July 1, 2025 • 33 mins
Brian Noe in for Ben Maller recaps the Steelers and Dolphins trade that sent Jalen Ramsey & Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh and Minkah Fitzpatrick to Miami + how LeBron’s contract actions signal it could be getting close to the end of the road for King James.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
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Speaker 2 (00:23):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh what is going on? Happy? This saw is confusing?
Happy evening to you. You know I always.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Get on the West coast, it's still Monday night. On
the East, it's Tuesday morning. I'm sorry I make it
way too complicated. Just this good evening, all right, Hope,
everything's going great for you. We got a lot to
get to. NBA free agency is just off the rails
right now. Craziness going on. We will get to all
(01:02):
the goodies. But here's the deal. We know what butters
the bread. In the sports world. We are collective ball aholics. Okay,
we are ball junkies. And what does ball mean? Ball
of course means football. Okay, let me start with football
over here. Because there was a notable trade involving cornerback
(01:24):
Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
So he is on the move. He is going to.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
The Pittsburgh Steelers. And unfortunately, my Dolphins are just like
the feeder school. You know in high school, how you
might have like the junior high. It's like the feeder
school to the high school. That type of thing. Feels
like the Dolphins are the feeder school for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Here.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
So there was a tweet from Adam Schefter which just
kind of shows you exactly where the Dolphins rank in
the pecking order.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Here here's what it said.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
According to ESPN sources, the Miami Dolphins have agreed to
trade three time All Pro corn back Jalen Ramsey to
the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a part of the trade, Ramsey
will get a one point five million dollar raise this season,
bringing his twenty twenty five compensation up to twenty six
point six million dollars. Steelers get their man and Ramsey
(02:15):
gets another race. No mention of the Dolphins, no mention,
what did they get in this trade?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Schefty? What did my fins get? Dude?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
What?
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Nothing?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
They just got a couple of footballs and called it good.
It turns out the Dolphins sent more players to the Steelers.
So the Steelers they acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end
John new Smith. They also get a twenty twenty seven
seventh round pick and exchange the Dolphins they get safety
(02:46):
Minka Fitzpatrick and a twenty twenty seven fifth rounder. That
would be advantage Steelers on that one. Now, Mika Fitzpatrick
is a baller. I love Mika Fitzpatrick. Dolphins originally drafted him.
So he's going back to the gwyn Orange. That's good,
good get. Now, I'm not gonna talk trash about Minka
love Minca, but man, the only Pro bowler the Dolphins
(03:10):
had last season has been traded. That would be John
new Smith. The tight end goes to the Steelers. And
this is a dose of reality for any Dolphins fan
who happens to be listening right now. So last season,
John new Smith, he had a great year for the Finns.
Eighty eight catches for eight hundred and eighty four yards
and eight touchdowns for a tight end, those are big numbers.
(03:35):
He had a great season in Miami. Now, the now
that he's gone, the tight end with the most experience
on the Dolphins roster, that would be Faroh Brown.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
So listen to his numbers.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
So I just told you John new Smith last season
eighty eight catches, eight eighty four and eight touchdowns. Right,
Farrell Brown, his numbers look like this, seventy two catches
for seven hundred and fifty one yards and three touchdown graps.
Now that would be a pretty good season. This was
a pretty good season for a tight end.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Right there.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Those are Faroh Brown's numbers in eighty seven career games.
His numbers in eighty seven career games are lower across
the board than what John hu Smith did last season.
That's how greatly the Dolphins have regressed at the tight
(04:28):
end position right out. Now, I won't make this all
about the Fins, but while we're talking about I've finished
the point. We'll get to the Steelers, who really matter
in this whole equation here. But Miami's interested in Raiders
tight end Michael Mayer, who is a good player, hasn't
put up huge numbers. Raiders drafted Brock Bauers last season.
He was unbelievable. So Michael Mayer, he's the forgotten tight end.
(04:52):
You know, he'd probably be on the trading block. So
maybe the Dolphins get him. Possibly they're seemingly reaching out
to all NFL teams. You got a tight end, a
tight end that's on the block. Can we trade for
a tight end that has a name that people might recognize?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Can we do that?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So the Steelers right now, they've got a pretty good roster.
You look at what they have top to bottom, it's
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Made some notable additions.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Of course, you know the major suspects over here on offense,
Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf. They just traded for John new Smith.
When you compare John new Smith with Pat Fryermoth, you
got Mooth. You got John new Smith, pro bowler, Friar Mooth,
who's a baller, and then you drafted Caleb Johnson, he's
(05:39):
the running back and to replace Najee Harris. You got
something working there that's not the worst offense on paper
in the NFL by far. You've got something to work
with there. A lot of it obviously ties to how
healthy is Aaron Rodgers last year, he's battling oldness. I
(05:59):
would say he's battling age injuries.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
He had a hammy, had a knee, had an ankle.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
All kinds of stuff he was working through and he's
He's not the same athlete that he once was. He's
not moving outside the pocket regularly, which made him special
throwing off platform that's not.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Part of his game anymore.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
So his game he's not as good as he once was,
that's obvious.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
How good is.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
He in the AFC North, in the AFC collectively, time
will tell, but a lot of it traces back to
his health. And you can't expect Rogers to be, you know,
like the epitome of great health now that he's over forty.
Here defensively, you add Jalen Ramsey. He goes along with
(06:44):
Joey Porter junior, pretty good cornerback. And the Steelers picked
up Darius big Play Sleigh. They got their hands on
big Play Sleigh came over from the Eagles, banged up
quite a bit recently, but when healthy, still a good player,
and just like typical Steelers fashion. You know, if you
(07:04):
look at a couple of their defensive draft picks, Derek Harmon,
he was the twenty second overall pick, their first rounder
defensive end, you know, basically a defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
In that three to four defense, right.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
But the way the Steelers are, there's probably gonna be
the next Cam Hayward for the next decade plus, you know,
it's gonna be stuff on to it.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
At worst. For the Steelers, they're gonna just fine. Guys.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
You know, when they drafted Jack Sawyer from Ohio State
fourth round pick, don't be surprised if he makes an impact.
So on paper, the Steelers have a pretty decent roster.
I know, they seem to just be completely dismissed. I'm
not making making my case for Steelers. They're legit Super
Bowl contenders. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying there's
(07:49):
a tendency to just shrug your shoulders and say, yeah,
they'll be nine to eight and they'll lose their playoff
game and that's it. And that might be the case,
but let's not confuse that with the ceiling, you know
what I mean, Like that that might be the reality,
that might be realistically how it plays out, but that's
(08:10):
not the ceiling for the roster. You know, the ceiling
for the roster is a decent playoff run. It's a
ten ish win team that wins a game or two
in the playoffs that that's probably the ceiling, which isn't
worlds better than nine to eight first round exit, but
(08:32):
it's it's better, like it's a higher ceiling if things
go as well as they can.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Now.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
The thing that I think with Rogers here, and this
is basically what I was talking about a second ago.
Just open up your mind to the possibility, even if
you think it's remote, even if you think it's far fetched,
open up your mind to the possibility that Roger wins
(09:00):
big this season. Can you imagine how annoying he'll be
if that happens. Now, Like I said, I don't think
that's going to happen for the Steelers. I don't think
they're gonna have a great season and make it to
the AFC Title Game or mess around and make it
to a super Bowl. I don't see that happening. But
I would acknowledge that crazier things have happened in NFL history.
(09:26):
It's a pretty good roster.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
So if everything goes as well as it can and
they win big, Rogers will be peak annoying. I went
in the hot tub time machine today and I was like,
what did Rogers say a few years ago? And I
finally found the audio. So this was at the tail
end of the twenty twenty two season. Okay, the Packers
were four and eight and then they rattled off four
(09:51):
straight wins. Okay, and Rogers is basically like.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
What now, what do you have to say now, critics?
Now that we're eight and eight?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Here's Rogers Once they got to eight and eight in
the twenty two season.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know, we've all seen some of the commentary outside
as we went from four in eight to five and
eight to.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Six and eight, and nobody's worried about the Packers.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
And blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 7 (10:14):
Now what are you gonna say?
Speaker 4 (10:18):
So my thought is if Rogers is basically saying, hey,
what now, critics, what do you have to say now?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Huh?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
When they're eight and eight, what do.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
You think he's gonna say? If the Steelers win big
this season? He would be he would be obnoxious if
that happens. By the way, when the Packers got to
eight and eight, the next week they lost to the
Lions in Green Bay. They finished the season eight and nine,
They missed the playoffs, and that was the.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Final game Rogers played for Green Bay.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Just all that, I went from what now, critics to
an avalanche of every worst case scenario just played out
for Green. But I started thinking about that, and you're
welcome to participate and help this list grow. But I
was thinking about which athletes would be all time annoying
(11:15):
if they want a championship or in some cases won
another championship, right, Like.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Who would you be?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Like, oh man.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
I can't believe this player just wanted all. This is
gonna be nauseating for months, maybe years now. Who would
be on that list? Number one on the list has
to be by far, It's got to be Lebron. Can
you imagine Lebron winning a fifth championship? Just close your eyes,
imagine the Lakers winning a championship wasn't okase.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
The Lakers just steam rolled through the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
They won another ring Lebron like this was This was
Lebron after the three to one comeback against Golden State.
This was on more than an athlete. This is what
you had to say after that.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
I was a super super ecstatic the win went for
Cleveland because of the fifty two year drought, Like I
was ecstatic, Like obviously, I show that the first wave
of emotion was when y'all everyone saw me crying like
that was all for fifty two years? Everything the sports
have gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped,
I was like, that one right there made you the
greatest player of all time.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Okay, so that's Lebron after the three to one comeback
against the Warriors. You know, you can't really give yourself
a nickname.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
It seldomly works.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
You can't give yourself like goat status. You can't like
knight yourself. Have you ever you ever see how someone
gets knighted? You know, they touch each shoulder. Have you
ever seen someone knight themselves? No, it doesn't work. You
can't knight yourself the goat, which is what he tried
to do right there. So the point is if he
won another ring, it would be peak nauseating. Who else
(13:00):
would be on the list athletes that would be all
time annoying if they won a championship, you know who would.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Be on that list?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
A few years ago, I don't feel as much now.
But Baker Mayfield in his Cleveland Brown days, he was
on a man. He was just on one raging against
all critics far and wide. You know, anyone who had
anything even slightly critical to say about Baker Mayfield. He
(13:29):
just had a boulder on his shoulder. He didn't have
a chip on his shoulder. So if Baker Mayfield somehow
messed around and won a title in Cleveland when he
was still there at that time.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
He would have been peak annoying.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I don't feel that way as much anymore. Right now,
he's still a little feisty with the critics, but it
lands differently. I think he's matured, you know, I don't
think that he takes every little slight. He reminds me
of the guy in the bar. You might have been
this guy when you were younger.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
You know, this guy you want to go.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
You got a problem with just that guy that's just
ready to fight because someone yawned, and it's like, what
did that yawn?
Speaker 6 (14:07):
Me?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
What were you ready?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You would go like that was Baker Mayfield earlier in
his career. I don't think he's that same guy anymore.
Who else would be on the list of athletes all
time annoying if they want it all? Aaron Rodgers of
course would be on this list. If he won his
second ring and won it all in Pittsburgh, he would
be peak annoying. And the last one that I have
(14:29):
on my list right now, and this is a growing list.
I would put Angel Reese there. If Angel Reese won
a WNBA title, she would be peak annoying.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
There is zero doubt about that. And what I mean
by that is just throwing it in your face, just
like want to ring what now?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
What now?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Critics?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
There'd be a new TikTok video every hour for the
next year if she wanted all that would be on
my list. Feel free to share yours at the No
show is where you can find me on x if
you have any entries on the list. The growing list
of athletes that would be all time annoying if they
want it all interested to hear about that. Eight seven
(15:12):
seven ninety nine on Fox is your phone number. If
you want to chime in, feel free to do so.
We roll out the red carpet for the malar militia,
you know, and it's not just words.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
There'll be action tonight. You're on hold, We're gonna get
to you.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
I'm not gonna yit yet, get get git gek. And
then you come on and it's like, Brian, I've been
on hold for an hour and twenty five minutes.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
No right to you? Right too?
Speaker 4 (15:31):
You head in the baton too, you like it's a
four by one hundred meter relay. That's how we're getting
down this evening slash this morning. Wherever it is, where
you are, Okay, plenty to get to come it up next.
What a superstar has in common with boys to men?
We'll lay it out for you. I'm Brian though in
for Big Ben mallor keep it locked right here on
(15:51):
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour? I'll tell you it's a spin
off of it. Ben Mather Show, a cold hit overnights
on FSR.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Picture if you will a world will We chat with
captains of industry in media, sports, and more every week
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Listen to the Fifth.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Hour with Ben Mather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast
or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Oh, what is going on? I'm Brian knowing for big
Ben Maller.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Sorry, little little technical glitch, if you will, who's not
letting it breathe on purpose? But you know you got
some cool background music for a little bit there. But
we're off and running now. That's all I know.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
We're here to have.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
A good time on a early Tuesday morning. And I'll
tell you this before we get to the voiced men
comparison with a NBA superstar, if you will.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
So we have this.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
We have this neighbor cat and we've named her Oreo.
We're gonna sound like crazy people. So I'm here in
Vegas with my girlfriend. There's just a cat in the neighborhood.
And so she would just hang out with us, like
she would come by. We're like, oh, maybe maybe she's hungry,
and so we fed her a little bit and she
(17:21):
has a home. She goes somewhere. We don't know where
she's from. We don't know what her age is, we
have no idea what her real name is. We've nicknamed
her Oreo. She's not our cat, but she's hanging out
here tonight and she's fired up. She's normally she's sleeping
about ninety five percent of the time, but she is
wide awake and she's in crazy mode right now.
Speaker 8 (17:43):
Can I ask you a question about this cat?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Absolutely? Please do well?
Speaker 8 (17:47):
Because I used to have a cat and eventually he'd
just be gone longer and longer and longer. And one
day he came back with a collar on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Okay, and I was.
Speaker 9 (17:59):
Like, who who thinks you are their cat? How hard
have you been double dipping that you'll think something?
Speaker 5 (18:08):
You could put someone else's collar on your neck?
Speaker 9 (18:11):
Yeah, you don't even like wearing the collar I put
on your neck, mister Jingles.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
No wonder man, Oh my gosh, do you plan on
adopting this cat?
Speaker 3 (18:19):
If I would love to? I would love to adopt Oreo.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
And it's funny you said that, Lorena, because my girlfriend
made a necklace for Oreo that says Oreo, and she
used to when Oreo come visit, she'd put the necklace
on Oreo, and then when she would leave, we would
take it off.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
And one time she almost forgot, and I'm like, no,
take the necklace off. You're gonna blow this for us.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
The cat inside and never let it out again. But
how do we know?
Speaker 8 (18:48):
So you know for a fact she has an owner?
Speaker 9 (18:50):
Yes, you can tell between a stray cat and an
owned cat.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Yeah, stray cats. They smell weird.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
They have a weird texture.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
To their fur.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
They spray everything.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, because she's you never see her when the sun
is out, you know, when it's super hot. Oreo's like,
screw this, I'm staying inside with the air conditioning. Wherever
her real home is, she is not outside ever. And
then when it's nighttime.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
She's just out. She's like a night owl, like a
night cat.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
But she definitely has a home. We just don't know
where or what. But like I'm gonna put a note
on her. We're gonna like staplean note, like can we
have Oreo or whatever her real name is, Can we
do that? But yeah, she's hanging out with us right now.
She's part of the militia. He's very fired up right now. Okay,
so the boys to men thing. Let me finally pay
this off. I picture one person out there, like I
(19:45):
need to hear where this tease is going.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
There's like one out there.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Everybody else is just like eh, talk more about Oreo
or the NFL. But Lebron James, so he extras sized
his player option. That's the tune of fifty two point
six million dollars. Now, there was an interesting nugget from
Brian Winhurst. He was on Get Up and he had
(20:11):
this to say about Lebron and opting in to this
player option year.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Check this out.
Speaker 10 (20:16):
It's just unusual for Lebron to be in this spot.
He has signed nine contracts in his illustrious career. Eight
of them have had player options in them. Not once
in the eight times has he ever taken that player option.
He has always opted to sign a new contract. This
is the first time in twenty three years he's ever
been on a contract is in its last year.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Pretty interesting, right, So it seems to point to the
end of the road. That'd be the Boys to Men
tie in right there. It seems like this very well
could be Lebron's final year in the NBA, because he's
normally when he's got that last year, he's got that
player option, he signs for more years. We just saw
(21:01):
this with the Clippers, right, is same situation with the
Beard with James Harden, he had a player option and
they said nah, no thanks, and he signed a two
year deal. Right, so he got an extra year on
his deal. You've seen Lebron do that every single time
he's been in this position. He didn't do it this time.
So it could very well be his final season. It
(21:24):
doesn't mean.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
It for sure. He could whatever.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
He could re up with the Lakers after the season,
he could look for a new home if he wanted
to continue his career elsewhere. Doesn't mean for sure it's
the end, but it tends to indicate this very well
could be his final season. Now, his agent, Rich Paul
He released an interesting statement on Lebron's future. He wrote
this quote, row, this is a statement Lebron wants to
(21:51):
compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building
for the future, he understands that, but he values a
realistic chance of winning at all.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
So what does this mean? This is what it boils
down to.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Lebron understandably is like, Okay, I know we're planning for
the future, but the future is now for me. So
I want to be on a championship contending team. There's
nothing wrong with that. What Lebron has done in the past,
He's thrown his weight around a lot more than this.
He just doesn't have the leverage the Lakers. They're not
(22:25):
in go for it mode. This season, they're in go
for twenty twenty seven mode. That's when max salary spots.
They've got their iMore on twenty twenty seven than they
do this season because they're looking to go younger and
in some instances, cheaper. They don't have a ton of flexibility.
Lebron's gonna turn forty one in December, so they're not
(22:47):
in like Steelers mode, if you will. Steelers are like, yeah,
let's go, let's go for it, let's do it. The
Lakers are like, yeah, let's try to build a better
roster in a smarter fashion. But they're really looking to
build around Luca. They're not looking to build around Lebron.
And Lebron's smart enough to understand that, but he doesn't
(23:07):
want to accept that. He doesn't want to be like, yeah,
you know why, that's cool, this might be my last year.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
In the league.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Let's just plan for twenty twenty seven when I'm out
of the league entirely, and you can.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Have a better future with Luca.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
He's not feeling that, and I don't think he should,
so I get where he's coming from. But he just
doesn't have the leverage to really hold the Lakers' feet
to the fire and make things happen. It's just not
going to go down like that. The Lakers did lose
Dorian Finney Smith. He gone, he is out of there.
(23:41):
He signed with the Rockets, and in the place of
Dorian Phinney Smith, the Lakers signed Jake la Ravia. Jake
Laavia that's on a two year, twelve million dollar deal,
so not exactly a blockbuster signing the Purple and Gold.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I love some of these reports. This is what makes
me laugh.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
And the whole thing here, Well, you'll see these reports
where it's like, uh, Lebron will be closely monitoring things
and closely monitoring what the Lakers do this offseason. It's like, yeah,
he's gonna be closely monitoring the Lakers not doing jack. Okay,
the Lakers aren't gonna do anything of great significance this offseason.
(24:29):
They just don't have a ton of wiggle room. So
this idea that Lebron he's gonna be paying attention. He's
gonna be watching Sports Center, he's gonna be reading the
La Times. He's gonna stay in close proximity the Genie
Buss and the powers that be, and you're gonna be
checking He's gonna be monitoring closely, and that's gonna get
something done.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
It's not.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
The Lakers are not going to be making any big
moves this offseason. There's not gonna be a move where
you go, WHOA, that's big. I I think the Lakers
could win the West. Now, there's not gonna be a
move like that spoiler alert. So I just think it's
funny that Lebron's gonna be monitoring the situation very closely,
day in and day out. It's like, Okay, he's gonna
(25:12):
be monitoring a whole lot of nothing happening.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
But that's that's the word right now.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
And now, I mean, just look at what's happened with
the Lakers desperately need a center, and it looked like
it maybe could be Brook Lopez, maybe Brooke going once,
going twice. Nope, not Brook Lopez. He signed with the Clippers.
Think about that for a second. The Lakers were in
play to possibly get Brook Brook Lopez, and Brook's like,
(25:41):
now I'll go to the Clippers and back up of
Vitza Zubats I'll be a backup. And maybe he thinks
the Clippers are have a better roster, they're in a
better position to compete for a championship. Whatever his reasons are,
he chose the Clippers over the Lakers. So maybe, uh,
Clint Capella, maybe Clint is destined for the LA. No,
(26:01):
that's not gonna happen either, signing with the Rockets. Rockets
are making some good moves. We'll expand it beyond the
Lakers here in a little bit with all the other
free agency comings and goings, if you will. But no,
Clint Capella, he's gonna back up San Goon. I'll tell
you what, man, the Rockets are. They're putting together a
legitimate roster that can compete in the West and the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Meanwhile, right now they have Max MAXI Kliba.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
That's what we're looking at here at uh in the
front court, they've got it. They desperately need to upgrade.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Now.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Maybe it'll be DeAndre Ayton. His contract just got bought
out by the Blazers. But man, not the most sterling
reputation for all d eighton right here. Some say he's selfish,
he's unreliable. The word diva's been thrown around. You don't
want to hear this phrase either. Locker room cancer just
(26:59):
got bought out by the Blazers. So maybe that's the
next center for the Lakers. Don't know if they can
do much better than that, So we'll see if that's
who they end up with. Very curious about this, but yeah, Lebron,
make no but you're gonna see these reports. You're gonna
read this or Lebron's closely monitoring the situation. He wants
the Lakers to there and win now mode and the
(27:21):
Lakers are like, Bro, that's just not where we're at
right now. We gotta we gotta make upgrades and be
smart about this and build around Luca, not you. So
this is a weird, possible final season for Lebron, but
that's the way it's shaping up.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Make no mistake about it.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
All right.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Let me go out to the phones here, militia is here.
Let's work in John to the conversation. He's in La.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
What's going on, John, you're on Fox Sports Radio, John A.
Johnny ran away?
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Think he ran away into the woods?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
John?
Speaker 5 (27:53):
He ran andres here though.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
I love Andre. Let's go to Andre and U mass
what's going on? Drey?
Speaker 7 (28:01):
What's going on? Brian? Thanks so much for taking the call,
you Matt. That's uh on the Western part of the state.
I'm on the other side. I'm over here on the Cape. Uh,
you know, the sunny peninsula known as tourist town.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (28:14):
But it's all good. Willis is in the building.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
Is that Willis I just heard right now?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (28:19):
Well, well Willis is excited. Yes, he really wants to
be part.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
You know, he's could be friends.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, Oreo's looking for a friend here, Andre, I.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
Think Willis might be able to make the trip. You know,
as spirited as he is, I think that, uh, it's
a trip out west might be just what he needs.
You know, sometimes you will gets a little bit over it.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
You know.
Speaker 7 (28:42):
What he's excited about tonight is that you know, in
terms of our stars, okay, that would be the most
annoying if they were to win a championship. I think
Terrell Owens might be at the top.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Of the list.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
You know he's done though, Andre, you know he's gone.
He's basically he's gone.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
But he's always threatening comebacks. You will always see the
videos of him doing the you know, forty yard dash,
fifty yard dash to show what kind of shape that
he's in.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Hey, but Andre, I'm I'm always threatening to date Dua
Lipa you know, it's neither.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
A gun very tall woman.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
She is a very tall woman, Dre. I don't know
if you know that, but she is a I didn't
lengthy for tonight.
Speaker 7 (29:24):
I didn't realize that she was tall. But I think
that she might date you. Nonetheless, Jack Hartlow, Okay, you
know the song you know which has has a ring
to it. You know, he's like six four mine is
involved in so I didn't you know? So so that's
a little bit of competition. Nonetheless, you know that didn't
you know what I mean? It's still fair game, you know.
(29:45):
So he has to hit song and he is kind
of tall, you know it has a way with words.
But you said, does he do late night radio like you?
So I think you still have a chance with Duleip.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
You make Acidurell.
Speaker 7 (29:55):
Tourell is retired. So we got to think of a
current player that would when that would be annoying should
they win a championship. That's kind of I try to
see people that the depositive. I don't know, maybe Mac Jones.
Mac Jones, you know, not not the best.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
No, come on, do you think Mac would be annoying?
Max like the nicest dude ever, and he's not even starting.
You know, he is nice.
Speaker 7 (30:18):
Except for when you have a special teams coach and
a defensive guy become his offensive coordinator. I think that
brought out you know, Mac wasn't too happy, but he
shouldn't have been happy.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
That's the only time we saw the bad side of
Mac Jones when they had that ridiculous brain.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
And he will always remember.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
Yeah, I can't think of somebody beyond that, you know,
I try to keep on the sunny side. Trelon's the
only one that came to my mind. Who you know
when he he if you gave him, if you won
power Ball, it'd be a dollar two two too.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
I'll tell you what, though, Dre, I'll meet you halfway.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Because he played great in Super Bowl thirty nine, in
that loss to the Patriots, and he was still throwing
it in our face and a loss, what do you
have like nine catches for Buck twenty two, which was insane.
A lot of people thought he wasn't gonna be healthy
enough to even play, and he was great in that game.
But I remember him after the game where it was like,
(31:09):
you thought I wasn't gonna play. I told Job's gonna play.
That was after a loss. So yeah, in his playing days,
had he won it all, absolutely he would throw it.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
And he played injured. He played injured that game, so
that was a high point for him. A couple of
couple of low line heyres, thanks so much for taking
the call. We're gonna work on Willis to see if
he might be able to travel west, you know, and
be spirited out there on the on the left coast.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
I appreciate that. Drey, good stuff, buddy, have a good
evening there. He is Andre. I'm not gonna say in
u mass anymore. I didn't follow that. So he's in
a part of Massachusetts that you wouldn't say, is you
mass That's interesting.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Hmmm. He's like, no, no, no, no, no, you Mass. That's for
the other side. I'm on this side. That's that you Mass.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
I don't even know if I can play on Massachusetts
on a map.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Really, you don't think you could. I think you could.
I'll tell you what though.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Everybody struggles on some portion of the map, almost everybody
unless you were you know, you just loved homework or
something in school. But if you just put a map
in front of me, there's gonna be a say it
might be the East Coast, like the little tiny states.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
Like Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, or.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Like Middle America, you know, like the very middle and
just one on top of the other, all the way down,
like there might be one where you're like the Mississippi
Georgia thing, you know, Are you sure?
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Are you sure?
Speaker 1 (32:36):
You know?
Speaker 6 (32:37):
So?
Speaker 4 (32:38):
I might I want to do that here sometime on
the show The Fifty State Pop Quiz. We got a
lot going on here coming up next, and feel free
to check in. Malard Militia love being interactive with you.
We'll work in some calls as we go forward here.
Coming up next, two teams with high expectations. All of
(32:58):
a sudden, which one are you buying stock in more?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
We'll get to that.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
I'm Brian no In for Big Ben Malor hang with
us right here on Fox Sports Radio.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Maler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
station for the Benmatlers Show at Foxsports Radio dot com.
You can find it there or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Oh what is going on? Happy? This saw is confusing?
Happy evening to you. You know I always.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Get on the West coast, it's still Monday night. On
the East, it's Tuesday morning. I'm sorry I make it
way too complicated. Just this good evening, all right, Hope,
everything's going great for you. We got a lot to
get to. NBA free agency is just off the rails
right now. Craziness going on. We will get to all
(01:02):
the goodies. But here's the deal. We know what butters
the bread. In the sports world. We are collective ball aholics. Okay,
we are ball junkies. And what does ball mean? Ball
of course means football. Okay, let me start with football
over here. Because there was a notable trade involving cornerback
(01:24):
Jalen Ramsey.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
So he is on the move. He is going to.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
The Pittsburgh Steelers. And unfortunately, my Dolphins are just like
the feeder school. You know in high school, how you
might have like the junior high. It's like the feeder
school to the high school. That type of thing. Feels
like the Dolphins are the feeder school for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Here.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
So there was a tweet from Adam Schefter which just
kind of shows you exactly where the Dolphins rank in
the pecking order.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Here here's what it said.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
According to ESPN sources, the Miami Dolphins have agreed to
trade three time All Pro corn back Jalen Ramsey to
the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a part of the trade, Ramsey
will get a one point five million dollar raise this season,
bringing his twenty twenty five compensation up to twenty six
point six million dollars. Steelers get their man and Ramsey
(02:15):
gets another race. No mention of the Dolphins, no mention,
what did they get in this trade?
Speaker 3 (02:21):
Schefty? What did my fins get? Dude?
Speaker 1 (02:24):
What?
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Nothing?
Speaker 4 (02:25):
They just got a couple of footballs and called it good.
It turns out the Dolphins sent more players to the Steelers.
So the Steelers they acquired cornerback Jalen Ramsey, tight end
John new Smith. They also get a twenty twenty seven
seventh round pick and exchange the Dolphins they get safety
(02:46):
Minka Fitzpatrick and a twenty twenty seven fifth rounder. That
would be advantage Steelers on that one. Now, Mika Fitzpatrick
is a baller. I love Mika Fitzpatrick. Dolphins originally drafted him.
So he's going back to the gwyn Orange. That's good,
good get. Now, I'm not gonna talk trash about Minka
love Minca, but man, the only Pro bowler the Dolphins
(03:10):
had last season has been traded. That would be John
new Smith. The tight end goes to the Steelers. And
this is a dose of reality for any Dolphins fan
who happens to be listening right now. So last season,
John new Smith, he had a great year for the Finns.
Eighty eight catches for eight hundred and eighty four yards
and eight touchdowns for a tight end, those are big numbers.
(03:35):
He had a great season in Miami. Now, the now
that he's gone, the tight end with the most experience
on the Dolphins roster, that would be Faroh Brown.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
So listen to his numbers.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
So I just told you John new Smith last season
eighty eight catches, eight eighty four and eight touchdowns. Right,
Farrell Brown, his numbers look like this, seventy two catches
for seven hundred and fifty one yards and three touchdown graps.
Now that would be a pretty good season. This was
a pretty good season for a tight end.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Right there.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Those are Faroh Brown's numbers in eighty seven career games.
His numbers in eighty seven career games are lower across
the board than what John hu Smith did last season.
That's how greatly the Dolphins have regressed at the tight
(04:28):
end position right out. Now, I won't make this all
about the Fins, but while we're talking about I've finished
the point. We'll get to the Steelers, who really matter
in this whole equation here. But Miami's interested in Raiders
tight end Michael Mayer, who is a good player, hasn't
put up huge numbers. Raiders drafted Brock Bauers last season.
He was unbelievable. So Michael Mayer, he's the forgotten tight end.
(04:52):
You know, he'd probably be on the trading block. So
maybe the Dolphins get him. Possibly they're seemingly reaching out
to all NFL teams. You got a tight end, a
tight end that's on the block. Can we trade for
a tight end that has a name that people might recognize?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Can we do that?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
So the Steelers right now, they've got a pretty good roster.
You look at what they have top to bottom, it's
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Made some notable additions.
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Of course, you know the major suspects over here on offense,
Aaron Rodgers, DK Metcalf. They just traded for John new Smith.
When you compare John new Smith with Pat Fryermoth, you
got Mooth. You got John new Smith, pro bowler, Friar Mooth,
who's a baller, and then you drafted Caleb Johnson, he's
(05:39):
the running back and to replace Najee Harris. You got
something working there that's not the worst offense on paper
in the NFL by far. You've got something to work
with there. A lot of it obviously ties to how
healthy is Aaron Rodgers last year, he's battling oldness. I
(05:59):
would say he's battling age injuries.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
He had a hammy, had a knee, had an ankle.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
All kinds of stuff he was working through and he's
He's not the same athlete that he once was. He's
not moving outside the pocket regularly, which made him special
throwing off platform that's not.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
Part of his game anymore.
Speaker 4 (06:18):
So his game he's not as good as he once was,
that's obvious.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
How good is.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
He in the AFC North, in the AFC collectively, time
will tell, but a lot of it traces back to
his health. And you can't expect Rogers to be, you know,
like the epitome of great health now that he's over forty.
Here defensively, you add Jalen Ramsey. He goes along with
(06:44):
Joey Porter junior, pretty good cornerback. And the Steelers picked
up Darius big Play Sleigh. They got their hands on
big Play Sleigh came over from the Eagles, banged up
quite a bit recently, but when healthy, still a good player,
and just like typical Steelers fashion. You know, if you
(07:04):
look at a couple of their defensive draft picks, Derek Harmon,
he was the twenty second overall pick, their first rounder
defensive end, you know, basically a defensive lineman.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
In that three to four defense, right.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
But the way the Steelers are, there's probably gonna be
the next Cam Hayward for the next decade plus, you know,
it's gonna be stuff on to it.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
At worst. For the Steelers, they're gonna just fine. Guys.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
You know, when they drafted Jack Sawyer from Ohio State
fourth round pick, don't be surprised if he makes an impact.
So on paper, the Steelers have a pretty decent roster.
I know, they seem to just be completely dismissed. I'm
not making making my case for Steelers. They're legit Super
Bowl contenders. I'm not saying that. I'm just saying there's
(07:49):
a tendency to just shrug your shoulders and say, yeah,
they'll be nine to eight and they'll lose their playoff
game and that's it. And that might be the case,
but let's not confuse that with the ceiling, you know
what I mean, Like that that might be the reality,
that might be realistically how it plays out, but that's
(08:10):
not the ceiling for the roster. You know, the ceiling
for the roster is a decent playoff run. It's a
ten ish win team that wins a game or two
in the playoffs that that's probably the ceiling, which isn't
worlds better than nine to eight first round exit, but
(08:32):
it's it's better, like it's a higher ceiling if things
go as well as they can.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Now.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
The thing that I think with Rogers here, and this
is basically what I was talking about a second ago.
Just open up your mind to the possibility, even if
you think it's remote, even if you think it's far fetched,
open up your mind to the possibility that Roger wins
(09:00):
big this season. Can you imagine how annoying he'll be
if that happens. Now, Like I said, I don't think
that's going to happen for the Steelers. I don't think
they're gonna have a great season and make it to
the AFC Title Game or mess around and make it
to a super Bowl. I don't see that happening. But
I would acknowledge that crazier things have happened in NFL history.
(09:26):
It's a pretty good roster.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
You know.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
So if everything goes as well as it can and
they win big, Rogers will be peak annoying. I went
in the hot tub time machine today and I was like,
what did Rogers say a few years ago? And I
finally found the audio. So this was at the tail
end of the twenty twenty two season. Okay, the Packers
were four and eight and then they rattled off four
(09:51):
straight wins. Okay, and Rogers is basically like.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
What now, what do you have to say now, critics?
Now that we're eight and eight?
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Here's Rogers Once they got to eight and eight in
the twenty two season.
Speaker 5 (10:04):
You know, we've all seen some of the commentary outside
as we went from four in eight to five and
eight to.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Six and eight, and nobody's worried about the Packers.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
And blah blah blah blah blah.
Speaker 7 (10:14):
Now what are you gonna say?
Speaker 4 (10:18):
So my thought is if Rogers is basically saying, hey,
what now, critics, what do you have to say now?
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Huh?
Speaker 3 (10:26):
When they're eight and eight, what do.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
You think he's gonna say? If the Steelers win big
this season? He would be he would be obnoxious if
that happens. By the way, when the Packers got to
eight and eight, the next week they lost to the
Lions in Green Bay. They finished the season eight and nine,
They missed the playoffs, and that was the.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Final game Rogers played for Green Bay.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Just all that, I went from what now, critics to
an avalanche of every worst case scenario just played out
for Green. But I started thinking about that, and you're
welcome to participate and help this list grow. But I
was thinking about which athletes would be all time annoying
(11:15):
if they want a championship or in some cases won
another championship, right, Like.
Speaker 5 (11:21):
Who would you be?
Speaker 3 (11:22):
Like, oh man.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
I can't believe this player just wanted all. This is
gonna be nauseating for months, maybe years now. Who would
be on that list? Number one on the list has
to be by far, It's got to be Lebron. Can
you imagine Lebron winning a fifth championship? Just close your eyes,
imagine the Lakers winning a championship wasn't okase.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
The Lakers just steam rolled through the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (11:50):
They won another ring Lebron like this was This was
Lebron after the three to one comeback against Golden State.
This was on more than an athlete. This is what
you had to say after that.
Speaker 6 (12:02):
I was a super super ecstatic the win went for
Cleveland because of the fifty two year drought, Like I
was ecstatic, Like obviously, I show that the first wave
of emotion was when y'all everyone saw me crying like
that was all for fifty two years? Everything the sports
have gone on in Cleveland. And then after I stopped,
I was like, that one right there made you the
greatest player of all time.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Okay, so that's Lebron after the three to one comeback
against the Warriors. You know, you can't really give yourself
a nickname.
Speaker 3 (12:34):
It seldomly works.
Speaker 4 (12:36):
You can't give yourself like goat status. You can't like
knight yourself. Have you ever you ever see how someone
gets knighted? You know, they touch each shoulder. Have you
ever seen someone knight themselves? No, it doesn't work. You
can't knight yourself the goat, which is what he tried
to do right there. So the point is if he
won another ring, it would be peak nauseating. Who else
(13:00):
would be on the list athletes that would be all
time annoying if they won a championship, you know who would.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Be on that list?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
A few years ago, I don't feel as much now.
But Baker Mayfield in his Cleveland Brown days, he was
on a man. He was just on one raging against
all critics far and wide. You know, anyone who had
anything even slightly critical to say about Baker Mayfield. He
(13:29):
just had a boulder on his shoulder. He didn't have
a chip on his shoulder. So if Baker Mayfield somehow
messed around and won a title in Cleveland when he
was still there at that time.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
He would have been peak annoying.
Speaker 4 (13:41):
I don't feel that way as much anymore. Right now,
he's still a little feisty with the critics, but it
lands differently. I think he's matured, you know, I don't
think that he takes every little slight. He reminds me
of the guy in the bar. You might have been
this guy when you were younger.
Speaker 3 (13:59):
You know, this guy you want to go.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
You got a problem with just that guy that's just
ready to fight because someone yawned, and it's like, what
did that yawn?
Speaker 6 (14:07):
Me?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
What were you ready?
Speaker 4 (14:08):
You would go like that was Baker Mayfield earlier in
his career. I don't think he's that same guy anymore.
Who else would be on the list of athletes all
time annoying if they want it all? Aaron Rodgers of
course would be on this list. If he won his
second ring and won it all in Pittsburgh, he would
be peak annoying. And the last one that I have
(14:29):
on my list right now, and this is a growing list.
I would put Angel Reese there. If Angel Reese won
a WNBA title, she would be peak annoying.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
There is zero doubt about that. And what I mean
by that is just throwing it in your face, just
like want to ring what now?
Speaker 2 (14:47):
What now?
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Critics?
Speaker 4 (14:48):
There'd be a new TikTok video every hour for the
next year if she wanted all that would be on
my list. Feel free to share yours at the No
show is where you can find me on x if
you have any entries on the list. The growing list
of athletes that would be all time annoying if they
want it all interested to hear about that. Eight seven
(15:12):
seven ninety nine on Fox is your phone number. If
you want to chime in, feel free to do so.
We roll out the red carpet for the malar militia,
you know, and it's not just words.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
There'll be action tonight. You're on hold, We're gonna get
to you.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
I'm not gonna yit yet, get get git gek. And
then you come on and it's like, Brian, I've been
on hold for an hour and twenty five minutes.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
No right to you? Right too?
Speaker 4 (15:31):
You head in the baton too, you like it's a
four by one hundred meter relay. That's how we're getting
down this evening slash this morning. Wherever it is, where
you are, Okay, plenty to get to come it up next.
What a superstar has in common with boys to men?
We'll lay it out for you. I'm Brian though in
for Big Ben mallor keep it locked right here on
(15:51):
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Maller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Hey, it's Ben, host of The Fifth Hour with Ben Maller.
Would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name
is the Fifth Hour? I'll tell you it's a spin
off of it. Ben Mather Show, a cold hit overnights
on FSR.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Why should you listen?
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Picture if you will a world will We chat with
captains of industry in media, sports, and more every week
explore some amazing facts about human nature and more.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Listen to the Fifth.
Speaker 1 (16:26):
Hour with Ben Mather on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast
or wherever you get your podcast.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
Oh, what is going on? I'm Brian knowing for big
Ben Maller.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Sorry, little little technical glitch, if you will, who's not
letting it breathe on purpose? But you know you got
some cool background music for a little bit there. But
we're off and running now. That's all I know.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
We're here to have.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
A good time on a early Tuesday morning. And I'll
tell you this before we get to the voiced men
comparison with a NBA superstar, if you will.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
So we have this.
Speaker 4 (16:59):
We have this neighbor cat and we've named her Oreo.
We're gonna sound like crazy people. So I'm here in
Vegas with my girlfriend. There's just a cat in the neighborhood.
And so she would just hang out with us, like
she would come by. We're like, oh, maybe maybe she's hungry,
and so we fed her a little bit and she
(17:21):
has a home. She goes somewhere. We don't know where
she's from. We don't know what her age is, we
have no idea what her real name is. We've nicknamed
her Oreo. She's not our cat, but she's hanging out
here tonight and she's fired up. She's normally she's sleeping
about ninety five percent of the time, but she is
wide awake and she's in crazy mode right now.
Speaker 8 (17:43):
Can I ask you a question about this cat?
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Absolutely? Please do well?
Speaker 8 (17:47):
Because I used to have a cat and eventually he'd
just be gone longer and longer and longer. And one
day he came back with a collar on.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Okay, and I was.
Speaker 9 (17:59):
Like, who who thinks you are their cat? How hard
have you been double dipping that you'll think something?
Speaker 5 (18:08):
You could put someone else's collar on your neck?
Speaker 9 (18:11):
Yeah, you don't even like wearing the collar I put
on your neck, mister Jingles.
Speaker 5 (18:15):
No wonder man, Oh my gosh, do you plan on
adopting this cat?
Speaker 3 (18:19):
If I would love to? I would love to adopt Oreo.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
And it's funny you said that, Lorena, because my girlfriend
made a necklace for Oreo that says Oreo, and she
used to when Oreo come visit, she'd put the necklace
on Oreo, and then when she would leave, we would
take it off.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
And one time she almost forgot, and I'm like, no,
take the necklace off. You're gonna blow this for us.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
The cat inside and never let it out again. But
how do we know?
Speaker 8 (18:48):
So you know for a fact she has an owner?
Speaker 9 (18:50):
Yes, you can tell between a stray cat and an
owned cat.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Yeah, stray cats. They smell weird.
Speaker 8 (18:57):
They have a weird texture.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
To their fur.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, right, exactly.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
They spray everything.
Speaker 4 (19:02):
Yeah, because she's you never see her when the sun
is out, you know, when it's super hot. Oreo's like,
screw this, I'm staying inside with the air conditioning. Wherever
her real home is, she is not outside ever. And
then when it's nighttime.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
She's just out. She's like a night owl, like a
night cat.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
But she definitely has a home. We just don't know
where or what. But like I'm gonna put a note
on her. We're gonna like staplean note, like can we
have Oreo or whatever her real name is, Can we
do that? But yeah, she's hanging out with us right now.
She's part of the militia. He's very fired up right now. Okay,
so the boys to men thing. Let me finally pay
this off. I picture one person out there, like I
(19:45):
need to hear where this tease is going.
Speaker 3 (19:48):
There's like one out there.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
Everybody else is just like eh, talk more about Oreo
or the NFL. But Lebron James, so he extras sized
his player option. That's the tune of fifty two point
six million dollars. Now, there was an interesting nugget from
Brian Winhurst. He was on Get Up and he had
(20:11):
this to say about Lebron and opting in to this
player option year.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Check this out.
Speaker 10 (20:16):
It's just unusual for Lebron to be in this spot.
He has signed nine contracts in his illustrious career. Eight
of them have had player options in them. Not once
in the eight times has he ever taken that player option.
He has always opted to sign a new contract. This
is the first time in twenty three years he's ever
been on a contract is in its last year.
Speaker 4 (20:39):
Pretty interesting, right, So it seems to point to the
end of the road. That'd be the Boys to Men
tie in right there. It seems like this very well
could be Lebron's final year in the NBA, because he's
normally when he's got that last year, he's got that
player option, he signs for more years. We just saw
(21:01):
this with the Clippers, right, is same situation with the
Beard with James Harden, he had a player option and
they said nah, no thanks, and he signed a two
year deal. Right, so he got an extra year on
his deal. You've seen Lebron do that every single time
he's been in this position. He didn't do it this time.
So it could very well be his final season. It
(21:24):
doesn't mean.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
It for sure. He could whatever.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
He could re up with the Lakers after the season,
he could look for a new home if he wanted
to continue his career elsewhere. Doesn't mean for sure it's
the end, but it tends to indicate this very well
could be his final season. Now, his agent, Rich Paul
He released an interesting statement on Lebron's future. He wrote
this quote, row, this is a statement Lebron wants to
(21:51):
compete for a championship. He knows the Lakers are building
for the future, he understands that, but he values a
realistic chance of winning at all.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
So what does this mean? This is what it boils
down to.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
Lebron understandably is like, Okay, I know we're planning for
the future, but the future is now for me. So
I want to be on a championship contending team. There's
nothing wrong with that. What Lebron has done in the past,
He's thrown his weight around a lot more than this.
He just doesn't have the leverage the Lakers. They're not
(22:25):
in go for it mode. This season, they're in go
for twenty twenty seven mode. That's when max salary spots.
They've got their iMore on twenty twenty seven than they
do this season because they're looking to go younger and
in some instances, cheaper. They don't have a ton of flexibility.
Lebron's gonna turn forty one in December, so they're not
(22:47):
in like Steelers mode, if you will. Steelers are like, yeah,
let's go, let's go for it, let's do it. The
Lakers are like, yeah, let's try to build a better
roster in a smarter fashion. But they're really looking to
build around Luca. They're not looking to build around Lebron.
And Lebron's smart enough to understand that, but he doesn't
(23:07):
want to accept that. He doesn't want to be like, yeah,
you know why, that's cool, this might be my last year.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
In the league.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
Let's just plan for twenty twenty seven when I'm out
of the league entirely, and you can.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Have a better future with Luca.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
He's not feeling that, and I don't think he should,
so I get where he's coming from. But he just
doesn't have the leverage to really hold the Lakers' feet
to the fire and make things happen. It's just not
going to go down like that. The Lakers did lose
Dorian Finney Smith. He gone, he is out of there.
(23:41):
He signed with the Rockets, and in the place of
Dorian Phinney Smith, the Lakers signed Jake la Ravia. Jake
Laavia that's on a two year, twelve million dollar deal,
so not exactly a blockbuster signing the Purple and Gold.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
I love some of these reports. This is what makes
me laugh.
Speaker 4 (24:04):
And the whole thing here, Well, you'll see these reports
where it's like, uh, Lebron will be closely monitoring things
and closely monitoring what the Lakers do this offseason. It's like, yeah,
he's gonna be closely monitoring the Lakers not doing jack. Okay,
the Lakers aren't gonna do anything of great significance this offseason.
(24:29):
They just don't have a ton of wiggle room. So
this idea that Lebron he's gonna be paying attention. He's
gonna be watching Sports Center, he's gonna be reading the
La Times. He's gonna stay in close proximity the Genie
Buss and the powers that be, and you're gonna be
checking He's gonna be monitoring closely, and that's gonna get
something done.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
It's not.
Speaker 4 (24:51):
The Lakers are not going to be making any big
moves this offseason. There's not gonna be a move where
you go, WHOA, that's big. I I think the Lakers
could win the West. Now, there's not gonna be a
move like that spoiler alert. So I just think it's
funny that Lebron's gonna be monitoring the situation very closely,
day in and day out. It's like, Okay, he's gonna
(25:12):
be monitoring a whole lot of nothing happening.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
But that's that's the word right now.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
And now, I mean, just look at what's happened with
the Lakers desperately need a center, and it looked like
it maybe could be Brook Lopez, maybe Brooke going once,
going twice. Nope, not Brook Lopez. He signed with the Clippers.
Think about that for a second. The Lakers were in
play to possibly get Brook Brook Lopez, and Brook's like,
(25:41):
now I'll go to the Clippers and back up of
Vitza Zubats I'll be a backup. And maybe he thinks
the Clippers are have a better roster, they're in a
better position to compete for a championship. Whatever his reasons are,
he chose the Clippers over the Lakers. So maybe, uh,
Clint Capella, maybe Clint is destined for the LA. No,
(26:01):
that's not gonna happen either, signing with the Rockets. Rockets
are making some good moves. We'll expand it beyond the
Lakers here in a little bit with all the other
free agency comings and goings, if you will. But no,
Clint Capella, he's gonna back up San Goon. I'll tell
you what, man, the Rockets are. They're putting together a
legitimate roster that can compete in the West and the Lakers.
Speaker 3 (26:27):
Meanwhile, right now they have Max MAXI Kliba.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
That's what we're looking at here at uh in the
front court, they've got it. They desperately need to upgrade.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
Now.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Maybe it'll be DeAndre Ayton. His contract just got bought
out by the Blazers. But man, not the most sterling
reputation for all d eighton right here. Some say he's selfish,
he's unreliable. The word diva's been thrown around. You don't
want to hear this phrase either. Locker room cancer just
(26:59):
got bought out by the Blazers. So maybe that's the
next center for the Lakers. Don't know if they can
do much better than that, So we'll see if that's
who they end up with. Very curious about this, but yeah, Lebron,
make no but you're gonna see these reports. You're gonna
read this or Lebron's closely monitoring the situation. He wants
the Lakers to there and win now mode and the
(27:21):
Lakers are like, Bro, that's just not where we're at
right now. We gotta we gotta make upgrades and be
smart about this and build around Luca, not you. So
this is a weird, possible final season for Lebron, but
that's the way it's shaping up.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Make no mistake about it.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
All right.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
Let me go out to the phones here, militia is here.
Let's work in John to the conversation. He's in La.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
What's going on, John, you're on Fox Sports Radio, John A.
Johnny ran away?
Speaker 5 (27:50):
Think he ran away into the woods?
Speaker 3 (27:52):
John?
Speaker 5 (27:53):
He ran andres here though.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
I love Andre. Let's go to Andre and U mass
what's going on? Drey?
Speaker 7 (28:01):
What's going on? Brian? Thanks so much for taking the call,
you Matt. That's uh on the Western part of the state.
I'm on the other side. I'm over here on the Cape. Uh,
you know, the sunny peninsula known as tourist town.
Speaker 4 (28:13):
Uh.
Speaker 7 (28:14):
But it's all good. Willis is in the building.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
Is that Willis I just heard right now?
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (28:19):
Well, well Willis is excited. Yes, he really wants to
be part.
Speaker 5 (28:23):
You know, he's could be friends.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Yeah, Oreo's looking for a friend here, Andre, I.
Speaker 7 (28:32):
Think Willis might be able to make the trip. You know,
as spirited as he is, I think that, uh, it's
a trip out west might be just what he needs.
You know, sometimes you will gets a little bit over it.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
You know.
Speaker 7 (28:42):
What he's excited about tonight is that you know, in
terms of our stars, okay, that would be the most
annoying if they were to win a championship. I think
Terrell Owens might be at the top.
Speaker 4 (28:53):
Of the list.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
You know he's done though, Andre, you know he's gone.
He's basically he's gone.
Speaker 7 (29:01):
But he's always threatening comebacks. You will always see the
videos of him doing the you know, forty yard dash,
fifty yard dash to show what kind of shape that
he's in.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Hey, but Andre, I'm I'm always threatening to date Dua
Lipa you know, it's neither.
Speaker 8 (29:15):
A gun very tall woman.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
She is a very tall woman, Dre. I don't know
if you know that, but she is a I didn't
lengthy for tonight.
Speaker 7 (29:24):
I didn't realize that she was tall. But I think
that she might date you. Nonetheless, Jack Hartlow, Okay, you
know the song you know which has has a ring
to it. You know, he's like six four mine is
involved in so I didn't you know? So so that's
a little bit of competition. Nonetheless, you know that didn't
you know what I mean? It's still fair game, you know.
(29:45):
So he has to hit song and he is kind
of tall, you know it has a way with words.
But you said, does he do late night radio like you?
So I think you still have a chance with Duleip.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
You make Acidurell.
Speaker 7 (29:55):
Tourell is retired. So we got to think of a
current player that would when that would be annoying should
they win a championship. That's kind of I try to
see people that the depositive. I don't know, maybe Mac Jones.
Mac Jones, you know, not not the best.
Speaker 3 (30:10):
No, come on, do you think Mac would be annoying?
Max like the nicest dude ever, and he's not even starting.
You know, he is nice.
Speaker 7 (30:18):
Except for when you have a special teams coach and
a defensive guy become his offensive coordinator. I think that
brought out you know, Mac wasn't too happy, but he
shouldn't have been happy.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
That's the only time we saw the bad side of
Mac Jones when they had that ridiculous brain.
Speaker 5 (30:32):
And he will always remember.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
Yeah, I can't think of somebody beyond that, you know,
I try to keep on the sunny side. Trelon's the
only one that came to my mind. Who you know
when he he if you gave him, if you won
power Ball, it'd be a dollar two two too.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
I'll tell you what, though, Dre, I'll meet you halfway.
Speaker 4 (30:49):
Because he played great in Super Bowl thirty nine, in
that loss to the Patriots, and he was still throwing
it in our face and a loss, what do you
have like nine catches for Buck twenty two, which was insane.
A lot of people thought he wasn't gonna be healthy
enough to even play, and he was great in that game.
But I remember him after the game where it was like,
(31:09):
you thought I wasn't gonna play. I told Job's gonna play.
That was after a loss. So yeah, in his playing days,
had he won it all, absolutely he would throw it.
Speaker 7 (31:18):
And he played injured. He played injured that game, so
that was a high point for him. A couple of
couple of low line heyres, thanks so much for taking
the call. We're gonna work on Willis to see if
he might be able to travel west, you know, and
be spirited out there on the on the left coast.
Speaker 4 (31:32):
I appreciate that. Drey, good stuff, buddy, have a good
evening there. He is Andre. I'm not gonna say in
u mass anymore. I didn't follow that. So he's in
a part of Massachusetts that you wouldn't say, is you
mass That's interesting.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Hmmm. He's like, no, no, no, no, no, you Mass. That's for
the other side. I'm on this side. That's that you Mass.
Speaker 8 (31:54):
I don't even know if I can play on Massachusetts
on a map.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Really, you don't think you could. I think you could.
I'll tell you what though.
Speaker 4 (32:02):
Everybody struggles on some portion of the map, almost everybody
unless you were you know, you just loved homework or
something in school. But if you just put a map
in front of me, there's gonna be a say it
might be the East Coast, like the little tiny states.
Speaker 8 (32:17):
Like Delaware, Rhode Island, Connecticut, or.
Speaker 4 (32:20):
Like Middle America, you know, like the very middle and
just one on top of the other, all the way down,
like there might be one where you're like the Mississippi
Georgia thing, you know, Are you sure?
Speaker 3 (32:35):
Are you sure?
Speaker 1 (32:36):
You know?
Speaker 6 (32:37):
So?
Speaker 4 (32:38):
I might I want to do that here sometime on
the show The Fifty State Pop Quiz. We got a
lot going on here coming up next, and feel free
to check in. Malard Militia love being interactive with you.
We'll work in some calls as we go forward here.
Coming up next, two teams with high expectations. All of
(32:58):
a sudden, which one are you buying stock in more?
Speaker 3 (33:01):
We'll get to that.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
I'm Brian no In for Big Ben Malor hang with
us right here on Fox Sports Radio.
Host
Ben Maller
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