August 15, 2025 • 43 mins
0:00 - The Broncos looked solid in practice yesterday! Sean Payton said none of his starters will play in the preseason game vs Arizona on Saturday. 2nd and 3rd stringers will be battling to fill out the roster spots.
14:00 - Between the Avs, Nuggets, and Broncos...who's most likely to finish 1st in their division next season. After that, the full Nuggets schedule is out! Which games do you want to see?
31:58 - Bo Nix didn't just impress his head coach. The Cardinals defense also had high praise for him.
14:00 - Between the Avs, Nuggets, and Broncos...who's most likely to finish 1st in their division next season. After that, the full Nuggets schedule is out! Which games do you want to see?
31:58 - Bo Nix didn't just impress his head coach. The Cardinals defense also had high praise for him.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is six in the Morning with Brett Caine on demand.
Check out Brett weekday mornings at six on Altitude Sports
Radio ninety two five and on the Altitude Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Add George and I. In fact, yesterday went through the
next ten day schedule, you know, twelve days, thirteen days
were at the cutdown and then we're signing practice squad players,
and so it's all part of the equation. And I
(00:34):
would say every year is a little different. It's just
a little different than like any year before. It's just
a little different. It might be because of one guy
who plays special teams. It might it's just every year
is a little different. And I was taught at a
young age the most significant thing is the Rite fifty three,
(00:57):
and so that's what keeps you up night, making sure
you know we're finding.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That group, find the right group. But they got some
work in yesterday as it was joint practice against the Cardinals,
a session in which you've gotten the rare almost unanimous
Broncos did really, really well sort of a reaction to it.
(01:24):
You know, there's been, as you guys are well aware,
a whole bunch of I guess trepidation after the first
preseason game with the starters in that session. By the way,
this is a Cardinals team that I think is arrow
pointing up, especially on defense. But their team that I
(01:45):
think is is better. And bo Nicks looked great. I
thought Devon Veley had a hell of a day. Kind
of everybody that you wanted to see play well in
this joint practice did Now, it's not full hitting, it's
not full go. It's all that's understood. But if it
(02:06):
means anything, you know. Sean Payton yesterday was talking about
the idea that this was a sort of test session
for both him and Jonathan Gannon. Depending on how your
starters played, how many reps they got, how many all
this different stuff, Well, the that was going to determine
(02:28):
whether they play in the preseason game. So the answer
for at least this week, are they going to play
in a preseason in preseason game number two? The answers no,
so straight up from Mike cliss here, He's not going
(02:48):
to play his first stringers in preseason game Saturday, nor
will get him for the for the Cardinals, but he
did say that they will play eight to ten plays
in the third preseason game week at New Orleans. Now
I think that's because they don't have a joint practice
next week in Orleans. I don't believe. But tell you what,
(03:13):
we just spent our last day at camp, and I'm
going to give you just the really sort of overall
thoughts that I had from the days being there. We
are fortunate enough in this job, in this industry to
go out and have the chance to be there every
day as a fan. You get one of the eight
(03:35):
hundred allotted tickets for that day, and if you're fortunate
enough to grab one of those, maybe you've gotten a couple.
There's one guy that's out there like every day. I
don't know how he did it, But if you're one
of the fortunate ones, this isn't you know, the the
year like sitting on the hill and it's one of
you know, a couple thousand. You got a good football team?
(04:00):
Like it's that easy. It started last year when I
was talking about the Broncos had a quality last season
that proves you are a good football team. It's very simple.
Do you win the games you're supposed to And the
(04:21):
answer was yes, they won every single one of those
last year. The quality of a great team is do
you win the games that either you aren't supposed to
or are really difficult to win. The answer last year
was no, and I think every case except for the
Tampa game in Week three that was the only exception.
(04:47):
So if you want to be a great team, you
have to take that step this year. You have to
be able to accomplish the things that you're supposed to accomplish.
And look, it doesn't mean batting a thousand, but it's
pretty close. The separator I think this year is going
(05:08):
to be games like can you go on the road
and beat the Chargers? Can you beat Cincy? Like I
think that Week three through five, which is at the Chargers,
Cincinnati at home on Monday night, and then at Philadelphia
Sunday at eleven o'clock. You want to know what kind
(05:28):
of team they are, what kind of competitive level they're
going to be if they can come through that at
two and one, that little stretch, I think it tells
you all you need to know one until you have
some questions, oh and three you have some concerns. So
(05:49):
you would think through the first five weeks of the season,
you could be anywhere from two and three to five
and one, or and three, two and three, four and
one that's kind of how it feels. And after that
first sort of wave, yes, teams can get better, they
(06:10):
can go on a run, they can do this, they
can do that. It's at least going to give you
an idea of what the expectation is going to be.
And for the first time in a long time, Broncos
expectations are high, really really high. The team feels that way,
(06:31):
the coach feels that way, the fan base feels that way.
I think it's going to be, first of all, buoyed
by a really really solid instellar defense, and the separator
is going to be if the offense can take a
(06:52):
leap forward, if you can get a jump from bon Knicks,
if you can get an actual running game that you trust,
if you can get extra production from a wide receiver
not named Courtland Sutton. That's the stuff that I think
would matter and would give you the extra sort of
(07:14):
boost along with a great defense to be a major
major competitor. I'm not even saying like, of course in
your division, but in the entire conference. So that's just
overall kind of what I noticed, because especially now we
(07:39):
were talking about this yesterday. If you feel like you
have a defense that Patzertan has called he thinks they
can go down in history. Then listen. If you're doing that,
then winning the division is something you should expect. Being
(08:01):
a top two seed in the conference, you know, competing
for a bye week in the playoffs is something I
think you should expect. If you're talking historic with an
offense that is hopefully improved, that's the only direction really go. Now,
I'm not saying that's going to happen. They are going
to be unforeseen mitigating circumstances as every year does with
(08:25):
your sports teams of injuries and guys missing time and
something not working out and this not being as good
as your thought like, that's gonna happen. But overall, if
that's where you're at, sort of mindset wise, then that's
where I think you should your your mind should be
at least wandering towards so brio three five oh four
(08:50):
oh nine, two five shot, Mazda text line, one price,
one person, one hour or so. The schedule was released
yesterday in the NBA and the the Nuggets schedule, as always,
is a little bit of a doozy. Most back to
(09:10):
backs in the league seven game road trip, which is
the second longest in the NBA. They always have a
difficult sort of matchup because Denver is just a weird
place to be. With where NBA teams are located, you're
always taking at least a little bit of a jaunt
(09:32):
somewhere no matter where you're playing. But it's that seems excessive,
and I swear to God, I think part of the
reason why they line up the Nuggets with so many
back to backs, because this happens like every year, is
(09:52):
because they know the Nuggets will play at least now
other teams they give them back to backs, and it's like,
we expect that so and so is going to be
sitting out and load management for the Clippers, and Joel
Embiid's not playing for the Sixers and blah blah blah.
I think they look at the Nuggets are just like, well,
I know that Jokic is gonna play like every game,
(10:13):
so we might as well let them be a sacrificial lamb.
But the big thing here, we all look at national,
nationally televised games. So the max you can take, I
think is thirty four from a team, So like the
(10:33):
Lakers get thirty four every year, the Warriors do. I
think the Knicks do. The year the Nuggets won the championship,
they didn't even get thirty four the Thunder have. Now,
when the Nuggets won, they didn't the Thunder did. I
don't know if that's some sort of if that's a push.
(10:58):
Maybe they see Okay is a young team who could
be dominant for a while, and they want to get
them in front of as many eyeballs as possible. The Nuggets,
by the way, this year they have twenty twenty six. Now.
I also can't remember, Nelly, do you know the rules
(11:19):
on this? Does that include NBA TV? Do they count
that as nationally televised or is that just gonna be
the pcock, ESPN, ABC, NBC that stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
I don't know, because the NBA TV games are harder
to find than the actually nationally televised games, Like not
everybody has NBA TV, but more people have ESPN and
TNT and stuff like that, So I'm not sure if
it does count.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
I don't think it does. Actually not, I think, but
I don't think that that includes the NBA TV stuff.
Here's the thing, pushing OKC thirty four times, taking the
max on them, I get it. It's NBA champions but
they haven't done that for people in the past that
are quote, smaller market teams like I don't think they
made that push for Toronto when they won. They didn't
(12:06):
do it for the Nuggets when they won. But it's
also the Thunder aren't pleasing to watch. You ask anybody
across the league who's not a Thunder fan, they would
tell you, yeah, I'm not a huge fan of their
style of play, but that's going to be shoved down
(12:27):
your throat all year and again. Part of me is like, yeah,
they've earned it, so who really cares? But the other
thing is, why would they push that so hard and
not the Nuggets when they won a couple of years ago,
when the Nuggets had a multiple time MVP that was
on their roster. You know, OKC Thunder very very talented team,
(12:53):
but outside of Shay, it's kind of like the Nuggets,
they don't really have a marquee guy that you'd want
to tune in and watch. So I don't know. So
that was a little bit odd, But happy to be
back in the back of S and Shanker Studios, serious
lawyers for the seriously injured. I get some audio later
(13:15):
today that I want to bring to from Cardinals players
talking about bo Nix, who were very very impressed after
that joint practice wrapped up yesterday. So we'll get to
that in a few minutes. Keep in mind, the schedule
release in the NBA means that you got a shot
to pick out three different Nuggets games of your choosing
(13:38):
to win a pair of tickets to this year. The
schedule is out. We want to put you in a
friend in ball Arena. Win your tickets now before you
can even buy them. Tickets go on sale Saturday at
ten am, but the form is open now, so head
on over to Altitude Sports radio dot com slash Nuggets.
That's Altitudes Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets and get
your games picked back after that. Yes, so listen, Uh,
(14:02):
there is a lot that we need to tackle today.
The NBA schedule release is out. The Broncos have wrapped
up joint practice against the Cardinals from yesterday, and we
are got to think about this, guys. We are a week,
one week in a day away from the opening to
(14:23):
college football season. We are one week away from the
preseason being wrapped up, and shortly afterwards comes the NFL
regular season. We're not too far away from camps and
guys getting back in the gym and on the ice
for the Avs and the Nuggets. And we're doing that
(14:46):
all in the middle of three different teams that will
be playing at once in this town that we have
high expectations for. It's something I can't get over, just
straight up the idea that all three of these teams
could be competing for championships. And I don't know how
many different sort of cities across the country can say that.
(15:16):
Look at the odds now. The Broncos are still the
longest of shots. Okay, they are the longest, but not
all that crazy. The Nuggets are second at last check
in odds to win the championship. The Avs are second
(15:41):
in odds to win the championship. Let me just see
where the Broncos are at now. So to win the
Super Bowl. The Broncos, so there's still a bit down
on the list two four, six, eight, ten, twelve, thirteenth,
twenty five hundred. So they're right behind Cincinnati, Houston, Minnesota,
(16:09):
San fran By the way, out of all those teams,
with the exception of Cincinnati, I give them a better shot,
better shot than Houston, better shot than Minnesota, better shot
than San fran and the teams above them on that list, Rams, Packers, Commanders.
Then you get two Lions, Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, Ravens. So
(16:29):
when I say they were they thirteenth? Is that what
I said, Nelly, were you paying attention? No or less?
I didn't pay attention to myself. I think it was thirteenth.
So I got them around tenth, and I think that's
pretty accurate. They got they got to prove if they
want to be in the upper upper echelon of this league.
I think they have the ability to do it. But again,
(16:52):
that's where I think these games that I was just
talking about, kind of the three week three to week
five stretch are gonna a lot about what this team's
gonna be. Because it really does feel like you're gifted
a win out of the gates. That you get a
rookie quarterback in cam Ward playing his first game on
(17:12):
the road against one of the better, perhaps the best
defense in the league. Good luck after that is Indianapolis.
Not a buyer in Indy. Feels like you're gonna win
that one too. But at the Chargers Cincinnati at home
on Monday night, and then at Philadelphia. That's the kind
of stretcher I think you test your metal. After that,
(17:34):
you got a little bit of a breather. It feels
like who knows, But it feels like with both New
York teams, Dallas, Houston and then Vegas, and then you
go Chiefs Washington, Vegas, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Kansas City and
the Chargers. Again, you got a few different testers throughout
(17:58):
the course of the year. But between the Broncos, the Nuggets,
in the Aves, it really does feel like they're all
competing for kind of the same thing. Again, with the
Broncos a little bit behind the other two. But if
I ask the question this way, how about this, I'm
(18:19):
back in studio, I got my buttons straw talking strictly divisions.
Divisions only rank what you believe to be the likelihood
of the Aves, Nuggets, and Broncos to win their own division.
(18:45):
Because here's what you're dealing with. I think both the
Nuggets and the Avalanche have better shots at winning titles.
But first of all, the divisions don't mean as much
(19:05):
in the NHL or I'm sorry, in the other leagues,
the NHL a little bit more, the NBA. They mean nothing.
The NFL, they mean a ton so NFL NHL kind
of on the same plane. NBA in a world of
their own, but just on winning the division? Who do
(19:26):
you think? How would you rank the three teams as
far as likelihood to be the team that's on top.
The Nuggets have to deal with the Thunder and Minnesota,
The Avs have to deal with Winnipeg and Dallas. The
Broncos got to deal with the Chargers and the Chiefs.
Where do you put it? Because I think the Nuggets
(19:48):
I would probably put last, and I think there's a
chance that the Nuggets might be the best team out
of all three. But I just I don't see the
Thunder not winning sixty some games again, and I don't
know if the the Nuggets will get there, just because
they just don't do that.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
I have a tough time.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
See.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
I was gonna put the Broncos in that third slot,
not as a knock against the Broncos, but hey, Rick Flair,
why don't you take it away?
Speaker 3 (20:18):
But beat them man? You gotta beat them man.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
And the Chiefs are still the man. Until I see
the Chiefs collapse, I'm not gonna believe that they're beatable.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Wouldn't that apply to Oklahoma City exactly.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
So does that mean by default we're putting the Avs
as the most likely to win their division?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
I think so. I would have the Avs first. I
think I'd have the Bronco second and the Nuggets third.
And here's why the Avs were. Look their fate was sealed.
You know, with time left in the season. You know,
they finished fourteen points back of Winnipeg, but Winnipeg had
that crazy start to the year. They were just a
(20:58):
few behind Dallas. Had you not had half the entire
roster injured for the first like three months of the season,
I think that changes entirely. Had you had ki or
yev off the roster and the Blackwood Wedgewood combo at
goalie at the beginning of the season, I think that
(21:19):
shifts the numbers. Like I think the Avs have a
really good shot at finishing first in their division, winning
the Central and being sort of the team on top again.
And yes, it depends on health, but more than that,
you have goaltending that you trust, landeskog Is finally back
in the lineup. You got Yeah, I think it would
(21:43):
be knock on Wood. I guess impossible to deal with
the same sort of stuff you dealt with last year,
and really over the last few they've been so unlucky
injury wise. But all of that shifts at the beginning
of the season. I think, excus the numbers in a
huge way toward the Afs come out on top. The
difference with the reason I got the Broncos. Second, I
(22:07):
feel like your team got better and the team above
you isn't as good. Straight up, That's how I feel
that the Chiefs. The Chiefs aren't gonna win fifteen games again,
and you got I think a decent shot of winning
more than ten, which you did last year. The Nuggets
(22:30):
are last because I don't think okay SE's moving, okay
C's gonna win like sixty five games again this year,
and you might win fifty nine, which is going to
be hell where that a finished last year, fifty nine
wins in the Western Conference would have put you very
very comfortably in second place. You would have been seven
(22:53):
games ahead of the third seed, but still nine games
back of Oklahoma City. It feels to me now again,
you guys toss out your list, rank those teams by
a likelihood on who wins the division. So do you
disagree with me, Nolla, you think Broncos are last Nuggets
or second flip a coin.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
I mean cause you bring up a good point about
the about the Thunder, they are so loaded with depth.
I guess what maybe gives me a little confidence more
so in the Broncos situation. What gives me confidence that
the Nuggets can beat the Thunder is last year they
had what three and a half players, They had four
and a half healthy players in that series against the Thunder,
(23:34):
and they pushed them to the bitter end.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
No, no see. And this is where I just want
just to clarify and then I'll let you continue the
reason this is about the division winning the division, which
is about overall wins on the season. Okay, why I
feel like the Nuggets have a better shot at winning
a title. I think they are more ready for the
playoffs than the Broncos are as are the Avs. But
just overall during the season, I think, Okay, so he's
(23:58):
just going to clean up again.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Sure, they're a little more or battle tested for the
grind of a season with this core of the roster,
and the Nuggets will still be figuring out a lot
of these new pieces in the off season, So maybe
the first month or two is just a little bit
of figuring out how to work in the new guys.
That's a good point, So then I think your ranking
makes sense. I guess when it comes to these off
season predictions of who's supposed to win whatever, I guess
(24:23):
maybe with the Avs specifically, I'm kind of sick of
hearing about it. Man, how many times have the Avs
been the favorite to win the Stanley Cup in the
past five years?
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah, they've been up there like every year.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Every year they're either one or two, and they either
get bounced in the first round or they get bounced
in the second round, except for the one year that's
on my hat right now, twenty twenty two. I guess
I'm just kind of sick of hearing about it, as
I almost wish it was the other way. Don't predict
my teams to do well, Vegas, so then maybe the
then I don't get my hopes up. I get it,
(24:56):
the Nuggets always play better when there's a chip on
their shoulder. Vegas needs to tell them they're gonna finish
twentieth in the league so they'll play well. I just
I'm I'm kind of a little scared of these offseason predictions.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
The the Avs they have. There's no doubt I think
that the Avs have disappointed the most. Again, I think
there's there's a lot of mitigating circumstances that were unpredictable.
You know, when you have a very key piece, and
we all know how valuable Valnachushkin is, But for two
(25:28):
straight off seasons like just disappears with no reason given,
that's gonna mess some things up. The amount of injuries
they've dealt with last year, and then the overhaul of
basically an entire roster. You know, it's not just it's
not fantasy hockey. You can't just put guys out there
(25:50):
at the same time and say go. It takes a
second for the chemistry to build. It does, and that's
why I'm excited about this year. I feel like they
finally have a team that they trust and believe in
year over year, and that guys last year that were okay,
you know, like your your Brock Nelson's, You're Mardy Nachos types.
(26:12):
Like an off season to gain chemistry with your line
mates and really make that thing go, I think, and
make a world of difference, you know, Again, what happened
with the Avs last year? Inexplicably they lost the ability
to score on a power play. What's the difference in
that series? Dallas scored, you didn't five on five hockey.
(26:38):
It felt like it wasn't really close between those two teams,
Like the Avs were much better, much better. So I'm
gonna buy it. I think that the Avs have the
best shot to win their respective division. I think the
Broncos are second and the Nuggets are third. And here's
(26:58):
what's funny now, Like odds to win a championship, I'd
put the Nuggets first, the av second, in the Broncos third,
So Nuggets third, their last on my list to win
the division, but they're first on my list to win
a title. And it's for the exact thing that you mentioned.
You know, it's winning your division doesn't mean anything in
(27:19):
the NBA, so nobody really cares. But okayc he's gonna
clean up sixty some wins this year. This year, they're
just gonna But when it gets to the playoffs, as
you pointed out with about three and a half dudes
last year, you push them to a game seven, you
get a full first of all hopefully a fully healthy roster.
But second of all, depth in your big man area,
(27:42):
depth in your guards, a better shooting team, more veterans
that rely upon proven commodities. That's what's gonna make the
difference in the offseason. That's what's gonna happen. So again,
(28:04):
in talking about the Nuggets, the NBA schedule release was yesterday.
You can go out to Dude sports radio dot com
slash Nuggets for your chance to win a pair of
tickets to three different Nuggets games of your choice, three
of them schedules out. We want to put you in
a friend in Ballerino. Win your tickets now before you
can even buy them, because tickets go on sale tomorrow
(28:29):
at ten am. But the form is open now, so
head on over to Altitude Sports radio dot com slash Nuggets.
That's Altitude Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets. Now, what
games would I most want to attend? The opener, at
least home opener against Phoenix, I think I'd leave off
(28:51):
the list. There is one game in particular that I
would go to. It would be Sunday, March first Little
mat game, one thirty in the afternoon, taking on Minnesota.
That's first on my list. I wouldn't do Christmas just
because I don't want to have something to do on Christmas.
Just leave that sort of open because at the same time,
(29:12):
remember guys, Nuggets and Broncos are gonna be playing simultaneously
that day, Sunday, March first, at Minnesota or against Minnesota.
That's one that I'm like, for sure is one that
I want to go to and see you just like that.
This is fair.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
But since it is a one thirty pm game, it's
a matinee, you can actually go to that one. You
can bring little baby Jamal Kal if you yeah, and
then you can still be inbedd at a reasonable hour.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Exactly perfect. It's I if you guys have never done
a matinee game for like the Avs and the Nuggets,
it's it's a beautiful experience. I love it. You get
those like rare like Saturday one thirty games. You go there,
you walk outside, it's still sunny out. You're like, what's
going on here? You ever been in like a I
(30:05):
was gonna say something else, I'll say casino. How about that?
Have you ever been to a casino and you walk
out and it's still sunny outside and it like shocks
your system is like I was just I was a
degenerate and then I walked outside expecting it to be
pitch black because that's how it always is. And instead
I can go get Denny's nailed it. That's kind of
(30:30):
how I feel. And I walk out a ballreine after
a game and it's like, oh, the sun shines out.
I can do things still today.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Yeah, and you can still be home by dinner time.
It's great. That's excuse me. With how much shorter a
basketball game or a hockey game is compared to a
football game. I love having the rest of your day.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
It's great. Yeah, And you don't you know, there's not
really tailgating for a hockey or basketball game. It's just
kind of you go and you get it, get it done.
That's the one. The others, I think you can't go
wrong with choosing a Lakers game. There's one that's gonna
be here on March fifth, shortly afterwards on a Thursday.
It's gonna be one of those late games. It's gonna
(31:10):
be an Amazon Prime game. I also wouldn't like, you
know what game I think is gonna be sneaky good.
If you go like December twentieth. It's a three o'clock
game December twentieth against the Rockets. The Rockets I think
will be a contender. They were the second seeded team
(31:33):
last year. They acquired Kevin Durant, Like I think, they
could be very, very difficult, and it would be just
be fun to watch kdgo against Jokic. So those are
just a few that I'd throw out there. You can
go to Altitude Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets and
fill out your own list and hopefully be the winner
of three different pairs of tickets to games of your
(31:56):
choice back after this a couple of games I didn't
even consider, or somebody said January twenty ninth is the
MPG return game. Can I ask the people of question,
do we have any feelings towards a Sixers game anymore?
Or is it just like is that the same thing
as playing like the Charlotte Hornets. Now, you know, it
(32:19):
always used to be like, oh, Embiid's counting to town,
and I know he hasn't played since what twenty nineteen
or something like that. But let's say let's say this,
What if I guaranteed you that Joel Embiid was going
to be playing in Denver on when is that Dagan
that they're playing here? Uh? January? No, the fifth is
(32:40):
on the road at mart seventeenth, March seventeenth, I tell you,
March seventeenth, Phillies in town and Joel Embiid is guaranteed
to play. Does it mean anything to you anymore? Are
we beyond that now? As Jokic hit in echelon beyond
Embiid where it's like that's old news? Who cares?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
I'm kind of there And I don't mean this as
as an insult to Joelle Embiid, but I kind of
forgot about him. I kind of forgot about that dude.
I think we talked about him during the Olympics because
he has about eight different countries that he can represent
because of his mixed citizenship, and he chose to represent
the US. And that's kind of the last time I
(33:21):
remember talking about him. I just I he's look at
the two games they're playing. One is on a Monday,
one's on a Tuesday, and only ones on national TV.
There was a time well it says that actually that
first game at Philly is on the Pacock, So I'm
assuming that's an NBC national game. But I mean the two,
(33:43):
the one that's on Tuesday where they're hosting the Sixers
in Denver. I mean, there was a time when that
would be Friday night. Oh yeah, seven o'clock Embiid and Jokers,
the number one broadcast.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Team in town. Yeah, exactly, Harland on the call.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
And now it's just yeah, it's a Tuesday seven o'clock altitude.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I know, I see, I've gotten the point with Embiid.
We all had these, uh, these these battles with Philly fans.
I have started to pity him, which is look to
pity an athlete is not It's not where you want
to be. But I have no other choice. I mean,
(34:24):
I've he's a talented guy. His game was distasteful to some,
and in the conversation surrounding him and what they said
about Jokic also distasteful. Embiid was a good player whose
body's broken. Those are always sort of sad cases. So anyway,
(34:49):
just wondered if that had any juice for anybody anymore. Uh.
Texter says Jokic lapped Embiid multiple times off but I
would go watch him because he might not be back.
Good point the Embid This another texture, the embiid phase
feels like it's past. I kind of agree with you.
(35:12):
I don't even think for Philly fans they would care anymore,
like Jokic comes to town. Like if Yokic is playing
in Philly, do they see that as a big matchup?
They might actually, because I don't think Philly's gonna be
any good, So maybe that's like one of the only
things they get to deal.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
And can I also ask you your mentality when it
comes to picking late games in the season, because I'm
looking at the April slate. I went to April because
April six is my birthday, so they're hosting the Portland
trail Blazers.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
That might excuse me, I hear at your anniversary wedding.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Excuse me the North Carolina Portland Trailblazers now that they've
been bought. But I was looking at some of those
games on the slate and in a vacuum. That April
schedule is going to be awesome because April fourth, on Saturday,
you're hosting the Spurs. Then Monday, you're hosting Portland. I
don't think we know what they are yet, that's TBD.
Then the eighth you're hosting Memphis the tenth you're hosting OKAC.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
I mean, at least those are all gonna be troublesome.
You could have a seed wrapped up already and they
could be in bench mode at that point. Those ones
I would stay away from if you're choosing early.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
See that was my question. Is that Friday, April tenth
on Amazon Prime hosting OKAC. That's either gonna be a
clash of the Titans with playoff seeding implications, or it's
gonna be JV versus JV. Is not gonna be any
in between.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
It's it's gonna be a battle for the one seed,
or it's gonna be like, who wants to see Jalen
Pickett take on one of the eighteen first round draft
picks from you know, two years ago for the ok
Sea Thunner. That's all they got. So I would stay
away anything with the word April in it. I think
(36:56):
I just back off of uh with the exception of this,
here's what I give you that I would say, maybe
if you want to go late in April, right before
the postseason, this is what you should do. The fourth
against San Antonio, you get a chance to see Wemby
(37:18):
in person, I would understand that I'd want to do
the same, So maybe that's the only exception. By the way, Pold,
just some comments from yesterday and joined practice. Not from
(37:42):
Sean Payton or bow Nix or Courtland Sutton or Mike
McGlinchey or anybody else. These comments from Arizona Cardinals talking
about bow Nicks Kalais Campbell, who, by the way, Nelly,
there are some freaks of nature that exist in the NFL.
If you go to an NBA game, every single one
(38:03):
of those guys as a freaking age. Kalaiis Campbell is
a monster of a human being. He all he needs
to do is I watched him go from a crouch
to standing upright. That's all it took. That man is
six foot like six nine, three hundred and thirty pounds
(38:25):
is what it looks like to me. He is huge, gigantic.
But here's what he said about Bonex.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
That's what it takes. So he's poised, you know, the
quick decisions. He didn't hold on the ball along at all.
You know, I feel like understood of a situation, had
a pretty good hard count, like all the stuff I
look for. You know, he's pretty good at that that's
the story.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
So that courtesy of romy Bean. Another one here, Mac
Wilson on bon Knicks safety for the Cardinals.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Yeah, Bo, you could tell he definitely made the Year
two leap, just just comparing you know what I saw
last year with him as a rookie year. He was
out there making no look throws and stuff, and you know,
I'm just really just happy from for him. Honestly.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
You know, a guy who's from Alabama.
Speaker 6 (39:08):
I'm from Alabama as well, so I'm extremely powered to see,
you know, what he do the rest of his career and.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
Things like that.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
I mean, I don't want to say they're unprompted because
they probably asked the question about Bo Knicks, but to say,
you know, there's I think Peyton actually talked about this
yesterday too. Can you see Nelly. I believe I heard
him say this, talking about something about the the Year
two wall that quarterbacks hit and he said, it's it's
(39:37):
like the it's like Bigfoot. It's just a myth that
he doesn't know exists or not. But yeah, five A
is what it feels like we're talking about here. Because
these guys both said something along the lines of Mac
Wilson said it straight up a year two leap for
(39:59):
bow knicks. Well, what about a year or two ball
or sophomore slump Sean Payton.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
So last week was the what was it called the
second year the sophomore jinx and and I challenged, and
I meant that respectively. I haven't been able to find
that first round, you know, real good season, maybe the team.
So I think that's a little bit cliche. I would say, look,
(40:31):
the second year climb probably realistically happens more. The other
is like bigfoot. You know, it makes for a good question,
but like, give me the give me the three that
we're referencing.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
I can give you one. Mike Jones. Mike Jones' rookie year,
if this sounds similar to anybody, went ten and seven,
led his team to the playoffs, lost the first playoff game.
He had twenty two touchdowns thirteen picks for thirty eight
hundred yards. He finished second in offensive Rookie of the
(41:07):
Year votes. And then the year after that they went
six to eight, he had fourteen touchdowns and eleven picks.
The year after that, they went to a nine, he
had ten touchdowns and twelve picks and was awful now.
To his point, we talk about this as if it's
something that is really common that somebody's a really good
rookie year and then they don't. I don't think that's
(41:31):
the case. You know, if you wanted to throw out
a CJ. Stroud, Well, Stroud was dealing with his entire
offense like being hurt last year. He still improved a
game in the win column, did throw a few more picks,
not as many touchdowns, But I think a lot of
that had to do with the talent surrounding him towards
(41:53):
the end of the year, with the amount of injuries
they were dealing with. To his point, though, if you
have a good quarterback, it's not very common that these
guys just all of a sudden regress in year two,
and if they do, it's probably not a good sign
for the future of them. But it's some high praise
(42:16):
from some very talented defensive players that were going up
against Boknicks yesterday that will not see him in preseason
game number two because they will not play, and neither Lebroncos. Again,
if you guys missed it, Sean Payton said he was
happy with how practice went. He was happy with how
his starters played and joined practice, and with that, neither
he nor Jonathan Gannon of the Cardinals are going to
(42:38):
play their starters in preseason game number two. Good good.
He did volunteer that the starters will get I think
he said eight to ten snaps in the third preseason game,
so that feels like a drive or two if they
go like three and out after the first one. Still
(43:00):
a little bit more of a preview in an actual
game situation. Left. It just won't be this week for
the Broncos. Three zero three five four nine to two five.
Guess what? Can always watch the show on Twitch, Twitch
dot tv. Search Altitude sr in the search bar of
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(43:22):
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(43:44):
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Radio ninety two five and on the Altitude Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Add George and I. In fact, yesterday went through the
next ten day schedule, you know, twelve days, thirteen days
were at the cutdown and then we're signing practice squad players,
and so it's all part of the equation. And I
(00:34):
would say every year is a little different. It's just
a little different than like any year before. It's just
a little different. It might be because of one guy
who plays special teams. It might it's just every year
is a little different. And I was taught at a
young age the most significant thing is the Rite fifty three,
(00:57):
and so that's what keeps you up night, making sure
you know we're finding.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
That group, find the right group. But they got some
work in yesterday as it was joint practice against the Cardinals,
a session in which you've gotten the rare almost unanimous
Broncos did really, really well sort of a reaction to it.
(01:24):
You know, there's been, as you guys are well aware,
a whole bunch of I guess trepidation after the first
preseason game with the starters in that session. By the way,
this is a Cardinals team that I think is arrow
pointing up, especially on defense. But their team that I
(01:45):
think is is better. And bo Nicks looked great. I
thought Devon Veley had a hell of a day. Kind
of everybody that you wanted to see play well in
this joint practice did Now, it's not full hitting, it's
not full go. It's all that's understood. But if it
(02:06):
means anything, you know. Sean Payton yesterday was talking about
the idea that this was a sort of test session
for both him and Jonathan Gannon. Depending on how your
starters played, how many reps they got, how many all
this different stuff, Well, the that was going to determine
(02:28):
whether they play in the preseason game. So the answer
for at least this week, are they going to play
in a preseason in preseason game number two? The answers no,
so straight up from Mike cliss here, He's not going
(02:48):
to play his first stringers in preseason game Saturday, nor
will get him for the for the Cardinals, but he
did say that they will play eight to ten plays
in the third preseason game week at New Orleans. Now
I think that's because they don't have a joint practice
next week in Orleans. I don't believe. But tell you what,
(03:13):
we just spent our last day at camp, and I'm
going to give you just the really sort of overall
thoughts that I had from the days being there. We
are fortunate enough in this job, in this industry to
go out and have the chance to be there every
day as a fan. You get one of the eight
(03:35):
hundred allotted tickets for that day, and if you're fortunate
enough to grab one of those, maybe you've gotten a couple.
There's one guy that's out there like every day. I
don't know how he did it, But if you're one
of the fortunate ones, this isn't you know, the the
year like sitting on the hill and it's one of
you know, a couple thousand. You got a good football team?
(04:00):
Like it's that easy. It started last year when I
was talking about the Broncos had a quality last season
that proves you are a good football team. It's very simple.
Do you win the games you're supposed to And the
(04:21):
answer was yes, they won every single one of those
last year. The quality of a great team is do
you win the games that either you aren't supposed to
or are really difficult to win. The answer last year
was no, and I think every case except for the
Tampa game in Week three that was the only exception.
(04:47):
So if you want to be a great team, you
have to take that step this year. You have to
be able to accomplish the things that you're supposed to accomplish.
And look, it doesn't mean batting a thousand, but it's
pretty close. The separator I think this year is going
(05:08):
to be games like can you go on the road
and beat the Chargers? Can you beat Cincy? Like I
think that Week three through five, which is at the Chargers,
Cincinnati at home on Monday night, and then at Philadelphia
Sunday at eleven o'clock. You want to know what kind
(05:28):
of team they are, what kind of competitive level they're
going to be if they can come through that at
two and one, that little stretch, I think it tells
you all you need to know one until you have
some questions, oh and three you have some concerns. So
(05:49):
you would think through the first five weeks of the season,
you could be anywhere from two and three to five
and one, or and three, two and three, four and
one that's kind of how it feels. And after that
first sort of wave, yes, teams can get better, they
(06:10):
can go on a run, they can do this, they
can do that. It's at least going to give you
an idea of what the expectation is going to be.
And for the first time in a long time, Broncos
expectations are high, really really high. The team feels that way,
(06:31):
the coach feels that way, the fan base feels that way.
I think it's going to be, first of all, buoyed
by a really really solid instellar defense, and the separator
is going to be if the offense can take a
(06:52):
leap forward, if you can get a jump from bon Knicks,
if you can get an actual running game that you trust,
if you can get extra production from a wide receiver
not named Courtland Sutton. That's the stuff that I think
would matter and would give you the extra sort of
(07:14):
boost along with a great defense to be a major
major competitor. I'm not even saying like, of course in
your division, but in the entire conference. So that's just
overall kind of what I noticed, because especially now we
(07:39):
were talking about this yesterday. If you feel like you
have a defense that Patzertan has called he thinks they
can go down in history. Then listen. If you're doing that,
then winning the division is something you should expect. Being
(08:01):
a top two seed in the conference, you know, competing
for a bye week in the playoffs is something I
think you should expect. If you're talking historic with an
offense that is hopefully improved, that's the only direction really go. Now,
I'm not saying that's going to happen. They are going
to be unforeseen mitigating circumstances as every year does with
(08:25):
your sports teams of injuries and guys missing time and
something not working out and this not being as good
as your thought like, that's gonna happen. But overall, if
that's where you're at, sort of mindset wise, then that's
where I think you should your your mind should be
at least wandering towards so brio three five oh four
(08:50):
oh nine, two five shot, Mazda text line, one price,
one person, one hour or so. The schedule was released
yesterday in the NBA and the the Nuggets schedule, as always,
is a little bit of a doozy. Most back to
(09:10):
backs in the league seven game road trip, which is
the second longest in the NBA. They always have a
difficult sort of matchup because Denver is just a weird
place to be. With where NBA teams are located, you're
always taking at least a little bit of a jaunt
(09:32):
somewhere no matter where you're playing. But it's that seems excessive,
and I swear to God, I think part of the
reason why they line up the Nuggets with so many
back to backs, because this happens like every year, is
(09:52):
because they know the Nuggets will play at least now
other teams they give them back to backs, and it's like,
we expect that so and so is going to be
sitting out and load management for the Clippers, and Joel
Embiid's not playing for the Sixers and blah blah blah.
I think they look at the Nuggets are just like, well,
I know that Jokic is gonna play like every game,
(10:13):
so we might as well let them be a sacrificial lamb.
But the big thing here, we all look at national,
nationally televised games. So the max you can take, I
think is thirty four from a team, So like the
(10:33):
Lakers get thirty four every year, the Warriors do. I
think the Knicks do. The year the Nuggets won the championship,
they didn't even get thirty four the Thunder have. Now,
when the Nuggets won, they didn't the Thunder did. I
don't know if that's some sort of if that's a push.
(10:58):
Maybe they see Okay is a young team who could
be dominant for a while, and they want to get
them in front of as many eyeballs as possible. The Nuggets,
by the way, this year they have twenty twenty six. Now.
I also can't remember, Nelly, do you know the rules
(11:19):
on this? Does that include NBA TV? Do they count
that as nationally televised or is that just gonna be
the pcock, ESPN, ABC, NBC that stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
I don't know, because the NBA TV games are harder
to find than the actually nationally televised games, Like not
everybody has NBA TV, but more people have ESPN and
TNT and stuff like that, So I'm not sure if
it does count.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
I don't think it does. Actually not, I think, but
I don't think that that includes the NBA TV stuff.
Here's the thing, pushing OKC thirty four times, taking the
max on them, I get it. It's NBA champions but
they haven't done that for people in the past that
are quote, smaller market teams like I don't think they
made that push for Toronto when they won. They didn't
(12:06):
do it for the Nuggets when they won. But it's
also the Thunder aren't pleasing to watch. You ask anybody
across the league who's not a Thunder fan, they would
tell you, yeah, I'm not a huge fan of their
style of play, but that's going to be shoved down
(12:27):
your throat all year and again. Part of me is like, yeah,
they've earned it, so who really cares? But the other
thing is, why would they push that so hard and
not the Nuggets when they won a couple of years ago,
when the Nuggets had a multiple time MVP that was
on their roster. You know, OKC Thunder very very talented team,
(12:53):
but outside of Shay, it's kind of like the Nuggets,
they don't really have a marquee guy that you'd want
to tune in and watch. So I don't know. So
that was a little bit odd, But happy to be
back in the back of S and Shanker Studios, serious
lawyers for the seriously injured. I get some audio later
(13:15):
today that I want to bring to from Cardinals players
talking about bo Nix, who were very very impressed after
that joint practice wrapped up yesterday. So we'll get to
that in a few minutes. Keep in mind, the schedule
release in the NBA means that you got a shot
to pick out three different Nuggets games of your choosing
(13:38):
to win a pair of tickets to this year. The
schedule is out. We want to put you in a
friend in ball Arena. Win your tickets now before you
can even buy them. Tickets go on sale Saturday at
ten am, but the form is open now, so head
on over to Altitude Sports radio dot com slash Nuggets.
That's Altitudes Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets and get
your games picked back after that. Yes, so listen, Uh,
(14:02):
there is a lot that we need to tackle today.
The NBA schedule release is out. The Broncos have wrapped
up joint practice against the Cardinals from yesterday, and we
are got to think about this, guys. We are a week,
one week in a day away from the opening to
(14:23):
college football season. We are one week away from the
preseason being wrapped up, and shortly afterwards comes the NFL
regular season. We're not too far away from camps and
guys getting back in the gym and on the ice
for the Avs and the Nuggets. And we're doing that
(14:46):
all in the middle of three different teams that will
be playing at once in this town that we have
high expectations for. It's something I can't get over, just
straight up the idea that all three of these teams
could be competing for championships. And I don't know how
many different sort of cities across the country can say that.
(15:16):
Look at the odds now. The Broncos are still the
longest of shots. Okay, they are the longest, but not
all that crazy. The Nuggets are second at last check
in odds to win the championship. The Avs are second
(15:41):
in odds to win the championship. Let me just see
where the Broncos are at now. So to win the
Super Bowl. The Broncos, so there's still a bit down
on the list two four, six, eight, ten, twelve, thirteenth,
twenty five hundred. So they're right behind Cincinnati, Houston, Minnesota,
(16:09):
San fran By the way, out of all those teams,
with the exception of Cincinnati, I give them a better shot,
better shot than Houston, better shot than Minnesota, better shot
than San fran and the teams above them on that list, Rams, Packers, Commanders.
Then you get two Lions, Chiefs, Bills, Eagles, Ravens. So
(16:29):
when I say they were they thirteenth? Is that what
I said, Nelly, were you paying attention? No or less?
I didn't pay attention to myself. I think it was thirteenth.
So I got them around tenth, and I think that's
pretty accurate. They got they got to prove if they
want to be in the upper upper echelon of this league.
I think they have the ability to do it. But again,
(16:52):
that's where I think these games that I was just
talking about, kind of the three week three to week
five stretch are gonna a lot about what this team's
gonna be. Because it really does feel like you're gifted
a win out of the gates. That you get a
rookie quarterback in cam Ward playing his first game on
(17:12):
the road against one of the better, perhaps the best
defense in the league. Good luck after that is Indianapolis.
Not a buyer in Indy. Feels like you're gonna win
that one too. But at the Chargers Cincinnati at home
on Monday night, and then at Philadelphia. That's the kind
of stretcher I think you test your metal. After that,
(17:34):
you got a little bit of a breather. It feels
like who knows, But it feels like with both New
York teams, Dallas, Houston and then Vegas, and then you
go Chiefs Washington, Vegas, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Kansas City and
the Chargers. Again, you got a few different testers throughout
(17:58):
the course of the year. But between the Broncos, the Nuggets,
in the Aves, it really does feel like they're all
competing for kind of the same thing. Again, with the
Broncos a little bit behind the other two. But if
I ask the question this way, how about this, I'm
(18:19):
back in studio, I got my buttons straw talking strictly divisions.
Divisions only rank what you believe to be the likelihood
of the Aves, Nuggets, and Broncos to win their own division.
(18:45):
Because here's what you're dealing with. I think both the
Nuggets and the Avalanche have better shots at winning titles.
But first of all, the divisions don't mean as much
(19:05):
in the NHL or I'm sorry, in the other leagues,
the NHL a little bit more, the NBA. They mean nothing.
The NFL, they mean a ton so NFL NHL kind
of on the same plane. NBA in a world of
their own, but just on winning the division? Who do
(19:26):
you think? How would you rank the three teams as
far as likelihood to be the team that's on top.
The Nuggets have to deal with the Thunder and Minnesota,
The Avs have to deal with Winnipeg and Dallas. The
Broncos got to deal with the Chargers and the Chiefs.
Where do you put it? Because I think the Nuggets
(19:48):
I would probably put last, and I think there's a
chance that the Nuggets might be the best team out
of all three. But I just I don't see the
Thunder not winning sixty some games again, and I don't
know if the the Nuggets will get there, just because
they just don't do that.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
I have a tough time.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
See.
Speaker 4 (20:11):
I was gonna put the Broncos in that third slot,
not as a knock against the Broncos, but hey, Rick Flair,
why don't you take it away?
Speaker 3 (20:18):
But beat them man? You gotta beat them man.
Speaker 4 (20:21):
And the Chiefs are still the man. Until I see
the Chiefs collapse, I'm not gonna believe that they're beatable.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
Wouldn't that apply to Oklahoma City exactly.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
So does that mean by default we're putting the Avs
as the most likely to win their division?
Speaker 3 (20:36):
I think so. I would have the Avs first. I
think I'd have the Bronco second and the Nuggets third.
And here's why the Avs were. Look their fate was sealed.
You know, with time left in the season. You know,
they finished fourteen points back of Winnipeg, but Winnipeg had
that crazy start to the year. They were just a
(20:58):
few behind Dallas. Had you not had half the entire
roster injured for the first like three months of the season,
I think that changes entirely. Had you had ki or
yev off the roster and the Blackwood Wedgewood combo at
goalie at the beginning of the season, I think that
(21:19):
shifts the numbers. Like I think the Avs have a
really good shot at finishing first in their division, winning
the Central and being sort of the team on top again.
And yes, it depends on health, but more than that,
you have goaltending that you trust, landeskog Is finally back
in the lineup. You got Yeah, I think it would
(21:43):
be knock on Wood. I guess impossible to deal with
the same sort of stuff you dealt with last year,
and really over the last few they've been so unlucky
injury wise. But all of that shifts at the beginning
of the season. I think, excus the numbers in a
huge way toward the Afs come out on top. The
difference with the reason I got the Broncos. Second, I
(22:07):
feel like your team got better and the team above
you isn't as good. Straight up, That's how I feel
that the Chiefs. The Chiefs aren't gonna win fifteen games again,
and you got I think a decent shot of winning
more than ten, which you did last year. The Nuggets
(22:30):
are last because I don't think okay SE's moving, okay
C's gonna win like sixty five games again this year,
and you might win fifty nine, which is going to
be hell where that a finished last year, fifty nine
wins in the Western Conference would have put you very
very comfortably in second place. You would have been seven
(22:53):
games ahead of the third seed, but still nine games
back of Oklahoma City. It feels to me now again,
you guys toss out your list, rank those teams by
a likelihood on who wins the division. So do you
disagree with me, Nolla, you think Broncos are last Nuggets
or second flip a coin.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
I mean cause you bring up a good point about
the about the Thunder, they are so loaded with depth.
I guess what maybe gives me a little confidence more
so in the Broncos situation. What gives me confidence that
the Nuggets can beat the Thunder is last year they
had what three and a half players, They had four
and a half healthy players in that series against the Thunder,
(23:34):
and they pushed them to the bitter end.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
No, no see. And this is where I just want
just to clarify and then I'll let you continue the
reason this is about the division winning the division, which
is about overall wins on the season. Okay, why I
feel like the Nuggets have a better shot at winning
a title. I think they are more ready for the
playoffs than the Broncos are as are the Avs. But
just overall during the season, I think, Okay, so he's
(23:58):
just going to clean up again.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Sure, they're a little more or battle tested for the
grind of a season with this core of the roster,
and the Nuggets will still be figuring out a lot
of these new pieces in the off season, So maybe
the first month or two is just a little bit
of figuring out how to work in the new guys.
That's a good point, So then I think your ranking
makes sense. I guess when it comes to these off
season predictions of who's supposed to win whatever, I guess
(24:23):
maybe with the Avs specifically, I'm kind of sick of
hearing about it. Man, how many times have the Avs
been the favorite to win the Stanley Cup in the
past five years?
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Yeah, they've been up there like every year.
Speaker 4 (24:35):
Every year they're either one or two, and they either
get bounced in the first round or they get bounced
in the second round, except for the one year that's
on my hat right now, twenty twenty two. I guess
I'm just kind of sick of hearing about it, as
I almost wish it was the other way. Don't predict
my teams to do well, Vegas, so then maybe the
then I don't get my hopes up. I get it,
(24:56):
the Nuggets always play better when there's a chip on
their shoulder. Vegas needs to tell them they're gonna finish
twentieth in the league so they'll play well. I just
I'm I'm kind of a little scared of these offseason predictions.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
The the Avs they have. There's no doubt I think
that the Avs have disappointed the most. Again, I think
there's there's a lot of mitigating circumstances that were unpredictable.
You know, when you have a very key piece, and
we all know how valuable Valnachushkin is, But for two
(25:28):
straight off seasons like just disappears with no reason given,
that's gonna mess some things up. The amount of injuries
they've dealt with last year, and then the overhaul of
basically an entire roster. You know, it's not just it's
not fantasy hockey. You can't just put guys out there
(25:50):
at the same time and say go. It takes a
second for the chemistry to build. It does, and that's
why I'm excited about this year. I feel like they
finally have a team that they trust and believe in
year over year, and that guys last year that were okay,
you know, like your your Brock Nelson's, You're Mardy Nachos types.
(26:12):
Like an off season to gain chemistry with your line
mates and really make that thing go, I think, and
make a world of difference, you know, Again, what happened
with the Avs last year? Inexplicably they lost the ability
to score on a power play. What's the difference in
that series? Dallas scored, you didn't five on five hockey.
(26:38):
It felt like it wasn't really close between those two teams,
Like the Avs were much better, much better. So I'm
gonna buy it. I think that the Avs have the
best shot to win their respective division. I think the
Broncos are second and the Nuggets are third. And here's
(26:58):
what's funny now, Like odds to win a championship, I'd
put the Nuggets first, the av second, in the Broncos third,
So Nuggets third, their last on my list to win
the division, but they're first on my list to win
a title. And it's for the exact thing that you mentioned.
You know, it's winning your division doesn't mean anything in
(27:19):
the NBA, so nobody really cares. But okayc he's gonna
clean up sixty some wins this year. This year, they're
just gonna But when it gets to the playoffs, as
you pointed out with about three and a half dudes
last year, you push them to a game seven, you
get a full first of all hopefully a fully healthy roster.
But second of all, depth in your big man area,
(27:42):
depth in your guards, a better shooting team, more veterans
that rely upon proven commodities. That's what's gonna make the
difference in the offseason. That's what's gonna happen. So again,
(28:04):
in talking about the Nuggets, the NBA schedule release was yesterday.
You can go out to Dude sports radio dot com
slash Nuggets for your chance to win a pair of
tickets to three different Nuggets games of your choice, three
of them schedules out. We want to put you in
a friend in Ballerino. Win your tickets now before you
can even buy them, because tickets go on sale tomorrow
(28:29):
at ten am. But the form is open now, so
head on over to Altitude Sports radio dot com slash Nuggets.
That's Altitude Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets. Now, what
games would I most want to attend? The opener, at
least home opener against Phoenix, I think I'd leave off
(28:51):
the list. There is one game in particular that I
would go to. It would be Sunday, March first Little
mat game, one thirty in the afternoon, taking on Minnesota.
That's first on my list. I wouldn't do Christmas just
because I don't want to have something to do on Christmas.
Just leave that sort of open because at the same time,
(29:12):
remember guys, Nuggets and Broncos are gonna be playing simultaneously
that day, Sunday, March first, at Minnesota or against Minnesota.
That's one that I'm like, for sure is one that
I want to go to and see you just like that.
This is fair.
Speaker 4 (29:32):
But since it is a one thirty pm game, it's
a matinee, you can actually go to that one. You
can bring little baby Jamal Kal if you yeah, and
then you can still be inbedd at a reasonable hour.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
Exactly perfect. It's I if you guys have never done
a matinee game for like the Avs and the Nuggets,
it's it's a beautiful experience. I love it. You get
those like rare like Saturday one thirty games. You go there,
you walk outside, it's still sunny out. You're like, what's
going on here? You ever been in like a I
(30:05):
was gonna say something else, I'll say casino. How about that?
Have you ever been to a casino and you walk
out and it's still sunny outside and it like shocks
your system is like I was just I was a
degenerate and then I walked outside expecting it to be
pitch black because that's how it always is. And instead
I can go get Denny's nailed it. That's kind of
(30:30):
how I feel. And I walk out a ballreine after
a game and it's like, oh, the sun shines out.
I can do things still today.
Speaker 4 (30:35):
Yeah, and you can still be home by dinner time.
It's great. That's excuse me. With how much shorter a
basketball game or a hockey game is compared to a
football game. I love having the rest of your day.
Speaker 3 (30:49):
It's great. Yeah, And you don't you know, there's not
really tailgating for a hockey or basketball game. It's just
kind of you go and you get it, get it done.
That's the one. The others, I think you can't go
wrong with choosing a Lakers game. There's one that's gonna
be here on March fifth, shortly afterwards on a Thursday.
It's gonna be one of those late games. It's gonna
(31:10):
be an Amazon Prime game. I also wouldn't like, you
know what game I think is gonna be sneaky good.
If you go like December twentieth. It's a three o'clock
game December twentieth against the Rockets. The Rockets I think
will be a contender. They were the second seeded team
(31:33):
last year. They acquired Kevin Durant, Like I think, they
could be very, very difficult, and it would be just
be fun to watch kdgo against Jokic. So those are
just a few that I'd throw out there. You can
go to Altitude Sports Radio dot com slash Nuggets and
fill out your own list and hopefully be the winner
of three different pairs of tickets to games of your
(31:56):
choice back after this a couple of games I didn't
even consider, or somebody said January twenty ninth is the
MPG return game. Can I ask the people of question,
do we have any feelings towards a Sixers game anymore?
Or is it just like is that the same thing
as playing like the Charlotte Hornets. Now, you know, it
(32:19):
always used to be like, oh, Embiid's counting to town,
and I know he hasn't played since what twenty nineteen
or something like that. But let's say let's say this,
What if I guaranteed you that Joel Embiid was going
to be playing in Denver on when is that Dagan
that they're playing here? Uh? January? No, the fifth is
(32:40):
on the road at mart seventeenth, March seventeenth, I tell you,
March seventeenth, Phillies in town and Joel Embiid is guaranteed
to play. Does it mean anything to you anymore? Are
we beyond that now? As Jokic hit in echelon beyond
Embiid where it's like that's old news? Who cares?
Speaker 4 (33:00):
I'm kind of there And I don't mean this as
as an insult to Joelle Embiid, but I kind of
forgot about him. I kind of forgot about that dude.
I think we talked about him during the Olympics because
he has about eight different countries that he can represent
because of his mixed citizenship, and he chose to represent
the US. And that's kind of the last time I
(33:21):
remember talking about him. I just I he's look at
the two games they're playing. One is on a Monday,
one's on a Tuesday, and only ones on national TV.
There was a time well it says that actually that
first game at Philly is on the Pacock, So I'm
assuming that's an NBC national game. But I mean the two,
(33:43):
the one that's on Tuesday where they're hosting the Sixers
in Denver. I mean, there was a time when that
would be Friday night. Oh yeah, seven o'clock Embiid and Jokers,
the number one broadcast.
Speaker 3 (33:55):
Team in town. Yeah, exactly, Harland on the call.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
And now it's just yeah, it's a Tuesday seven o'clock altitude.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I know, I see, I've gotten the point with Embiid.
We all had these, uh, these these battles with Philly fans.
I have started to pity him, which is look to
pity an athlete is not It's not where you want
to be. But I have no other choice. I mean,
(34:24):
I've he's a talented guy. His game was distasteful to some,
and in the conversation surrounding him and what they said
about Jokic also distasteful. Embiid was a good player whose
body's broken. Those are always sort of sad cases. So anyway,
(34:49):
just wondered if that had any juice for anybody anymore. Uh.
Texter says Jokic lapped Embiid multiple times off but I
would go watch him because he might not be back.
Good point the Embid This another texture, the embiid phase
feels like it's past. I kind of agree with you.
(35:12):
I don't even think for Philly fans they would care anymore,
like Jokic comes to town. Like if Yokic is playing
in Philly, do they see that as a big matchup?
They might actually, because I don't think Philly's gonna be
any good, So maybe that's like one of the only
things they get to deal.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
And can I also ask you your mentality when it
comes to picking late games in the season, because I'm
looking at the April slate. I went to April because
April six is my birthday, so they're hosting the Portland
trail Blazers.
Speaker 3 (35:40):
That might excuse me, I hear at your anniversary wedding.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Excuse me the North Carolina Portland Trailblazers now that they've
been bought. But I was looking at some of those
games on the slate and in a vacuum. That April
schedule is going to be awesome because April fourth, on Saturday,
you're hosting the Spurs. Then Monday, you're hosting Portland. I
don't think we know what they are yet, that's TBD.
Then the eighth you're hosting Memphis the tenth you're hosting OKAC.
Speaker 3 (36:09):
I mean, at least those are all gonna be troublesome.
You could have a seed wrapped up already and they
could be in bench mode at that point. Those ones
I would stay away from if you're choosing early.
Speaker 4 (36:20):
See that was my question. Is that Friday, April tenth
on Amazon Prime hosting OKAC. That's either gonna be a
clash of the Titans with playoff seeding implications, or it's
gonna be JV versus JV. Is not gonna be any
in between.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
It's it's gonna be a battle for the one seed,
or it's gonna be like, who wants to see Jalen
Pickett take on one of the eighteen first round draft
picks from you know, two years ago for the ok
Sea Thunner. That's all they got. So I would stay
away anything with the word April in it. I think
(36:56):
I just back off of uh with the exception of this,
here's what I give you that I would say, maybe
if you want to go late in April, right before
the postseason, this is what you should do. The fourth
against San Antonio, you get a chance to see Wemby
(37:18):
in person, I would understand that I'd want to do
the same, So maybe that's the only exception. By the way, Pold,
just some comments from yesterday and joined practice. Not from
(37:42):
Sean Payton or bow Nix or Courtland Sutton or Mike
McGlinchey or anybody else. These comments from Arizona Cardinals talking
about bow Nicks Kalais Campbell, who, by the way, Nelly,
there are some freaks of nature that exist in the NFL.
If you go to an NBA game, every single one
(38:03):
of those guys as a freaking age. Kalaiis Campbell is
a monster of a human being. He all he needs
to do is I watched him go from a crouch
to standing upright. That's all it took. That man is
six foot like six nine, three hundred and thirty pounds
(38:25):
is what it looks like to me. He is huge, gigantic.
But here's what he said about Bonex.
Speaker 5 (38:32):
That's what it takes. So he's poised, you know, the
quick decisions. He didn't hold on the ball along at all.
You know, I feel like understood of a situation, had
a pretty good hard count, like all the stuff I
look for. You know, he's pretty good at that that's
the story.
Speaker 3 (38:47):
So that courtesy of romy Bean. Another one here, Mac
Wilson on bon Knicks safety for the Cardinals.
Speaker 6 (38:54):
Yeah, Bo, you could tell he definitely made the Year
two leap, just just comparing you know what I saw
last year with him as a rookie year. He was
out there making no look throws and stuff, and you know,
I'm just really just happy from for him. Honestly.
Speaker 5 (39:07):
You know, a guy who's from Alabama.
Speaker 6 (39:08):
I'm from Alabama as well, so I'm extremely powered to see,
you know, what he do the rest of his career and.
Speaker 5 (39:14):
Things like that.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
I mean, I don't want to say they're unprompted because
they probably asked the question about Bo Knicks, but to say,
you know, there's I think Peyton actually talked about this
yesterday too. Can you see Nelly. I believe I heard
him say this, talking about something about the the Year
two wall that quarterbacks hit and he said, it's it's
(39:37):
like the it's like Bigfoot. It's just a myth that
he doesn't know exists or not. But yeah, five A
is what it feels like we're talking about here. Because
these guys both said something along the lines of Mac
Wilson said it straight up a year two leap for
(39:59):
bow knicks. Well, what about a year or two ball
or sophomore slump Sean Payton.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
So last week was the what was it called the
second year the sophomore jinx and and I challenged, and
I meant that respectively. I haven't been able to find
that first round, you know, real good season, maybe the team.
So I think that's a little bit cliche. I would say, look,
(40:31):
the second year climb probably realistically happens more. The other
is like bigfoot. You know, it makes for a good question,
but like, give me the give me the three that
we're referencing.
Speaker 3 (40:46):
I can give you one. Mike Jones. Mike Jones' rookie year,
if this sounds similar to anybody, went ten and seven,
led his team to the playoffs, lost the first playoff game.
He had twenty two touchdowns thirteen picks for thirty eight
hundred yards. He finished second in offensive Rookie of the
(41:07):
Year votes. And then the year after that they went
six to eight, he had fourteen touchdowns and eleven picks.
The year after that, they went to a nine, he
had ten touchdowns and twelve picks and was awful now.
To his point, we talk about this as if it's
something that is really common that somebody's a really good
rookie year and then they don't. I don't think that's
(41:31):
the case. You know, if you wanted to throw out
a CJ. Stroud, Well, Stroud was dealing with his entire
offense like being hurt last year. He still improved a
game in the win column, did throw a few more picks,
not as many touchdowns, But I think a lot of
that had to do with the talent surrounding him towards
(41:53):
the end of the year, with the amount of injuries
they were dealing with. To his point, though, if you
have a good quarterback, it's not very common that these
guys just all of a sudden regress in year two,
and if they do, it's probably not a good sign
for the future of them. But it's some high praise
(42:16):
from some very talented defensive players that were going up
against Boknicks yesterday that will not see him in preseason
game number two because they will not play, and neither Lebroncos. Again,
if you guys missed it, Sean Payton said he was
happy with how practice went. He was happy with how
his starters played and joined practice, and with that, neither
he nor Jonathan Gannon of the Cardinals are going to
(42:38):
play their starters in preseason game number two. Good good.
He did volunteer that the starters will get I think
he said eight to ten snaps in the third preseason game,
so that feels like a drive or two if they
go like three and out after the first one. Still
(43:00):
a little bit more of a preview in an actual
game situation. Left. It just won't be this week for
the Broncos. Three zero three five four nine to two five.
Guess what? Can always watch the show on Twitch, Twitch
dot tv. Search Altitude sr in the search bar of
the Altitude TV simulcast as well. That is a Safeway
(43:22):
Twitch feed, download Safeways Deals and Delivery app, get exclusive
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