Join the guys this week as they talk about the Pistons' win streak now being at 7, the largest of it's kind in a decade, the Red Wings coming back live on air against the Wild, how MSU bested Michigan in a game that had historic viewership, and then the pod's first snake draft of Must-See current Detroit athletes!
Throughout each episode, Kiel and Tyler play and discuss listener voicemails, and then wrap up with their Grit of the Week!
Join next week's discussion by calling in and leaving the guys a listener voicemail! (313) 306-7939
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
On this week's Great Iron Report, we have the results from Michigan versus Michigan State.
(00:06):
The Pistons and the Red Wings are again two of the hottest teams in the league.
And we wrap up with a draft of must see Detroit athletes at the moment.
So let's get into it.
In the heart of the city where the lights grow dim, grit and grind, every inch every rim, from the underdog trials into the legends that win, this is the Great Iron Report that the games begin.
(00:34):
Every highlight to journey rose, paved with fire, sweat tears and hustle that never expire, from the rookies on the rides to the old hands retire.
Great Iron is the place for fans to conspire, hustle on blast beats thunder and loud, champions aboard from the roar of the crowd.
The Great Iron Report where the stories are proud.
Welcome to the Great Iron Report, your Lions First All Detroit Sports Podcast.
(00:57):
Today is Wednesday, February 26th.
And the Pistons are now on the largest win streak in a decade with seven in a row now.
Yeah, man.
It's huge.
And I think probably before we start, just wanted to say quick, quick apologies if like our audio is coming to you a little bit different this week.
I'm on vacation again this time to Canada and we're currently on a zoom meeting, so we're doing the best that we can.
(01:23):
So yeah, to all of our amazing fans out there, if the audio is a little bit different, well, you know why.
But yeah, you mentioned it, Ty, the Pistons.
Let's talk about the Pistons.
I mean, this is it's it's insanity.
It's crazy what they've been able to do what JV Bicker staff and this Detroit Pistons team have been able to do this year.
I mean, just let's just talk about last year real quick just to put it on the perspective 14 and 68 last year.
(01:48):
The worst team in the lead 28 game losing streak, which I believe was the most in a season in NBA history.
And now look at them.
I mean, just it's an incredible turnaround 32 and 26.
They have a 94% chance of making the playoffs.
And I don't know if like this is true or not, this is certainly my opinion, but it's the best one of the best turnarounds in NBA history season over season.
(02:11):
And especially for a team that they didn't add like a top 100 all time player because I think you see a lot of big turnarounds in NBA history.
If you look back in the history that you know they added, you know, a hall of fame player to the team and that's why the team was able to turn around like that.
You know, the Pistons didn't do that.
They we can get into why they're having success, but basically just improving their core and
then adding some really, really tremendous role players.
(02:35):
And I mean, it's I can't say enough good things about what this team is able to do seven game history.
And I'm just absolutely buzzing.
It's such a relief to have such a fun team.
I mean, you mentioned last year for those who are, you know, more long term listeners who have been, you know, family friends, whatever have been following me, you know, in my sports writing and stuff for the past years.
(02:58):
Last year we were doing a lot of live watches to these games.
And I literally remember watching a game.
It was like right in the back end of the losing streak.
It was probably like lost number 24 or something at 3035 40 different people watching live.
The Pistons just get absolutely smacked around.
I mean, we were doing live watch alongs at least once a week.
(03:21):
Guys just tuning in to see the Pistons get smacked around with me.
And so to go from that to now this is it's so cathartic.
It's in a way that you mentioned it wasn't something that they went out and you had a hometown kid, you know, like a, for instance, a Yokech or, you know, LeBron James who was from here and he decided his contract was up and he's coming home to bring a championship to the city.
(03:46):
And so, you know, in the early 2010s, it was just really the ground base was laid and they brought in the actual right guys for the job in Trajan Langdon in Michael Blackstone and JB Bicker staff.
You know, we've gone over these guys in previous weeks and previous episodes, but each one is playing their part so perfectly from a staffing standpoint.
(04:08):
And now the players are starting to actually thrive in their roles.
We talked at the trade deadline about how Troy Weaver had gone in each year.
He was trying to do these reclamation projects and trying fitting all these players that like had potential together, but they technically shouldn't really be playing together and all these older vets that really had nothing left in the tank and how the development was really staggered for our young guys.
(04:31):
And then suddenly Trajan Langdon has got this great team together and these guys actually played together and we're seeing all our players take off.
I mean, he wasn't done this season. We had our episode what two weeks ago at the trade deadline when they added Dennis Schroeder in the DE, which I'm calling the DE, the Dennis Schroeder era.
They're averaging 117.8 points per game. They're third in defense, fifth in offense and second overall in net rating.
(04:53):
They are the only team in the NBA since the trade deadline outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers who are still undefeated.
I mean, the schedule is going to get more difficult over the next week. I think they play the Celtics. They play a few other teams that are more difficult that it's going to tell us a little bit more about this team.
But it's just, it's fantastic. You're watching this team and you're having so much fun watching these guys have fun. They're enjoying themselves. They're laughing on the bench. They're laughing in the post game.
(05:19):
It's absolutely incredible.
Yeah, I love that you mentioned that they're having fun. I mean, these guys are just all smiles. It's awesome.
I mean, two games ago, you popped off for 30. And in the post game interview, Malik Beasley comes up to him.
I think Malik had about 20 this game, too. And they're all smiles and Kade goes to Malik. What did I tell you before the game? Don't touch me.
(05:40):
Sizzlin. These guys are just, they're having fun. Like you said, Ty, it's super fun to watch.
And I mean, this team, they're, I think they're 21 and nine in their last 30 games, which I mean, it's easily the best stretch that the pittance have had. Like, I mean, as long as I can remember, yeah, you mentioned the seven game winning streak.
And yeah, on pace for 46, 47 wins. They have a realistic shot of the four seed in the playoffs. And I mean, that would just, that would be huge, you know, host the five seed, have home home court in a seven game series.
(06:11):
And you never know what's going to happen when this team is playing like this. And as you said, the DE, the Dennis, the tennis shorter era, it's amazing to see.
I'm just absolutely buzzing watching these guys play basketball. And that's something we haven't been able to say in years. So it's really sweet.
Yeah. And the fans are showing out to the right now, their ninth in attendance at 18,737 averaging. So I mean, the fans are coming out. They're showing the love to these players.
(06:37):
Everyone, I think words getting around the league that like, even though we might be a small market or a small or market like LCA, they really treat their player, you know, the team treats their players well, the fans come out and show out.
I remember back to, again, when I was doing my solo piston stuff that we went through, I went through and broke down kind of month by month wins and losses and stuff.
(06:58):
And I originally going into that, I had pegged us at about 25 wins and then actually breaking it out month by month and saying, like, okay, that's, you know, chocolate, that probably be a loss.
That one will probably be a win. I ended up somewhere around like the 21 range. So I actually had to bring my expectations down a little bit after breaking down the schedule.
Like you said, we're on pace for 46. I don't, I don't know if we're going to get to 46. Like I said, we have a little bit more of a difficult next stretch, next two or so weeks.
(07:24):
But to even be in the 40s is absolutely incredible. And we'll get into, you know, in future episodes, we'll start talking about who we'd want to see that potential matchup.
I know a lot of people are talking about how they want to, they want to play the Pacers because the Pacers are, you know, one of the more soft teams in the NBA.
I would tend to disagree that we want to play the Pacers just because Miles Turner puts up 40 every time we play him.
(07:46):
Some people have said they want to play the Knicks just because there is such bad blood there. It would be absolutely must see TV.
And I think that'd be great for ratings. I don't necessarily know if I want to go up against the Knicks team, even though they're coached by Tom Thibodeau who famously runs his players into the ground and they kind of flame out towards NBA finals and NBA playoff time.
I don't know. We'll break that down more so in a further episode, but just the fact that we can actually have this conversation just shows that a we are ahead of schedule and B it's this is working as proof of concept.
(08:17):
What we're doing is working.
You mentioned, you know, a couple, you know, potential matchups. And I just I truly think that the Pistons, you know, in a one game setting, they can they can go to toe to toe and potentially beat any team in the league.
And that's something that we have certainly not been able to say in probably the past 10 or 15 years.
Now in a seven game series, I'm not going to, you know, be delusional and say that the Pistons are the best team in the league and that they're going to go to the conference finals or anything like that.
(08:44):
But if they're playing like this, I truly think that they can go to toe to toe and compete with anyone.
So and there's a chance before we don't there's a chance they keep winning like this.
We will have, you know, at most two home playoff games.
And if it is to play in games, we could have two playoff games at LCA.
So we just saw what the Lions were able to do with home field advantage and how many fans went out there and how many records they literally broke when when they were given the chance in the playoffs.
(09:11):
I'm just LCA. Well, I don't think we had Blake Griffin in 2019 that might have been an LCA.
I guess that probably would have been LCA.
But I mean, we got swept that that series.
So this would be the real first true time.
I feel like Detroit Pistons have had a home playoff series or could have a home playoff series in, you know, at LCA and really forever.
So so much to look forward to again, they have Boston on Wednesday or tonight Wednesday, the 26th.
(09:37):
They have Denver on Friday, Brooklyn on Saturday, Utah Jazz, and then the Clippers come back to town, Golden State, Portland.
So a real kind of tough next five, six games will come out next week and really have a better idea of where this team stands as we're kind of getting into the final stretch of the season.
So shout out to them.
Shout out their winning streak.
I think that if they win against Boston, their winning streak obviously pushes to eight.
(09:59):
And I think that puts them the last time they did that was in 2006, maybe 2008, I believe.
So we're going on, you know, almost 20 years.
So just doing historic stuff right now.
Awesome. Love it.
And yeah, I mean, this this team, I should say this, this city Detroit, they mean they're hungry for playoff series.
I mean, we caught, you know, obviously a really good glimpse of it with the Lions the past two years.
(10:23):
We saw it.
Comerica Park first home playoff game in, you know, a decade and the fans showed out.
And I think we're going to see the exact same for the Pistons and, you know, knock on what the Red Wings as well.
And I guess it's a really good transition to the Wings who are still one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now.
They're actually playing as we record, you know, it's 927 Eastern time on Wednesday.
(10:49):
They just tied it up.
It's 2-2 against the Minnesota Wild.
So another big game.
But yeah, they are the Wings are 1-0-1 since the four nations break and 8-1-1 in their last 10.
So yeah, like I said, they are still one of, if not the hottest teams in the NHL right now.
I will say that since the four nations break, they did blow two different two goal leads.
(11:11):
One ended with an OT win, one with an OT loss of still three points there.
I'm not extremely worried about it, but it's something to keep an eye on.
You know, you never want to be blowing leads, especially both of those.
They were actually in the third period.
So again, not extremely worried.
But yeah, the Red Wings, they currently own the number one wild card spot in the East.
And so yeah, like I said, they're playing Minnesota right now.
(11:34):
They have Columbus at home on Thursday when this when this podcast is going to be released.
And then Columbus again on Saturday.
So kind of a double header there with a break.
Yeah, I think kind of like the Pissons, we are going to know every week that goes by, you know, it's the home stretch in both the NBA and the NHL season right now.
So every week that goes by, we're going to learn more about this team.
I think they're certainly playing well.
(11:57):
Love how they're playing, but we'll certainly, we'll certainly hear more soon.
When you and I first, we jumped on the pod to start recording and I pulled the score of this Red Wings game because I knew they were playing as we were recording.
And they were down to zero.
And I was like, shit, because obviously you just mentioned that the blown leads that they had over the weekend, obviously it was to, you know,
the game to the Minnesota wild. So one of that I wanted and now to see that they're all tied up throughout these, what the first 20 minutes or so of the podcast that we've been recording,
(12:25):
they've been able to tie it up a goal from a Terry Cincoe and then a goal from Evanson.
So yeah, hopefully they can kind of pull this one out.
If not keep pushing these games into overtime and at least pull out their pull out a point to, you know, trying to at least pad their stats a little bit.
But yeah, shout out the Red Wings.
I mean, I wrote an article the other day about just like, is there a hotter team or hotter city in the country right now sports wise than then Detroit with the way the lions are just absolutely dominating the NFL.
(12:53):
The way the pistons are the hottest team in the league, the Red Wings are one of the youngest hottest teams in the league. Who knows about the Tigers that come out their magical run.
Who knows where they're going to be doing this upcoming season.
But like, who has a, who has a better than us right now?
I mean, it's, it's, it's tough to say. I mean, yeah, certainly there are probably cities that have a better if they're, you know, bringing home championships.
But as far as I love the point, as far as like, you know, we talked about the turnaround for the pistons, but really Detroit sports in general.
(13:17):
And I was actually just talking about this with one of my buddies who's, you know, not, not from Detroit.
So we kind of see this from a, you know, a third party perspective.
But, you know, even he can see, you know, just look back two years he mentioned, you know, the lions, you know, start out one and eight and they, you know,
almost leak into the playoffs. They don't make it. They still are, you know, not quite there yet.
(13:39):
You have the red wings who just are in a seemingly never ending rebuild.
Same with the pistons, you know, one of the worst teams in the league.
And then, you know, the, the, the Tigers as well, one of the worst teams in baseball.
And then just fast forward just two years. And now, like you said, Ty, you know, you have serious playoff aspirations for not just one or two of these teams,
but all four Detroit sports and including, yeah, the lions who have solidified themselves as a powerhouse in the NFL.
(14:05):
Obviously haven't got it done yet. Haven't taken that, you know, final step, but we believe they're very close.
And then, yeah, you have, you have the Tigers who are one of the youngest teams in all of baseball.
And, you know, looking to build on that next year, the red wings with a new coach revitalize and are, you know, one of the hottest teams in the NHL.
And then, and then the pistons, one of the hottest teams, one of the youngest teams in, in the NBA as well.
(14:27):
So as far as, as far as being a fan base of, you know, anywhere in the country, it's pretty damn fun to be in Detroit,
especially, especially what we've been through the last couple of decades.
I on, on purposefully dropped a Jim Harbaugh quote there being that, you know, the, the infamous or famous, however you want to see it,
who's got it better than us, which is a great segue.
(14:48):
Go back and listen to these last few episodes. I mean, I've been dropping segue, segue gold here, but segue into Michigan State taking on
the University of Michigan basketball. We covered a little preview before the game last week and last week's episode.
You can go back and listen to that one. We don't, or at least we haven't done a lot of college hoops just because we've had so much to talk about.
We're Lions first podcast, but we have had so much to talk about with the NBA trade, trade deadline, the lions and their playoff run.
(15:13):
The red wings, like we said, being so hot. We haven't really had a chance to talk about college hoops now that we're getting more into March.
I think March Madness, the NCAA tournament tips off three weeks from today. Again, we're recording on Tuesday night.
So three weeks from today. So we're going to be getting a lot more into these two teams.
This game in particular had a lot to a lot on the line relating to the outright Big 10 championship.
(15:36):
And whether you're in Detroit or in Michigan or not, it seems like everyone was tuned into this game garnered 1.7 million viewers on Fox,
which is the most college basketball game on a Friday and the eighth most watched men's regular season college hoops game ever on Fox.
I was a little bit shocked by that just because these both these teams have been kind of floundering over the last five, six years.
(16:00):
Obviously, Tom Hizzo's Hall of Famer, everyone knows Tom Hizzo.
Dusty May maybe is a little bit more of a, you know, an unknown just coming from FAU and so I kind of am a little bit shocked to see these numbers at this many people.
And it was prime time, you know, it was eight o'clock on Friday night. So it was prime time game and it was a top 15.
I believe they both were 15 matchup. But these numbers surprised me a little bit.
(16:23):
Yeah, I think I'm less surprised just because both fan bases are like they they love college basketball.
And yeah, to your point, both both teams the past three, four years have kind of just been, you know, below, you know, punching below their weight, if you will.
And just just not really at the expectation that the fan bases and probably the coaches would like to see.
(16:45):
And I really do think that college basketball is better when both Michigan and Michigan State are at elite levels.
And we haven't seen it in a while, but you know, the big 10 is better when these teams are at the top of the standings, which they are right now.
And I really do think I said it on last week's pod. I think this is one of the best, if not the best rivalry in college basketball.
Both these teams are powerhouses and they've proven in years past that they can be powerhouses, you know, making final four runs, making runs all the way to the championship game.
(17:13):
You know, neither team has won a championship. I think Michigan's was in, you know, the late 80s, early 90s, Michigan State was in 2000.
And so they haven't been able to get it done, but they certainly have been powerhouses years past.
So to have a top 15 matchup, you know, battle for the big 10 championship, knowing that the winner of the game would have a lead in the big 10.
I'm certainly not surprised at these ratings. And yeah, I think we can, you know, just jump right into the game because it was really an incredible game.
(17:39):
And I think it was, you know, there were certainly quite a few ebbs and flows, at least from a Michigan State perspective.
MSU with a hot start. And seemingly they couldn't miss as a team.
Jace Richardson for freshman and really a star for the Michigan State Spartans, you know, starts with a step back three, driving to just to open the scoring a quick five nothing lead.
And then, you know, after a really good probably four, five, six minutes, it seemed like Michigan State couldn't hit a shot for about 10 minutes after that.
(18:06):
And it was horrible and the verge of a blowout and really credit to Michigan for, you know, taking that first punch and then and then really having an outstanding stretch of eight or nine minutes.
Luckily, MSU battled back to cut it to four at the half. But I mean, I don't know about you, Tyler, but I was I was certainly worried when, you know, the Spartans were down to think of her down as much as 1314 points in the first half.
(18:29):
I mean, it was getting ugly.
Yeah, 100%. It's we covered it last week. Michigan State has found that this is the way they like to play their games in the last month or so.
And that is to get down by 13 to 15 in the first half, just to make it a little more difficult on themselves.
I mean, it was the ebbs and flows, like you said, is how I would describe it perfectly. State came out swinging.
(18:50):
Michigan took the uppercut and really just kind of handled the game. I thought Danny Wolf kind of took over and he ended up with that many points.
But I think that first half, I feel like a lot of the offense went through him as it should when Michigan is rolling and all the offense is running through Danny Wolf.
Obviously, there's seven footer who can handle the ball like a six one point guard. You can shoot the three.
He was leading their offensive charge and it was really working. They had they were just getting what they wanted in the paint against Michigan State.
(19:18):
And they didn't have any really counter to it back on their offensive side.
A team that is specifically really utilizes the kind of old school mentality.
They obviously can't shoot the three ball really well in the paint. The big man down low in a way that most teams don't really do in today's college basketball.
But they weren't able to get anything like that against Michigan's defense.
So really the end of the half to be able to battle back, like you said, and only be down by four was a great stand for Michigan State.
(19:43):
I think they actually started the second half the same way they started the first one.
And that was the another step back from Jase. I want to say it might not have been Jase.
But obviously then in the end, Michigan State started to get their three point going a little bit, which is something they haven't really been really been able to do this season.
They would end up winning 75 to 62. Jase led the way with 21 points to six rebounds for MSU.
(20:04):
Fiers had 10 who actually two for four from three, which is something that Jeremy Fiers really hasn't done this year.
He's a very much a facilitator first. I'm going to look for other people to get their shots up.
So a nice 10 and 50% from three there.
Aikens had 11 who was unfortunately one for six from three.
So where Jeremy Fiers randomly excelled from three, Jaden Aikens obviously still continues to struggle.
(20:27):
And then Trey Holloman. I really think that this team, this game I should say changed when Trey Holloman went on his personal.
Nine oh run. Trey is one of the Michigan State's better three point shooters and a team of really none.
He's easily their best scene in years past. He's averaged for upwards of 40%.
I think he's having a little bit of a down year percentage wise, but he hit back to back to back three pointers and a real quick personal nine oh run.
(20:50):
And I think really after that, it just kind of changed the aspect of this game in general.
Yeah, Trey Holloman was outstanding and that that that third three, the step back was absolutely, you know, it was a heat check.
And yeah, it was it was nothing but not to so that was definitely the difference in the game.
I think credit to Michigan. They actually did claw their way back and cut it to maybe I think they got it to three or maybe two points on on a on a three point play.
(21:16):
And luckily the Spartans, you know, were able to get it done after that, but huge credit to Michigan.
But yeah, I do think I mean, it was it was a gigantic win for the Spartans.
Seemingly they don't play very well when they when they head over to Chrysler in an arbor and play the Wolverines.
And yeah, just I guess, you know, just looking at a couple more notes.
(21:37):
You mentioned Danny Wolf. I was watching with with my roommate Dunn in Houston and we were we were both pretty mesmerized by any wolf.
Admittedly, I haven't been able to watch a ton of Michigan basketball this year, maybe just a couple games.
And I've seen where Wolf has been projected, you know, as a lottery pick didn't didn't really have, you know, an opinion one way or another.
(21:58):
And really, I do see it now. I mean, he might be Larry Bird Jr. the way that he plays and for a seven footer to move like that.
It's pretty impressive. I don't think he had his best game.
It seems like he probably struggled a little bit shooting against Michigan State, but you still make it some insane plays.
He had a great stat line at the end, you know, 11 points.
And then I think he had seven boards, eight assists. So he has a game.
(22:21):
I think that U of M is probably one of the tougher teams to beat in the country just because he has really hard to game plan for a guy that dynamic and a guy that certainly is going to league.
So just wanted to give a quick shout out to Danny Wolf there.
But yeah, just just in general, very, very proud of the boys of the Spartans for pulling that one out.
And yeah, now that you know, of course, they sit atop the the Big Ten standings. I think Michigan picked up a win against Nebraska.
(22:48):
I think it was at Nebraska yesterday.
So they are tied.
Michigan State, I think they own the tiebreaker, although a tiebreaker, it doesn't really matter because, you know, if two teams tie or three teams, they will just share the Big Ten.
So yeah, it's going to come down the stretch.
I would love to hear your thoughts on, you know, how many wins you think it will take for Michigan State to get it done.
Of course, there's four games left. MSU to finish out a huge game at Maryland, number 16th ranked Maryland tomorrow.
(23:14):
It'll be today when this podcast is out.
And then they finish up Wisconsin at home, ranked 11, then at Iowa and then Michigan at home on senior day in the Breslin, which is going to be just an outstanding game and could be the difference in the title right there.
That could that could make or break it.
But I'd love to know what's going to get it done. How many wins tie?
(23:35):
Yeah, I want to go back real quick because you did mention Michigan snuck away with a win at against Nebraska.
What does that would have been Monday night?
I don't know if anyone watched that game. That was the ugliest game I think I've ever watched any college basketball team play ever.
I saw someone tweeted that was hilarious.
They were like somebody for the first time turned on college basketball and it happened to be this game and they're never going to watch college basketball ever again because of this.
(24:00):
The Michigan Wolverines from the field shot 29% and then from three they shot 18% Nebraska from the field shot 25% and from three shot 21%.
I mean, the final score was 49 to 46. It was the ugliest rock fight. It was pretend football reincarnate, you know, in basketball.
(24:21):
That was just hilarious that they end up getting the win. So shout out to Michigan. A much needed win. Like you said, every win at this point is going to come down to it. It's going to matter.
But so fucking ugly of a game.
But yeah, you read out so Michigan State plays at Maryland. Maryland is playing really well right now.
They kind of have a lot of the different pieces that are going to sneak up on you in March as an on team.
I really want to go up against and then what same with Wisconsin.
(24:44):
So these are really difficult next two games for them.
I think if looking at this, I have in our show notes, I'm not sure if I believe this. I want to believe it. I don't know if I do though.
I think one game winning one of those games might be able to give you a share of the Big 10 title.
I don't know if I actually believe that or not. I don't I haven't done the math on it and I refuse to do the math on it.
(25:08):
Definitely two and two is going to give you it depending on kind of who the two and two come against.
I think two and two is going to give you a share of the Big 10 title. But I really do think, like you said, it's going to be it probably will come down to senior day when Michigan comes to town.
The last game of the season, which you mentioned a few times and you mentioned it last week, this rivalry being so fun and so important across college basketball.
(25:30):
I love every single time Michigan and Michigan State play at the end of the year and there's a Big 10 title on the line.
I absolutely love it. I eat that shit up. It is the most perfect way that that plays out and how it went both these two programs are actually rolling and battling for the Big 10 title.
I love that it comes down to this last game and I also love that it's at the Breslin.
(25:55):
I would be a little more afraid if it was at Chrysler like this one was like you said we don't necessarily play well at Chrysler.
But it's going to come down to that game and I can only imagine it's going to touch the ratings that this game on Friday just got because it's going to be probably a Big 10 title on the line.
Yeah, absolutely. It's must see television when these teams play and they're both good. I'm just thinking just I was that you know this was early 2020.
(26:20):
I was in Chicago for the Big 10 tournament and you know the final the championship was Michigan, Michigan State and it was it's a slugfest that always is it's must see television.
And I'm pumped and you know it's obviously it's going to be nerve wracking even it comes down to last game of the season but it's at the Breslin and you know Izzo has these boys playing really well.
And I think that you know they certainly have the upper hand but it's anyone's game you know yeah I definitely think that Michigan they have turned the corner this year they're playing extremely well but I like I just I like how we stack up I like our guys and you know.
(26:52):
Jason Richardson, we mentioned it but he's just a such a dynamic freshman I think he's he's projected you know maybe a late lottery pick now, which is which is crazy and we'll probably get into that in, you know, future podcasts and if we think he's going to stay another year or not I know I have my views on that but yeah I mean drops 21 points with in its first game at Ann Arbor and hopefully not as last game but yeah and then yeah you mentioned fears with fears with 10 as well.
(27:19):
It's really funny I was you know sitting on my couch with my roommate and I was I was quite literally complaining about Jeremy fears. Sorry Jeremy that he doesn't shoot like he can shoot.
He just doesn't and teams know it and they will you know sag off on defense and you know really.
It helps them you know help defense with other guys and I just was quite literally you know, being a fan yelling you know yelling out clouds.
(27:42):
yelling at Jeremy fears to shoot a three and he did about a second later and he can't it so yeah he can he can certainly shoot so shout out Jeremy there he's a dog.
But yeah, I mean it was just it was an incredible win and I'm so looking forward to the last four games of the season I think personally, three wins is going to get it done I think I think two wins I just I see Michigan winning at least two of their next games, you know, Rutgers they got Rutgers in Illinois at home at
(28:07):
Maryland and then of course Michigan State so if they go to and to of course Michigan State is going to have to go at least two and two for a share.
And obviously the two teams play the last game of the season so dear I'm pumped there's not not much more I can say I'm absolutely fucking pumped for for the last four games of the season.
Yeah Jeremy fears averaging 37% from three so like you said he's just not getting them up but when he does he can hit them do it.
(28:30):
The final thing I'll say on this is that just Michigan State is not going to be able to continue to play the way that they played really in and and Arbor it worked out for them well during that game.
But just the fact that their big men, Shepala Carson Cooper and Jackson Kohler had a combined eight points.
It's just not going to get it done I mean Vlad we talked about Danny Wolf Vlad golden for Michigan finished with 21 points he kind of led the way.
(28:54):
21 and five for them so I agree I cannot get enough of this I can't wait for this you know for March to start rolling in here.
The weather is going to start getting nice we're going to get college basketball games that mean so much but just a warning to Michigan State I don't think you're going to be able to rely on a personal nine oh run from Trey Holloman and have your big men
combined for just eight points so that's the final thing I will say on that.
(29:19):
Okay, so we don't have a listener voicemail for the people today.
But we do have in lieu of that we're going to have a little bit of fun.
We obviously spent the first what half hour of this podcast talking about how great the the new sports in Detroit are how electric the entire city is how we have all these young teams and there's so many honestly different faces of franchises that all deserve you know our attention and in our eyes and honestly I know an everyday night.
(29:47):
So kind of are going to have a little bit of fun we're going to do a snake draft of the guys that demand our attention the must see Detroit athletes current athletes guys that we are tuning in to see to see this guy go off.
We're going to go do a little snake draft so we're going to get it going I just have a random number generator here one through 100 so Kyle, give me an even or odd to pick who goes first you get it right you'll go first if you get it wrong I will go first.
(30:12):
Let's let's go even.
Right we're generated 25 generated 25 so that means I get the first overall pick I have a feeling you and I were going to have the first overall pick or you know the first overall option so I'm really glad that I was able to snake that I promise there was no foul play there is 25 so.
All right.
All right.
(30:33):
I mean, my first pick and the guys that I am tuning in to see in the Detroit athlete era is gotta be Kate Cunningham. Yeah, I mean, of all the faces of the franchise and maybe it is because basketball is so much of a, you know, you're not there faces aren't restricted with a helmet.
There's only five guys on the court at a time as opposed to, you know, the 11 for football and, and stuff like that and 11 baseball stuff like that. Kate is just in my opinion, the largest leader of all this Detroit sports teams, and I he has to be playing at the highest level across the board for all guys right
(31:08):
like he is the guy you tune in to see night in and night out he's my he's my one one without a doubt.
And he was in that's an easy one he was my one one two so yeah when you got the first pick I knew you were going with them but I love the pick it's perfect. Yeah, like we said pissing 21 and on your last 30 it's because of Kate is averaging almost, you know, 26 a game all star he's he's incredible.
Great one one tie I will go with and this is this is a guy who I think he's easily my one two. So I'm glad I'm picking him as my one one, but it's just your mere Gibbs for me, one of the best running backs in the league he is absolutely must see
(31:46):
him whenever he touches the ball. I just have a staff for you Tyler. Since 2000. There have been 237 individual running backs with 300 or more touches in a season. So the highest yards per touch from that group from that 237.
It's Marshall Falk with 6.6 yards per touch and then it's Jamir Gibbs with 6.4 yards per touch. I mean he is quite literally every time he touches the ball. Whether it's you know getting getting a hand off on the backfield, catching passes or some kind of trick play
(32:16):
might be he is just absolutely must see because you never know when he's going to house it for 75 yards. I mean he can he's just that talented. He could do it at every play. I'm so glad that he's a Detroit lion. I'm so glad that Brad Holmes had the balls to draft him when you know fans including
myself were scratching their heads. He's an absolute game changer so he is he's going to be my my one one. So so far we're in lockstep I think after this next pick. We're going to start going separate ways but easily one one was Kate Kate is you know he's Kate
(32:45):
he's dudes Gibbs was my number two gives every time you he touched the ball you you had no idea what you were going to you're going to get 10 yards you can 20 yards is going to break it for 40 yards. You didn't quite know what you were going to
get and that's what you absolutely love about him. You love his demeanor you love his his one two tandem and the the friendship you know that he has with David Montgomery the Sonic and Knuckles he was easily my my my second pick so that's a really great pick for
(33:09):
you. My second round pixel I know you have two picks snake draft. Oh let's go with the we just get lost in the snake. First snake. This is the first snake draft that we're doing on the pod so cut us a little bit of slack but yeah you get the second you get the second pick.
So hand up I completely just did not realize that if I got the number two pick it was I was also getting the number three pick. So I didn't quite prep for that. So you know credit to me just podcasting on the spot right now. Just looking at my my list real quick just you know what just just
(33:41):
took a lion you know there's other there's other lions that you know I could probably pick right now I'm going to go I'm going to a little bit different this guy he's he's been my absolute dog since he was a rookie in the league. I actually got his jersey my rookie his rookie season a few years
ago. My one two and this is this might be a stretch I don't care sue me. You can't so many if you want Tyler. I'm going Lucas Raymond. He leads the Red Wings in points this season by 10. I mean this guy. He can do it all and he's still one of the youngest players in the league.
(34:12):
You know maybe just turn 23 22 goals 41 assists on the season. And yeah and he's only getting better and I really do think he's must see. He just had an assist against I think they're playing the ducks yesterday the day before which was just just insane a spin
on and got got the got the puck where it needed to be. He's incredible. So yeah it might have been a bit of a reach I wanted you know the wings are so hot right now and I think that he is as far as Red Wings go he's he's absolutely must see television so I'll take him one too.
(34:45):
Okay so it's interesting. I know I know he's your dog. I know you absolutely love Raymond. I will say he was he was not on my list. I have a list and we'll go through some honorable mentions after he was not on my list and I think that's I think that's an oversight on my part to not even have him on my
list but I think it's a reach on mine and an oversight on yours 100% 100% he's fantastic. He's so young. It's part of this and it's really difficult because we are all around such a young team or such a young city in terms of our teams.
(35:14):
That like you forget he's been here for so long and we were so bad for so long you forget that he is so young. You know it's the same thing as like a Kirby Joseph who is you look at Kirby Joseph and you're like oh well Brian branch is younger than him and it's
Kirby Joseph that doesn't mean he's old he's still only like 24 years old and so I mean yeah that's a great pick. Over side of my part not even to have him on my list reach a little bit by your part but I absolutely love it. This is where I thought you were going to go with this so I'm glad he fell to me being that we got caught in the snake draft and I thought I was up.
(35:44):
I thought you were going to. I had to go one of the faces to the Lions turnaround and that's hutch that I was yeah I was I couldn't go back to back Lions like yeah.
I hand up I am oftentimes wrong especially about sports when we were drafting Hutchinson. I was not about it. I saw the way Kenny Walker ran all over Michigan and in a dint in Hutchinson and I said that guy. We were just taking the hometown kid.
(36:12):
You know we're we're we're have our blinders on. I don't like this pick. I don't know if I've ever been more wrong about a player a person anything. Hutchinson was having a such a fantastic historic year last year seven and a half sacks in just five games 12 solo tackles.
He led our team in sacks even only one played five games seven tackles for loss 55 sack yards led the team. I mean any stat you want to look at him and compare it to like the NFL greats the great NFL seasons. He was on track to match if not better.
(36:45):
So I mean it's absolute that's a layup for me. I got to take hutch there.
Yeah. Yeah. It's a fantastic pick. The only reason why I didn't take him is because I didn't want two Lions on my list. I'm trying to get one for me to try to team. But yeah I mean that's that's that's it's extremely value for you and what the second round the third round whatever we're in.
Yeah. Hutch is an absolute dog. One of my favorite players.
(37:07):
Okay. So now it's back to me without us getting lost in the draft again. It sticks with me. And this is this is where I thought you so I thought you're going to go with hutch. And then but I thought with when we went over to the Red Wings whatever that first Red Wings pick was going to be taken.
I thought for sure it was going to be this guy and I got to go showtime showtime newer. You know Patty Kane newer to the Red Wings franchise for so many years. Patrick Kane was hated in Detroit because you know he was obviously with the Blackhawks and and he had is you know some of his personal issues and stuff like that.
(37:36):
And you talk to any Detroit Red Wings fan who is of the age of like I don't know our age like 28 and up 28 to 40 or whatever. And they for the longest time Patrick Kane was probably one of the most hated guys in Detroit.
And now that he's here you know scoring goals for us doing his showtime skills and talents for us. I think absolutely he's fantastic. He's so good. The reason I really picked him was there's no one I want to see more on a Red Wings.
(38:05):
On a Red Wings breakout or you know in a shootout then Patrick Showtime Kane. Absolutely. He was he was on my list. Yeah I went with Raymond but Patrick Kane was certainly on my list. Yeah I mean just had the overtime overtime winner a few days ago.
He's absolutely must. I mean his name is Showtime. His name literally translates to must see. So yeah I love that pick man. And yeah I certainly on my list. I am going to pivot. So I get I have two picks right. These are my last two picks in the draft.
(38:35):
Okay so I did set out for a goal to have you know one athlete from from each of the four major Detroit sports. I am going to a player another young guy another another core on his team and really a team where I am so excited to see them playing to see what they can build on from a very magical season.
(38:56):
And that's a Detroit Tigers and and that's Riley Green. So I'm ecstatic that I am getting him one of the most exciting outfielders in my opinion in the entire MLB.
But just what he can do in the field I mean his diving plays it seems like every other game he's having just some insane diving play. I don't have his his war in front of me as far as just his defensive war. I'm sure it's pretty high. He also rakes 5.4 war last season which ranked 19th in the league.
(39:25):
So you know he's a very young player but he's already you know one of one of the leagues best in the outfield and I think he's only going to get better too. I think he's going to he's going to start hitting for you know more power. His average has always been good.
Seems like every time he's at the plate like he can he can make it happen he has wheels and then yeah like I said in the field so I'm going with Riley Green and I'm so excited to see him play this year.
(39:47):
I remember when the original Tigers core was being developed and it was really Riley Green and all the the hype was around Torkelson and those two and I remember watching those two play and I mean I'm not going to sit here and say I was the first one to think about this maybe I was maybe it was the first to actually voice it I don't know.
Sue me. I would remember saying Riley Green is going to be at least double the player that Torkelson is and obviously that's coming true. Riley Green is so electric he is what he was the first time all star last year right.
(40:18):
That was his first time making the all star game. He is he's fantastic. He's a fantastic baseball player even better person and guy that you want to lead. You know again another rebuilding team that is so fun and electric and young.
That's a great pick. I love I love you going one by one but now you get the next pick again. So I'm curious to see where you're going with this one and and process of elimination. I need to pissed it. One of the one of the hot it seems in the NBA.
(40:44):
And I get to pick them on my Mount Rushmore top four must see Detroit sports athletes and you know I'm going to go with this. So OK I'm going to I'm going to preface this. There's one player in NBA history who has hit 42% on his threes while
attempting 113 pointers per 36 minutes and this is according to basketball reference. This player is done at five times and that is Steph Curry. However there is someone else on pace to become the second player ever to be in this elusive group.
(41:18):
I'm going to go with Malik Beasley and that's where I'm going with my fourth pick Malik Beasley. What an absolute dog what an absolute signing from Chazen landing getting getting him in the off season. He is just a walking three point bucket.
I don't know why the Pistons are having such a historic turnaround this season. He's absolutely electric and he's hitting on. Yeah like we said 42% on his threes and he's averaging you know he's taking 11 threes a game which is in it's an
(41:49):
insane volume to be hitting on that clip. I love Malik Beasley I think but besides Cade he is probably my favorite player on this team. I hope he sticks around for a very long time and he has said that he wants to stick around. He loves what's
So he's going to be my fourth pick and I'm pretty ecstatic to get him as my last pick.
And yeah, just my guys overall, I'm liking my picks.
(42:09):
Look behind the curtain a little bit.
We're trying to figure out a way to get back in the day.
We used to do these on Twitter, Twitter spaces so you could see us our faces and stuff trying
to figure out a way to get courtings on yours.
So when we post this to YouTube, you can see our, you know, I was kind of chatting back
and forth.
If you could have seen my facial expressions when you picked him.
I mean, I, I'm about to cry right.
(42:31):
I'm like, Malik Beasley, easily my number two piston play.
I mean, like so, so recently coming to our lives, but I've never seen someone absorb
a city so much and, and, and mean so much based on his play than Malik Beasley.
His mom is from Detroit, so he has ties here.
They I literally just today, I saw someone dug up on Twitter during his draft process.
(42:55):
He was mentioning how it would be kind of cool to be drafted to Detroit because his
mom is from here.
He loves the city, stuff like that.
just laid out all the numbers and stuff he's putting up. He's playing so so well and coming
off the bench and he's literally unlocking this team and this lineup and Kate Cunningham
in ways that no other player would have been able to do. I'm so distraught that I wasn't
(43:15):
able to get out. I was loving my I was loving I shouldn't have gone showtime. Damn it. I
should have went. Oh you could have gotten showtime later man. I could have. Okay. Okay.
Yeah. I mean that's that's that's the steal of the draft right there. He was on my list.
So now back to me and then we got some honorable mentions and then we'll wrap up with some good
of the week. So that my last pick in the draft you went with the Tigers. I thought you were
(43:38):
going to go to this guy. The only guy that I mean we have I love Chris Federer. I love
our pitching staff. I love our rotation but the only guy you're going to see you know
on what once a week maybe whenever he's in the rotation to see pitch because you know
it's going to be absolutely electric and he's going to give you the emotions you want on
the mound and that's Terrick Scoobo the Cy Young winner. One time all star triple crown
(44:01):
you already title you already last year of two thirty nine a whip of nine twenty two hundred
ninety two innings last year 18 wins. I mean a war of six point three a career war of eleven
point four. He is absolutely the guy that you are going to see when I'm looking through
the Tigers you know we're trying to go to a game or something the games that I'm looking
at like who's starting. I'm looking to see when Scooby's pitching. He is absolutely
(44:26):
fantastic. I mean there's an argument to be made that his season last year was one of
the best pitching seasons for a Tigers pitcher in franchise history. Absolutely. And I'm
my jaws on the floor because I don't know how that this player was omitted on my list.
Scooby is absolutely must see and no offense to Riley Green but this is this is a huge
(44:48):
swing and a miss for me ironically because three school will cause us so many swings
and misses of his own but he is absolutely must see television. I don't know if maybe
he just wasn't in front of mind for me because he's a pitcher and he only pitches every five
games but like you said we're tuning in every time that he's pitching. He's one of if not
the best pitcher in the entire league right now. I'm kind of kicking in ourself that
(45:09):
we didn't sign him to a long term contract. It's still on the table in the future but
you know he's on a short term deal right now. I hope that they can get it done but love
that pick and you know you said that Malik Beasley was a steal in the draft. I think
Tariq Scoobal is the steal in the draft and I can't believe that he wasn't on my list.
He should have been. I blame myself last night being a little tired and yeah somehow somehow
(45:31):
omitting literally the best pitcher in the MLB. So yeah fantastic pick there.
I think Scooby might be the steal and draft Malik was my I don't I don't even want to
talk about it. I needed him. I needed him over showtime. I know better. I will be better.
So OK my team Kate Cunningham Aiden Hutchinson Patrick Kane Tariq Scoobal your team Jameer
(45:52):
Gibbs Lucas Raymond Riley Green Malik Beasley. I'll put these out. I'll tweet out this episode
and then also put out our results so let us know who had the better must see prime time
you know guys that you're tuning in based on all of our young electric Detroit sports
so let us know what you think. A few honorable mentions guys that if we were to go on forever
(46:14):
which we honestly could like my honorable mentions is so long I'm going to cut it down
to just four just because there's so many good guys and good player players we have
here in Detroit J. Nivee he's waiting to get down downhill and get to the rack.
Saur Thompson and his insane athletic ability. I mean the Detroit captain Dylan Larkin the
hometown kid Amin Ross St. Brown the way he's you know that the sort of a underdog story
(46:37):
and you know they what 201 balls he catches every day. Those are a few of my honorable
mentions. I had those guys too. I mean I thought long
hard about picking Amin Ross St. Brown. He's my absolute dog. I ended up going with Jameer
Gibbs. I do think that he's just more must see but yeah I mean St. Brown is definitely
on there. You mentioned Aster Thompson and I also had Larkin on my list a couple other
(46:59):
guys from the Tigers. I mean I do think they're younger so you know maybe you could or could
not call them must see but Kerry Carpenter and Parker Meadows they both had just such
tremendous and memorable plays down the stretch and any of those plays that you know don't
go their way or they don't make those plays. The Tigers drop a game. I mean that's the
difference between them making the playoffs and not last year. So yeah huge shout out
(47:22):
to both of those young men and I think they're going to you know take another step forward
this season and then yeah I'm just looking at me. Jayland Duren as well. I do think that
he's more of a gritty player maybe not so much must see but he's throwing up. Cade's
throwing up lobster him all the time and so it's you know it's tremendous to see but yeah
I mean we just I think we're really blessed with so many young and up and coming Detroit
(47:43):
athletes. So yeah I mean the list I'd be interested to see you know how the folks are going to
vote. I think that I'd probably lean your list over mine just because of to reach school
bowl over Riley Greene but other than that I mean this is this is our first snake draft.
I think we're probably both going to improve. Yeah absolutely. So okay let's wrap this thing
up. We got grit of the week for me. I decided to dig a little bit deeper. I gave what three
(48:08):
grits of the week last week. I decided to go do a little bit more digging and I'm going
to give my grid of the week to Tobias Harris. So Tobias Harris when we ended up signing
him this past all season there's a lot of people that were frustrated with the signing.
They were admittedly kind of they were looking to go big game hunting a big start hunting
and but obviously we ended with Tobias Harris. I was fine with it. I thought he felt a great
(48:33):
position of need for Detroit. He came out of the season really slowly though and so
that people immediately were pointing and you know taking their victory laps. I think
now we're the ones taking the victory laps. The Tobias Harris supporters because he's
been absolutely fantastic over the last seven games since the trade deadline since the
Pistons have really gone on the seven game win streak is everything 19 points 5.3 rebounds
(48:55):
1.7 assists and shooting a three ball at 42 percent. So he's being exactly what we need
him to be alongside Cade and just one last thing before I throw the grid of the week
over to you is the Paul George was kind of the switch out in Philadelphia. It was fully
kicked out Tobias Harris and they brought in Paul George literally word for word because
(49:16):
they said Tobias Harris just couldn't get it done wasn't healthy enough stuff like that.
Tobias Harris to play 56 points again just over these last seven games averaging 19 points
42 percent from three Paul George only played 38 games this season averaging 16 points per
game 35 percent from three. So you tell me who you'd rather have. I mean it's it's pretty
obvious grid of the week to Tobias. Yeah I love that. It's literally it's the verbal
(49:39):
meme and I did. I can't do great for this. I saw it on Twitter but it's a verbal mean
of the two guys on the bus and one is happy and one is sad and the guy who's happy.
That's Tobias Harris and then the guy who's sad is Paul George. So and it's really you
know Philly fans in general that are sad. So yeah I love it. Like you said he got off
(49:59):
to a really slow start Detroit and you know I was kind of punching air a little bit. He's
been so tremendous and he's been you know a really a really important piece to this
Pistons team. So I love that pick. Shout out Tobias Harris grid of the week. I am going
to go with a certain someone who ended up on your top four must see athletes. Detroit
(50:20):
athletes right now. It's one that you were kicking kicking yourself for. I thought it
was a great pick and that is showtime himself. Patrick Kane. Once again I mean you you said
it you know multiple times we said multiple multiple times on this podcast but he really
is must see when he has that puck on his stick in a breakaway in you know a meaningful tie
game you know maybe it's a maybe it's a shootout maybe it's an overtime but you want the puck
(50:45):
on his stick because the things that he can do I mean he can just score from so many different
angles I mean his deeks it seems like they don't age you know like like a hockey player
might if anything they're aging like fine wine because it seems like his deeks are even
better. So yeah he's he's absolute must see love that you picked him as you as you're
for there and he's my grid of the week. Again yeah overtime winner it seems like he's just
(51:07):
he's making plays left and right for the Detroit right wings. He loves being there you know
we grew up probably hating Patrick and I definitely hated Patrick Kane now I absolutely love him
and I'm happy to give him a grid of the week here he's he's showtime. Yeah Patty absolutely
deserving of it having that that winner that was so smooth and seamless just through the
five hole. Patrick Kane if you're listening to this I don't dislike you on my team I just
(51:32):
love me like Beasley that much. I'm happy to have you on team T that and if you want to
come on the podcast to accept your grid of the week I will gladly chat with you and we
can decide how we're going to take our team and what we're going to do with you know our
four or three others must see guys but yeah absolutely fantastic he's so deserving of
that award. He is the guy like I said I mean I walked through why I picked him. If he's
(51:54):
if you have one guy on that break away one guy with the puck on a stick you I want him
it he is as close that we've gotten to you know Pavel Datsook since Pavel Datsook since
the Magic Man himself just like because you don't know where he's going to go he truly
could put the puck anywhere in the net and it's just going to be absolutely electric
so yeah shout out him as always Tobias and Patty open invitation to come on the pod and
(52:19):
accept your award. Yeah absolutely and sorry I didn't mean to cut you off there Ty just
just one more thing we're talking about the Red Wings we're talking about Patrick Kane
they did just take the lead as we're recording right now on Tuesday night three two Edmondson
with his second goal of the game so another another young star just blossoming right in
front of our eyes so I think there's about seven minutes left in the game let's hope
(52:39):
that the boys can get it done and when this podcast is published tomorrow the the boys
have another two points but yeah shout out the Red Wings shout out Patrick Kane and
that's why it's Harris, great of the week. Hell yeah boys. All right that's our show
thank you for tuning in to this week's episode you can find Kyle on Twitter at Kyle underscore
marino you can find me on Twitter at dot underscore Tyler and at both Piston powered and Champagne
(53:01):
athletics join the conversation next week by calling into the Great Iron Report voicemail
for us to play and discuss on the pod that phone number is 313-306-7939 and if you liked
this episode please take a moment to read it five stars and leave us a review letting
us know that my team was the better must see Detroit Tigers and dirt Pistons and Red Wings
(53:21):
as opposed to Kyle's. Oh I love it man and thanks guys restore the roar.
(53:51):
Thank you.
On this week's Great Iron Report, we have the results from Michigan versus Michigan State.
(00:06):
The Pistons and the Red Wings are again two of the hottest teams in the league.
And we wrap up with a draft of must see Detroit athletes at the moment.
So let's get into it.
In the heart of the city where the lights grow dim, grit and grind, every inch every rim, from the underdog trials into the legends that win, this is the Great Iron Report that the games begin.
(00:34):
Every highlight to journey rose, paved with fire, sweat tears and hustle that never expire, from the rookies on the rides to the old hands retire.
Great Iron is the place for fans to conspire, hustle on blast beats thunder and loud, champions aboard from the roar of the crowd.
The Great Iron Report where the stories are proud.
Welcome to the Great Iron Report, your Lions First All Detroit Sports Podcast.
(00:57):
Today is Wednesday, February 26th.
And the Pistons are now on the largest win streak in a decade with seven in a row now.
Yeah, man.
It's huge.
And I think probably before we start, just wanted to say quick, quick apologies if like our audio is coming to you a little bit different this week.
I'm on vacation again this time to Canada and we're currently on a zoom meeting, so we're doing the best that we can.
(01:23):
So yeah, to all of our amazing fans out there, if the audio is a little bit different, well, you know why.
But yeah, you mentioned it, Ty, the Pistons.
Let's talk about the Pistons.
I mean, this is it's it's insanity.
It's crazy what they've been able to do what JV Bicker staff and this Detroit Pistons team have been able to do this year.
I mean, just let's just talk about last year real quick just to put it on the perspective 14 and 68 last year.
(01:48):
The worst team in the lead 28 game losing streak, which I believe was the most in a season in NBA history.
And now look at them.
I mean, just it's an incredible turnaround 32 and 26.
They have a 94% chance of making the playoffs.
And I don't know if like this is true or not, this is certainly my opinion, but it's the best one of the best turnarounds in NBA history season over season.
(02:11):
And especially for a team that they didn't add like a top 100 all time player because I think you see a lot of big turnarounds in NBA history.
If you look back in the history that you know they added, you know, a hall of fame player to the team and that's why the team was able to turn around like that.
You know, the Pistons didn't do that.
They we can get into why they're having success, but basically just improving their core and
then adding some really, really tremendous role players.
(02:35):
And I mean, it's I can't say enough good things about what this team is able to do seven game history.
And I'm just absolutely buzzing.
It's such a relief to have such a fun team.
I mean, you mentioned last year for those who are, you know, more long term listeners who have been, you know, family friends, whatever have been following me, you know, in my sports writing and stuff for the past years.
(02:58):
Last year we were doing a lot of live watches to these games.
And I literally remember watching a game.
It was like right in the back end of the losing streak.
It was probably like lost number 24 or something at 3035 40 different people watching live.
The Pistons just get absolutely smacked around.
I mean, we were doing live watch alongs at least once a week.
(03:21):
Guys just tuning in to see the Pistons get smacked around with me.
And so to go from that to now this is it's so cathartic.
It's in a way that you mentioned it wasn't something that they went out and you had a hometown kid, you know, like a, for instance, a Yokech or, you know, LeBron James who was from here and he decided his contract was up and he's coming home to bring a championship to the city.
(03:46):
And so, you know, in the early 2010s, it was just really the ground base was laid and they brought in the actual right guys for the job in Trajan Langdon in Michael Blackstone and JB Bicker staff.
You know, we've gone over these guys in previous weeks and previous episodes, but each one is playing their part so perfectly from a staffing standpoint.
(04:08):
And now the players are starting to actually thrive in their roles.
We talked at the trade deadline about how Troy Weaver had gone in each year.
He was trying to do these reclamation projects and trying fitting all these players that like had potential together, but they technically shouldn't really be playing together and all these older vets that really had nothing left in the tank and how the development was really staggered for our young guys.
(04:31):
And then suddenly Trajan Langdon has got this great team together and these guys actually played together and we're seeing all our players take off.
I mean, he wasn't done this season. We had our episode what two weeks ago at the trade deadline when they added Dennis Schroeder in the DE, which I'm calling the DE, the Dennis Schroeder era.
They're averaging 117.8 points per game. They're third in defense, fifth in offense and second overall in net rating.
(04:53):
They are the only team in the NBA since the trade deadline outside of the Cleveland Cavaliers who are still undefeated.
I mean, the schedule is going to get more difficult over the next week. I think they play the Celtics. They play a few other teams that are more difficult that it's going to tell us a little bit more about this team.
But it's just, it's fantastic. You're watching this team and you're having so much fun watching these guys have fun. They're enjoying themselves. They're laughing on the bench. They're laughing in the post game.
(05:19):
It's absolutely incredible.
Yeah, I love that you mentioned that they're having fun. I mean, these guys are just all smiles. It's awesome.
I mean, two games ago, you popped off for 30. And in the post game interview, Malik Beasley comes up to him.
I think Malik had about 20 this game, too. And they're all smiles and Kade goes to Malik. What did I tell you before the game? Don't touch me.
(05:40):
Sizzlin. These guys are just, they're having fun. Like you said, Ty, it's super fun to watch.
And I mean, this team, they're, I think they're 21 and nine in their last 30 games, which I mean, it's easily the best stretch that the pittance have had. Like, I mean, as long as I can remember, yeah, you mentioned the seven game winning streak.
And yeah, on pace for 46, 47 wins. They have a realistic shot of the four seed in the playoffs. And I mean, that would just, that would be huge, you know, host the five seed, have home home court in a seven game series.
(06:11):
And you never know what's going to happen when this team is playing like this. And as you said, the DE, the Dennis, the tennis shorter era, it's amazing to see.
I'm just absolutely buzzing watching these guys play basketball. And that's something we haven't been able to say in years. So it's really sweet.
Yeah. And the fans are showing out to the right now, their ninth in attendance at 18,737 averaging. So I mean, the fans are coming out. They're showing the love to these players.
(06:37):
Everyone, I think words getting around the league that like, even though we might be a small market or a small or market like LCA, they really treat their player, you know, the team treats their players well, the fans come out and show out.
I remember back to, again, when I was doing my solo piston stuff that we went through, I went through and broke down kind of month by month wins and losses and stuff.
(06:58):
And I originally going into that, I had pegged us at about 25 wins and then actually breaking it out month by month and saying, like, okay, that's, you know, chocolate, that probably be a loss.
That one will probably be a win. I ended up somewhere around like the 21 range. So I actually had to bring my expectations down a little bit after breaking down the schedule.
Like you said, we're on pace for 46. I don't, I don't know if we're going to get to 46. Like I said, we have a little bit more of a difficult next stretch, next two or so weeks.
(07:24):
But to even be in the 40s is absolutely incredible. And we'll get into, you know, in future episodes, we'll start talking about who we'd want to see that potential matchup.
I know a lot of people are talking about how they want to, they want to play the Pacers because the Pacers are, you know, one of the more soft teams in the NBA.
I would tend to disagree that we want to play the Pacers just because Miles Turner puts up 40 every time we play him.
(07:46):
Some people have said they want to play the Knicks just because there is such bad blood there. It would be absolutely must see TV.
And I think that'd be great for ratings. I don't necessarily know if I want to go up against the Knicks team, even though they're coached by Tom Thibodeau who famously runs his players into the ground and they kind of flame out towards NBA finals and NBA playoff time.
I don't know. We'll break that down more so in a further episode, but just the fact that we can actually have this conversation just shows that a we are ahead of schedule and B it's this is working as proof of concept.
(08:17):
What we're doing is working.
You mentioned, you know, a couple, you know, potential matchups. And I just I truly think that the Pistons, you know, in a one game setting, they can they can go to toe to toe and potentially beat any team in the league.
And that's something that we have certainly not been able to say in probably the past 10 or 15 years.
Now in a seven game series, I'm not going to, you know, be delusional and say that the Pistons are the best team in the league and that they're going to go to the conference finals or anything like that.
(08:44):
But if they're playing like this, I truly think that they can go to toe to toe and compete with anyone.
So and there's a chance before we don't there's a chance they keep winning like this.
We will have, you know, at most two home playoff games.
And if it is to play in games, we could have two playoff games at LCA.
So we just saw what the Lions were able to do with home field advantage and how many fans went out there and how many records they literally broke when when they were given the chance in the playoffs.
(09:11):
I'm just LCA. Well, I don't think we had Blake Griffin in 2019 that might have been an LCA.
I guess that probably would have been LCA.
But I mean, we got swept that that series.
So this would be the real first true time.
I feel like Detroit Pistons have had a home playoff series or could have a home playoff series in, you know, at LCA and really forever.
So so much to look forward to again, they have Boston on Wednesday or tonight Wednesday, the 26th.
(09:37):
They have Denver on Friday, Brooklyn on Saturday, Utah Jazz, and then the Clippers come back to town, Golden State, Portland.
So a real kind of tough next five, six games will come out next week and really have a better idea of where this team stands as we're kind of getting into the final stretch of the season.
So shout out to them.
Shout out their winning streak.
I think that if they win against Boston, their winning streak obviously pushes to eight.
(09:59):
And I think that puts them the last time they did that was in 2006, maybe 2008, I believe.
So we're going on, you know, almost 20 years.
So just doing historic stuff right now.
Awesome. Love it.
And yeah, I mean, this this team, I should say this, this city Detroit, they mean they're hungry for playoff series.
I mean, we caught, you know, obviously a really good glimpse of it with the Lions the past two years.
(10:23):
We saw it.
Comerica Park first home playoff game in, you know, a decade and the fans showed out.
And I think we're going to see the exact same for the Pistons and, you know, knock on what the Red Wings as well.
And I guess it's a really good transition to the Wings who are still one of the hottest teams in the NHL right now.
They're actually playing as we record, you know, it's 927 Eastern time on Wednesday.
(10:49):
They just tied it up.
It's 2-2 against the Minnesota Wild.
So another big game.
But yeah, they are the Wings are 1-0-1 since the four nations break and 8-1-1 in their last 10.
So yeah, like I said, they are still one of, if not the hottest teams in the NHL right now.
I will say that since the four nations break, they did blow two different two goal leads.
(11:11):
One ended with an OT win, one with an OT loss of still three points there.
I'm not extremely worried about it, but it's something to keep an eye on.
You know, you never want to be blowing leads, especially both of those.
They were actually in the third period.
So again, not extremely worried.
But yeah, the Red Wings, they currently own the number one wild card spot in the East.
And so yeah, like I said, they're playing Minnesota right now.
(11:34):
They have Columbus at home on Thursday when this when this podcast is going to be released.
And then Columbus again on Saturday.
So kind of a double header there with a break.
Yeah, I think kind of like the Pissons, we are going to know every week that goes by, you know, it's the home stretch in both the NBA and the NHL season right now.
So every week that goes by, we're going to learn more about this team.
I think they're certainly playing well.
(11:57):
Love how they're playing, but we'll certainly, we'll certainly hear more soon.
When you and I first, we jumped on the pod to start recording and I pulled the score of this Red Wings game because I knew they were playing as we were recording.
And they were down to zero.
And I was like, shit, because obviously you just mentioned that the blown leads that they had over the weekend, obviously it was to, you know,
the game to the Minnesota wild. So one of that I wanted and now to see that they're all tied up throughout these, what the first 20 minutes or so of the podcast that we've been recording,
(12:25):
they've been able to tie it up a goal from a Terry Cincoe and then a goal from Evanson.
So yeah, hopefully they can kind of pull this one out.
If not keep pushing these games into overtime and at least pull out their pull out a point to, you know, trying to at least pad their stats a little bit.
But yeah, shout out the Red Wings.
I mean, I wrote an article the other day about just like, is there a hotter team or hotter city in the country right now sports wise than then Detroit with the way the lions are just absolutely dominating the NFL.
(12:53):
The way the pistons are the hottest team in the league, the Red Wings are one of the youngest hottest teams in the league. Who knows about the Tigers that come out their magical run.
Who knows where they're going to be doing this upcoming season.
But like, who has a, who has a better than us right now?
I mean, it's, it's, it's tough to say. I mean, yeah, certainly there are probably cities that have a better if they're, you know, bringing home championships.
But as far as I love the point, as far as like, you know, we talked about the turnaround for the pistons, but really Detroit sports in general.
(13:17):
And I was actually just talking about this with one of my buddies who's, you know, not, not from Detroit.
So we kind of see this from a, you know, a third party perspective.
But, you know, even he can see, you know, just look back two years he mentioned, you know, the lions, you know, start out one and eight and they, you know,
almost leak into the playoffs. They don't make it. They still are, you know, not quite there yet.
(13:39):
You have the red wings who just are in a seemingly never ending rebuild.
Same with the pistons, you know, one of the worst teams in the league.
And then, you know, the, the, the Tigers as well, one of the worst teams in baseball.
And then just fast forward just two years. And now, like you said, Ty, you know, you have serious playoff aspirations for not just one or two of these teams,
but all four Detroit sports and including, yeah, the lions who have solidified themselves as a powerhouse in the NFL.
(14:05):
Obviously haven't got it done yet. Haven't taken that, you know, final step, but we believe they're very close.
And then, yeah, you have, you have the Tigers who are one of the youngest teams in all of baseball.
And, you know, looking to build on that next year, the red wings with a new coach revitalize and are, you know, one of the hottest teams in the NHL.
And then, and then the pistons, one of the hottest teams, one of the youngest teams in, in the NBA as well.
(14:27):
So as far as, as far as being a fan base of, you know, anywhere in the country, it's pretty damn fun to be in Detroit,
especially, especially what we've been through the last couple of decades.
I on, on purposefully dropped a Jim Harbaugh quote there being that, you know, the, the infamous or famous, however you want to see it,
who's got it better than us, which is a great segue.
(14:48):
Go back and listen to these last few episodes. I mean, I've been dropping segue, segue gold here, but segue into Michigan State taking on
the University of Michigan basketball. We covered a little preview before the game last week and last week's episode.
You can go back and listen to that one. We don't, or at least we haven't done a lot of college hoops just because we've had so much to talk about.
We're Lions first podcast, but we have had so much to talk about with the NBA trade, trade deadline, the lions and their playoff run.
(15:13):
The red wings, like we said, being so hot. We haven't really had a chance to talk about college hoops now that we're getting more into March.
I think March Madness, the NCAA tournament tips off three weeks from today. Again, we're recording on Tuesday night.
So three weeks from today. So we're going to be getting a lot more into these two teams.
This game in particular had a lot to a lot on the line relating to the outright Big 10 championship.
(15:36):
And whether you're in Detroit or in Michigan or not, it seems like everyone was tuned into this game garnered 1.7 million viewers on Fox,
which is the most college basketball game on a Friday and the eighth most watched men's regular season college hoops game ever on Fox.
I was a little bit shocked by that just because these both these teams have been kind of floundering over the last five, six years.
(16:00):
Obviously, Tom Hizzo's Hall of Famer, everyone knows Tom Hizzo.
Dusty May maybe is a little bit more of a, you know, an unknown just coming from FAU and so I kind of am a little bit shocked to see these numbers at this many people.
And it was prime time, you know, it was eight o'clock on Friday night. So it was prime time game and it was a top 15.
I believe they both were 15 matchup. But these numbers surprised me a little bit.
(16:23):
Yeah, I think I'm less surprised just because both fan bases are like they they love college basketball.
And yeah, to your point, both both teams the past three, four years have kind of just been, you know, below, you know, punching below their weight, if you will.
And just just not really at the expectation that the fan bases and probably the coaches would like to see.
(16:45):
And I really do think that college basketball is better when both Michigan and Michigan State are at elite levels.
And we haven't seen it in a while, but you know, the big 10 is better when these teams are at the top of the standings, which they are right now.
And I really do think I said it on last week's pod. I think this is one of the best, if not the best rivalry in college basketball.
Both these teams are powerhouses and they've proven in years past that they can be powerhouses, you know, making final four runs, making runs all the way to the championship game.
(17:13):
You know, neither team has won a championship. I think Michigan's was in, you know, the late 80s, early 90s, Michigan State was in 2000.
And so they haven't been able to get it done, but they certainly have been powerhouses years past.
So to have a top 15 matchup, you know, battle for the big 10 championship, knowing that the winner of the game would have a lead in the big 10.
I'm certainly not surprised at these ratings. And yeah, I think we can, you know, just jump right into the game because it was really an incredible game.
(17:39):
And I think it was, you know, there were certainly quite a few ebbs and flows, at least from a Michigan State perspective.
MSU with a hot start. And seemingly they couldn't miss as a team.
Jace Richardson for freshman and really a star for the Michigan State Spartans, you know, starts with a step back three, driving to just to open the scoring a quick five nothing lead.
And then, you know, after a really good probably four, five, six minutes, it seemed like Michigan State couldn't hit a shot for about 10 minutes after that.
(18:06):
And it was horrible and the verge of a blowout and really credit to Michigan for, you know, taking that first punch and then and then really having an outstanding stretch of eight or nine minutes.
Luckily, MSU battled back to cut it to four at the half. But I mean, I don't know about you, Tyler, but I was I was certainly worried when, you know, the Spartans were down to think of her down as much as 1314 points in the first half.
(18:29):
I mean, it was getting ugly.
Yeah, 100%. It's we covered it last week. Michigan State has found that this is the way they like to play their games in the last month or so.
And that is to get down by 13 to 15 in the first half, just to make it a little more difficult on themselves.
I mean, it was the ebbs and flows, like you said, is how I would describe it perfectly. State came out swinging.
(18:50):
Michigan took the uppercut and really just kind of handled the game. I thought Danny Wolf kind of took over and he ended up with that many points.
But I think that first half, I feel like a lot of the offense went through him as it should when Michigan is rolling and all the offense is running through Danny Wolf.
Obviously, there's seven footer who can handle the ball like a six one point guard. You can shoot the three.
He was leading their offensive charge and it was really working. They had they were just getting what they wanted in the paint against Michigan State.
(19:18):
And they didn't have any really counter to it back on their offensive side.
A team that is specifically really utilizes the kind of old school mentality.
They obviously can't shoot the three ball really well in the paint. The big man down low in a way that most teams don't really do in today's college basketball.
But they weren't able to get anything like that against Michigan's defense.
So really the end of the half to be able to battle back, like you said, and only be down by four was a great stand for Michigan State.
(19:43):
I think they actually started the second half the same way they started the first one.
And that was the another step back from Jase. I want to say it might not have been Jase.
But obviously then in the end, Michigan State started to get their three point going a little bit, which is something they haven't really been really been able to do this season.
They would end up winning 75 to 62. Jase led the way with 21 points to six rebounds for MSU.
(20:04):
Fiers had 10 who actually two for four from three, which is something that Jeremy Fiers really hasn't done this year.
He's a very much a facilitator first. I'm going to look for other people to get their shots up.
So a nice 10 and 50% from three there.
Aikens had 11 who was unfortunately one for six from three.
So where Jeremy Fiers randomly excelled from three, Jaden Aikens obviously still continues to struggle.
(20:27):
And then Trey Holloman. I really think that this team, this game I should say changed when Trey Holloman went on his personal.
Nine oh run. Trey is one of the Michigan State's better three point shooters and a team of really none.
He's easily their best scene in years past. He's averaged for upwards of 40%.
I think he's having a little bit of a down year percentage wise, but he hit back to back to back three pointers and a real quick personal nine oh run.
(20:50):
And I think really after that, it just kind of changed the aspect of this game in general.
Yeah, Trey Holloman was outstanding and that that that third three, the step back was absolutely, you know, it was a heat check.
And yeah, it was it was nothing but not to so that was definitely the difference in the game.
I think credit to Michigan. They actually did claw their way back and cut it to maybe I think they got it to three or maybe two points on on a on a three point play.
(21:16):
And luckily the Spartans, you know, were able to get it done after that, but huge credit to Michigan.
But yeah, I do think I mean, it was it was a gigantic win for the Spartans.
Seemingly they don't play very well when they when they head over to Chrysler in an arbor and play the Wolverines.
And yeah, just I guess, you know, just looking at a couple more notes.
(21:37):
You mentioned Danny Wolf. I was watching with with my roommate Dunn in Houston and we were we were both pretty mesmerized by any wolf.
Admittedly, I haven't been able to watch a ton of Michigan basketball this year, maybe just a couple games.
And I've seen where Wolf has been projected, you know, as a lottery pick didn't didn't really have, you know, an opinion one way or another.
(21:58):
And really, I do see it now. I mean, he might be Larry Bird Jr. the way that he plays and for a seven footer to move like that.
It's pretty impressive. I don't think he had his best game.
It seems like he probably struggled a little bit shooting against Michigan State, but you still make it some insane plays.
He had a great stat line at the end, you know, 11 points.
And then I think he had seven boards, eight assists. So he has a game.
(22:21):
I think that U of M is probably one of the tougher teams to beat in the country just because he has really hard to game plan for a guy that dynamic and a guy that certainly is going to league.
So just wanted to give a quick shout out to Danny Wolf there.
But yeah, just just in general, very, very proud of the boys of the Spartans for pulling that one out.
And yeah, now that you know, of course, they sit atop the the Big Ten standings. I think Michigan picked up a win against Nebraska.
(22:48):
I think it was at Nebraska yesterday.
So they are tied.
Michigan State, I think they own the tiebreaker, although a tiebreaker, it doesn't really matter because, you know, if two teams tie or three teams, they will just share the Big Ten.
So yeah, it's going to come down the stretch.
I would love to hear your thoughts on, you know, how many wins you think it will take for Michigan State to get it done.
Of course, there's four games left. MSU to finish out a huge game at Maryland, number 16th ranked Maryland tomorrow.
(23:14):
It'll be today when this podcast is out.
And then they finish up Wisconsin at home, ranked 11, then at Iowa and then Michigan at home on senior day in the Breslin, which is going to be just an outstanding game and could be the difference in the title right there.
That could that could make or break it.
But I'd love to know what's going to get it done. How many wins tie?
(23:35):
Yeah, I want to go back real quick because you did mention Michigan snuck away with a win at against Nebraska.
What does that would have been Monday night?
I don't know if anyone watched that game. That was the ugliest game I think I've ever watched any college basketball team play ever.
I saw someone tweeted that was hilarious.
They were like somebody for the first time turned on college basketball and it happened to be this game and they're never going to watch college basketball ever again because of this.
(24:00):
The Michigan Wolverines from the field shot 29% and then from three they shot 18% Nebraska from the field shot 25% and from three shot 21%.
I mean, the final score was 49 to 46. It was the ugliest rock fight. It was pretend football reincarnate, you know, in basketball.
(24:21):
That was just hilarious that they end up getting the win. So shout out to Michigan. A much needed win. Like you said, every win at this point is going to come down to it. It's going to matter.
But so fucking ugly of a game.
But yeah, you read out so Michigan State plays at Maryland. Maryland is playing really well right now.
They kind of have a lot of the different pieces that are going to sneak up on you in March as an on team.
I really want to go up against and then what same with Wisconsin.
(24:44):
So these are really difficult next two games for them.
I think if looking at this, I have in our show notes, I'm not sure if I believe this. I want to believe it. I don't know if I do though.
I think one game winning one of those games might be able to give you a share of the Big 10 title.
I don't know if I actually believe that or not. I don't I haven't done the math on it and I refuse to do the math on it.
(25:08):
Definitely two and two is going to give you it depending on kind of who the two and two come against.
I think two and two is going to give you a share of the Big 10 title. But I really do think, like you said, it's going to be it probably will come down to senior day when Michigan comes to town.
The last game of the season, which you mentioned a few times and you mentioned it last week, this rivalry being so fun and so important across college basketball.
(25:30):
I love every single time Michigan and Michigan State play at the end of the year and there's a Big 10 title on the line.
I absolutely love it. I eat that shit up. It is the most perfect way that that plays out and how it went both these two programs are actually rolling and battling for the Big 10 title.
I love that it comes down to this last game and I also love that it's at the Breslin.
(25:55):
I would be a little more afraid if it was at Chrysler like this one was like you said we don't necessarily play well at Chrysler.
But it's going to come down to that game and I can only imagine it's going to touch the ratings that this game on Friday just got because it's going to be probably a Big 10 title on the line.
Yeah, absolutely. It's must see television when these teams play and they're both good. I'm just thinking just I was that you know this was early 2020.
(26:20):
I was in Chicago for the Big 10 tournament and you know the final the championship was Michigan, Michigan State and it was it's a slugfest that always is it's must see television.
And I'm pumped and you know it's obviously it's going to be nerve wracking even it comes down to last game of the season but it's at the Breslin and you know Izzo has these boys playing really well.
And I think that you know they certainly have the upper hand but it's anyone's game you know yeah I definitely think that Michigan they have turned the corner this year they're playing extremely well but I like I just I like how we stack up I like our guys and you know.
(26:52):
Jason Richardson, we mentioned it but he's just a such a dynamic freshman I think he's he's projected you know maybe a late lottery pick now, which is which is crazy and we'll probably get into that in, you know, future podcasts and if we think he's going to stay another year or not I know I have my views on that but yeah I mean drops 21 points with in its first game at Ann Arbor and hopefully not as last game but yeah and then yeah you mentioned fears with fears with 10 as well.
(27:19):
It's really funny I was you know sitting on my couch with my roommate and I was I was quite literally complaining about Jeremy fears. Sorry Jeremy that he doesn't shoot like he can shoot.
He just doesn't and teams know it and they will you know sag off on defense and you know really.
It helps them you know help defense with other guys and I just was quite literally you know, being a fan yelling you know yelling out clouds.
(27:42):
yelling at Jeremy fears to shoot a three and he did about a second later and he can't it so yeah he can he can certainly shoot so shout out Jeremy there he's a dog.
But yeah, I mean it was just it was an incredible win and I'm so looking forward to the last four games of the season I think personally, three wins is going to get it done I think I think two wins I just I see Michigan winning at least two of their next games, you know, Rutgers they got Rutgers in Illinois at home at
(28:07):
Maryland and then of course Michigan State so if they go to and to of course Michigan State is going to have to go at least two and two for a share.
And obviously the two teams play the last game of the season so dear I'm pumped there's not not much more I can say I'm absolutely fucking pumped for for the last four games of the season.
Yeah Jeremy fears averaging 37% from three so like you said he's just not getting them up but when he does he can hit them do it.
(28:30):
The final thing I'll say on this is that just Michigan State is not going to be able to continue to play the way that they played really in and and Arbor it worked out for them well during that game.
But just the fact that their big men, Shepala Carson Cooper and Jackson Kohler had a combined eight points.
It's just not going to get it done I mean Vlad we talked about Danny Wolf Vlad golden for Michigan finished with 21 points he kind of led the way.
(28:54):
21 and five for them so I agree I cannot get enough of this I can't wait for this you know for March to start rolling in here.
The weather is going to start getting nice we're going to get college basketball games that mean so much but just a warning to Michigan State I don't think you're going to be able to rely on a personal nine oh run from Trey Holloman and have your big men
combined for just eight points so that's the final thing I will say on that.
(29:19):
Okay, so we don't have a listener voicemail for the people today.
But we do have in lieu of that we're going to have a little bit of fun.
We obviously spent the first what half hour of this podcast talking about how great the the new sports in Detroit are how electric the entire city is how we have all these young teams and there's so many honestly different faces of franchises that all deserve you know our attention and in our eyes and honestly I know an everyday night.
(29:47):
So kind of are going to have a little bit of fun we're going to do a snake draft of the guys that demand our attention the must see Detroit athletes current athletes guys that we are tuning in to see to see this guy go off.
We're going to go do a little snake draft so we're going to get it going I just have a random number generator here one through 100 so Kyle, give me an even or odd to pick who goes first you get it right you'll go first if you get it wrong I will go first.
(30:12):
Let's let's go even.
Right we're generated 25 generated 25 so that means I get the first overall pick I have a feeling you and I were going to have the first overall pick or you know the first overall option so I'm really glad that I was able to snake that I promise there was no foul play there is 25 so.
All right.
All right.
(30:33):
I mean, my first pick and the guys that I am tuning in to see in the Detroit athlete era is gotta be Kate Cunningham. Yeah, I mean, of all the faces of the franchise and maybe it is because basketball is so much of a, you know, you're not there faces aren't restricted with a helmet.
There's only five guys on the court at a time as opposed to, you know, the 11 for football and, and stuff like that and 11 baseball stuff like that. Kate is just in my opinion, the largest leader of all this Detroit sports teams, and I he has to be playing at the highest level across the board for all guys right
(31:08):
like he is the guy you tune in to see night in and night out he's my he's my one one without a doubt.
And he was in that's an easy one he was my one one two so yeah when you got the first pick I knew you were going with them but I love the pick it's perfect. Yeah, like we said pissing 21 and on your last 30 it's because of Kate is averaging almost, you know, 26 a game all star he's he's incredible.
Great one one tie I will go with and this is this is a guy who I think he's easily my one two. So I'm glad I'm picking him as my one one, but it's just your mere Gibbs for me, one of the best running backs in the league he is absolutely must see
(31:46):
him whenever he touches the ball. I just have a staff for you Tyler. Since 2000. There have been 237 individual running backs with 300 or more touches in a season. So the highest yards per touch from that group from that 237.
It's Marshall Falk with 6.6 yards per touch and then it's Jamir Gibbs with 6.4 yards per touch. I mean he is quite literally every time he touches the ball. Whether it's you know getting getting a hand off on the backfield, catching passes or some kind of trick play
(32:16):
might be he is just absolutely must see because you never know when he's going to house it for 75 yards. I mean he can he's just that talented. He could do it at every play. I'm so glad that he's a Detroit lion. I'm so glad that Brad Holmes had the balls to draft him when you know fans including
myself were scratching their heads. He's an absolute game changer so he is he's going to be my my one one. So so far we're in lockstep I think after this next pick. We're going to start going separate ways but easily one one was Kate Kate is you know he's Kate
(32:45):
he's dudes Gibbs was my number two gives every time you he touched the ball you you had no idea what you were going to you're going to get 10 yards you can 20 yards is going to break it for 40 yards. You didn't quite know what you were going to
get and that's what you absolutely love about him. You love his demeanor you love his his one two tandem and the the friendship you know that he has with David Montgomery the Sonic and Knuckles he was easily my my my second pick so that's a really great pick for
(33:09):
you. My second round pixel I know you have two picks snake draft. Oh let's go with the we just get lost in the snake. First snake. This is the first snake draft that we're doing on the pod so cut us a little bit of slack but yeah you get the second you get the second pick.
So hand up I completely just did not realize that if I got the number two pick it was I was also getting the number three pick. So I didn't quite prep for that. So you know credit to me just podcasting on the spot right now. Just looking at my my list real quick just you know what just just
(33:41):
took a lion you know there's other there's other lions that you know I could probably pick right now I'm going to go I'm going to a little bit different this guy he's he's been my absolute dog since he was a rookie in the league. I actually got his jersey my rookie his rookie season a few years
ago. My one two and this is this might be a stretch I don't care sue me. You can't so many if you want Tyler. I'm going Lucas Raymond. He leads the Red Wings in points this season by 10. I mean this guy. He can do it all and he's still one of the youngest players in the league.
(34:12):
You know maybe just turn 23 22 goals 41 assists on the season. And yeah and he's only getting better and I really do think he's must see. He just had an assist against I think they're playing the ducks yesterday the day before which was just just insane a spin
on and got got the got the puck where it needed to be. He's incredible. So yeah it might have been a bit of a reach I wanted you know the wings are so hot right now and I think that he is as far as Red Wings go he's he's absolutely must see television so I'll take him one too.
(34:45):
Okay so it's interesting. I know I know he's your dog. I know you absolutely love Raymond. I will say he was he was not on my list. I have a list and we'll go through some honorable mentions after he was not on my list and I think that's I think that's an oversight on my part to not even have him on my
list but I think it's a reach on mine and an oversight on yours 100% 100% he's fantastic. He's so young. It's part of this and it's really difficult because we are all around such a young team or such a young city in terms of our teams.
(35:14):
That like you forget he's been here for so long and we were so bad for so long you forget that he is so young. You know it's the same thing as like a Kirby Joseph who is you look at Kirby Joseph and you're like oh well Brian branch is younger than him and it's
Kirby Joseph that doesn't mean he's old he's still only like 24 years old and so I mean yeah that's a great pick. Over side of my part not even to have him on my list reach a little bit by your part but I absolutely love it. This is where I thought you were going to go with this so I'm glad he fell to me being that we got caught in the snake draft and I thought I was up.
(35:44):
I thought you were going to. I had to go one of the faces to the Lions turnaround and that's hutch that I was yeah I was I couldn't go back to back Lions like yeah.
I hand up I am oftentimes wrong especially about sports when we were drafting Hutchinson. I was not about it. I saw the way Kenny Walker ran all over Michigan and in a dint in Hutchinson and I said that guy. We were just taking the hometown kid.
(36:12):
You know we're we're we're have our blinders on. I don't like this pick. I don't know if I've ever been more wrong about a player a person anything. Hutchinson was having a such a fantastic historic year last year seven and a half sacks in just five games 12 solo tackles.
He led our team in sacks even only one played five games seven tackles for loss 55 sack yards led the team. I mean any stat you want to look at him and compare it to like the NFL greats the great NFL seasons. He was on track to match if not better.
(36:45):
So I mean it's absolute that's a layup for me. I got to take hutch there.
Yeah. Yeah. It's a fantastic pick. The only reason why I didn't take him is because I didn't want two Lions on my list. I'm trying to get one for me to try to team. But yeah I mean that's that's that's it's extremely value for you and what the second round the third round whatever we're in.
Yeah. Hutch is an absolute dog. One of my favorite players.
(37:07):
Okay. So now it's back to me without us getting lost in the draft again. It sticks with me. And this is this is where I thought you so I thought you're going to go with hutch. And then but I thought with when we went over to the Red Wings whatever that first Red Wings pick was going to be taken.
I thought for sure it was going to be this guy and I got to go showtime showtime newer. You know Patty Kane newer to the Red Wings franchise for so many years. Patrick Kane was hated in Detroit because you know he was obviously with the Blackhawks and and he had is you know some of his personal issues and stuff like that.
(37:36):
And you talk to any Detroit Red Wings fan who is of the age of like I don't know our age like 28 and up 28 to 40 or whatever. And they for the longest time Patrick Kane was probably one of the most hated guys in Detroit.
And now that he's here you know scoring goals for us doing his showtime skills and talents for us. I think absolutely he's fantastic. He's so good. The reason I really picked him was there's no one I want to see more on a Red Wings.
(38:05):
On a Red Wings breakout or you know in a shootout then Patrick Showtime Kane. Absolutely. He was he was on my list. Yeah I went with Raymond but Patrick Kane was certainly on my list. Yeah I mean just had the overtime overtime winner a few days ago.
He's absolutely must. I mean his name is Showtime. His name literally translates to must see. So yeah I love that pick man. And yeah I certainly on my list. I am going to pivot. So I get I have two picks right. These are my last two picks in the draft.
(38:35):
Okay so I did set out for a goal to have you know one athlete from from each of the four major Detroit sports. I am going to a player another young guy another another core on his team and really a team where I am so excited to see them playing to see what they can build on from a very magical season.
(38:56):
And that's a Detroit Tigers and and that's Riley Green. So I'm ecstatic that I am getting him one of the most exciting outfielders in my opinion in the entire MLB.
But just what he can do in the field I mean his diving plays it seems like every other game he's having just some insane diving play. I don't have his his war in front of me as far as just his defensive war. I'm sure it's pretty high. He also rakes 5.4 war last season which ranked 19th in the league.
(39:25):
So you know he's a very young player but he's already you know one of one of the leagues best in the outfield and I think he's only going to get better too. I think he's going to he's going to start hitting for you know more power. His average has always been good.
Seems like every time he's at the plate like he can he can make it happen he has wheels and then yeah like I said in the field so I'm going with Riley Green and I'm so excited to see him play this year.
(39:47):
I remember when the original Tigers core was being developed and it was really Riley Green and all the the hype was around Torkelson and those two and I remember watching those two play and I mean I'm not going to sit here and say I was the first one to think about this maybe I was maybe it was the first to actually voice it I don't know.
Sue me. I would remember saying Riley Green is going to be at least double the player that Torkelson is and obviously that's coming true. Riley Green is so electric he is what he was the first time all star last year right.
(40:18):
That was his first time making the all star game. He is he's fantastic. He's a fantastic baseball player even better person and guy that you want to lead. You know again another rebuilding team that is so fun and electric and young.
That's a great pick. I love I love you going one by one but now you get the next pick again. So I'm curious to see where you're going with this one and and process of elimination. I need to pissed it. One of the one of the hot it seems in the NBA.
(40:44):
And I get to pick them on my Mount Rushmore top four must see Detroit sports athletes and you know I'm going to go with this. So OK I'm going to I'm going to preface this. There's one player in NBA history who has hit 42% on his threes while
attempting 113 pointers per 36 minutes and this is according to basketball reference. This player is done at five times and that is Steph Curry. However there is someone else on pace to become the second player ever to be in this elusive group.
(41:18):
I'm going to go with Malik Beasley and that's where I'm going with my fourth pick Malik Beasley. What an absolute dog what an absolute signing from Chazen landing getting getting him in the off season. He is just a walking three point bucket.
I don't know why the Pistons are having such a historic turnaround this season. He's absolutely electric and he's hitting on. Yeah like we said 42% on his threes and he's averaging you know he's taking 11 threes a game which is in it's an
(41:49):
insane volume to be hitting on that clip. I love Malik Beasley I think but besides Cade he is probably my favorite player on this team. I hope he sticks around for a very long time and he has said that he wants to stick around. He loves what's
So he's going to be my fourth pick and I'm pretty ecstatic to get him as my last pick.
And yeah, just my guys overall, I'm liking my picks.
(42:09):
Look behind the curtain a little bit.
We're trying to figure out a way to get back in the day.
We used to do these on Twitter, Twitter spaces so you could see us our faces and stuff trying
to figure out a way to get courtings on yours.
So when we post this to YouTube, you can see our, you know, I was kind of chatting back
and forth.
If you could have seen my facial expressions when you picked him.
I mean, I, I'm about to cry right.
(42:31):
I'm like, Malik Beasley, easily my number two piston play.
I mean, like so, so recently coming to our lives, but I've never seen someone absorb
a city so much and, and, and mean so much based on his play than Malik Beasley.
His mom is from Detroit, so he has ties here.
They I literally just today, I saw someone dug up on Twitter during his draft process.
(42:55):
He was mentioning how it would be kind of cool to be drafted to Detroit because his
mom is from here.
He loves the city, stuff like that.
just laid out all the numbers and stuff he's putting up. He's playing so so well and coming
off the bench and he's literally unlocking this team and this lineup and Kate Cunningham
in ways that no other player would have been able to do. I'm so distraught that I wasn't
(43:15):
able to get out. I was loving my I was loving I shouldn't have gone showtime. Damn it. I
should have went. Oh you could have gotten showtime later man. I could have. Okay. Okay.
Yeah. I mean that's that's that's the steal of the draft right there. He was on my list.
So now back to me and then we got some honorable mentions and then we'll wrap up with some good
of the week. So that my last pick in the draft you went with the Tigers. I thought you were
(43:38):
going to go to this guy. The only guy that I mean we have I love Chris Federer. I love
our pitching staff. I love our rotation but the only guy you're going to see you know
on what once a week maybe whenever he's in the rotation to see pitch because you know
it's going to be absolutely electric and he's going to give you the emotions you want on
the mound and that's Terrick Scoobo the Cy Young winner. One time all star triple crown
(44:01):
you already title you already last year of two thirty nine a whip of nine twenty two hundred
ninety two innings last year 18 wins. I mean a war of six point three a career war of eleven
point four. He is absolutely the guy that you are going to see when I'm looking through
the Tigers you know we're trying to go to a game or something the games that I'm looking
at like who's starting. I'm looking to see when Scooby's pitching. He is absolutely
(44:26):
fantastic. I mean there's an argument to be made that his season last year was one of
the best pitching seasons for a Tigers pitcher in franchise history. Absolutely. And I'm
my jaws on the floor because I don't know how that this player was omitted on my list.
Scooby is absolutely must see and no offense to Riley Green but this is this is a huge
(44:48):
swing and a miss for me ironically because three school will cause us so many swings
and misses of his own but he is absolutely must see television. I don't know if maybe
he just wasn't in front of mind for me because he's a pitcher and he only pitches every five
games but like you said we're tuning in every time that he's pitching. He's one of if not
the best pitcher in the entire league right now. I'm kind of kicking in ourself that
(45:09):
we didn't sign him to a long term contract. It's still on the table in the future but
you know he's on a short term deal right now. I hope that they can get it done but love
that pick and you know you said that Malik Beasley was a steal in the draft. I think
Tariq Scoobal is the steal in the draft and I can't believe that he wasn't on my list.
He should have been. I blame myself last night being a little tired and yeah somehow somehow
(45:31):
omitting literally the best pitcher in the MLB. So yeah fantastic pick there.
I think Scooby might be the steal and draft Malik was my I don't I don't even want to
talk about it. I needed him. I needed him over showtime. I know better. I will be better.
So OK my team Kate Cunningham Aiden Hutchinson Patrick Kane Tariq Scoobal your team Jameer
(45:52):
Gibbs Lucas Raymond Riley Green Malik Beasley. I'll put these out. I'll tweet out this episode
and then also put out our results so let us know who had the better must see prime time
you know guys that you're tuning in based on all of our young electric Detroit sports
so let us know what you think. A few honorable mentions guys that if we were to go on forever
(46:14):
which we honestly could like my honorable mentions is so long I'm going to cut it down
to just four just because there's so many good guys and good player players we have
here in Detroit J. Nivee he's waiting to get down downhill and get to the rack.
Saur Thompson and his insane athletic ability. I mean the Detroit captain Dylan Larkin the
hometown kid Amin Ross St. Brown the way he's you know that the sort of a underdog story
(46:37):
and you know they what 201 balls he catches every day. Those are a few of my honorable
mentions. I had those guys too. I mean I thought long
hard about picking Amin Ross St. Brown. He's my absolute dog. I ended up going with Jameer
Gibbs. I do think that he's just more must see but yeah I mean St. Brown is definitely
on there. You mentioned Aster Thompson and I also had Larkin on my list a couple other
(46:59):
guys from the Tigers. I mean I do think they're younger so you know maybe you could or could
not call them must see but Kerry Carpenter and Parker Meadows they both had just such
tremendous and memorable plays down the stretch and any of those plays that you know don't
go their way or they don't make those plays. The Tigers drop a game. I mean that's the
difference between them making the playoffs and not last year. So yeah huge shout out
(47:22):
to both of those young men and I think they're going to you know take another step forward
this season and then yeah I'm just looking at me. Jayland Duren as well. I do think that
he's more of a gritty player maybe not so much must see but he's throwing up. Cade's
throwing up lobster him all the time and so it's you know it's tremendous to see but yeah
I mean we just I think we're really blessed with so many young and up and coming Detroit
(47:43):
athletes. So yeah I mean the list I'd be interested to see you know how the folks are going to
vote. I think that I'd probably lean your list over mine just because of to reach school
bowl over Riley Greene but other than that I mean this is this is our first snake draft.
I think we're probably both going to improve. Yeah absolutely. So okay let's wrap this thing
up. We got grit of the week for me. I decided to dig a little bit deeper. I gave what three
(48:08):
grits of the week last week. I decided to go do a little bit more digging and I'm going
to give my grid of the week to Tobias Harris. So Tobias Harris when we ended up signing
him this past all season there's a lot of people that were frustrated with the signing.
They were admittedly kind of they were looking to go big game hunting a big start hunting
and but obviously we ended with Tobias Harris. I was fine with it. I thought he felt a great
(48:33):
position of need for Detroit. He came out of the season really slowly though and so
that people immediately were pointing and you know taking their victory laps. I think
now we're the ones taking the victory laps. The Tobias Harris supporters because he's
been absolutely fantastic over the last seven games since the trade deadline since the
Pistons have really gone on the seven game win streak is everything 19 points 5.3 rebounds
(48:55):
1.7 assists and shooting a three ball at 42 percent. So he's being exactly what we need
him to be alongside Cade and just one last thing before I throw the grid of the week
over to you is the Paul George was kind of the switch out in Philadelphia. It was fully
kicked out Tobias Harris and they brought in Paul George literally word for word because
(49:16):
they said Tobias Harris just couldn't get it done wasn't healthy enough stuff like that.
Tobias Harris to play 56 points again just over these last seven games averaging 19 points
42 percent from three Paul George only played 38 games this season averaging 16 points per
game 35 percent from three. So you tell me who you'd rather have. I mean it's it's pretty
obvious grid of the week to Tobias. Yeah I love that. It's literally it's the verbal
(49:39):
meme and I did. I can't do great for this. I saw it on Twitter but it's a verbal mean
of the two guys on the bus and one is happy and one is sad and the guy who's happy.
That's Tobias Harris and then the guy who's sad is Paul George. So and it's really you
know Philly fans in general that are sad. So yeah I love it. Like you said he got off
(49:59):
to a really slow start Detroit and you know I was kind of punching air a little bit. He's
been so tremendous and he's been you know a really a really important piece to this
Pistons team. So I love that pick. Shout out Tobias Harris grid of the week. I am going
to go with a certain someone who ended up on your top four must see athletes. Detroit
(50:20):
athletes right now. It's one that you were kicking kicking yourself for. I thought it
was a great pick and that is showtime himself. Patrick Kane. Once again I mean you you said
it you know multiple times we said multiple multiple times on this podcast but he really
is must see when he has that puck on his stick in a breakaway in you know a meaningful tie
game you know maybe it's a maybe it's a shootout maybe it's an overtime but you want the puck
(50:45):
on his stick because the things that he can do I mean he can just score from so many different
angles I mean his deeks it seems like they don't age you know like like a hockey player
might if anything they're aging like fine wine because it seems like his deeks are even
better. So yeah he's he's absolute must see love that you picked him as you as you're
for there and he's my grid of the week. Again yeah overtime winner it seems like he's just
(51:07):
he's making plays left and right for the Detroit right wings. He loves being there you know
we grew up probably hating Patrick and I definitely hated Patrick Kane now I absolutely love him
and I'm happy to give him a grid of the week here he's he's showtime. Yeah Patty absolutely
deserving of it having that that winner that was so smooth and seamless just through the
five hole. Patrick Kane if you're listening to this I don't dislike you on my team I just
(51:32):
love me like Beasley that much. I'm happy to have you on team T that and if you want to
come on the podcast to accept your grid of the week I will gladly chat with you and we
can decide how we're going to take our team and what we're going to do with you know our
four or three others must see guys but yeah absolutely fantastic he's so deserving of
that award. He is the guy like I said I mean I walked through why I picked him. If he's
(51:54):
if you have one guy on that break away one guy with the puck on a stick you I want him
it he is as close that we've gotten to you know Pavel Datsook since Pavel Datsook since
the Magic Man himself just like because you don't know where he's going to go he truly
could put the puck anywhere in the net and it's just going to be absolutely electric
so yeah shout out him as always Tobias and Patty open invitation to come on the pod and
(52:19):
accept your award. Yeah absolutely and sorry I didn't mean to cut you off there Ty just
just one more thing we're talking about the Red Wings we're talking about Patrick Kane
they did just take the lead as we're recording right now on Tuesday night three two Edmondson
with his second goal of the game so another another young star just blossoming right in
front of our eyes so I think there's about seven minutes left in the game let's hope
(52:39):
that the boys can get it done and when this podcast is published tomorrow the the boys
have another two points but yeah shout out the Red Wings shout out Patrick Kane and
that's why it's Harris, great of the week. Hell yeah boys. All right that's our show
thank you for tuning in to this week's episode you can find Kyle on Twitter at Kyle underscore
marino you can find me on Twitter at dot underscore Tyler and at both Piston powered and Champagne
(53:01):
athletics join the conversation next week by calling into the Great Iron Report voicemail
for us to play and discuss on the pod that phone number is 313-306-7939 and if you liked
this episode please take a moment to read it five stars and leave us a review letting
us know that my team was the better must see Detroit Tigers and dirt Pistons and Red Wings
(53:21):
as opposed to Kyle's. Oh I love it man and thanks guys restore the roar.
(53:51):
Thank you.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.