Has Wemby CAUGHT SGA for MVP?! + Final Four & NFL Draft Debate | Pain Points Ep. 17

In Episode 17 of Pain Points, the crew dives into one of the hottest debates in basketball right now…

🏀 Has Victor Wembanyama actually caught Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA MVP race?

With Wemby continuing to dominate and SGA still leading one of the top teams in the league, the debate gets REAL.

🔥 In This Episode:

Duke's Debacle & what this means for the future

🏆 NBA MVP Race Debate
Is Wemby closing the gap… or has he already taken over?

🏀 March Madness Final Four Breakdown
We react to the biggest matchups and debate who’s cutting down the nets.

🏈 NFL Draft Talk
Breaking down key storylines, prospects, and what teams might do on draft night.

This episode is packed with strong takes, real debate, and the kind of conversations every sports fan is having right now.

👇 Let us know in the comments:
 Who’s YOUR MVP right now?

#NBA #NBATalk #Wembanyama #SGA #MVPDebate #MarchMadness #FinalFour #NFLDraft #SportsDebate #PainPoints #PickemPros

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Transcript

Cold Open And Quick Intro

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Yeah, I understand what he can do on the defensive end, but right now, there is a guy who's the agent of the team that's a one seed. And you still see him showing up game in and game out. Wendy, I can't have you win an MVP before you get a playoff game. I'm sorry. Like that's a little, little much for me.

SPEAKER_01 0:16

And I this is Derek Thompson from Pick'em Pros. You can catch us on all podcast platforms, including YouTube and now 104.5 WCCG in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Let's go.

Duke’s Elite Eight Meltdown

SPEAKER_02 0:45

Welcome to another episode of Pain Points. We're talking about the final form of takeover. Some of our dark forces for the NBA playoffs. And, you know, a lot of crazy stuff that's happening so far since we've been here. Honestly, first thing we got to talk about is Duke's debacle. I know we were talking crazy over on the radio show about, you know, Duke making the run with seven players, all this stuff, and then a massive collapse happened in the Elite 8. Up 20. Yukon got back in the game to do the turnovers. And then the worst wonder at the end of the game, where again, you you just think, hey, just inbound the ball correctly, you win the game.

SPEAKER_03 1:23

Yeah. Terrible pass.

SPEAKER_02 1:26

Terrible pass. Ends up into the hands of a freshman who passes it first, gets it back, didn't make a shot the whole game, nails it, and now it's one of the craziest march moments that we will ever see. So, Derek, how was the Thompson out feeling after that dude collapse?

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Man, kind of uh it was wild. It didn't compare to last year, though. I think last year was much bigger, you know, being Final Four, you know, tasting the championship game. That collapse was uh much more, much more devastating than this one. Uh this one, you can kind of see it coming, uh, because it was a slow roll, slow roll. So, I mean, they're up, you know, 20 at one point. You can see throughout the fourth quarter, they're losing control, um, but up enough. And then, you know, um at the end looked like they had it. All they had to do was hold on to the ball and get foul. You know, you had 10 seconds there, and you don't have to advance it. But, you know, I can't really, I can't really blame it on at least that particular play on coaching. It was just a kid that panicked, you know, uh, is more of what I saw there, freshman that panicked and, you know, should have just, you know, draw the file or did something, did something else. But um, yeah, it's just it's not really the same devastation because it wasn't like it was championship game or foul four, it was elite eight. And the other thing from a you know, a dupe per perspective is that got a loaded class coming in next year. So you know what I'm saying? It's not the you know, they got different, they got different kind of different kind of problems, you know. It's truly champagne, uh, you know, first class problems of all darn, we didn't get it this time, but we'll we'll be even more loaded next year, and we just have to try to get over the hump then. So, you know, it's kind of kind of a different different set.

SPEAKER_02 3:21

Quick side note, but did you see uh Coach Dan in the ref like after the game winner, though, with like him being the eye to eye? This is like an actual question I just thought of. Would you do you think you should have gotten a tech in that moment? Now I get it, I get it. You can't like in the game in the heat of the moment, this is the craziest work madness ever. Yeah, I get it, but like eye to eye, nose to nose with the referee. I was like, bro, ain't no way.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

I mean, nah, I mean, as aggravating as he could be, uh, because he is aggravating, um, nah, nah, I think you know, you don't want the game to be decided on that clearly they were all hype, you know, happy and shocked, they made the shot. So nah, nah, I think in I think in that case, you know, you let it ride, let the let the um, you know, epic comeback kind of stand on its own, and you don't want to you don't want to muddy it up, muddy it up from that. So nah, nah. But I mean, again, on you know, the other show, I was saying, I mean, Mike Sims said you comma win. I said it was gonna be tight, and then I was very concerned, and I I man, I really wanted to change my pick. Uh, but since I already had them in my bracket, I just stuck with it and I was like, I'm not gonna change it here. But I was I was very concerned about that game. Uh because I I had them no, I was final four, I had them losing because I thought they would lose. Yeah, I thought they Houston would be there, and that's when they would lose. So I thought they would come out of the east. Um, but did this the St. John's game I was concerned about, they should have lost that one. And then you had, you know, UConn and UConn, you know, put them to bed.

SPEAKER_02 5:02

Because one thing is you're playing with your food with a 16 seed to begin the tournament, right? And then you almost lose to again Rick Patino, who's you know, all the time like one of the best coaches, and then you're now going up against like the coach right now in college basketball. I feel like with good teams, there needs to be a not playing with your food aspect, you know. That's what UConn like the fact that they like had like a scenario for us, like we gotta win the next four points the rest of this game. Like the fact that there is like a strategy that he had for the rest of the game to inspire and galvanize them, that's what that's what I feel like made the difference. I'm not saying that Shire is not a great coach, he can't do that as well, but it does like the extra little step Dan put in towards the end definitely helped.

SPEAKER_01 5:48

Yeah, it was just now they were Duke Duke was scared at the end, like even when when Boozer he hit he hit a shot to put them up. It was it was the last basket, I think he made. And I think you put him up three or something like that, and you know, he kind of went to the crowd and was like celebrating and stuff, but it was a scared celebration. I I see that you know

Coaching Moments And Veteran Leadership

SPEAKER_01 6:12

what I mean. So they were already shook, but no, the the bigger problem is they need some freaking seniors, man. Like you can't have all the freshmen and sophomores, you gotta have you gotta have some seniors on the squad. They have to, I mean, the one and done thing is cool. Get, you know, one of them or whatever, two of them, but you've got to groom your team where you have more of a balance and you've got some juniors and seniors on the team. I think if we look at the teams that are winning championships, you look, you know, at the teams that are winning, they've got guys that are more experienced. You have that freshman phenom, but you've got to surround them with more seasoned people. And until they start doing that, they're not gonna win.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

I mean, I feel like that's been Duke's problem for a minute because again, it's always like star power, star power, and then like the veteran leadership is just not there. Like the year where they had RJ and Zion and Trey and Cam Radish, and everybody's like, oh, Duke, like, could Duke be in an NBA team? People are legitimately saying that, like, could a 2018 Duke like be in an NBA team, and now they didn't even make it out the Elite A Taco Fall was giving them hell. Like, it's like that's always gonna be my thing that I wish more college hands got a hold of, right? And that's why Woman's College Grassball is doing so well because they have the years and timelines to develop. I feel like although Duke is like, yes, we have a great class, we there needs to be a sit-down move like, look, who can we retain that we can really help us in these key moments? Because we weren't, it's a championship standard, it's not a elite eight standard, it's not a just like oh final four, we're just here. Yes, you'd like dominating the ACC, but come like come turn up in time. I definitely want to see Duke show a little bit more. But anyway, we're going to the NBA.

SGA Vs Wemby MVP Argument

SPEAKER_02 7:58

And honestly, both Wemby and Shay showed out with phenomenal 40-point performances last night. Derek, do you think Wemby's overtaking Shay in the MVP discussion, or you think it's ah, I see your face. Hold on. I already see how this gonna go. All right, how you feeling?

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Hell no, man. I am so sick of Wemby. No, no, he's not. He's not not averaging 24 points a game. No, I'm sorry. No, it is Shay's. He's had it, he wrapped it up, he put up 47 last night, hit a game-winning three that got called back. You know, no, he's he he secured it. And and like my man said, and I love it. It's like, no, I'm gonna let my game do the talking. So you can sit here and campaign and you know, get more votes that way. That's cool. But Luca, all these other guys, no, it is SGA's award. He's had it. Dude is shooting 55. He was like 12 of 18 last night. 55 from the freaking field as a guard, averaging over 30 points for so many years in a row. Man, please, man. And every and everybody's been out all year too. They still didn't have last night, they didn't have J Dub. Um, they didn't have J Dub, and they were missing another guy. They they had two of the guys out uh last night. So, man, nah, man, please. This award is over. It's SGAs.

SPEAKER_02 9:22

I think it's SGAs as well. I do think that the one being Luca Bidal, where people are just like, well, Lucas recent run, and look at the Lakers being a three-seed. Yes, yes, yes. Cool. We weren't playing like this all season because we need LeBron to play like prime Aaron Gordon. That's what, like, there had to be a marrying period of like LeBron, just chill, let Luke and Austin rock out, right? And then just do Mark about all the other contributions. So the team's really gelling right now. The Spurs have a very talented team, they've also won a lot of games without Wemby. I do think that crowning somebody this early without necessarily having a moment, I do think it's like the Drake May thing, where it's like, hey, you're having a phenomenal year, your numbers are great, you are impacting this team. However, we need you to be king, king made before you really get to that point. You feel me? That's my thing. Like, because we're in because again, we're in this moment of like, oh well, he looks different, and you see how he is, you see how skilled he is. Yes, last night was ridiculous. But like, Wemby, and I do think Wemby is really good, he should he should be in consideration. Yeah, I understand what he can do on the defensive end, but right now, there is a guy who's the agent of the team that's a one seed and wasn't hurt, and like even when he was hurt, and you saw how they were during those games, and you still see him showing up game in and game out. Wemby, I can't have you win an MVP before you get a playoff game. I'm sorry, like that's a little much for me. And I do think that like some of it has to be earned, you know. So I do want Wemby to, you know, I do think again, like the fact that people just see him in the paint, they're like, We're not laying the ball up. I get it, I understand how beneficial that is for a team, right? But like, do you see what Shay is doing? Like, Shay's doing something that is so ridiculous, and you can't just necessarily crowd him before we because they they did that with Jokic, right? There was a lot of crowdings before like deep playoff runs and all this stuff because they want like this fresh food thing. Shea does listed this year because he is the engine of this offense, and it's actually it's been insane. So I do think it's the gap's closer, but Wemby, I need him to win a playoff series, I need them to do a lot more before I'm already saying that he's the best player.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

People are acting like Shay has two or three MVPs. Like, dude, he has he has one, he's got one MVP and he's already a champion. I mean, shoot, Joker had two and hadn't even made the finals, and so then that's when it started to become fatigue of okay, he needs to get to a finals. SGA is already a made man, he's got a freaking championship, but but again, we we act like he's got multiple, and it's it's it's just re ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02 12:09

Yeah, I will say that like we don't even know how they're gonna defend Wendy in the playoffs. We don't know what joke joker is going to do if they like ever match up with the Nuggets. Like, there's a bunch of there's a bunch I want to see with the Spurs in the playoffs because that's not about a segue

Playoff Upsets And Surprise Teams

SPEAKER_02 12:26

too. So we're gonna talk about the NBA playoffs real quick, you know, um, who's our surprise team? But also I want to talk about what ways you think the top seeds can get upset. Because for me, Lakers, honestly, it is Austin Reeves having a bad night. My big one. Austin Reeves having multiple bad nights, LeBron having to show, LeBron having to be the number two. We are there's no way there will be a deep playoff on LeBron. LeBron at 40. 41 is number two. My other thing is with the Spurs, they're Dylan Harper and Stefan Castle are the lights bright. That's my concern. That's a second year and first year. I have no idea how that's gonna go in the playoffs. Because I've seen this story multiple times with young players in the playoffs. I understand what that Wendy's intensity, it can help that out. The Nuggets, injuries yet again, and if your Joker has to carry everything, or if they match up with OKC or the Timberwolves, what's gonna happen? The Wolves, what's going to happen with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert?

SPEAKER_01 13:29

Like that's I I pray that the Clippers get that number seven seed, get that number seven seed, and they they they they go against freaking Kawhi and the Clippers.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

In that first round, the way that Darius Darlene has been playing, the way that Tyron Lou has been coaching first off underrated story of the year. Shout out to them getting that pick away from OKC because it was getting a little scary, it was getting a little scary, but they after that very poor start, and after the hardened trade, they really turned it off and something. And I I was hoping pushes them, honestly, because seeing Kawhi play like this is very motivating. So I hope that that goes well.

SPEAKER_01 14:14

But yeah, yeah, that'll be great. And then then it'll be interesting if they do get past, you know, Clippers, whoever. I mean, Phoenix has the seven, but they're they'll play each other in the play in. So if the Clippers can beat Phoenix at home, they would have that uh they would get that seventh spot and go against the Spurs. Then if they get past them, you most likely would have Spurs Lakers uh second round. And so then that means one of those teams will be gloating because the one one of them is gonna be in the Western Conference finals.

SPEAKER_02 14:50

Yeah, because I'm not gonna lie, that is the full situation of like we're gonna, it's gonna like that's a six-seven game series where we're it's just gonna feel like we're beating up on each other until OKC is just like haha, and then like that's my concern with that run, because like OKC if they're dealing with the Wolves or Nuggets, though, those are my matchups for them.

SPEAKER_01 15:11

Because anytime I play the Wolves or Nuggets, it's it's it's always that's what they would face in the second round. It would be one of them. So as it stands right now, wolves nuggets would play each other in the first freaking round, and so then the winner that would the winner that would play OKC. So hopefully, so if if if the Clippers can go in Phoenix and beat them in the play-in, then Phoenix would have that eighth spot. Well, then if they would have to beat either Portland or Golden State, but one of those teams would be eighth. So OKC would be facing one of those, that would be a lighter matchup, but then that second round, that second round is gonna be a beast. Um, and then they would uh have to face you know winner of um Spurs Lakers if if they get past the the Clippers, because I don't know. I think I think Clippers got one good round in them.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

The other thing is it we forget about the Anthony Edwards of it all. Like the man has made the two straight cuts, like we we forget that ant come playoff time, puts on a show. That's what actually, you know what? I'm excited for that. That's where I'm at. Because I understand how we get about Julius Randall's inconsistency, and Bones Highland has been a great pickup for the Wolves. So that's that's what I just mmm if Ant manages to make this run and then go against the Celtics and wins, like that's that would be the best story to come out with.

SPEAKER_01 16:38

That would be crazy.

SPEAKER_02 16:40

He would be the forgotten one because everybody's talking about divorce Luca, Wemby being MVP, you know, Shea doing his thing, Yoke Chasey getting be back.

SPEAKER_01 16:49

If Ant can make this like this run for the finals, I'm yeah, and then and then in the East, again, Boston and the Knicks, so you know, they gotta worry about Atlanta and Philly. Atlanta and Philly sitting in that sixth and seventh spot. Philly gonna fit Philly gonna have everybody back full strength as it stands right now. If it's Philly, Boston, and Philly got everybody back, I don't know. I don't know. Listen, I've seen Jason Tatum drop 50 versus mine.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

I get it. I've seen Jason Tatum drop 50 versus them. And again, Paul George is Paul George. Okay, we'll see. We'll see. I'll just say it's a dicey series, it's a scarier series than people may think. That's what I will say. I'm not going to count out the Celtics because they are my they're my pick to go out of the East in the finals, but I'm not gonna lie to that because it gets spooky. Wow. So you're you're saying Philly, are you saying an upset or are you saying just just Philly? Like Philly, it's scary.

SPEAKER_01 18:01

Philly, period. I mean, Philly against anybody. You get in B back, you got Maxie, you've got um my guy out of Baylor, Edgecombe, yeah. Yeah, Edgecomb, uh, you know, yeah, man. Paul George, I yeah, Philly is I've been saying all year, Philly, Philly's a scary team in in these playoffs, man. So they you know, Nick Nurse can coach. That's that's a scary team. And now I add Atlanta to that. Um, with Kaminga, Kaminga got a whole lot to prove and play for, man. Shoot, man.

SPEAKER_02 18:40

Yeah, now Alexander Walker up there.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

I I I could see it. I mean, right now they're in the sixth spot, the Knicks are in the third spot. I could definitely see Atlanta beating the Knicks for sure.

SPEAKER_02 18:52

Man, Atlanta and the Knicks, I just my thing with the Knicks, and you know we've talked about this at Nauseum on the show. Cat is in year 12. We already know who he is. Like, it's gonna be two crazy fouls, he's either gonna have a phenomenal playoff game or just appear. Jalen Brunson's gonna do well. They have such a good bench, they have such a good team. It really is can they play up to their potential? Because this is put up or shut up time. Now that Detroit is hurt, it's really should just be y'all in Boston, realistically, with the amount of talent that you have. But can everybody play up to part at the same time? And we've seen playoff playoff series after playoff series that that just simply hasn't happened. So I hope it does, but I'm very I'm a little weary, I'm very scared. I'm very scared about the Hawks here.

SPEAKER_03 19:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:42

All right. So I'll say that's a good surprise team. The Hawks and Philly, yeah, those are great surprises. All right.

Final Four Picks Men And Women

SPEAKER_02 19:51

So this weekend, final four picks. You know, you had Arizona going to the championship. To the championship. Okay, cool. So you're so good with because me and Diego our brackets are oh, it was it was a bad, bad time.

SPEAKER_01 20:08

Yeah, uh, because see, they would play Michigan. I think they play Michigan Saturday night, and then you have Illinois and Yukon in the other one. So yeah, yeah, I'd have um Illinois. Illinois. I I what's that?

SPEAKER_02 20:25

Because a home state, you you go in Illinois? That's what that's why I was feeling yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:29

I'm I'm definitely going Illinois over Yukon. We got to get Hurley out. I'm I'm so sick of him. Get him out, please. Um, because then it's just gonna all the talk about him being the best coach ever is gonna ratchet up even more. So I don't feel like hearing that. So get getting him up out of there, have the hometown team be in there. It it would be cool for me. And again, I'm not a big fan. I mean, Big Ten basketball is not the most fun to watch. So, but I'm a Michigan guy, I like, I mean, grew up, you know, watching Michigan and whatnot. So really, I I'd say just no Yukon for me. I mean, hey, give me Illinois, Michigan, give me Illinois, um, Arizona, anybody with Yukon. Yeah, pretty much anybody but Yukon. Anybody with UConn. Pretty much anybody but Yukon for me. I think as far as picking the champ, you know, if I'm making a pick, I I'd pick Arizona. Um, but as far as pulling for, I'll probably be I'd be pulling for Michigan for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um so what what about you?

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Honestly, um the what resilience that you conn showed, I feel like it's gonna be a storybook ending. I understand the hating of Hurley, but I do feel like that momentum carrying into the next game is uh it's like one of them team of destiny things. And you know, Yukon wants to be the dynasty and all this stuff, it's just It feels like they there there's a coronation moment about to happen. And sometimes once you see the basketball god start to move things in a certain way, you just gotta let it happen. So that's uh I I don't want to go I do want to see a great final four because we got it's been a great March Madness. I'm not gonna lie. We gotta I can't pick anybody like UConn. I just I think it's the momentum, I think it's the shot. I think now it's like now my one thing is don't get hired on supply. Don't think that like, oh, we're gonna just come here and we can do the exact same thing we did versus Duke. Absolutely not. Handle business, those are the changes to do your thing. I just don't know it's a fight, but like, there we go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:48

You do you still have uh on the women's side, you still got South Carolina winning it all? Or or are you going you going Yukon and you gotta listen?

SPEAKER_02 22:59

They're getting serious. It's getting Gino's a little serious right now. I ain't go live.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Semifinals. You got South Carolina versus Yukon in the other bracket, you have UCLA versus Texas.

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Oh god, Don, please prove me wrong, but I I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 23:21

I don't know, man.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

I need thought if you'd be wrong because you know I'm poor first. You just know what to say. I know I know what to say. They're something serious. No bigger Dawn fan than me, man. Yeah, I I would I would have to as far as picking, of course. Yeah, I've rooted for Dawn all the way, clearly, but as far as what I think's gonna happen, I I don't see anybody beating UConn. Um I said, I've been saying the whole time, the only team I could see having any type of shot against them is UCLA. Um, I would have to revise that and pivot on that and say probably the the team that has the best chance of beating them, I would say is Texas. I I would say even over UCLA. Texas, Texas just seems to be on the mission uh right now. So that's the only team I'd give any kind of shot to. So now I'm gonna say it's UConn Texas in in the championship, and Texas gives them all they can handle. And I could I could actually see Texas winning it. I would actually see Texas doing it. Texas, they they they they seem ready. So actually, I'm I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm gonna go on record and say Texas is gonna win the championship.

SPEAKER_02 24:38

Nice. Well, you gotta bring out the cowboy hat yet again at Texas.

SPEAKER_01 24:42

Texas does it, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:43

Man, we haven't seen them in a minute. We haven't seen them in a minute, especially.

SPEAKER_01 24:48

You know, so let's make sure to do that on that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can I I can see that. I can see that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right.

NFL Draft Targets And QB Patience

SPEAKER_02 24:56

So, NFL draft, here are my players to watch, the players that I'm excited about. Um, as a Panthers fan, King on Sadiq. I need the tight end. We need a tight end from Oregon. I just need as a Panthers fan, we have everything on offense outside of a very good tight end. All of our tight ends are very average to below average. You know, Tommy Trumbull had a moment versus Atlanta. That was it. That's the only time I've seen them play like that whole season. Like now, another thing that we did say that we're getting, we're interested in getting a wide receiver in the first round. So Xavier, real quick. I don't think we need one. I prefer a tight end or a linebacker because I'm cool with I'm cool with Teton Jalen and getting Jimmy Horn more touches. I need a linebacker or a tight end. I need one more accident.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

You already have one. You already have a tight end.

SPEAKER_02 25:50

Who we got?

SPEAKER_01 25:51

Legit. You already got a tight end. He needs to he needs to he needs to switch to tight end. He he he'd be a very good tight end. He need to muscle up, put on a little bit, and be tight end because he is not a receiver.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

Yeah. I don't know. And then I'm hearing about people saying that like Ty Simpson's gonna go to the Cardinals because they're like, and I'm while I do think he's good. Is the coaching in Arizona gonna be that good where it's gonna click instantaneously? Because again, you see that division. And some people are like, well, you know, divisional games are close. The Seahawks, the Niners, and the Rams. Three of the five best teams in the NFL are all in one division. Yeah. Coaching against each other, coaching against y'all. And yes, they have Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride. They still have a bunch of defensives that have a good big like, yes, they're a good, decent team, but decent isn't good enough in that division where like there's teams that are going to divisionals and conference championships and super bowls and winning Super Bowls. Like that's not that's not enough. So I do think that like let him grow behind Gardner Mitchell. Sometimes it's okay to sit down and let a quarterback grow. Sometimes the quarterback's talent is so immense where you're just like, let him go crazy. Like for Mendoza, I want him to sit down. Let this be a smash mouth football team that gets their identity, the trenches. I don't want Mendoza thrown out there with the Raiders yet. I do think that like there's other great players as well. I'm really excited to see where Jeremiah Love lands. I just I really want to see if there's gonna be another great running back in a high pick, like a Jameer Gibbs, like a Bijan to continue.

SPEAKER_01 27:36

I'm interested in that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. That would be the only thing is what running back's gonna come in and you know, star right away and you know, be that guy and save save their team a couple years of um, you know, having to pay uh a high price high price running back, although the running backs don't make anything, so it's hard for me to even say high price because the is it's it's so crazy, man. It's like if you pay a running back, I mean you look at even what Cook got in Buffalo. Yeah, you know, I don't even know if he broke 12 mil, maybe 10, something like that.

SPEAKER_02 28:12

I was watching like the top 100 runs of the season. James Cook was all over that highlight.

SPEAKER_01 28:17

Like I'm like crazy, and he's making no more than 12 million, and you got the receivers making 40.

SPEAKER_02 28:26

It's crazy. Like, it's Buffalo, he's all they like it's him and Josh. Like, that's it's like that's all we got. I've only got 12 billion love, like Josh. But can you break me off some crazy?

SPEAKER_01 28:39

That's that's crazy, but yeah, no, I'm I'm more um interested in more of the uh vets is what I'm interested. Well, well, no, no, no. I'll tell you that there's one the QB Ty Simpson. I I don't see it, I don't see it at all. So I'm curious to how that's gonna unfold. I I just can't unsee what I saw in the um in the the um the playoffs for college football. Like that easy. He was so awful.

SPEAKER_02 29:12

That throw versus Oklahoma. Like when and I'm hearing the analyst talk about like, oh, like he's better than Mendoza. I saw him go back, literally was going to war with Miami, possibly one of the best rosters in Gunf. Yeah, couldn't even beat Oklahoma. I don't one of the worst, it's cover two. The defender is hanging.

SPEAKER_01 29:35

I don't see it with the time. How does that I take I take Shador over top? Like, that's just that's just awful.

SPEAKER_02 29:45

We're not gonna start this Shador. We're gonna leave it at that. He wearing number two next year, though. So you know, let's see if the fortunes are gonna turn a clean one.

SPEAKER_01 29:55

But the move, the the I'm interested on Deshaun Watson. What's gonna happen with

Cowboys Dreams And 18-Game Season

SPEAKER_01 30:00

that? I'm curious on that, but the move I want to see, man, it's again it's a free agency move, but I just want to see the cowboys go ahead and get Max Crosby, man. Like just still get him, pair him up with that other um with the guy that they got from um Green Bay, Deshaun Gary, yeah, Gary, yeah, Gary, who came out of Michigan. Um, man, oh just man. If if if the cowboys get Max, oh my god damn. I'm I'm all in on the Cowboys if if they go get Max Crosby. Like if they go get Max Crosby, I am all in on the Cowboys. I I will probably have them winning the Super Bowl if they go get Max Crosby. So please, Jerry Jones, hey, man, just make this one move, and hey, it's it's gonna be it's gonna be nice down in there.

SPEAKER_02 30:49

I will say my concern is with the in leg injury being worse than people think for it not being completed. Because you're telling me you don't want a top five edge rusher. Like, how bad is it really? You know, that's my big concern. I hope it's fine, but I'm just I'm a little worried about that.

SPEAKER_01 31:06

I think with Baltimore, they realized they could get the other guy for less and you know, did that. That that's what I think, that's what I'm hoping. I'm hoping that's the case. Um, so yeah, yeah. Cause I mean, I I I I can't see it being the injury being that bad when he still like he still was gonna play, you know, um, those those last two games. So I don't know. Maybe it's more wishful thinking, but uh yeah, I'm I'm all for the Cowboys going and getting them.

SPEAKER_02 31:40

I had one last question before we left off. How do you feel about them? Because now they're talking about an 18-game season, even more like those are starting to get a little louder in all the international games. How do you feel about that? Because they need the two bys. I'm sorry, like with this, like the players have got to fight for two by like control bowl be early or something, like they need so two things.

SPEAKER_01 32:04

They need the two bys, and they gotta cut the preseason down to two games. Got to. We we we we can't have four preseason because I yeah, I I will never watch a preseason game for the rest of my life. Like, I've gone to a couple back in the day just from season tickets and whatnot, because they which is another just fraudulent thing, is they they make you buy, you have to buy because there's two home games. So, as a season ticket holder, those two games are part of your package, and you have to buy them, and they cost the same as the other games.

SPEAKER_02 32:38

So that's just another way that they're just second and third stringers and not the actual players on the team, equal the same as seeing them on Sunday in like week 11 with a playoffs.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

That's another way they're just printing money from from that, and and you you can't even, I don't care what team it is, especially now, you can't even give those tickets away, you know. So you just have to eat that. So that's just another cost that you're facing. So you're you're spending is it as expensive as those games are as a season ticket holder, you're having to buy you know two meaningless preseason games. So at least now, if they can get that cut down to two overall, then it should just be one. Um, but yeah, yeah, if you can cut cut the preseason down to two games, um, hey, have all the you know scrimmages you want, all that stuff that I don't care about because it's not part of the schedule. I don't care. But as far as what's on the schedule and what I'm watching as a consumer, I don't want to see more than two preseason games. Go ahead and give them two buys, fine, and let's keep it moving. But I mean, we always knew it was gonna be 18 games, they knew it was gonna be 18 games. They did the 17 just as a you know a progression to game play.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

Well, my thing is like it took them 40 years to get 17, and I was taking five to get eight to 18. I feel like that's a little now. Yeah, that's a lot, but like as the players, you really gotta advocate and be like, hey, look, we need these two buys, we need a bunch of benefits for international travel, you need to less have our report cards to actually call out these teams to have these facilities. Because, like, the one thing is that there was a story that came out about the 49ers actually like listening to the reports that they had and then revamping their training staff. You're telling me, and again, we saw the 49ers the past few years, you're telling me nobody thought, hey, because I ever had always like, bro, there has to be an issue with the training staff in San Francisco because everybody being hurt like this every single year or not, this is absolutely insane. So, like, I understand, like, this is still a job for these players, but like you, especially teams that are competitive and are getting a bunch of revenue because they're on all these Sunday night games, they're literally being featured because all their players are the stars of the league. You have to make sure that you're taking care of them, you know. So that's what I'm just uh with an 18th game. Like, again, everybody's like, who doesn't want more football? I want a lot, I want more football, but at the sake of these players keep getting hurt and ran down, because again, what was our bye? Like week 14, week 13, something crazy. That was later, right? It was really late, and then like come the playoff push, we were like stumbling into the playoffs because we lose like three other games because we were on that hot streak, and then we lost to the Saints, and then the Bucks, and then I think we lost to another, like that was like that kind of slowed our momentum. So if we had some time in between, that could have like helped us get refreshed.

SPEAKER_01 35:34

So that's why yeah, the players will take it, plus it'll mean more money, and as the salary cap will keep going up, so they'll they'll take it. Yeah, appreciate you, man. We'll uh see them next time and we'll see where we're right and where we're wrong, and uh we'll we'll be back uh next week. All right, we'll see y'all next time.