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Welcome to The Podcast to be Named Later, where we explore the world a conversation at a time.  Sit back and enjoy.  Here are your hosts, Chris and Kelly.


Kelly:
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the podcast to be named later. Finally got a hold of Chris. I guess he's out there in California on that Aaron Rodgers FaceTime plan, so kind of hard to chat with him sometimes, but took a little bit of off season and welcome back.
Chris:
Hey, thanks, Kelly. Glad to be back.
Kelly:
Bud yeah. Enjoy your chats. Missed them. So lot going on here in the world of sports. Got all the sports cooking up. Let's let's jump right in. NBA kind of a sad week in Wisconsin here, the Bucks.
Chris:
For fourth quarter debacles, really last night's game. You know at home 12 point favorites, they're the one seed and not I kind of you can kind of Jimmy Butler is just unbelievable. First off let me just start there, that guy is. The epitome of what you want to build your franchise around, and the the commentators on the. TV last night were talking about how instrumental Dwyane Wade was in getting Jimmy Butler there. And you know how? How passionate Dwyane Wade was about Jimmy Butler and and just like, hey, man, we gotta get this guy. You know, we you gotta find a way to get him in a heat uniform and. Everything that I've heard about the dude is just he's just a worker, man, and you know, he he has gotten some. You know, personal accolades, but by all accounts, man, it seems like he don't care nothing about that. The guy just wants to win. So anyway, tip of the cap to Jimmy Butler seems like a class dude. You know, a kind of a blue collar worker superstar, which, you know, those those are hard to find, man. The guys that aren't the diva superstars. But really, to me, the story is. Just the the collapse of the Bucks, man. Like, it's just hard to understand. It's hard to explain. It's not hard to understand how the heat were in the series. And just from a match up. You know player by player. I'm not surprised that they could compete with the Bucks, but the Bucks are the superior, superior, talented team and I think you know when Yannis got hurt, missed a couple games, the Bucks should have been able to play on par with. The heat, you know. With Yannis out and Tyler Hero both being out, obviously Yannis is is is a much superior player to to Tyler Hero talking about league MVP versus a, you know, quality role guy but. The books are also just more talented rosters top to bottom, so you know, while the individual player was a bigger loss, I really thought the bucks would be able to hang with the heat even without Yannis. And I just think that that. Kind of lifted the heat up, man, and they kind of rode the wave. And I mean, aides don't beat ones in the NBA very often, Madam. That's that's not barring a major injury. You know, barring, you know, something that. Cause the eight seed to to be where they were, but really they maybe weren't and it shouldn't be an 8. Kind of like what's happening in the West this year where you know some of the teams that are lower seeded really are are some of the favorites. But yeah, kind of. A shocker to me, Kelly the.
Kelly:
Even within the game, the shocker. I don't know if I would call it a shocker cause it's happened more than once. Is how shooting the how your shooting could go so cold in the fourth quarter? I haven't looked at a full breakdown, but like if we look at the points per quarter or the the missed shot, the Bucks were just abysmal. I mean, there's no other way to say it. They were abysmal in the fourth quarter of several of these games.
Chris:
And on the one hand you, you know, you guys get cold throughout for stretches all the time, right? So that's that's a normal part of, you know it's a small hoop and a lot of times it's pretty far away. And so it's not strange to have stretches where, you know, teams teams might go 567 minutes without scoring at all without getting. Single field goal at that time and. You know. They're they're it's a. It's a streaky game, right? Teams make runs and and that's just how basketball is set up. But you can't have it in the fourth quarter? Period. That's it that. Your your cold streak can't happen. Then it's just. Yeah, I I don't know what to say, man.
Kelly:
The other, the other thing is and look, I mean good dude. Great dude all around. And nothing, nothing. Haven't really heard anything bad about him. And he seems like a real, genuine guy. But Yannis has got to work on his free throw shooting. It's be it's. It's a. It's like a critical flaw that teams could really take advantage of. And I mean that. That's for that's like turning down free money when you can't hit the free throw.
Chris:
And I'm sure he will. So by all accounts, Yannis is is one of the classiest people in all the, I mean, hell, he couldn't even he he didn't. He doesn't even have to be a buck if he doesn't. If he didn't want to be right. So he chose to stay there when? When a lot of other superstar people, MVP caliber, talent. Days would would have picked a different location for other personal reasons to work on their brand and to, you know, have other things outside of basketball more available to him. And you know, I don't know you, honest. Personally, I say this quite a bit. You know, we we don't go out for dinner, but all accounts man, you know. When when 100 people say the same thing, I at some point you just start to believe him that he is one of the hardest working guys in the NBA. He had to work hard just to get to the NBA, so I think I think he will work on him, man. I think he'll he'll practice and you'll probably shoot 10,000 shots this offseason, you know, he's, he's that kind of guy. I think it's it's too bad because because that roster as constructed, I I thought they were the best team in the NBA. I really did, man. I mean, they were the betting favorite down the stretch as the season was winding down the Bucks. Were the Bucks and Celtics were both really close. But you know, I've just felt like top to bottom, man with what they had, that they were going to be a really, really hard team to beat and to get knocked out in the first round. It's kind of a shocker to me, man.
Kelly:
Yeah, I you know it it surprised me. I'm not the hugest basketball follower, but I know enough and I I do follow it, especially in the playoffs, but. You know, you also can't take anything away from the heat or Jimmy Butler in particular. I mean, we've talked about this more than once, Chris, and there are times when, right, some guys just light up at the right time and that guy's been unreal in the series.
Chris:
I mean, this is kind of what he's done throughout his career, though, too. And so. I mean, that's kind of why I I you know, I took a second to to pause initially you know, I mean obviously we could talk about the the Bucks you know faltering down the stretch, but just hats off to to to like I said to Butler man, I mean and by all accounts he's he's just the classiest of guys and. He dude, the guy, his money man he is. Money and and. It was a game four he 56. I think he went four. And you know, I'm watching that game. So I've watched just about every NBA playoff game so far, maybe not in, in it's all of them in their entirety. But I I watched basically that entire game and it's like, you know, deer and fox is kind of like that too. It's just like every time the ball leaves the guy's hands, he I, I swear, the guy shoots 100% and at the end of the day, you look at the stat line and it's like, oh, you missed some, but I I didn't see him. You know, that's how I feel about Jimmy Butler. It's like, no matter what kind of body position. He is no, no matter where he's at on the court or who's in his face. It's like as soon as the ball leaves his hands, you just believe it's going in the hole and seems like every time it does.
Kelly:
Hey, speaking in their body position and. Where people are at, I thought about you last night when I was listening to the game. And I'm like, I gotta get Chris to describe this. So near the end of the game there was a follow called and then they reviewed it all and I know this happens a lot in games, but then they ended up saying, oh, we're going to do a jump ball. You know, at center court and all that and. You know, notes there's they've never really broken it down. Can you give us a visual breakdown, Chris, like? Of what's going on when you know a tip off at the game and the like, how high does the ref throw the ball? How does he hold it? Where are the players? Give us a breakdown, man. I know I'm putting you on the spot because we didn't talk about this in show prep. But what? What can you tell us? What's it like?
Chris:
OK so. Basically, you pair off, right, so there's gonna be two guys who jump to start the game, or when they OfferUp any 2. So sometimes in that situation wasn't any two. So usually if there's a jump ball situation like a held ball, the refs will put 22 thumbs up and they'll say hey man. It's both guys had possessions simultaneously, so we're gonna reset this. And now those two guys who they're saying had possession. Those two guys have to jump and you could have a little guy against the big guy in that situation to start the game or in this situation. When nobody had possession. Of it, any two guys from your team, you can just pick your tallest guy or your best jumper or whoever you you think your your best representative is. So those two guys line up, you know, facing each other very, very looks very similar to a face off in the NHL. NHL only difference is the puck they drop on the ground and the basketball they throw up in the air. But other than that. Those two guys are facing each other and then there's a a circle that's made around them and guys and kind of jockey for position, you know where they want to stand. And but generally it's a representative from each team kind of partnered up from a with a representative from the other team and. You know, they obviously they practice this and there's a plan and and each guy who knows who he wants to tip the ball to and and where he wants to tip it. If he can get if you know if he's the guy. Who can jump the highest and get his hands on it?
Kelly:
So let's take a pause right there, and I'm just gonna ask you a question about something you said. In this of the guys circling around like is it one guy from each team? Like let's say if we're in a circle, is it Kelly from the box and then Chris from insert of California team standing next to each other. OK. And is it a 360? All the way around the.
Chris:
I mean, there's only four guys left on each team, right? So there's eight guys and and they're and they're and they're in groups of two close to each other. So there's a gap. So let's say the circle, the full, the the diameter of the circle is. That's 10 feet. OK, so they're they're maybe 12 feet. OK, so. So the radius would be like 6 feet, let's say, OK. And then you'd have, you know, you and I, standing 6 feet away but facing each other, you know, and then there's going to be like a little gap. Right. So there's it might be 6 feet. Until we get to the next group of two and.
Kelly:
And the two guys that are going to be jumping are they facing, they're facing each other, but are they like looking towards the backboards at each end of the corner facing which way?
Chris:
So, yeah, they'd be kind of, yeah, you'd be, like, defending your own goal basically you.
Kelly:
And where's the reef and all?
Chris:
Know like I said. Similar to A to be honest with you, Kelly, I actually don't know the I'm.
Kelly:
Of this.
Chris:
I'm sure there's rules of of, you know, just like a face off in the NFL. So you know you're gonna be on the right because you're defending this goal and you're gonna be on the left, right, so. You know when a face off happens, you know each team is on its side. You know what I'm saying?
Kelly:
For yeah.
Chris:
The most part, but there's guys on the opposing side obviously cause there's a circle, but but I I don't know what the rules are. If you have to have two guys, you know behind your your tip guy or three guys or or I don't know how that all works to be. With you, Kelly.
Kelly:
Where's the ref and all this?
Chris:
Well, the, the the guy who's throwing the balls in the middle. So he's standing. The two guys are basically facing each other. They're a little. **** eye, you know, I mean cause they want to jump and you know they're not like exactly like facing each other perfectly parallel to each other but. The ref is in the middle and he's going to toss the ball up and the ball goes up. Maybe maybe the full 10 feet. Usually it doesn't. He doesn't throw up very high, so he just throws it basically high enough that would be. Just to that the the top of their reaching ability. So you know maybe.
Kelly:
Which way is he facing? What are the sidelines?
Chris:
Yeah, yeah. So face. He's facing the two guys, you know, they're facing each other and then he's kind of perpendicular to them.
Kelly:
And how does he hold the ball when he starts like and how does he?
Chris:
Two hands, two hands and he he does the.
Kelly:
Throw it like underhand or.
Chris:
No, no, he he two hands above his head and he just kind of tosses it up like he's setting a volleyball for a for a a slam, you know, he's got the the ball in his fingertips over his head and he kind of throws it. He tries to throw it as straight in the air as he can, so it doesn't.
Kelly:
Favor one side or the other and generally speaking, have you ever seen anything really wacky happen like it just totally goes to one team?
Chris:
Ohh I I mean, yeah, I've definitely seen some wacky stuff. There was actually one in the. The Warrior Kings game last night. That was really goofy. So sometimes man, he throws the ball up, they both jump and swipe and miss at it. And then the ball just. Falls on the ground. They both. Miss it and and then there's some rules associated with that. And actually the Warriors got away with one a little bit, so. And the guy again? I don't know. I I I'm not a rules of expert on all things NBA, you know, but. The guy who's jumping the ball can't get the possession of the ball unless, like you can't just jump, jump up and, like, grab the ball and take off and run with it. You you have to tip it to somebody else, but once somebody else has touched it, now you can get it back and there's some rules that way, right? So in the Warriors game, there was a goofy one where it was Gary Payton junior. God, I can't remember who he was jumping against bud, but anyway, Gary Payton junior goes up. They both, like, missed the ball, you know, and he tips it. And then the ball is just like laying on the ground. Nobody gets it. And so Gary Payton Junior goes and jumps, then jumps on the ball. Well, you can't like tip it to yourself. You have to tip it to a teammate now, once someone else has touched it, now you're now. You can get back in the action again. So someone else that should graze somebody's hands on the way to the ground, somebody else other than you? Now you know that counts as a touch, and now you're free to go get possession of it if you want. And that's what they ruled in the Warriors game that that Steph Curry had touched the ball. But he he never did. And so Gary Payton basically tipped the ball to himself, and that's against the rules, I guess. And so that was it. It was just a goofy looking one man where like they jump up and the ball just like falls on the ground. And that that one that you're describing that whole play, if you want, I can kind of outline some of the, the whole, the whole, the whole play that led up to that was really strange man cause originally they called a foul and on Lowry I. Think it was. And basically it was a kind of an errant pass. And then Middleton and Lowry both go running for the ball, and they both have kind of an equal shot at him. Middleton had a little head start, so they're in the half court. And Middleton is a little bit like closer to the half court line than Lowry is Lawry's a little bit closer to the basket, you know, on that side. And so he had like 1/2 a step lead and then the but. The pass was. Way towards the half court. So Middleton had, like a. Half a step. Like advantage, but Lowry reacted really fast, and so Middleton had tipped it. But it was like just outside of his reach, you know? And so now this ball is just kind of free. And Middleton and Lowry, both good running after it. And at that point, you both players have equal rights to that ball. You know, it's kind of like a a pass in the NFL. You know, once the ball is in the. Air the defender. And the receiver they both they both have equal rights to go get it. And if in the process. If I'm a defender. If in the process of going and trying to catch the ball, I make body contact with you, you know, I mean we bump into each as long as I'm not shoving you or like attacking your body directly. If I inadvertently affect your body, that's OK because I'm going for the ball like this. I have a right to this and I can kind of. Put my body in the way of yours in order to, you know, catch the ball or and then basketball. Go get the ball right, get possession of the ball. And and Lowry and Middleton go after the ball, if anything. You know, Middleton kind of fouled Lowry. If I'm being honest. And I mean, I was rooting for the Bucks. So you know, I mean it's it's not a biased call. I mean, you know, Middleton kind of swiped at him where Lowry was clearly just going for the ball and they called a foul and Lowry reviewed it ended up. You know, saying, hey, you know, there's we're just gonna call mill foul on here and jump it up and then so they get a jump ball. And Brooke Lopez. Jumped up against Bam out of Bayou and got a very clean tip. Got it to Yannis and this is kind of a reflection of, you know, all of yannis's, this is just another area that it showed itself. His his struggles at the free throw line affected this place significantly. So Brooke got a really clean. Hand on the ball and he had full control of the ball. He tipped it to Yannis, where Yannis got the ball. There was all kinds of space, he there, you know, there was no one within three or four. Feet of him. And he could have churned and just started to dribble and there was 6 seconds left, 7 seconds left or something like that at that point. He could. He could have just. Like took off and started running with it, but he he didn't want to. So, so Yannis basically played hot potato at that point where Brooke Brooke Lopez tips it to him, Yannis has like good space around him. There's 30 feet that he can run around towards like the baseline. I mean, he could have just run around. For for a little while, definitely like a second, second and a half, two seconds, 3 seconds. But Yannis didn't want that ball at all. And so Brooke Lopez tips it to Yannis. Yannis gets possession and just hot potatoes it over to Middleton, and with some fire behind it, Middleton made a fabulous play to save because, honestly, was throwing that ball out of bounds. I mean, he meant to throw it to Middleton, but it was a terrible pass. And the ball was heading straight out of bounds. Middleton had to make a diving play to save the ball from going out of bounds. And he ended up getting it to holiday barely. And then holiday was fouled and and, you know, they were able to take, like, let's say, 2 seconds off the clock or something and all that process. But if Yannis wasn't so afraid of shooting free throws, and if he wasn't, you know, if you're superstar MVP caliber guy, doesn't you know if he would have wanted the ball at the end of the game? Yannis might have been able to really close to, to run out the clock it by himself, you know, or at least like, run around for a second or two and then throw it to Middleton. You know, with a little better pass, but because he hot potatoed it so fast and made a bad pass, it was just a a really ugly looking play which, you know, which is too bad because Brooke Lopez had a really clean jump on it.
Kelly:
So before we leave basketball, give us a breakdown of one other thing, man, just cause we're. We're here and I noticed on the radio broadcasters right around that time as well when Miami was inbounding the ball one time. Ah, the announcer said. Anyway, that one of the players that was guarding the inbound was, like, doing jumping jacks in front of the player. What kind of stuff goes on again? Just give us that breakdown. What the inbound, you know, inbound experience is like and what's going on with everybody?
Chris:
Well, I'll tell you what, man. It'd be pretty tough. So these are professionals, right? And they've done this. I mean, I don't know 10,000 * 100,000 times. I can't even guess like all, all through their lives. But I'll tell you what, man, it'd be pretty tough to have a, you know, 6 foot 8 to 7 foot guy with, you know, 7 or 8. Little wingspans and and, you know, all these limbs flying everywhere. So basically the guy he want, he started to do 2 things. One, he's trying to deflect the. So you know, I'm trying to throw. Let's say I'm. I'm the inbounder, right. And I'm trying to get the ball into one of my guys and then I got this giant human in front of me swinging his arms everywhere and jumping up and down. And just so so one, he's trying to tip it. So you know the ball doesn't go to where I I plan on throwing it. Ohh and two, he's trying to block my vision, right? So I can't get a clear. Look of of. Where, you know, everyone's moving around and and see the passing lanes and stuff. So yeah, he's trying to block his line of sight, and then he's trying to, you know, get a foot or a finger or anything he can on the ball. When when I release. And I'll tell you what, man, there can't be a lot of room, you know, so on, like a A made basket. You have the freedom to run the baseline. So, so now I can move, you know, right and left. And but most out of bounds plays, you can't. Your state. You have to your your feet have to stay in the little box that the referee tells you. And so I'm. I'm stationary, but the other guy can. And you know, jump from side to side and everything and and try to try to block it and and yeah they look like jumping jacks. Man, you're just, like, literally flailing about. You're jumping up and down and and trying to make yourself as big as you can, like you ran. Into a bear in the woods or something?
Kelly:
So if you didn't know it was a game and there was no ball, and with with the would you say that? Visually it looks kind of crazy and chaotic.
Chris:
You. Yeah, you. You talk about basketball as a whole or. Are you talking about the ball playing?
Kelly:
Just the guy flailing around.
Chris:
Yes, it looks pretty funny, dude. They're not concerned about. Yeah, you know, looking like a fool or not because most of the time you you look, those guys look pretty ridiculous, you know, just flailing about.
Kelly:
Well, we'll see where the heat and everybody else ends up in the NBA, you know. Couple more months of playoffs. I I we're really curious to see how the heat come in their next series.
Chris:
Yeah, I mean, you know, you got a superstar player. I I I tend to believe. I think it was like I kind of meant made mention of, you know basketball especially is is real heavy about matchups and. You know, each time A-Team scores, the other team gets the ball and you know you see this a ton in college where you know it's kind of like the old Michael Jordan effect. Like every time we go down, we have a guy who can score every time, you know, and there's nothing you can do about it. So then you know. No matter how good your team defense or whatever is, you know we got Michael Jordan. And so you know, we're going to get two or three points like almost every time that we. Have the ball. And occasionally you have situations where there's just teams don't match up well against each other, because defensively, A-Team just doesn't have an answer for this guy. We don't have a physically capable guy either. We have big guys who can body him up and and can handle. And physically from like a brute strength standpoint, but they're not fast enough to keep up with him. Or we have fast guys, but they're too little to to, you know, he can just shoot over them and stuff. That's why Kevin Durant is, is who he is. He's because nobody can guard him. There's just nothing you can do about a guy who can jump that high and shoot that well and run that well. He you know, he can drive, he can shoot, he he. Can just do everything and so. That you know, guys like him are just undefendable. There's nothing you can do to to put. There's no one guy that can guard that guy. And I think that. He, you know, came up as as odd as it is because the bucks were the one seat in a really good basketball team. I I I just don't think they had an answer for what the heat were doing, whereas you know, other teams in the East might be better equipped.
Kelly:
Well, like I said, the NBA will move on to the next series for a lot of these things in the world of sports, a lot of next for the NFL got Aaron Rodgers going to his next team. We've got Jordan love becoming the next starting Packers quarterback. We've got, you know, at least seven players for every team or someplace going to the next phase of their career from college to pro. And we've also got, you know, every time you draft new players into the league. Lot of you know, you don't hear as much about this, but if you bring in seven new woods in plus free agents and everything else, it also means another group are going on to the next part of their life outside of the Interpol. So a lot of necks there too.
Chris:
Hey, I'm curious now. I want to get your take. Kelly, give give, give our listeners your take on the compensation package. You familiar with what? What all was?
Kelly:
Oh yeah. I mean, I think that was, you know that whole. It's interesting. I mean I've I I was ready for the drama of the whole thing to be done. I like stories in sports, but this story a as a Packer fan, I've seen it once before. So how do you figure that the Hall of Fame quarterback twice in the row for the Packers goes to The Jets? Compensation wise, I think you know the Packers. Got about as good as you can expect, right? Let's be clear. Aaron Rodgers is 38 or 39. Yes, he had Hall of Fame year MVP years this last year, not just his fault. It was a down but down and we'll see, you know they got a draft pick here. Really the most interesting piece of the draft or the compensation part of the draft is. As long as Aaron starts 65% of the snaps this season, no matter whether he plays next year or not, Packers get The Jets first round pick next year. That, and I know one of the holding points, at least from what you hear was, you know, The Jets really wanted to guarantee that he played more than a year.
Chris:
Yeah, I I I thought everything was fair man. And and I like the conditional picks. I I I just think that's a great way to facilitate trades is like hey man, you know there there's there's unknowns, right, you know and so. We want. We want some Peace of Mind, you know, given the fact that that we're we don't know exactly what we're going to get. We don't know exactly. You know how this is going to work out for us, but if it works out this way, we'd be really happy. And if we knew for sure it was going to work out this way, we'd be willing to give up a first round pick. If it doesn't workout that way, then we don't want to. You know, we don't want to give up a first round pick and and so the conditional picks just, you know, they make that happen. And and I think it's brilliant, you know, hey, you're going to get a second no matter what. But if you pays 65% of the snaps, you get a first. And so I I don't. I'm just. I'm these conditional picks should be, you know, even more prevalent than they are, right? It's it's just a.
Kelly:
I think they're. I think they're great, right? It's hey, man, especially with some of these trades, I mean. You want to keep the league competitive and interesting, and I think this is a reasonable thing. What's also interesting to me on all of this, Chris is. I mean, just two years ago, The Jets picked a starting quarterback and a couple of years before that, they picked one.
Chris:
Well, they've been picking starting quarterbacks since Namath was there. Dude, they've been.
Kelly:
We haven't had that problem, Green Bay for 30 years, 31 years. I hope we don't have it again. I mean, hey, man, if if Jordan love goes on to have.
Chris:
I mean, they've been looking for one for their. An all time great, you know, top ten quarterback all time kind of career and and wins us the Super Bowl in in two or three years and in 15 years from now The Jets won them. I'd be happy to do this a third time so you know, we had a good run with Brett Farve. One of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, he was great for. The league as a whole. Great to expand the Packers fan base and. You know, it was just fun to be a Packer fan while Brett Farve was there and then Aaron Rodgers came in. You know, he's one of he. He might be the best passer of the football in in NFL history. He's one of them, man. I mean, he he is an incredible or what, you know, had been an incredible quarterback, multi time league MVP and and did get the one Super Bowl and everything. So you know we can keep doing this as far as I'm concerned.
Kelly:
Hey, man. You know you want to follow the path to New York. I'll be curious to see how it all works out. I'm going to make football interesting in the fall. Another one of these big stories. We're recording this on Thursday drafts in a few hours. I've got a. Honestly, the amount of writing on mock drafts I read a few little of it, but I like to say just let it play out and then react.
Chris:
Yeah, agreed. But you know, I mean. NFL they you know it's it's, it's. You know, even for weeks after the season ended it, you know, they're you're always going to talk about the NFL, man. I mean, it's just it'll dive in deep and and yeah, but the Todd Mcshay's and the and the Mel Kiper.
Kelly:
Oh yeah.
Chris:
And it's like I guess, I mean I don't know, you know you got to talk about something I guess, but yeah, until until the guys picked, let's just wait and see what happens.
Kelly:
You know, I mean I it's, it's entertainment and I think the interesting thing or one of them here is that. You just still don't know, even with all the resources and money. And everything else that gets put into all this, you just don't know.
Chris:
And then you don't. You don't even know who's you don't know who's going to be picked. You don't know what teams are thinking. There's always deals, right? So you don't know, like, you know, take the Texans, for instance, man. I mean, I'm a firm believer, you know, if anyone wants to give me a shot at being a GM like I, I feel like I got a a good plan and. A-Team like the Texans, you know that trading back in this draft and picking up additional capital isn't a bad idea in my mind. And I think you can build a team, you know, you you look at those what the Seahawks did, you know what the? Philadelphia Eagles have done, you know, now they just had to pay their quarterback and he, you know, and rightfully so. He got a really nice contract and good on jail and hurts man he. I feel like he earned it. But you can build a team first and get the quarterback later. And I mean, Aaron Rodgers just just moved, you know. Tom Brady went to the Bucks. You know, Peyton Manning went to to the Broncos. I mean, you can get a a Hall of Fame quarterback late, you know, build your team first. And when you have as many needs as the as the Texans do now, if you have a championship ready team and and you're a cog or two away, if you're the Buffalo Bills. Or something you know? Maybe you don't need seven or eight players, so you know you might as well just pick the one guy that you need at your spot at, you know, at pick number, you know, 28 or whatever and and try and, you know, maybe fill the other hole via free agency or something. But a team like the. Texans needs a whole roster full of guys. And the more guys you can get on the cheap and the more guys you can get locked up on on rookie contracts? The better position you're in to make a a splash in free agency, say, 4 years from now, three years from now, four years from now, right? And I I don't know. You know what they're thinking? Obviously you, you always have to have a quarterback to win. But in my mind, you don't have to always get that quarterback, you know, with the high draft choice, you know, so. We'll see. We'll see what teams decide to do, man, I'll be definitely interested to see the mentality of of you know, what, some of these teams and and these teams are are thinking heading into tonight.
Kelly:
No, I think what one of the things that you just said is what I I firmly believe in the more draft picks you can stack up here. The better for your team, especially with the way the NFL is now, and you get the cost certainty of salaries for those four years and everything else, and every team's got a different model. So we'll see, you know, we'll probably talk more about what we see. After the draft, unless there's any huge things that jump out at you that you want to mention about what you're looking forward to are expecting out of the draft, I don't have a strong opinion yet.
Chris:
No, I mean I I just wanna play it out. I wanna see, you know, cause the draft experience as a whole. You know, just following it generally that first round is kind of cool because they'll give you a recap. You know, as each team comes on the. Clock, you know. Generally speaking, each team milks their clock all the way down to the final second, even though you know they knew that who they were picking the whole time. They they want all their time in this in the spotlight, right. So usually the guys that are covering it do a great job of talking about, you know, who left, who was signed in for the agency. You know who's aging who? You know, they they give you a kind of a recap of the. Team as a whole and that part I like, you know, kind of kind of gives you a a synopsis of each individual franchise and and where they're at and what they might be looking for. And and a lot of it's speculation based on, you know, who they might pick, but but you also pick up a lot of information as far as movement. Of of you know, player movement and. So I like it. You know what it kind of catches me up a little bit, gives me a little little refresher course on all things NFL, you know, and there's there's some movement that took place during free agency that, you know, I I follow the Packers, but I don't. I don't do all 32 teams so.
Kelly:
No, I I like I to the extent I watch the draft stuff. I like it for that very reason. It's like, OK, this is what happened over the last four months. Thanks for catching me up.
Chris:
And you get to hear some of these back stories. I mean, you know, the the one thing we should really be celebrating is the young men who are about to embark on their dreams, you know, and this is what they've worked their whole life for, man, and, you know. The glory that they're gonna get and the money that they're gonna get and all of that stuff. You know this is, you know, Olympic athletes do it and and generally don't have the prize at the end that the NFL players do. You know, they don't. They don't get the financial compensation, but you know, these are individuals that have worked, you know, the majority of their life for for a specific goal. And then now this is their chance, man. They're going to realize their dreams. You know, tonight and over the next couple of days where you know all, all the time in the weight room, you know, probably physical therapy along the way. You know, they've sustained injuries, they've. You know, learned and grown and grown and developed their craft and and all of that. And now they're on the cusp of of realizing their dreams, man and and, and that's that's something we should celebrate. You know it's and and the the reality is most of these guys will will do great things with them and a lot of these guys. Give back to the communities and end up being you. Know great human beings every once in a while there's a bad apple for sure, you know? And and media tends to focus on that and and sometimes you know, that gets more attention than the other stuff. But the reality is most of these guys are good dudes, man, and and they're like I said about to realize the dream and that's that's exciting.
Kelly:
Like I've said several times, I like the stories of sports, and even if the plot is the same year after year, the individual characters and stories that are are, are happening. They're all unique. And I think it's look. All these people started out, you know, just. Whatever they were average. Whatever person just doing this and yeah, they have an incredible talent that society finds a value and. To see I. Mean when you see these guys getting drafted, you could hear the and probably see them in their face. The joy of you know, I got there and I I will always find that compelling.
Chris:
Yeah, man, that you, you know, a lot of times they'll take you to the living room and you'll see, you know, we all have mothers and fathers, right, and. Anywhere, anywhere you go in your life, you know you, you're gonna have a a support staff or something that that has helped you along the way. You're going to have, you know, an uncle or or like a brother or somebody who has had to help carry your your weight for you at points in your life and and for the. You guys, you know, to see their moms, you know, see their son or their fathers, you know, the the guy who was out there, you know, throwing footballs to him. You know, every every weekday after school or or taking him to, you know, the park to, to work on this or that and. You know, it's a celebration for. The whole family and and. Yeah, that's cool. I I like people I like. I like stories. I like, you know, I like it when good things happen to people, you know, even if it's not someone I know. I just, you know, it's it still makes me feel good inside and. And so this, you know, that's what I focus on for, for, for today, you know, like just seeing the joy and and. Mothers and fathers and brothers faces, and sometimes, you know, sometimes they're hanging on cruise that are like we're. And so, you know, everyone's happy maybe for different reasons, but. You know Mom's about to get that new house, you know, and you know, a lot of these guys, dude in the NFL come from pretty humble places and and you know this this is, you know, family life change. You know they're changing. They're changing the lives of everyone with that same last name, you know, and. And a lot of times for generations to come. And you know, that's. It's it's like winning the lottery, dude. You know? But you know, I like seeing the joy on on all the families and stuff. And I I just, you know, I just I focus on the celebrations that happen.
Kelly:
So we'll see. We'll see what comes out of it. I I do as well. Well, speaking about focusing on things they change in baseball, a little more emphasis on focusing on the game instead of batter adjusting his gloves or stepping around the box and digging holes with this new pitch clock.
Chris:
Yeah, you said you've been to a couple of games, man. And and from what you were saying, you you really like it, man, and it has upgraded your overall experience.
Kelly:
I was at a Brewer game yesterday. I actually and their home opener and I will tell you just the flow of the game. Is much faster. It's not about the time as much as just the action. There's something happening more. I I didn't never really care how long the baseball game took. I'm there to have a a enjoyable time in the sun with friends or family, so I'm OK with that part but. The thing that it really struck me is just. How quickly the action moves, though pitch after pitcher in between innings they, you know, they've got a certain amount of time. I think it's 2 minutes to get going and you know 2 minutes and that first pitch is thrown. So I I like it and I also like, you know, the other big change they made is no more of the shift where you can put all your infielders on one side of the diamond. I mean, I don't want to sit there and just watch a pitcher and catch or play catch with each other, put the ball in action. And all that.
Chris:
You know, you and I were talking off Air, Man, and I feel I think like most people feel like you do. I mean, you know, there's sometimes there's just a crusty old men that just are so stubborn just for the sake of being stubborn, you know, not very open minded and and you know people don't like change as a kind of a general statement and. Just for the sake of fighting it, they, you know, they want to cross their arms and scowl on their face, you know? And but most people who who are being objective have all been a fan of the changes.
Kelly:
You know, and I will say this, even though it happens a lot more, especially when you're at a game, there's still something electric and probably it's true for a goal in hockey. Obviously touchdown in football, but there's something still electric about. A home run.
Chris:
Ohh yeah. I mean yeah man to. You know have 30 to 60,000 people all. Feel something at once. You know, we've talked about this and other things that you know, at concerts and and there's just, you know, there's moments that take place where you know, all of us are are in unison and yeah, you can feel it, man. I mean. You can just feel the energy.
Kelly:
Had a couple in the game I was at yesterday and I was just thinking about it. You know, I've been to a fair number of baseball games over my life and but like I said, man, there's just something about it. The crack of the bat. And, you know, there's poets who have said. All this a lot better than me, but. Just that whole home crowd just getting up and cheering. Even, you know, it's just. It's one of the things I why I like going to baseball is just for kind of that. Crowd sensation. Obviously, the season's really long and it's only April, so you know, we'll check in and. About September and see where every team is.
Chris:
Yeah, baseball. Don't mess around, man. They you know, they they string her out. You know, hockey hockey's finally, you know. Gotten gotten to their playoffs and they're rolling and basketball. You know, they're they're into their playoffs and and, you know, there's a couple teams that have already advanced and. You know, with the draft happening, it's pretty exciting time. Baseball's in there, too, you know? It's just, you know, it's a long season, man. And. And so they're just kind of getting started and baseball is the kind of thing that you can, you know, some people are very passionate man. And they watch their their home team or or their favorite team, you know, regularly throughout the season and and might catch, you know, 100 games over the season. That's that's, you know, that's who they are and what they're about. For me, with baseball, I'm a casual fan and you know, I'll keep an eye on the standings and, you know, check in from time to time. But you know, there's there's a marathon, man.
Kelly:
I'm kind of a I keep it out in the background, like going to a few games a year and then dial it up as. The season gets longer or further in.
Chris:
Yeah, yeah, I'm the same way, man. I mean, once, you know, once playoff starts, I I watch just about every game. Basketball is kind of the same thing for me, man. I, I, you know, might catch a game or two over the course of the season and then, you know, as things start coming. Towards playoff you don't. Usually there's a race or two happening, so I might pick up a couple more games just to see what happens. With seedings and and, who makes the playoffs and who doesn't? And then, once the playoffs are going, I watch basically every game. I record them all, and sometimes, like last night, there was multiple games happening at once and and. The Warriors, kings is is a really good series. And then, but obviously I was tuned in to what the Bucks are doing, and both games are happening at the same time. So, you know, DVR's, great baby, you know, he kidding. I just have to make sure I don't look at my phone and and don't catch any updates, you know, from from, like notifications from ESPN or ANYTHING but. But as long as you're just all the DVR, you could hop back and forth from game to game. Password through the commercials and not miss any of the action and especially you know at the end of the games man, there's a lot of dead time. So yeah. So I'll hop from one game to the next and watch the action, and then once they go to commercial, I'll hop to the other game and. Yeah, it makes it fun, man. And so.
Kelly:
I do think this is. That's the exciting thing about sports during certain times of the year where you know everything that's going on has consequence and like the games I, you know, I mean, hey, the truth is sometimes the game in April and baseball matters as much as the game in September, right? If you finish one game out of first and don't make the playoffs. Because of it. But the reality is that as human beings, I mean, we all know that loss in April's not gonna worry as much as the one in September. So that's why the playoffs. And when you gotta go down in multiple sports. And so I like it with basketball and hockey both have it going on. There's just action.
Chris:
I mean there's, you know there it'll start, you know, slowly winding down, but right early in the playoffs like the over, you know, over this past week. And even, you know, even for the next, you know. Couple of weeks. Yeah, man. If you know, if you follow hockey and basketball, it's it's a full time job, dude. So there are there are games everywhere starting Pacific Time, so starting around 4:00 o'clock it's there's something happening on multiple channels again, that's why the DVR is awesome. So you just record it all and and pick what you want to watch. There's been some pretty crazy on back-to-back nights. Teams came back from a four to one deficit to win and. You know the actually, I was on the wrong side of one of them. I had a bet. A bet on the Tampa Bay Lightning on one of the games and it was 4. To one with. One, there was like 11 minutes to go. In the third period, so they're they're halfway through the the third period and they're up 4 to one and and ended up losing. So it's like, man, this doesn't even this doesn't even feel possible in hockey, you know? So yeah, it's been some good action.
Kelly:
Well, we've had some good conversation on this episode of the podcast redeemed later. Really glad to finally get a catch up with you. Stay off that Aaron Rodgers. FaceTime only call plan, please.
Chris:
Yeah, man, I'm. I'm happy to talk with you too, dude. It feels like it's been a little while. You know, you and I tend to to focus heavily on the sports. And you know, there's little periods of the year where you kind, you kind of just hit lows and there's just not a ton going on. There's always something, but you know now it doesn't feel like that man now feels like we do have a quite a bit. Going on so. Yeah, tune into the draft Tonight, man, and and hopefully you and I can catch up again soon. Man, that we'll keep advancing through the the various playoffs and you know, maybe we'll have some stuff to talk about. I'm sure there'll be some, some stuff that happens tonight at the draft that's going to be pretty interesting. We'll just have. To wait and see what it is.
Kelly:
Always is alright, Chris, thanks to you. Have a great week and thanks to all of our listeners podcast to be named.
Chris:
Later. Thanks Kelly.