about as angry at
a first half as I'd been in a very long
time with the way that that first half looked. But
(34:10):
boy did they flip the script ever?
Speaker 2 (34:12):
Did they?
Speaker 3 (34:13):
Three goals unanswered in the second half. They hold on
to win three to two. Person who was on the
call sitting right next to me watching all that take place?
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Was Anna Witty.
Speaker 3 (34:21):
She joins us on WFNZ after Sharylon if C gets
its third consecutive victory, fourth in a row, unbeaten, They're
up to seventh in the Eastern Conference table.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
What's going on?
Speaker 4 (34:31):
Anna?
Speaker 2 (34:31):
How are you good?
Speaker 5 (34:33):
Afternoon? I'm doing good. I'm doing good that we're here
to talk about Atlanta. But wow, was that second half ugly?
And then the changes they make to so Morales here today.
I'm pretty mind blown by the decisions down there this season.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
Yeah, that was pretty curious. They make a halftime sub
and it ends up being that that player who gets
subbed off is actually sold to c F Montreal, So
apparently it had been something that had been in the
works for a little bit, but a curious change.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
What did you think?
Speaker 3 (35:03):
This is always my favorite game of the year, not
only because we've won the last three, but because we
see the Charlotte FFC fans really show out and show
up for their team on the road. What did you
make of the mass exodus of people heading down to Atlanta.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Oh, it's fantastic. The fact that this is a year
four in a league and there are fans over two
thousand fans getting on the road to travel on a
Saturday afternoon to watch their club play in Atlanta. It's
fantastic and I think that's the biggest reason, honestly that
Charlotte got honored the twenty twenty six in the last
All Star Game next summer. The fact that this team
has been able to build such a massive culture that
(35:42):
so many people want to be fans of is huge,
and I think a big piece of that is people
coming to Charlotte. They're looking for a soccer team to
root for, and they're here seeing what happens in the stadium.
They're seeing the conversations and how Charlotte's been really good
this year. So I love it. It was awesome. You could
hear it in the crowd, especially as that game progressed.
And I do think the player's credit just feeling a
(36:04):
little bit at home in Atlanta Stadium helping them bear
in the second half for sure.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
Part of our duty here, though, and I think we
have to do kind of look at this as a
two sided coin here, because I think you could be
very rightfully alarmed by the way to look in the
first half, but then also equally gratified by the way
they came out in the second half.
Speaker 2 (36:24):
Which one are you more inclined to focus on.
Speaker 5 (36:27):
I'm focusing on the second half. Look, May and June
was really ugly, and they really struggled to find results
when they did find them. Being on the road has
been something that has really paralyzed this Charlotte team this season.
And the fact that Charlotte proved that they could pull
themselves out of literally despair. I mean, it was the
ugliest first half of soccer I've seen them play since
(36:47):
the Chicago game. I don't even know which one is worse.
And for them to come back to get that first
goal right as soon as the whipple blowed, the substitutions
that came on and that didn't allow the game to
drop off. That it's hard to do when you're on
the road. That it's hard to do period, when it's
such an intense game. The second half was night and day.
The midfield looks so much more solid and the confidence
(37:08):
was so much better. So I'm focusing on that second half,
especially since they're coming back home to play Toronto on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
I'm choosing to be happy that pet Biela is not
going to the All Star Game. Because he ends up
getting an extra couple of days of rest in advance
of Charlotte's next home contest against Toronto. But independent of that,
how incredible has it been to watch this player grow
over the course of this season, grow into this league.
(37:35):
And I'll just go out and say it, he's Charlotte's
best offensive attacker that they've had, at least from a
productivity per game aspect, because that there's nobody who has
scored and assisted on the level relative to the games
they've played that they've had in their young history.
Speaker 5 (37:53):
Oh, no doubt, No doubt. And the fact that Ford
Patrick Augemont started the season here in Charlotte, he contributed
to Gold, but I would go on the record to
say Bell has been better now they play different roles,
but the fact that Bell has also led the weight
on the defensive end is something that a lot of
this attack hadn't done before him. I think he's done
a great job on both sides of the ball. He's
(38:15):
got this like swagger, this composure where he doesn't ever
get too hot. He doesn't allow moments of the game
to impact how he plays for the rest of the game,
and that's super important to be able to have. I
think he's by far the best player in this attack.
I've really enjoyed how he can flow into a game,
whether he's out wide, if he's central. I've really enjoyed
(38:36):
how Charlotte has dispelled so many different attackers at times.
But Tokomandi comes in, Vargas, Avada, Zaha up top and
he can play with all of them. Tiger Small's got
some minutes against Atlanta. He can play with everyone, and
I just think he brings this composure too into the midfield,
like Westwood and Bronico don't have to do as much
running because Bronico helps them in the midfield. And I
(38:59):
have the credit bl for what's allowed west Wood to
play every minute this season so far at thirty five
years old, Like bl is so much to the midfield,
so much to the attack. Credit to him. This is
one heck of a year and I hope he can
continue to write it out as Charlotte hopefully pushes for
a playoff spot.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Charlotte f C broadcaster Anna, what are you joining us here?
Charlotte ff C victorious three to two over Atlanta. They
played Saturday against Toronto. Of these main contributors and who
is a player who maybe maybe your mind has been
changed about them over the course of this season. Maybe
they didn't have the best start, but now are big
(39:36):
contributing to the squad and to this run they've been on.
Speaker 5 (39:40):
There's nobody at the beginning of the season in particular,
just because Charlotte started so strong and I felt like
that was a team effort. But one person in particular
I would say at this point is Milanda. He had
a Spello May in June where some of his games
were just really inconsistent. Even Coach Smith said, we're seeing
our center backs play on care teristically like four. And
(40:02):
the fact that Milanda now these past three games, has
been a huge piece of that back line. Green has
featured in their privet, has featured in there. They've played
a three back at times. He's done great in his
one v one setups, whereas I felt like he struggled
halfway through the season in one v one spots, and
he's been smarter. He's holding the line a little bit higher.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
You can tell.
Speaker 5 (40:21):
Alana is a big piece of where they choose to
hold the line, and so he's not allowing attackers to
get more space and more time without physical touch on them.
So I've enjoyed Milana. He's always one of been one
of my favorite players, but I was not impressed in
May and June. This has been a much better month
for him.
Speaker 3 (40:38):
This is a very interesting stretch for Charlotte because they
have another winnable game on Saturday, and then they'll play
three Leagues Cup Group stage games before their next MLS contest,
which comes on the tenth of August. Last year of the
League's Cup almost felt like it derailed Charlotte off cseason.
It's at them a long time to get themselves back righted.
How do you feel like Dean Smith negotiates it's this
(41:00):
next part of the schedule because I think while there
is a desire to get young guys some experience, in
some minutes, I do feel like he can't do anything
to mess with the competitive edge of the squad.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
It's a balance, right, especially when you're so far along
in the season, like they're taking on Toronto on match
day twenty seven. It's been a long year for Charlotte
up until this point. It's important that these three group
stage play games are at home. It's something that they
can sleep in their own bed, they can train in
their own facility. I think we're going to see coach
Smith deploy more of Tiger Small's We're going to see
(41:32):
more minutes from Scardina. Defender Nathan Byrne is reportedly going
to get more minutes as League Cup comes a little
bit closer. I see they're also being a balance too,
of wanting to build more chemistry like Toklamadi continuing to
be a big part of that nine role, but also
resting legs. I mean, Smith has said they're here to
win trophies, they want to win championships, but Leak's Cup
(41:54):
is a hard stretch and it being right in the
middle of the season, you have to be really smart.
So I don't see him going out full force wanting
to start every consistent number. I see him trying to
also balance out some of the talent he has because
the depth does important as they get closer. I mean,
the end of the season isn't till October and it's
July twenty first, so they still got a long way
to go. Like I'd be careful with injuries and managing loads.
(42:18):
So I think we'll see a good balance.
Speaker 2 (42:20):
JERNNFC Toronto FC.
Speaker 3 (42:22):
We will get to see a very cool giveaway, and
we'll also have a chance of talk with the man
who's part of that giveaway, Caroaren Vargas. The Sumrsault bibblehead
is my favorite giveaway that we've had in a very
long time, my favorite, honestly since the last bibblehead we had,
which was the Brand Bronicle bibblehead couple of years ago.
But man, oh man, not only is it apt time
for him to have a bobblehead because he's been here
(42:44):
since the beginning and the Summer Assaults a very innovative idea,
but it's coming at a time where he has also
proved to do some very very good work for Charlott
of C, including a primary assist on Saturday.
Speaker 5 (42:54):
Hopefully we can get out of this interview with Vargas.
You know, where does he learn to do this back
flip and how did he learn because maybe he was
a gymnast in a former life, I'm not sure, but
it's really impressive how he can nail it every single time. Look,
I feel like this has been his best year, these
last handful of games where he's won that starting midfield
(43:14):
position out wide, he's been so much more clinical. I
felt like He's been smarter on the ball. His runs
have been timed. He doesn't look chaotic in really hard
decision making times. He does a really good job of
staying locked in. Like his goal I believe was NYCSD
and typically we'd see him skyrocket that shot, but the
fact that he hit it right underneath the crossbar, I
(43:36):
just think shows a lot of his maturity. He's still
kind of a younger player, so I think this is
huge for him.
Speaker 4 (43:42):
I can't wait.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
I've never had a bobblehead so cool. I like didn't
know they could make stuff like this, so I'm thrilled
for it too. It should be really fun.
Speaker 3 (43:48):
Don't put anything past our friends to Charlotte FC marketing
to bar Mitt Charlotte of C Toronto if you want
tickets to get to that game for that bubblehead, Charlotte
Football Club dot com slash tickets were on the air
seven o'clock Saturday.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Hannah chats soon. Appreciate you.
Speaker 5 (44:02):
Appreciate you. We'll chat soon.
Speaker 2 (44:03):
Have a good day.
Speaker 3 (44:04):
That is Anniwitty joining us Charlott FFC broadcaster here on
the Kyle Bailey Show. We'll come back. Best audio in Sports.
Joe Person joins us about half hour from right now.
We'll talk panthers with him pounding to get to on
this beautiful Hornets Summer League Championship Monday, Sports Areadio ninety
two seven WFNZ
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.