Pick'em Pros
Pick'em Pros is a father and son dynamic duo who love talking sports. Their show "Who Ya Got" features their weekly sports game picks along with commentary of fantasy sports. 13 Year old Diego Thompson is a hit as he passionately makes his points and never backs down when going head to head with his father!
Pick'em Pros
🏀 Cooper Flagg Next Face of NBA, Suns should Trade Booker, NCAA Women's Hoops Better Than Men 🔥
Catch episode 127 as we break down all the hottest storylines across the NBA, NCAA hoops, and the NFL offseason. 🏆🔥
🔥 NBA Talk
🏀 Next Face of the NBA is Cooper Flagg and it's not even close!
📉 Fixing the NBA All-Star Game & Dunk Contest
🔥 Should the Suns Trade Devin Booker?
☘️ Would Boston Be Unstoppable with Udoka?
🏀 NCAA Hoops Madness!
👀 Women’s Game vs. Men’s Game – Which is more exciting right now?
🚨 South Carolina in Trouble? UConn’s Statement Win – Are they back?
🏆 Early Picks for March Madness Champs!
🏈 NFL Offseason Drama
😲 Next Year’s Surprise Team – Who’s primed for a breakout?
💰 Bengals Spending Spree – Smart or Mistake?
🤔 Does Trading Matt Stafford Make Any Sense?
🏆 Fantasy Football Deep Dive
🔝 Who’s the #1 Pick in 2024 Fantasy?
❌ Who’s the One Player You Should NOT Draft?
🚨 ESPN’s AWFUL RB Rankings – We Break It Down!
🔥 Get in the debate!
#NBA #MarchMadness #NFLOffseason #FantasyFootball #PickemPros
Pick'em Pros is a father son duo who enjoy talking sports, debating and having fun while doing it!
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Zion ate himself out of the league, all right, and Wimby, just like most people that size, is not going to stay healthy throughout his career. So it's none of these guys. Gentlemen, it's not even close. The next face of the NBA is going to up the score. Touchdown. This is not a field goal.
Speaker 2:We, the winning team champions. When you walk through the halls, you can play spread with us, because you know we're going to win them all. Yeah, this is a major play. We do it big in a major way. Diego, be having the pick of the day. Here we come, don't care if you ready.
Speaker 1:All right, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back. You know who it is, I am Derek Thompson.
Speaker 3:And I'm Diego.
Speaker 1:Thompson. I'm C-Pain Christopher Davis. Yes, sir, and who are we Pick'em Pros? We are the Pick'em Pros coming back at you in the house with a special episode of who you Got Father-son dynamic duo and our main man, c-pain. How y'all doing on this lovely Friday evening.
Speaker 3:I'm doing good, I'm doing really good yeah just doing good Okay.
Speaker 2:How you doing C-Pain. Yeah, good, valentine's Day was good, birthday coming up in a couple weeks, so I'm excited.
Speaker 1:I'm excited, it's been good, it's been good. Birthday Still a baby. What's your turning man?
Speaker 2:23. Ironically, that's the number of a guy in Chicago.
Speaker 1:All right yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 4:I don't know if I'll say I'm celebrating the Jordan year. The Jordan year.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:I like that.
Speaker 2:I might just have to do it for the post one time. Okay, just for the one time. Just for the one time.
Speaker 1:All right, I like it. I like it, yes, yes, well, man, hey, we're going to have a fire show for you today. Tons to get into. So we got a lot to cover. A lot of NBA action.
Speaker 1:March Madness, luka does he fit in LA? He's been up and down, mainly down so far. So we're going to talk about that. The NBA All-Star Game that was last week, but we've got to give you our take on that, on how we would fix that. We've got the West Stars. Are they going to rise in the playoffs? Suns should they trade Booker? That was recently brought up. So we want to talk about that.
Speaker 1:With March Madness, we're going to go into the women. They're very exciting. A lot of parody. You've got USC. You know Juju. You got UConn. You got South Carolina. A lot of action going on there. We're going to talk about the men NFL, fantasy football, just the action packed show. So we got a ton to dive into.
Speaker 1:All right, y'all ready, I'm ready, all right. Well, thank you again everyone for checking us out. We also special thank you to Mashika and Trey. We know you watch every show. So much love to you. Thank you very much and let's get into it every show. So much love to you. Thank you very much, and let's get into it all right. Well, chris, man, um, let's start with you on this one with, uh, luca in la. Oh, yeah, does, does he? Does he for diego's rocking the throwback maverick jersey? Here is the throwback at this point, which is funny to say. But, uh, you know the lakers, they thought they had had gold right, but, like I said, when something seems too good to be true, oftentimes it is right. We said that, called that out. Yep, so, uh, but, man, cp, since this is your team, why don't you, uh, start us off, man all right not to be hyperbolic, but uh, you know, luka, he's still working himself back it.
Speaker 2:It's a little alarming that it hasn't been a real Luka Doncic game yet. The performance against the Hornets gave a lot to be desired. A lot to be desired, not going to discount that. But you know, my favorite player again having 40 points, austin Reeves having 32. Hey, we just we're like I said, I'm focused on the future. I just can't have Luka looking like this in like two to three years. I need the Luka Dodgers that we saw take the Mavericks to the finals.
Speaker 2:Now understand he's still working himself back. So you know, I'm just going to hold out optimism now. If we, like, really get towards the end of the season and he still looks like this, it's gonna. It's gonna get weird, it's not gonna be good.
Speaker 3:It's not gonna be good, okay, all right. What's your take, diego? Well, uh, I'm just saying this right now it's looking like luca is the lakers third best player right now. I'm just, I mean lebron and you got um. You got austin reeves, who dropped 32. He's been balling, so I mean I just don't think it's a great fit. You know, I just don't. I just don't. I mean he's averaging like 14. He shot five for 18 from the field against the Hornets and he didn't play the last game against the Blazers. So yeah, I just don't like the fit.
Speaker 2:You're getting small sample size. So we're going to see, we're going to see. I'm holding out hope. But uh well, like everybody's now saying, after everybody was poo poo and Nico Harrison. Now he's being called a genius at this point, even though Anthony Davis is still out for an extended period of time with that injury. I just want that to be mentioned. But we'll see, we'll see. Okay.
Speaker 1:All right, well, hey, man better hope, because we're hearing rumors. What are the rumors, diego?
Speaker 3:The rumors are that he's going to go to Denver to play with his buddy, jokic yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, oh man, that would be wild. I hope not.
Speaker 2:Oh, so now, when he goes to the Nuggets, that's when it's cool for him to drop 30. When he's off the Lakers, all of a sudden oh wait, no, he's going to suck it. He's going to suck it. It's like it's terrible, but let him get with Jokic, and all of a sudden, oh, he turns up. I hope that doesn't happen, because I feel like that would be the Lakers fans' worst nightmare. Like is Luka going to never? Not great, Not great at all.
Speaker 1:Man. Well, I tell you what. Let's move on to the next topic here. Let's move on to LeBron and the All-Star game. Okay, so got a couple of topics here as far as the All-Star game goes, because I know a lot of folks have been waiting for our take on this, so we're going to talk about how we would fix the All-Star game. Of course we're going to go into that and the dunk contest, all that. But before we go into that, diego LeBron didn't play in the All-Star game. Announced it about an hour before. There's been a lot of talk about selfish or this or that. What's your take on LeBron not playing in the All-Star game and the announcement coming out about a week before?
Speaker 3:I didn't like that. I didn't like him announcing it that late in advance, because then, if he announced it earlier, then you would have got someone to be able to take his place. It would have just been better. But yeah, I just, and you saw him come back the day of the, the day of the, when they came back from the All-Star break and he dropped like 26, and then he dropped 40. And it's the Blazers. So yeah, I don't like it. Yeah, okay, what's your take?
Speaker 2:Oh no, I think just like, ah, you know, on one hand it's like, oh, baby's ankle was feeling really bad that game. But come on, man, you could have announced it earlier. Somebody else could have gotten a deserving spot. It was a weird move and I understand that. You know he's again the aging superstar, but again, if you can drop 40 last night, just you know, put up a couple shots, man. You know it's not like you gotta, you know, go out there and like dunk the ball and go really crazy. So because again, y'all aren't gonna put an effort anyway. So why? What would even be? What would even be the point, and that's like to the greater point of the all-star game. But I'm like if y'all already did not put an effort, yanko wasn't going to feel that bad compared to like right now. So that was. I do see that criticism of LeBron. I'm like you know what? That one's valid, that one is fully valid. I do agree, it was a weird move.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, you know, I think he had a hall pass for that one. I really do. I feel that the NBA knew. I think they didn't want to announce that until right before because they didn't want to diminish the game and whatnot, but I think they were all in cahoots for that. I don't have, and I think you guys probably agree with this. I don't have a problem with him missing the game because again 20-year vet and all that, okay fine. But the missing the game because again 20 year vet and all that, okay fine, but the problem universally was more with how it was.
Speaker 1:How it was. Yeah, yeah, but I think most people put that on lebron. I'm actually gonna take up for lebron. I don't think he waited until an hour before. I think that's just how they jointly decided to message that. I think they already knew. I I doubt he waited until an hour before to just go ahead and announce that, so I have no proof of that, but that's that's my gut feeling on that. And now we see he's just played back-to-back games and it's looking amazing. So that ankle or foot or whatever I think was, was okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he just didn't want to fight. Yes, exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, okay, let's get into the fixes. I already see brandon made a suggestion, um out of the corner of my eye through the comments, that I'd have the same thing. He said uh, east versus west, let's have home court advantage in the finals, or team usa versus team world. So, and that's what I've heard a lot of people say, diego, how would you fix the All-Star game?
Speaker 3:I mean I like the format how it was now. I mean I like putting the rising stars in there because they were going to play hard and then kind of force some of the older guys to play hard. But I think USA World would be the best, because that's more of like a pride thing, sort of what you see with the nhl. They had the countries go at it and they were like fighting during the all-star game. Yeah, I think I think that's that's the best, that's the best option okay, all right.
Speaker 1:How about you see bang?
Speaker 2:I would say usa world and then bringing back the elam ending like they had and the one the first year that they had, it actually worked to perfection and just like seeing the fact that, like you're playing for your charity, you're playing for like, let's say, they're given to a global charity or one that's specifically like catered to, like fans, like it would just be really cool being able to see that.
Speaker 2:I just again, I feel like it is an effort issue, but there's no pride in the all-star game and everybody and I don't want the all-star game to turn to what the pro bowl became, because you know, the pro boy used to be like, oh, this is exciting. And now people are more so caring about the all pros and all nba instead of just actually enjoying, like, this exhibition for fans to just see their favorite players for a little weekend. So you know, I think that, yeah, that'd be that's the biggest problem with the NBA. The All-Star game is just, it's lots of pageantry. It's a nostalgia issue too, because everybody wants to go back to how it was in 2016,. But that's not how it's going to be, unfortunately.
Speaker 1:We had different cats. You had Kobe. He wasn't going to let them just come out and mess around and it's funny that everyone claims that they, you know, love Kobe so much and the Mamba mentality and all that, but nobody has the Mamba mentality.
Speaker 3:When it's time to show it, then show it Right, right.
Speaker 1:So that that's very interesting to me. I love the OGs verse, the young heads. I really liked that. I think they have been having the rising stars. I get it because that would make of course the all-stars play harder because they don't want to lose to the rising stars. But it was nostalgic to me a little bit to see the OGs on one team and then have the young guns on another. So I felt that that was pretty neat. So a couple of things I would do. I would either go east-west but let the winner get home court. Do you want to say something?
Speaker 2:Yeah, my last thing was bring a 1v1 tournament to the All-Star Game. I'm sorry, because if you watch the clips of WNBA Unrivaled and the clips they are cooking and it looks wonderful. Yes, they have unrivaled and the clips they like they are cooking and it looks wonderful. Listen, I they have to bring. It is so exciting just seeing, like all these different players and I don't want it to be like the one issue with the wmba versus. They have guards going up against biggs. Honestly, I don't see kairi versus jerry jackson like let's have kairi versus steph, let's, let's, let's get make it interesting. I think that bringing a 1v1 tournament, regardless of how NBA players might feel of just like, oh, we might get cooked or it might be embarrassing and fans might be using it against them, it's for the All-Star game. This doesn't count. This isn't like a Finals MVP at this point. It's just your pride at this point.
Speaker 1:So maybe that'll make them show up Okay. So yes, a 1v1 tournament would be amazing. That would be off the charts. Bringing the NBA back would be amazing. But, diego, is there any chance and you know what that these modern-day players are going to play 1v1 at the All-Star game? Nope.
Speaker 3:That's not going to happen. That's not going to be happening If they won't do the dunk contest.
Speaker 1:Are they going to really do 1v1?
Speaker 3:There is no way. Way now, yeah, like nationally televised for everyone to see, because you know some of these players that are top players not every top player is the best 1v1 player right, they don't want to be exposed on national tv for everyone to see. That's summertime stuff they don't again.
Speaker 1:I would love to see that you make a great point as far as how. That would be amazing. That would be game changing, that would be game-changing. There would be nothing like it. But these players, no, there is no way. I would bet all that I have.
Speaker 3:Michael Jordan and Kobe. Yeah, they would do it Right.
Speaker 1:Exactly. But no, there's no way that would happen. But yeah, I think if you have the OGs versus the Young Guns that would happen. But, um, yeah, I think if you have the ogs versus the young guns that would be intriguing and I feel that they will play harder for that money doesn't matter. They have all the money in the world, so money's not paying them more than doing anything you know. And then you could do um, usa versus the world. But I, I kind of don't really want to see that as much. I'd like to save that for the olympics. I think think, let that be special for the Olympics. I think OGs versus the young guns would be well enough. And then you got your bragging rights, and so I think that would be neat. Now the harder one, because I think that's the easier one to fix.
Speaker 1:Ironically, yeah, the dunk contest though, dude, like okay, tons of four bats. We know a lot of things that would work. But the problem is the stars just don't want to get in it. They don't want to lose, they don't want to be embarrassed, especially with McClung now winning three in a row. Shout out to him, he's been amazing. And we've got to give our flowers to Jalen Brown. He stepped in and at least participated in a dunk contest. I believe it was. Was it last year?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was last year.
Speaker 1:Gotta give him his props for that. Really appreciate that. He tried and he's a star and he participated, so I really appreciate that. But man Ja Zion, and they don't realize just how big this would be for their brand. Yeah, job wants to really come back and zion like yes, that that's the boost that they need right now, but no hope man too much.
Speaker 3:I genuinely don't know what. What would, what would need to happen? Yeah, yeah, I don't know. I don't know either. It's just, it's just up to the players at this point, like it's up to them just waking up one day and be like hey, I want to compete, there's no format that's going to make them want to do it To me, there's a finite amount of cool dunks you can do or recreate, so it's like there's nothing more.
Speaker 2:There's really nothing more you can really do, because everybody's seen the cool thing before and it's just like you know you can put your own flair and own twist to it, but you know that's a.
Speaker 1:That's a great point. However, my my pushback on that would be yes, but we would like to see the stars do those same dunks. I sign a give me Zion, give me job. Give me zion, give me ja, give me those guys. Have them. Do the dunks that jordan and dominique and all them do. I'm cool with that because they were recycled dunks. Then, hey, you had jordan. When he won the dunk contest in 88, he jumped from the free throw line twice in that same dunk.
Speaker 3:He did the same dunk twice in the dunk contest just seeing the stars do it would get the people. That's that's what it's about. Yeah, it's more about just seeing the stars do it would get the people excited.
Speaker 1:That's what it's about. It's more about just seeing the stars do it. They can do the exact same dunk, but just being able to line up Saturday night and be able to see all the stars out, that's really what a lot of that was for. But, diego, you make a great point. You change all the formats in the world. You can bring in whomever Guys got to want it. Yeah, and they're just too too comfortable right now. All right, well, let's move on to the next topic here. Uh, behind on the slides here, hold on, let me pull these up. Let's move on to the west, all right. So, um, let's stay in the nba here and let's move on to the west. Are the stars gonna rise, fellas? So as we go into the playoffs? All right, with NBA. Here we're on NBA. Are the stars going to step up and take the title this year? So, c-pain, this was actually one of your topics, so why don't you start us off on this one?
Speaker 2:So pretty much I believe that the younger cats need to have a great playoffs because I feel like at this point it's always been like the older guys are the people who are just, who've been established, dominating the playoffs. I feel like seeing a young okc team, seeing what the grizzlies are doing, seeing them, would be great for the nba. But again in the west you still got to count for the Nuggets and Jokic because unfortunately, minnesota traded away the only way to stop him. So it's like, well, if they get like a lucky couple, a lucky couple matchups, they could end up in the finals, right. So I think that the younger players really are going to step up and shine, but I still wouldn't count out Denver, and that would be my whole thing. I think that I personally want OKC or Memphis to go to the finals, but I think that I'm still worried about Denver. So I don't know.
Speaker 3:The thing is like Diego.
Speaker 1:Is it old guard or just somebody new step up?
Speaker 3:the last two years it has been like newer, newer stars. It's been we had the, had the Timberwolves and the Dallas in the conference finals in the West. Then the year before, we had Jokic make it to the finals. So it's not like LeBron and Steph and KD have been dominating really since 2022 when Steph won the chip. So I think that trend is going to continue. I think we're going to get SGA in the finals. That's what I think I won the chip. So I think that trend's going to continue. I think we're going to get SGA in the finals. That's what I think. I pick the Thunder.
Speaker 1:And a lot of people still have the Thunder. We go in there, we know the Lakers made their big trade, but a lot of people still have the Thunder. I think you both have the Thunder.
Speaker 2:I've said ad nauseum on the show I don't think the Lakers are making the finals. Y'all Listen, I'm a Lakers. You sure I'm a Lakers and a LeBron fan, but I'm realistic. That's not happening.
Speaker 4:That's not happening, all right.
Speaker 2:If we do, hooray, but let us play Denver without having guard play. And then Jamal Murray decided to randomly be like, hey, I will be turned up versus this team but, I'm terrible versus everybody else.
Speaker 3:Diego, do you believe C-Pain? I think when the time comes up and they start playing better, I think you're going to end up picking him. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Let him get out of the first round, then he's going to start getting excited. I might Just like Lamar this is the same man that about week 13, 14 said, oh yeah, lamar, nope, nope, no MVP. Then about week 13, 14 and said, ah yeah, lamar, nope, nope, no MVP. Then about week 15, 16.
Speaker 4:Oh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, man.
Speaker 2:I don't know, I don't know. I was like listen, listen, josh Allen just beat the Lions at that point. I was like what am I going to do? I had nothing.
Speaker 1:I had nothing. It's going to be too good to you, man. You're not going to be able to resist. Well, let's talk about this again. Stay on the NBA. Since we're on this topic, I think this is the perfect time to talk about the next face of the NBA. Next face of the NBA. So, diego, who is going to be the next face? Wimby just got hurt. We're scrambling, lebron and Steph are still the face. Who is going to be the next face of the NBA?
Speaker 3:I think Wimby is going to be okay. I just think this is really all just a tank for him to get Cooper flagged. So I think Wimby is going to still be in the mix. I think the number one guy is going to be my guy SGA. I think SGA will be the face of the NBA. Guy is going to be my guy SGA. I think SGA will be the face of the NBA.
Speaker 1:How many years has SGA been in the league?
Speaker 3:Isn't he like 26? Something like that 27.
Speaker 1:That might be unprecedented for a 7th year. And then you're talking maybe 8th, 9th year.
Speaker 3:These young guys have been around for so long. They've delayed everybody else.
Speaker 1:That's a great point. They have delayed it.
Speaker 3:It's kind of their fault.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it may be unprecedented. We may have for the first time somebody because normally face person takes over maybe their fourth year, fifth year, sixth year. So it's a little late, but this is unprecedented. We've got guys playing into their 40s, so it's different. Now what do you say, c-pain?
Speaker 2:I would say SGA and I don't know. I think I think again, like Diego said, the whole issue is the older players are still here and they still seem to look like versions of themselves. Like very decent versions of themselves. It's not like a fall-off where immediately it became LeBron and Steph in the faces.
Speaker 2:But like I don't know, I think that even still Jason Tatum I don't know, because of the Celtics and you know people hating the Celtics that's not going to be great to push for in the face. Giannis, I thought was going to be the face after that finals run. Honestly, the great story of hey, this great kid who came from nothing all of a sudden has a 50-point finals performance, hits all his free throws after everybody was trolling him that whole playoff series, that is true. So I mean, mean, I thought that was gonna happen, that didn't happen. Yokich, everybody's gonna be like, oh well, his game's not boring until listen, until you actually face that man of the playoffs and see him decimate your team.
Speaker 2:That game like not even to be a hater, his game is actually pretty exciting if you really look at oh yeah, I agree. And then anthony edwards, he seems to be shying away from it. So I think that really it should be SGA, because again, younger team OKC's fan base again is rabid and they're so passionate. So I think that, yeah, it should be SGA.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right. Yep, I want to hear my take. Yeah, sure, all right. Next face of the NBA SGA is just his got the most.
Speaker 3:Or in the league Just does man like.
Speaker 1:SGA. His game is silky smooth, but that's not the face of the NBA. Ant-man got punked in the Western Conference finals by Luka, so we can never unsee that. And he clearly doesn't want to be the face because of all of his off-the-court stuff, baby mama, so he don't want to be it. Luka is drinking too much beer to be the face of the NBA, so the Mavs even gave up on him. Zion ate himself out of the league, all right, and Wimby, just like most people that size, is not going to stay healthy throughout his career. So it's none of these guys, gentlemen, it's not even close. The next face of the NBA is going to be Cooper Flagg. Wow, not even close. Come on, okay, yes, he will be the face of the NBA, yeah.
Speaker 3:That's my take on that man. I would love that I didn't even think about that he's still a dude.
Speaker 1:I actually like that take, I like that take. He will be the next face of the NBA.
Speaker 2:I did not think you'd do that. I'm not thinking that the NBA and how the WNBA reacted when a certain superstar in Iowa came in. And it will be the same. You might be honest, it will be the same.
Speaker 1:It will be the same reaction. It's going to be the same thing.
Speaker 3:It will be outrage and whatever.
Speaker 1:But hey, you might as well get used to it, because he will have the charisma, he has the game and give him a couple years. I feel that he will be the next face of the NBA.
Speaker 2:Hey, no, you cooked with that one. That was really unexpected.
Speaker 3:I was just thinking about it as you were talking.
Speaker 1:As you were about to say it. I'm like he's about to say to the flag as I ended it, you knew where? I was going.
Speaker 4:I didn't expect that at all. That's great yeah.
Speaker 1:Maybe that'll be like my Dion to Baltimore take. We'll see. All right, another interesting take. Oh, let me see. Let me see the comment up there, because that may have been relevant to the face. Was that relevant to the face? So SGA soft-spoken light. Tatum Cooper, vlad, larry Bird, 80s all over again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I can say SGA again, love his game, but it just, you know people aren't tuning in in droves to see SGA. Great player Deserves to be MVP Again. Two things could be true he could be a phenomenal player and also not eligible to be face of the NBA. And I just don't think he's face of the NBA.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm going to give you flowers. You're right on that one.
Speaker 1:You're right Appreciate that fellas All right. Well, let's move on. This would be, oh man, controversial. I started not to bring this topic up because I'll actually be in Phoenix next week at a Suns game. So I'm like man, if they see this one, they might run me out of the stadium. But hey, take integrity. This is something that's been on my mind, so I want to get your take on it. So, phoenix Suns okay, they are. Are they even in the play-in at this point?
Speaker 3:Are they like 11? They're 11. They're 26 and 29.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, have been underachieving like crazy, and you know KD's on the trading block. They've been trying to trade Bradley Beal. They will make all these radical moves, traded their entire bench to get a 34-year-old KD coming off of an Achilles and major injuries, and all that. They will do everything but move the untouchable Devin Booker. Is it time that the Suns consider trading Devin Booker?
Speaker 3:Diego. The thing is they made it to the finals with Devin Booker. I don't think that's the mood. They had a finals team and then they traded all the key role players Chris Paul, deandre Ayton, mikael Bridges, everybody in that finals team to get Achilles-torn Kevin Durant yes. So, I think they need to trade Kevin Durant. I don't think they need to trade Devin Booker, because the KD has not worked. They've gone to the finals with Booker. They can win with him. Kevin Durant is not working.
Speaker 1:But can they at this point I?
Speaker 3:don't know if they can Can you build with what Booker's making.
Speaker 1:Can Booker be the number two? Yeah, okay, we know he can't be the number one on the championship team.
Speaker 3:He almost was. Can Booker be the number two? I think he can. Yeah, Okay, and he almost was. I mean, Jamal Murray was the number two. Andrew Wiggins was the number two on the champ. It's about the entire roster construction.
Speaker 2:Okay, entire roster construction, okay, okay, okay, love you take. What do you say? Yeah, I agree, you can't let your all-time franchise leader ian again. When y'all were in the pits he was the one thing that everybody looked at the cells. It's like, oh, this is shining. Look at this shining example of like greatness. And then you know, come playoff time again, you see, like during the, this whole time with katie, it has not been great, it's not, it's been very unfortunate. I mean, getting swept, that was that was ridiculous.
Speaker 2:And I think that, just as a fan of devin booker, I wouldn't want to leave a place that you've like, obviously, like you've been stamped and again, because you want to be like your idol kobe, you're gonna want to, you know, stay where you, where your love is supported. But again, we've seen how crazy this nba is and we thought a franchise cornerstone who would never get traded is now on my team. So it's like, with the reality of the nba, something. I hope the gm is not stupid enough to do that, but we've seen crazier stuff. So I, at least I hope he stays in phoenix. I hope that they figure out a way to get get katie on another team so that he can have a team that is built around him. But again, the west has gotten so good at this point where you're gonna need like a real big star in order to help you out.
Speaker 1:Okay, we'll see. So you guys both say keep booker, which you know I understand. Again, that's a controversial topic. Everybody doesn't have the you know what like dallas to say nah, you know what, I don't care, you took us, I don't care that you took us to the finals. This still isn't going to work. We're going to make a bold move and actually get to the finals luca was like her and there was a bunch of other stuff with them.
Speaker 1:I think Okay, and so was Booker. Those hamstrings got chronic hammy issues. I mean again the Mavs everybody thought they were crazy when they let Steve Nash go and then Steve Nash almost took. He won back-to-back MVPs in Phoenix after that and almost took them to the finals. And then about a year or so later Mavs came around and won the title and proved to be right.
Speaker 1:So I think sometimes you have to make that move and, like I saw Brandon put in the comments, man, I personally think the Suns need to blow it up and they can't keep half doing it. And so okay, oh, kd, all these other guys, you're half doing it. And so okay, oh, kd, all these other guys, you're half doing it. I think they need to focus. Do you know what they would get for Booker If they really auctioned him? What they would get? So I personally again love Booker, know he's been a staple in that community. It would hurt. Fans would be mad for a little bit for sure, but for a little bit for sure. But I personally think it's time, while his value is still high, I think I would actually trade Book.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be a rough time for you in that stadium dog, I'll see y'all next. Friday I'll be there.
Speaker 1:Pick a pros, find me, all right, all right, okay. All right. Well, let's move on to the next one. Oh man, we got a good one here. Here we go For all my Boston fans. We've been on the NBA for a while here. All right, boston fans. So, diego, you know how we feel about you. Doka, oh yeah, let's take away the other. You know infidelities and whatnot, but he was an amazing coach. We see what he has done with the Houston Rockets and has them at the top of the league. Who in the world thought?
Speaker 3:even you, you went out on the limb. I had him in the plane. Yeah, you had them in the plane.
Speaker 1:You guys didn't even have him anywhere close to the plane, and we were losing our minds, but here it is. They were as high as three at one point.
Speaker 3:Where are they now? I think they're still in.
Speaker 1:I think they're four or five.
Speaker 3:Okay, so you don't is clearly an amazing coach. What would the celtics be if they still had you doka man? They still had to do. I mean, curry was winning that championship regardless. The next year I think they would have won.
Speaker 3:They probably would have been the braining back-to-back champion yeah, I think they would have won the year denver won, they'd probably be about to get a three p like, because tatum wasn't taking, he wouldn't be letting that stuff fly, all them crazy shots and all that stuff. And with this roster, because they had Porzingis was Robert Williams, they had Drew Holiday was Marcus Smart. Yes, and they almost won with that team. If they didn't face Curry, they would have won the championship. Yeah, what's your take, man have?
Speaker 1:won the championship. Yep, yeah, what's your take, man?
Speaker 2:Hey man, that man fumbled me along. I do not trust him as far as I can throw him. I'm so serious. Listen, we could exist in a world of what a shit it could have been. And, mind you, you were up 2-1 on the Warriors, like if you would have won the championship. You could have beat him when Steph really didn't have that good of a team around him and you didn't. So at this point, hey, you know, shout out to him in Houston. Maybe he's good for younger, established players. I like what Joe Mizzola is doing. I like the whole mad scientist vibe he gives.
Speaker 1:So you know we're going to see he's just getting carried Is he a mad scientist or is he just weird carried? Is he a mad scientist or is he just weird? I ain't just weird, I ain't getting carried too. Everybody that's weird is not a genius Warriors let me tell you something.
Speaker 3:If the Warriors get to the finals, I am picking them all day long because we all know Curry is the Celtics owner. He owns them, no doubt. And then Jimmy Butler carried the Heat to two finals and beat the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals on a route to those two finals. So we have both of the guys the Celtics don't want to face.
Speaker 2:True, but again we're going to act like Steve Kerr wasn't carried by talent for a good little while. I mean, there was literally a game where Golden State coached themselves during that dynasty run. There was a whole game where they were like oh yeah, we're just going to call plays.
Speaker 3:What are we doing? Man Mozilla just sits there and gets carried. He does.
Speaker 1:So, diego, we'll touch on this and then we're going to move on to the NCAA women in a second. But as far as the Warriors, I kind of agree with you. I would say as long as they don't face the Mavs. I think the Mavs they have a healthy I know you're looking weird but AD, the Mavs with AD and all that size, I don't think the Warriors, that's the team that would give them the most problems. I think that's the team that would give them the most problems. I think that's the team that would give them the most problems If the Mavs can get knocked out by somebody else or AD just continues to be hurt. If the Warriors find their way in the finals, I could see them beating the other teams in the West. But if the Mavs are fully healthy, I think that's an awful matchup, just size-wise.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think the Mavs have what it takes. It's just a matter of them getting the seeding Right If they face the Nuggets in the first round. It's going to be hard, yeah, but yeah, it's all about matchups for the Mavs and the Warriors. I think. For sure, for sure, yep.
Speaker 1:All right, ooh, ooh, okay. Well, let's move on to the Excited about March Madness here, man. So a lot of great stuff coming up. So, yeah, we're starting with the women first, because I'm going to tell you I'm more hyped for the women's March Madness than I am the men. It is so compelling between USC and Juju UConn, south Carolina, notre Dame is number one Like it's crazy right now. So I'm really, really excited about this. As a matter of fact, we're going to go catch Notre Dame versus NC State on Sunday, so I'm super excited about that. But, diego man, would you say that the women's game is more fun to watch, or are they more dominant right now than the men as far as college?
Speaker 3:I would say so just because of all the matchups the players are returning, so you know the players better. Right and college. This is a very great freshman class for college basketball. There are a lot of great players, but some people don't know them as much because they don't follow the high school game as much, right, but with these players. You've seen Paige, you've seen Juju. They played in the tournament last year, so it just has great storylines.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I definitely agree. I agree with that. You got anything on that?
Speaker 2:Definitely. I think that these games are so exciting and so riveting. I mean I remember in the last year watching that whole conference run and again South Carolina's dominance, like we really got to talk about Don Salia as one of the greatest coaches period in sports history, but across all sports it doesn't mean not just women's sports, all sports Like that's just pure dominance. But when it comes to the excitement for the games, like that LSU-Iowa game last year, felt like I was watching and it felt like NBA playoffs day near the finals. We're just watching like how great, that great of a game that was. And again seeing how well Juju's been playing, paige and UConn still doing their thing, I, yeah, I want to see Paige go out with a bang. Personally she's been one of my favorite players for a good while. But you know we're going to see, we're going to see.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we definitely will see. It's exciting. It's old school men's NCAA is what it is. It reminds you of Leitner Hurley, fab Five, all these different rivalries and whatnot. It's definitely that. And again, like Brandon said in the comments, just having the stars there three, four years, it's just math. You get to know the players. So when you have an emotional investment in the players, it just makes it makes it more exciting. So that's a huge advantage that they have. So, moving on to South Carolina, they've taken a couple of recent L's. Again. You're not going to find a bigger Dawn Staley fan than myself. We recently filmed a interview with Brianna where she interviewed us. We'll be putting that out pretty soon. Shout out to Brianna, looking forward to having you back on Bri and a lot of your interviews that are coming up. Bri, in that I said when she asked us who would be the number one person that we would like to have on the show, I said Don Staley, hands down. That's like idolized Don. But with that said, diego, is South Carolina in trouble taking some bad L's.
Speaker 3:I mean I think they're in trouble taking a few L's, but I don't think they're in too much trouble because of the experience they have. But I do think they need to get it together so they can get a high seed, because there are a lot of good teams. Yeah, so if they don't get a number one seed then they could be in for an elite eight type loss.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the number one seed is in in jeopardy, I would. I would say that I'm, I'm, I'm a ride with Dawn. You know in this for sure what I like. I do like the controversy and I like the losses. Now I'm happy that it's not like undefeated running the table.
Speaker 1:I think with this particular team, if they had found a way to go undefeated I think they would be in trouble when it came to the tournament. Now that they've had some losses, even you could say an embarrassing blowout loss at home, I feel that could work in their favor for the tournament. You know she's going to have them ready and they have an amazing scouting department. Remember Dawn Staley, when they beat UConn, she gave all the credit to her scout team for having the perfect game plan for them when they faced them. So I think they'll be ready and they'll have something cooking. Okay, all right, all right. So let's move on to UConn Diego. So UConn has had some big, big wins here. Again, a blowout win against South Carolina. That was a shock. You know people aren't surprised that they won, but the way they won was definitely surprising. You know Geno's a legendary coach and UConn is, I mean. They had an amazing performance last year to get, you know, knocked out of that tournament. But Diego is UConn, can they win it all this year?
Speaker 3:I think they can, because they got Paige, who's one of the best players in college basketball, and now they got that signature win. Now, because they lost to a few of the top teams, but now they beat a good team and I think that's big for them, big for their confidence also.
Speaker 1:And they're very experienced. So who's your pick? You know we've got. We're what. Yeah, we're four weeks away because our March Madness show at Kings is four weeks from tomorrow, which we'll be talking about that more a little later, but yeah, tournament is about four weeks away. Got conference tournaments in about three weeks, two and a half weeks. So, as of right now, who would you pick to win the championship? I would pick Notre Dame. Notre Dame.
Speaker 3:okay, I mean they've beaten five of the top 12 teams. They've beaten number four USC, UConn, UNC, Duke, Texas. They've beaten about everybody, so I think it's easily them Okay okay.
Speaker 1:Hey, we get to see them in person on Sunday, so can't wait to see that. I guess they're a great team because I mean, nc State women are always good and they're right at 12. They've been top 10 a lot of the year, so excited to see that. Yeah, as of right now, man, again I'm going to ride with South Carolina man. I think Dawn Staley and the team they find a way to pull it off. So it's going to be fun and I think it'll also be. It'll be fun to watch them as the underdog. They'll be the underdog. They're not used to that. I think that'll be a different, a whole different sense of motivation, so that'll be fun to watch, all right. Well, let's move on to the men here, ncaa men. Let's dive into this. All right, diego. So, man, we got Cooper Flagg, we got, you know, bama.
Speaker 1:Auburn all these teams. Yes, that's right, the next face of the NBA, cooper Flagg. You heard it here first. All right, but what's the best conference? So a lot of people before you go into it. We know a lot of folks are watching the show and, admittedly, probably haven't even really started digging into college yet. They're going to start digging into it about, you know, two weeks from now and they'll start to kind of do their research in preparation for their brackets and we will have a bracket challenge. Yes, you know Pick'em Pros is going to have a bracket challenge, so that'll be out. The bracket platforms aren't ready yet, but I want to. If Sleeper has it, I want to use the Sleeper app this year. So I think that's the one that we'll we'll use for our March Madness. But you know we're going to do probably a sneaker giveaway or something like that. We'll have a women's challenge and a men's challenge, so excited about that. But, diego, what's the best conference in the NCAA for the men right now?
Speaker 3:And the best conference? Definitely the SEC. I mean, they got nine ranked teams and four of those teams are in the top six.
Speaker 1:So it's loaded, loaded with guys, um, loaded with teams gracious, okay, yeah, we see brandon put that in as well. Except for men and women, sec, okay, wow, all right. So who? Who are your sleeper teams?
Speaker 3:and my sleeper teams. I got kentucky. Uh, the 17th team in the country. Okay, I mean, they've beaten eight ranked teams this year. They beat. They beat duke, okay, they beat. They beat who's number three? They beat. Florida was number two. They beat. Bamu is number four. Like, they beat a lot of top teams. They just don't and they play in the top conference, they play in the sec. Their record they're 17 and eight, so they don't have the best record, but they've beaten a lot of top teams and I think that they are the top sleeper.
Speaker 1:Okay, got them as your top sleeper, all right. Well, what about your pick to win it? So we know you love Duke, so are you going to be a homer, or are you actually going to be an analyst and kind of look at some of these other teams and pick someone other than duke? Because you've picked duke, I think, every single year since?
Speaker 3:we've been doing this.
Speaker 1:I've only picked him one time one time when I picked him when they went to the final four.
Speaker 3:Uh, with paulo. When they had paulo, they lost to unc who'd you pick last year? Last year I picked um, I picked yukon did you?
Speaker 1:yeah, I don't know about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I picked UConn Because UConn actually won it.
Speaker 1:I don't remember you picking it too, I picked. Uconn, Did you?
Speaker 3:Yes, I did All right we need a fact check on that.
Speaker 1:Brandon did Diego pick UConn.
Speaker 2:We need a fact check on that.
Speaker 1:Summer. We need a fact Houston. So I love their defense, the way they play.
Speaker 3:You're an analyst man, I actually analyze.
Speaker 1:Oh man, well, I'm an analyst Dude. That defense is. They've had some great wins, so it's funny I would pick Houston as the sleeper and the team to win it.
Speaker 3:They're the number five team in the country. That's not a sleeper? Yeah, but they're still a sleeper in the country. That's not a sleeper?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but they're still a sleeper they might be a one seed A one seed is not a sleeper, but still, who's picking Houston to win the championship? Nobody but me.
Speaker 3:Have you looked at the rankings? Who people have?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but they're still a sleeper. They're still a sleeper because they lost Sheed. They lost so much coming into this year that nobody had. Houston on their radar. They are a sleeper and my pick as it stands right now. I haven't made my official bracket. I know y'all are waiting big suspense for that. When I make that release that, we will definitely let you know.
Speaker 3:I didn't even make my official pick. I have Duke, obviously, and Cooper Flagg. I win the MVP or whatever. Okay, college MVP is.
Speaker 1:We're going to see. We're going to see. All right, okay, let's read what Brandon's got here. So men's Final Four Auburn, alabama, duke, iowa State. Women's got Notre Dame, uconn, south Carolina, ucla. All right, okay, we're going to see that. And, brandon, we're going to see you at the end for the Brandon Minute, although it's extended. So we'll see you for a couple of minutes here.
Speaker 1:Brandon, can't wait to get your wrap-up on our show. Put the bow on it, real, real, nice, all right, yes, yes, yes, okay, all right. So let's move on. We are going to move into the NFL, into the NFL, the NFL, and we'll bring C-Pain back in here as we're going to talk NFL, and then we'll finish up with fantasy football. So those are the two things that we're going to touch on with the last 10 minutes or so that we have on the show, and again, we're going to plug our King show. Let me go ahead and plug this now. So we are so excited.
Speaker 1:Four weeks from tomorrow we will be at Kings, we'll be in the beginning of March Madness. So here in Raleigh, north Carolina, we're hosting rounds one and two of the NCAA tournament, and Pick'em Pros has a box at the tournament. So first of all that Saturday, march 22nd, we will have a show at Kings and tickets will be available tomorrow. Yes, their tickets, but they will be free. The tickets are just to claim your seat, to be able to be in the venue to watch it. So you have to claim it because there's limited space and we are going to have an amazing guest list for you. The first guest that we are going to announce right now is going to be a legend All right, a legend.
Speaker 1:Miss Dolores D Todd. She is a legend. She was an assistant ACC commissioner. She was a coach for Georgia Tech, coach for Northwestern has broken so many barriers for women, people of color. She's done so much and we're so proud of her. She's local here in the area. We can't wait to have her on and give her her flyers there at Kings with the big audience. We cannot wait.
Speaker 1:And also just hear the story of how she graced the cover of Corn Flakes back in the day. So just amazing. I had lunch with her recently and we can't wait. And super special here because her name Dolores that's my grandmother's name and then D that's what my mom goes by. So there's so much and there's so many other ties to Winston-Salem State with my wife and everything. So she is amazing. So we cannot wait to have her on the show, super excited about that.
Speaker 1:So I wanted to plug that. But you can claim your seat tomorrow. We will make that available. To claim your seats. We have about 50 spots available to be able to actually sit there in the room with us and meet and greet and also get a raffle ticket. So this is the other thing. We will be raffling off tickets to round two of the NCAA tournament, which will be that next day, but you have to be there to win. So you have to claim a seat. Be there and we will raffle off a ticket and we will see who gets to join us in the box the very next day. So you'll hear much more about that. So I wanted to plug that, all right.
Speaker 1:So let's get into the NFL here. All right, we've got. Let's get into our surprise teams. I'm assuming you guys are going to be homers, but we'll see if you do any analysis on this. So NFL we know the Commanders were the surprise team last year. There's always a team that nobody sees coming, that shocks the world and goes far. Who's going to be the surprise team or teams next year?
Speaker 3:No, there's only going to be one surprise team. That's going to be the Carolina Panthers. The Carolina Panthers will be the surprise team. We have a legit quarterback in Bryce Young. He's put up the tape, he's put up the numbers and everybody's seen it. He played amazing against the two Super Bowl teams. He put a 98-yard game-winning drive together in Philly against the Eagles. Then Xavier Leguette sold touchdown. That's okay. Then against the Chiefs, he had he played really well. He only lost by a field goal, or however many they lost by a field goal. I think he's just been playing great against a lot of great teams. You got Chuba Hubbard, we got a top running back, we got a solid receiving core, a lot of young talent and good coaching, too good coaching, too Good coaching, dave Canales. Okay, I just think. A few more pieces and we can be a Super Bowl contender. Is he going to get benched this year? No, because he got. I'm telling you that he got benched and that reignited a new version of Bryce Young. Okay.
Speaker 1:But I mean again, if that's what ignites him, that might be me Maybe week five, week six maybe we bench him for a couple of weeks just to get him pumped up.
Speaker 3:Maybe that's the way he's already pumped up, he's already Okay, so no, no, I've been benched already, so now he's out of the way.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's either way. So see pain before I give it to you. Shout out to cousin Yvette Thank you for watching the show. Much love. Thank you so happy to have you. Thank you for watching us. All right, love you.
Speaker 2:Okay, c pain well, it goes without saying. I'm gonna talk about the panthers, but diego already did on the analysis. But I actually have a different team. I have the bears. I think that ben johnson can if that offensive line it's fixed in the offseason.
Speaker 2:I think Ben Johnson, his creativity and him wanting to prove a point, plus the whole being in division he's in the same division as his old team I think those games could get very exciting Again. The Bears would have won that game on Thanksgiving had Eberflus called that timeout. Hopefully Ben Johnson learns from that mistake and again they have great skill positions they have. They just don't have the offensive line. That defense still performed very well under less than optimal conditions with very poor coaching. I think ben johnson could. I think he has a chance to have a dan quinn type season as a coach next year. So I'm actually picking the bears to be one of the surprise teams. The nfc again pay their. I think he has a chance to have a Dan Quinn type season as a coach next year. So I'm actually picking the Bears to be one of the surprise teams of the NFC Again. Panthers Homer, of course I'm going to choose the Panthers, but my other team I would look out for Chicago. I think that they could make some noise.
Speaker 1:Okay, all right, I like that. Yeah, I like that. I think they'll definitely definitely do that. My only argument would would they really be a sleeper team? So I know they had. You know, their record clearly says they'd be a sleeper team. But with the pieces that they have in Ben Johnson, I mean, some people even had them going deep into the playoffs. This year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like Nick Wright had them going Super Bowl Right exactly. So they had a very disappointing year. So did they play more of their capabilities? But again, I get it. You know, record-wise you could say that. So yeah, yeah, it's interesting. I, you know, I'm going to go on a far limb on y'all, you know, as I do sometimes Again, and this was as crazy as somebody saying the Commanders were the surprise team. You would have thought they were crazy. I'm going to go ahead and say the Arizona Cardinals thought they were crazy. I'm going to go ahead and say the Arizona Cardinals, arizona Cardinals are going to be my sleeper team. I'll see y'all, so maybe I can get some points. So don't be mad at me for trading Devin Booker away because I got the Arizona Cardinals making a run and going to the playoffs. So I'm going to say Arizona Cardinals.
Speaker 3:I mean it's not bad. I mean they got Kyler, they got Connor. I'm going to say Arizona Cardinals. I mean it's not bad. I mean they got Kyler.
Speaker 1:They got Connor, they got Kyler.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they got some pieces. They got Marvin. They got Maserati Marv, they got some pieces.
Speaker 1:Yes, they got some pieces and we're going to have some of the Cardinals on the show. Bree's going to be interviewing them in the next few weeks. So much love to the Saints. Yeah, yes, now you know what I'm not mad at that. I started to say the Saints actually Especially. No, no, no.
Speaker 2:No, because you guys are forgetting. No, they're starting, even as a homer.
Speaker 3:No, the Cowboy Curse, cowboy Curse. They have a Panther that's going to be in their way. They have a Pantherther that's gonna be in their way. I have a panther, it's gonna be in their way. Man who panthers? Carolina panthers first down okay, we got laguette.
Speaker 1:All right, did he get his wrist surgery? Did he have surgery on?
Speaker 2:the car moves you all right, that's did got his wrist surgery. He gonna be fine he gonna fix the.
Speaker 3:McGann got his wrist surgery. He's going to be fine, he's going to fix the drops.
Speaker 1:He got his wrist surgery, but hold on, he got his surgery Okay.
Speaker 2:We are really believing in Derek Hart and that whole organization. After again two weeks we were literally two weeks Call them Super Bowl contenders. What happened? They lost seven straight. They even lost to us, but we still didn't even know that we had. We were even audible.
Speaker 3:That was bryce.
Speaker 1:After the bench, y'all picked the same y'all, y'all were on the saints after they were two yeah, I'm not letting that fool's gonna happen again.
Speaker 2:That ain't happening, that's not happening.
Speaker 1:all right, all right, well, let's. Let's move on. Here got a, a couple left, the Cincinnati Bengals, so still on the NFL. So now we hear they are looking to sign Higgins, sign Chase, sign one of their defensive stars. Okay, on the surface sounds great because they have been a notoriously cheap organization, so sounds great. But is this the wrong time for them to all of a sudden spin and are they going to handcuff themselves by having all this money tied into four or five players? Should they actually sign T Higgins and do some of these moves that?
Speaker 3:they need to get rid of T Higgins so he can land on the Panthers and they need to spend some money on a line. That's what they need to do. They just need to get Burrow and O-line and no, some money on an O-line. That's what they need to do. They just need to get Burrow and O-line, not even O-line Defense Defense, man Defense is the number one thing.
Speaker 3:Their defense is horrible Defense. If they have any more money, they can pay an O-line. They need to pay Chase, but not Higgins. No, they can't do it. What do you say?
Speaker 2:I would say keep Hendrickson and Chase, because I mean that's a triple crown wide receiver. If you don't play that man, that's just that's horrible.
Speaker 4:That's horrible.
Speaker 2:Again, trey Hendrickson being the sack leader, like you know, he was the shining spot on a future defense. I mean, shoot Andy Dalton, let him up. And you know, shout out to Andy Dalton though.
Speaker 3:He's not bad man. He's not bad.
Speaker 2:But you know Andy Dalton lining you up and every other quarterback just going crazy, that's not great, that does not bode well. And plus, you know, cincinnati is one of those teams where everybody said if they snuck into the playoffs they could have went on a run, because everybody was afraid of Joe Burrow and Jamar at that point in time in the season. So yeah, they just need defensive pieces, man. So I think you gotta let T walk.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I'm a big fan of T Higgins. Now, I mean, after seeing his performance in those last couple of games, I mean he has to have some of the strongest hands in the league with some of those catches that, yeah, that he made. So I mean would love to see him there. But then okay, you've got the same team that you had last year.
Speaker 3:You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:So I feel that they need to improve the roster. Uh, draft, draft the receiver, you know, bring in some uh defensive help, because the defensive side is what? What let them down. So they definitely need to improve on that side of the ball. All right, well, let's move on. Uh to matt stafford. So we hear the rumors that the rams may be looking to move on from stafford. Is that a good or a bad move if they, if they do that?
Speaker 3:I mean, you have a top five quarterback in the league. You're not going to get a quarterback better than him on the open market. So I don't see the point. And you don't have like a top, like 15. You don't have a top graphic, so it doesn't make any sense, right?
Speaker 2:My whole thing is, the only two quarterbacks Sean McVay has worked with are Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, and the reason why they got rid of Jared Goff is because McVay was like I need him because he plays exactly how I need my system to work. So what is the point of even considering trading that away? Plus, philly fans literally said that hey, I didn't think we would win the Super Bowl after that Puka-Nikua catch and that throw from Stafford, if Jalen Carter did not show up towards the end of that drive. Jalen Carter did not show up towards the end of that drive. So like y'all are literally like on the doorstep of beating the team that won the Super Bowl and you're going to trade away the quarterback that gave you the best chance to do that. That's just, that's asinine to me. That makes no sense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I agree, I also have Matt Stafford as the fifth best quarterback right now and I would not Matt Stafford as the fifth best quarterback right now and I would not trade Stafford. I think they need to keep him. They've got something good going and they are one of the few teams that match up very well with the Eagles and with the additional moves they're going to make on the defensive side, they can make a run. So the Rams look good. So I would not make that move, all right, well, let's move on to our final segment here Overall fantasy football.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, we are far away from that, but there's a couple of things that stood out to us that we wanted to cover here, as we're going to be off for a couple of weeks and wanted to tie in to these few topics here. So and we know a lot of you are fantasy football gurus and lovers and we can't wait for our season. That was amazing last year. Shout out to David Cook. We'll have him on as the fantasy season actually nears. He has the first ever Thompson trophy. It is huge, in typical Thompson fashion. So he'll bring that on the show and we'll show that off. So we can't wait to see you, david Cook, on that. But, diego, as of right now, who would you draft number one in fantasy?
Speaker 3:So you know a lot of people would say Jamar Chase, and that's a good pick, but the top receiver or the top person every year hasn't come back as the top player the next year. That's true. Justin Jefferson, when he was the top player, he wasn't the top player. The next year, Tyreek Hill he wasn't the top player. This year, Jamar Chase he's about to get the bag, so he's not going to be the top player. This next year. I'm going to go with Amon Arrah. Amon Ra, Amon Ra. He's on a good team. He's got a good receiving core with him. He never gets hurt and I think that he's just reliable.
Speaker 1:Okay, reliable, okay, okay. Well, that is very important. For that, that first pick you have to get somebody that is going to be productive and that's going to stay healthy the whole year. So it was miraculous that Silas in our league he had the number one pick, pick McCaffrey got to the championship game but just did not have enough firepower because of that pick. So that definitely rang true there. But, okay, good, take there. What would you say? C-pain? Who would you take number one Dude? Are you playing in our league, man? Are you going to step up and be in our league?
Speaker 2:I'm stepping up and playing in y'all's league.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Get some new fresh blood in there. Let me see if I can get a thompson in my rookie season with y'all oh, okay, I'll see it all right, so I'm actually gonna go with my other favorite detroit line.
Speaker 2:I'm going with jameer gibbs that man carried my fantasy team from the pits from literally what I thought my season was over. It was terrible. He just again four straight weeks of just dominance. Again, the whole having to share carries with David Montgomery might make people weary, but again, Jameer Gibbs is a special talent. You know he's going to get his touchdowns, he's going to get his yards, especially with receiving as well. I think Jameer Gibbs would definitely be my first pick.
Speaker 3:I think having David Montgomery actually helps Jameer Gibbs. He's good at preventing hitters. You know, first pick. I think having David Montgomery actually helps Jameer Gibbs get prevention. You know, taking some of the hard hits that like Saquon's and the other backs do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah I don't know A lot of people. I see Brandon had a Saquon or Justin Jefferson there. So I think I think, going into it, all the fancy football magazines are going to have Saquon on the cover. I think he'll be the consensus number one pick. That scares me, you know. Taking a back number one I'm leery of. I'd rather have a receiver number one. Chase clearly will be the number one receiver going in.
Speaker 1:I like Tyreek. Actually I think Tyreek, coming off of such a disappointing year, he should have a huge bounce back season. So I think he would be a big surprise and make a lot of noise. So I've got my eyes on him right now. I think my eyes on him Now. Hopefully, again, if you don't have the number one pick and you're picking a little later, he might slip a little bit. So he's my player to watch. That you can probably get a little later. Just because of how the season went, they would probably have an explosive year. So I I've got my eyes, I got my eyes on him, so we'll, we'll see. All right, can't wait for that. All right, now. Who's the do not draft? Who would you now? But it has got to be somebody good, ok, so it can't be. I don't draft, I can't even think of somebody, but yeah, it has to be somebody that most people would yeah right, justin Tucker, that's a good one.
Speaker 1:That's a good one, that's a clear one. That's a clear one, all right. But yeah, so who's who's? Your do not draft.
Speaker 3:Anyways, I got two top 10 running backs that are ranked top 10 in the ESPN. So I got Devon A-chain. Do not draft him. I believe he's ranked like sixth in the ESPN. No, he got a concussion last year. He's gotten lots of injuries throughout his first two years. I would stay away from him, even though he's a really fast back, and all that. Jonathan Taylor I gave up on him after he fumbled in that clutch game. He's ranked, I believe, also in the top five. I wouldn't draft him either. I just don't.
Speaker 2:Alright, I'm going to choose two backs as well. I'm going with breeze hall. That was fool's gold last year, it's gonna be fool's gold again. Okay, I'm actually going with a former carolina panther, christian mccaffrey. Now his injuries and everybody is expecting him. Oh well, after an injury season he might turn up again. I listen, he's been hurt way too much and again last year kind of spooked me because literally like we just found out oh wait, his achilles doesn't work and we were just like then he had to go to a special person in germany, like you know a certain way, but that was kind of that was kind of crazy.
Speaker 2:So you know, we'll see. Uh, yeah, yeah, I don don't know. I'll be wary of drafting Christian McCaffrey Now. Hopefully you've heard me wrong, but I doubt it.
Speaker 1:I doubt it Okay okay, but you guys did the safe pick. You tiptoed around it. You tiptoed around it, okay, but, as the great Dennis Rodman once said, you got to put it on the table, all right, okay. So I'm got to put it on the table, all right, okay. So I'm going to put it on the table and I'm going to tell you who the do not draft player is. That's somebody that's not the obvious. That's actually a top player. The guy to not draft next year is Saquon Barkley. That's the one not to draft. Wow, all right, that's the one. Yeah, I know you wanted to say it. You wanted to say it, but you didn't want to go out there. So this is Pick'em Pros. This is what we do. All right, so Saquon Barkley is the one to not draft. Again. Trended up up. Everybody's all so high on. Saquon had a record-breaking year. All the signs he's going to be on all the magazines, or whoever drafts him is going to be so happy. Look who I got on.
Speaker 3:I'm going to dominate you guys Yep, yep, yep Again.
Speaker 1:it's all the signs of point. You look at his history. He's been an injury prone player, so it just. I'm just looking at the math again. Not wishing any of that would happily be wrong on this, so we know that. But if I'm looking at how fantasy football typically works, I would be very leery of Saquon going into next season.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Eagles win, got him juiced, y'all.
Speaker 3:He's right on the Eagles win.
Speaker 2:He's trying to go 2-0 on crazy stuff.
Speaker 1:I don't know, alright. Well, we got one last fantasy topic here and then we're going to bring on Brandon to close us out, all right. So the final topic here and this is fantasy football is the ESPN rankings. Espn again great network. They bring us all the sports and have great personalities on the show Stephen A and Brian Clark and all these guys, pat McAfee, all these people. Okay, but the one thing that ESPN is terrible at is ranking fantasy running backs. I don't know what it is, but their fantasy running backs are trash and awful, and if you are picking your team, you do not want to go by the ESPN running back list. So, diego, just tell us just how trash the ESPN running back rankings are, because they've already put the way-too-early running back list out and it is garbage.
Speaker 3:Yeah, this is horrible. So, first of all, I know you put Saquon as your do-not-draft, yep, but would you draft B John Robinson over Saquon Barkley? No, yeah, that's horrible. B John Robinson over Saquon Barkley no, yeah, that's horrible.
Speaker 1:B John is the number one ranked back.
Speaker 3:What in the world Number one Derrick Henry is ranked number 14 after he got 1,900 yards. That's crazy. That is criminal. That's criminal. And Brees Hall is four. Jonathan Taylor five. Devon A-Chain six. Bucky Irving nine. That's crazy.
Speaker 1:That chain six bucky irving nine. That's crazy, that's ridiculous, horrible. Yeah, they, they want to be, they want to be right first on the, the running backs that are going to have their downfall. So they've been predicting derrick henry's downfall for the last five years. Yeah, he's been out of the top 10 forever and he keeps defying the odds. So, yeah, they, they uh, are just awful with their running back rankings. Their receiver rankings are decent, yeah, but I don't know what it is about them. But they, their love affair with bijan robinson and, uh, bruce hall has been the last three years, the last few years they've had them one, two.
Speaker 1:I don't know what it is, but c pain what you got man listen derrick henry there's.
Speaker 2:I don't know if anybody like watched the games or watched film, but again they were so focused on having to stop lamar and they were like, hey, we're just gonna let derrick win a couple games plus, we know how this the raven season's gonna go. They're gonna struggle early on, they're gonna have a couple rough games and then they're gonna turn around to derrick right around. Where're going to need him in your fantasy playoffs? They're just going to give him the ball. That's right.
Speaker 1:I understand.
Speaker 1:You're not going to be right on this one, I'm sorry, no, I'm not going to be right. And then after that, then the Lamar for MVP train is going to start. So we know exactly how the Ravens season is going to go. We, how the Ravens season is going to go. We know exactly how it's going to go. All right, I had to throw that at you. All right, cool, cool, okay. Well, hey, let's bring on our guy Brandon. We got the Brandon minute, but we got three minutes here to get his take, what we were right on, what I was right on, what these guys were wrong on, and just anything else that he wants to share with us. So, brandon, let's bring you on my guy. What's up?
Speaker 4:Hey, how's it going.
Speaker 1:Hey, doing great man. How about you bro?
Speaker 4:I'm good, I'm straight.
Speaker 1:Hey, I like that. Jersey, thanks Like that, okay, well, I want to eat up your time with this man.
Speaker 4:So, jersey, thanks like that, okay, well I want to eat up your time with this man. So hey, give, give it to us, man, what you got. Um. So basically for us, the bracket busters. Um, there's like on the men's side there's like four teams, maybe like craden, marquette, you know, murray state and dra Drake, they could possibly be. They could burst some brackets on the men's side. On the women's side, maybe like a Maryland, maybe like a Duke, could shake some stuff up in the tournament.
Speaker 4:So look out for that in the tournament. So look out for that Stafford for his trades. I mean, it could be. The Giants could be involved, maybe the Jets, maybe the Steelers, maybe the Raiders. So it depends on what team willing to give up a first-round pick. Obviously, miles Garrett is available, so teams got to look out for that too.
Speaker 4:Obviously, it's parity on men's and women's college basketball. We haven't seen that since forever. Like forever, same thing. Now we got parody now, even in college football. So college sports is really good in terms of parody. Like you know, hockey they did their thing with the Four Nations, they did that was really intriguing, that was great. With the Four Nations, that was really intriguing, that was great. Obviously, baseball is in spring training right now, so they trying to get back to think of things. Obviously you have contenders, sleepers and teams that are struggling out there in baseball so it's really a fun event. Teams that are struggling out there in baseball, so like it's really a fun event. Like you got, looks like we can have uh Canelo versus, but Crawford coming in.
Speaker 4:September. So September it should be like interesting, like who wins that fight. So it's like it's a lot of, it's going to be a lot of stuff that's looking forward to over these next couple months and even by the summertime.
Speaker 1:Okay, so who you got for baseball? I know it's spring training here. I think yours is your squad, the Mets.
Speaker 4:It's actually the Astros. I kind of want them to be on top again. But either it's going to be Yankees-Dodgers again or possibly, you know, some new team coming from the AL or the NL, you know, make it to the World Series.
Speaker 1:All right, okay, yeah, yeah, I'll be looking out for that. Okay, I didn't realize. Yeah, the Astros were series. All right, okay, yeah, yeah, I'll be looking out for that. Okay, I didn't realize. Yeah, the Astros were your squad. Okay, yeah, love that take.
Speaker 1:Well, no man, appreciate your analysis to see you cover again. I don't know anyone that is deeper into the trenches in a good way of sports than you, man. So you bring all angles, all aspects. So it's great to wrap up and hit all the things that we didn't cover in the world of sports, because there's so much you can't cover it all in an hour, but you, in a three-minute span, are able to encapsulate all that. So we appreciate that, man. And thank you also for managing the comments and helping with topics and all that. So become a big part of the show, as well as Summer and Joe here in the studio and everybody that makes Pick'em Pros go. So we appreciate all you guys. All right, my man. Well, hey, enjoy the games this weekend, enjoy everything, and we will see you again in two weeks when we're live again. Man, okay, all right, thanks, brandon, you're welcome. All right, that is the one and only Brandon man. He closes us out. So, all right, well, hey, fellas, that is our time. We'll be back in two weeks.
Speaker 1:I believe that is March 14th, if I have my dates right. We'll be back here in studio, but we have a ton of content, A ton of content that will be coming your way over the next few weeks. So I have some traveling to do, so you'll see a bunch of content from the road. These guys will be putting out content. Brianna has some interviews coming out. We have so much coming out, so we'll have a plethora of content coming out. And then we'll be live back here in a couple of weeks, again, on the 14th.
Speaker 1:And then we have our King show, which is going to be fire. We just met with Kings earlier today. Oh, this is one thing we're going to announce. So, again, the March show, the 22nd. Again, that will be a free show. That'll be in the middle of Kings. You get your own food, get your own whatever, but you do have to get a ticket, a free ticket, just to reserve your seat, because there's limited seating there. Okay, and that also includes a raffle ticket to then go to the game.
Speaker 1:But, starting in April, we already have our dates through Superbowl next year at Kings. We've got our dates April, june, all our dates all the way through the Superbowl next year and all of our shows. Starting in April. We'll be back in the Royal room, vip area, food and all of that. So it'll be just like our show was the other week. So that will be the new normal for us. We're taking it a step up. We've gotten such big reviews. Everybody loved it, so we're going to go back to that. You can bowl during our shows and everything. So that'll kick off in April. So really excited about that. So thanks for making this special fellas. All right, okay, man. Well, let's go ahead and sign on out of here. We appreciate y'all Much love. Thanks to you, vet, for checking us out, meshika, my wife, everybody, all the fans. Man Got a couple thousand people here, so we appreciate you. Until then, we see y'all next time. Pick'em pros Later. Much love, have a good weekend, thank you. Outro Music.