Hour 2: Better Case for MVP: SGA or Wemby?

from 30 for 30 podcasts. Brian Padda, senior defensive lineman for Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian. Boy, it's grand-dad. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody. This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now. Here's our ESPN NBA Wednesday doubleheader Jalen Brown. In the Celtics, we'll play the third game of a four-game road trip in Miami against Bama Tobayo in the heat at 730 Eastern. Then Wemby in the red-hot Spurs take on the Warriors. The NBA Countdown crew tips off our coverage at 7 Eastern. Huge games for two MVP candidates in the association last night. The Spurs recorded their ninth straight win behind another dominant performance from Victor Webonyama. Wemby finished with 41 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, and a 129-114 win over the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, SGA dropped 47 points of his own in the Thunder's overtime win in Detroit. OKC's league-leading 60th win of the season. After the game, SGA was asked if he wanted to weigh in on the MVP conversation. No, I'm good. Thanks for asking, though. But yeah, I'm good. I'll let my game do the talking. So a little bit of a different approach than Victor Webonyama. He said he's just going to let his game do the talking. Remember, Wemby kind of listed off the reasons why he deserves the MVP. But who right now has the better case for most valuable player? Is it SGA or is it Wemby? Perk, what do you think? Steven, you checked your email. Did you check your email? I think you probably got the same email I just got from a football team. I got it from Mark Broussard from the NBA about whether or not you want to participate in voting. I actually got it last week and I said yes. Yes, I am participating. Oh, OK. Well, excuse the hell out of me. I just got it this morning. And so, why was I actually on first take? And so let me say this. I replied yes and I'm voting. And it's three votes that are already penciled in or should I say pen then, marked in Sharpie style for me. Coach of the year that is going to Miss Johnson for me, for the San Antonio Spurs. Defensive player of the year is going to Victor Webonyama, OK? And here we are. The MVP is going to SGA. For me, SGA is getting my vote for MVP. Sixty win season, 31 points and doing that coming fresh off a long as one to win the NBA championship. I don't understand. I don't I don't know if people understand how hard that is to do. And he's also again joining the company of Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Four consecutive seasons of averaging 30 while shooting over 50% from the field. And he's been doing this without without majority of the season, without his second option, his Robin and J Dubb. And here it is again, best record in the league and that performance last night against the Pistons and him closing out that game. It just locked it down for me. That game was, you know, that was on a back to back, by the way, they just played Sunday and then all of a sudden they play last night and he was available. And he went against that defense and I know they was missing a lot of starters, but they still bring a certain type of physicality and tenacity. And for him to close it out and get it done the way that he did. I'm locking in SGA on my vote for MVP and I'm not mad at others if they go elsewhere. But in my eyes, SGA is the clear cut MVP. Well, here's the problem that America should have with you, Big Perk. Okay. Number one, you don't watch soap operas enough. You really, really need to. You understand what I'm saying? Because then you'll learn the importance of drama. Okay. You don't sit up there and give your vote that early. You wait. You let it marinate. You let the world want, you let the world wait and make sure they're transfixed or figuring out what Perk will do, what Perk will do. Well, guess what? We already know. So guess what? So now it's like because we already know we have to leave it to me to provide the suspense. I'm not telling anything. You understand when it comes to something like that? My MVP? I don't know yet. I don't know yet. You understand? My coach is here. I don't know yet. I don't know yet. I'm just, I'll go wait. Now when it comes to defensive player of the year, now that's different. We not going to lie to the American public and act like there's anybody who's even close to Victor Wimiyama. He is the defensive player of the year. There is nothing to think about. There is no suspense or anything like that. But the way he's playing, he's in the MVP conversation. The way Jaylen Brown is played, he's in the MVP conversation. And then we get to shape butter. Ladies and gentlemen, do you have any idea how special this brother is? As Perk said, fourth consecutive year, Jordan Territory averaging over 30. Shooting 55% of the fit from the field averaging 31.6 points per game. Okay? On pace to be the first guard in NBA history to average at least 30 points on 55% shooting from the field. By the way, 54% from the mid-range. 54% from mid-range, okay? 38% from three. Third in NBA net rating. And oh, by the way, leads the league with 175 clutch points this season. I mean, whatever you need the brother to do, fresh off of an MVP season, fresh off of a championship season, fresh off of an NBA finals MVP season. This brother just showed up without his robbing Jaylen Williams and just said, get healthy, bro. I got this. And what he's done, and here's the biggest thing. San Antonio is 25 and two with a 14 game win streak and still ain't caught OKC. Still ain't catch him. Why? Because it's shape butter. That's why. So again, if the vote ended today, he would get it. Shay will get my MVP. But there's about two weeks left. And we'll be the way that he's been playing. And Jaylen Brown, the way that he's been playing. You got to hold on. Coach of the year, I know that Missoula don't care about that. We'll get into that in a little bit. But the job that he and his coaching staff with my brother Sam Cassell and the rest of the crew have done is nothing short of phenomenal. I can't rule that out even though Mitch Johnson does need to be mentioned more. And he has done a hell of a job. That is not Greg Popovich coaching on the San Antonio Super Side Line, ladies and gentlemen. It's Mitch Johnson. He's doing a hell of a job. And he deserves strong consideration for Coach of the Year honors. We can't leave out JB Bickerstaff in the job that he's done in Detroit. Detroit been the number one seed practically all season. We just going to ignore what Bickerstaff has done in Detroit. I'm not. So we got in an agent, 2026, where you got the NFL and you got folks challenging the Rooney Rule. We got three black coaches in the NBA that are leading candidates for Coach of the Year honors. So let's take a second to let that marinate. And Mitch Johnson and JB Bickerstaff, enjoy Missoula, et cetera, et cetera. We got to see this stuff. But back to the MVP, SGA Wimby, I don't know. I got a couple of weeks to decide. I'm not going to let the cat out the bag the way Big Perk has. I'm not doing it. It feels like SGA has already made his case. Victor Wiminyama seems to be getting better and better. He had his fastest double, double yesterday. He's doing it in record time, albeit against the Bulls. And then he's ascending. Yes, he's ascending, scoring 40 plus points. We didn't see this in the beginning of the season. Well, let's go to what Stephen A. just brought up. Speaking of awards, Celtics head coach Joe Missoula was asked about his thoughts on potentially winning Coach of the Year last night and had a very interesting response. Listen to this. I think it's a stupid award. They shouldn't have it. And it's more about the players and it's more about the work that the staff puts in. And it's just that simple. I really don't ever want to be asked or talked about it again. He doesn't want to be asked and he doesn't want to talk about it ever again. That doesn't mean we can't talk about it. He thinks it's a stupid award. He wants the attention more to go to the players or to his staff. I can understand that. Does he have a point, Perk, in what he's saying? Hell no. Hell no. Absolutely not. And look, he's entitled to his own opinion. That don't mean I have to agree with it. And damn it, I don't. And look, I believe Joe Missoula is in the conversation for Coach of the Year, but we can't sit up here and disrespect that award. We can't sit up here and disrespect the greats that have walked up and down that sideline. Pat Riley, Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich, Red Arbeck. Like, what are we talking about at this point? You know, hey, listen, in order to win the championship, it's a thing where the person on the side that used to be in the suit, but now they don't have a dress code, that matters. Getting the team and to play a gender-free basketball, that matters. Maxing out guys and putting them in position to be successful, that matters. Getting guys to be stars in their role, that matters. Knowing when to call a timeout and knowing when to let the play go on, that matters. Knowing how to draw up a play in the timeout matters. Knowing how to hold your superstars accountable matters. I can't agree with Joe Missoula. I won't agree with him. It is not, Coach of the Year should be an honor. It is giving flowers to coaches and I just don't agree with him on this point. Well, I completely 1,000% agree with Big Perk. You're absolutely 1,000% right. 10 toes down. Joe Missoula, I'm very fond of. I don't know him. Met him one time. He obviously can coach his butt off, no doubt about it. And to succeed in E-Made Yudoka is one thing. But to be on E-Made Yudoka's coaching staff prior to all of that happened in the Boston years ago was another. Here's my problem with Joe Missoula and what he says. On too many occasions, and again, I don't know him from a can of paint, but on too many occasions when you see the attitude that he exudes and some of the things that he says, it's like my brother, you talk about thinking about the players, well, bump the players for a second. How about thinking about the other coaches? I mean, you're acting like your profession is nothing, that it takes nothing to do what you do. And yes, that's an exercise in humility and you're doing it for yourself and it's a stupid award and it ain't about the coaches, it's just about the players or whatever. Well, ask the players that. Ask the players. Ask LeBron James. Ask Steph Curry. Ask some of the all-time greats, whether it's Kevin Durant or anybody else. Ask them what coaching means. Ask them if anybody can coach. Ask them and see what they tell you. That's just not the truth. But most importantly, because your profession is what it is, there are people who aspire to be in your position. And when you say something like that or you feel that way, you are minimizing your profession, not just your individual greatness and your contribution to the Boston Celtics, which is obvious because you're already a champion, but you're also minimizing those cats on the come-up in your profession who aspire to sit in that chair and it would mean everything to them. Greg Popovich was once an assistant. Okay, loved that when he won the championship. Do you know what he did when they had their ring ceremony? And this is when they won it years ago with David Robinson and Tim Duncan as the rookie year. You know what he did the next year, open the night at the ring ceremony because I was there. They played Allen Iverson in the Philadelphia 76ers. His mentor was Larry Brown. Greg Popovich walked, took the ring, walked over to Larry Brown to show it to Larry Brown and to thank Larry Brown for all that Larry Brown did for him to get him in that position where he ultimately ended up winning a championship before Larry Brown went to Detroit and won his championship. This is what we're talking about here. It means a lot to these guys. It's not nothing. Excuse the double negative. It's not nothing. It's something. It's very, very significant. And Joe Mazzulla saying what he said, and I'm sure it wasn't his intent. I'm in no way disrespecting the brother because there's nothing but respect for him. I'm just simply saying he's great as a coach, but you got some assistance on that bench including my boy Sam Cassell that I've known for years who deserve to be a head coach I might add, who's been clamoring to be a head coach, would give anything to be a head coach to run a sideline himself. You think it means nothing to him? You think it meant nothing to Eme Udoka, who was without a job and come back and get the job and to be in Houston? It freaking matters, man. And Joe Mazzulla should remember that before he speaks the way that he speaks about the coaching profession. It is not nothing. It means a great, great deal. And it takes a special man to lead folks to a championship, which he has done. And real quick, let me say this essay. Coaches actually sacrifice the most. They're in the gym more than the players are. When you talk about coaches, they are stressed out throughout the NBA season. I can only imagine what college coaches got to go through with the recruiting and all that. But coaches are on stand by 24-7. A player could call an assistant coach at 3 o'clock in the morning and damn it, that assistant coach go meet them at the gym. They eyes are bloodshot red because they're watching film all day long. So when you talk about the sacrifice in part and putting in the time, they put in more time than the actual players do. No Celtics coach has won Coach of the Year since Bill Fitch in 1979 and 1980. It has been a minute, I'm sure it would matter to that franchise as well. What should we expect, though, of the Steelers this coming season? McCarthy is now the head coach there in case you forgot. Ryan Clark and Stephen A. See this completely differently. We'll discuss it next. Plus, there is, I told you, he's in the building. WWE superstar, Trik Williams is here, ready to talk all things WrestleMania. He's in his fur, it's early in the morning. He's got his Levin Pepe Stepazan. What's up, Shay? What's going on? I'm doing good. Happy to be here. Happy you're here as well. Can we sit in this or are we standing? One thing, I'm not happy that you're wearing that coat instead of me. I want one. It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey Shore. Someone reports an abandoned car on the road. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. A car that's been parked in the middle of the night. The home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home home wherever you get your podcasts. New United States champion Sammy Zane. Hey, forget Sammy for a minute. Look who's here now. We are joined by WWE superstar trick William. He's in the building. Let's talk about it. He's got the fit on. Come on now. So let's go. We just saw that video. So let's go to that. Sammy Zane won the US championship this past week on SmackDown. You are going to face Sammy at WrestleMania. Let's talk about the matchup. How excited are you? First thing first, ain't he ugly? Look man, I told gingerbread a long time ago, man. I am the real superstar in the building. And what a better way to have my WrestleMania debut then on ESPN in front of 75,000, 80,000 people all in Las Vegas to do one thing. Not gamble, not drink no alcohol, but for three words. Whoop that trick. Whoop that trick, Steven A. Let's talk about it. Well, I want to know first of all, this is going to be your first WrestleMania. What does that mean to you on a serious note? Talk about that for a second. Why is it going to mean so much to you? And what it would be like for you if you ended up winning the title then? Yeah, on a serious note, I got to take the shades off of this because it means a lot to me. My mom, she's coming to Las Vegas and she said, I couldn't miss this for the world. She's got a need of replacement. And you know, she's rehabbing every single day. She said, baby, I ain't going to miss your first WrestleMania. So I got to put on a show, man. She coming out to Las Vegas. We'll have a good time. This is my first WrestleMania. I'm on cloud nine, man. I'm ecstatic and I'm about to put on a show, man. I'm going to show it like I never showed out before. Well, speaking of cloud nine, you're dressed like a cloud. That's right. Now listen, to go with the fur and the all white, that's become your staple. That's right. What was it that led you to make that choice? Well, you know, ironically, when I debuted on SmackDown, I put on this white hair, this white meat coat and I stepped out and I wanted to make a point to everybody and it was widely accepted. I interrupted Sami Zayn and he's hated me ever since. And the next Friday I put on a new fit and no triple A's told me he said, where's your coat? Now I was thinking to myself, you know, it ain't my coat. It's a coat, you know, and I let that slide. And Bruce Prichard, he comes over and said, where's your coat? I'm like, oh, all right, Michael Hayes, where's your coat? Oh, I get it now. He said, you know, I never seen Elvis Presley without his coat. I'm like, got you. I got it. This is my coat. Then I call myself the anointed one. So how more fitting is it than trick Williams to wear all white every single time you see him? Let's talk about it. Okay, let's talk about the ladies. Here we go. Your fiancee, Lash Legend, is one of women's titles since you were both on the show. What would it mean for both you and her to hold titles at the same time? It means everything, you know what I mean? You know, we started our journey in the ring together. And, you know, pretty soon we're going to get rings on our finger together because we're getting married pretty soon. So, you know, it's just a beautiful thing to experience this journey with somebody who understands you, understands your background. We SEC athletes, you know, we're from the South. We country, man. We country. You know, we eat that fried food and we love to talk trash and listen to the Migos and crazy stuff like that. You know, it's, I love to see her win in every shape, form, fashion of the word. So. Even a. Javon Evans, Javon Evans, Femi, you, I mean, black wrestlers in the WWE making a lot of noise. What's that like for you? What does that mean for you? Listen, I'm proud of you. No, I'm proud of you. I know my man, R.C.'s proud of you. But talk about what that means to you being in that position, representing the way that you're representing and contributing to diversifying the sport even more. It's a beautiful time. You know, a lot of these things you can't really control and say, it's because I did something that's so great. It's the right time. And I got to shout to respect to the guys who came before me, the Booker Tees, the Rock, the Bobby Lashley's that came before me, who laid down the foundation for brothers like myself and Javon and Oba to do great things. And say shout out to Triple H, Nick Khan, because they say, trick, go be yourself, man. We can't write nothing for you. We don't know your background. We can't talk like you. Just go get yourself over. You know, go be yourself, you know, and they let me be myself and look, we bring in the culture. We got Lil Yachty coming to SmackDown. He's coming all the way to St. Louis. Lil Yachty, he's coming in. He's going to turn up with the WWE. So it's a great time. You know, for you, you've had, I mean, sexy red. We've seen you do the electric slide. That's right. So you have brought the culture to WWE, but football is a culture as well. That's right. For so many of us that got an opportunity to play in the NFL, that was our only dream, our only passion. But this feels like the thing that you were purpose to do. Right. What does it mean to be able to find something like wrestling after your football career? Man, it was the perfect thing for me because, you know, going through college and I went to Hampton University and decided to take a chance with myself and walk on at the University of South Carolina. And I worked hard, hard, like real hard, you know, and I just wasn't seeing the results. And it didn't make sense to me because they told me if I work hard and if I grind hard and if I do what I'm supposed to do and I study, you know, if I watch the film, then good things will happen. And I just couldn't understand. And I worked even harder than I found myself walking on to the Philadelphia Eagles as crazy as that sounds just to get cut, you know, after camp. I'm like, man, this ain't making no sense. And then the WWE called and said, Are you interested in coming to a trial? Never thought about it before that day. I was a fan during the Attitude Era. I watched Booker T. I watched The Rocks, Stone Cold Steve Austin, but I never thought about myself, you know, in that light. Then when I really sat down and like, this is perfect for me, you know, I'm an entertainer, you know, I mean, my dad loves to talk trash. I can talk trash with my eyes closed, you know, I'm like Stephen A on the mic, man. I can't wait to just open my mouth and see what I need to say. And then the rest of history. Yeah, I love that. Do you know, do you know why they called you? Did they tell you why? Was it something that they saw? What was it about you that made them call you? Like you said, you never even thought about it before. Did they ever tell you why they called you? Man, that's why I say I'm the anointed one. It just happened like that. But I'll tell you this, I had an agent and I haven't talked to him since. That's how crazy it is. Man, he was trying to get me with the XFL and the XFL and WWE had some alliances at the time and my name was in a database and it was a random email. You know, are you interested in coming to this trial? I thought it was fake. You know what I mean? I was like, man, I got where these tights, man. I don't know if I got where these tights. You got to put them tight so I'm going to make some money, you know? Do something with your life, son. And here we are. It all worked out. Okay, you brought up South Carolina. That's right. You're a big fan of their women's team. They're in the thick of it right now. They're going to the final four, but they got a tall task. They have face to Yukon. That's right. The chances they got against Yukon, what do you think? Well, you got to understand, Tripp Wins and South Cact go way back like white walls on the Cadillac. So when we talk about the South Carolina game cards, you got to put some respect on them now. And you will put respect on the South Carolina game cocks name because we have Joyce Edwards. The greatest sophomore in the game today. And I know they got Sarah Strong on the other side. I understand she's leading the Yukon with all five categories, but Joyce Edwards, she's country fed. You know what I'm saying? Eating Ham, Hawks and Chip Lens and everything. She from the low country of South Carolina. She got too much size, too much muscle. She's too ready for Sarah Strong, man. South Carolina. What y'all going to do about A.Z. Fudd, though? A.Z. Fudd, she's great, man. Yeah, I know. But you got... Where's Raven going to do? I love...but come on, Raven, you already know. She from Westlake, man. She from Georgia. And she reminds me of a young Ray Giorondo. She controls the tempo. She controls the offense. She goes and gets those rebounds when she needs to. You're not scared of Yukon. Forget it, right? I mean, I am scared of Yukon, but... I'm not. Look, I ain't stupid. I ain't stupid, but I'm going to tell you the difference. It's still Gino. This is the difference. Yukon beat us last year in the Final Four. And if Don Staley is who I believe she is, she ain't going out like that two years in a row. Okay, then. Gino, we know what's up. Let's talk about it, Steve. Let's talk about it. Hold on to that. I mean, listen, I don't mind. I loved Don Staley. She's phenomenal. And this is a sixth straight Final Four. She's the queen. We all know that. Gino Aurema, 37 straight NCAA tournaments, 32 straight sweet 16s, 25 Final Fours, 12 national titles, and the one title, one person he lost to was South Carolina in 2022 and then came back and avenged it last year. I mean, that's a lot to go against, man. That's all I'm saying, bro. I'm worried about South Carolina. I am. I ain't got no front. Well, I'll tell you what, Stephen, amen. He said he ain't running in these limit pepper steppers, though. No, I walk real cool, though. He had a mona. He had a mon. Brighton early this morning, too. He's ready for today. All right, trick before we say goodbye. Last time you were on the show, you were on a screen. So I don't know that you got to see this happen. But here's a picture of you, and then we did that. I see you, Stephen. Hey, look, Stephen, I got this main coat ready for you, man. I wish that was my body. That looked like my abs. They look familiar. They look good on you, too, man. You need to come to the ring with us. You know we got WrestleMania around the corner. I'm coming. I'll be there. We'll be at Vegas. Man, let's talk about it. We got Stephen there. We got Ryan Clark. We got Shay coming to WrestleMania, man. We're going. We're going. We're excited for it. All right, trick. Thank you so much for the time. We appreciate it. Enjoy anything that's ahead. You're proud of you, bro. What should the real expectations for the Steelers be with Mike McCarthy now as their head coach, and possibly Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback. R.C. is going to stick around him and Stephen A. are going to debate. You don't want to miss it. More first take after this. TESCO Finest Salted Pretzel or caramelized biscuit chocolate Easter eggs. £12 each with your TESCO Club Card or TESCO Finest Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns. Two packs for just £3 because every little helps. Selected Hot Cross Buns, majority of larger stores and online end 6th of April. Club Card or app required. Exclusion supply. ESPN is the home of the women's Final Four on Friday night, highlighted by all four one-seeds. Joyce Edwards, South Carolina will square off against AZ FUD as they're strong and Yukon. It's 7 Eastern, then Madison Booker in Texas will take on Lauren Betts in UCLA. Our Final Four pregame special from Phoenix begins at 6. We'll also have a special courtside presentation of both games on ESPN 2 and the ESPN app. View some NBA news out of Chicago. On Monday, the Bulls released guard Jaden Ivey for comments they deemed detrimental to the team after Ivey posted some anti-gay sentiments in a lengthy social media post. Ivey specifically took exception to the NBA's embrace of Pride Month, citing the league's quote, unrighteousness, end quote. Ivey has been active on social media lately vocalizing his religious views. Ivey's mother, Niel, is the head women's basketball coach at Notre Dame, right up the road at South Bend. Stephen A, what do you make of the Bulls decision here to waive Jaden Ivey? It's perfectly within their right to do so. I've only met Jaden Ivey once or twice. Kind of, I like them. I met him when he was drafted. His parents were there, obviously. You know, it's one of those situations. I think, and this is why I wanted to tackle this subject, because I wanted to make a point that's very, very important. People have their different views. And on first take especially, as long as I'm here, we're not going to sit up here and ostracize anybody. You know, people are entitled to be conservative. They're entitled to be liberal. They're entitled to be, you know, independent, whatever side of the aisle you lean towards, whatever your religious beliefs or what have you. That's fine. But what's needed, what's needed in terms of the message that's being conveyed, what's needed to be brought across is that just as I said, those individuals have that right, so do the Bulls organization or any organization. They have a right to be picky about who they want representing their brand and their product, as does the NBA. The NBA, the NFL, and various sports league pride themselves on being inclusionary. That's the fact. That's the way that it goes. And they don't want to come across as alienating anyone. And when you say things and do things that are antithetical to anything that they represent, then you're going to hear from the brand. And by the way, Jaden, Ivey, listen to me, my brother, I work for ESPN, which is owned by Walt Disney. It doesn't mean that I have to parrot Walt Disney's speech or I have to march lockstep in every single thing that we believe is a company. But I do have to be careful about what I say and how I convey my thoughts, my opinions, my beliefs, etc. Being mindful and cognizant of a brand that you represent. It applies not just to an employer. It implies not just to a company. It applies not just to a league. It applies to everybody. If you, if Ryan Clark has the pivot and I have my own show and whatever, and we have advertisers and sponsors, those advertisers and sponsors are going to veer away from us. If it comes down to us replicating or disseminating a message, that's the antithesis of everything they stand for and what they believe. And I think that Jaden Ivey, what he was doing on Instagram with a string of videos, he took into account what his personal beliefs are. Okay. And that's to be respected by some and it's not going to be respected by others. But where he really, really messed up is that clearly he was giving no thought to the Chicago Bulls as an organization. And there I say to NBA and as a result, now his NBA career may be in jeopardy. Why? Because you felt the need to go on Instagram to convey your personal thoughts for what? You just look at people sometimes and you want them to see. Look, look at the big picture. You know, everybody's not going to vibe with you. Everybody's not going to agree with you. And that's fine. But be careful about disseminating messages, particularly when they're non-inclusionary. And it seems to alienate and ostracize a group of people, not measuring people by the content of their character, but instead labeling a group of people the way that he did. That's unfortunate. I'm not here to engage in condemnation. I don't want Jaden Ivey out of the league. I don't want him to ruin his career. I don't want anything like that for him. I swear I don't. And I'm hoping that he'll be back playing for somebody in the league. All I'm saying is, is that it's important that he sees and everybody out there sees the big picture. You play in the NBA, you play in the NFL, you play in Major League Baseball. This notion that you get to be your own individual brand and you have no one to answer to and you have no one to take into consideration. That is a lie. That is not true. Don't let these people out here that ain't got any damn jobs, that don't have people to answer to, that's hoping to have a shred of the success that you have. Don't let them influence you and get in the way of your business. You could do a lot of things and live your life and be very, very productive, courtesy of playing in the NBA with the money that you have the potential to make. But there's a price that comes with that. And sometimes that means being quiet and not feeling compelled to let the world know where you stand on every single issue. He didn't need to do that. It was kind of productive. And the bill on the bulls showed him that by letting him go. And I'm just hopeful that the NBA collectively doesn't follow suit and ostracize this guy. He's young. He made a mistake. I don't even know if he knows he made a mistake. But the point is regardless of your beliefs or what have you, most people are going to say it's wrong. Some people are going to say it's right. In the end, be careful about what you disseminate because it lives forever and you're held accountable. And why? Because you wanted to vent for 15 minutes. Be smarter than that. There's a bigger picture to take into consideration. And I don't think he did that here. And that's my issue. The initial video is 42 minutes long, roughly around there. He's had some similar rants on social media in the last couple of weeks. So hopefully he takes some time and figures out what he needs to figure out. Coming up here on First Take, Yukon hit a game-winning shot for the ages with Dan Hurley at the helm of another Yukon Final Four. Is he the coach? You would like to win Game 1. One game going forward. We'll talk about that next. 10 games. Highlight the ESPN Plus. NHL schedule the night. Our featured matchup has the Hurricanes taken on the Blue Jackets at 7.30 Eastern. Use the ESPN app to watch. Go to the NFL where the Pittsburgh Steelers are still waiting for an Aaron Rodgers decision here on his future for the 2026 season. New Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy joined the Pat McAfee show on Monday and was asked about where things stand right now with Aaron Rodgers. I've talked to Aaron regularly and we'll continue to do so. And we're just working through it. And when it's time to fully address it, we will. But it's a process that he's going through and I'm comfortable with it. But we've had very, very positive conversations on a weekly basis. All right. That sounds very much like leaning towards Aaron Rodgers will return. But nonetheless, a Steelers owner, Art Rooney, the second, told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette he does expect a decision from Rodgers prior to the NFL draft, which begins on April 23rd in Pittsburgh, ironically. So what should the expectations be in year one under Mike McCarthy? Take into consideration what's happening with Aaron Rodgers. Ryan Clark, what do you think? Well, I think the expectations are that this is going to be a playoff team. That's the reason that Mike McCarthy was hired. But he was also hired because of the work that he does with the Young Quarterbacks. And right now, this is my feeling. This could be the first losing season the Pittsburgh Steelers have had in nearly two decades. This team... What? What do you mean what? Losing season! Losing season! You just heard me. This... If this team goes with Aaron Rodgers, what's to say that things are going to be different under Brian Angelico and Mike McCarthy with Aaron Rodgers? Aaron Rodgers is going to want to do the same thing. And yes, you've added Michael Pittman Jr. You've added Rico Dotto, but there's still going to be that Aaron Rodgers element to what they do. They're still going to have to get the football out quick. You're not going to be able to move the pocket like you want to. And listen, don't get me wrong. I played him in a flag football game two weeks ago and he can absolutely dish the ball and put it wherever he wants to. But that's without people chasing him. Aaron Rodgers still has an elite level arm and an elite level mind, but he is still over 40 years old. And then look at what this defense was last year. You add Jamel Dean to Joey Porter Jr. who was absolutely stellar on the outside. Even adding Jacqueline Briscoe from the Chicago Bears. But what are they going to do with the linebacker position? Are they going to go get better at the linebacker position in the draft? Can they beef up who they were up front outside of Cam Hayward? Can TJ White return to form? This is a team who struggled headed into the playoffs last year and everybody blamed it on Mike Tomlin. In my opinion, he's overachieved year after year with below level quarterback play, with below level roster. And this could be the year that all the chickens come home to roost and they can have their first losing season. The blasphemy, the betrayal. I mean, this is unbelievable, the betrayal. This former Pittsburgh stealer champion with the Pittsburgh. To say the things that just came out of your mouth, I'm shell shocked. A losing season with the Pittsburgh stealers. It better not happen. I'll tell you that much. It better not happen. You got Pittman, you got DK Metcalf, still got Warren in the backfield. Aaron Rods, come back. I'm not happy about this. Waiting around for a 42-year-old that's going to be 43 in December. I'm not happy about that, RC. But I'm also thinking about the fact that, excuse me, Mike McCarthy can't coach a little bit. I mean, a man's not a scurrub as a coach. He kind of knows what the hell he's doing, all right? And then I'm looking at some of the pieces that you have. TJ Wastelid just gave them all that money. Patrick's Queen still there. You still see some of the things. You talk about Briscoe coming over from Chicago. That's going to buffer their secondary to such a summer degree as well. I'm just looking at certain parts and I'm like, okay, they should be in the mix. I don't expect Cleveland to be much better. I think Cincinnati's defense, I don't think that's going to be anything to write home about. I still see them having some problems, which means it comes down to Pittsburgh and Baltimore. I can see the Pittsburgh stealers winning 10 or 11 games. Now, I'm not saying they're going to win a playoff game. That's the damn problem. I'm not saying that, but a losing record. I'm certainly not going to go that far. I see I'm not going to do that. By the way, though, on a separate note, you're looking good, my brother. I mean, but I'm trying to figure out a watch on the pivot. You look buff. You look bigger. And here you look like you lost some damn weight. I actually did lose weight. My dog, see you on it. I've been in the gym, Steve. I got him. I would got me a nutritionist. I've been working out. You know what I'm saying? I'm going to go wrestle with Trigbill. Hey, I'm on it right now. Hold on. You also dropped casually that you just played flag football with Aaron Rodgers. You just kind of threw that in the mix, didn't you? Yeah. Listen, I had to. So it was this tournament, right? A tournament. And Aaron Rodgers actually runs the tournament, right? For RX three or something like that. I played on the symbiotica team. I thought I was coaching, right? I wasn't prepared to go out and play. And then they had kids that was out there really trying to cook me. I'm talking about we were running double move comebacks. You know what I'm saying? At one point I'm checking Josh Norman. I'm on Ross St. Brown out there. I'm trying to lock up with Marcus Jones of the Patriots. My hamstrings been hurting in my back been tight for two straight weeks. And then Aaron Rodgers in the gym. You almost tore your hamstring on first take. What the hell are you doing sitting up there running on football field? You almost tore your hamstring on first take. It was my calf. And guess what? I actually pulled it yesterday working out. But anyway, there's a play in the championship, Stephen A. Playing the championship, I'm in the middle of the field. I'm trying to make the play of the game. The score is tied. Aaron Rodgers is looking this way down the sideline. He throws a goal ball down the right sideline and never looks that way. And then he took his glasses and he looked down at his glasses like this. It felt like the Super Bowl all over again. And then I'm going to say this, me and Aaron Rodgers, since last year I've seen him twice, haven't spoken a word. Even then I had to walk over to him and give him a pound. The man can still throw it. But can he move enough to help this team win? If they don't get Aaron Rodgers and you have to go with Will Howard, who I like, but still has to develop, this could be a team that hovers around 500. And you know what? 17 games, 8-9 is not out of the question. You want to pick up all the names you dropped on the floor? That's the people I was playing against, Shay. I was out there locking up. Keenan Allen was my middle line back there. I'm more impressed. Shay, I was sitting there coaxing RC because you know I've been getting in a little shape myself and I was sitting there talking junk to him. And then I made a foolish error. I remember I was talking junk to him one day and said to him, if this happened, I'll come down and work out with you. And then I'm looking at him and I'm going like this, what the hell did I open my mouth for? Yeah, we're working this year. What was I thinking? I got to go down to Louisiana and work out with him, Shay. So you're going to work out with Steven A. and you're going to wrestle with Trick. You got a lot on your plate coming up here and then you're here flag footballing with Aaron Rodgers. What am I going to do? I'm having a great off season. You are having a great off season. The final four is now set in the NCAA for both women and men. If you had to win one game, what coach in any sport would you want to have? I'll answer that question next. All right. So the sports world is still buzzing about this, right? Yukon's stunning victory over Duke and the elite eight on Sunday. I still can't believe we witnessed that firsthand. It sends the Huskies to their third final four in the last four seasons under head coach Dan Hurley. An elite college basketball coach is Dan Hurley. So this kind of got us thinking across all sports. I'm just basketball. What active coach are you taking to win one game? Arcee, who would you take? Dan Hurley is a phenomenal basketball coach. He's the second best basketball coach at his school. It's Geno Oriema and there should not be any other discussion. This man been winning championships since championships were supposed to be won in female sports. He's absolutely, it's like 25 final fours. He got 12 chips. The dude has won 89% of his games. In any era, when you look at the best of women's basketball players, there's somebody from that school. There's a team from that school that stands amongst the best. It's Geno Oriema and it's no conversation. Stephen A, who you taking? I'm taking him out of the equation because that's an obvious one. I get it. Who the hell can argue with Geno Oriema? Who the hell can argue with Geno Oriema? I would tell you who I thought about, Arcee, share this with you. Steve Kerr. When they won the title in Boston and I watched that man make the adjustments that he made in order to win that series. It wasn't just about unleashing Steph Curry. It was about how he utilized everybody from Kaminga to Moody and others. And I watching him and make those adjustments. And I'm just saying to myself, four-time champion, been about six, seven NBA finals, five times as a player. The man knows what it takes to win. And for one game, if I got to pick somebody in the modern era, it would be him. All right. I get a pick. Well, okay, go ahead. You can pick. I'm sorry. You go ahead. One game. Give me Kirk Signetti. Let's go. Oh, my goodness. Oh, Lord. Oh, Lord. Oh, my. You guys know that's a good pick. He just got it. Oh, my. He just got it. He just got it. Nothing but wins as he just got here. I mean, come on. He's been coaching his whole life. Well, he's done. Google him. And we're, I don't have to Google him anymore. We talk about him enough on TV. That's what I'm saying. Google him. Give me Kirk Signetti. Very good. A wide range of coaches. Very proud of this group. It's been a fun day. Kirk Signetti is crazy. We'll see you out tomorrow. In time, same place. See you, big boy. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.