Bears trade D.J. Moore to Bills, Celtics ‘can win it all’ with Tatum returning, BUD List

I from New York was like someone here convinced someone else to believe in the rocket. No, she said, see, that's why that's why Blue is the Hornets. Chris can just do it again. No, we do it again. It's good. Just go ahead and show. I promise. I should be the Hornets. No, no, no, no. So this just why from New York, that convinced someone here to believe in the Charlotte Hornets, the H.O. I didn't leave convincing. What are you talking about? I've been there a whole week. How many times has LeMelo been on the Budless? Me, and Lauren Begging. What? LeMelo, like winning basketball. One time. No, it's at least twice. One, two, three, two, three. At least twice. The Hornets are the real deal. Today, Josh Allen gets a new number one wide receiver. How far can Josh and DJ Moore take the bills? Meanwhile, World Baseball Classic underway, who do we have? Is Nick actually going to call us from the game in Tokyo and the past watch? Yeah. In about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, most motivational segment in all of sports, it's the Budless. What a Budless. Breaking news today. It's a big, it's a big, it's a big, it's a big, it's a big name Budless. Yeah. Huge, heavy hitters. It's all motivation too. Oh, good. Love it, you guys. Kevin Wildson, if you're right, Chris Persard, Drew, just quickly. Because there's a lot of news today. Was there anyone on the bubble of the Budless? There was one person, I forgot. There was one, because I was considering four. Yeah. I can't even remember who to put up with. So first three were so strong. Gotcha. We start with the rebuilding bills, new coach, new stadium, and now a new number one wide receiver, DJ Moore. Headed to Buffalo along with A2026 fifth round pin. Chicago getting a second round pick. This year, here's the raw numbers on DJ Moore. 50 catches, 680 yards. I don't say I thought these were going to be better. Six touchdowns. You didn't have a great year. No bills wide receiver had more than four touchdowns, but these are career lows for them. Didn't really vibe with Caleb. What does this mean for Josh Allen? I love this. Great. I love this for Josh Allen and the bills. All right. And look, if they had gotten AJ Brown, I would have been like, oh, this is great. However, and he's better than DJ Moore, but there's the chance of him being a distraction. Let's put it that way. I don't think you have that with DJ Moore. I know there were some frustrations with him and Caleb, but for the most, I don't think you have that with DJ Moore. If they had gotten like Evans, I would have liked that too for Buffalo. However, Mike Evans will be 33 next season. All right, before next season. And so how much longer does he have is he even still a number one, a bona fide number one? So I think DJ Moore is a legit number one. I saw obviously we saw the numbers last year. Roma, Dune's, they kind of became their number one guy got hurt and even Luther, you know, burden after that was kind of, you know, the numbers aren't what we expected. But DJ Moore, I think, is a bona fide number one talent. In Carolina, he had three 1000 yard receiving years with Teddy Bridgewater, I think Kyle Allen and Darnold before the resurrection as his quarterbacks, as his main quarterbacks. Cam was hurt one year, you know, in and out and all that. So he is a, I think he's a legitimate number one. I'm not saying he's top five, anything, but legitimate number one, I think he's a professional. He's locked up through 2029 at like 24 million a year. So you're not gonna pay a ton. He has experience with Joe Brady having been in Carolina. Brady was his office of coordinator for a couple years. He had big numbers there, even though he didn't have, as I said, great quarterbacks. So I just think this is great for them. And this is, because it's not a guy that's gonna draw a lot of attention to himself, you know, I just think it's perfect for them. I think it's a perfect fit. I think it's solid. I think it's a solid move for the bill. Like a B. Yeah, I, here's what I hope. He agrees a legit number one. So I, I think he is an average number one. Like that, if we lined up all the number one receivers in the league, I think he's right, you know, around 15th. Like an average number one receiver, which they did not have. And so that is, it's not that he's an average receiver. He's an average amongst teams number ones, and they needed it. And your point about his career, it's really odd, where his production seems to be inversely correlated to how good of this quarterback is. How good his quarterback is. His best year by far was with fields. He had 1,300 some yards with Justin Fields I win and his second most productive year, I think was the Kyle Allen year, a year where the ATRs are going. And so he seems to be a guy that at least throughout his career underwhelming quarterbacks. If they're like, man, lock on to him, he will go and be productive. For some reason, Caleb, who was not going to just look at him, whether it was last year or the year before, his production really didn't match. So I don't know what to make of that. And we can talk more about the bear space. Well, Caleb last year was in elite, and obviously this year he's showing elite tenders. No, I know, but my point is Caleb, at every moment of his career, has been a better passer than Fields, and the guy at 1,300 yards with Fields. So the only reason I'm even bringing that up is, I don't know that I can simply say, well, if he had this production with those quarterbacks, this is what you'll have with Josh Allen, because we would have thought, if he was going from Justin to Caleb, the production would go off, instead it got cut in half, essentially. The other thing I just want to mention, as you go, he did have Joe Brady in Carolina, so this is a reunion. So maybe Joe Brady sees that he was underutilized and undervalued in Chicago. And I think, so the reason I said solid is, I also think it's possible that he's just passed his prime. Receiver's weird. He'll be 29 in this off season. And so I think receivers are weird position where, it's obviously 29, you can still be at the peak, your powers, but not always. And, despite all that, I'm going to try to neg the move, because giving up the 60th pick is totally fine. And they got back a fifth. So it's totally reasonable and to your point, this year's contract is guaranteed, next year's de facto guaranteed, and then after that, it's paid by year for them. And 24 million for number one in the series, not bad. But the reason I like it the most is, I think teams never want to risk opening free agency with gaping glaring holes. Sure. That you are then, especially if you're not drafting super high, like the Raiders have a glaring hole at quarter, they know they're going to get them. If you're the bills, and you didn't address receiver before the start of free agency, then all of a sudden, it's like, are we going to pay 150 cents on the dollar for Alec Pierce that doesn't really solve our problem, or are we going to roll the dice that at pick 26, a receiver we like is there when we did that previously, and that's to a degree, how we ended up with Keon Coleman, but I'm not trying to kill them either, but that hasn't worked out. So they made it so they don't receiver as not something KW, that they absolutely must overpay for, they stabilize that. And they may draft another receiver too. 100%, which could happen. Yeah, yeah. Quickly I want to touch on the Chicago side of things. The last pass of the year was this interception that came through that DJ Moore was criticized for being on the wrong page, not giving us all, there's differing opinions on it. Here was Caleb's season when targeting DJ Moore. So again, DJ Moore didn't have a great year by any stretch. However, Caleb was pretty good when he's targeting him on the team, second, third, six touchdowns that was tied for first pass for rating, was 102 when he was throwing in the ball. So what do you think this means for Caleb? I think Caleb will be fine. I mean, Roe Maduins, there's their number one receiver, Luther Burden is showing that he's good, they got the tight ends, leveling, I mean, was better than commit for them. So they're fine. I don't know, I don't want to overplay or overstate whatever issues may have been with him and Moore. A lot of people have done that, particularly with that miscommunication. They're seeing to be a little frustration or tension there. I don't think it was too much, but I just think they'll be fine without it. They got enough weapons and talent. And Colin was saying, do they use some of the money they've cleared up to go get a Max Crosby or maybe the center Tyler Lindemann, Lindemann? So yeah, I think they'll be fine. They got enough receiver. So I agree with that piece of it. I think had they not traded them, he would have gone into next year as their fourth option. Because I think Colson Lovelin's going to be their number one option. That was Ben Johnson's first pick. He was excellent. You saw Burden come on at the end of last year in particular. And they spent a high pick on him. And Adunes, they obviously spent a very high pick on him before Ben Johnson got there. And so I think that they are, I don't want to say they're not going to miss DJ Moore. But if he was going to be their fourth option, 24 million to be the bills number one receiver is a bargain. 24 million to be the bear's fourth option is a misallocation of reason. And I don't think they'll miss him. It's good as I think he is. And as liking for Buffalo, I think they'll be... I don't think you miss him as long as your guys stay healthy. You know what I mean? And so that's the concern. But you went somewhere where a similar place I was going. They now have picks 2557 and 60. Would you trade those three picks for Max Crossby? The 25, a late first and two late seconds. 2557, 60. Yes. I think I would. They're right there on the cusp. Yeah. The win, he gets you, you know. And so you now, so that now... The win win. The raiders win. They get a bunch of assets. They get a bunch of assets. You have the money to do it. Yeah. You could still spend money to your point on Linderbaum. You could try to address offensive line in free agents. And again, they're in a weird spot because I think they feel very... Left Tackle's toony who's great and left a right guard right tackle is set. But their left tackle had a terrible injury during the playoffs and their center retired. So they do need to address that. There's no doubt about it. But I think now you have, like if the... For the raiders, if you are trying to get Max Crossby, the 60th pick is probably more attractive to the raiders than DJ Moore. You know what? Because the raiders want young players to build with Fernando. So that to me is a trade that feels about fair. That maybe could happen. All right, let's head to Boston, where Jason Tatum is poised to make his return against the Mavs on Friday. Now Boston is second in the East, 41 and 21. Your reaction to this news that looks like we're going to see Tatum on the floor. I have a major announcement. Excellent. And this might shock people because historically, when it comes to New England sports, but the Celtics in particular, I can't believe it. I've been something of a skeptic. And I've been wrong about Tatum and Brown quite a bit throughout their careers. And you've come around Joe Zula? Well, I mean, unlike Nick Sireonny, I do just feel like I was a little bit. Oh. And I look around the NBA landscape. I want to see how far you go. I am picking the Boston Celtics to win the NBA champion. Woo! Woo! I give you credit for not the Eastern, just the Eastern Conference. That's why I was wondering. I believe the Boston Celtics, with Tatum coming back this, with this much time, I feel like he has two months before he needs to be 100% and not meaning 100% of all Jason Tatum, but 100% as far as however good he's going to be. And this part of his rehab back, that's plenty of time. Because two months from now is the start of Round 2. And I know we'll talk Hornets later. I'm not going to say Round 1 in the East is, there's not some pitfalls, but they have been so impressive. The Jailens have been so good, they've been so good, even without Jailen this year. Six and one without him. I think the Boston Celtics are going to win the championship. I think Jason Tatum is coming back. I wasn't ready for that. It puts me in a bit of a pickle. Yeah, look. You're going to pick the Thunder. I know I'm not as nearly a coach. I think it's a bridge too far. Okay. But, and I usually don't, I usually pull against the team just because you're pulling the form. All right. I usually don't want something to happen just because you wanted to have me play. That you guys are just taking my corner. I'm not going to pick, at least right now, I don't feel like I really feel like I want to pick both of them. But you have been saying is I would not be mad. This would be a great story. He's saying he's. He's saying it would be a great one. I would be happy for Jason Tatum. Of course. If this happened, it would be fantastic. Right now I don't feel like that's going to happen. I do think there's obviously a threat to win the East and I won't be mad if somebody says they're the favorite, I mean, they are literally the favorite right now to win the East. I think I want to see how he fits in, how he's looking before I decide how far I think they can go. I love the fact. If he comes back tomorrow like the reports are saying that it's possible, that's, you got 20 games. Yes. 20 games is plenty of time for him to get back in a groove and figure out for all of them to figure out, okay, how is Jason going to fit in here? How do we play now? These are a lot of these guys are different. Obviously, Jaylen and Derek White and Pritchard and a lot of guys are similar or the same as last year, but a lot of the guys are different. And so it's just going to be interesting to see how they work this out. But look, here's the thing too, Nick. Remember last year, the Knicks did beat them last year with Tatum in six and I was three one when Tatum got hurt. So they were losing that game. They were losing that game. That game and the, yeah. So they are not invincible by any stretch, even with Tatum, but this certainly makes gives him a great chance to win the East. And I do agree with you that if they were healthy all year, like, Tatum was here, we would be talking about them as, oh, they can win it all. They're right there with OKC and San Antonio and all these teams that have a chance. So they got shot. So a few questions. And I'll start with you, Nick, now that you have my Celtics as your champions. I said, last year I said I thought the Knicks could beat them. You thought I was crazy. That ended up happening. I mean, a couple years before I thought the Mavericks would beat them, you thought I was crazy. I was wrong. You know what I mean? I've been, I've picked against them plenty of times. It's some I've been right, some I've been wrong. Did you pick the Knicks last year? Yes. Or you just say? Yeah, no, I picked the Knicks and Wilds kept saying that they were getting lucky. That it was about like the Knicks and a bunch of threes and the Celtics didn't. So there are the Celtics really are. Are they your team? Yes, because he thought we're historically there. But go ahead and ask for a little bit of a bachelor when it comes to my NBA. The Jante Murray just came back from 13 months after he tours the killings. Tatum's around 10. The Jante's just going, and again, everybody's different when you had your surgery, the severity, et cetera, et cetera. He's yet to score. He's only played four games. He's yet to score 17, 15, 17, 13. He's around 25 minutes a game. Do you think that is a average benchmark of where we expect to see Tatum? No, he certainly doesn't look like the Jante Murray of old, but he looks better than the Jante Murray on the bench in regular clothes. Yeah, so listen, here's one of the reasons I'm optimistic about it. Bru, who's the NBA superstar you have said a modern superstar that is the easiest to stop into a team? Durant. There are some real similarities to Durant and Tatum's game. I'm not saying there are differences obviously, but they're just like there are a lot of similarities. You see one guy maybe kind of watch the other guy growing up and modeled some things. There's some real similarities to Tatum and Durant. And I think that even if Tatum is a reduced version of himself, his just his raw size and scoring ability from the perimeter will not necessarily three-point line, just just from mid-range to three-point line, will be plug-and-play-ish. The Jante Murray's difference, so much of his game was at leticism and speed point guard, where I think Tatum will take the longest to get back to himself is his ability as a slasher and his ability as a defender. But who he's stepping in for in these minutes, just by virtue of the fact that he's six-nine, he's a better defender than him. You know what I mean? He's taking minutes from whether it's Halzer or Shireman or whomever. Like he is going even to Lesser State. He's not going to hurt their defense. So I don't know. I do not think we're going to get 28-point-a-game, Jason Tatum, like this year or this playoff run. But I don't think they have to have that when they were already one of the better teams in basketball to have this put them over the top. Is it their system, I mean, play hard on defense, be connected to your teammates, communicate what he can do? And they spread the four, shoot three, it's five out a lot of times, shoot the three, and for those few guys that can actually beat their guy off the dribble, Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, and we'll see if Tatum can still do that at this point. That's what they do. So it's not like that. I don't want to be littlest because Missoula is fantastic. But I do think he can fit into that pretty seamlessly. I'm happy for him. I'll be rooting for him. I also wouldn't mind if it turns out he wants to play at the beginning of next year. His long, just his long-term health. I'm a little bit stressed about, I guess. So not health. His long, like making sure that the real Jason Tatum is back and a part of me feels like this jeopardizes. If you're assured that he won't, he's not going to re-injure himself during this playoff run or whatever. You still have question marks about whether he should be playing. I thought, and again, everybody's different, that Aaron Rogers looked very different two years after the injury than one. But he didn't re-injure himself. I'm not saying, but I know, but I'm saying it feels like a two-year injury. So I guess, so this is- Because of retaring it, I just mean- If you talk about Durant, if Tatum was on Durant's timeline, he would come back in November of next year. Right. And so I guess my point is this. I think it is fair to say we should not expect to see first team all in B.A. Jason Tatum until November of next year. But to use the Rogers comp was Rogers, fresh off in Achilles, still a better option than Max Brasmer. Yes. You know, he was a lesser version of himself. He couldn't do as many things, but he was still better than like backups. I don't know if he was. I don't know if he was. But he was 44. I know, it's all different. It's hard. Yeah, that's hard. But I mean, Kobe came back quickly. Now, Kobe was not the same. I was the same. But it was also Kobe was also, you know, in year 19 of his career. It's hard to just pick like Brandon Jennings, like Dominique was, Durant is. I don't know. Haliburin is taking an extra long time. No one's talking about Haliburin getting back. Well, I don't know if Haliburin. Haliburin is not taking an extra long time. Haliburin tore his after Jason. Yeah, but he's not an opportunity. Yeah, he's like, like if they were having the season, Indiana's having. Then he wouldn't be for. Yeah, I can't imagine. I can't. I just want opening day next year that Tatum is the best he can be. I don't think this matters. Well, we will this down. Okay, if you don't think it slows it down great. And he's probably looking at this. I'm sure he's thinking we got a chance to win the championship. Like I have a chance to win a championship, another championship. I think he's going to score. I don't think he's going to be a role player. World baseball classic started last night. Australia and South Korea get wins. Team USA played the Rockies. Didn't go well for the Rockies. Fourteen to four. Our lineup grew. Why? Here's who we feature. Again, I think set in stone. That's power. Bryce Aaron Judge, Werber, Bregman, Cal Raleigh, Roman Anthony, Byron Bucks and Bryce. I mean, it's a it's a power back. And they should be playing with fastball. Roman Anthony. Oh, yeah, I wonder how it works. Roman odds this year. We're number one. The DR is lineup. I have that to. DR is lineup six. The DR is lineup. Tatis, Marte, Soto, Vlad, Machado, Junior Caminero, Julio Rodriguez, Austin Wells, Perdomo, and Serverina. Their lineup is crazy. Japan, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and then next year. Japan had been the second favorite. The DR just recently jumped. The great and pools is the coach. OK, so what's your headline about the world baseball classic? We did a little money. My headline is this. Vlad? Or is he going up? Yeah, why did we do headlines? Sorry. Vlad Soto shine. Oh. As DR cruises, now notice the spelling of cruises. I like that. To classic crown S O Neocruz. I think this is the year starting with the classic. That O Neocruz reaches his potential. Wow, you're going to need a whole new person. It's what is third or fourth full season in the league now. 27 years old. I think he's going to finally reach his fulfilled his potential. And you said it. Vlad Soto, Machado, Julio Rodriguez. I mean, I wanted to put Tatis Jr. in the headline with Soto and Vlad, but I didn't have room. Like, they are stuck. They got some pitching, you know, Serverino, Alcantero. Like, I think they, I got the DR winning this. I love it. Unfortunately for America. It's evidence by Bru, twice this show. If anything, this show is known for seeing a corner that someone else used to be on. They've abandoned it and grabbing it. I maybe I did that with two wilds with the Celtics. Maybe Bru did it is trying to do it with the, to wilds with the Hornets and with O Neocruz. O Neocruz. Yeah, the O Neocruz is mine guy. We did the tie. So you know what? I looked around and I was like, wait a minute. I think that corner is open. And it's not only a corner, it's a gorgeous island and the Pacific Ocean, where I might be traveling to Showtime. Brumus is the boat. Is O'Honey? O'Honey becoming the goat. Because you guys are right. America and the DR have the rosters. But they've got that guy. The rosters. And you can never go wrong. Big that pan. And if I'm right. I can't. I'm literally in Tokyo cheering for him. Do I become the Shouzotani guy? I don't know. Some people are saying. The pan is one three times. So you're going for their fourth win. All right. I have a lot of headlines on mine. Oh, let's hear it. Because I dug into it. Because pitching is an issue. It's a little bit like little league. I'm going to have pitch counts. It's really to protect the pitchers so the guys can't get over extended, et cetera, et cetera. OK. So here is a headline from, I think it's the athletic, right, Dust? OK. Why Paul Schienz is unlikely to take the mound for Team USA in the potential finals. So you already have to plan out if you're going to win it. Who's going to pitch? So here's the issue. I know what you're thinking automatically. Too many pitches. Not the issue, oddly. So get this. If Schienz pitched in the final coming off his first start in pool play Monday against Mexico, he would be working on seven days rest. Team USA manager, Mark Derosa, said that would be too long between starts. And then the scheme prepares for the major league season. I thought it was going to be too short. No, it's actually too much rest. Because they're just trying to get ready for the game. Well, maybe hold him back from the first start, right? I mean, we see USA. We got other guys that can pitch. Yes, but this is how they want to lay it out. But it would be too long and then maybe in the back end. He doesn't want anything to do with Italy in the past squats. He don't want to wait. I thought you were going to be Italy. That being said. My headline, little Keishan Johnson to ask, give me the darn ball. Schienz demands to pitch in the final. Oh, despite Derosa, there's no rule against it. You wouldn't be up against any innings. So who do you have winning in? I would obviously. Well, it just says he's pitching. I didn't even brew had a winner. I had a winner. I was checking. Well, you don't believe it. You think you're going to go with it? I throw you off with the DR. No, but I like DR as like my silver medalist. You know, I love second place teams. Get to the final second place. You're still right there. A stealer is all in on Aaron Rodger or his Kyler Murray lurking in the background. That's nice. Hey, check out the podcast. Shout out to number one. You said in the world over those two crime podcasts. Wow, number one in the world. And then our YouTube channel has just been excellent recently. It's got some great content. I turn on the captioning sometimes to read it too. There's one recurring weekly thing we have that doesn't do so well. Sure. What's right trivia? Also have 425 PM Eastern time. OK, everybody? So if you're in the West Coast, it'll be 125. Italy Captain Vinny, the Passquatch, Passquantino, joins today to talk about team Italy. Brush off a nice arbitration deal with the royals. Oh, what do you get? Get some money. Oh, great. That's very good. 8 million for a year. Oh, that's very good. Shout out to the Passquatch. Aaron Rodgers was back on Pat McAfee show, where he was very complimentary of his old coach, Mike McCarthy. I like that part. But neither side, neither he or the stealer, seemed to be in a rush to get a deal done. I don't know if I agree with part of that. OK, very interesting. Why am I taking a little bit of editorial license? Yeah. There hasn't been any deadline set on me. There hasn't been any contract floated in front of me. Should the stealers wait on Rodgers, but Nick, if you, if you. Omar Khan told us. Yeah, we don't think it'll drag out like last time. Omar Khan told us right after the season. I don't remember when it was that he talked, but it was weeks ago, because we then did a segment talking about how Aaron should let him know prior to the start of free agency. Then Aaron pops on McAfee and he's like, I'm not going to know before the start of free agency. Well, they also haven't floated anything to him. So I don't. So that's all I don't. I do not think that Pittsburgh Steelers should wait on Aaron Rodgers. And I think this is laughable. And of course, it's happening again. And of course, Aaron is, I'm not saying they're insincere flowers. He's laying at the feet of Mike McAfee. But he is doing just enough, I think, to make the Steelers stay interested in on the hook. But they don't have how can the Steelers operate as a franchise going into free agency without knowing whether or not Aaron Rodgers wants to play? I think he challenged it. Right. And he's saying, I don't know if I want to play. So I wouldn't wait. I would operate as if Aaron Rodgers is retired. I think that is the responsible thing to do if you're Pittsburgh. If that means you have an offer out to Malik Willis, so be it. If that means you call up the Niners about MacJones, I know you might not be available, but so be it. If that means you hit up Kyler Murray, so be it. I do not think you can operate as it was last year which is winkin' a nod. We know he's coming. I don't think you can do that. And I don't think it is, I don't understand why Aaron would want them to. I, this is the part of Aaron Rodgers. I just don't understand. Do you think him saying, because he said, they have not offered me a contract, that that is him maybe wanting them to put forth off because if they haven't offered him a contract, then they don't seem to be at least, like why wouldn't they do that now? I don't know, but I also don't know how reliable of a narrator Aaron is. Like I think he is very, very cautious about not telling outright lies. So when he says they have an offered me a contract, I believe it. Do I think what possibly the last time they spoke was, it was left on, all right Aaron, as soon as you know if you're planning on coming back, let us know. And they will, but we'll give you your time. And they say, okay, in which case the sealers can't offer him a contract. Like they're respecting the agreement of, you let us know if you're going to come back. So that's why they wouldn't have offered him a contract. Does that like, to me that's a reasonable reading of it. Well look, they shouldn't want him anyway. I mean they should call him and be like, look, thank you. It was great last year. You had a good season. Aaron, glad to see you. We're going in a different direction. But even if for the sake of the question and discussion, if they do want him, they still shouldn't wait. Like you said, they have got to know before free agency. If he wants to, at this point with all due respect to his wonderful Hall of Fame career, he's not good enough to be waiting. What if he comes back next year at best? They'll be, at best they'll do exactly what they did in this pasties. But we expect Baltimore to be better since an addy may be better. Like, and even going 10 and 7, 9 and 8, making the playoffs, losing in the wild cart round for the sixth straight time. What's that do for this? All that does is delay the kind of rebuild under Mike McCarthy for another year. So they shouldn't be interested at all, but they certainly should not let him hold them hostage. And now we can't go after Willis or Kyler or whoever they might want to get. Kirk Cousins. This is ridiculous. I don't know the Rogers is better than Cousins. The Cousins would be interesting. I'll tell you that. And so like, I just, it is surprising to me. It will be surprising to me if the Steelers sign up for this. But it maybe shouldn't be because it seems like Aaron thinks they have. Like, I don't think Aaron wants to retire. No. I think Aaron plans on playing. And I also think that it is on the board that while Aaron is the Steelers first choice, the Steelers aren't necessarily Aaron's first choice. And that's why he's playing coy, so to speak. Again, I am, I, I, I, I, Minnesota should be his first choice. Well, that's, that's what makes more sense, right? And so, and I want to be, I really, really do want to be fair here. And I, I, I, obviously I've not talked to Aaron. I don't have insight to that. And I don't have, I don't have, I don't have intel with the Steelers organization. It is just baffling to me why his process is so much more hard and in depth and just deep than every other football player alive. I, we are four years removed from the darkness retreat. Like, or is it four years, two with the Jets, one with the Steelers? So, yeah, and this is going into it. I four off seasons, three calendar years removed from the darkness retreat. Like, I just, I, everyone else seems to be able to get there 90% retired, three seasons to organization to go. Like, injure a theory career through. So, it's just, yeah. Annoying, I guess. The next had two shots to tie the game last night at the garden against the thunder and either connected. Okay, see Leeds with a victory and a very comfortable, but teetering on Arduous, coat. Here's SGA. Good team. Obviously a good offense, then they have really good defenders out there as well. So, they're well balanced. They're obviously the top of the East for a reason. They're a good team, playoff team. But yeah, they, yeah, really good roster. What are we supposed to do there? I'm always supposed to do. So, let brood talk about the neck. Yeah. Go ahead bro. Oh. What's the question? I don't, do you believe in New York more despite the loss? Since SGA, it was hard to make out behind the coat. Yeah. Collar, but he was very complimentary even though. You're asking me this because for some reason, people think I'm a nix hater. Well, you never say anything nice about them. What? I covered the nix as a beat writer and enjoyed every moment of it. Well, that's more just a fact from decades ago. Well, okay, let me say this thing. Thanks about this team. Let me say this to nix fans. And Ramsay, I'm talking to you as well. Ramsay walk around with a smile on his face today. Yeah. Look. He was like, finals preview. No moral victories. No moral victories. You guys are a legitimate championship contender. You guys have more experience and age on you than the Thunder Dude. It was at your house in Madison Square Garden. So you shouldn't be walking around all proud like a peacock because you only lost by three. That's all I'm saying. No moral victories. All right. Now that said, I do think there were positives that you could take from life. This is not a moral victory. I'm just saying that you did some good. This is not a moral victory. It's simply positive. Because they lost. Is that me? Everything was bad? No, but you did do some stuff. What? They should be able to sit in the film with Coach Mike Brown and he should be at the point out some good things like, hey, I liked that our defense continues to play well. Yeah. They held, okay, see to 103 points. Okay, see averages 119. When top five people would call that. No, you just say. You did some good things. You say on a day where we didn't shoot the three well and the nicks are great. One of the best three point shooting teams in the league. 30% percent. The only shot 29% I believe from three. And there was some rain. On a day we couldn't hit the three, we had a chance to win. So we did some good things. Down to 15 fought back. Well, back got in it. All right, so we did some good things. Here's the thing. I don't want to say this loud and clear. When I say the nicks should win the East. I am not trolling. No, I am not trying to set them up so that too much from now, if they don't, I can crush them. I'm saying it, Nick, because they should. Or in paper, they should, right? I think the only now Boston with Tatum back although he's not gonna be the superstar Tatum. I think the only team contender in the East that has as much talent as the nicks is Cleveland. And I'm pretty good. We know their issues, you know, hardening the playoffs. You know, their team in general has had struggles in the playoffs. Detroit doesn't have as much talent. Doesn't have the shooting. Boston, you got Tatum just coming back from a serious injury. So they lost. So they should win the East. So they lost, but they should feel pretty good about it. They can take some positives from it. But they know, because they're, I believe they're winners. And they feel like, no, we can be the, Nick, I believe they can win the East. And if they get to there, they can make some, make it a tough series. Right now they, again, 20 minutes ago, I said I picked Celtics win the title. Yeah. The nicks would be my second pick to come out of the East. Like I have them right behind Boston. Now that Boston's going to have Tatum back. So I, and I, I don't think they are quite to the level of O.K.C. But I think last night showed that over the last couple months, they have. And I beat San Antonio and Houston. So I have a O.K.C. related question if I can. Yeah. Because I don't know what the more objectionable moment for SGA last night was. I don't know if it was the press conference in the scarf collar thing. So, that. The coat's fine. Yes, whatever that is around it. I don't think it's attached. I do think it's attached to one. Oh, really? The coat is, I like the coat. I don't know what that is. So that? Nick. I don't know if that, if I have a big problem with that, or dust if we can show it, or with this. Because I am, I, I mean, so this, by the way, I mean, was a foul. I can't call that. That's the F-15. That's on the official. I mean, it's a little bit on SGA. You can't blame, but it's a little bit on SGA. If I am running into traffic in 10 feet before a car comes, jumping and falling on the ground, and then they arrest the driver, yes, that's a little bit on the job. But don't have me to do this in my homes with the little fake. I'm just going to bounce. No, hold on. I'm going to get in your arm. Yes, I have this for all. SGA stuff is he is of this stuff, public enemy number one, and doesn't need to be. He's too good of a player. And so I, that's bad. I mean, I agree. And I thought he had a charge early this. Yes, he should have been his third foul. Right, but that's just a miss call, at least. That's not a flop. Right. I'm not trying to make the basket. All I'm trying to do is trick the ref. I hate it so much. So Mike Brown. I don't hate him. I don't hate the team, but I hate that. I agree with that. Mike Brown says SGA does a great job of convincing referees he's getting hit. It does feel like the noise around this is getting loud. When do you think the referees finally listen to it or the league? Like, hey, kick them out. Well, the league doesn't need to. I mean, it's on the refs. And they're making mistakes. I don't think SGA, you know, you remember when Jordan played or even the LeBron, like they've got such stature, even referees are human and you can get caught. SGA is great as he is hasn't, you know, you guys have reached that where guys, refs are intimidated by him or anything like that. So I just think Mike Brown is somewhat correct in that he is able to sell these cars. Now that was ridiculous. He did kind of get hit before. He didn't react right when he got hit on the wrist. He just he reacted. He's ridiculous. Two seconds later. So they should, I mean, they just shouldn't fall for the right. In defense of the referees, they're probably like, wow, the league in BP just had a spasm. He must have gotten hit as opposed to he's doing an acting like that. A Yannis back in action. Two games to losses. Also got a tech after the entire team watch Dyson Dales get a tip in rebound. Bucks now five games behind the Hawks for 10th. Here's Yannis post game. Are we going with the, you know, wife, like, or are we going, you know, come together in the last one, one games and then have to play hard and throw it to make a push here. And they started tonight. I think Atlanta was the team above us and the game like this comes for two. And I feel like we came out and we said the tone. But after that, we just fell flat. When you play for something and you're facing adversity, you figure out the way to like buckle down and respond, you know. And I feel sometimes we don't do that. Brewer reaction. Well, look, Yannis is an all-time great player. He's a champion. He's loyal to this franchise. Loves the fans, the franchise, all that. So he certainly has earned the right to say whatever he wants and be critical of his teammates or whatever. So he has that right. But I think one of the detraments to basically not make a decision, like holding the franchise and the players in limbo is that sometimes when you say, like, some of the things he's saying, it can come off the wrong way. Like, I don't think anybody in Milwaukee in that locker room, just just my opinion, is trying to hear him to set question their effort, their heart, their desire. Because if you listen to the whole thing, he's like, you know, we came out, but then we lose energy. We lose spirit. What are we playing for? Things like that. I don't think anybody is trying to hear that when they're looking at it like, well, are you even committed to us? Like, because when you, with the story that you might leave, it's an indictment on all the other players in that locker room. You committed to them the rest of the year? Yeah. Let me finish. If you're, if you leave Milwaukee and you say you want out, I'm in that locker room. That's because you don't think I'm good enough. Yes. Well, yeah, you probably not. They're not good enough. But I'm just saying that they're going to feel a certain way about it. Too bad. I spent more time in the gym. Look, secondly, there, I'm just telling you, I think what their mentality probably is. You miss half the season. You, you, you've missed 20, you've played 29 of the 61 games, 62 games. And, and you're questioning our heart and, and desire and things like that. So I, I just don't think it's the time to be saying question in that stuff. So I, I really feel like, I really feel that. And, and I think, look, they were, and I, they're obviously not better without yonness. But they were eight and seven in the little stretch that he missed. They have their plan. Tomato can. They're tomato can. That's good. So, I mean, I mean, like I said, he has the right. He's good enough to say. And I don't have to sit well in that locker. I'm not a franchise all-time great. I even want a championship for them. I even play with those guys. I'll question it. All question it. Yeah. I'll just go ahead and say it. This was their biggest game of the season. This is the team they're chasing. They are on a three game losing streak. This was a game they absolutely had to have if they were going to have a chance to go up and state this spot from Atlanta. And they got clocks by the hawks. They lost by 18 in their building. So that's because they didn't give effort? Wait, while everybody except yonness. It's either that, because yonness was fine in, again, in limited minutes. In limited minutes, he had 24, 5 and 4 on 75 percent or 67 percent pardon me. He was not the problem. And so either the guys weren't all the way locked in or they're even worse than yonness. They're a bad team. Well, so like, I don't buy it. I just think that's different in question in the heart, the effort. Now, maybe that's the nice thing to say is they're good enough. Yeah, what do you want to hear? Turns out we're not good enough. Everyone really busted their tail out. So it's not good playback with something, and I didn't listen to the whole thing. So there's a question, not a, gotcha. Was he questioning their heart or questioning their effort? Because I think those are two different things. I think they're similar things. I didn't think they were similar, but you understand the distinction. Because he said we're good enough. He said we have the shooting, he said we're good enough. We're not playing hard enough. Yes. Because I think it's one thing to be like, you didn't try hard enough today and to say, you know, your heart wasn't it or you don't have the heart. To me, one is more of an indictment, but I just, this was a game they had to have, Kate, of you. And they didn't get it and it wasn't close. They are teetering on the edge of not only the play in, but something far more important to us. They are teetering on the edge as they try to go for the 10 spot. Our meeting is at 10. And they are on the hubs line. Hubs are executive producer. And he's going to see the next box topic. I'm like, well, why don't we talk about the bulls? Who had the, they don't have yet. They've got what, well, they, you know what they have? They have 25 wins and the, and the bucks have 26. They are closer and win percentage to the last place Pacers and Nets who aren't trying, then they are to the calves who are just middle of the pack. They are almost, it's an edit. We're talking about the bot. We're talking about the bot. We're talking about the box. The, the, the, the, they're almost done. We, they're, we have to get out. Yeah. They should move out. They should move into it. But it's just listen. And they get to the 10. You know, it's 10 in the West, the Blazers. You know what I mean? I mean, it's 10 in the East until yesterday, the Horn. The Horn is on. Why it was about it all the time. I broke down. They are on the road. They are on the road. I've just tell it. They are on the road. The box is good at anything. I've just tell it. They got on the, they're on the road. But they're good at getting on the team. The 10 seed is not the word of demarcation for us to talk about them. They've been the number one team since a random day in January. I'm going to fly. I'm going to fly. I'm going to be in the NBA since a random day in January. For that. Coming up next, the Bud listen. Do I have more hornet stuff? You better believe it. Welcome to Buzz City, North. Next on First Things First. Why from New York? The show's getting prepared for the world baseball classic. You're going on vacation again, which is very interesting. Yeah, come on. I haven't been on vacation yet. I have nothing on vacation. I was meeting. We hung out. I was meeting with executives. I was doing the podcast. I was like, through a duke. It's getting, you know, other businesses in line. I was doing a lot. I've earned a little bit of time off. I wasn't hanging out. I was enjoying themselves. I wasn't hanging out. You guys, you know what? Full disclosure, America. Our dark week was predicated by your kids' time off school. It didn't line up with me. So I've taken it differently. Got you. Put sure you're going on vacation with the kids. Second hour of first-miss. Second hour of first-miss. Second hour of first-miss. Second hour of first-miss. Today. No. It's tonight. It must win for Luca and LeBron versus the Joker. We're going to have a little changing of the five and six seeds. In the West. Yeah, I think he big game. The lake has been getting this one. Yeah. Meanwhile, the Passquatch joins the show talk world baseball classic. He's playing for Italy. Some great stuff there. But right now, of course, you're in for some real motivation. Also a time where we read some viewer mail. Christina out today. Hubs went to the most office. And you got today's mail. And you made him go in the rain. He's volunteered. Wow. Good for him. He's a hard worker. Oh, my God. He's doing great. He's doing great. Well, we're hardplay hard. Exactly. That's the same. Dear Wilds, love the show. Thanks. For my behalf, everyone. It's not just my thing. Okay. Does cowboy brew only listen to country music and Black Boy Max? Well, that's a great question. I'm sincerely. Ryan and Brian. Well, the cowboy brew is, of course, partial to cowboy music. Because when the cowboy hat comes on, you know, when in Rome. And Black Boy Max is. Right in the family. Right in the family. But you also have a variety of interests. And Gianna wanted to see if you were interested in this song that she found. The Reddit page. Yes. So take a listen. So really, sadly, wilds, I'm not surprised. This is a legal song. It's on our Reddit. Listen. I can add musicians. Yeah. I'm a man. I mean, journalist actor. Yeah. Now musicians. Great. Do we know who put this on Reddit? Yeah. But it's not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not a huge producer. I'm not a showman. Are you cold? Sure. Are you cold? I'm here. You can be a lady. Go. That's really good. I want to get up to the right. All right. Here we go. It's a star-studded buttoness. Star-studded all-motivation. Nicola Yokey. Oh. Number three. Now look, you are having a phenomenal year. A week ago, a week ago tomorrow, number one on my MVP ballot. Who's ballot? You are on the verge of becoming the first player ever to lead the NBA in rebounds per game and assist per game in a single season. You are on the verge of having the highest P-E-R for an individual season ever at 33.6. You'd be the first player ever to go 33 or above on P-E-R. So you have a phenomenal year. There's no question about it. You are awesome. Maybe too awesome. Hmm. To not win more. Hmm. Okay. And this is why I say that. Because the centers that you are now being compared to. Karim Aldujabar, Will Chamberlain Bill Russell, Shake Shack, Shakyla Neal, and Akima Lajwan, look it. You got three MVP's. You might have four after the end of this year. But look at how the titles. They have more titles. I only will, and Will McKeeim only had two. But they even appear in far more finals than you have. You've been to one finals and only one other conference champion. That's true. Your conference finals. So look, I know it's a team game. I know you need help. In this year, particularly, you got a lot of injuries. But you are 31, and I know that's not that old nowadays. But 31 years old, coming off, playing kind of with a knee injury. You just came off. Wrist injury. Let's talk about that, bothering you. And the nuggets are just six and eight since you've been back from the knee injury. And so I'm just pushing like you, you want to get into that group. But I think it takes more winning to kind of comfortably being that group. I think right now, you're right there with Moses Malone, who won three MVP's, one championship, but did go to two finals and three conference finals. Can I ask you this real quick, Will? It feels to me like, and I don't know how much Joker cares about this at all, that wherever he is right now in people's all-time pantheon. He is at the ceiling he can be at until he wins another title. Yeah, I would. Like that winning the MVP this year and next year does not, because right now what he's budding up against is, well, some people already have him ahead of a keen fine, but whatever. It's like, it's Shaq and it's Bird and it's Kobe and it's, that area, I don't think you can MVP your way there without at least one more. Kobe and Shaq got one MVP. Right. I mean, that's important, but more important is the championships as the number one guy. So Joker, look, I do believe in you, no question, but we got to see a little more winning. All right, at number two, Kyler Murray. Wow. You go to football or maybe baseball? No, maybe. Look, Kyler, great. Classic. Text or whatever tweet, whatever it was to the Cardinals fans when you were released and even some of your teammates when you were released. All right. The line is stood out to me. I am sorry. I failed us. Okay. And look, and I'm not trying to rip. You did fail. Number one draft pick. Seven years in Arizona. One time making the playoffs. So it was a failed experience. All right. But you have to understand why you failed. Wherever you go next, I think what's going to help you succeed is understanding why you failed. It is not because of a lack of talent. You know, I don't think I think Nick and I disagree on this. I don't think it's because of a lack of size. Because you have shown the first three years, rookie of the year, and then you made two problems in your first three years. You've thrown for 270 yards a game. You've had a passer rating of 100 plus. You've had your TD interception ratio. Has it been bad? But I think the reason that you did fail there was because, and the reports are all out there, lack of study habits, maybe a lack of work ethic, maybe some arrogance that rubbed some teammates and people the wrong way. And so wherever you go next, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Miami, the Jets, whoever and wherever it is, those are the things I think you need to correct. If you could just humble yourself, learn from this experience, and obviously study. You know by now, that's what it takes at this level. And have maybe an attitude adjustment in some ways. I think you can succeed. I don't think there's a question about that. At least in my mind. So Kyler, I do believe in you. All right, at number one, the man of the hour, right? Jason Tatum, may return tomorrow. But certainly returning the reports are from Shimes this season. And first of all, Jason, we're glad to have you back. Congratulations. It is a credit to your work ethic, your hard work, and your high character that you are even, can come back. Regardless of how well you play or whatever, those things are unquestionable just for you setting foot on a court again this season. Now, a lot of athletes will tell you, most, if not all athletes, say, when you return from an injury, it is as tough mentally as it is physically. And I would second that, but I say not even just mentally in the aspect of trusting your body, trusting yourself to do the things you used to do. I would say mentally, in this case for you, is preparing yourself or even ignoring the noise that's going to be out there. There's already some noise out there that all you could disrupt the chemistry or, you know, should you start or, you know, things like that. Who's team is all of that noise? Now look, the, and I'm not even saying it like Nick, I don't think you're an example of this, but the expectations are raising with you coming back. Like now, fairly or not, people are expecting you to at least get to the finals with the Celtics and if not, if not win the championship. All right. And then I think if you guys go out in the second round like you did last year, then some people may blame you. So you, you got to understand there's a lot of pressure and duress from the outside that's going to come with you returning the safest thing would just be to not play this year at all and come back next year. But you are taking a risk in many ways by coming back. So just be ready for the outside noise. What do what is best for you to play through it, whether that's ignoring it or whether that's just using it as motivation or what have you, but that will be out there. Don't let it stop you. Jason, I believe in you all time story if it comes to. Oh gosh. Yeah. If they want to championship, that would be there. It would be unbelievable. And it would be there are very few instances of a guy, his caliber, you know, missing. Having coming back for his first game this late in the year, and then they go on to win a championship. I mean, I'm sure are there. There's a I actually just read something about this. I wish I had written down. There are a few instances across all of sports. When did Jordan come back, say it again? When did Jordan come back? He came late. It was like 18 games. Yeah, they didn't win. No, I know. That's what. Oh, we don't know. It was like 18 games. I'm talking about guys who have, you know, hope this and winning and winning. You've got to the there. You've got a handful of the history of sports, but they've got a real shot at it. Time now for the sports media on Budsmen is I think of guys who came back late right before the playoffs and won. It's funny you guys mentioned Michael Jordan. He comes up in this one. For three feet, you going to congratulate him? Well, yes, I would like to congratulate NASCAR owner Michael Jordan in 2311 because, you know, many are saying him being on the most to lose list for the age 200 of 500 is what really took them into gear and open and but that's not where I'm going with this and I also before I even go would like to say this. I know that at times I poke fun at Michael Jordan because somebody has to. He's a God amongst sports media, amongst sports bands. And he is obviously arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, you know, and inarguably one of the most iconic athletes of all time. All of that can stand on its own without needing to denigrate current athletes or kind of other athletes of his era, which brings me to today's sports media on Budsmen and to my favorite people in sports media. Rich Paul and Max Callerman and their latest, their new podcast game over. Rich, I've known I kind of pseudo work with Max. I kind of interned for on a radio station 20 years ago, he has been radio in New York City. I interned for Michael K show, Max's show was on after, he was always so nice and I think he is one of the sharpest people in sports media. And one of the reasons I think he's so sharp is because not only because he argues a lot like I do and it's really a compliment to myself but because he usually takes every one of the best. He takes every position to its furthest logical conclusion and it's like kind of thinks about the rebuttals. I don't think he did that when he said yesterday or day before, Michael Jordan would average a 40 point triple double in today's game. And you hear that occasionally and I don't want to focus on the triple level part, I want to focus on the 40 point part because it's so outrageous. Because the imp, that I know through, I think he could. So not for career. So here's why I find it ridiculous. You cannot apply that era inflation to only Michael and you cannot apply that era deflation to none of today's players. Here's what I mean. I mean, I don't think that's what Max was saying. Because I agree that the year he averaged 37, yeah, if he averaged 37, he averaged 40. But the 30 game turning into 40 again is a 33% premium. Which if we apply then, I think that's what Max was saying. I agree that the year he averaged 37, yeah, if he averaged 37, he averaged 40. But the 30 game turning into 40 again is a 33% premium. If we apply then to other guys like, so Dominique Wilkins, if he played today, would be 36 again because he was 27 again for his career. And what about the big time scorers today? Are we cutting their scoring by 33% if they played back in that era? So LeBron and Kevin Durant, who averaged 27 again, they're not down to 18 again. Which is Jamal Mashberg. Well, no, obviously not. Carmelo Anthony. He's all of a sudden Hornets Del Curry is 15 again. No, I don't think anyone is. Yeah, I don't think anybody is that. That is my exact point. Of course nobody's saying that. But then it doesn't, then the argument falls apart. If what you're saying is that it is so much easier to score today than it was then. Do you think it is? I do think it is easier to score today, but not enough to where you're going to go from a 30 point per game for your career to 40. I would be shocked if he's saying that for a career. Well, if the, I think he's probably saying a few seasons. Like I think he could average 40 of few seasons. In today's, it is half of this, well, not half for him. But so many more of the shots he took would be worth three points versus two. He would be a, because he'd be shooting more threes. He'd be a much, just like LeBron had he played in Jordan's era, would have been a better post player. Because you had to. That could be a strength that he's never really utilized. Jordan would shoot more threes in adjusting to the type of game. So, anybody score more points just for that reason alone. Let alone is so much easier to get to the rim. They give you the mid-range shot. Like, so I wasn't trying to force him. He could, I wasn't, we don't have to spend a ton of time on this. I reject the, the notion that Michael Jordan was when the line wasn't moved in a bad three point shooter because he didn't want to be good at it. I would, if he said he didn't want to be, I mean, he just believed in that. I know he said it. He, in the years the line was the, where it is now, he was 29%. He shot for the era, you know, a little above more. He shot more off the average player. How many of you average player? He shot 1800 first career, about 600 of those were in the years. I mean, like average for games. The, the first entire career, I don't know that. But it's again, above average for the time. But that's what they didn't shoot it back then. I understand. Even the great ones didn't shoot it. Right, but the great thing is, I, I, it is common wisdom, conventional wisdom, that if Michael Jordan wanted to be good at three point shooting, he would have been. And my, I guess controversial take is, I think Michael Jordan wanted to be good at everything. And this was the one thing he just wasn't good at. And the only years he was good at it was when the line was, you really think if Michael Jordan played today, he would not have been a better three point shooting than back then. No, no, no, I didn't say he wouldn't be incrementally better. But I do not think that a guy who shot, played 15 years in the league, only shot a high number of threes when the line was moved in. And the other years, it shot 29% and I'm rounding up for his career. Would not all of a sudden be a good three point shooter, I don't think that. And Brian went from being a bad mid range and three point shooter to being a good three point shooter. He got that right. Because he had a right. Right. And I don't think Jordan really worked on the three. And I, I'm not even trying to make it a Jordan LeBron. Like, I'm just saying the note, like I firmly, LeBron has never really fully established himself as a great post player. Sure. I think he played in the 80s and 90s where that was more part of the game. He would have been killing people when he wanted to down. Just like Jordan and Kobe did. But I, it's so, I'm just, I'm just giving him that. Just like, I'm shocked, you think. And I'm not saying Jordan would be like, Steph Curry. I'm just saying I think he'd be a, would have been an adequate three point shooter as a part of his game. The LeBron post play thing, we have, we have seen, we saw a season or two where he focused on it and was good. He was never, he was never, he was never high volume. I thought we don't have a single season of evidence at the regulation three point line where Jordan was good at it. So I don't, I don't think it was by choice. I think it's a, it's a choice that you don't work on it a lot. I, okay. I mean, I only used it was a phenomenal three point shooter and shot less than five a game for his career. Right. But he didn't do that. So, but the argument against Jordan's three point shooting is not a lack of volume. It's the percentage. And so we can disagree on it. I just, I think that saying it, it, it, it max was saying just for a year, so be it. Yeah, okay. But I mean it is, it's that easy to score in today's game. Then what we're saying is Durant would struggle in the 90s and I don't know. The rest, they, do you got 37, 38, 40 euros drop in 25 again, 27 a game today? See, it was easier to score. We have to extend it out. It's like, all right, so the guy average five is, all right. World baseball classic Aaron Judge Paul Schienz-Price Harper, suit up for the Stars and Stripes. Team USA takes on Brazil tomorrow 80s, they're in only on Fox and joining us now. A member of the Royals, a captain of team Italy is the pass watch. Vinnie, is this your second or third time on the show, maybe fifth time on this? Well, no, he's with us. He's on the show seventh time on the show. Yeah, he didn't have the fact that he said not a knock. Welcome back to the show. And congratulations being a captain of team Italy. What does the captain see mean to you? It means trying to be some sort of rock for the lineup basically and let the other guys, let the other guys do their things. So we've got a lot of young guys on this team. I'm excited to, I'm excited to watch them. We've been getting to know everybody the past few days and we've got some characters on this team that I'm excited for people to see. Vinnie, most importantly, if Michael Jordan played today, how many pitch was there? 35? Okay, there you are. You know what? I'll take 35 of his best seasons. Probably a little harder today. I guess I have a question for you guys and I think the audience is probably wondering this too. Bruce, when did you move to Pittsburgh and become a Pittsburgh fan and start talking about O'Neal Cruz? You know I'm from Cleveland. Which is right near and Indian, it's all the same. Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis is all the same. That's the Russ Belt Midwest. But yeah, O'Neal Cruz, look, I think the DR is stacked Vinnie. They're going to be tough. And Cruz, I like Cruz. Why was I trying to take him from me? I like him as a rookie. When he's doing them all 100 miles an hour in the infield, then this is great. This is great for him. Basically, first base again, that's for sure. It hits the ball so hard. I think this is the year he takes a jump. I do have another question, no Vinnie. Because we introduce you as the pass squad. You got a lot of, I think great nicknames. Italian breakfast. I don't know where they come from. Italian nightmare. Pass squad. Which one do you like? Which one do you think is best? Maybe it's passcwatch, but. For the purposes of the next 10 days, either of the Italian ones, I'll go with it. But outside of these next 10 days, we'll stick with passcwatch instead of it being about food. Italian, don't want your entire thing to be about food. We are a bigger guy. Stay away from that. Can you tell us about, for the audience that doesn't know, kind of your journey to being on team Italy? And what it means to members of your family, most notably maybe your grandfather? Yes, I'll start with that. My grandfather, he now knows, but he thinks that we're in, or he thought we were in Italy for this tournament. All off season, it's all he would ask me about is, when are you playing for Italy? When are you going to Italy? When are you doing this? He's a Yankees fan first. He's an Italy fan second, and now he's a Royals fan third. I'm curious to see how he does his outfit the next few days. It's normally a Yankees shirt, a Royals cap. He'll probably have to get something Italian for this. But, yeah, so this, playing for team Italy, came up in 2022 when I was a rookie. They approached me in August of that year, asking if I was interested. I said, you know, obviously it'd be an honor to play in this tournament, to play for this country. And we had to do some digging to make sure I was eligible. And we found out that I am. So we got all the records in place, everything to make sure that I was good to go. We got it. And we were in the pool of chaos. We called it in 2023. And we advanced, got to go to Tokyo, face of Tony in the Tokyo Dome, which was super special. So this tournament is one of a kind. I'm honored to be representing the country of Italy for a second time now. That's awesome. All right, Vinny, just to dig in on some of your games, your pool B, Mexico, USA, Brazil, great Britain. You'll be familiar with some of the pictures that were in the major leagues. Some of the guys I assume you haven't seen. How are you prepping? Because I know you're watching your ad bats and different scouting reports. How are you preparing for guys that you have either no tape of or have no experience with? Old school watch them and see what they throw in warmups are they throwing forcing fastballs or throwing sinkers or they whatever what sign are they given the catcher. So that that's one of the interesting parts about this tournament is the lack of data you have on people you get so used to having a ton of data on pictures. Even on hitters with our scouting reports we get on them and you kind of go into this tournament with, you know, United States, you can get whatever you need on. Mexico pretty much the same, but then with it great Britain as well, but then you know, especially team like Brazil. It's a little bit tougher to get data on, which makes them kind of makes some sneaky tough there is because you're trying to figure them out and a nine inning sample. It's a long sample size sport and this tournament is the exact opposite of that. So it's a lot of fun to get out there and see what happens because if you feel like you're a kid again where you're just going out there and playing, which is super fun. And you're at bat. Are you guessing? Are you, is it like sea ball hit ball? Are you like waiting for a spot? Yeah, it's more sea ball hit ball waiting for a spot a little bit picking your spots. It's a little bit like spring training in that regard. You never know what guys are working on. So it's kind of nice that the tournament is in spring training because you're used to that mindset of the bat. So now they're just trying to get you out with more certainty than they are in spring training. If they see a hole, they're going to exploit it early. The same thing from a hitter side. If you see something with a picture. This is where all the old school guys love love this tournament because you have to be on the top step of the dugout and you have to be talking about the game the whole time to kind of what's the what's the picture feel like when you're in the box. What anything like that anything you might see not on screens. What a generation on screens. We love our screens. We love getting on the iPad and seeing what the dance looks like and everything. But we've got some really good coaches Francisco. So really is the manager or hey, Pesadas on staff and he's real big into into talking. So talking about what's going on different things like that. So it's an honor to play for these guys. I mean the staff is incredible. The mustaches some of the coaches have her second. It's about a stereotypically Italian as you could get with this team. So it's really cool. Well, speaking of talking air and judge went viral for his pre tournament speech. I think you can top him so can you give us a sample of yours? What it's not a pop up. I keep that in house. We'll keep we'll keep my high speech in in house. So I don't really know why that was filmed and put out there. Put puts put some in a tough spot there, but I prefer my clubhouse speeches to to stay with the team. So also you have to do it in Italian like are you. Was the I mean, is there a language barrier amongst the teammates there. There is a little bit, but a lot of Europeans are better at us. That a lot of things and one of them is speaking multiple languages. So most guys speak Italian, Spanish, English, but our flight last night to get here. I think we've got some videos that we're going to put out there, but we had some Italian music going and guys were singing it full blast. It was it was incredible. Yeah, with those videos, I get I mean we were suits. So it was a lot of Italians with the white with the white, you know, tops with it with the buttons all the way down. Lasting music. It's it was a good time. All right. I have a non WBC question for you. Kind of tough season for your jets. What? And even worse that I became a chief stand this year and they could be. It could be. Well, what do you want the jets to do with the second pick? I want them to somehow trade back to get another first next year. I don't know if it's even possible with the guys that not that the guys aren't good in the in the top half of the draft, but I don't know if for linebackers or whatever you might get another first. I've got a galaxy brain idea for the jets, but a lot of it involves job security for general manager and coach and I don't know if they have. What is it? What's the galaxy brain idea? I think it's basically pushed to 2027 and acquire as many first round picks as humanly possible and March for arch. I think is I think is the headline. Yeah. So we'll see unless Tyler Murray decides he wants to throw the whole football in New Jersey and find out what happens. Really? So you will want Kyler? I mean, I think that's a possibility. I think he'd be exciting. He'd move around. I don't know if that turf would be friendly to him. Yeah. But I think I think that's more fun than it is for cousins. I don't think Kyler wants to. I would not go there if I'm Kyler, no offense, but I'm just to have for next year's draft their own first, the cult's first, the better of the two first winning the Cowboys and Packers. So the Vinnie's point if they were to trade back and get another one, they get a four first. That'd be pretty good. It's not bad. It's not bad. All right. Can I? We're still going on. We'll be. All right. So you're obviously rooting for your team. You know, you have friends on Bobby Witts on the American team. You talked about how good the D.R. team was. Is there any other team that has your attention or might be a sleeper squad? I don't know. I haven't really looked around that much. I do know I got surrounded by the USA team this morning when I was trying to leave. That was that was intimidating. I was the last one out. I had a press conference and I still had to go shower and they were just waiting for me outside. So got to talk to those guys a bit this morning. I'm trying to think sleeper teams. Some. I mean, Japan. Yeah. Somehow a sleeper. I feel like everybody's talking about United States and Dominican without good. They are. And I feel like Japan's getting Australia looked really good last night. Maybe I'll go with Australia because of how good they looked. But other than that, I don't know. I haven't looked into it too much. I have a terrible. That's terrible answer. How's that's all right. How's Jack looked? If people don't know Royals. Great young prospect. Jack. I'm going to miss. I always call him caglianony. But I don't. I don't. You're Italian saying exactly. These people said I couldn't do it. But I said I'm half Italian. I can do it. He's a Royals teammate and also on team Italy. How's he looked? He looks amazing. He makes me feel less of a man every time he hits a ball because he hits it so hard. So I question my own abilities when when he's hitting. And yeah, so to me, he looks really good. And I think he's going to have a phenomenal season. I think he could be one of the best players in the game if everything goes right for him. And he's got the mindset for it. So he's got to, you know, just keep working on. We've got a few young guys in Kansas City that I think are going to pop this year. But they just got to keep their head down. Keep working and and hopefully it'll click for him. You guys playing in Houston. So what do you expect the atmosphere to be like there and from your past experience in WBC? Is it any different than how different is it from a major league game like the crowd, the atmosphere, all of that. So our first two games against Brazil and Great Britain, it'll be okay crowds. It won't be I mean USA it'll sell out every night Mexico. It'll pretty much sell out every night. Those games are going to be crazy. Those those first two games for us specifically. It won't be crazy crowds, but it will feel like a major league. It'll it'll feel like a playoff game. I mean, that's that's what these games feel like because every every pitch matter so much the focus is there. The coolest part about the tournament is you score a run and the whole team kind of leaves the dugout and excitement, which I which I think is fun. So it's more like a college atmosphere in that in that way. But these games are intense. I mean, every pitch means everything. And teams are short on pitching for this tournament just because you know the teams that pay you are a little bit tighter with how you get to get used in this tournament. So you know games can get long because you got to go to different bullpen arms and if somebody doesn't have it that night, you might see a few walks, whatever, whatever it is. But I mean, these games are so important just because anything can happen run differential matters. So everything matters in this tournament in such a short sample. And you know, like I said, it's not a short sample sport. So crazy things can happen. Short on pitching and run differential mattering is a right. In 2023, we played the Netherlands in the final game in the tournament. And we knew we had to score more than six runs, but couldn't give up more than four, but also had to win by like five. It was just to convey it was crazy. We did it. We put a position player in there like, no, we're not letting up. All right, Vinnie. Well, thank you very much. Best of luck. World baseball classic. Well, have you on before opening day, maybe? Yeah, absolutely. And we might listen. We might be going to Kansas City at some point. Yeah, World Cup. I'm very welcome. You're very welcome in Kansas. And they move the fence is it. We didn't talk about. Oh, yeah, we didn't talk about it. He's going to have 40 bombs. Yeah, yeah, get more fans into the stadium. All right. There are on top. Well, we need more room. We need more room. We can get more fans. So exactly right. I'll be there in the outfield by the fountain. So I'm always like that. All right, Vinnie. Thank you very much. Best of luck. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks guys. First things first. Tomorrow, it's the tastiest segment in all of sports is title pie. We need the pie dust. It's just the lonely KW. We need something KW. We might not be the pie. We need something. And then demands work. It didn't work. I have. You got to break a few eggs make a pie. Oh, so you're going to do also brews and be valid. And right now, it's who's doing side of out of mind. No, he's here tomorrow. Are you not? He's not going again. I think Danny's doing it. Oh, yeah, take it. You need a pie. Take of the date. This is exciting. Second. Take of the day. Jason Tatum might make his debut against the Mavericks. We discussed it earlier in the show. I know. And it delivered the take of the day. That's why I'm picking the bus. He was thinking picking when the NBA championship. It is a phenomenal take. Deserving a take of the day. Thank you. And I'm shocked that you said it. I you know what America is slowly slower than I would like learning about me. I'm just the most unbiased Ferris guy on TV. Just call it like I see it. Well, you know what? Bruce probably the Ferris guy on TV, but other than brew, I'll take. I there. I have. I didn't believe in the Celtics. You know why? Because I didn't believe in the Celtics. I do believe in the Celtics. You know why? Because now I do believe in the Celtics. Similar with my journey with the bills. There is. I have nothing specifically against Jason Tatum or Jalen Brown. I was wrong about them enough that I think you know maybe learn my lesson. So to speak. My argument would be and I don't like to make anti-new English. The New York. Nick's beat the Boston Celtics with a full strength Jason. And they are not a better team than they were last year. If Jason Tatum comes back and I think it's fair to say he averages 17. I think everybody would be through and my I think it'll be at least 17 again. Okay, let's see. Get playing. But the next easily KW when that was happening and right after you at in that moment thought the whole thing was a fluke you and now turns out it wasn't. Turns out the next pretty good. That's Jason Tatum got hurt. First things first over time. Next. Live from New York. It's a show that's working every day and now it going. It's over time. First things first over time. I did not make this bar. I did not make this bar at all but Caleb. Wow. Did lose a wide receiver DJ more. Yeah. But did the bears win. Yeah, stay tuned. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, the chief's lost Trent McDuffy. Yeah. Was that okay? Are they in a better spot like the new Patriots? Is my homes in trouble? I didn't say that. Let's put that on the bottom. McDuffy doesn't play. He's a team. He's a common. They're all like darn. Yeah, he did say darn. And finally, SGA's code. Is it growing on? No, I think that should have been growing on you is. SGA's code. He's growing on. Show me some words. I have with it just quickly, Danny. Chris, sorry, 10 miles. Come to me for all your fashion questions. Go ahead. It's been brutally cold this winter. Yeah. But yesterday it was like 45. He packed that thing for the rooker. He did know it was going to be nicer. It was fine. It's not a wintraker weather but like a light jacket. You know, that's a great point. But when he packed that, he's thinking it's going to be 20. And the amount, the, the any of its own thing, you know, so you think you picked that up in New York or do you think he put that in like checks, love it. You know, I have no idea. That's a great question. He probably, he may have had his sense. Yeah, I know. I've been in his hotel. That's a bad question. I like the coat. I don't like the neck. Sit in court sides like too much. Yeah. There we go. You're doing too much. All right. Check it on the Chicago Bears. Last past of the year wasn't great Caleb to DJ more. But there were some excellent highlights. All I like it was a pick. Well, I know. Nick and Danny both hate picks at the end of the game. Except Caleb does when Caleb does. Oh, yeah. They took it. He's someone else's face. All right. Praise the Caleb this season when targeting DJ more, Danny. Seconding completions, third and passing yards. First and touchdowns, six pass or any one out to it's third best week. Nothing shake stick at. But now he's in Buffalo. What's this mean for your guy Caleb? I think this day the season ended. I said I expected DJ more to be done with the bears. So I think Caleb. Clearly more plugged in than I am. He's been expecting this. This was pretty telegraphed based on. Yes, some of it. It was relationship based, but I think that was really overblown. I think it's young quarterback coming into the league. Two systems in two years. He gets drafted with his friend, Roma Dunesay. So they have the better chemistry at the beginning. Yeah. And then Ben Johnson comes in. They draft burden in Loveland. Those guys like Loveland is Ben Johnson's first pick. So he's a focal point early. And DJ more just for whatever. Still good, still talented, still tough. Still had big moments, but he got a little lost in the shuffle in terms of chemistry with Caleb. And this was about a reallocation of resources because honestly for like maybe the first time in my life. The bears can lose a good skill position player. And I'm like, that's okay. There are one of two teams in the league that had four guys catch over 600 yards last year. And the other three. Loveland, Birdon and a Dunesay are all first or second year players. They're basically the same age as Caleb, but they have huge holes elsewhere on the team. They're just a center defensive tackle, maybe linebacker, certainly the end. But this trade. And we'll show what they all of a sudden have. And some of this is, you know, you did not want Drew Dolman to retire. We hope he's okay. But it did free up some cap space. They're now a middle of the pack team in cap space expected to get more when they move on from Tremay and Edmunds. And they've got four picks in the top 90 of this draft. So if I'm Caleb, I turn on the alerts on my phone. And I get ready to see what's next. Like they're going to be wheeling and dealing both with the free agency and with the draft in 50 days. This team is not up space 17 million doesn't really know, but I know, but it's my eyebrows. I get it. But it's I'm saying it's it's middle of the pack and Tremay and Edmunds is about to move or get restructured like that numbers only going up. So they they do have a lot. It's like 16th in the league. Correct. So the I know it doesn't sound like a ton, but the there's a lot of teams that are had their cap space right now is like they just got cap compliant. They've like four grand. There's a handful of teams that have huge money, but then it is more like this. And this this move part of it is the second round pick and part of it is now they have cap seats. Like they today they can be a lot more aggressive in free agency on Monday than they were before the straight. So you said four picks in the top 90. You have picks 25 and 57 are your own. You have a 60 you got from the bills. Would you trade those three picks for Max Crossby. A first and two late seconds for Max Crossby and then use free agency to try to either sign Linda Bomber, address your offensive line elsewhere. Like that to me is what would I trade a first a first a second and DJ more for Max Crossby that feels like probably whether you do it or not about what the price is going to be right that it's going to be something like that. Yeah, is that business you think they should do. I no longer think they're going to bill bill bar and well. Put it at DJ more in a first now maybe the Mcduffie thing drove it up so that that feels a little rich for what it is most of the reporting seems to think that the bears are actually not now the number one suitor for crossby I think that is maybe tied to the Dalman retirement because it's another premium position that's needed. But trust me like if the bears traded for Max Crossby he's a top 10 player at that position at their biggest position a need I'd be on here celebrating yeah you know what I mean I would absolutely celebrate the trade but I do not I no longer think Max Crossby is going to be a bear. Well look there's no not much controversy here I agree I don't I think DJ more is very good but I don't think a little missing at all assuming that a dunes and burden are healthy and you know obviously lovely does the tight end like I think they're offensive be fine. If they could get cross me I mean I would certainly try to do that if I'm them and like you said maybe you use your money on Linda Linda bomb like I mean this this was a great I think this was a great move will get to the bills but great move for both teams so they couldn't have done this because he has like the 24 million this is freeing up was guaranteed it only moves off your books if you trade them not if you cut him but I want to as far as how much I support this move for the bears. If that was non guaranteed money I think it would have been good for the bears to flat cut DJ more to free up that money even if they got nothing in return just because where he is in the packing order on the team and the other needs like to the point you're making I'm the location of the right I think he would go into next season as their fourth option passing the ball I will be loved and first and then we'll see who emerges as the one between a dunes a and burden. But I do think it matters that Ben Johnson drafted burden that and that a dunes a was a top 10 pick that clearly they think you know has room to grow yeah so I and it did feel to me I I'm not sitting or saying they wouldn't have made this trade if the last past of the season wasn't a miscommunication in Caleb and DJ more than the reception but I I think it's fair that you're saying Danny the relationship issues were overblown but I don't think it's overblown. So I think it's a good thing to say for some reason DJ more in Caleb never really gel and got on the same page on the field the way I think a lot of us thought or hoped they was yeah and that's what I was alluding to like the fit between them like I I know that Caleb and of dunes a like they worked out for the draft together yeah and then they got drafted to the same team they work out together in the off season so like they had chemistry immediately then a new offense comes in and they really did a lot to get loved wind up to speed because it was Ben Johnson's first pick so kind of love and jumped DJ more burden was hurt last year in training camp but then he came on so strong at the end that he just for whatever reason he was never Caleb's number one guy and I think those things that I just said were the biggest reason well and he probably wouldn't have been happy understandably like you know if as the fourth option he's still I think in his prime less than 30 years old like he probably wouldn't have been when he had the game winner against green Bay in the in the regular season he got the game ball at the end like he's like it's about time and that was that was late in the year like DJ more was just really frustrated with his role in the offense he didn't dislike Caleb he just thought he shouldn't gotten the ball more right well it might be a win-win we'll go to Buffalo where Josh Allen's got a new coach and a new number one DJ more headed to Buffalo along with the 2026 fifth round pick from the Bears so here were DJ more numbers again no bills wide receiver had more than four touchdowns in 2025 and these are okay numbers they're also the lowest of DJ more's career his best year was with Joe Brady now the bills head coach in Carolina 1200 yards 18.1 yards per catch so Danny again how much better did this make the bills in Josh Allen significantly I mean for Josh Allen it's obviously his best receiver since the fond digs which is a little bit damning with faint praise but still Khalil Shakir has been there leader like you mentioned the last two years with last year barely last year just over 700 yards two years ago just over 800 yards and DJ more has four seasons in his career where he's had at least 1100 yards the principal quarterback in those four seasons are Justin Fields Kyle Allen Teddy Bridgewater and Carolina's version of Sam Darnold so like if he is the number one option in a high volume passing attack because he was not the number one option for the Bears in Ben Johnson's offense for the reasons we just talked about but assuming he goes back to that in Buffalo and it's with Josh Allen I mean he's three years younger than Stefan Diggs in the same age as AJ Brown like it's very it's on the board that DJ more is a top 10 receiver in football for Buffalo next year that's absolutely in play no I love it for the bills and I think look AJ Brown I would have saluted that but you know the possibility of distractions comes along with AJ Brown Mike Evans I would have been fine with that but his age yes is he still even in his prime is he still a number one guy those are legitimate questions none of that I don't think exists with DJ more like we know he can produce I still think he's in his prime he's gonna be 29 years old next season the money is not but he's locked up for till 2029 the money is like 24 million a year like and I think he will be a a very good number one for them I'm not I think it's comparable there different types of players but like an Amari Cooper you know when he went to Dallas like that oh when he went to Dallas yeah like but no not now but like that type of level of you know you're not getting Justin Jefferson or anything like that but you're getting a legit number one guy that can help you and be productive I think that all makes sense and I think the bills hat it was incumbent upon Brandon being two and he by the way should call was that radio show Jimmy and Joe the show on WGR yeah that he call the memory called him and he called him because they really let them even point why do I need to see this so he should have called them and been like sorry fellas you guys were right and then incumbent on him to do something in this position before free agency opens or else you're just a little over a barrel when it comes to are we gonna have to overpay for Alec Pierce are we going to you know make a desperation overpay trade for Brian Thomas Jr like we're teams can real teams agents can really hold you in negotiation because you can't then be like all right we have the 26th pick of the draft we'll just hope that a receiver that we believe can step in as a number one is a rookie is going to be there but what I will say is like I have a bills concern in a in a DJ more concern the bills concern is just when you have not broken through and you are trying you know through fighting and clawing it really hurts to miss on Keon Coleman I'm not sure they've missed well they they are they are I mean they're sure so far they I mean at the same Joe Brady said maybe coming the head coach is the best thing that could happen in Keon Coleman maybe it was damage control but we've seen guys sort of will not pop their fresh their rookie year and then but this is this was his rookie year and his sophomore year year three wise so um but I mean I think that they I mean he if we just did where DJ Moore would have been in the Bears Packing Order Keon right now as far as pass catchers is number six on the bills packing order and so like I think that I so I just think come I think when I think teams would take a flyer on so maybe so oh I'm not saying that they're that he this means he's done there or anything like that I don't think it means he's ton is a player but I think that the idea that the bills are going to in five years be like that was a good pick I think that's done he's not going to have the opportunity the problem is if Keon Coleman drops his first ball well yeah it's just a disaster or if he oversleaps one more meeting like those that's what you can't do that anymore and but then the other thing the other thing I just want to say to the group real quick just throw it out there I it is at least typically for receivers if it's like hey the production was here and then it went here and then it went here we would say oh there you know what I mean they're on the downside nobody seems to be saying that about DJ Moore he was 1300 yards his first year in Chicago with Justin Fields he was what 800 Caleb's rookie year and 600 last year and nobody is even a little concerned part of that is he for some reason you know what I mean he peaked early and instantly and that he's not the same player like that would be I'm not even saying I believe that but I'm saying it's I think it's a valid at least small concern when you're seeing the production drop like that in his late 20s that's all I would say I just think he's going to get a lot higher volume this year from a really talented quarterback 50 catches on 85 targets though is not you'd like a little higher catch percent yeah no it's well the ball of the balls from Caleb yeah awesome right on target right right in the numbers check it on top boys Jerry Jones that he was going to break the budget in free agency and it was music to DAX ears take a listen we got a coach in the second year we know we've had we had some ups and downs and signs some good moments last year and this is this is the year that you make a big jump and getting big-time players who can help immediately as a key part of that Danny quick I'm gonna take a quick sidebar we don't get a ton of like quarterback press conferences in the offseason and DAX every year we see stuff and there's always at like a charity event yeah he just does like such an amazing job before we dive in on the cowboys like shout out to DAX press got to always being available and just you know great guy yes it from his owner yeah buying cobweiss making a big jump so as a team maybe but like I want to react to the Jerry part of it first because like it's such a low bar to clear with Jerry's like I'm gonna spend more than I've spent they haven't been a top 10 spender in free agency since 2012 they have not given out a 50 million dollar contract in free agency since Nick's buddy Brandon Carr oh yeah in 2012 I broke that story like a radio and can't do that you know so like but think about you're doing radio and can't the city the last time the Dallas Cowboys gave out a 50 million dollar free agent in free agency right I mean the highest AAV guy last year was Dante Fowler six million the year before it's four million so for Jerry to spend big he doesn't have to be anything really significant having said that if they hit on the 12th and 20th pick of the draft and Jerry actually does what he's saying and they sign Trey Hendrix in or trade for Max Cross really yeah of course they can take a huge jump like yeah they do have a great offense their coach looks good and they do have a lot of ammo this offseason to add so like say they had the draft that the Rams had a couple years ago when they hit on Jared verse and Brandon Fisk with their first two picks and the year before their Rams hit on some guys right and just like remade their defensive line in one offseason like if they do that now that is a nice draft well they're a good right but in the other side that's a huge if to apply that amazing Rams draft to this team and say happy like they they do have the ammo to do it if Jerry actually lives up to what he's saying well here's it first of all that you're right great guy but I feel like I feel like Dax is a version of that every year you know he's optimistic he's always going into the season optimistic so that's number one and number two even if they take the jump what are we talking about they you know what they'll get back to where they were a few years ago with Mike McCarthy wouldn't that be great yeah I mean that's when we're talking wins every year yeah yeah I think they could definitely do that but that's not what they need to do they need to go further than that and I look I guess it would be a possibility because I could see them being all these years they failed I didn't necessarily think they had no shot at getting out of the NFC but they just can't seem to get it done listen I think that they with the right offseason they could be the best team in that division part of that is my own skepticism about what Philly's going to be sure but before we had the DJ more news in the show which kind of changed our rundown there was it we were going to do there was a topic that involved the Super Bowl odds and we had the list of the tops and Super Bowl I don't know if we solve that graphic if we do we could throw it up if not the the reason I mentioned it is 18th the so that's why I bet that that no you're fine that Super Bowl odds at this time of year perfect it's kind of a quarterback test plus the defending champ Seahawks it's like who are the best quarterbacks in the league they have good Super Bowl odds and to have a quarterback as good as deck and to have the 18th best odds means Vegas I think correctly has clocked your defense as an abomination because what's the only what's the great quarterback whose team is not there there you go and why because the defense is an abomination and so in order for them to make a big jump Danny's right they have to draft the they need an entirely new secondary almost they also need a at least one ad rusher they also need a couple they need everything on defense except for Quinn and William spots over Sean spot yeah they have his one safety and so they need to earmuffs wilds sign tray Hendrixson and draft defense at 12 and draft defense at 20 and have them be impactful because I agree with Danny's overall point historically and brews as well the Cowboys off into attack brusquot humps you know I mean that you playoff struggles set that aside that off into clicks and scores points but when you have CD coming back in theory pickens coming back they resigned Javante offensive lines fine and nobody thinks you're in a brutal division is the giants are where they are Washington's a little question and Phillies at least wobbly a little bit and at the 18th best odds it means the defense is Vegas thinks they had the worst defense in the league last year which they did that they might have that again and that's the only way to make the jump it won't be about that defense wins the championship is what he's trying to do it took a long time great job putting the Superlabs that was good hop your on your game quick episode of frenemies why is it quick why is it quick well because you're going on but you're going on the case happy frenemies Thursday here on the OT been a while since we've done this that's true a couple dark weeks and now you're going on vacation again you deserve it big I mean the seed it just felt appropriate appropriate all right so your chiefs trade away Trent Mcduffey to the Rams you're of course happy with the picks and the return and all things chiefs but we take a look at the Superbowl odds post trade the Rams have become the favorite yes so obviously the odds makers liking the addition for less need Sean McVea Matt Stafford and the Rams does the fact that the Rams are the Superbowl favorites after the Mcduffey trade at all change your opinion I'm losing Mcduffey no listen because I think this was a definitive win for the Rams like it does not mean it was a loss for the chiefs even though losing Mcduffey is a loss it doesn't mean they lost their loss today right but but I also I want to make this part very clear I think the Rams might be the only team in the league that could give up what they gave up for Mcduffey and I would support the giving up the 29th pick a third of fifth and a sixth and the reporting of they're going to make him the highest paid corner in the football if any other team did it I might call it irresponsible the Rams are unique for two reasons one is they're the only team that has a legitimate chance to win the Superbowl with a really old quarterback so the window is 38 year old staffer it's the end of breeze in New Orleans or like where you should definitely go all in and the other one is the only thing the Rams seem as an organization to do poorly is draft secondary pieces all they do is trade for them they trade it for Marcus Peters with the chiefs they traded for my gosh the best Jalen Ramsey with the Jags and now they traded for Trent Mcduffey that's the one spot they haven't been able to get right so for both of those reasons I support it for the Rams but I think the chiefs got a 120 cents on the dollar I think they got such a good return and the chiefs are the opposite of the Rams when it comes to drafting and developing corners the Jalen Watson was same draft class in Mcduffey seven-round pick he started alongside him the whole time like they do really really good at drafting and developing that position so I actually think all of that is is fair the piece on the chief side like I think Mcduffey is really good and I think the reporting is also that the Rams intend and believe that he can play more outside that he is not just a nickel corner not that just nickel is a bad thing because it's a super valuable position and so I just losing a premium player at a premium position that one of the best organizations in football deems is worth that cost even if you also are a premium organization with a premium GM it would give me pause and when you're talking about you know I'm just looking at like your top cap hits for next year Chris Jones at 44 million that's high homes to Trace Smith three you like all those guys Nick Bolton Jalenmore Creed Humphrey Carloptis Fulton obviously Creed Humphrey is excellent I feel like you'd like to have Trent Mcduffey's name in there instead of a couple of other of these guys well but so two things one is right so right now last off season they sign Bolton and Carloptis one year in those contracts don't look great right um I think Carloptis had a down year Bolton seems to be a guy that spags you know says we have to have I don't see it quite the way he does but he I didn't benefit the doubt um I don't know that I agree with you this is premium a premium position so I think that corner in a passing NFL so I let me do it like this positions that I find more premium then corner quarterback yeah pass rusher so ed rusher sure two ed rusher two left tackle three wide receiver four d tackle five okay well and I mean but by the way the money supports me on that the franchise but there's also yeah and so I I don't think it's you know safety or guard or off-ball linebacker but I didn't get I think corner is kind of the mesh point between the premium positions and the non-premium positions and I just think it would be I didn't want to pay Trent McDuffy 30 million dollars a year and these are the tough decisions you have to make now if you're saying do it all over again and take away your three worst contracts on the team and give that to McDuffy sure but I don't think that's you can necessarily you know the time travel doesn't exist yeah I understand time travel doesn't exist and you you have three or four corners on the field at once and there's only 32 left tackles in the league which goes to the franchise tag thing I just think McDuffy's a really good what really good play and I want to say this to be very clear for you move on the first nine playoff games Trent McDuffy played with the chiefs they won the the Super Bowl against the ramp against the Rams against the Niners he had the quarterback pressure yeah that helped get them off the field to win that game I think he is an awesome player and he's young he's 25 you draft and develop that's hard to think about those guys right and so I I am not all of a sudden going to be like I so I don't think he's over rated I think he's properly rated I think he's the best slot corner in the league and we'll see what he is as an outside I think there's the tough decisions you have to make if you want to have a 15 year period of contention all right let's talk about the biggest story in the NBA here Jason Tatum hasn't played since rupturing as a killies but it was only back in May about 10 months ago reports are Tatum will play the season could debut tomorrow night when they're hosting the Mavs in Boston all right Celtics are currently second in the east everyone saw your award winning take of the day uh so I guess of course they're the favorite in the east make your case because you have them winning the whole thing yeah I mean listen I think that they are clearly now the team to beat in the east and so I'll start there and I would stack it very differently than you yeah I Celtics with Tatum won the New York Knicks 2 the Detroit Pistons 3 and the Cleveland Cavaliers 4 is how I would stack it I think Boston the way to look at it for me that I think is easier to for people to kind of wrap their minds around would be if Boston at the trade deadline had added the 27th best player in the league and gave up nothing given where they were what they traded for vooch yeah but a better player than that I thought if they had if if Boston at the deadline I'm trying to think of a guy his style had added you know kind of peak de martyrosan okay the uh or slightly post peak de martyrosan what would that do for them because that's how I look at this I don't look at this as they are adding peak jason tatum I look at it as they're adding a six nine guy with a ton of huge game experience who is going to score the ball for you at least set a better clip than house or in shireman were yep and not disrupt the rotation and that to me with the fact that they simply have hacked the math better than anybody else is enough to put them certainly over the top in the eastern cop so listen I there's 20 games left you obviously have to roll the dice because he was a first-team all NBA guy he is an amazing two-way player went healthy you can't say no to him he had the Achilles surgery within 18 hours of rupturing and he's done everything possible to come back he's emulating Kobe he ruptured it earlier the guys should be rupturing they're Achilles because of the style of play like you have to reward it and you have to applaud it let me just ask some questions here sure they have been an incredible defensive team this year sixth and defensive rating and he concern adding tatum off of an Achilles weekends their defense because he is not as spy of an athlete I would say yes to them so here's why I this is it'll be quick the one the reason my answer is no is jail and brown is still going to play same number of minutes he's playing you're quite still going to play same number of minutes he's playing I don't think Jason Tatum is going to be taking minutes from some of their best individual defenders and I think because of his size alone he's not going to be a negative defender at all okay and then I'll give you this one Jason Tatum has led them in shot attempts yep six straight years right now and I was reading this I think it was Ramona Shelburn Jalen Brown is second in the NBA in usage rate yeah Luca one Jalen Brown 2 do you think we're about to see because I do like I've seen Jason Tatum be passive at times yep we're going to just see like a catching shoot version of tatum or is he going to lead them and shot by the playoffs no I don't because that is a weird dynamic to to lower Brown's usage to try to get this guy up to speed I think I think so I want to see a different tatum I think oh I think we definitely will see a different tatum certainly early and then we'll see how he looks I I what I have been saying is he now has in my opinion two months not to get back to being vintage Tatum but up to full speed where he can be this year which call that 80% because I think the Celtics can basically be in cruise control from now until the start of round two they are not they are going to be the two or the three seed they are going to play either the nicks or the calves in round two and that will be a real series and that's when they are going to need a not all NBA first team Jason Tatum but could they get friend Joll star Jason Tatum and that should be enough and if not luckily if in round two they're playing your calves you just have to roll the ball over to harden and be like just let dribble a shot clock calves are still the favorite I'll explain why on title pie tomorrow wow enjoy the favorite east enjoy Japan buddy thank you for bringing back from Kobe beef I don't think that's how it works that's it would probably get me arrested oh good talk see you out there hanging out with Willie Cologne on the OT so my bears are reportedly can't be official to the league year opens trading DJ more to the bills more second on the team in targets receptions yards tied for first with six kept receiving touchdowns last year so Caleb loses at least as high as paid wide out if not his favorite target that's up for debate Josh Allen gets a clear cut new number one so Willie does the loss for Caleb or the gain for Josh who does it impact oh 100% a gain for Josh Allen first while I love to fit I don't know how you feel about it but this is Buffalo putting a growing man at the number one receiver position for Buffalo and I think it makes sense because both guys are going to be 29 years old when you started an FL season on top of that you know they have somebody that has experience and they can they can rely on on and off the field right there's been so many questions about who can't on Coleman is and I think Brandon being said man I can't wait on you I can't trust that you're going to be the guy we need you to be when the season starts so it makes sense to me and also you know if you're Brandon being you're not going to draft and go get a KC concept you're on to be you're all you're all you know to be your world beater if you will so nevertheless as we push forward I like it I think it also shows that right now with the Jamord the number one spot Kaleel Shakur you have these tight ends you have James Cook this office could be a top 10 top five office next but without a doubt that's the expectation with Josh Allen and so I love that and I also think if you're if you're if you're a Buffalo you have a receiver who's hyper durable right like you're like I got a graphic right this is I mean he's played he plays like he's always on the field like right now most most games played while we see where the last five years 85 right like that's the guy you can count on on Sunday so many of the bills receivers have made have been in a tub right there's this flat out can't depend on them you start with counting billion me come on just stuff on digs yeah whoever but nevertheless man I love it for them it's the band they need it and that you know hopefully you can show up and show out for I love this and I love that graphic because what I was going to say was in Chicago some people are just overly celebrating it I think like DJ Moore is still a very very good player yes I think so he just he became a luxury for the Bears and he's an necessity for the bills so I would answer this question is this impacts Josh Moore because are the Bears gonna miss DJ Moore's leadership his toughness yeah like do I think Luther Burton is gonna be a star in this league yes but he hasn't done it for one full season correct DJ Moore is gonna be 29 he's got 4, 1100 yard seasons do I like Roma doons a lot yeah but does he have a complete start to finish dominant season no he doesn't so the Bears will feel the loss but I think they can withstand it and they just frankly need to allocate those resources elsewhere to their defense to their offensive line all that Josh Allen needs a number one hundred percent he he he needs one yeah he needs a guy who can line up outside who can run the full route tree who will be there every game who will go over the middle and it's better than Keenan Coleman and Khalil Shakir and it presents more of a challenge for defenses than tight ends do just because of the routes that they run like this was if it wasn't going to be DJ Moore we were we've been talking about it like were they gonna win the bidding war for Alec Pierce were they gonna try to make a different aggressive trade for AJ Brown like we have been talking about Josh Allen getting a number one now he has one well I think a lot of the only issue I think bills fans have is the compensation right you they paid a lot that I mean for honestly I thought they were gonna give up a fifth or six right they give up the fifth the second is aggressive for me because you need help on defense right like the office align these up like there's this pieces out there that you still can allocate and then now you talk about you know they eat a lot of his money for next year they're gonna make it team friendly you gotta understand that but also when they go into the draft next year they're not gonna have a lot of cap space because of this deal yeah listen desperate teams do desperate things and when you are hey Josh Allen hasn't even been to a super bowl he's in his prime we have this it's a band-aid 100% yeah because he turns 29 how many more years of his prime does he have who knows but it should be at least a couple where he's very good but I I think it is on the board that DJ Moore is a top 10 receiver and football next year because I think he's gonna get 120 targets from a top one or two quarter back in the league like that he he's gonna get volume and he's gonna predict well I think you talked about a skill set I think he's one of those guys he's built like I'm running back but he has a skill set like a receiver yeah which is huge so I love all right let's talk about your Steelers here Aaron Rogers we've all been waiting he showed back up on the Mac if he show yesterday and you know he was asked about his return to Pittsburgh and as always he said a lot he said let's say there's been no deadline that's been put in front of me there's no contract offer or anything so there's nothing that I'm having to debate between I'm a free agent I'm enjoying my time with my wife and enjoying this part of the offseason and I think there's conversations to be had down the line but right now there hasn't been any progressive conversations okay uh Willie is Aaron Rogers worth waiting for yes yes I'll say it to the end of time yes it's worth waiting for Aaron Rogers D.P. I'm embarrassed what out what's out there that's better than Aaron Rogers right now you know Smith what about Kyle Murray no he's coming off a foot fracture like a lot of second I think that there's more upside with Kyle listen I don't think Kyle Murray wants to go to pistol Kyle Murray played five games last season right at his best when healthy is the top 10 quarterback said that yesterday yeah right like and he could be the answer for multiple years and you would get him for the minimum right but you know what Aaron Rogers did for the Pittsburgh Steelers he he fixed a broken system right you you talk about okay he came make calf John who Smith not having a run game in office aligned they had questions about going into the season he erased all of that right wait a minute he he did exactly what you've done before which is be okay to a little bit of average in the regular season and then lose in the postseason no no no no no don't don't get it twisted if Aaron Rogers isn't the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers they don't make the playoffs like that that's that's the that's the difference you put anybody right other than Aaron Rogers in that position with that offense it's a no go for me but let's let's be not anybody other than Aaron Rogers but you know they're better better quarterbacks than Aaron Rogers at 41 42 years old and again let's just against playoff teams last year against the good teams the teams that you guys you want that seventh trophy that will go care that was like a guy who's ready to give it to you I will listen I'll say this to the end of time I rather have a shot in a place at the table did not have a shot at all I know I know I know I disagree if if you feel like you know how this this story starts and you know how it ends fine I think the Pittsburgh Steelers are more than capable to go into this draft that's gives me this free agency to say hey we got DK we let go John we can now look at Aaron Rogers if he degrees to come if he agrees to come back and say hey you know what Christian Kirk we need a number two right what's up if Tyree kill you know what's up hey man you want to researches why not make it with Aaron Rogers if you're Mike Evans you feel like you got one of two years and you want to make it with you want to have a shot with a legit outfit laid by Aaron Rogers let's do it if Aaron Rogers isn't your quarterback there's nobody in the free agent market at receiver that wants to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers do you believe that the Pittsburgh Steelers have an offered Aaron Rogers a contract because he's like they haven't offered me one I think this deal it's wild because I heard that too I'm just like well it feels like a technicality that's all it feels like it's kind of it feels like a turn of phrase you can tell they definitely had a conversation I have fainted I know Omar Khan personally he's very he's very to your face like he's going to express like he can be coy with the media but he's not in conversation when you're one away he'll tell you exactly what it means that the direct should he wants to go but like so Aaron knows what's on the table so the Steelers said they were going to wait a month it's certainly been that free agency opens you know on Monday Mike McCarthy says they want Aaron Rogers back Aaron Rogers is apparently working out and open to playing right so if you retire you're not working out you're on a boat somewhere in the Bahamas but so but so I don't I don't understand what don't you understand like I this is what he does I always write about horses year after year but that's isn't that beneath you guys stop it it's embarrassing it's not beneath you when you know the product you're getting you know what you're getting out of Aaron Rogers you know what he fixed you know how much deficiencies in holes he covered up in your office they don't have an answer do you want your do you want Mike McCarthy your first time in the seat not as I had coach before the Pittsburgh Steelers to have a bad start right it's it will be a bad start with a Howard if you want momentum and when you want to want to guy with somebody you have to assess with history what you want to Super Bowl with yeah you wait around and eternity ago a Super Bowl it's a Super Bowl with it's over 15 years and not on his resume do we not talk about Mike McCarthy being a Super Bowl winner okay yet if Mike McCarthy and Aaron if you're getting 20 10 Aaron Rogers then I would wait till opening day I don't think that is happening I just go let your nicks completely off the hook that's what I'm gonna say it right now completely up the hook are you that wild bite of coat are you are you not I think I've seen that all right we end today talking the game in the night people are saying maybe a finals preview I know you're certainly hoping for that yeah Willie as a nicks fan SGA drops 26 in the garden three-point game congrats on your cover for the next fashion though after the game quite a statement from SGA and understated coat for 4550 degrees in New York City let's just take a listen to the description the people are really curious about this co-culture wearing I don't like a white gay key rip one and share it poople yeah I'm gonna get I'm gonna get keep yeah thank you y'all have a good night doesn't it so let the what the fashion make its own statement I guess like what the coat do the talking he doesn't have to talk about it william this is a very serious question I yeah I want to journalism school my parents are very proud I'm proud of you too thank you bigger story the next loss or SGA's coat this is a disaster it's a tough question it's a bit for me as a nicks fan it the nicks it broke my heart last night because they needed another statement it's the coach oh god dude oh it actually works for you it really does it works for you I've beautiful eyes it covers up everything else this is great I could who knows maybe I maybe I'm muscular underneath there oh come on you I got biceps under there you know who pulls off a better coat deal in sand prime time can we get prime get out of here nobody rocks the fur coat like get out of here prime pick no