Guided By Hate And Betting Against New York

Welcome And Western Finals Gut Check

Michael Marcangelo 0:05

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Missing the Point. I am Michael Marcangelo. I'm joined by the Gray Area, Zachary Gray, and Matt Wilcox. What's your nickname? What are we gonna call you?

SPEAKER_00 0:17

People call me Marty. My dad calls me dipshit. It's really whatever you feel in this moment. Whatever winger crosses the boat.

Michael Marcangelo 0:24

Yeah, let's go one of two ways. We'll start with Marty, and I'm sure by the end of the show I'll be calling you dipshit. But um welcome everybody. We're gonna be talking a little bit about the NBA Finals preview. Maybe we'll do a little bit of a wrap-up of the Western Conference Finals because I think that was honestly the best series of the entire NBA playoffs. And then because we are a Boston-centric show, minus Dave, we will talk about the AJ Brown trade and the Miles Garrett trade. But before we kind of dive in, Marty, what was your what were your final thoughts on the Western Conference Finals? And do you feel like the right team won?

SPEAKER_00 0:59

I feel like the team I ultimately wanted to see win won. It was not the team that I bet on. I'll tell you, when they went up, when San Antonio went up 14 real quick in that game seven, that little gambling voice in my head said, Bet the house on OKC, and boy did I. I've never been so happy to lose so much money, but yeah, again, I got that whole series wrong up and down. So yeah, I'm happy. I want San Antonio. I think it's better for basketball if it's San Antonio because I think everyone is universally mad at SGA and he's gonna take the blame for the state of the league currently. But I don't know if the better team won. I think that OKC is still a more complete team than San Antonio. I think San Antonio is about a year off from being the perfect team.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Yeah, I think a lot of people agree with that. Zach? Yeah, I'm feeling pretty similar about what Dipshit said. Yeah, yeah. On paper, OKC was definitely the more complete team. Uh but the wheels really fell off at the end, and I think SGA got exposed as I don't want to say a fraud, but the flopping was really put into uh into the spotlight in this series and just in the playoffs overall. Uh yeah, I'm happy to see OKC go. Or rather, yeah, OKC leave, go, and then the Spurs move on. But yeah, I think I think we after this series, we have a lot more questions about the legitimacy and future of OKC that really, by all accounts, seem like they had it all together and seemed like they had a really bright future with all those draft picks they capitalized on and these young players, and now it's like are they gonna be able to compete with the Spurs and really any of these other great teams out of the West going forward? Yeah, I think that makes a lot of sense.

Michael Marcangelo 2:32

And just something that you just brought up that I want to kind of kick to you, Matt. Uh he's he said that after the series we have a lot a lot more questions about the Spurs. How about the Thunder? Obviously, the Thunder won the finals last year. Does this would you have the same questions about the Celtics given that we've been in two out of the last four finals? We've we obviously won one, lost one, but we haven't been able to make our way back into it.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

No, I have different questions about the Celtics. Like, why are we such pussies? And why do we keep shooting the three so so much when it's not working? My questions about the Celtics are what do we do here? Uh do you have to split up the pair? My questions about the Spurs are and OKC are completely different. What do they do? How do you become more complete of a team when you can adapt like that against each other so well? So the my so the Celtics are what how do we fix this clear problem? And I think we have to factor in the fact that the East is just such the WNBA to the NBA of the West at the moment. But yeah, I have different questions about that. And am I getting a new coach?

Michael Marcangelo 3:28

Yeah, I think new coach. He started last year. So I wouldn't bet anyhow, especially yours, on

Spurs Vs Knicks Finals Setup

Michael Marcangelo 3:33

that. Uh getting into the NBA finals preview. I think this is one of the most fascinating final matchups in years because it has it combines two of the things that the end row that the NBA desperately needed, right? One is a historic franchise trying to end a championship drought, and the other is the league's next potential megastar chasing his first ring. Knicks are in the first finals, in their first final since 1999, where coincidentally they lost to the Spurs, and the Spurs are back in the finals for the first time since 2014. Storyline number one, I think it's the most important one. It's the first question on everybody's mind. Can anybody stop Wendy? Zach, I'll let you kick this off.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Yeah, I think he's kind of shown, especially in this past series, if you get physical with him, you wear him down, uh, he gets into foul trouble. I'm five foot six, I never played basketball, so I don't know. I don't know if this uh question or point's gonna make sense, but doesn't it feel like if you're seven foot four, like that big, like you just kind of stand there and hover over the guy and be like, hey, you're not gonna shoot over me, you're not gonna get the shot in. Like, how does a guy like that get into get into foul trouble? Five fouls in a game seven. I think that's like that's pretty wild in my opinion, especially for a guy who's gonna be perennial superstar and just like the skill set he has as well. Um it's a very it's a very complete team. Their perimeter defenders are pretty uh talented too. So it doesn't feel like Wemby should be a guy who's getting five fouls in a critical game seven against the defending champions. And it's also a player who in the summer league when he was making his debut had to stop playing because of exhaustion. That just that is just like wild to me that anyone would actually say exhaustion as an excuse to stop playing in the summer league, a dude.

Michael Marcangelo 5:12

That was also three years ago, and I think you now he's figured out a way to actually go the entire way of the court with just 18 steps. He's figured that out.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

I

Can Anyone Stop Wembanyama

SPEAKER_01 5:20

would hope it's like eight steps, not 18. But look at that. But even but even isn't this like I don't have the stats in front of me, but I'm pretty sure this was like the most amount of minutes played in like the stretch of games too. So like he's being pushed to his limit, and he's gonna be pushed to his limit against a team that has a shit ton of rest and that has benefited from that rest every single series.

Michael Marcangelo 5:40

So, Matt, was the five fouls in a game seven? Was that a chink in the armor of Wemby, or is that more of the plan of OKC to get him in foul trouble and get him out of the game as as fast as possible?

SPEAKER_00 5:50

I think it's probably both. I think it became OKC's focus because I don't know if it was necessarily his exhaustion that I saw running point there. I think what we saw was he's an emotional guy. He was angry and he was playing angry, and he was stepping into shots, and he really hates Chet Holmgrim, which I get. Look at that face. But yeah, I think there is he's a kid, and I think that has to be a big part of what the Knicks do to expose him. You have a lot of old, you have uh you have Towns who is very experienced, even if he's slow and a little overweight and his girlfriend's on OnlyFans. Uh, but he's gonna be smart against one because if you're just gonna try and jump with him, if you're just gonna try and beat him to the line on defense, it's not gonna go so well. But yeah, I do believe though, I'm gonna get my Wem B this year of the finals. I love that.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

I like that. I just want to you brought up the point about hating that you brought up the the point about hating Chet Holmgrim. Uh I know we moved on from the recap of the uh the West, but can we just like talk real quick the fact that he won for two field goals in 33 minutes, four points? What that guy sucks. He got shit. That guy's garbage.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

He got shit. He did not want to be out there.

Michael Marcangelo 6:55

No, he's like he shriveled up at a game seven, and if that were he's lucky to have have SGA on that team so that we could all just point to him as the real reason that they lost, but it was Chet. That was embarrassing.

SPEAKER_01 7:06

I just crazy they brought the stat line again at the end of the game. I'm like, is this for real? This guy was supposed to be one of the top players in the West, maybe in the league, and it was all hyped up and like guys one for two with four points. Are you kidding me? Awful, absolutely awful. So thank god that guy's not in the finals. Thank god.

Michael Marcangelo 7:23

Yeah, he's not a leader. It wasn't a great moment. That being said, if any chance that he comes to the Celtics, I'd love him. Yes, absolutely. Yes. But so obviously the Knicks have three bodies that come top of mind. I think they could toss them, right? A Mitchell Robinson who's gonna be playing with that broken finger, which is gonna be wild, uh Carl Anthony Towns and OG Ananobi. I know that you have warm bodies, I think you can try and wear them out, but it just kind of feels like to me, like every NBA team has a plan for Wenby, and then about halfway through the second quarter, they're all like, we tried. So how do the Knicks fix this?

SPEAKER_00 7:56

I think the best trick for the Knicks to based on the fact that they're not a particularly fast team, is that trap ball where they get in game it was game five, OKC started trapping him outside. He would step out to the shot and then not be able to come in and play. So if you're gonna use you, if you use Enanobi to cut after he goes and chases out a shot and you can get a body in front of him, that seemed to be a real problem for him. And the only way uh he ended up getting around that was Castle had to step up for them on offense or on defense rather. So I think the trap up top is the big part of it for them.

Michael Marcangelo 8:28

Yeah, 100%. It seems to really fuck with him in game five, like you mentioned. Zach, is am I falling into the trap by asking this question? Isn't the real question can they stop everyone else and just let Wemby have a game? Do you think the Knicks are built to allow Wemby to put up a statin of 35, 15, and 10? Can you still win a game if he does that?

SPEAKER_01 8:52

Sure, and typically with these teams, if you have perennial superstar, they're gonna put up numbers like that. Yeah, so whether or not the Spurs go crazy at the three-point line, and they have good defensive stops as well, or like big clutch plays. And if Luke Cornet comes out of nowhere, like LeBron in 2016, then like sure, then the Spurs will ultimately come up top. But uh, you can get away with the top guy on any team, no matter if it is a Wemby or Kobe back in the day or LeBron, whoever it is, it doesn't matter. Like they they're gonna go off, you're expecting to go off. It's really I you just don't want those role guys to the role players to really kill you when you least expect it, and then you then you're really in a hole.

Michael Marcangelo 9:32

Now based on what we saw and how we saw the Knicks treat, oh god, and beat. Right now, I'm not comparing the two game-wise, but I do think defensively, you could scheme a way that you that to your point, Matt, trap him at up top and just figure it out, right? But what do they do if he breaks through?

SPEAKER_00 9:54

That's a great question. You gotta hope God, then you're gonna have uh a situation where Brunson's gonna have to be shooting with Wemby and the rest of the Spurs. I think that's why I have the Spurs uh in five. I just don't see if they can't figure out how to take him out of the game. I don't think that they're gonna be able to play with them. I think they're gonna get dogged.

Michael Marcangelo 10:11

To your point, if do you think they have to take him out of the game to win? Do you think they could let him be a again a 35, 40 point scorer and just say, you know what, fuck it, let him get his, but keep his assists under 12, and then we have a chance.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

I think it's possible. I don't love the Knicks' odds in that scenario. I think you need to figure out how to you have to at least neutralize him for a half and let him get in his own head. He seemed to be his weakest when he was angry. And if you can make him angry, then everything's gonna fall. The games that they lost, uh, where he had six rebounds, eight rebounds, and then I forgot what the other one was, but it was not a high amount. Keep him up top and away from the ball and make him angry so he's pushing people and throwing elbows around him. That's gotta be the only strategy. But no, I don't think the Knicks have it this year. I just I don't feel plus I hate the Knicks, so I can't even help myself.

Michael Marcangelo 10:57

I figure like I I always when I'm looking at like Jokic stat line, I never look at the points, I always look at the assists. Right because you know if he has 15 or more assists, then that they probably blew out whoever the fuck they played. Exactly right, right? And now, Zach, I don't think Wemby is the facilitator that Jokic is yet. No, no one is so again if you had these your only two options. It's either you're gonna focus all Wemby and make sure that his life is a living hell, and maybe you get burned by a list of the other spurred players, or you just say Wemby's gonna go off and we're just gonna take our medicine. Which one would you pick?

SPEAKER_01 11:36

So either have Wemby go off or and deal with the other players, or vice versa? Yep. Yep, you're locked down on the other four. Yeah, locked down on the other four. Uh look, he put up 41 points in game one against OKC, and that went to double overtime. And even he's pretty he put up at least 20 points in every game at the Western Conference. And like you said, he's not really he's not exactly a facilitator. Yeah, he has some nights where he's putting up a lot of boards, but he's not aside from scoring, like that. It's really the scoring is all it's I don't want to downplay because Jokic is broken. I'm really simplifying it. It's not it's not gonna be as easy as we make it sound, obviously. That's why we run a podcast. I just forgive Jokic and just thinking about them, thinking about like Joker on the mind. Yeah, but like he's such a special player, and we look at these superstar players going back to LeBron and like how he could play five positions, and like Jokic triple doubles left and right, even like Russell Westbrook, who's not really as big, but like triple doubles crazy. And I think we look at Wemby and think, like, oh, he's gonna be just like that. And because he's so big and athletic and does things that who's a foot shorter can do. Yes, will he kind of develop those skills later for sure? Uh it's uh he's gonna put up points, it's gonna happen, it's inevitable. Uh focus on other weak spots. Like other weak spots, focus on the four other guys. Yikes.

Michael Marcangelo 12:50

Yeah, you just call them weak spots. It's nice. That's good. Good for you. I think just to summarize this little portion of the program, it's the Knicks have three different guys that they can throw at Wendy. The problem is that Wendy is still taller than all three of their game plans. So I can figure it out, right? Right.

Brunson Legacy And Knicks Identity

Michael Marcangelo 13:04

I would say the second bigger storyline in this is this Jalen Brunson's legacy moment, right? He's already become a New York Knicks legend. But if he delivers the Knicks their first title since 1973, I would argue that his place in franchise history is probably at the top. Am I right?

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Ewing with the back iron, I think so. If he if he wins one, I don't know how you take it away from him. Plus, he's got that very strange kind of playstyle where he'll hit it. He if he gets a good look, he can hit the shot from absolutely anywhere. Who else do you put over him? It's him ewing, and then I guess Phil Jackson. Yeah, we look point guard, he was a talented young man too, but that ring is what says it all. If Brunson wins it, I think he goes number one.

Michael Marcangelo 13:51

I'll always love Lutrell's free well. I think I think Carmelo gets dogged a lot for his tenure in New York, but I think he did more good than bad. Knicks fans love Carmelo, dude.

SPEAKER_01 14:03

If Brunson brings if Brunson brings them a title, like it's gonna be insufferable how much they hype up Jalen Brunson. And look, I love like for the record, I love Knicks fans because it's a combination of all the crazy New York fans, like your Yankees fans, the Mets, the miserable Mets fans, the like miserable Jets fans, like just the all these different fan bases all come together for this one team, and it's just like the dirtiest, strangest collection of New Yorkers who all rooting for this one team. It's great, but they are gonna be insufferable for Jalen Brunson because they already love they like Carmelo, like again, like we look at Carmelo Anthony as just this guy who scores, he can't win shit, can't do whatever. And but he's a legend in New York, and it's like, what are we doing?

SPEAKER_00 14:50

He's always gonna be a nugget to me.

Michael Marcangelo 14:52

Yeah, he would he did redeem himself the way he played in Portland at the end of his career. I think he did, I think he did a lot better. He played better defense, he made clutch shots. But I would say the recipe for the Knicks to win, right? For and specifically with Brunson, three things he has to consistently beat the Spurs perimeter defenders, which is not an easy task. He has to control the tempo, and he has to win the clutch a clutch time battle. He can't afford to not do one of those three things and have the Knicks win. So I would say the majority of the pressure, if we're just looking at this, right? Isn't this Wemby's or the Spurs series to lose more than it's the Knicks to win?

SPEAKER_00 15:33

Absolutely right. I couldn't agree more. And I think you hit the nail on the head, tempo is gonna be his big problem. Because if he's just sitting back hitting shots, you're gonna see the Spurs start running on them. And once they get him running, he's just not that fast. If he has a weak point, it's that he's a guy likes to eat a little bit, and he doesn't like to sprint. So his shots from down from downtown from the hip, but he's not gonna run with them. That's a fast team down in Texas.

Michael Marcangelo 15:58

But I guess by so the things that the Knicks do well, or they have done well in the last 12 games, is shoot-through. And not volume, but percentage-wise, right? They're take they are doing what the Celtics love to talk about, taking the open shots, except they're doing something the Celtics can't do in the playoffs, and they're making them. How does that fall into the trap of the Spurs perimeter defense, which I think is top three in the postseason so far?

SPEAKER_00 16:25

Yeah, they're gonna they're gonna try and beat them out to the shots on every chance. I think what you're gonna see is a lot of that suckered in, make them take the ugly shot, force the ugly shot, and then once they're off key, they'll change strategy. They're not gonna sit there and force the three like we do, they're gonna take the smart shot. So if it's not there, now it's time to come in down down low and you know stand there waiting for you. That eight-foot monster.

Michael Marcangelo 16:47

Fucking alien.

SPEAKER_00 16:48

It is an alien. Looks like it's daddy long.

Michael Marcangelo 16:51

It's just the best game they had in the league in a very long time.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

Yeah, you mentioned about the three-point percentage, too. They are hitting a bunch of their shots and not just chucking up a ton of threes, but at some point it's gonna run out. Like that, I don't want to call it luck, it's obviously they're a skilled team. I don't want to disrespect the Knicks, but at some point, like especially facing a defense like the Spurs, you can't rely on that and just keep rolling with the three-point shot and hoping that Josh Hart is gonna bail you out or help you close out in clutch time. It's just not gonna you can't rely on that the entire series.

Michael Marcangelo 17:23

You can't hope you can't bank on shooting 33% from three against the Spurs. No, no, absolutely not. And and that's been their line of demarcation about this entire run. It's like if you get to 33% of that from three, like you're probably gonna win that game. The Celtics have a different way of doing it, always trying to bring this back to the Celtics and how much I fucking hate what they do in the playoffs. Celtics are like, we just need to take 52 three-pointers, and that means we're gonna win. It's like, oh, but we just never forecast that we're only gonna make fucking 12 out of the 52. So again, yes, I think the strengths of this team, if you just take out just the alien, if the strengths of the Spurs is perimeter defense, the strength of the Knicks have been their ability to shoot from beyond the arc. So that's gonna be fun to watch. If Brunson, just to turn this back to Brunson, though, if he wins a fucking championship, yes, they're gonna be insufferable, but like he's gonna get his own streak, he's gonna get his own fucking sandwich, he's probably gonna get a fucking burrow in New York. Oh, yeah. And I do sense a little Nick hate from you, Matt. I need your help because I'm I am a Celtic fan. I've been my entire life. But the Knicks have never done anything to me for me to dislike them, so why do you hate them? I can explain very simply.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

I want you to put yourself in this position where you're the Red Sox, and your whole life you've got this kid that's a little bit older than you called the Yankees, and he's bullying you, and he's beating you up, and he's stealing all the girls you like, and all of a sudden he graduates a little bit, and he's got his little brother here, the Knicks, and you're much bigger than I hate the Knicks because I hate the Yankees, and they just they reek of the same douchebaggery in their fanhood, which I love for the sports. I just hate it being from Boston. So they just catch a lot of Yankee hate from me.

Michael Marcangelo 19:03

Yeah, a lot. Because if you hated everyone with the NY attached, I you have to hate the Mets, and I really couldn't force myself to do that. I couldn't hit the Mets, I don't think.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

I tell you what, those Islanders, they uh I hate the Rangers for the same reason that you can.

Michael Marcangelo 19:21

Alright, so I do understand it. Uh all right, so you mentioned before that the Spurs are like one season away from being a perfect team. So the Spurs are ahead of schedule. The Knicks are built to win right now, right? We got the Spurs' core is obviously Wemby, Castle, Harper, and Devin Vassal. Then we have Knicks score, Brunson, Towns, Bridges, and Anobi Hart. One team feels like they're like at the beginning of something, and the other kind of looks like they're trying to seize a narrow championship window. In your opinion, Zach, obviously it's youth versus experience. We are we are saying that the Spurs are ahead of schedule, but could they be both youthful and just better?

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Yeah, absolutely. Celtics proved that in 20 uh in 2024.

Michael Marcangelo 20:06

I know that they had the easiest fucking postseason run in history, besides the Mavicks. Besides the Knicks so far.

SPEAKER_01 20:13

But no, yeah, you could still be very youthful and uh that just put me in a your comment putting me in a pretzel there. Um, I think it's kind of neither of these teams have really had true championship experience, right? Like there's no like But one does have championship pressure, and I think that could be I mean you could say that you can say it about either team. I know for it's kind like the Spurs kind of remind me of OKC in 20. I'm not facing like a team like LeBron and all that, but like even when OKC lost in 2011 or 2012 rather to uh the Heat, everyone just assumed, oh yeah, they'll be back, they'll be back, and then that core team never did anything afterwards, and they all went to become MVPs somewhere else. So I don't necessarily think it's uh no, I think the experience factor here isn't really a big deal because both teams don't have like that championship caliber level like experience that I that you would normally see again. Who would you look at like for the Knicks that you would be like, oh like that their experience is gonna be like the thing that drives them over the Spurs?

Michael Marcangelo 21:16

I think Mike Brown and Mike Brown, I think the coach he has a he has a good pedigree, he's more experienced. I think he could calm them down. But uh, I'll turn it I'll turn it over to you, Matt. I would just summarize it this way, right? The Spurs look like they're building a dynasty, the Knicks look like they're trying to beat the clock, which is more pressure.

SPEAKER_00 21:35

Oh, definitely the beat the clock because if you miss up on your build of the dynasty, I think in other sports like in football, for instance, that can be losing in this situation can be the end of the route for sure. I think when you have basketball the way it is now, with the money in the contracts and the weight, I just if the Spurs lose, the what's their roster look like next year? They're losing two players, they're still in great shape. What happens if the Knicks lose here? They're losing They have three on the block now, so it's not a good, it's not a good comparison for them. And they don't have the depth of the of San Antonio. Plus, I think the real pressure is that San Antonio should win this going away. I think Vegas is clear. I think everyone's kind of put their thing here. Like it would be amazing if the Knicks did it. But they're fighting a monster, like a real life monster. So I think it's all on the Knicks because this, what do you do next? Do you add another vet? Do you dig deep and pay some money for somebody? Do you cut draft picks? What do you do?

Michael Marcangelo 22:29

Yeah, if the Knicks lose this series, there will be more pressure on them next year than any team in the league, and that's including the Celtics. I know you're absolutely right. That's why I know that you never Vegas always knows something that we don't. Always. Always. But they didn't have the Knicks winning 11 or 12 in a row. This the this Knicks team has defied the odds up to this point. And they've had significantly more time off in the last what week? After they finished steamrolling the East. While they were doing that, the uh Spurs and the Thunder were kicking each other's dicks in for seven straight games. So does the rest factor, in in your opinion, will that help the Knicks, or is it kind of stop their momentum?

SPEAKER_00 23:16

Oh, I think it definitely helps. I think when you look at Fox and then you look at Wembinama, who we have seen in the past, he has had conditioning issues. They just had a dog fight down to the every minute of that series was a fight, even when there was a blowout going. I think it's a huge factor. I think I think that's experience comes into that as well because the more seasoned players know how to reserve their take a little bit more, whereas the younger players tend to go more balls to the wall and empty it all out. And then guess what? Now you gotta go wake up and go do calisthenics today because you're getting ready for the finals. So I think that's where experience comes in huge. I think if you look at Brunson and Town's physique, they know how to relax. So I think they'll be ready to go.

SPEAKER_01 23:53

Yeah, I think I know we usually give our picks towards the end of uh the podcast or discussion here, but um so oh no, I would but it goes, it goes right with it goes related to this rest factor, is that I would see this as the Knicks uh taking the Knicks to uh lose and six. I think the rest is gonna help them to extend their chances and maybe steal a game or two, but uh it would be very Knicks-like to lose at MSG in heartbreaking fashion because all of the best basketball moments yeah, but all the best basketball moments in history happen at MSG, and it's not with the Knicks. It's Jordan having his uh last game at MSG and wearing his old school uh Jordan 1s, it's Kobe having his didn't have a 60-point game or something at MSG, it's Paul Pierce hitting game winners and bowing in the in at center court, it's uh Billy Joel just playing a million shows and they have a banner for him. Like those are MSG's best moments. It's not the Knicks playing basketball there. It never has been and never will be.

SPEAKER_00 24:51

Zach, you just said like you just painted a word picture of watching Knicks fans watch their team lose. I just got so excited. I'm ready. Let's go, let's get this started. Get Carolina off my screen. I want to see this game, let's get going.

Rest Advantage X Factors And Picks

Michael Marcangelo 25:05

Just know though, like that game won, right? If you're a Spurs fan and you are the Spurs, you just spent two weeks fighting tooth and nail with the Thunder. And now you might have to deal with the New York sports media and radio specifically if you lose game one, and that will be on fucking terrible.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

I was just gonna say it'd be very Knicks as well, and given all the rest they've gotten and uh how the Spurs came out of that dogfight in the West, it'd be very on point for the Knicks to steal game one. And for the Knicks, they're back, they're gonna do it, they're gonna do it, and then they lose four straight.

SPEAKER_00 25:37

Yeah, for sure. Plus, I we didn't really we didn't really talk about this. We I and it's probably an X factor. I think the last thing you want as an NBA player is all of Bed Stide Brooklyn on social media screaming that you're a fucking loser and you're never gonna make it, and we got game one, we got this. I'm sure that's very frustrating because they're super loud over there.

Michael Marcangelo 25:56

Loud, yeah. I hate I do love the New York radio scene, but I also fucking hate it because it's New York. It's great, it's fantastic. We need all we can all agree that the matchup that decides the series, though, is the Knicks front court versus Wemby. Yep, so hundred percent. Uh let me know if you guys what you guys think about this or if you disagree. If Towns and Robinson can obviously stay out of foul trouble, keep Wemby off the offensive glass, and force him into difficult jumpers, they have a chance, right? But they is it the same thing as before? They have to do all th all three of those things. Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_00 26:33

Because if you I think one I think what we saw with this last series is how adaptable SA can be. Like San Antonio will change the way they're playing a game and they'll do it at an elite level. Because what were they just they dogged OKC twice, changing the way that they were doing things? Uh I just don't know. The more and more I think about it, you know what? I'm gonna take it back. I'm gonna say SA and four. Would you bet on it? I'll bet on it right now. I've got my house. I will bet on it right now. The house? Not the house, because my wife, she's the boss. I don't even know where that account is. But yeah, no, I you know what? Yeah, I'll stick with five, but I'm really thinking in four. I'm thinking of the sweep here.

Michael Marcangelo 27:10

I mean, your your hate, your hate for the Knicks has nothing to do with that, right?

SPEAKER_00 27:14

Everything to do with it, Mike. It has everything to do with it. I'm guided by hate.

Michael Marcangelo 27:19

Oh, we're gonna we're gonna have a love fest uh on this show.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

Robinson's listed as questionable for game one, so he hasn't officially been cleared to play. Yeah, it's the finals he should be playing, which is still it is crazy that he's under one surgery for a broken finger, and he's probably gonna play. I know it's the I know it's the what was his pinky, right? So it's like Do you really need your pinky? Just cut it off, whatever. But we'll find out. Yeah, we'll find out. And so I it's I don't want to say that's like the X factor because I I really think it's Carl Anthony Carl Anthony Towns. I feel like he's become a little more of a dynamic player in recent years. I've definitely shown some versatility on both sides of the court. And uh he has a very punchable face. Let's hate it. We'll just get that out of there.

Michael Marcangelo 28:06

I fucking hate him. I just hate I hate everything about him. Again, wouldn't mind him if he was on the Celtics, but yes.

SPEAKER_01 28:14

But I think if I'm talking about Mitchell Robinson and Carl Anthony Towns and the Knicks front court, I really do think it's gonna be I really think do think it's gonna have to be Carl Anthony Towns really stepping up for the Knicks.

Michael Marcangelo 28:26

Yeah, I would just say we're Carl Anthony Townsend is about to find out whether Guardian might be basketball or a fucking science experiment, right? Like he's gonna he's gonna learn that like real quick. However, I do just want to take a break on the Knicks hatred for one second. There's none here. I'm already just trying to this, right? Try. We we I could spend all day talking about how much they've sucked over the last 50 years. But everything that we talk about, that's all the fun moments that MSG have nothing to do with the Knicks. I don't think that's this team. Has this team already defied what we have come to know as typical Knicks playoff runs and seasons? Oh no, you're right.

SPEAKER_00 29:05

And in a vacuum, I would love to be a fan of this team. This is a fun team to watch. It really is. Independent. Huge, I have to put it in the vacuum, it has to exist only on this plane. But yeah, to me, they feel like an old Celtics team. They feel like they're doggish and they make people play their game, and they're not the fastest, they're not the strongest, they're not the tallest, but they win and they win every game they play. What are they? The 12 win streak. I love what I'd love to watch them if they weren't wearing Knicks uniforms, but they are, so I hate them all.

SPEAKER_01 29:37

Zach. Yeah, I can follow that. I can't follow because I don't hate them. I really don't hate that. I don't hate the Knicks. Like they're very enjoyable to watch. They play a great style of basketball. Uh watching the fans go ape shit, especially on the streets after games. And I will say too, like, it's not like Lakers fans are like the Lakers celebs who sit courtside and they're just there to be seen. Or isn't there like two Spurs fans who have OnlyFans or something like that, and they go courtside to be seen every every game? There's something like that. For the most part, like an OnlyFans reference, by the way, which is concerning. But continue. Jordan's famous. But the I feel like Knicks, like celebs who are Knicks fans, like know ball. And then most Knicks fans know ball for the most part. So it's not like as insufferable as seeing just like the people at courtside at the Staples Center or whatever the hell the place is called now.

Michael Marcangelo 30:25

You'll never convince me that Kylie Jenner knows ball.

SPEAKER_01 30:28

But I do think I mean she goes there courtside every game because she's sleeping with every player, but that's a different story.

Michael Marcangelo 30:35

No, I'm not doing that. I'm not she could be a friend of the show, so we're not gonna do that. That's confirmed, but okay. Chalamet, I think it's Chalamet. Chalamet's a fan. He skipped out on what what award show? Was it the Met Gala? He to go sit courtside and then Ben Stiller got dragged to the Met Gala by his wife. But you'll never hear me knock Spike Lee. That guy has been suffering for 40 fucking years, quartzide. The entire time. Yep. Poor spike. Poor spike. Here's my hot take on this. And I want to I want you to either agree, which I would love, and then we can just move on, or disagree and tell me why. Wendy is already the toughest playoff matchup in basketball. It's not Giannis. It's not Jokic. It's Wendy.

SPEAKER_03 31:20

Tough as playoff. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

This season, yes. This season, yes.

Michael Marcangelo 31:29

But I would say this season, and based on what we've seen so far moving forward. That's all we can judge it by.

SPEAKER_00 31:34

I'm gonna say as long as LeBron and Steph are still in basketball, I don't think I can give it to Wemby yet.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

So you're saying that he as long as uh LeBron and Steph are there, that's not the toughest matchup.

SPEAKER_00 31:47

Yeah, because they could, I wouldn't who okay. So I'd rather I would rather face Wemby in the finals than face Steph Curry, because that's we know what he does there. This is not new to him, this is a trade-around to him. He's been in he's seen those bright lights so many times, and he's done the best of anybody in the league so many times. Same thing with LeBron. I fear experiencing these situations, and I think both these teams, like you said, both these teams are lacking that. I'd take Wemby over both of them. We all know what he's gonna do here.

Michael Marcangelo 32:15

Okay, yeah, I would say uh when we talk about do you just want to sacrifice the points that Wemby could score and then just say we're just gonna focus on everybody else. You can't do that with Steph. Because if he's on, he might drop 65 on you. And the and the other players all they have to do is score 35, and you probably have to lose that game. Yep. So I I do but that's prime Steph. I was just gonna say wasn't Stephanie forward.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

Wasn't Steph like out like the majority of the season, too? And we're now uh we're now 10 years removed from the 73 win team as well, and LeBron's in his 40s. If you had a good enough team around Steph or LeBron that could be like to have them be more of like the the veteran presence or almost like a six-man type deal, then sure, yeah, I would definitely fear a playoff team like that over Wemby, but like at this stage right now, no, there's Wemby's the one to fear the most.

Michael Marcangelo 33:10

I was I was wanting fucking Nuggets to beat the Wolves just so that we could see Wemby versus Jokic and just see what happened. Yep. Oh, I think that'd be the most captivating series either.

SPEAKER_01 33:22

And maybe we'll get it sooner or later. And then it should have and it should have been Chet versus Wemby. That's the funny thing. Like that, like it should have been that the 7-1 versus 7-4, like two most hype guys in the past five years. No, didn't happen.

SPEAKER_00 33:38

That poor guy, he's gonna need he's gonna need a lot of help for the rest of his career getting over that situation.

Michael Marcangelo 33:45

Probably just like a lobotomy, then he'll be fine. Like just move it on. Biggest X factor that's not Wemby or Jalen Brunt. I'm just gonna say it's gonna be uh De'Aaron Fox, right? If it if he looks like the player that he has over the last 12 games, I don't see a way that the Knicks can push this to even seven, right? Because New York can survive Wemby scoring 30. What they can survive is Wemby controlling the paint, Fox attacking downhill, and San Antonio's shooters getting open looks. So convince me that Darren Fox is not the X Factor in the series.

SPEAKER_00 34:20

You're not gonna hear from me. I think he's such an animal if he's on. I agree with you completely.

SPEAKER_01 34:24

Sam, what a career turn this guy has had too. Being stuck in Sacramento, that shithole of a team and city, and then becoming one of the key players on this team for that's most likely gonna win the NVIDIA championship. It's been really enjoyable to see his career kind of turn. Not that he had a terrible career before, he's still putting up good numbers, but the CM1 playing meaningful basketball is pretty sweet to see.

Michael Marcangelo 34:48

I just think everybody's talking about Wendby, right? But De'Aaron Fox is the guy that can quietly win the Spurs two games. And we said the same thing about Derek White here in our championship run. We said it on this show, actually. It's where everyone's gonna be focused on JT and JB, that's great. Uh but it's Derek White, he has the skill set that can win you two games, and then that's the series. And it feels like De'Aaron Fox is their guy that can do the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 35:16

Completely.

SPEAKER_01 35:16

Yeah, even game seven. Someone peek a stat line and like oh, 15 points. And I'm like, but not that much. He didn't really do much. No, it's three steals in a game seven. That's huge, man. It's just small things like that, a trio of three-pointers. Uh it's the stuff that doesn't always show up on the stat sheet for some of these guys. You mentioned Derek White's another good comparison for uh the supporting cast that makes the impact for championship teams. And uh Fox is absolutely that guy for this first team.

Michael Marcangelo 35:44

All right, but it's prediction time. Prediction time. Good Matt prediction. You're gonna several times.

SPEAKER_01 35:52

But before we first and four, we both were very eager to give our predictions here.

SPEAKER_00 35:56

No, I'll say, I'll say I say San Antonio and five. I think they win the first two and cough one up at home and then come back and win two.

SPEAKER_01 36:04

Uh as I said, Knicks, I'm taking the Knicks to lose in six. I think they take game one. New York City goes crazy, everyone's really hyped up, and then they just get Delta ass game six at home.

Michael Marcangelo 36:20

I got the Spurs in six. I but I want to put some money on the Knicks because if everyone's real against them, I think you can make a couple bucks off of this. But obviously, then that means that leaves us to the finals Wend BP, and we'd all say that if the Spurs win, it has to be Wendy, right? Unless he just plays complete fucking ass.

SPEAKER_00 36:40

I'm yeah, it could it could be a situation where he's not hitting shots, then you see Castle or Fox has to shine. But yeah, smart money would say it's gonna be a Wem BP.

SPEAKER_01 36:48

Yeah, I agree too. It's gotta be Wemby.

Michael Marcangelo 36:50

Like plain and simple. Alright.

Patriots Land AJ Brown For Drake May

Michael Marcangelo 36:54

Now we're gonna talk a little bit about the New England Patriots finally doing what we've been asking them to do since they traded a fucking bag of balls for Randy Moss back in 2007, and that is they went out and they got a number one wide receiver. Now, obviously, you they if you've been living under a rock, welcome back. New England Patriots traded a first round and on 2027, 2028, 2027, and then a 2028 fifth round pick, whichever their best is. For AJ Brown, who will be turning 29 here in June. And during his 30th year. That's correct. AJ Brown has out of the fourth, his last four seasons, three of them, he was all pro. He has been a thousand yard receiver six six years in a row. What do we think? How do we feel? Did we overpay?

SPEAKER_01 37:41

I said I was I said on the last pod talking about uh Patriots offseason that I'd be fine with him giving up a first-round pick. So I can't really back off of that and say, oh, they overpaid. Sounds fine, especially for the team's needs as well. Uh if it was a team that already had a stacked wide receiver room, then like what are you doing? But they desperately needed a true number one wide receiver. So I think you kind of have to pay up for that. Uh it's one of those trades I really look at and say both sides made out here. Philadelphia gave up what, a first and a third to get them originally from Tennessee, and then they win a Super Bowl and then give them up and get back a first and a fifth. I would say for their investment, they did pretty well with AJ Brown. And then for the Patriots, they just gave Drake May a fantastic target. A guy who wants to be in New England. The stuff he was saying was awesome today. I think all sides win in this, and I don't think they gave up too much for him.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

Matt? Mike, I think you hit the nail on the head. It was it's Randy Moss. It's I I don't remember seeing a player get signed to come play in some forest stadium like Foxborough and get so excited to be here. He wants to be here. He's been a Brady fan his whole life. He was already he had told people already that he knew it was coming. There's that video of him on Edelman's podcast winking at him. He's excited. And yeah, he's I get it. He was a head case in Philly. And the rumors are coming out as to why he was so upset over some cheating allegations and son Reddick and his cornerback not caring about him telling him to back off his side, whatever's happening there. This kid wants to be here. Drake May wants to be here. We have a dynamic duo here of people that want to perform for us for the first time since Randy Moss and Tom Brady, in my opinion.

Michael Marcangelo 39:24

It just feels like for the first time in years, Patriot fans can stop pretending like the fifth receiver on the depth chart is about to have a breakout season, right? We've been like jerking ourselves off the last four years of Pop Douglas. He's always been the best wide receiver in practice in OTAs, and he's fucking nowhere. Now your number two is Romeo Dobbs. And say what you want about him, Dave Will. Uh that's a good number two. That's a really good number two. Not a great number one, and now you have a number three that's either Kyle Williams or Pop Douglas or Booty, maybe. I think, and I don't fucking do anything. You both know this. I know. You'll soon learn this. I think that they're gonna wait to trade Booty until Labor Day. Then hopefully he has a breakout camp, and then you wait for someone to go down. And if you can turn booty foot fourth rounder, I'd do.

SPEAKER_00 40:15

I would yeah, I would say, yeah, based on last year, what did he break the 1500-yard mark? If he broke 15, I want I want a third. But yeah, you're right. He he's he just became so much more valuable for us. He's just this 20-yard bill sitting in our pocket, ready to go. Yeah, I don't think I don't think Kishan Booty had 1500.

Michael Marcangelo 40:32

He didn't break the thousand-yard mark.

SPEAKER_00 40:33

He broke a thousand, didn't he? I thought you I thought it was him, and I could be wrong. I could be totally wrong. See, I'm an idiot.

Michael Marcangelo 40:38

Well, listen, if he did, then you don't fucking train him for anything less than for anything less than a third. You're right. That would be my thought was like 800 yards or something like that.

SPEAKER_00 40:46

Maybe you're right. Maybe, yeah, you're probably right. Again, idiot.

Michael Marcangelo 40:50

Love that statement.

SPEAKER_00 40:51

More of that, please. I know you both had this experience too, and it's just it's not gonna happen this year, I'm happy. The Cembrell Tompkins year. Do you remember trying to fight with people the Cembrell Tompkins?

Michael Marcangelo 41:01

And no, because yeah, but everyone was talking about Kembrell Tompkins, but everyone else, the smart ones, were like, but Aaron Dobson, man, if he can just figure out how to fucking catch, he's a number one. He's 6'3, he's 215 pounds, he's built like a brick shithouse. But as a wide receiver, he could not catch a fucking pass.

SPEAKER_00 41:22

He was trying to hold onto a weapon in, it was just ridiculous.

SPEAKER_01 41:25

Oh stacked a little stat correction. So Kaishawn Booty did in fact uh go for 1,500 yards, just minus a thousand yards there.

SPEAKER_00 41:34

Who was right against me?

Michael Marcangelo 41:37

But but he wasn't receiving yards. It was pretty close to crossing that 1,500 yard marker. I yeah, 1,100 career receiving yards.

SPEAKER_00 41:49

1100 career. Okay.

Michael Marcangelo 41:51

Here we go. So now the pic now Drake May has uh an elite XY receiver, right? He's got a physical cons physical contested catch threat and one of the league's best receivers after the catch. What okay, you don't think he overpaid Zach, or you don't think we overpaid you? You already mentioned that. However, the reports out of Philly, minus the fact this guy all of a sudden stopped talking to a guy that he named the godfather of his child, he was having his knee drained two times a week going into the playoffs. Is that concerning to you? No. No.

SPEAKER_01 42:28

Alright, wrap up the show. We're good. No, I no, I look like all these guys deal with different injuries every single year that we don't hear about. It's just this one's coming out because he just got traded in Philadelphia. He's obviously pissed about how things ended with him. Brady was wearing a he sliced his hand before the AFC Championship against the Jags. Uh, he was wearing a boot before Super Bowl 42, all sorts of injuries that these guys deal with. Drake May definitely had a legitimate concussion against the Titans, and he just walked out of the 10, everything was fine. Like there's so many different injuries that happen that don't go reported. Yeah, I don't like the fact that AJ Brown had his knee drained twice. It's not ideal. It's not something that you want to hear about your number one ride receiver. You just gave up a first and a fifth for. But it's not like it's like, hey, he had secret ACL repair surgery. Like that would be like what the fuck? Getting your knee drained, no. That's pretty standard for NFL players and not really talked about because they don't want to make it a bigger issue than it is.

SPEAKER_00 43:28

I agree with you completely. It's football, baby. Yeah, you get some stuff drained.

Diggs Fit Questions And Landing Spots

Michael Marcangelo 43:33

Any chance that the Patriots can do what no one expects them to do and sign Stefan Diggs as well?

SPEAKER_01 43:40

I don't know, man. They have the money. Yeah. You could they've had the money for every offseason for like 25 years. I just think more about uh how the wide receiver room looks after. I don't know, man. So you you assume that AJ Brown's on the outside, and then is Dobbs a slot receiver? More of a slot receiver, or I don't know, because like he can play anywhere. Dobbs is a guy that you can factor in anywhere. And Diggs was the same way that like they were starting to put him in the slot too. So, like, I guess if they needed him to be the three, they could, but I also think that if you're Steph Diggs, do you really want to go from like coming off of ACL repair and like proving to this team that you are still worthy of being a number one wide receiver and having a good year that you brought this team to a Super Bowl that wasn't expecting it, whether or not he actually did, but more of his mindset. And then you want to go from that to being the number three on this team? Like you would you really want to do that, or would you want to sign with a team that's gonna kind of show your worth and like that you think you are?

SPEAKER_00 44:46

He needs his ring though. And you know how you get your ring, you come sit in that third spot and you catch three balls a game.

Michael Marcangelo 44:53

Guy had seven babies with six different women in the last year and a half. I don't think you can trade a ring in for the ten million dollars that he just needs to get paid. So I think where would he be a number one? To your point, Zach. Where is he a number one wide receiver? Just off the top of your head, you don't have to Google anything. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 45:15

Nowhere. Jets. No. No, what's his name? Garrett? No, he's not a number one anywhere now. I with the knee injury, he he clearly lost the step, although his ability to get separations un undeniable. I where I don't think he's a number one anywhere until injuries from preseason start taking in, then maybe he will be.

Michael Marcangelo 45:32

I'm gonna say something again, now that you're hearing Matt, because I said it last time that I was on with Zach, and I hate that I say it, I hate that I think it and I think I'm thinking it into existence. I think he's going to the Chiefs. And I Yeah, no, that's a great spot for him. And he's the number one there.

SPEAKER_01 45:47

You know where he'd be good is uh the same way? No, Rams. The same way, the same way three there, but it'd be the same way that uh Ordell Beckham Jr. went there the year they won the Super Bowl. Yes, he wasn't the number one, Cooper Cup was the number one at the time. Yeah, he'd be a great number three there. And that's true. And if you're gonna be a number three on a team, would you rather be a number three in New England or with the Rams, who are now the Super Bowl favorites?

SPEAKER_00 46:13

So I think that's the thing. He seems like he'd rather do it in New England based on everything he said leaning into this preseason and into him assaulting that or allegedly assaulting that chef, which good for him. He won that case. No, she messed up her cal she messed up her calculations. Yeah, she must, yeah, she sure did. I was actually in denim the day that trial got started. It was a madhouse. It was so cool to watch everyone just standing there with jerseys on, supporting him. But yeah, I can ask you this. Isn't there is there much difference between him being the number three in LA and him being number three in New England? I think we're gonna if he's on our team, we're looking at it.

Michael Marcangelo 46:47

I think that in LA you have you get the benefit of the weather, get the benefit of always playing in the dome. Um if you get eight or nine home games, like you're like you can control the weather. I do think there's a lot of pride under with Diggs though. I think he did take a lot of pride in leading this team to Super Bowl. And I think he did. So however, go on, sorry. I was gonna say like he he wouldn't be the reason, like if he goes to the Chiefs, I think he's going to and they win the and they go to the Super Bowl. It would never be, oh Stefan Diggs brought them, right? But I would say this team was struggling the last two out of the last three years, and all of a sudden he comes in and now they're a prolific offense again. He wants to be a number one for the next two or three years because he only he's only got two or three years left on those wheels.

SPEAKER_00 47:34

Right. That's true, that is definitely true.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

But I don't think he has I think this past season proved to people in the NFL though he's still a top caliber wide receiver. I if he believes that he's a number one, like he's not, he's not gonna be vintage Steph Diggs like he was in the later days of Minnesota and early.

Michael Marcangelo 47:52

But if he can transition to being a Larry Fitzgerald at the end to where he just doesn't fucking drop anything, like he is a sure hands, he's gonna get you a first down. Fitz played 17 years in the league. Yeah. You could do that. Now, Stefan Diggs wasn't his height or whatever, there are all the differences, but if he can make that transition, I and it felt like he went from in games last year, mainly that game against Buffalo, he was the prolific Stephon Diggs that we all thought hoped that he could be all season. But for the rest of the year, he was just you knew if you threw the ball to him, he was gonna get you a first down.

SPEAKER_01 48:29

So let me let me ask you this then. If you're Steph Diggs and you want to win a championship and show that you can be the guy that catches the ball and get open, what's gonna be better, be a better situation for you to get open with uh you know one number one, number two wide receivers? Is it AJ Brown and Romeo Dobbs that are gonna allow you to get open because defenders are too busy occupying them? Or is it Puka Naku and Devontae Adams and you're the number three and you're now the third option they have to worry about?

SPEAKER_00 48:59

Or the or do you want to go and meet a full workhorse in Kansas City? Which is that's a heavy load to lift.

Michael Marcangelo 49:05

Or like maybe something that we need none of us are thinking about, and I do think you get to if everyone is healthy, you have to label them as Super Bowl, at least to to beat, to make it to the Super Bowl, to Bengals. Do you go there and be the number three option? Because they had the easiest schedule in the league. Yep. And if Joe Burrow is healthy and Jamar Chase is healthy, like I think you could have that you could be what you're talking about in LA, like you get that in Cincinnati.

SPEAKER_01 49:28

I yeah, and I think there are definitely other situations and other teams that he could go to as a and again, this is all in the context of like if he had to go to a team and be a number two or number three wide receiver, there's better options in this league outside of New England. Debatable.

SPEAKER_00 49:45

It's debatable though, because I still think we just went there and we know the path to victory, and we know now the teams gear older. And I hate LA. Um what's that hat?

SPEAKER_01 49:55

Well, yeah. You got the LA hat on, and it's like is it like because of something with the Yankees?

SPEAKER_00 50:00

Or this is the Dodgers. And I just I feel bad for the people of St. Louis. I think they got dogged, and I don't think it's fair. Same thing with San Diego. These poor cities get their franchises ripped from them because the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and I'm sick of it. Uh having said that, I the Dodgers are my LMB MLB team. But let me ask you guys this as what do you guys think as fans? Are you do you want him as number three, or do you actually think the risk of two lunatics like him and AJ Brown mixing the others that dangerous that it could be destructive?

Michael Marcangelo 50:31

Your coach was I just want to say and the scheme of what could drive a team into the ground, it feels like we navigated that pretty well last year without anybody even knowing. So I'm not worried about Vrabel's ability to keep the locker room under control. I'm not. I'm worried about a lot of other things, but that's not on the list. But we have been talking about the Rams. So perfect segue.

Rams Trade For Myles Garrett Fallout

Michael Marcangelo 50:59

Not to be outdone, Los Angeles Rams completed, I think, probably one of the most explosive uh trades in NFL history. And we've been seeing a lot of uh player-for-player trades in the NFL happening recently, which I love because we used to always just be at the tune into the MLB trade deadline, and but NFL's really stepped it up. The Browns receive Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and the Rams receive Miles fucking Garrett, and they get a little tweet or sorry, a little uh reel from Aaron Donald saying that he's still ready. So let me ask you a fucking question, Zach. If Miles Garrett is what we what he has been the last five years, does Aaron Donald come back? And if he does, does any of you left tackle want to play in the NFC West this year?

SPEAKER_01 51:48

Yeah. Look, this was a crazy, crazy trade. And I might I was mind blown when it happened. But um the thing that makes this trade interesting is Jared Verse is very good. Yeah, both teams won for what they're looking to do. Jared Verse is a very good player, and he's five years younger than Miles Garrett, and just size-wise comparison, they're both six foot four, and Miles Garrett's only 12 pounds heavier. Like, it's not boxing or UFC, like the skill sets obviously matter more, and like Miles Garrett set the sack record last year and then is just a top-tier player since Aaron Donald retired. So yeah, the Rams definitely got a hell of a player that just skyrockets them to the uh top of the Super Bowl odds favorites list there. So yeah, I would not want to be a left tackle in the NFL in general, but especially in the NFC West, uh is a tall task to take with that team. And especially if Aaron Donald is serious about coming back and playing alongside him, he looks pretty fucking serious. If he actually goes ahead and returns, that would be I mean, who's gonna stop him? Just cancel the season.

Michael Marcangelo 53:05

Just do what Junior Sayout did with the Patriots, like the last three years that he played, uh, and not what he did after. But if you just wait until the end of October or November to come back, and now you're getting arrested, Aaron Donald, to play with Miles Garrett. So let's just remove Aaron Donald from this, though. Uh Matt, how does this trade, how does it make you feel about any other team's chances to win the fucking Super Bowl if everybody stays healthy?

SPEAKER_00 53:31

Beyond the odds, I caught like Rob Lowe wearing my just NFL hat. Like, just good NFL. Way to go, NFL. You did something great. What a fair trade. I like that trade from both sides. Great GMing, great coaching, great job, boys. Having said that, everyone in that division should be really nervous. Man, you gotta play that team twice, you're gonna be in bad shape on that left side. They're gonna bulldoze. They're a dangerous team already. Already. They've got one of the MVP quarterback, quote unquote. Their wide receiver core is unbelievable. Even if is Puka would have been an MVP last year. In a vacuum. Yeah, give me my let me go.

unknown 54:05

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 54:06

The vacuum being the NFL. Vacuum are you talking about?

SPEAKER_00 54:09

The LA, the my LA hatred vacuum.

SPEAKER_01 54:12

It the vacuum is the 32 teams in the NFL. He was MVP.

Michael Marcangelo 54:18

He just turned his hat around too. Doesn't want us to keep calling him out for wearing an LA hat while shitting on L. That's his nords, though. You know, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 54:26

You know what? All right, yeah, check it. You win. You can go there with yeah. I love this trade. I think it's very exciting, and I'd love it. I want to see Seattle. I want to see how Seattle handles this as a new obstacle for them because that team's still pretty complete.

Michael Marcangelo 54:39

This also does accomplish a lot for Cleveland, who mortgaged everything on Mr. Rubintug, and now they actually have a first rounder next year. They get a good defensive player, and again, like I said in the chat, this guy's going to a team that has three possible starting and number one quarterbacks, so he's not losing in this scenario. Good point, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:03

He's going to a great situation where he'll put up a lot of stats and then finish what four and thirteen.

SPEAKER_00 55:09

So although I do hear there are some pizza places that are open until 10 p.m. in Cleveland, so that's good.

SPEAKER_01 55:15

It's pretty good. It's pretty sweet. Cleveland, hell of a I can't imagine, dude. I don't think there's anything more demoralizing as a pro athlete knowing that you're living in the city of Los Angeles and just enjoying that and be like, hey, you just got traded and it's oh shit, okay, where am I going? It's like Cleveland, Ohio. I just retired, dude. Or just a few. Or Milwaukee. I suppose. I driving Bay. Green, yeah, Green Bay, too. Yeah, Green Bay. It's well, I drove. I drove through the city of Cleveland once. It looks pretty cool, but as an athlete, if you're a football scene.

Michael Marcangelo 55:46

If you're a football player, like Green Bay, you probably get up for because that that that's in that town. That's all you that's all there is. That's true.

SPEAKER_00 55:54

You at least have that going for you. In Cleveland, all you have is a three, what, two-hour plane ride to New York, and that's the best you got. That's really it.

SPEAKER_01 56:02

I'm still sorry. I'm still trying to get over the junior stale comment.

Michael Marcangelo 56:05

So I'm not in there right now. So I there's no better time for us to wrap

Final Thoughts And Sign Off

Michael Marcangelo 56:11

it up. Boys, I really appreciated you joining. I think this is going to be a fire, fire program moving forward. Really excited to have both of you. For exact gray, for Matt Wolcox, Mike Marcando saying thank you for the point. We'll talk to you next week.