Pick'em Pros

Michigan Wins It All 😳 + UConn HATE Rising?! | NBA Injuries & 65 Game Rule Debate

• Pick'em Pros • Season 4 • Episode 149

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Join us for a special Who Ya Got show — and there’s too much going on in the sports world to wait.

🏆 The Michigan Wolverines men's basketball are NATIONAL CHAMPIONS — and we’ve got Michael Sims back in the building after calling it BEFORE it happened 😳

But that’s just the start…

🔥 Tonight’s Topics:

🏆 Michigan Wins It All
Did the nation sleep on Michigan? And where does this run rank all-time?

🏀 UCLA Women Shock the World
The UCLA Bruins women's basketball dominate and take down the South Carolina Gamecocks women's basketball — what happened?!

👀 Geno vs Dawn Staley Drama
We break down the postgame tension between Geno Auriemma and Dawn Staley and what it means moving forward.

😤 Is UConn the Most HATED Program Now?
Between UConn Huskies men's basketball, Dan Hurley, and Geno… has UConn officially taken that crown from Duke?

🏀 NBA Injury Crisis
With injuries piling up across the league, is the NBA in trouble?

📊 65 Game Rule Debate
Does the NBA need to rethink the rule for awards eligibility?

⏱️ Final Week of the NBA Season
We break down what to watch as the playoffs approach.

This one is loaded with reactions, controversy, and real debate.

👇 Jump in the chat LIVE and let us know…
WHO YA GOT? 👀🔥

#MarchMadness #MichiganBasketball #UConn #CollegeBasketball #NBATalk #NBAInjuries #UCLAWomensBasketball #SouthCarolina #GenoAuriemma #DawnStaley #DanHurley #SportsDebate #WhoYaGot #PickemPros #BasketballTalk #LiveSports

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Cold Open On Coach Tension

SPEAKER_04

You know, he didn't have clearly does not have a good relationship with Don Staley. This this didn't just start uh on Sunday. There's been tension already there. What I don't like is this is not new for him because he and Pat Summit didn't get involved at all. And they had a very icy relationship. So 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.

SPEAKER_00

Pick 'em like the road, go through, bro. Pick them roll. Let's go.

Michigan Wins And Diego Vanishes

SPEAKER_04

All right, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome back. You know who it is. I am Derek Thompson. I'm Mike Sims. I mean, who are we? Pick them pros, baby. Pick them pros, pick up pros. Diego is not here. Uh missing in action. Uh, we haven't seen him uh in about a week or so since uh Duke uh had that collapse. So we gotta find him. Uh Mike, I don't know where he is, my man.

SPEAKER_05

I told him if you go back to look at the last show, I said, do not drink the Kool-Aid, drink pure green. Unfortunately, he sipped some of the Kool-Aid.

SPEAKER_04

He did. He did, he did, man. He did. We're still trying to find him. Hopefully, he can pop on and make an appearance at some point, uh, so we can know that he's okay, man. But uh, hey, man, it's all about you right now. You proclaimed, you said uh that Michigan was gonna take care of business. You know, we were uh joking before a few weeks ago saying, man, you know, does anybody know uh anybody on the team because they had all these transfers that came over and whatnot? But hey, that's the new age of basketball now. You've got to have uh seniors, you've got to have experience, uh, you have to have size, you know, clearly, especially on the you know, on the um, you know, men's side. And that's uh those are all the things that Michigan possessed, and they went ahead and took care of business man partying like it's 1989.

SPEAKER_05

Pretty much all the things I I see, like I said. Well, hang on a second, hang on, hang on one second here. Hang on. Here we go. Hang on. I mean, some people would be boasting about this, some people would be, you know, just elated and just rolling over. Me, I just knew it was a regular thing. I mean, I'm not gonna, you know, just because I have the Michigan socks up up here and I have the Michigan gear on, I'm not even gonna talk about or about the Michigan shoes, right? But I knew all along, you know, people did not want to understand when I made that prediction and I said that there's gonna win it all the way. I even said that I was willing to bet my wallet on it. You know, uh, but again, you had to understand in all seriousness, and if you was watching the game, you had to understand some other things that were going on that was really, really big in that that game because everybody kept yelling about all those rookie commentators they had up there, you know, talking about because they weren't hitting the three-pointer. But when that game was going on, it was getting pounded on the inside. When you get pounded on the inside, you're going to

Why Inside Play Beat UConn

SPEAKER_05

win in the fourth quarter. I got a text message that I text the person back, and I'm so glad I got it for evidence because he was like, They're not hitting their three-pointers, they're not hitting the three-pointers. I'm like, Yeah, they're doing outstanding. And he said, What are you talking about? I said, They're gonna win this game in the fourth quarter, and right at the end. Why? Because when you pound it inside and it only had one big guy, you're gonna have people start getting into foul trouble. You've got people start getting tired, and again, it looked good. It looked like it was going towards Connecticut's way, the rhythm of the game, but it was it wasn't. It was all playing, and you got to give it up to coaching because even when the three-pointer, everybody thought was talking about the three-pointer, that was just during uh during the uh tournament, they were hitting it like that. Three-point shot was never their their their thing during the season. It hit here and there, but it wasn't like that, it was pounded in on the on the inside. So when that took place, I wasn't even shocked. I was kind of just like, yeah. All I can say is at the end, go blue.

SPEAKER_04

Man, go blue, go blue. They they did it, man. They did it. It was cool to see in the uh final four, the semifinals, uh the Fab Five all there, and they had that. They even had the telecast, um, you know, during the game. So I wish they had that last night. Um, or yeah, last night. I really wanted to uh to to see that. So um I would have loved to have seen that, but um, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Fab five didn't bring it home. True, they did the only, and I'm gonna tell you sad. You know, I'm a hardcore Michigan fan, they brought it home at 89, and I can't remember who was on that team.

SPEAKER_04

Wow, really, really. In 89, they brought it home. Robinson, was it Ramil Robinson?

SPEAKER_05

I think Glenn Robinson was it Glenn Robinson?

SPEAKER_04

Uh Glenn may have been on there. I think he was. I think Glenn might have been on there. Right. Okay, I take that back.

SPEAKER_05

I am starting to remember a few of them now.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, but I know one of my favorite players back in the day was uh Gary Grant. Um yeah, yeah, he was number 25. He was the reason why I was always infatuated with 25. I always wanted to wear that number because of him actually with Michigan. So used to love those squads, but I don't I don't think he was

Fab Five Memories And 1989 Talk

SPEAKER_04

on that team. I think he was before that era, so I don't think Gary Grant was on that team. Okay, I can have to go back and check.

SPEAKER_05

Oh man, yeah, I might have to look that up myself.

Diego Returns Plus UNC Hire

SPEAKER_04

Oh, oh, we gotta go over here. We got a sighting. Come on in, man. You gotta you gotta talk to the mic.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, congrats, congratulations on Michigan. Yeah, congrats.

SPEAKER_05

It's I I appreciate it. I mean, who didn't know, right? Some people who that didn't know they might pick Arizona, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

Right, but and maybe we'll know some people might pick Duke. If Duke was there, we we would have beat y'all because I mean it happened the regular season, but it uh outside, I'm not gonna take the shine away from you. Um and oh don't worry about it, don't worry about it.

SPEAKER_05

All the shine is showing, baby. All the shine is showing. I told you, I said don't drink Kool-Aid, drink pure green.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I should have drunk pure green. Shout out to pure green, shout out to pure green, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Hey, remember this. I'm gonna make another one. I'm gonna tell y'all another prediction. Michigan has always been known as a football school. You're about to see a shift because the coach has tapped into something with the way, and you kind of mentioned it, Derek. Um, college basketball is is going now, and he's tapped into a formula. I'm not saying they're going to you know be national championships every every year, but look forward to being these final fours.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, it's definitely, definitely different. I mean, this coach, I think he was at uh FAU. Um, yeah, he was at Florida Atlantic.

SPEAKER_01

They were able to go. Oh, my bad. Yeah, yeah, they were able to go pretty far with um some lesser teams and make some Cinderella runs. So that's very that shows a lot. Uh that's that's that's a good coach right there.

SPEAKER_05

He's tapped into something.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, he he definitely definitely has. I mean, he got FAU to the Final Four. And a lot of times when you see the Cinderella coach, they get the big job and then they don't do anything. Uh you know, capture that same magic. But man, he he did it. So uh very, very um, you know, inspirational there. And yeah, he's got he doesn't have to go anywhere else because Michigan is, you know, top-tier program. So man, he's gonna, he's definitely going to definitely gonna run it. Uh hey, what while we have Diego here, because I know he's got to run in a second, uh making a quick dip. But while we have him here, I just want to ask y'all, let me ask Diego, then maybe he can go. Then uh Mike, you can chime in on it. And thanks for your comments, Brandon. Appreciate you, my man. Um, this isn't on the schedule, but UNC hiring the um Mike Malone, the uh then Denver Nuggets coach. Diego, what's your quick take on that? And then you can go ahead and roll.

SPEAKER_01

Um, yeah, it seems like it's a great hire for them. Um, yeah, because he's a great coach because won an NBA championship recently. And um, yeah, I think and that should um inspire some recruits to come, but it's kind of weird because now apparently they've had like sex, like they've had like seven transfers leave. So like that that's pretty bad. Um, but I think overall though it'll help them a lot.

SPEAKER_04

So yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, we'll have to get get Mike's take on this. Sorry, man. We appreciate you uh stepping in on us, man. We know you have some other obligations tonight, but uh thanks for popping in, man. And uh we got to we got to finally talk to you about Duke, man. We were we were missing, we didn't get to engage with you on that. So we appreciate you showing up and talking Duke with us.

SPEAKER_01

I mean uh that that that was that was I don't even want to get on that. I don't I don't even know what to say about that. But yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Well well we'll we'll be live again April 18th, the um on Saturday at noon Eastern to start the NBA playoffs. So we may have to put a little we'll we'll we'll sprinkle a little Duke segment on that show. So don't worry, we'll do a deep dive on what happened with Duke uh on April 18th. All right.

SPEAKER_01

I mean, I think I don't know if that's necessary because that's that'll be so far from it. I don't know if anyone really cares, you know.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, like I think it's necessary. I will care. Yeah, I think it's I think it's I think yeah, I'm trying to see if I can't. I'm trying to see if I can bring the trophy in or whatever and set it right in front of you. I'm talking to people in Michigan now, try to see if I can get the trophy in, you know, and uh just sit it right next to you. Then we can talk about it.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah. I think we need to. Plus, I I think we're kind of contractually obligated with uh 104.5 WCCG in Fayetteville, you know, official partner Duke. We have to have a Duke segment every show, so yeah, man. We we gotta do it.

unknown

Are you talking about the football?

SPEAKER_02

You know the no, no, no, no, basketball, basketball. This is what it is.

SPEAKER_04

All right, so see. All right, I'll see you everyone. All right, see you, Diego.

NIL Culture And Portal Reality

SPEAKER_04

All right, so Sims, man. So, yeah, man, just quick taking it. We'll get to UCLA. But uh man, what do you think about that hire with Mike Malone?

SPEAKER_05

It's gonna be interesting, only because uh again, it's we we live in a whole new age right now. So um he's stepping into something now when you start talking about NIL and all these the transfer portal, and how how does he handle this as far as recruiting? And it's gonna come down, and and Dusty Mays is a perfect example since we're you know just talking about he's created a certain culture. Everybody creates their culture, but but but what type is he going to create? Um, I just seen uh in the women's um oh gosh, was it Tennessee or Tennessee State where everybody just left, they just hit the portal, all of them. Yeah, so why why do I say that? Because that's the culture that was you know, right, wrong, or indifferent that was created. So I think it's a you know a fine hire, but it's still gonna come down to what type of culture is he going to create.

SPEAKER_04

True, true, for sure. Yeah, it definitely will come down to that. Um, I I think he'll be able to do it. I I think he'll have a good um, I think he'll have a solid program there. Uh, I'm looking forward to seeing what what he does uh there. Uh, feel he'll be able to recruit his NBA ties will be strong. Clearly, from an X's and O standpoint, he will, you know, be be strong. So uh that's gonna be huge for the Duke uh UNC rivalry. And uh man, uh it makes me wonder about NC State. You know, they what they're gonna do. I know they already got their coach, but uh I think he's hungry.

SPEAKER_05

I think I think he I think he's the right hire because he's hungry.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah. Well, they they definitely need now so that's a good point. They definitely need somebody uh hungry for sure. They definitely need somebody hungry there. Uh absolutely, yeah.

UCLA’s Blowout Title Game Plan

SPEAKER_04

All right, well, man, let's move on to UCLA. I know uh uh man, they had a dominating performance in in a championship there. Uh, I think a lot of people thought, I mean, UConn was the talk of the season being undefeated for sure. Um, so that that was something that that you know they just have dominated going into last year. So they hadn't lost in ages. Um, but you know, what I said was that I thought the only team that was capable of beating UConn was UCLA. Uh so I was on record saying that. But UCLA was the size, so right, right, because of the size. But you know, South Carolina beat them. I I did not see South Carolina beating them. I feel that that was South Carolina's championship. Uh, they had a great game plan, they were perfectly prepared for UConn. And um, I think UCLA on the flip had the perfect game plan for South Carolina. They went small, you know, had all the seniors, they were shooting, they made the big, the big um, you know, the centers and forwards and all them for South Carolina, had them shoot mid-ranges. They're not really that good of a shooting team. Uh so yeah, they just uh their game plan was perfect and ended up blowing them out.

SPEAKER_05

The skill set was was insanely different. And so I'm gonna say something a little controversial, and and some people might might uh uh get mad at me, but that's part of the problem. Again, I I I I I looked at the game, so I like it, you know, I like seeing them compete and all of that. But when you when it comes down to the championship, you wanting to see two teams pounded out. Yeah, you know, that's what you really don't want happen because you're saying, okay, these are the ones that came through, and uh, you know, the the one versus one game, so these should be the top tier ones. And man, that game was gone in what was it like five, six, six minutes?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

I mean, I I I I was a disappointed from and and and to be honest with you, I'm gonna give uh Don Staley uh some credit and how she took it and what she said about it, all that was um good, but I thought from a game planning standpoint because they were so much smaller, they should have ran them. She should have ran them. Yeah, and in hope that that in hope that that might have worked.

SPEAKER_04

Right, right, yeah, yeah. They they needed to do something because I mean Don Staley, she I know for at least the whole fourth quarter, and the game was over by then. I don't know what point in the third quarter, but you know, Dawn Staley standing the whole game emotional into it. She was just sitting, she was just sitting on the bench.

SPEAKER_05

Well, it was you know, to me, by the middle towards the end of the second quarter, you already knew. Yeah, uh you you you you you you already knew. You didn't need no binoculars, you didn't have to look down there and see what was going on. It was right there in front of you, yeah. And I think they already kind of knew, and again, and then and they had no game plan that they could shift into, you know, again in basketball, when you're we when it's like that, and that team is pounding on the inside, then you run it. You I mean that's your best thing, right? You try to create a temple, you know, and get their bigs to get worn down, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and so it is it's interesting, you know, with that, you mentioned you know the championship game. So I feel that both in men's and women's college ball, there's two different issues going

Parity Problems In Women’s Hoops

SPEAKER_04

on. Um the women's side, the last two championships were blowouts, yes. Um, you know, it's still although there's more parity now than it used to be, it's still extremely top heavy, right? You've only got you know the the the gap is so large to where I mean the first two rounds you might as well not even play almost, right? You know, right? Um, so it's that creates creates an issue, and it'll get better, you'll get more and more parody, but the last two championships have been blowouts, that's not that great for ratings. And then on the men's side, with all the transfers, um, and and whatnot, and you know, they have that on the women's side, but just not as much as on the men's side, correct the game, and again, I love Michigan. Like I say, I'm I'm referencing players from the 80s, so I clearly have watched Michigan all my life, um, and was happy that they won, uh, especially by them going against UConn. But but and again, you can speak to this. Well, you might be able to speak to this a little more. It's interesting, but I just feel that it was flat at the end. Like they won. I was happy they won, but it's like coach really hardly didn't show any emotion. The players were kind of uh, you know, it it it I feel like overall it was flat. Um, and I think that's that's from the players being new, coming from other places, just kind of being thrown together, transfer portal. It's not like you come up and see these guys and they're having to go, you know, through it together, and you know, you really know. That's like how I was joking before. You don't know anybody on the team. I just feel that that's dampening the the men's side.

SPEAKER_05

I agree 10,000 percent, but I also will say that's the state that we're that we're we're we're living in. There was a comment made that um um uh the guy that that hurt his uh lit Linda uh that hurt his um yeah, was his knee or ankle or whatever. 23. Yeah, he he um he said, hey, when I came on to the team, it was like family and they made me feel like that. Well, okay, well, that's because everybody else just got there too.

SPEAKER_06

You know, right.

SPEAKER_05

Um, it ain't like y'all come up like you know, freshmen, sophomores, juniors, you know. So, you know, uh and so that kind of lends to what I'm saying. I have to give because again, you're correct, but that lends to Dusty being able to get them to kind of all click together. What we're used to seeing is them click together as they have come up, you know. And that's a that's that that's just the the coach that can do that and create that. I said it before, that culture where they can start clicking together quicker. That that's gonna be the one that's that that's gonna be more up there in those final fours because because the transfer porter that we live in, they're gonna be going like that all the time, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_04

That's definitely how it is from now on for sure.

SPEAKER_05

I will say this, I will say this. I do believe, and and I'm not talking about some people might disagree from a basketball standpoint. I do believe that he's selecting people from a mentality standpoint that's gonna buy in out of that portal into you know, you of course you look to get the best person, but I don't think he's doing that.

SPEAKER_04

I agree. No, I I agree, and and I think actually, um, Dan Hurley's doing the same thing. Uh he he doesn't get as many transfers, but the but the people that he gets, he's getting people to buy into his system. So yeah, as much as I don't really care for UConn or and I'll I can't say I don't care for Dan Hurley because I mean he's such a great coach, and I certainly respect him. He just aggravates me, right? Because he wins so much, and then his antics on top of it. So it's more of a fan, it it's a fan dislike, it's not like a real dislike.

SPEAKER_05

Oh, ain't nothing better than fan hate. I got something for LeBron. I got something for LeBron. I know LeBron is good, but I hate I hate on it.

SPEAKER_04

That's right. That that's right. But but I give him that credit in the Houston, the Houston Cougars on the men's side, they do the same thing, they're looking primarily for people that um you know fit that system. Although I will say, I feel this year they got off of that a little bit, and they got, you know, they got some some transfers that could come in, they had a good offensive game, but their defense was not as good this year. It wasn't right the typical Houston Cougar team that we've been seeing the last five years. And I think some of that was because of the transfer portal and some of the people that they that they brought in. I want to uh acknowledge a couple of the funny comments so Aaron put up in Michigan. They'll be excited for those championship bonus checks. So absolutely, absolutely, for sure, for sure. And then Brandon said maybe it was relief uh and exhaustion from the season, and I'm sure it definitely was some relief and some exhaustion, especially the way that the game ended, because they had a good lead, they were kind of, you know, it was looking a little shaky there, so probably just some relief that they, you know, held on. But uh they got it done, they got the job done. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, I want to touch one little quick thing that you said. Okay. Um we uh and again, I think it kind of lends back. Um, when you were talking about that um uh the the mentality now. As far as when they're bringing in these guys out of the portal and getting into that culture. That's going back again to what I was saying with these new coaches when they haven't experienced the portal, the NIL, and all of that. You know, uh, because the first thing that you're gonna want to do is say, okay, who's the best person in the portal? I think that's what a majority of them are doing. Now, I think you're gonna start to see a shift to your point because of Connecticut, because of Michigan. Now, people are starting to go, wait a minute, that ain't that ain't necessarily, and I think that's also gonna cause some shifting in the portal because I heard something, I apologize. I really wish I would have the there was some statistics out there. Uh, I forgot the lady's name, but she was talking about how many that nobody talks about get left in the portal that don't get picked up.

SPEAKER_04

Oh yeah, I I can see that. I would love to uh yeah, I'd like to see that.

SPEAKER_03

I'm gonna get some numbers for that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, bring bring that up. Yeah, because I'm I can I can absolutely see that. Because then, okay, you've left, you've gone in the portal, the team you left, they fill in their roster spots, and then you don't get picked up somewhere else. Where are you? So, yeah, I would love to see that. That that's a great point.

SPEAKER_05

That's a reality, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Oh, yeah, for for sure. Man, well, yeah, we can go on and on and on about that, yeah. But um, let's move on to our next

Has UConn Replaced Duke Hate

SPEAKER_04

topic here. So we've got uh UConn. So we talked about Michigan um winning, we talked about UCLA winning. I should have done the rundown before we started the show, so I apologize for that. So we're gonna talk about the Yukon hate next. Um, have they officially passed Duke as the most hated program? Uh, you got the men and the women's side, and then we'll talk about the NBA injuries. Uh, want to visit that uh 65-game rule. Uh, is that still relevant? Should they still have that? And then we're going into the final week of the NBA season. So we'll we'll finish off with that. But um, Mike, man, so have the Huskies officially overtaken Duke as uh the most hated basketball program?

SPEAKER_05

I would say uh that uh Geno probably helped that cause with everything. Uh I would say they're about neck and neck. One thing about when you're winning and you're winner and you start to win for a long time and constant you know, constantly people just have a tendency to just kind of solve. That's just that's how it is. When you're when you're on top, okay, people like to punch up, they don't like to punch down, they like to punch up.

SPEAKER_04

That's right.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I think they're about I think they're getting about neck and neck. They haven't surpassed Duke yet. That Christian, that Christian Leitner thing, it it was so epic just to just to swing it that they got a 30 for 30 on it, and people still talking about it to this day. Yeah, so they haven't passed there, but they're about about neck and neck.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh man, yeah, for sure, for sure. And then you had uh Grayson Allen at Duke that that was kind of carrying carrying it on with his antics for a while. So yeah, had had a lot of interesting in interesting play, uh at Duke, but uh, but a lot of women I think the coach though kind of that for Yukon, whereas you had those yeah, Coach K haters, right?

SPEAKER_05

Also, but you had players also, yeah. You can't really hit players as much with the Yukon men or the women as much, but you can on the coaches, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And you know, and that that's what's so interesting about this, yeah. Because you know, because the funny thing was like growing up, because even growing up for me, you know, because I I like Duke now, but growing up, I didn't grow up in North Carolina, well, at least the early years, I was in uh, you know, Illinois outside Chicago, and so you know, I you know didn't didn't like Duke. A lot of a lot of folks didn't. Um, but then you know, coming here and and you know, just being involved with the school and all that, just got to learn more about the program and whatnot. And of course, have come to come to like Duke. But even back in the day, and most people that still say that they don't like Duke, they would always say in the same breath, oh, but I respect Coach K. Yeah, there was always there was always that respect. It would say that you know, even if they weren't a fan of Duke, they always have respect for Coach K. So that was always the thing. So it was pretty much all the players, but this is so interesting with UConn to where it's not the players, there's no players that anybody really has hate for for any of the teams. It's the coaches, so that I find that hilarious.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think that um again that the whole thing that happened with uh Gino and Don Staley took it to a whole nother level, and uh unfortunately, um uh and and and and let me say this you know, he he put out an apology uh statement, which I think didn't help the cause at all. Whatever, like, dude, come on, man. Now he did pick up the phone, they say, and called her. Uh-huh. So just to let everybody know, he did. If you hadn't heard, he did pick up the phone to call her. But again, you did that in public, you gotta apologize in public. That's just how it is. You know, you hate to see it with a guy that's got such a you know legendary career, yeah. Um, and it gets stained like that. It reminds me of uh Bobby Knight, you know, coming towards the things, those guys or whatever, you know, yeah, coming towards the end.

SPEAKER_04

Because I mean, gene genius coaches. I mean, um, you know, Gino, and I think his big mistake, of course, with the the statement was that he didn't mention Don's name in the statement at all. So that's that's a good point. He did not so that he did not that clearly show that you know that that wasn't as is as genuine there. So that that's where I think a lot of the the the the backlash came from there. But um, you know, there's no questioning his his acumen, you know, he's amazing. I actually picked up so with our um the the the team that we coached um the uh last year, the buckeyes, right? Um, you know how we started our layup line? We started it from like just beyond half court. Yes. I I got that from Gino. Wow. So yes, I I I actually got that from Gino. So he he demonstrated it, and it was just so profound how with the layup line, when you're starting from the free throw line, how the players can just jog and they're just throwing the ball up, and it doesn't really mean anything. And how their layup line is far back from uh you know at half court, and you only have two dribbles and you have to go full speed to really get ready for the game. And so I love that. So I I totally took that from Gino.

SPEAKER_05

I love it, I love it. Yeah, again, he's he's such a good uh coach, X's and O's, and uh I I think he just got so mad at how the game, whether it was the whole three readers or not, you know, I I think he just got how mad at how the game was being officiated. And to some extent, to some extent, again, I I still say you gotta play, right? Yeah, I I actually understood some of the things that he was saying that was going on, whatever, you know, as far as um, you know, the fouling and things like that. So right, uh, but they was letting him play, and you know, when they do that, then you just get your team has to adjust.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, you definitely, definitely has to adjust. Um, I also hating that we will move on to the NBA, but you know, he didn't have clearly does not have a good relationship with Don Staley. This this didn't just start uh on Sunday. Like there's yeah, there's been tension already there. And what I don't like is this is not new for him because he and Pat Summit didn't get at all, you know, and Pat Summit was running it, and it's very similar to you know, Don Staley still's trying to you know get to that level of accomplishments, but she's clearly on that path and is clearly the dominant coaching figure in women's basketball and is a female. And here it was Pat Summit was that Gino came and took over, and they had a very icy relationship.

SPEAKER_05

So I don't know and I would argue he doesn't like uh he doesn't like being um he doesn't like people being compared to him or people saying they're gonna get up on his level or people striving to be uh he he feels that he's elite and they they shouldn't even say or talk about him or don't you know right you know again he's got this, you know, and and and and and he has he's dominated the sport for such a long time, but you know, at the uh at the same time, let's be honest, let's be honest, because again, going to the the thing nobody really wants to talk about in women's basketball, they're tier levels of um class of of young ladies who can play, and he's always in that top, I'd say five percent easy, always.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, he's had yeah, talent-wise, it's been unreal. I mean, their their bench, their their bench could go to the final four, right?

SPEAKER_05

So he just reloading right every year. He's he's just reloading, and like you said, they don't transfer the same. So he's just he's just reloading, you know. So he doesn't he doesn't consider anybody else in the in in in his realm, right? Yeah, he wants you to kiss the ring, yeah. And we all we all both know Don Still ain't kissing no ring.

SPEAKER_04

No, I'm just saying, not not at all, not at all. All right, well man, let's we're gonna go to NBA, uh wrap up

NBA Injuries And The 65-Game Line

SPEAKER_04

there. So, man, uh the NBA, you know, we got injuries after injuries. Um, you got Kate, Kate Cunningham with the uh mild uh collapse long, but still don't know what that is. Yeah, yeah. I've never heard of a mild collapse long. Uh, but uh, but yeah, he he uh hopefully will be back soon.

SPEAKER_05

He's on track, he's on track.

SPEAKER_04

Good, good, good. We definitely want to see him back for your pistons. We're excited about the run that uh they will be embarking on. But um, yeah, so many. I mean, we got Luca just going down, Wimby, you know, took a shot in the ribs, came out the game, and he literally has just one more game that he has to play uh in order to hit that 65 game threshold. Uh, and this is the other thing I didn't realize because I was like, huh, okay. If you are like at 64 games, can you just like come in, check in the game, run up, go up the court, and check out, yeah. And I didn't know that until 20 minutes. I was reading last night. I said, Ah, okay, 20 minutes. And I think you you get you can get an exception for two games if as long as you've played at least 15 minutes.

SPEAKER_05

Uh, which is that I didn't know. I knew the 20 minutes, I did not know that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, didn't know that either. And so, because the game last night that Wimby came out of, he played 17 minutes. Uh, but but they said it'll count because it'll be one of his uh exceptions, 15-minute ones, yeah, yeah. Right. So, yeah, did not did not realize that. All the but, but that's a great, that's a great rule that they put in to make sure that nobody could could uh to to get around that. But man, what what's your take on um the 65 game rule?

Should The 65-Game Rule Change

SPEAKER_05

You know what? I I was about eh middle ways, I don't know here and there, but Sumpert um uh used to be with Cleveland. Yeah, uh, he said something that was really, really good. And he said, Whatever the rule is that they have decided to come up with, he said, that's the rule. He said, You just go by it. He said, We need to adjust to that. I was a little shocked that he said it because he said he said in that same breath, he said, because he said, uh he said, I'm gonna say this. He said, A uh, you know, 80-something games and you playing, and as you get older, it's rough. He said, But you know, you have to do something and set some type of standard. And I was like, Oh, yeah, I'm I'm all in now, right? To hear players, somebody's played, you know, he done won a championship. He knows how it is. He he he had a long, decent career, so he's been, you know, it wasn't like he was in there like a couple seasons, so he knows what it is to see your skill set start to go down. You might still be in a war, you know, in for an award or something like that. But again, I I thought what he said was you know really good.

SPEAKER_04

Man, I like Schumpert. Schumpert, uh, he's been great on television. Uh, he's he's done a great job commentating, and he was on um Shannon Sharp's Club Shay Shay. Uh, they did a two-part uh uh series on him, so it was about a little over two hours in. Really, really good. Really yeah, I was shocked.

SPEAKER_05

And I'm not thinking not saying that I just didn't know he was that good of a whisper guy, especially on commentating.

SPEAKER_04

Me, me too, me too. Uh, but yeah, so he he's really uh good. And uh so yeah, so knowing his makeup now, I'm not as surprised to hear that. The other guy who said he's fine with it, and knowing his makeup, I'm not surprised either, is Jalen Brown for the Boston Celtics. So he also uh, you know, is with that again, he's more old school. He was one that was willing to step up and got in the dunk contest a couple years ago because none of the stars would get into it, and he really points of that. Yeah, so a lot a lot of respect for him as well. So it's interesting that those are two of the guys that are speaking up, you know, for the war. Um, I've always been in favor of it just because of you know the the load management and uh the fact I felt that there had to be some type of rule because there was a stat and I should have had these, but I heard there it's been an astronomical decline in the number of players that um played uh certain amount of games. So guys that made the I think it was people that made the all-star team. Um I'll forget the exact number, they had a certain number of games that they used to play, and it was like really high, like they played, you know, 80, 90 percent of the games, and then it got to the point a few years ago to where that number dropped like a ton, like 40, like it was a huge drop-off in numbers all of a sudden in the last five years. So they they clearly had to do something. What I will say though, because you have a lot of people that I mean the game is more up and down, it is more fast-paced, it is more wide open, and I feel that they are more susceptible to injuries now.

SPEAKER_05

Uh however, yeah, I I do agree with that. See, here's here's here's the only thing I've heard that before. This is my only disagreement with that, right? Is that back during our our our head called decade era, wherever you want to call it, right? That those guys played more with injuries than they do now. So, so what does that mean? We we don't really know because a lot of guys they would still go head on and play. Whereas, and of course I'm going a little, you know, being a little facetious, but they get a toenail broken, they they on the injured list or whatever, right? But the same injuries that they claim now. I'm not saying that they're not injured. I'm I'm I'm saying I'm not saying that the toenail ain't broke, right? Right, but they didn't claim that back then. So when you start, you know, you know, you compare we compare apples to oranges, true, they both fruits, but they ain't the same fruit.

SPEAKER_04

True, yeah. No, that's a great point. And like with Wimby, Wimby's in 64 games right now, right? Got hurt in the 64th game, but it was, I think, the game before this, he sat out.

SPEAKER_05

He didn't play that game, and you were you're correct, I remember that.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and I was shocked that he didn't play because I'm like, okay, there's only about five, six games left. He's really close to the 65 game mark. I was like, all right, you might need a game, right?

SPEAKER_05

Right, don't why flirt with it?

SPEAKER_04

Exactly, and and right on cue, that's exactly what happened. But what I would say is I think both that you I definitely think that they don't play through as many injuries nowadays. Um but the game is you know more up and down, and you have so many people that are like, you know, 61, 62. I think Cade, I think Cade got to about what 61, I think, or something like that. Yeah, um, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05

He got right, he got right at it.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, he got right there. Well, what I would do is I would I would adjust it to 60. I would adjust it to 60. Um, I think I think 60 is 22 games. Right, right. And and so that's more of like a quarter. So I I feel that um I feel there should be a number. There should absolutely be a number. Um, and again, I was a proponent for 65. But as I'm looking at the data and I'm looking at the amount of star players that have legitimate injuries, and it seems like they're playing again. Now, some are gonna cross, like SGA has just crossed it. He's good. You have a few other people, I think you know, Jalen Brown has crossed it, you know, a lot of people have crossed it, but then it seems like those guys that haven't, that weren't like out for the year, you know, like Joker is right on the cusp. He's you know, right there. Um, you know, Cade would have got it. So I feel that with the where the game is now, they could adjust it to 60, keep it hard, fast, don't have any exceptions, don't have any of that. It doesn't matter what your injury is. There shouldn't see. I hear some people have been saying, oh, well, you know, depending on the injury, you can submit like a petition. No, no, if you you either played the games or you didn't, right? But I heard that I would be okay if they adjusted it to 60. That's just where where I stand with it.

SPEAKER_05

I would want to see some numbers statistically. What I mean by that is so in the past, before they even, you know, what made them get to this rule, where were what what was the overall number that guys are playing on average, right? Um, starters, what was the name of that? You know, the the the the i I would want to see that number, and then from that number, I would decide another what what what the real what they need to be at. So if the average was I'll use your number 60, then I'd say, okay, yeah, they need to do 65 gays or 70s. I think at the end of the day, too, we have to realize that you know the the the person that's getting hurt the most on this is the fans. Yeah, absolutely. So absolutely you know, and and and and your boy said that, Schumper said that. So yeah, that that that's that that that's another reason why I just think that you know I'm I'm fine with the 65. And again, I know people be mad at me. I might go for the 70. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But think about it. You miss it. Let's let's let's let's let's take the 70 number. Okay, you missing 12 games. You miss 12 games. That means I could at least miss how long is uh as far as month wise? How long is the NBA season?

SPEAKER_04

Would you say start September is April? So tell me this about seven months.

SPEAKER_05

Seven months, that's almost two games of you know, they've been on playoffs and everything like that. That's two that's that's about two games a month. Two games a month, yeah. Two games a month, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, it's it's um yeah, uh, yeah. I mean 70, that's that's that that's a lot. That's uh, but but again, we if we go back again looking at the numbers, it would be cool to see. If you look at up to a certain point, it's definitely up until about five years ago. If you looked at any of the MVPs, I bet you they all played at least 70 games. Up until I'm gonna take a look at that up until about five years ago, for sure.

SPEAKER_05

I bet I got a I got a I got a statistician friend of mine that I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna get a hold of.

SPEAKER_04

Yes. Let's do that. Let's tap in Mike Sims. Let's that's right. That's right. Yeah, Mike Sims, for sure, for sure. Well, Mike Man, I'm gonna get you out of here. I appreciate you joining me today, massive yes, sir. To do this, this was impromptu, this was not planned, but with Michigan winning and and all the hot news, man, we needed to get a show uh recorded here on the Who You Got platform. So I appreciate you joining us. So last topic here for NBA.

Final Week Seeding And Play-In Chaos

SPEAKER_04

Uh man, so it's final week of the season. The season ends on Sunday. Uh so just you know, about five days from now, the Nuggets are believe they have the same record as the Lakers. So they are in that um three, four spot, but the Lakers have the tiebreaker. But Lakers play OKC actually tonight. So Nuggets will most likely then get that uh edge on them, and then they're gonna have to win. I think the Nuggets actually play OKC um in a couple days, but OKC might have number one locked up by the time they play. So they might not play their people. But um that's good that's a battle. Uh the Lakers will probably fall in that fourth spot. So Lakers and Rockets may play first round. You've got uh the Spurs. Now if if the Nuggets get into that third spot now the Spurs if they get out of the first round they'll probably have to deal with the Nuggets second round whereas before it was going to be the Lakers. So that'll be that'll be tougher. And this will also make the road a little easier for OKC because now OKC in the second round they're looking at the winner between the Lakers and the Rockets. That's much more favorable. So that kind of helps their road a little bit. And then you've got the Cavs uh I heard today that uh you know they they kind of want the Pistons in the second round you know instead of going against Boston we know how loaded Boston is they got Tatum back and you know the Knicks and whatnot. Knicks have bounced them out before you know they say oh no we don't want none of that we're just gonna get some of this this Detroit Detroit action so we can get to the Eastern Conference finals.

SPEAKER_05

You made a comment to me offline and you said ooh man the Hornets being that spot and they might play the Pistons. I'm gonna tell you I love that comment because I'd actually be a little bit worried about the Hornets the way they play it because they have Cavs no no I don't even I don't even need to make a prediction on that and stuff right you know I I don't I don't I don't even need to that what we gotta look at now is how because even without uh uh Cat I want to say the last 10 games they are either eight and two or nine and one that's what that's without him either eight and two or nine and one that's strong right and so watch this when he comes back that's gonna even help them I did not want him to get injured want him to stay but but now you make guys go oh okay all right I can get these many points I can I can do and it's going to and and the playoffs happen you need that you need that the guys to see they can do this or step up and they've been stepping up like crazy.

SPEAKER_04

They have I I am shocked I am shocked that they're winning at this clip without Cade because that was the whole story it was there was all Cade all Cade so you know from a basketball standpoint um it's the best thing that could have happened to them going remember everybody was saying Boston because it was prime right when he went out Tatum came back everybody was expecting for Boston to take over the league because now Pistons already clinched it they got a home court advantage through the whole you know uh uh playoffs as far as one eastern playoffs right and they and you and hey I get it he was down boston was up but that's not their again the culture they created yeah culture they created now you know we we we we it's it's Detroit against everybody yeah yeah Detroit pistons all the way baby that's right oh yeah yeah Detroit the house we got some Detroit the house yes yes pistons all the way yeah yeah they will as I said they will make it to the finals I'm not gonna say they're gonna win it uh yeah yeah because because in the finals man I mean yeah yeah probably you know OKC uh you know Spurs are there it's gonna be uh definitely interesting so yeah yeah yeah yeah we're gonna need Cade we're gonna need Cade yeah yo yeah yeah you're gonna definitely yeah for sure for sure yeah and it's gonna be entertaining the playing is gonna be gonna be fun so that that's gonna be outstanding so we have that next week that's I believe Tuesday Wednesday Friday um next week that'll be outstanding you got Phoenix on the West Phoenix Clippers Warriors um are there and uh see believe it's one other one other team in the uh west I was just looking at it so yeah oh yeah in Portland which is which is crazy I never thought Portland would have been there but they uh have been uh have been trying and putting effort so who is it in the east uh in the east right now um Philly has the seventh spot Charlotte has the eighth spot and they were a 10th Orlando has the ninth spot and they all have the exact same record so Philly Charlotte Orlando are all 43 and 36 so it's just tiebreakers right now at this point so it can go any way and then Miami is uh 41 and 37 so Miami's in the 10th spot Toronto has Toronto's in the sixth spot they have the same amount of wins one less loss so any of these teams so Philly Charlotte Orlando could possibly get into that sixth spot um and Toronto could possibly be there so it's it's wide open right now Atlanta right is a a game and a half above them I think Atlanta will hold on and be able to not be in the play in but um and that's crazy they trade Trey Young and now all of a sudden they they used to be the play in Atlanta Hawks and how they but amazing yeah it is amazing but yeah now um so yeah it is it's gonna be a battle man it's gonna be a battle yeah yeah it really will be so yeah can't can't wait for it so yes we will be going live um saturday april 18th so that'll be the first full day of the NBA playoffs we'll be going live at noon um noon eastern so we're excited about that we shall Diego in studio mike will have you in studio brandon will be joining us uh it's gonna be it's gonna be fire so we can't wait for that so we're gonna uh let's go ahead and get on out of here um and uh yeah man we appreciate you joining us go blue congratulations shout out much love to all the fam congrats on the uh on the championship uh we'll see the pistons in the playoffs and we'll see y'all in about a week or so all right until then pick them pros pick them pros like sims out we're out later pick them pros if the show you have no kicking clothes in your face for this fellow in the boy thinking it's the shore link in your fifth is yeah no match stable stable coming feed it double feed there in the ego dropping the knowledge you want to fall it's not locking the follow the phone a dynamic dual father and star you in the mix of the greatest of future players with this a day to the latest we're picking your fingers changing the game and I've been in the playlist then you know we gotta show up for the ladies that's got a real future of few us the sports and reports the link up the followers should you support us a major wave giving you up on the latest games bringing the facts a few facts breaking down all the greatest plays touching catch showing up all the fan so the stains with the facts number one

April 18 Live Show Sendoff

SPEAKER_04

you already know the fame close to the best low fifth close in this oh that we'll think so thank you so that's the right track of the game of the full thing that we can we can go with our LD I do make in it if you still make in it take store