January 2, 2026 • 43 mins
Today’s Best of Features:
(00:00-12:20) – Mike Niziolek from the Bloomington Herald Times makes an appearance on Query & Company to share some of his takeaways from IU’s dominating win over Alabama yesterday. He was shocked with how Indiana’s offensive line took that game over after being exposed on the first drive of the game. Jake asks Mike what is different from his perspective between Oregon and Indiana since their meeting earlier in the season and what the most enjoyable part of the entire Rose Bowl experience was.
(12:20-34:05) – Tony East from Circle City Spin, Locked On Pacers, and Forbes Sports joins the show to discuss all things Pacers after briefly talking about IU’s win yesterday with him being an IU alumnus. Jake asks Tony about what he has heard thus far about some of the top players in the upcoming NBA Draft, assesses if we know what kind of player Jarace Walker is yet, and comments on what Rick Carlisle said following Wednesday’s game about petty nonsense that the team is dealing with.
(34:05-43:46) – James Boyd from The Athletic joins the show to round out today’s guest lineup to preview the regular season finale for the Colts against the Texans. Jake asks James if the Colts are going to give anyone more playing time on Sunday to see how they perform in an expanded role, assesses how likely it is that Chris Ballard, Shane Steichen, Anthony Richardson, DeForest Buckner, and Alec Pierce will be back next season. Finally, Jake asks James if the focus of the Irsay daughters is on the football operations or other behind the scenes stuff.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He is our friend from the Bloomington Herald Times. He
is the beat writer for Indiana Athletics. He is Mike
who joins us on the Java House Peeling poor guest line,
And I got a feeling Mike Nislick is gonna love
if I send him some either the Wrangler energy might
be more what he needs or the amazingly smooth Colombian
coffee from Java House peeling poor pods because uh, sleep
(00:23):
deprivation probably a thing for Mike right now. But there's
an energy, even though he is a media man and
not necessarily there on a fan trip. There's just an
energy about this Indiana football team and what we saw
in Pasadena.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
He is in Chicago on his way back. Mike, how
are you. I'm good.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I am well, Thank you. Happy New Year to you,
by the way, you let's begin with this. I'm strictly
curious from your eyes estimate you would say that that
crowd last night was what percent Indiana fans?
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Yeah, you know it's somenny I was talking about that.
You see all those media members to throw out numbers,
and I think sometimes you think, really but like you know,
I spent some time kind of looking at it, and
it's hard obviously because the red, the red of it
all and the shared colors, but like I was kind
of standing out, and you know, it was a very
kind of had how to get in the stadium. There
(01:16):
was a lot of que lines, and so I was
kind of watching this one kind of section where all
the fans were lined up and watching them to kind
of see them come in, and it was like it
really did feel like eighty twenty, Like I mean that
significant of a split. You know, I don't know how
that came through kind of on the broadcast, but you know,
like the pre game, anytime things Indiana's were shown, there
(01:38):
were cheers and Alabama there were just like all the
simple stuff of just like a home game type of thing.
And yeah, it just felt like and I don't think
it's an exaggeration. I think it was that, you know,
you saw it in the city kind of leading up
to the days of the game, and you're like, many
the Alabama's just staying somewhere else, but like it's just
the fans, But like, yeah, that's what it felt like
(01:59):
to me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
You know, the story there are so many storylines about
this Mike and at this point, I think we should
just throw out any doubts or any reason of doubts
when it comes to Kurt Signetti led teams. I just
this is a remarkable job that he has done. Now
there is some truth to the fact that this is
a veteran team. It's not a veteran team in terms
(02:22):
of playing with one another, but it's a veteran team
in terms of you know, they've used an eel to
go out and put together this team of experienced players.
But Indiana was the one team that showed no layoff,
no signs of rust. In terms of those with a bye,
they are the only with a buye Obviously, that's well
documented in the last two years to advance. Did you
(02:44):
see anything that led you that maybe raised your eyebrow
in terms of a method that Signetti used to keep
his team focused throughout that layoff.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
No, And I don't know if there was any magic formula,
but I just think I to me, it just sort
of was overblown. Look, and I know one, one and
seven obviously is a thing, but like the one is Indiana,
and it's because like nothing has tripped them up so far,
like none of the distractions, Like I mean, it's been
two years of this right where you've had, oh, you know,
Michigan's coming up, and this is the biggest game. Oh,
(03:17):
Ohio State, you know it's here and oh you know
they got to go to Penn State or they got
to go to Autsin and like nothing has like, oh
this is a trap game and it's like none of
that stuff. Like he's just he's regimented. He sticks to
the sticks to his sort of system and schedule and routine.
And you know, these guys.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Are bought in.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
And you mentioned the experience, like the core group of
players that have experience with him, you still got all
those jam you guys, Like, I just feel like that
they get it and have bought in, and you know
it's like it's there's no magic to it. I just
think it. Look it's routine, right, and I know like
a lot of these teams try to stick to it.
(03:56):
But I just think this this group is just uniquely
bought into what their coach is selling.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
I guess at this point, and you know it's fourteen games, right.
Is there an area for Indiana Mike, I'll use the
term susceptible. Is there an area of this football team
where you feel they are susceptible that you have been
surprised that no one has tried to take advantage of.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I thought it was off as line in terms of
like the pass rush, and you know, like the first
free plays, it's like, oh man, like this the Alabama
you know, figured out right, get pressure your sack and
and uh, you know, use kind of some of the
disguises or things that that Indiana's don't have people. And
you know, I thought, you know, the right side, you
(04:43):
got a young kid there that hasn't played a ton,
you know, starting and bray Lynch just kind of looked
a little shaky, and oh, you know, maybe it's up there.
But like and then they dominate up front, you know,
and especially you know it was more of the run
game obviously, but you know, Frenando mendozahead time time kind
of after that first drive. But like you know that
(05:03):
that group really bullied Alabama up front, dominated, you know,
to they around the ball fifty times. I was up
in kind of fancy. It was, you know, four yard
five yard chunks and where's gonna hold the ball? You
only had a ten minute as nearly ten minute time
of possession advantage, and so like you know, I just
think it's hard, you know, because I think one of
(05:23):
the keys and it's sort of like so simple and
so easy, like to just say it, but like they
don't make mistakes right like we've seen like the special
teams mistakes have like just killed teams of the playoffs
right last couple of weeks, or you know, like turnovers,
and it's like, how do you know I saw that people?
You know, my colleague was one of them picked against Indiana,
(05:44):
and I get that, but like my question for them was, like,
especially when Alabama has not necessarily kind of played up
to what they were doing, Like I was inn Where's
where's there? Where's the mistake going to happen? Where where
is Alabama to be able to take advantage of that?
They they they win that game and I just didn't
see it. And so you know, that to me is
what makes them so hard to beat right now, you.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Know, Mike Nayasileik is my guest. It seems to me,
and you tell me if I'm oversimplifying this. It almost
seems like we in the media or fans, whatever it
might be, we get over caught or caught up in
thinking that coaches are constantly attacking the opponent in terms
(06:27):
of like what's going to work against this team, and
it seems like Indiana's formula is more so We're not
as worried about what they're going to do. We're going
to go out and make sure that we make zero mistakes,
and then, knowing that every team is going to make
two to three of them, we're going to pounce on it,
take advantage of it, and beat you. And they just
before you know it, you're down seventeen points and then
(06:48):
you're down twenty four and you're waiting for Indiana to
cause the hicck, and it just doesn't happen. It seems
like Indiana's preparation is more about the preparation of Indiana
as opposed to the preparation against others. Is that overstating it?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Well, part, it's part because I think their philosophy actually
is just to attack at all times on both sides
of the ball. But to your point, I think what
they learned last year, what they didn't do is stick
to their like guns and stick to They did get
worried about what other teams did, what Ohio State did,
what Notre Dame is, and said, oh do we have
to change or do we have to modify, do we
(07:26):
have to maybe less aggressive? You know, like Brian Haynes
talked about that last year after the Notre Damen game
on the big Run, He's like, I did not do
what I normally do in that situation, and I immediately
regretted it. Right this year, they've said, we've just got
to be us. And you know, part of the formula
is obviously don't make mistakes. But they attack and they come.
But it's just sticking to what how you call a
(07:49):
game or how you approach kind of like constructing a
game plan, like don't let the opponent sort of dictate
any sort of change. Even though yeah, Alabama had nine
five stars starting, that shouldn't matter. That shouldn't change kind
of how you approach calling plays. And I think it
was a lesson. They learned it through defeat last year
and it started it changed.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Oregon basically was kind of the first, you know, I
think the kind of the test that we're talking about,
and they said, no, this is what we are, this
is what we do, and then you've seen the results.
Kind of every time they've had a big test, they
have not veered from what's worked. They've not changed how
they called it, and this is the results.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Mike Nisa is my guess. He's on the Java House
Peel and poor guest line covering Indiana. Mike, let's look
at in You know, it's funny. Part of me, in
my mind thinks we got plenty of time to break
down the matchup with Oregon. What we don't I mean,
it's kind of now turned around and boom, there you go.
When you look back to it, it feels like forever ago.
But that game with Oregon and Indiana going into Eugene
(08:49):
and winning that game, was that one where Indiana strictly
outwilled them or was there something that Oregon didn't do
and left on the table that Indiana now has to
prepare for.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
I think it's really interesting because it's like you get
a rematch and I feel like it's like a chess
match for the coaches that like, it's like, well, now
we've seen everything you've done and we've gone up against it,
and so like there's a there's a lot of different
layers to it now, and especially coaches that are really good,
you know, like Dan Lanning and kurtsy Getti obviously are
there in the semifinals. But like, you know, Dan Lanning,
(09:22):
you know, in terms of like if you're talking about
the next maybe most successful coach kind of over the
last not beyond two years since he took over Oregon,
it's Dan Lanning, right, and so like he's really really
good in terms of X and o's in terms of program,
program building, and so like you get in a rematch
and it's like, man, what do you counter? And like
you's to your point, like what do you change that
(09:43):
didn't work? Or try to lean in that did work?
Like Dante mor didn't particularly play well, they didn't particularly
protect the quarterback. Well, you know, like what do you
do now? And obviously these teams, you know have you know,
that was what we like we said week five or
week six, but you know, the fifth for each team,
their their body of work and what they've learned kind
(10:04):
of throughout the season. I think they're both very different teams.
Organs much improved. Indiana has learned a ton because they've
you know, slaid so many dragons basically, and so like,
I just think it's really interesting. I don't know what
the answer is to like what organ has to, Like
I mean, because, like I said, mistake free, like how
you beat this team. You know, they've got athletes. I
think they need to sort of lean into more of
(10:26):
that in their skilled position players and try to get
them the ball. You know, they did a lot of
like stuff like side to side. I think they need
to get vertical, you know, like and kind of try
to expose INDI end of that way, because you know,
Indian is very good kind of on the sidelines like that,
but like you know, go try to make your weapons
kind of put put stress on Indian's defense because not
(10:47):
teams have not many teams have done that. So that
might be my like my biggest takeaway just because I
didn't I didn't think Oregon's game plan we talked about
aggressive and attacking. I didn't think Orgon did that the
first time.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Mike, what was the most fun one thing, if at all,
that you did. I don't know how much time you
had in Pasadena. The weather was not great. I realized
that have you been to La much or southern California much?
And if so, did you get a chance to enjoy anything.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Been?
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I mean, obviously a couple of times, and then obviously
went last year for the ucla trip walked out to
Angel's flight. That was cool. I've never seen that, which
is kind of a cable car in downtown LA just
a little kind of seen a cup place, and did
walk around Universal one day. We've just had press covers
of the morning. But that was probably you know, obviously
(11:36):
well very busy.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
The rest of the time, it's I love it out there.
The weather was not great. I realized, now, did.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
You did you red eye at last night or if
you're in if you're in Chicago, now, I'm guessing you
did the ten and to do the ten pm red eye?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I did the twelve thirty red eye, So yes, Wow, So.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
You got no idea what time it is right now? Right?
Speaker 4 (11:56):
I mean day week, I mean whatever, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Friday, Friday, you're gonna sleep over the course of the
weekend and then it's down to Atlanta to Chick fil
a Land Mike, given that especially, I certainly appreciate the
time of the insights today.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Happy New Year to you as well. Look forward to
talking to you again.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, we'll talk you downline. Thanks, sir.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I appreciate it. Mike Islik from the Bloomton Herald Times
joining us. Yes, there is basketball to be played as well.
Takes place tonight Gambridge Field House, San Antonio without Webba
Yama joining us now in the Java House, Peel and
por guest line. You hear them on these radio airwaves.
You also see him in terms of his work in
(12:35):
here at with locked on pacers, Forbes, WTHR other places.
Tony East joining us now Tony, Happy New Year to you,
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I'm buzzing. The Hoosiers are good at football, Jake. That's
their first ball one in my lifetime, and they beat
Alabama and the Rose ball. That just sounds hilarious to
say out out. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
When you say you're buzzing, you mean you've been drinking.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
I did, in fact, to drink on New Year's I
don't drink very often these days, but I did enjoy.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Allow me to ask this, and by the way, not
to make me feel old, but that win in the
Copper Bowl was over Baylor. I think it was twenty
four to three. Von Dunbar was on that team, Trent Green.
I watched that at Chris Jordan's house. It was my
freshman year of college. And interestingly enough, Chris Jordan, who
went to and is a dieheart fan of Ohio State.
(13:21):
And then we watched the National championship game that year
at Chris Farcas's house because he is now a graduate
of and at that time was a freshman at Alabama.
And the thought that Indiana, ever as we watched with
Jordan's house dorned in Buckeye stuff and Farcas's house with
Alabama stuff, the thought that ever the day would come
(13:41):
where Indiana would have back to back wins over those
two programs is literally the most absurd thing on the planet.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And here we are, right.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
And convincing in one of the cases, like wasn't even close.
It's just ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Before we get to the pacers, let me ask this, Tony,
since you'd mentioned that you had a few beverages on
New Year's Eve. I asked this of Eddie earlier, and
I want your perspective, and I'm asking you to openly
disagree with me if I'm wrong here. It seems to me,
and maybe this is because of my I don't know,
(14:17):
but more so this year than years past, it seems like, collectively,
as a culture, New Year's Eve just kind of came
and went on us, and it was like, oh, okay,
and we didn't have. Usually it's ubiquitous the week leading
into New Year's of like advertisements or conversation of this
restaurant's having a huge celebration for one price, you get
(14:40):
this that and a champagne toast, or a band that's
going to be playing, or here's the big gala that's
taking place downtown, or the fireworks will be here, or
here is your top twenty stories of twenty twenty five,
or the legends that we lost this past year, or
the best songs of the year countdown, et cetera. And
I kind of seemingly I felt none of that this year.
(15:01):
I'm not complaining about it. It wasn't like people were papooing it.
It just seemed like collectively we just kind of breezed
past it and weren't paying attention. Am I totally wrong
or did I miss something?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
It's not. I think it's the day of the week, right,
Like Thursday's kind of a crappy day for New Years
to the middle of the week, something like my wife
went back to work today.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Right Friday. Obviously I did it too, right, yeah, right.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Right, Well, I'm you know, pacers play obviously, but like
it just and I think that that made it die
a little bit, and that weird week between Christmas and
New Year's didn't feel the same. But the day's the week,
That's what I think it was.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So so I am correct though in the fact that
it just did seem kind of I'm not saying I
enjoyed it, right, but it just didn't have the same
ooph of years past.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I'm not wrong then, right.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I agree with that, all right.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
So let's talk about this the new year of twenty six.
That means twenty twenty five has come to a close.
That means the greatest season in Pacer history in terms
of their NBA period, at least certainly in a postseason
we turn the calendar page. Now, what is the mindset?
Do you believe? I think most of us know that
(16:13):
the Pacers are where they are because of attrition injury,
and then if you want to talk about some interesting lineups,
but do you believe that the natives are beginning to
get restless?
Speaker 2 (16:27):
And by that I mean the veterans on this team.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
I think they thought they'd be better than the worst
record in the league by like a lot, certainly at
this stage of the season. And you know, I think
what's frustrating if you're any of those players that were
you know, alluding to 're talking about, is that, you know,
you lose a different way every night. Like it feels
like they correct this and then up they can't rebound
against the Rockets, and then they have a million turnovers
(16:53):
against Eat and there are fourth quarter offensive out breaks
against the Magic, and their defense goes away against the Celtics,
which twelve minutes. It's like there's just no consistency or
thing to lean on. And so even though they have
I mean, you watch them play a lot in person
like they have i would say thirty five minutes a
game where I'm like, yep, they look fine, are pretty good,
(17:14):
or like they're they're good players that we thought would
be good all season, or that actually were good all
of last season, or whatever this you know, reality may be.
They all look good, they all look effective, and then
there's some thing that happens where it all just evaporates
all at once for who knows what reason, and then
they lose because of that. And it's something different every time,
(17:36):
which has to be so frustrating if you think you're
talented enough to do it and you're not. You just
can't actually get the wins that you'd feel like you
should be getting. So I understand why it would be taxing,
and it has been, and I understand why the reactions
to their accord are what they are because the team
looked like it could at least be decent. Right. They've
been close to a five one hundred team about Halbert
in past seasons, and they are not even in that
(17:58):
ballpark or realm or whatever you want to say. This
year's not even.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Close, Tony.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
When you look at the draft this year, and what
I mean, listen, it was during the finals, was it
not when that trade took place to get back their
first round pick?
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Oh my god? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And I listen, I'm going to show.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
If I had to guess, I'm trying to think of
who they traded with to get who.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
It was that happened the Pelicans.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Was it New Orleans? I was thinking Oklahoma City, but
so New Orleans? So they trade with New Orleans? Who
did they send?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Do you recall the whole trade was just the twenty
third pick for so the pick they had that they
currently sent the Pelicans was top four protected for this year.
There's a twenty third pick, and I think the draft
rights to mojave King for their pick this year. That
was it. And I think the Pelicans bet was basically,
oh my gosh, you guys are awesome. We want the
(18:58):
picks now because we need the young talent in the door.
Let's do this now, like you could be gonna get
next year. It could be worse than twenty three, which
is very funny in retrospect.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
So they end up with what is going to be?
Can we safely say that the odds are very high
that they will have a top five pick?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Right? Yeah? Right now? Five is there?
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Four?
Speaker 3 (19:19):
And they have a one and a half two whatever
you want to say game advantage in the inverse standings.
And Brooklyn, who everybody thought would be the worst team,
is five games away. That's the fifth worst record, so
they're the four worst team. The three worst teams all
have the same lottery odds, Like there's a healthy chance
they have the best odds at the at the top
whatever picks this year.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
So the reason I ask it, Tony, this is and
I don't know how much you get into like draft
type stuff, but this is a very front loaded draft.
I think it's a good draft all the way around,
But the top five picks at minimum in this draft
seemingly are immediate can immediate play level guys.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Correct, I'm never a big rookies can impact winning right
away guy in general, But that is the sense I've
gotten from people who know anything about this draft. And
the top three specifically seem absurdly good in Peterson, Devonsa,
and Boozer, And everybody tells me this Caleb Wilson kid
is amazing, and there's a bunch of other really good players.
(20:21):
And you know, my theory of rookies, I mean, the
rookies usually just don't know what to do or like
high level systems are confusing for them. And that's fine,
Like that's true of a lot of young players. But
this year, specifically in the NBA, a lot of rookies
have been good. Right, So maybe I'm I'm ahead of
my skis by saying that all the time. But you know,
you always wonder with a team that's in this situation,
like they're really good now and they're getting a high pick,
(20:43):
like how much can that player actually help them? Now?
How much should they be playing when their goals are
to win? But if these players are as good as
people say they could be. It's obviously a nice needle
to threat as the Pacers.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
What have we seen, if anything, out of Michael Potter.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Yeah, he's been really solid, right they closed or excuse
me how they closed the game with him and their
last game they started the second half with him because
I mean, Jay Hoff wasn't effective again or Dana Jackson's out,
Tony Bradley's strengths are what they are. They didn't need
that in particular against the Magic and like he had
six assists in Newston, Micah Potter did. Like a lot
of their centers have never had a six assist game
(21:18):
in their entire career. He's already made more threes this
season than Jackson or Wiseman or Bradley has. He's been
on the team for four games. Maybe it's that was
just a great matchup for him, and we don't see
those kind of statistical nights from him going forward, but
he certainly gives them a different element, at least at
the five. I would say the biggest thing holding him
back is that he's definitely the shortest of their bigs
and maybe the least effective on the glass. But I
(21:40):
mean I also very rarely, when you know, positive about
what he's done in the game, have been like, oh,
he really stunk at this, or like, wow, he made
a terrible mistake when he did that. Like he just
goes to where he's supposed to and tech the screen
and keeps the ball moving and can hit a jumper
every so often, and that kind of player can be valuable.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
It certainly has been well well in their system so far.
They've got it aside on their non guaranteed contracts. At
some point in the next five days, that's him and
Tony Bradley. But you know, I would have fought right
after they signed him that Potter was just a filling
until Jackson returned. But he's he's at least trying to
make a case that he should stick beyond that because
he's playing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
At what point, Tony Tony East is my guest Java
House Peel and poor guest line. At what point with
jaris Walker, did we just say to quote, you know
Denny Green, like he is who he thought he was
and we we know what it is.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
I have a hard time with answering that, only because
I mean the flashes he's shown above this level were
like kind of consistent at the end of last year.
I mean, he's shooting twelve percent worse from the field
than last season. Now, obviously his volume is higher, but
not by that much. Like it doesn't seem like he
should be shooting this much worse. And the other thing is,
(22:54):
I know he got hurt in the conference finals, so
people forgot, but like he made forty percent of his
treason play he played in twelve games in the rotation,
like he was okay. He wasn't like awesome, but he
was okay in the playoffs and better than he is
playing at times this season. So I don't think he's
as bad as he has shown at times this year.
Like that road trip they went on in early November
(23:16):
was like, oh my god, what is happening right now?
Every game was a struggle. But he was like, over again,
overwhelmingly solid down the stretch of last season. I want
to say his last like fifteen to sixteen games. I
can pull it up on talking. Yeah, the last sixteen
games this season. Last year, the Pacers went thirteen to three.
Jis Walker made fifty two percent of all his shots
and average I can't read. Apparently it was averaging healthy
(23:39):
numbers across the board eight nine points a game, four rebounds.
Then in the playoffs continued to be productive before he
hit his ankle in the last in that game six
against the Knicks. So I've seen him be better than this.
So I don't want to just use the judgment of
this season to be like it's over. But this is
a lot of games where he looks, you know, ineffective,
or he makes a turnover that makes you scratch your
(23:59):
head or whatever it is. Even though the rebounding has
been closer what they hoped, Like, he does make passes
that are knights for a connector type. He does make
his shots. The last couple of games he's been hitting.
I think he's nine for his last four team from
the field, Like, there is a framework of a player
who is impactable in there, right, and we've seen that
player exist in real important games before. But this is drive.
(24:20):
I mean, he is like the least efficient player in
the league on any sort of real volume, and that
is who he's been for a lot of this season.
His VPM is like bottom five in the entire NBA,
which is one of those all in one impacts stats.
So I don't know that I think this is truly
who he is. I think he's better than what he's
showed this year, but I do think he has showed
that there is a the role for him to be.
(24:41):
The most effective player that he currently can be in
his current state is a very low volume offensive player,
like who is more of a connector than a play
finisher or setup man, and that very much limits the
ceiling of what he can do to help a team
right now, because then he's just kind of like a
side guy who's not that great on defense and you're
just kind of hoping to move the ball in and
turn it over that much.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Tony, when you had me on your podcast Lockdown Pacers
probably a month ago, we were talking about Jarvis Walker,
and something I brought up to you is that I
was just curious of like, if all the injuries that
have the Pacers have endured this year, guys haven't been
able to kind of clearly define their roles, and I
think Jeris is still in that category, like do we
even know what his role is with this team? And
(25:21):
now that they're starting to get healthier, could we see
that level of play that we saw the final month
to two months of the regular season and the postseason
that you just highlighted.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah, that's a great point and we were kind of
asking Rick Carlisle about that before the last game. Is like,
when you're looking at development and trying to plan what
a player's development path is, is it harder to identify
what they're getting better at or what kind of pack
they're on when you've been so hurt or you've signed
so many new players, which they had to do all
(25:51):
that because of their injuries. But that means that Jaris
Walker in this game is a three play next to
these players in this game, he's a four play next
to these guys. In this game. He's you know, playing
in a small ball unit with no center with these
guys and this game he's starting in this game. He's
not gotayada. Like you all understand it if you've watched
the games that could go on forever. That's hard and
like we've heard from some of these guys that part
(26:13):
of development is being able to be good when your
role changes, right, So this is still not a good thing,
but it is harder to be consistently impactful when you
don't know where your shots are coming from every night,
or the guys who are setting you up for those
shots are different every night or whatever it's going to be,
that is different. So again, if you're legitimately a great player,
(26:33):
if your role changes, you're still going to be good,
right obviously, So that is an obvious, important distinction in
this conversation. But him and Ben Shepherd and honestly most
guys with high winzards the team has been have had
to play kind of a different role all the time.
If you're a role player on the Pacers, your role
has been different a lot, and I think that has
hurt their chance of, you know, consistent game prep, finding
(26:56):
their spots every night. Whereas last year, like you're saying,
they were really healthy, Stretch really healthy and into the playoffs,
like he was their only major injury in tel Game
seven of the finals, right, Like they could have played
everybody in the same role over and over and over again.
And I think that helped. And so they're getting healthy now,
knock on wood for the first time in thirty whatever games.
Like maybe that will help is having everybody back and
(27:17):
ready to go, and then everybody's in the right seat
on the bus and they can do what they're supposed
to do or they hoped they were supposed to do.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Tony East joins us on the Java House Peel and
Port guest line. Tony After the game on Wednesday against Orlando,
Rick Carlisle said, in the second half, we played like
a team together that was supporting each other and not
like strangers.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
That's how this has got to be.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
We're having too much petty nonsense going on during games
that needs to go away.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
A two parterre here.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
Part one, what petty nonsense do you think that Rick
Carlile is alluding to? And part number two is what
changed in the second half That looked like more of
the pacers of last year, where they were spreading the
ball around and kind of looked more of a cohesive unit.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Yeah. I tried to ask for specifics. I know he
wasn't gonna end, but I did want to know if
he had anything. But he kind of alluded to it
because I he mentioned when he like let off about
petty nun said how much better their defense was in
the second half. I think they allowed sixty eight or
points in the first half and forty four or something.
I don't know if that mass right, but something like
that in that game against Orlando and so I said, okay,
(28:18):
well what was better in that second half? And he said,
we were concerned with the play that was happening right
now and the play that was going to be happening
immediately next, and not whether we were touching the ball
or getting a shot or not getting a shot, that
kind of stuff. And that's when he went on to
talk about what the team and the organization and ownership
and all that is about, and distractions with officials. So
I would say that that was very coded. It's something
(28:38):
in there, right. It was someone not being thrilled with
their touches, it was somebody flowing coverages, it was somebody
not paying attention. They were too concerned with something else,
whatever it may be. And I would also venture that
they just went on a road a two game road
trip that you know, it's possible something could have happened
there that you know, now was the time to get
that out after they played a game at home and
(28:58):
had you know, more of their media present, and so
you know, they've they've lost ten in a row. Like,
there's a lot of frustrating things going on. You just
wonder what specifically it is. Like I rewatched the whole game,
I didn't notice. I mean, I didn't notice any one
thing that I thought, Wow, that person is obviously complaining
and rubbing wrong on his teammates. I saw stuff that
they've done wrong in lots of other games. So I
(29:19):
don't know that there's anything specific that happened in this game.
Maybe it was just a culmination of it, but it's
obviously notworthy that it happens in a game where they
changed their lineup to start the second half. Jay Huff
goes to the bench, Johnny Furpy goes to the bench.
I'm not saying it was one of those guys. I'm
just saying with so many changes, with something like that
called out, you really wonder what happened, what kind of
effect it had on the team. And their offense did
die too, like their defense was way better, but they
(29:40):
scored fifteen points in the fourth quarter in a loss.
So they still have to figure out what this is.
But you know, after Siakam's comments a week or whatever
ago about you know, wondering what guys are you know,
focused on, and now this like this is the stuff
you hear about in a ten game losing streak. They've
got to get the right attitude going because this does
them no good, right losing is obviously find this year
(30:00):
they're in a position and they're almost certainly not gonna
make the playoffs. But you get nothing from this. If
you get no development, you just lose every game pathetically,
and then everybody's really upset. So they got to figure something.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Out, Tony.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
If you had to, Tony East, my guests job asse,
peel and poor guest line. If you had to pick
up the three remaining teams other than Indiana, and I'm
now talking college football rank for me, Tony East's power
ranking of the team that you would most want Indiana
(30:33):
if they if they like, We're gonna throw them all
in a blender here right in Indiana. So it was
random the team that you would most fear left for Indiana,
the second least, and then the third. So I guess
you'd go with strongest potential opponent one, middle pack two,
and the one you would find the weakest opponent three.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Yeah, I think Oregon's probably the strongest left. Right, they
have a good coach, they have a good quarterback. I
you beat them in Eugene, obviously that was a great performance.
And if I didn't throw a pick six in that game,
they would have looked like they womped them, right, But
now they're tough, they're good. I think I like Fernando
being media prepped and ready when they asked him about
(31:15):
Oregon on the field postgame at the Rose Bowl and
he was like, yeah, it's tough to be the team twice.
Dan Lander, how.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
About the fact, by the way, Tony, how about the
fact that he was unaware he was unaware that Oregon
had won, which shows you the focus that Indiana had
in the pregame of the Rose Bowl to not know
what was taking place in that game.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
But do you know how I mean, You've seen a
million athletes innswer that question how hardest? And I'd be like, yeah,
with being them once we feel confident, like, oh, I know,
so easy to It's so easy to say that, especially
if you do feel confident. But he emailed it. Oregan
is good, you know. I keep thinking, like man Ole
miss our coaching is like hack gone And I just
read a report in they Aaho's Morning like that the
rest of their staff could be gone for this next game.
(31:57):
So surely they'll fall apart and be the easiest one.
And then they look awesome against Georgia and this quarterback
who was in D two somehow, I'd never heard of
this kid. I don't watch it on the college FOOTBA
admittedly was like amazing, but they looked really good, so
I don't know how to feel about that. Miami's defensive
line was awesome against Ohio State, so they all present
kind of different challenges. I think Oregon is the best
team left beside IU. I'll probably say Miami second, almost third,
(32:20):
but those two our book kind of interchangeably close to me.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
How about Dick vital sitting the thing that was like
watching this just further enhances that Notre Dame would have
beaten any of these teams.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
I I do it, honest man, Like I don't again,
I don't really watch BESIDESU any college football. But I
was at a Christmas event that had Texas A and
m Miami on. I was like, oh my god, it's like,
can we just put Notre Dame in now? It's dead?
It's like this is horrible.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, but Miami though, I mean, Miami has more than
vindicated themselves now, right yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean that they Crustalhiuse State. They
were great.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
It was the greatest thing. Ever right, I mean, is
there anything? But I went back. I had so much fun.
I was such a fifth grader. I went back when
I had sent a tweet probably two months ago that
just said, and I don't know it was win Mendoza
was mentioned as it was after the Penn State game
when Gus Johnson, you know, hyperventilated and said that give
him the heisman now, and all these Ohio State fans
(33:15):
were going on and on about Indiana, and I sent
a postage just simply said I never thought I'd see
the day where Ohio State fans like are insecure about Indiana.
And the number of replies of Ohio State fans, dude,
We're not even worried about it. We're just gonna win
the Natty. You know, No noa DA showed me when
you went. And it's to know that Ohio State lost
their last two games. They have more NFL talent than
(33:35):
probably the other eleven teams combined, and yet Grecian Formula
went out there with Rosie Cheeks and just completely wet himself.
I love everything about it. I'm here, you know.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Duke and I. You football are winning bowl games. Alabama
the basketball school now Jaco it's a new time and
then it is.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
It is man, it is a new frontier, no question.
Tony appreciate it. See you tonight, Pacers and Spurs over
at Gambridge Fieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
You got it.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
Thanks for having me right, Tony East joining me, Java House,
Peel and Poor guest Line joining us now in the Peelum,
the Peeling Port, the Java House, Peel and por guest Line,
and I'm sure thrilled to be doing so. Based on
that intro, you hear him in the morning along with
jeff Rickord and Kevin Bowen on the Fan Morning Show.
James Boyd joining us on the show, James, Happy New Year,
Thank you, sir. I want to begin with this for
(34:22):
the Colts coming up on Sunday, Riley Leonard is in
at the quarterback spot. We now know that Philip Rivers
will be essentially the emergency quarterback, which, let's be real,
his entire existence with the Colts this year was emergency quarterback.
But are there other positions where we may see some
(34:42):
understudies getting reps extensively?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Because why not?
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Yeah? I think they could be the case. I think
obviously you already got the one of studies out there
at cornerback because he got injuries. Do we see someone
like DJ Gadens get.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
In at running back?
Speaker 6 (34:58):
He hasn't played, and I feel like a few weeks
is that worth it at this point to keep JP
sort of healthy and if he's a finale So those
some of this as I'm looking at it. And then again,
because the injury, you're already playing the young guys up front,
with Jalen Travis starting to get right tackles the James.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
When you look at this season, and obviously it goes
without saying that there are you know, colossal disappointment throughout
and I get that the injury comes into play with
Daniel Jones. You know, we've gone over all of this.
So let me ask you a two part question. The
first is if, and we're going to strictly speak into hypothetical,
(35:37):
if the Cults are to make a change in their direction,
be it the general manager or the head coach, we
will know that. How long after the completion of Sunday's game.
Speaker 6 (35:53):
That's a great question. I would say within twenty four hours. Okay,
it's a little bit different because it's a road game,
but yeah, he is you making that announcement very soon?
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Okay, The second question is, do you, James Boyd, believe
that announcement will be heard, meaning what do you believe
they will make a change at either of those two spots.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
Oh, I don't think that that will happen, but I
think it probably should happen when it comes to Chris Ballard.
I can see why they will probably want to stick
with this because of the injuries that plagued the team
this year, But personally, I just think that it's stale
when it comes to Chris Ballard. And at some point
(36:38):
you can't look at year nine as a standalone season
and forget about everything that kind of led up to
this year as well.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Do you believe again a hypothetical, and I only say
it because it adds perspective. Okay, if the Colts had
had the exact same season, James, Let's say that the
Colts that Daniel Jones had never gotten hurt, and let's
say they didn't even start eight and two. You know,
let's say that they just had a season where they
(37:08):
win one, lose one, win one, lose one, win one,
lose one, and they and they finished eight and nine.
Would they still maintain the same course? In other words,
we can say that the injury is reason why Chris
Ballard gets another year, But do we know definitively that
he would not have gotten another year anyway, because he
(37:30):
has a year left on his contract and because there
are other areas right now that Carli Ursa, Gordon and
the family have to focus on.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
Yeah, we don't know that. I don't make it very clear.
I'm not advocating for Chris Ballard to get a tenth
of the season. I just think that given the situation,
they're end where they work in their future in the
false gardener's tray with no first round picks for the
next two years. In the older movies you make if
you probably thinks you're going to bring back your GM
and your head coach. But yeah, when I look at
the totality of everything, it's hard to sit here and
(38:03):
try to excuse the collapse at the end and to
answer question me in eight to nine and the way
you kind of get there. I do think had it
been kind of up and down, then they will be
looking at this from a different angle and perhaps it's
like blow it all up and get rid of everybody.
But I still think there's a part of this team
in this regime that can convince themselves that, hey, before
(38:25):
the injuries kind of bid us, we were one of
the best teams in the NFL, and to their credit,
they probably are right. I lean towards them being a
better team than they were obviously with all the injuries.
But man, it's hard for me to sit here and
say that I feel strongly about running this all back
because ideally, what's you're ceiling and I don't know how
high it is or how low it is. With this group,
(38:45):
I still think even with the injuries, you had to
find a way to win a game, and you haven't.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Done that, James.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
If they were to replace Chris Ballard, the fact of
no first round pick for the next two years, the
fact of a change in ownership of which there is
still non familiarity league wide in terms of how and
that's not an indictment on Carly Orsa Gordon at all.
(39:12):
The reality is simply that we don't really know what
her ownership style is going to be, okay, and the
fact that you could look at it and say, in
her first year she immediately made a seismic move. Is
it the possibility that somebody who is a potential candidate
to fill that job would actually have pause in coming
(39:33):
to Indianapolis for the reasons I just laid out.
Speaker 6 (39:37):
I think some whould, but I think that's been overstated.
There's only thirty two of these jobs in the NFL,
really about thirty one if she count Jerry Jones, because
he's also GM for the Cowboys, so they should have
plenty of suitors if they make a change at the
GM position. But even when I look at all the scenarios,
it's hard for me to envision a GM coming in
and sitting down and saying this is my plan for
(39:58):
the future without it being a very I think three
to five year plan. I get that all gens tried
to come in with that, But at the same time,
there is no pathway if you blow this up and
get rid of the GM, and I opinion to say
you're going to be immediately in contention next year. I
just don't think that's a very real way to look
at this, because at the very least, you're if you
(40:19):
keep give her to the GM, keep staying piking, you're
banking on Dale Jones coming off of Achilles here being
your best and the most important player, and that to
me is not a gamble. That's a wise one, James.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Before we let you go, I'm going to give you
a couple of names. When I give you the name,
I want you to tell me one to ten, ten
being absolutely certain, one being totally not pot you know, unlikely. Okay,
I'm going to give you a player. I want you
to tell me one to ten, ten being the most
certain that they will be when I name a person
(40:54):
as to whether or not they will be a member
of the Cults organization beyond this son Day in terms
of moving into next year, you ready, h Anthony Richardson
four Daniel Jones.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Depends on if the coaches in GM were brought back.
But I'll go eight.
Speaker 7 (41:18):
Alec Pierce, Mmm, I'm might go I'm gonna go six
on that a little bit lower because he'll have plenty of.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
Suitors if he a free agency nigga tag him No.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
DeForest Buckner, Oh.
Speaker 6 (41:37):
That's a good question. I'll cop out that defn't toss
up for me. I'm gonna go five money. He's got
big money on the contry next year, coming off next sursury.
I'm not so sure about Buckner being a definite yet.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 6 (41:52):
I'll up seven on that. I think I'll be.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
Bad Chris Ballard, Oh, I'll go six.
Speaker 6 (42:04):
I think that it's more likely than not that he's back.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Shane stiking.
Speaker 6 (42:11):
Seven put him a little bit higher than I think
he has a better case to be back. But yeah,
and again, I'm not advocating for Chris Bellens to be
brought back, but I do think it's more likely than not.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Personally, Okay, last one, lou and Aroumo.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
I know seven.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
I think that it's pretty expected that he'd be back
at this Virginia's back.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Unless he gets a job, Unless he gets a head
coaching job, right.
Speaker 6 (42:34):
Yeah, but I also don't think that he can really
sell this defense or what he's done this season one
year here to go get a head coaching job at
this point, especially a job at the Giants. I just
don't see that being realistic.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
By the way, several people would like to know whether
or not it is in the bottom of the ocean
or through your latest purchase from the my pillow guy
that you're talking on the phone.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
It is.
Speaker 6 (43:00):
I asked any about selling his fun if I'm working
with old air pods, So next time I'll talk to
you on the old traditional phone.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
The old air pods. It sounds fine to me. It
sounds a little end of the tin can to me.
But that's okay.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
But several people pointed out, so I figured I'd asked,
all right, James, New York's resolution for you anything big?
Speaker 6 (43:21):
No, not really, stay alive. That's always a good one.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Yeah, that's a good one. All right.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Well, enjoy Houston. If you get bored during the game,
walk across the street. I can give you the way
to get into the Astrodome, which I broke into several
years ago. Or if you walk out of NRG Stadium,
take a left you can go into Fiesta, which is
a huge grocery store.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
I've never been to, but it looks like a party.
So either way, enjoy it, all right.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
All right, brother, thank you?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
All right, James boy joining us on the job of
house Peel and poor guests.
He is our friend from the Bloomington Herald Times. He
is the beat writer for Indiana Athletics. He is Mike
who joins us on the Java House Peeling poor guest line,
And I got a feeling Mike Nislick is gonna love
if I send him some either the Wrangler energy might
be more what he needs or the amazingly smooth Colombian
coffee from Java House peeling poor pods because uh, sleep
(00:23):
deprivation probably a thing for Mike right now. But there's
an energy, even though he is a media man and
not necessarily there on a fan trip. There's just an
energy about this Indiana football team and what we saw
in Pasadena.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
He is in Chicago on his way back. Mike, how
are you. I'm good.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
How are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I am well, Thank you. Happy New Year to you,
by the way, you let's begin with this. I'm strictly
curious from your eyes estimate you would say that that
crowd last night was what percent Indiana fans?
Speaker 4 (00:55):
Yeah, you know it's somenny I was talking about that.
You see all those media members to throw out numbers,
and I think sometimes you think, really but like you know,
I spent some time kind of looking at it, and
it's hard obviously because the red, the red of it
all and the shared colors, but like I was kind
of standing out, and you know, it was a very
kind of had how to get in the stadium. There
(01:16):
was a lot of que lines, and so I was
kind of watching this one kind of section where all
the fans were lined up and watching them to kind
of see them come in, and it was like it
really did feel like eighty twenty, Like I mean that
significant of a split. You know, I don't know how
that came through kind of on the broadcast, but you know,
like the pre game, anytime things Indiana's were shown, there
(01:38):
were cheers and Alabama there were just like all the
simple stuff of just like a home game type of thing.
And yeah, it just felt like and I don't think
it's an exaggeration. I think it was that, you know,
you saw it in the city kind of leading up
to the days of the game, and you're like, many
the Alabama's just staying somewhere else, but like it's just
the fans, But like, yeah, that's what it felt like
(01:59):
to me.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
You know, the story there are so many storylines about
this Mike and at this point, I think we should
just throw out any doubts or any reason of doubts
when it comes to Kurt Signetti led teams. I just
this is a remarkable job that he has done. Now
there is some truth to the fact that this is
a veteran team. It's not a veteran team in terms
(02:22):
of playing with one another, but it's a veteran team
in terms of you know, they've used an eel to
go out and put together this team of experienced players.
But Indiana was the one team that showed no layoff,
no signs of rust. In terms of those with a bye,
they are the only with a buye Obviously, that's well
documented in the last two years to advance. Did you
(02:44):
see anything that led you that maybe raised your eyebrow
in terms of a method that Signetti used to keep
his team focused throughout that layoff.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
No, And I don't know if there was any magic formula,
but I just think I to me, it just sort
of was overblown. Look, and I know one, one and
seven obviously is a thing, but like the one is Indiana,
and it's because like nothing has tripped them up so far,
like none of the distractions, Like I mean, it's been
two years of this right where you've had, oh, you know,
Michigan's coming up, and this is the biggest game. Oh,
(03:17):
Ohio State, you know it's here and oh you know
they got to go to Penn State or they got
to go to Autsin and like nothing has like, oh
this is a trap game and it's like none of
that stuff. Like he's just he's regimented. He sticks to
the sticks to his sort of system and schedule and routine.
And you know, these guys.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Are bought in.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
And you mentioned the experience, like the core group of
players that have experience with him, you still got all
those jam you guys, Like, I just feel like that
they get it and have bought in, and you know
it's like it's there's no magic to it. I just
think it. Look it's routine, right, and I know like
a lot of these teams try to stick to it.
(03:56):
But I just think this this group is just uniquely
bought into what their coach is selling.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
I guess at this point, and you know it's fourteen games, right.
Is there an area for Indiana Mike, I'll use the
term susceptible. Is there an area of this football team
where you feel they are susceptible that you have been
surprised that no one has tried to take advantage of.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
I thought it was off as line in terms of
like the pass rush, and you know, like the first
free plays, it's like, oh man, like this the Alabama
you know, figured out right, get pressure your sack and
and uh, you know, use kind of some of the
disguises or things that that Indiana's don't have people. And
you know, I thought, you know, the right side, you
(04:43):
got a young kid there that hasn't played a ton,
you know, starting and bray Lynch just kind of looked
a little shaky, and oh, you know, maybe it's up there.
But like and then they dominate up front, you know,
and especially you know it was more of the run
game obviously, but you know, Frenando mendozahead time time kind
of after that first drive. But like you know that
(05:03):
that group really bullied Alabama up front, dominated, you know,
to they around the ball fifty times. I was up
in kind of fancy. It was, you know, four yard
five yard chunks and where's gonna hold the ball? You
only had a ten minute as nearly ten minute time
of possession advantage, and so like you know, I just
think it's hard, you know, because I think one of
(05:23):
the keys and it's sort of like so simple and
so easy, like to just say it, but like they
don't make mistakes right like we've seen like the special
teams mistakes have like just killed teams of the playoffs
right last couple of weeks, or you know, like turnovers,
and it's like, how do you know I saw that people?
You know, my colleague was one of them picked against Indiana,
(05:44):
and I get that, but like my question for them was, like,
especially when Alabama has not necessarily kind of played up
to what they were doing, Like I was inn Where's
where's there? Where's the mistake going to happen? Where where
is Alabama to be able to take advantage of that?
They they they win that game and I just didn't
see it. And so you know, that to me is
what makes them so hard to beat right now, you.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Know, Mike Nayasileik is my guest. It seems to me,
and you tell me if I'm oversimplifying this. It almost
seems like we in the media or fans, whatever it
might be, we get over caught or caught up in
thinking that coaches are constantly attacking the opponent in terms
(06:27):
of like what's going to work against this team, and
it seems like Indiana's formula is more so We're not
as worried about what they're going to do. We're going
to go out and make sure that we make zero mistakes,
and then, knowing that every team is going to make
two to three of them, we're going to pounce on it,
take advantage of it, and beat you. And they just
before you know it, you're down seventeen points and then
(06:48):
you're down twenty four and you're waiting for Indiana to
cause the hicck, and it just doesn't happen. It seems
like Indiana's preparation is more about the preparation of Indiana
as opposed to the preparation against others. Is that overstating it?
Speaker 4 (07:04):
Well, part, it's part because I think their philosophy actually
is just to attack at all times on both sides
of the ball. But to your point, I think what
they learned last year, what they didn't do is stick
to their like guns and stick to They did get
worried about what other teams did, what Ohio State did,
what Notre Dame is, and said, oh do we have
to change or do we have to modify, do we
(07:26):
have to maybe less aggressive? You know, like Brian Haynes
talked about that last year after the Notre Damen game
on the big Run, He's like, I did not do
what I normally do in that situation, and I immediately
regretted it. Right this year, they've said, we've just got
to be us. And you know, part of the formula
is obviously don't make mistakes. But they attack and they come.
But it's just sticking to what how you call a
(07:49):
game or how you approach kind of like constructing a
game plan, like don't let the opponent sort of dictate
any sort of change. Even though yeah, Alabama had nine
five stars starting, that shouldn't matter. That shouldn't change kind
of how you approach calling plays. And I think it
was a lesson. They learned it through defeat last year
and it started it changed.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
You know.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Oregon basically was kind of the first, you know, I
think the kind of the test that we're talking about,
and they said, no, this is what we are, this
is what we do, and then you've seen the results.
Kind of every time they've had a big test, they
have not veered from what's worked. They've not changed how
they called it, and this is the results.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
Mike Nisa is my guess. He's on the Java House
Peel and poor guest line covering Indiana. Mike, let's look
at in You know, it's funny. Part of me, in
my mind thinks we got plenty of time to break
down the matchup with Oregon. What we don't I mean,
it's kind of now turned around and boom, there you go.
When you look back to it, it feels like forever ago.
But that game with Oregon and Indiana going into Eugene
(08:49):
and winning that game, was that one where Indiana strictly
outwilled them or was there something that Oregon didn't do
and left on the table that Indiana now has to
prepare for.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
I think it's really interesting because it's like you get
a rematch and I feel like it's like a chess
match for the coaches that like, it's like, well, now
we've seen everything you've done and we've gone up against it,
and so like there's a there's a lot of different
layers to it now, and especially coaches that are really good,
you know, like Dan Lanning and kurtsy Getti obviously are
there in the semifinals. But like, you know, Dan Lanning,
(09:22):
you know, in terms of like if you're talking about
the next maybe most successful coach kind of over the
last not beyond two years since he took over Oregon,
it's Dan Lanning, right, and so like he's really really
good in terms of X and o's in terms of program,
program building, and so like you get in a rematch
and it's like, man, what do you counter? And like
you's to your point, like what do you change that
(09:43):
didn't work? Or try to lean in that did work?
Like Dante mor didn't particularly play well, they didn't particularly
protect the quarterback. Well, you know, like what do you
do now? And obviously these teams, you know have you know,
that was what we like we said week five or
week six, but you know, the fifth for each team,
their their body of work and what they've learned kind
(10:04):
of throughout the season. I think they're both very different teams.
Organs much improved. Indiana has learned a ton because they've
you know, slaid so many dragons basically, and so like,
I just think it's really interesting. I don't know what
the answer is to like what organ has to, Like
I mean, because, like I said, mistake free, like how
you beat this team. You know, they've got athletes. I
think they need to sort of lean into more of
(10:26):
that in their skilled position players and try to get
them the ball. You know, they did a lot of
like stuff like side to side. I think they need
to get vertical, you know, like and kind of try
to expose INDI end of that way, because you know,
Indian is very good kind of on the sidelines like that,
but like you know, go try to make your weapons
kind of put put stress on Indian's defense because not
(10:47):
teams have not many teams have done that. So that
might be my like my biggest takeaway just because I
didn't I didn't think Oregon's game plan we talked about
aggressive and attacking. I didn't think Orgon did that the
first time.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
Mike, what was the most fun one thing, if at all,
that you did. I don't know how much time you
had in Pasadena. The weather was not great. I realized
that have you been to La much or southern California much?
And if so, did you get a chance to enjoy anything.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Been?
Speaker 4 (11:14):
I mean, obviously a couple of times, and then obviously
went last year for the ucla trip walked out to
Angel's flight. That was cool. I've never seen that, which
is kind of a cable car in downtown LA just
a little kind of seen a cup place, and did
walk around Universal one day. We've just had press covers
of the morning. But that was probably you know, obviously
(11:36):
well very busy.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
The rest of the time, it's I love it out there.
The weather was not great. I realized, now, did.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
You did you red eye at last night or if
you're in if you're in Chicago, now, I'm guessing you
did the ten and to do the ten pm red eye?
Speaker 4 (11:50):
I did the twelve thirty red eye, So yes, Wow, So.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
You got no idea what time it is right now? Right?
Speaker 4 (11:56):
I mean day week, I mean whatever, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Friday, Friday, you're gonna sleep over the course of the
weekend and then it's down to Atlanta to Chick fil
a Land Mike, given that especially, I certainly appreciate the
time of the insights today.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Happy New Year to you as well. Look forward to
talking to you again.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, we'll talk you downline. Thanks, sir.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I appreciate it. Mike Islik from the Bloomton Herald Times
joining us. Yes, there is basketball to be played as well.
Takes place tonight Gambridge Field House, San Antonio without Webba
Yama joining us now in the Java House, Peel and
por guest line. You hear them on these radio airwaves.
You also see him in terms of his work in
(12:35):
here at with locked on pacers, Forbes, WTHR other places.
Tony East joining us now Tony, Happy New Year to you,
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
I'm buzzing. The Hoosiers are good at football, Jake. That's
their first ball one in my lifetime, and they beat
Alabama and the Rose ball. That just sounds hilarious to
say out out. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
When you say you're buzzing, you mean you've been drinking.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
I did, in fact, to drink on New Year's I
don't drink very often these days, but I did enjoy.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Allow me to ask this, and by the way, not
to make me feel old, but that win in the
Copper Bowl was over Baylor. I think it was twenty
four to three. Von Dunbar was on that team, Trent Green.
I watched that at Chris Jordan's house. It was my
freshman year of college. And interestingly enough, Chris Jordan, who
went to and is a dieheart fan of Ohio State.
(13:21):
And then we watched the National championship game that year
at Chris Farcas's house because he is now a graduate
of and at that time was a freshman at Alabama.
And the thought that Indiana, ever as we watched with
Jordan's house dorned in Buckeye stuff and Farcas's house with
Alabama stuff, the thought that ever the day would come
(13:41):
where Indiana would have back to back wins over those
two programs is literally the most absurd thing on the planet.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And here we are, right.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
And convincing in one of the cases, like wasn't even close.
It's just ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (13:57):
Before we get to the pacers, let me ask this, Tony,
since you'd mentioned that you had a few beverages on
New Year's Eve. I asked this of Eddie earlier, and
I want your perspective, and I'm asking you to openly
disagree with me if I'm wrong here. It seems to me,
and maybe this is because of my I don't know,
(14:17):
but more so this year than years past, it seems like, collectively,
as a culture, New Year's Eve just kind of came
and went on us, and it was like, oh, okay,
and we didn't have. Usually it's ubiquitous the week leading
into New Year's of like advertisements or conversation of this
restaurant's having a huge celebration for one price, you get
(14:40):
this that and a champagne toast, or a band that's
going to be playing, or here's the big gala that's
taking place downtown, or the fireworks will be here, or
here is your top twenty stories of twenty twenty five,
or the legends that we lost this past year, or
the best songs of the year countdown, et cetera. And
I kind of seemingly I felt none of that this year.
(15:01):
I'm not complaining about it. It wasn't like people were papooing it.
It just seemed like collectively we just kind of breezed
past it and weren't paying attention. Am I totally wrong
or did I miss something?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
It's not. I think it's the day of the week, right,
Like Thursday's kind of a crappy day for New Years
to the middle of the week, something like my wife
went back to work today.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Right Friday. Obviously I did it too, right, yeah, right.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Right, Well, I'm you know, pacers play obviously, but like
it just and I think that that made it die
a little bit, and that weird week between Christmas and
New Year's didn't feel the same. But the day's the week,
That's what I think it was.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
So so I am correct though in the fact that
it just did seem kind of I'm not saying I
enjoyed it, right, but it just didn't have the same
ooph of years past.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
I'm not wrong then, right.
Speaker 3 (15:51):
I agree with that.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I agree with that, all right.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
So let's talk about this the new year of twenty six.
That means twenty twenty five has come to a close.
That means the greatest season in Pacer history in terms
of their NBA period, at least certainly in a postseason
we turn the calendar page. Now, what is the mindset?
Do you believe? I think most of us know that
(16:13):
the Pacers are where they are because of attrition injury,
and then if you want to talk about some interesting lineups,
but do you believe that the natives are beginning to
get restless?
Speaker 2 (16:27):
And by that I mean the veterans on this team.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
I think they thought they'd be better than the worst
record in the league by like a lot, certainly at
this stage of the season. And you know, I think
what's frustrating if you're any of those players that were
you know, alluding to 're talking about, is that, you know,
you lose a different way every night. Like it feels
like they correct this and then up they can't rebound
against the Rockets, and then they have a million turnovers
(16:53):
against Eat and there are fourth quarter offensive out breaks
against the Magic, and their defense goes away against the Celtics,
which twelve minutes. It's like there's just no consistency or
thing to lean on. And so even though they have
I mean, you watch them play a lot in person
like they have i would say thirty five minutes a
game where I'm like, yep, they look fine, are pretty good,
(17:14):
or like they're they're good players that we thought would
be good all season, or that actually were good all
of last season, or whatever this you know, reality may be.
They all look good, they all look effective, and then
there's some thing that happens where it all just evaporates
all at once for who knows what reason, and then
they lose because of that. And it's something different every time,
(17:36):
which has to be so frustrating if you think you're
talented enough to do it and you're not. You just
can't actually get the wins that you'd feel like you
should be getting. So I understand why it would be taxing,
and it has been, and I understand why the reactions
to their accord are what they are because the team
looked like it could at least be decent. Right. They've
been close to a five one hundred team about Halbert
in past seasons, and they are not even in that
(17:58):
ballpark or realm or whatever you want to say. This
year's not even.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Close, Tony.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
When you look at the draft this year, and what
I mean, listen, it was during the finals, was it
not when that trade took place to get back their
first round pick?
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Oh my god? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:15):
And I listen, I'm going to show.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
If I had to guess, I'm trying to think of
who they traded with to get who.
Speaker 2 (18:28):
It was that happened the Pelicans.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Was it New Orleans? I was thinking Oklahoma City, but
so New Orleans? So they trade with New Orleans? Who
did they send?
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Do you recall the whole trade was just the twenty
third pick for so the pick they had that they
currently sent the Pelicans was top four protected for this year.
There's a twenty third pick, and I think the draft
rights to mojave King for their pick this year. That
was it. And I think the Pelicans bet was basically,
oh my gosh, you guys are awesome. We want the
(18:58):
picks now because we need the young talent in the door.
Let's do this now, like you could be gonna get
next year. It could be worse than twenty three, which
is very funny in retrospect.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
So they end up with what is going to be?
Can we safely say that the odds are very high
that they will have a top five pick?
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Right? Yeah? Right now? Five is there?
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Four?
Speaker 3 (19:19):
And they have a one and a half two whatever
you want to say game advantage in the inverse standings.
And Brooklyn, who everybody thought would be the worst team,
is five games away. That's the fifth worst record, so
they're the four worst team. The three worst teams all
have the same lottery odds, Like there's a healthy chance
they have the best odds at the at the top
whatever picks this year.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
So the reason I ask it, Tony, this is and
I don't know how much you get into like draft
type stuff, but this is a very front loaded draft.
I think it's a good draft all the way around,
But the top five picks at minimum in this draft
seemingly are immediate can immediate play level guys.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Correct, I'm never a big rookies can impact winning right
away guy in general, But that is the sense I've
gotten from people who know anything about this draft. And
the top three specifically seem absurdly good in Peterson, Devonsa,
and Boozer, And everybody tells me this Caleb Wilson kid
is amazing, and there's a bunch of other really good players.
(20:21):
And you know, my theory of rookies, I mean, the
rookies usually just don't know what to do or like
high level systems are confusing for them. And that's fine,
Like that's true of a lot of young players. But
this year, specifically in the NBA, a lot of rookies
have been good. Right, So maybe I'm I'm ahead of
my skis by saying that all the time. But you know,
you always wonder with a team that's in this situation,
like they're really good now and they're getting a high pick,
(20:43):
like how much can that player actually help them? Now?
How much should they be playing when their goals are
to win? But if these players are as good as
people say they could be. It's obviously a nice needle
to threat as the Pacers.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
What have we seen, if anything, out of Michael Potter.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Yeah, he's been really solid, right they closed or excuse
me how they closed the game with him and their
last game they started the second half with him because
I mean, Jay Hoff wasn't effective again or Dana Jackson's out,
Tony Bradley's strengths are what they are. They didn't need
that in particular against the Magic and like he had
six assists in Newston, Micah Potter did. Like a lot
of their centers have never had a six assist game
(21:18):
in their entire career. He's already made more threes this
season than Jackson or Wiseman or Bradley has. He's been
on the team for four games. Maybe it's that was
just a great matchup for him, and we don't see
those kind of statistical nights from him going forward, but
he certainly gives them a different element, at least at
the five. I would say the biggest thing holding him
back is that he's definitely the shortest of their bigs
and maybe the least effective on the glass. But I
(21:40):
mean I also very rarely, when you know, positive about
what he's done in the game, have been like, oh,
he really stunk at this, or like, wow, he made
a terrible mistake when he did that. Like he just
goes to where he's supposed to and tech the screen
and keeps the ball moving and can hit a jumper
every so often, and that kind of player can be valuable.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Right.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
It certainly has been well well in their system so far.
They've got it aside on their non guaranteed contracts. At
some point in the next five days, that's him and
Tony Bradley. But you know, I would have fought right
after they signed him that Potter was just a filling
until Jackson returned. But he's he's at least trying to
make a case that he should stick beyond that because
he's playing pretty well.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
At what point, Tony Tony East is my guest Java
House Peel and poor guest line. At what point with
jaris Walker, did we just say to quote, you know
Denny Green, like he is who he thought he was
and we we know what it is.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
I have a hard time with answering that, only because
I mean the flashes he's shown above this level were
like kind of consistent at the end of last year.
I mean, he's shooting twelve percent worse from the field
than last season. Now, obviously his volume is higher, but
not by that much. Like it doesn't seem like he
should be shooting this much worse. And the other thing is,
(22:54):
I know he got hurt in the conference finals, so
people forgot, but like he made forty percent of his
treason play he played in twelve games in the rotation,
like he was okay. He wasn't like awesome, but he
was okay in the playoffs and better than he is
playing at times this season. So I don't think he's
as bad as he has shown at times this year.
Like that road trip they went on in early November
(23:16):
was like, oh my god, what is happening right now?
Every game was a struggle. But he was like, over again,
overwhelmingly solid down the stretch of last season. I want
to say his last like fifteen to sixteen games. I
can pull it up on talking. Yeah, the last sixteen
games this season. Last year, the Pacers went thirteen to three.
Jis Walker made fifty two percent of all his shots
and average I can't read. Apparently it was averaging healthy
(23:39):
numbers across the board eight nine points a game, four rebounds.
Then in the playoffs continued to be productive before he
hit his ankle in the last in that game six
against the Knicks. So I've seen him be better than this.
So I don't want to just use the judgment of
this season to be like it's over. But this is
a lot of games where he looks, you know, ineffective,
or he makes a turnover that makes you scratch your
(23:59):
head or whatever it is. Even though the rebounding has
been closer what they hoped, Like, he does make passes
that are knights for a connector type. He does make
his shots. The last couple of games he's been hitting.
I think he's nine for his last four team from
the field, Like, there is a framework of a player
who is impactable in there, right, and we've seen that
player exist in real important games before. But this is drive.
(24:20):
I mean, he is like the least efficient player in
the league on any sort of real volume, and that
is who he's been for a lot of this season.
His VPM is like bottom five in the entire NBA,
which is one of those all in one impacts stats.
So I don't know that I think this is truly
who he is. I think he's better than what he's
showed this year, but I do think he has showed
that there is a the role for him to be.
(24:41):
The most effective player that he currently can be in
his current state is a very low volume offensive player,
like who is more of a connector than a play
finisher or setup man, and that very much limits the
ceiling of what he can do to help a team
right now, because then he's just kind of like a
side guy who's not that great on defense and you're
just kind of hoping to move the ball in and
turn it over that much.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
Tony, when you had me on your podcast Lockdown Pacers
probably a month ago, we were talking about Jarvis Walker,
and something I brought up to you is that I
was just curious of like, if all the injuries that
have the Pacers have endured this year, guys haven't been
able to kind of clearly define their roles, and I
think Jeris is still in that category, like do we
even know what his role is with this team? And
(25:21):
now that they're starting to get healthier, could we see
that level of play that we saw the final month
to two months of the regular season and the postseason
that you just highlighted.
Speaker 3 (25:30):
Yeah, that's a great point and we were kind of
asking Rick Carlisle about that before the last game. Is like,
when you're looking at development and trying to plan what
a player's development path is, is it harder to identify
what they're getting better at or what kind of pack
they're on when you've been so hurt or you've signed
so many new players, which they had to do all
(25:51):
that because of their injuries. But that means that Jaris
Walker in this game is a three play next to
these players in this game, he's a four play next
to these guys. In this game. He's you know, playing
in a small ball unit with no center with these
guys and this game he's starting in this game. He's
not gotayada. Like you all understand it if you've watched
the games that could go on forever. That's hard and
like we've heard from some of these guys that part
(26:13):
of development is being able to be good when your
role changes, right, So this is still not a good thing,
but it is harder to be consistently impactful when you
don't know where your shots are coming from every night,
or the guys who are setting you up for those
shots are different every night or whatever it's going to be,
that is different. So again, if you're legitimately a great player,
(26:33):
if your role changes, you're still going to be good,
right obviously, So that is an obvious, important distinction in
this conversation. But him and Ben Shepherd and honestly most
guys with high winzards the team has been have had
to play kind of a different role all the time.
If you're a role player on the Pacers, your role
has been different a lot, and I think that has
hurt their chance of, you know, consistent game prep, finding
(26:56):
their spots every night. Whereas last year, like you're saying,
they were really healthy, Stretch really healthy and into the playoffs,
like he was their only major injury in tel Game
seven of the finals, right, Like they could have played
everybody in the same role over and over and over again.
And I think that helped. And so they're getting healthy now,
knock on wood for the first time in thirty whatever games.
Like maybe that will help is having everybody back and
(27:17):
ready to go, and then everybody's in the right seat
on the bus and they can do what they're supposed
to do or they hoped they were supposed to do.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
Tony East joins us on the Java House Peel and
Port guest line. Tony After the game on Wednesday against Orlando,
Rick Carlisle said, in the second half, we played like
a team together that was supporting each other and not
like strangers.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
That's how this has got to be.
Speaker 5 (27:36):
We're having too much petty nonsense going on during games
that needs to go away.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
A two parterre here.
Speaker 5 (27:42):
Part one, what petty nonsense do you think that Rick
Carlile is alluding to? And part number two is what
changed in the second half That looked like more of
the pacers of last year, where they were spreading the
ball around and kind of looked more of a cohesive unit.
Speaker 3 (27:57):
Yeah. I tried to ask for specifics. I know he
wasn't gonna end, but I did want to know if
he had anything. But he kind of alluded to it
because I he mentioned when he like let off about
petty nun said how much better their defense was in
the second half. I think they allowed sixty eight or
points in the first half and forty four or something.
I don't know if that mass right, but something like
that in that game against Orlando and so I said, okay,
(28:18):
well what was better in that second half? And he said,
we were concerned with the play that was happening right
now and the play that was going to be happening
immediately next, and not whether we were touching the ball
or getting a shot or not getting a shot, that
kind of stuff. And that's when he went on to
talk about what the team and the organization and ownership
and all that is about, and distractions with officials. So
I would say that that was very coded. It's something
(28:38):
in there, right. It was someone not being thrilled with
their touches, it was somebody flowing coverages, it was somebody
not paying attention. They were too concerned with something else,
whatever it may be. And I would also venture that
they just went on a road a two game road
trip that you know, it's possible something could have happened
there that you know, now was the time to get
that out after they played a game at home and
(28:58):
had you know, more of their media present, and so
you know, they've they've lost ten in a row. Like,
there's a lot of frustrating things going on. You just
wonder what specifically it is. Like I rewatched the whole game,
I didn't notice. I mean, I didn't notice any one
thing that I thought, Wow, that person is obviously complaining
and rubbing wrong on his teammates. I saw stuff that
they've done wrong in lots of other games. So I
(29:19):
don't know that there's anything specific that happened in this game.
Maybe it was just a culmination of it, but it's
obviously notworthy that it happens in a game where they
changed their lineup to start the second half. Jay Huff
goes to the bench, Johnny Furpy goes to the bench.
I'm not saying it was one of those guys. I'm
just saying with so many changes, with something like that
called out, you really wonder what happened, what kind of
effect it had on the team. And their offense did
die too, like their defense was way better, but they
(29:40):
scored fifteen points in the fourth quarter in a loss.
So they still have to figure out what this is.
But you know, after Siakam's comments a week or whatever
ago about you know, wondering what guys are you know,
focused on, and now this like this is the stuff
you hear about in a ten game losing streak. They've
got to get the right attitude going because this does
them no good, right losing is obviously find this year
(30:00):
they're in a position and they're almost certainly not gonna
make the playoffs. But you get nothing from this. If
you get no development, you just lose every game pathetically,
and then everybody's really upset. So they got to figure something.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Out, Tony.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
If you had to, Tony East, my guests job asse,
peel and poor guest line. If you had to pick
up the three remaining teams other than Indiana, and I'm
now talking college football rank for me, Tony East's power
ranking of the team that you would most want Indiana
(30:33):
if they if they like, We're gonna throw them all
in a blender here right in Indiana. So it was
random the team that you would most fear left for Indiana,
the second least, and then the third. So I guess
you'd go with strongest potential opponent one, middle pack two,
and the one you would find the weakest opponent three.
Speaker 3 (30:54):
Yeah, I think Oregon's probably the strongest left. Right, they
have a good coach, they have a good quarterback. I
you beat them in Eugene, obviously that was a great performance.
And if I didn't throw a pick six in that game,
they would have looked like they womped them, right, But
now they're tough, they're good. I think I like Fernando
being media prepped and ready when they asked him about
(31:15):
Oregon on the field postgame at the Rose Bowl and
he was like, yeah, it's tough to be the team twice.
Dan Lander, how.
Speaker 1 (31:21):
About the fact, by the way, Tony, how about the
fact that he was unaware he was unaware that Oregon
had won, which shows you the focus that Indiana had
in the pregame of the Rose Bowl to not know
what was taking place in that game.
Speaker 3 (31:36):
But do you know how I mean, You've seen a
million athletes innswer that question how hardest? And I'd be like, yeah,
with being them once we feel confident, like, oh, I know,
so easy to It's so easy to say that, especially
if you do feel confident. But he emailed it. Oregan
is good, you know. I keep thinking, like man Ole
miss our coaching is like hack gone And I just
read a report in they Aaho's Morning like that the
rest of their staff could be gone for this next game.
(31:57):
So surely they'll fall apart and be the easiest one.
And then they look awesome against Georgia and this quarterback
who was in D two somehow, I'd never heard of
this kid. I don't watch it on the college FOOTBA
admittedly was like amazing, but they looked really good, so
I don't know how to feel about that. Miami's defensive
line was awesome against Ohio State, so they all present
kind of different challenges. I think Oregon is the best
team left beside IU. I'll probably say Miami second, almost third,
(32:20):
but those two our book kind of interchangeably close to me.
Speaker 1 (32:23):
How about Dick vital sitting the thing that was like
watching this just further enhances that Notre Dame would have
beaten any of these teams.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
I I do it, honest man, Like I don't again,
I don't really watch BESIDESU any college football. But I
was at a Christmas event that had Texas A and
m Miami on. I was like, oh my god, it's like,
can we just put Notre Dame in now? It's dead?
It's like this is horrible.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Yeah, but Miami though, I mean, Miami has more than
vindicated themselves now, right yeah.
Speaker 3 (32:50):
Oh yeah, yeah, I mean that they Crustalhiuse State. They
were great.
Speaker 1 (32:54):
It was the greatest thing. Ever right, I mean, is
there anything? But I went back. I had so much fun.
I was such a fifth grader. I went back when
I had sent a tweet probably two months ago that
just said, and I don't know it was win Mendoza
was mentioned as it was after the Penn State game
when Gus Johnson, you know, hyperventilated and said that give
him the heisman now, and all these Ohio State fans
(33:15):
were going on and on about Indiana, and I sent
a postage just simply said I never thought I'd see
the day where Ohio State fans like are insecure about Indiana.
And the number of replies of Ohio State fans, dude,
We're not even worried about it. We're just gonna win
the Natty. You know, No noa DA showed me when
you went. And it's to know that Ohio State lost
their last two games. They have more NFL talent than
(33:35):
probably the other eleven teams combined, and yet Grecian Formula
went out there with Rosie Cheeks and just completely wet himself.
I love everything about it. I'm here, you know.
Speaker 3 (33:45):
Duke and I. You football are winning bowl games. Alabama
the basketball school now Jaco it's a new time and
then it is.
Speaker 1 (33:52):
It is man, it is a new frontier, no question.
Tony appreciate it. See you tonight, Pacers and Spurs over
at Gambridge Fieldhouse.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
You got it.
Speaker 1 (34:00):
Thanks for having me right, Tony East joining me, Java House,
Peel and Poor guest Line joining us now in the Peelum,
the Peeling Port, the Java House, Peel and por guest Line,
and I'm sure thrilled to be doing so. Based on
that intro, you hear him in the morning along with
jeff Rickord and Kevin Bowen on the Fan Morning Show.
James Boyd joining us on the show, James, Happy New Year,
Thank you, sir. I want to begin with this for
(34:22):
the Colts coming up on Sunday, Riley Leonard is in
at the quarterback spot. We now know that Philip Rivers
will be essentially the emergency quarterback, which, let's be real,
his entire existence with the Colts this year was emergency quarterback.
But are there other positions where we may see some
(34:42):
understudies getting reps extensively?
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Because why not?
Speaker 6 (34:48):
Yeah? I think they could be the case. I think
obviously you already got the one of studies out there
at cornerback because he got injuries. Do we see someone
like DJ Gadens get.
Speaker 3 (34:57):
In at running back?
Speaker 6 (34:58):
He hasn't played, and I feel like a few weeks
is that worth it at this point to keep JP
sort of healthy and if he's a finale So those
some of this as I'm looking at it. And then again,
because the injury, you're already playing the young guys up front,
with Jalen Travis starting to get right tackles the James.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
When you look at this season, and obviously it goes
without saying that there are you know, colossal disappointment throughout
and I get that the injury comes into play with
Daniel Jones. You know, we've gone over all of this.
So let me ask you a two part question. The
first is if, and we're going to strictly speak into hypothetical,
(35:37):
if the Cults are to make a change in their direction,
be it the general manager or the head coach, we
will know that. How long after the completion of Sunday's game.
Speaker 6 (35:53):
That's a great question. I would say within twenty four hours. Okay,
it's a little bit different because it's a road game,
but yeah, he is you making that announcement very soon?
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Okay, The second question is, do you, James Boyd, believe
that announcement will be heard, meaning what do you believe
they will make a change at either of those two spots.
Speaker 6 (36:16):
Oh, I don't think that that will happen, but I
think it probably should happen when it comes to Chris Ballard.
I can see why they will probably want to stick
with this because of the injuries that plagued the team
this year, But personally, I just think that it's stale
when it comes to Chris Ballard. And at some point
(36:38):
you can't look at year nine as a standalone season
and forget about everything that kind of led up to
this year as well.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
Do you believe again a hypothetical, and I only say
it because it adds perspective. Okay, if the Colts had
had the exact same season, James, Let's say that the
Colts that Daniel Jones had never gotten hurt, and let's
say they didn't even start eight and two. You know,
let's say that they just had a season where they
(37:08):
win one, lose one, win one, lose one, win one,
lose one, and they and they finished eight and nine.
Would they still maintain the same course? In other words,
we can say that the injury is reason why Chris
Ballard gets another year, But do we know definitively that
he would not have gotten another year anyway, because he
(37:30):
has a year left on his contract and because there
are other areas right now that Carli Ursa, Gordon and
the family have to focus on.
Speaker 6 (37:39):
Yeah, we don't know that. I don't make it very clear.
I'm not advocating for Chris Ballard to get a tenth
of the season. I just think that given the situation,
they're end where they work in their future in the
false gardener's tray with no first round picks for the
next two years. In the older movies you make if
you probably thinks you're going to bring back your GM
and your head coach. But yeah, when I look at
the totality of everything, it's hard to sit here and
(38:03):
try to excuse the collapse at the end and to
answer question me in eight to nine and the way
you kind of get there. I do think had it
been kind of up and down, then they will be
looking at this from a different angle and perhaps it's
like blow it all up and get rid of everybody.
But I still think there's a part of this team
in this regime that can convince themselves that, hey, before
(38:25):
the injuries kind of bid us, we were one of
the best teams in the NFL, and to their credit,
they probably are right. I lean towards them being a
better team than they were obviously with all the injuries.
But man, it's hard for me to sit here and
say that I feel strongly about running this all back
because ideally, what's you're ceiling and I don't know how
high it is or how low it is. With this group,
(38:45):
I still think even with the injuries, you had to
find a way to win a game, and you haven't.
Speaker 2 (38:49):
Done that, James.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
If they were to replace Chris Ballard, the fact of
no first round pick for the next two years, the
fact of a change in ownership of which there is
still non familiarity league wide in terms of how and
that's not an indictment on Carly Orsa Gordon at all.
(39:12):
The reality is simply that we don't really know what
her ownership style is going to be, okay, and the
fact that you could look at it and say, in
her first year she immediately made a seismic move. Is
it the possibility that somebody who is a potential candidate
to fill that job would actually have pause in coming
(39:33):
to Indianapolis for the reasons I just laid out.
Speaker 6 (39:37):
I think some whould, but I think that's been overstated.
There's only thirty two of these jobs in the NFL,
really about thirty one if she count Jerry Jones, because
he's also GM for the Cowboys, so they should have
plenty of suitors if they make a change at the
GM position. But even when I look at all the scenarios,
it's hard for me to envision a GM coming in
and sitting down and saying this is my plan for
(39:58):
the future without it being a very I think three
to five year plan. I get that all gens tried
to come in with that, But at the same time,
there is no pathway if you blow this up and
get rid of the GM, and I opinion to say
you're going to be immediately in contention next year. I
just don't think that's a very real way to look
at this, because at the very least, you're if you
(40:19):
keep give her to the GM, keep staying piking, you're
banking on Dale Jones coming off of Achilles here being
your best and the most important player, and that to
me is not a gamble. That's a wise one, James.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Before we let you go, I'm going to give you
a couple of names. When I give you the name,
I want you to tell me one to ten, ten
being absolutely certain, one being totally not pot you know, unlikely. Okay,
I'm going to give you a player. I want you
to tell me one to ten, ten being the most
certain that they will be when I name a person
(40:54):
as to whether or not they will be a member
of the Cults organization beyond this son Day in terms
of moving into next year, you ready, h Anthony Richardson
four Daniel Jones.
Speaker 6 (41:13):
Depends on if the coaches in GM were brought back.
But I'll go eight.
Speaker 7 (41:18):
Alec Pierce, Mmm, I'm might go I'm gonna go six
on that a little bit lower because he'll have plenty of.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
Suitors if he a free agency nigga tag him No.
Speaker 2 (41:33):
DeForest Buckner, Oh.
Speaker 6 (41:37):
That's a good question. I'll cop out that defn't toss
up for me. I'm gonna go five money. He's got
big money on the contry next year, coming off next sursury.
I'm not so sure about Buckner being a definite yet.
Speaker 2 (41:49):
Jonathan Taylor.
Speaker 6 (41:52):
I'll up seven on that. I think I'll be.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
Bad Chris Ballard, Oh, I'll go six.
Speaker 6 (42:04):
I think that it's more likely than not that he's back.
Speaker 2 (42:06):
Shane stiking.
Speaker 6 (42:11):
Seven put him a little bit higher than I think
he has a better case to be back. But yeah,
and again, I'm not advocating for Chris Bellens to be
brought back, but I do think it's more likely than not.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
Personally, Okay, last one, lou and Aroumo.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
I know seven.
Speaker 6 (42:27):
I think that it's pretty expected that he'd be back
at this Virginia's back.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Unless he gets a job, Unless he gets a head
coaching job, right.
Speaker 6 (42:34):
Yeah, but I also don't think that he can really
sell this defense or what he's done this season one
year here to go get a head coaching job at
this point, especially a job at the Giants. I just
don't see that being realistic.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
By the way, several people would like to know whether
or not it is in the bottom of the ocean
or through your latest purchase from the my pillow guy
that you're talking on the phone.
Speaker 3 (42:58):
It is.
Speaker 6 (43:00):
I asked any about selling his fun if I'm working
with old air pods, So next time I'll talk to
you on the old traditional phone.
Speaker 2 (43:07):
The old air pods. It sounds fine to me. It
sounds a little end of the tin can to me.
But that's okay.
Speaker 1 (43:15):
But several people pointed out, so I figured I'd asked,
all right, James, New York's resolution for you anything big?
Speaker 6 (43:21):
No, not really, stay alive. That's always a good one.
Speaker 2 (43:24):
Yeah, that's a good one. All right.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Well, enjoy Houston. If you get bored during the game,
walk across the street. I can give you the way
to get into the Astrodome, which I broke into several
years ago. Or if you walk out of NRG Stadium,
take a left you can go into Fiesta, which is
a huge grocery store.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
I've never been to, but it looks like a party.
So either way, enjoy it, all right.
Speaker 6 (43:42):
All right, brother, thank you?
Speaker 2 (43:43):
All right, James boy joining us on the job of
house Peel and poor guests.
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