Set 2: Juice Wasn't Worth The Squeeze (w/ John Fanta)

0:00The entire draft room groans because you just took the guy they wanted. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the award-winning Late Round Podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. Listen to the Late Round Fantasy Football Podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. 30 years ago, an island off Manhattan almost brought down New York City. Who will you trust? Your friends and neighbors? Who will you trust the people five miles overseas? This is a story about neighbors turning on each other. And what happens when a forgotten place decides it's had enough. But we're not stopping, are we? Listen to Revisionist History, the Staten Island Problem on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:27Dominic Ford. So it's abdomen? I'm not sure. It's a tough word. It's a tough one for me. Yeah. Abdomin. And I know because I have one. Six back. We can't speak and we speak for a living. It's weird. Perhaps because we're speaking too much in too many places. All three of us. Mikey A has been cleaned up. I got to be honest with you. I didn't hear any Mikey A in that open right there. Did you? Talking on wood here. You're up. Do something at the heat off of me for crying out loud. I was there. There is a year long investigation that has been completed by the NBA. As it relates to Kauai Leonard, John Fant is going to join us coming up here in about 20 to 30. It's looking forward to speaking with him. What do you guys make of this investigation?

2:29The clippers here have lost five first round picks. Steve Bommer, $30 million in fines plus a year long suspension. Lawrence, Frank and Gillian Zuckers suspended six months each. Kauai Leonard must pay $700,000 in restitution, which is nothing to him. The fines don't mean anything to them. It's the draft picks and being found guilty by the NBA. What do you guys think? The biggest thing to me is the biggest winner in all this poblatory. Yeah. Yeah. Because there was that report from ESPN a couple of weeks ago where they ran a story suggesting that the NBA did not find evidence that Steve Bommer funneled money to Kauai Leonard. And now it's a bad look for ESPN because you had people like Ty Lawson trying to dance on poblatories grave for inaccurate reporting. And Stu, if you remember at the time what we said is, Pablo's not wrong. Yes. We could promise you with how much work Pablo puts into his reporting. Right. Pablo's not wrong.

3:29Pablo knows something that the NBA didn't. And I saw a tweet from Pablo yesterday basically like a thinking man emoji before this all dropped. Yes. And I was like, oh no, Pablo has something. Overall with the Kauai story though, this is such a steep price for what the Clippers are being accused of and what the NBA eventually found them guilty for. I mean, they cheated Taylor. Yeah. And then when you factor in what they traded to get him and then the NBA sanctions, Kauai Leonard costs the Clippers ready for this. A 2021 first round pick, a 2022 first round pick, a 2023 first round pick, a 2023 first round pick swap, a 2024 first round pick, a 2025 first round pick swap, 2026 first round pick, 2029 first round pick, 2031 first round pick, 2032 first round pick, 2032 first round pick, 2033 first round pick. Oh yeah, Daniel Goenari, Shea Guild, this Alexander, the two time reigning MVP, a $30 million fine Steve Bomber suspended for a year.

4:33And all this for what? I didn't play in LA. They didn't win anything of significance. Right. He averaged 47 games a year. They paid all, like you didn't do all that and get Tom Brady and be like, Hey, listen, we got six Super Bowls. We're good. Like no, you got 47 games a year of mediocre on a mediocre team. A mediocre team, but a great player, but he only gave you 47 great games per year. Yes. Sometimes a year he was a great player. There was a point in Pablo's early reporting where he had, he had floated out the idea of, I'm going to start looking into Jalen Brunson because that contract might be fishy. Right. Now, Pablo has since come out and said, there's nothing to that report. I don't think there's anything there. I think that the mix, the mix handled it the right way. I told him to back the fuck off is what I told him. Yes. But in that case, if, if, like this report comes out tomorrow about the mix, circumventing the cap to get Jalen Brunson,

5:34okay, the mix eventually went on to win a title and then the NBA would have to decide, like, do we take away the mix title? Right. But also on the other end of that, it's like when USC tried to take away Reggie Bush's Heisman, like, Right. Our memory still worked from that year. Yes. Remember how good Reggie Bush was at USC? You could take away the Heisman trophy from Reggie Bush. He's still the Heisman to us. Even if, even if the NBA tried to take away the next title, this is just my way of saying it still counts in my personal. Put it on the poll, Taylor's Reggie Bush, okay, with just us saying he was the Heisman trophy winner that year. He would like the trophy to validate what it is he did. But what you're saying here is, if, if indeed the mix did cheat, at least they want a championship by doing it, they didn't. Pablo is backed off. The Clippers did all of this to get 40 some odd games of Kawaii Leonard and never advanced to a conference final. How about that? With the Clippers doing this for Kawaii Leonard, the juice was not worth the squeeze.

6:35For the Knicks, the juice would have been worth the squeeze because it ended with you celebrating with a parade. Of course. Yes. You're muted. I got to bring out my inner Israel Gutierrez right now. Right. How the hell are we talking about the Knicks? How the hell did this story bring us talking about the Knicks? Well, that's because Taylor took us there. That's why he always does. It was just the highlight. The fact that like the Clippers did, the Clippers did all this cheating for what? To get Kawaii Leonard. I mean, that's why they did it. The Clippers are a desperate organization. A bomber wants to make a splash. They'll always be second fiddle to the LAKERS in LA. It doesn't matter who they get. But when you're bomber, you take over that team. There's a new arena. Kawaii's coming off a championship in Toronto. You want the guy. I mean, when he plays, he's one of the five or 10 best players in the NBA. So when you ask me, what did they do it for? They did it to get Kawaii Leonard.

7:35They cheated though. And now they're going to pay the price. Kawaii Leonard did not want to go to the Clippers. If we remember back to that NBA offseason, he did not want to go there. And they had to do all of this just to make it worth it. And you know, I think owners and GMs need to start taking note. If a player doesn't want to come there, just let him go. Look at Deshaun Watson and Cleveland. He did not want to go to the Cleveland Browns. He said, no, you're out. And they're like, how about if we guarantee all of this money? He's like, well, I guess I'll go there. If they player doesn't want to go, just let him walk somewhere else. That's it. And now we have Kawaii in a situation where he'll pay the $700,000. He'll play in Toronto when the Clippers are going to be horrible for a long, long time. Because they felt the need to cheat to get that guy. A guy who doesn't play every get what I was the most confused about when the NBA hands down these major penalties where the Clippers lose, lose five first round picks. Bomber gets the $30 million fine in a year long suspension.

8:38That's nothing to him, by the way. Lawrence Frank gets a six month suspension. You mentioned Kawaii having to pay $700,000 in restitution for the improper benefits. But Kawaii's not getting suspended and his contract won't be avoided. This feels like it's it's almost a terrible job by the NBA because Kawaii Leonard made this mess in L.A. He should have to stay in this mess that he created like veto the trade to Toronto where if he's not getting suspended, there's no really repercussions for for his actions. And now going to Toronto is essentially his get out of jail free card when the Clippers, the team that you screwed over here, who the Clippers are definitely involved in this. But the Clippers are now suffering the penalties with losing their next five first round draft picks. And Kawaii's off at Toronto playing basketball. You want to go back to the Clippers? There's a Nick theme there, Mikey. I could feel it. He doesn't want him in the Eastern Conference. I'm not worried about the Toronto rapper. I think I'm worried.

9:39I should be motivated. I'm motivated. I'm going to go on and you will quickly be orange. I saw them playing New York. He wants them back in the Western Conference playing 43 games a year. And the Clippers never advancing in the playoffs. That's what he wants. I do disagree with you on this Taylor. Like Kawaii is the beneficiary of all this, but it was bomber. It was Frank that broke the rules. It was them that that circumvented the rules. Kawaii just took the money. Well, I mean, they said, hey, we're going to give you this money. Right. It's going to be off the books. Yes. And he said, okay, I'll take it. But like it was, it was those people who got punished that that broke the rules. So do you think Kawaii didn't know how this deal was being negotiated? I know they're, I don't care if he did. I know the investigation came back and said, Kawaii didn't have any direct knowledge of what was going on. But his uncle did and he negotiated it. And even Kawaii said in a statement, I believe he released something where he said,

10:39the people closest to me are going to have to do a better job. Like he is sprinting away from this as if he had nothing to do with it. And that is a terrible job by Kawaii Leonard. Give me a break. Mikey, you would know how your deal was being negotiated if indeed your deal was for hundreds of millions of dollars. You would. Does it matter? Does it matter to him that it came from here and there and, hey, listen, we want to pay you 200 million, even though the NBA cap says we could pay you 150. We're going to, we're going to work this thing around so that you get the 200. Right. Yeah, but there is that there's three parties. There's three parties to this. And to Stu's point, Kawaii is just doing the shrug right now saying, like, I'm kind of innocent in all this. It wasn't my doing where you have the clippers. The clippers have been penalized. Steve Balmer gets the year long suspension and his Dennis Roberts in his uncle former business rep is banned from the NBA for the rest of eternity.

11:39And then the third party, Kawaii Leonard, it's like, okay, Kawaii, you're going to Toronto get ready for opening night. If your body allows it, which it probably won't, by the way. I would tell Kawaii do a better job of knowing what the people around you are doing on your behalf. Has that sound? Yeah, the show, hey, Tony is very strong. I'm very strong. My translator did the gambling, not me. You just want him back in LA. So you feel like the penalty for Kawaii should be not only does he have to pay the 700, 700,000 but he has to stay in LA on that lousy team with that organization. He either has to stay in LA until the clippers could pick again in the first round. Yeah, or he's he could give you a while. Let the trade go through to Toronto, but he suspended for the year. Right. When do the clippers pick again in the first round? What year was it? Let me know, like, way 34. 34. 35. You have Kawaii sticking around for eight more seasons until the clippers could play. And in eight seasons, he play like, I don't know, 112 games.

12:40The way he does load management, he'll probably be ready to play by then. A full season by 34. I like it. I'm good with that. Kawaii, you can leave Toronto back to LA. Stay with the clippers and you can't retire until 2000 to 34 when they have a first round draft pick again. It's ridiculous. I rule with an iron fist. I could tell. Yes. But am I he had something there? No. Oh, you were leading in. He keeps doing this where he leans in. I think he has something. And I have anything thinking. What are you thinking about? I'm looking for the right. The penalty's fair, right? Five picks. They cheated. They try to circumvent the salary cap and listed bomber for his entire life has been able to get away with whatever Steve bomber wants to get away with. Not today. Not today. It feels like this is probably a little more commonplace than we might want to believe. I'm certain that it is. But it also feels like they didn't skirt the rules.

13:43They just went ahead and ran through them. Like they didn't they didn't tip to them. Like, ah, maybe it's this. Maybe no, they were just like, nope, we're doing this. Right. It's like literally walking on the field and handing somebody a bag of money. It was the only way they could have done it. Right. I mean, that's it's the only way. Right. Within the cat. Right to fit them within the cat. I mean, yeah, but like even just the route they took in circumventing it felt like we're not even trying to get away with it. Like, we're not even trying to hide it. We're just going to we're just going to do it like this. Right. Yes. If Pablo Torre is the biggest winner today, the biggest loser today has to be Clippers fans. I mean, like bombers. Bummer is a loser today, but a $30 million fine to the bombers. Like if I find Stu got two dollars. Right. Well, yes, that is that's accurate and accurate comparison. Yeah, I would say more like five bucks or something like that. Call it 450 and we'll walk away. You think bombers happy today though? I mean, no, bombers, bombers definitely a loser today.

14:44He's a big loser. They lost five draped picks, Clippers fans of the biggest losers. Yes. Biggest losers. Yes. Yes. Maybe Robertson because he's banned from all NBA business dealings for the rest of time. And he should be. And I mean, it's going to get it's going to just get worse because the way to get better is to get first round picks. And if you don't have first round picks, you don't get better, then you can't make that money back up. Right. Like it's just going to keep getting bad until 34. It's a franchise all during this is the equivalent to like the death penalty. It seems like where we saw teams like in the 90s SMU get the death penalty and how hard it is for those teams to come back. Good. Yeah, good. The NBA hammered him. He said, Hey, we're taking Kauai away. He's going to play in Toronto and you're not going to be relevant again. It's until 2035. Good for the NBA. Steve bomber deserves it. All right. Question for you through. How many owners are calling general managers, former general managers and being like.

15:47We we we dotted all the eyes and crossed all the T's right. We're not. That's no one's finding out about ours, right? Right. How many are doing that? I'm certainly happening at the mecca today. If you didn't, if you didn't, Pablo Torres. I smell a scoop. What was the emoji he sent out? It was like a thinking emoji. I'm pretty sure. Is that a victory lap for Pablo Tore? I mean, most people don't send that out when they're taking a victory lap. But I know Pablo and he's my friend and that's the exact thing he would send out when he's taking a victory lap. It seemed like he could have broken the news like, Hey, something is about to come. But Pablo was like, I don't need any extra credit right now. I all the credit is already coming my way. He is not a man you want on your scent. He's the only one out there trying to figure things out. Whoever the clippers play on opening night, I hope to check the schedule. It's a loss. The team. Their first road game. Right. Team should honor Pablo Tore. Yes.

16:47It's going to be so upsetting when the clippers, you know, have five wins. They're locked to get the number one pick and then they're reminded, uh, you don't get any more picks till 2034. I mean, they're going to be bad for a long time. They have been bad for a long time. They deserve to be bad for a long time. Their fans are losers. I don't care that they are the biggest losers today. You're the biggest loser just by becoming a clipper fan. How about that? Second biggest winner today. Whoever picks just after the clippers for the next five years. How do you choose the clippers? It's like me and you choosing the jets over the giants. I mean, the giants were sitting right there for us. Mikey, I have a better idea. The in season tournament. We play for the NBA cup trophy. Instead of just skipping wherever the clippers pick, whoever wins the in season tournament, you get the clippers pick for the next five years. Wow, I love it. Wait, do we do it? I would watch. Do we do it? Yes, I would. I would watch. Yes, because that pick is going to be a top five pick.

17:47Wait, are we doing this every year? Every year. Okay. Whoever wins the next five. Yes, for the next five years. No, no, no, that's what I'm saying. But we're not. So the winner of next season's in season tournament is not getting all the picks through two thousand to thirty four. They're just getting next season's first round pick. And Adam Silver presents the NBA cup trophy. And then Steve Balmer presents the clippers draft card to the team. I love this idea. The in season tournament square. I might rather win that than the NBA finals. You know the feeling. You make a pick in your fantasy draft in the entire room groans because they wanted that player. Or you grab a small school rookie off waivers and you start him right before he goes off in prime time. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the late round fantasy football podcast. Before your draft are players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off.

18:50We've got data driven analysis, historical trends in the strategies that separate winners from the rest. And your dominance doesn't stop with the draft. All season long, we have our 15 transactions, 10 trends, sleepers and the mail back. Data driven, quick hitting episodes to help bring home that league trophy. Listen to the late round fantasy football podcast on the iHeart radio app Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. College football will hijack your weekend, ruin your sleep and break your heart. And that's why we make the Sullivan verbal college football show. I'm Ty Hildenbrand. He's Dan Rubenstein. How's it going? Every week we preview the games that matter sort through the biggest storylines and tell you what to watch before kickoff. There's a lot to keep track of. Who's for real? Which upset is hiding in plain sight? And which storyline is about to take over your group chat? And when the games are over, join us in the aftermath too. We're going to react to what happened, talk about the biggest results.

19:52Of course, we'll cover the playoff picture. And all the little details you might have missed while flipping between like 12 games at once. Whether you know every coach and coordinator or just want to understand why everybody is yelling. We're here to help make sense of the madness. Listen to the Solid Verbal College football show on the iHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. On big lives, we take a single cultural icon. People like Jane Fonda, George Michael, Richard Pryor. And we pull apart the story behind the image. And we do this by digging through the BBC's vast archive. We're talking iconic moments in broadcast history. I'm not just a boxer, I'm educating, I can talk all week on millions of subjects. And forgotten interviews that change how we see these giants of our culture. Well, if changing the system from the ground up is revolutionary, then I'm revolutionary. We're here for the messy, brilliant, the human version of our heroes.

20:54When I go on stage, I like to dress as slutty as possible because it makes me dance better for some reason. I'm Emmanuel Jocci. I'm Kai Wright. And this is Big Lives. Listen to Big Lives on the iHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts. The new NFL season is here. And you should be listening to NFL Daily as we march along to Super Bowl 61. Last year we had Mike Bickdottel, Sam Darnal on the field after the game. But that was last year. If you're a football sickle like me, NFL Daily is your kind of show. It is in the name NFL Daily fresh content in your feed every day all season long. Matthew Stafford coming off his MVPC on a dazzling darts from Matthew Stafford. Big time trades that shake up the NFL. And of course those Seahawks trying to run it back and win another Lombardi trope.

21:54The Seahawks win Super Bowl 60. They are bringing you a Lombardi back to the Northwest. If it's happening on a football field, NFL Daily will cover it. Listen to NFL Daily on the iHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Britt Coleman and I'm Trevor Sikama. If you ever watched a game and wondered what really made the difference beyond the final score, that's exactly why we created NFL Pro Stroke. We've got a man wide open. Touchdown Seahawks! Every week we use exclusive next-gen stats insights and NFL content to break down the biggest stories, matchups and moments from around the league. We go beyond the box score to uncover the numbers, the tendencies and details that help explain what actually happened on the field. Fires it out and deflect the bark lead to Pete's one man, spins past another, leaps over a throw. And don't worry, this isn't just a show for stats experts. We use advanced analytics to help tell the story behind the game, turning the numbers into insights that every fan can understand and enjoy.

23:01So whether you're a casual fan learning more about football or a hardcore fan who can't get enough analysis, our goal is to help you see the game in a whole new way. If you've ever wanted to know why a playwork, how a matchup was won, or what most fans missed on Sunday, NFL Pro delivers the insights you simply can't get anywhere else. Listen to NFL Pro on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. Very excited, we love this guy, John Fanta. So Fanta in 60 is a 60 minute Monday show hosted by Fanta, which will cover multiple sports, betting and fantasy analysis, streaming Mondays from 6 to 7 PM Eastern. I'm laughing because of the clever name, Fanta in 60 and it being a 60 minute show. How did this show come about, Fanta?

24:01Well, the show came out great to be with you guys back in May was sort of wrapping up my first year with NBC sports and had just done the Kentucky Derby, which was the most unique assignment I've had in my career. And the bosses came to me and said, what do you think about sort of combining this energy into some sort of a show? And I'm always about having fun and trying different projects and taking on different challenges. And the first year at NBC was so rewarding because a lot of people had known me and still know me for college basketball world. And that's where my breath was buttered, but I'm a sports fan like you guys and grew up loving all sports on the West side of Cleveland. We may or may not get to that. And this show sort of grew in from concept to hey, you know, yes, we know he's got different game assignments, different things, but let's start it one day a week. Let's start on Mondays football Mondays are so popular. It'll be six to seven PM Eastern time. And I said, if I'm going to do a show, I got to have the voice of the fan in there some in some capacity because I'm a fan right and I call into radio stations all my life.

25:11So we have a voicemail line 203 832 5748. And the whole premise of the voicemail line is you call in with what you want to talk about and it gets on the show. I don't take as many voicemails as we can. I know some shows still have colors. Many of them kind of cut away from it like I want to have that because I think I want to talk about what people want us to talk about. I wish we had him and we do a radio show. I mean, so I understand what it is you're saying. Once the last time you called into a radio show, Fanta. You know, it's a good question. I call into WFAN. Like I want to say in January or February, I was making a late night drive home from stores doing a doing a Yukon game. And they were talking about the jets and they were talking about what they were going to do a quarterback and Aaron Glenn and stuff. And I was like fired up and I was kind of fired up because it's like, what do you expect out of Aaron Glenn when this room is so distraught and rough?

26:11Like I'm not saying Aaron glens a solution. And it didn't look like he was one. He's got a short leash here heading into a second year on the job. But yeah, I called it on the jets and like, I'm not a jet fan, but I was passionate about it. You know, somebody was on late at night and I thought they were fun and engaging like, yeah, and like that to me, fellas, that's the core of why we do this. I think is to be conversational. And so for me, it's like, you know, I want this show to be that. And I want us to try to be unique and you're going to hear what I think about stuff. And, you know, I'm not going to, I'm probably not going to lead much with the cowboys. I'm a kid from Cleveland. And when we asked for voicemails, 30% of the voicemails were on to Sean Watson, the Browns and many other shows were leading with it the day after the decision got made. But I left with it a week after and, you know, it took off in its own way. So like, I, yeah, I called into FAN six months ago.

27:12And I don't call this John Fantz. I'll just call in as John driving in a car. That your aliens. Yes, John on a car phone. No, no, you know what my new aliases going to be? It's going to be a dishawn at a shopping mall. All right. Let's go there. Since you took us there, what'd you make of that decision? To Sean Watson starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. It is organizational malpractice to the highest degree. It really is. Yeah. And, and, and to me, it's, I think a lot of people are making it about to Sean versus Shadour. And I get that. I understand that that drives home a lot of attention in an audience. I got nothing against Shadour Sanders. Do I think he's going to be a great NFL quarterback? I don't. And his crowd will be mad at me for saying that, but I don't. This is about a guy who's gotten an infinite amount of chances in Cleveland because they've paid him 230 million dollars. They made this move four years ago. Four years in the NFL is like 25 and a cubicle job, which is this.

28:17Yes. And so he's been given all of these chances and really never once has shown appreciation, humility. You would think after his alleged things, right? Yeah. That he would, that he would be working on all of the character things. Okay. So, okay. So you don't want to be that way. That's fine. Well, the NFL is a league that will easily forgive anyone who knows how to perform. He hasn't even been remotely close to average. I mean, he would not start on any of these other 31 teams. The irony is there's maybe one team he would start for right now, maybe one. Only because their quarterback room is so rough and that's the Falcons because I don't know if they have a healthy quarterback. And Dashawn at least is upright. The irony is is that Kevin's to fans keys to coach of the Falcons. It's just kind of funny that he goes from Cleveland to Atlanta and the QB room is as bad if not worse because we don't know what they're going to do because Jew is broken and penics seems like that's uncertain. So I don't know what they're going to do. But all this to say fellas like this has been a disaster class.

29:19It's just then you go at the fans. Who has ever been rewarded after going offense? Nobody. And he gets rewarded. How? How does that happen in the assistant general manager? Where's a sweatshirt that says Los Angeles made me do it weeks after trading away. One of the franchises greatest players miles Garrett. Like it's almost like they're trying to be tone deaf. Yes. Fanta. I'll tell you what. I'm going to leave a voicemail on Fanta in 60. Okay. I am in exchange for you just calling into the show whenever you feel like calling into the show and just venting 87799 on Fox. Write that number down. Okay. I'm in. I'm in. I will call it. I'll call into your show. You calling the man. Yes. I'm leaving a voicemail tonight. I mean, we've got a we've got a deal. We've got a hand. Is this what the LeBron Philly deal look like? Is this what Mike Hansi did behind closed doors?

30:21Like was it? Was it that simple? Because my basketball team did not do that handshake deal after I thought they probably would. This is a handshake deal. This is written in concrete. Okay, my friend. I love it. I want you calling in. Done. And I want you calling it. Done. Done. John, I'm going to be selfish with my question here because I'm a Carolina basketball fan. You are synonymous with college basketball. Yes, Taylor. According to sources at inside Carolina, UNC's basketball roster for this upcoming season was reported yesterday to exceed over $20 million. What would you say are fair expectations for year one with Michael Malone? I think it's fair to say make the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. I think that's fair. Yeah. What would I probably say they'll do? I think they'll win again and it depends in a little bit on the draw. You know, the, the, they'll, but they should make the NCAA tournament. They're very talented. They have a kid named Terrence Brown, who I don't think the nation knows a lot about. But this kid is wired to score spend time at F.D.U. and Utah and then now at Carolina.

31:24Like he, he's legit. They got a kid named Neo of Dallas who also gets buckets. Michael Malone is going to have no issues. Like he could function in this job. Michael Malone could succeed at Carolina. He has money. When you bring in talent, you have money. Does he know how to coach basketball? Yes. Like he's going to design NBA sets. And guys, this is, this is true also in the football vein. I think Marcus Freeman fits this too. Kids want to know a couple of things. Number one, how much money they're making. Yep. Number two, are they going to learn how to be a pro? Michael Malone has been with Nicole E.O.K. Jamal Murray. He could tell a kid, look, you could choose to listen to me or you could choose to not. I also don't really give a damn because I've made my money in the NBA and now make him my money at Carolina. But if you choose to listen to me, I can get you to leak.

32:25I get you to all the scouts you need to know. And we will win basketball games and we'll do it at a blue blood. And how's it sound to beat Duke? Like there's a world where his fire kind of his unique nature could end up translating here. It should be real is the expectations that Carolina is a team that when we open up the bracket in March, we say they're one of the 20 best teams in the tournament. Do I think that they will be time will tell, but they should be. And you should go into years two and three and say they're one of the 10 best teams in the tournament. That's how this needs to work when you're spending their kind of money. Fanta just going back to the jets for a second and the Browns because as you were talking about the Browns, I'm familiar with that frustration. I have it with the jet. So does Mikey A Mikey A I am wondering, would you leave the jets for the Browns and then Fanta, I want you to respond. Would you leave the Browns for the jets Mikey A first. I'm sure his answer is going to be very similar to mine. I would say the Browns is one of the few organizations. I wouldn't leave the jet.

33:26And I'm sure he would say the same thing the other way. You have no trade clause to the Browns. It's the only one that's worse than ours. Fanta, do you want to do you want to be a jet fan? I'm not going to Alcatraz. I'm not going to Alcatraz. You're there. No, no, I'm like a Shawshank. I'm like a Mansfield reformator. No, there's still a shot. I could be any do frame. I could escape. And look up at the water and say that to me guys, to me is the wildest thing about the Browns. Right. And I see your Patriots logo and I think of how quickly you guys turned it. And it's and by the way, I hope for your sake that they do. But like I got I got a lot of curious. I got a lot of questions about the Patriots heading into this year. You know, can they can they run this back and do it? It's kind of unique in that regard because I kind of have both on the paths and Broncos and they were both in the AFC title game. I can't remember a year where the two teams that played the AFC championship game.

34:28I wondered if both were going to make the playoffs again. I digress. Right. The Browns. The Browns have made the playoffs twice in the last six years. What? Oh my God. I would leave the jets for the Browns. Think about it. Yeah. Like my point is that's how. Yes. That's how dysfunctional they are. Like how do you go from that? Back down to the depths of of of organization. That's in me. Like it'd be one thing if you had the Raiders quarterback room for the last ten years. Right. You know, and they had a I guess they had a little bit of a flash in the pan with car. Okay, whatever. But like overall it'd be one thing if you just constantly stunk. And for the first 20 of 20 years of my life, they did. They actually appeared to figured it out and instead have wasted Nick Chubb. Miles Garrett, Denzel Ward. I could go on and on and on. And I'm a re Cooper who was flashing there.

35:29David and Joke who was loaded with talent. Yeah. It's just that's a sad part is they've wasted primes of. They've wasted primes of careers. They've wasted a window to win. And now they look like one of the three worst teams in the league. Fendi, you mentioned the Patriots. Who do you think is more likely to win the breakup? Jalen Hertz with the Eagles or AJ Brown with the Patriots? Jalen Hertz with the Eagles because they've been to the playoffs five consecutive years. Hertz has shown an ability to adapt with offensive coordinator changes and that defense is still filthy. And the Pats is too. That the Patriots have their own defense that can get the job done as well. I would also say this. I am not subscribing to this idea. I think they're going to make the playoffs. But there's a lot of people out there. Do we not run this back every year? Dallas is going to win 12 games. We do this every year.

36:29Yes, we do. Can they get one stop in a game before we do that? Can they? And you know, we all think the giants are going to be coordinated together. But there's a reason why John Harboss no longer coaching the Baltimore Ravens. There's a reason why we have to see if this is going to work in Washington. Who the hell knows? I mean, I really don't know about Washington because we don't know what kind of shape Jalen Daniels is in. I hope Jalen Daniels is an RG three part two. I hope I really hope he's not. I think he's very talented. But they're they're receiver room like they're trying to make things work with certain guys. We have to see if it all clicks. And then what's their defense play like? In other words, the Patriots. It's hard when the best quarterback in the national football league plays in your division. It just is. Yeah. And Josh Allen exists. And the bills lost some games that they normally haven't lost before. And I think they're coming back. Hungry. I think the bills and the lions are the two hungriest teams in the national football league.

37:30It's it's the Patriots path last year was was a was a really nice path. I like AJ Brown, but I bet on Jalen hurts and filling more. Fanta in 60 60 minute show Monday night six to seven PM Eastern streaming every Monday from six to seven PM Eastern. What'd you make of the ruling here on the Clippers and Kawaii Leonard? Kawaii Leonard made out quite well. Yes. You think? And the Clippers made out about as poorly as an organization can today. Yeah. And somebody out there that runs that runs television. OK. Could take a could take a look at the mirror and say, all right. Times have changed. The landscape's changed. But there still is a place for outside the lines journalism. And I don't know Pablo Torre and he I would bet he doesn't know who I am. But I give the guy an immense amount of credit.

38:30Yeah. An immense amount of credit. He was right. He reported facts. There are very credible people who are friends of mine and who I respect the heck out of who said this was a non story. And guys, it was a huge story. And as a result, like this is a lesson in today's climate of when wrongs are done. In this social media climate, there still is room for the truth. And so I give commissioners silver credit. Like we always we always hammer commissioners and stuff. Who could hammer him today? The guy said screw this. I run this league. This is not OK. And I'm laying the hammer down. You know why? Because I don't think co-ion letters the only person who's ever done this. Jazz heads. That was well done. He's good. I want fans around here more often. Please, I need him around the time you need me. There's your jazz hands. I'm a punishment there. And I'm going to be co-hosting the show soon.

39:32Yes, you will. Well, yes, a call in first. I mean, it does. 87799. You have to call into my mind. I check my voice mail. Voice mail. But you're going to call it. I'm going to call into yours. Can be. I'm sorry. This voice mail box is full. Goodbye. You know, there's nothing worse than getting that message because you're like, I'm genuinely trying to leave that person a voicemail. How am I going to get a hold of them now? Yes. I do know, Pablo Torrey, very well. He's a friend that I could guarantee you this and don't take it the wrong way. He doesn't know who you are, but he absolutely expects you to know who he is. Okay. So I'm. And that's okay. Guess what? I do know who he is. And I respect him. And I give him a world of like, it's just. I can't remember coming home from school and watching. I would, I would have probably on. And I can remember watching O.T.L. when when a Mike Rice story broke. Right. Or this, this steroid, the steroids thing was happening because you're saying. Right. Like, honestly, this type of show, do you know why this type of show would work this winter?

40:35I mean, I don't know about you. We're, the four of us are all going to be watching football and basketball. But do you know where a show like that would fit in with whatever this baseball thing's going to be? Yes. Baseballs. They're really going to be fighting to have a pulse. Yep. What medium are people going to be, we're just going to be consuming it through tweets. So it's kind of, it's, which is fine, but like it does show you. It showed that all that work when people were like it was a huge nothing burger. Like it is, it is redeeming for a minute. And it shows that hardcore journalism still can matter. Yes. Fan, do we love you two quick ones on the way out? Okay. Indiana basketball school or football school? Indiana. Well, here's how I always put this argument. Right. All right. Now, stay with me on this. I'll stay with you. Indiana football has their best season ever. Yep. Indiana basketball has their best season ever. Ask anybody in Bloomington what they care more about. They'll tell you basketball. I like it. That is the best answer we've gotten to that question, by the way.

41:36Fantastic. It's, it's just how those people feel. Yes. Having said, and I would also say this, look at the television ratings. So Indiana football, I think Kurt Signeg is an excellent saviour. I think he's going to win multiple championships. I don't think he's done it. Indiana. I think they're going to win the national championship this year. Like I think they're going to run it back and win it. I think they're better, which is crazy to say, but it's, it's still such an Indiana. It's a basketball state. It just is. Yes. It just is. Yes. They'd rather win the NCAA basketball tournament. You're right. I agree with you. Last one. We had this debate last week. You seem like the perfect guy to ask. You can only use one utensil for the remainder of time. And just one fork spoon or knife, which one is Fanta going with? A fork all the way. Yes. Thank you. Yeah. I know I love them. Ha ha ha ha. Bork the other utensils. I'm using a fork. Yeah, Fanta. That's how you do it. Fanta is 60, a 60 minute show every Monday night streaming from six to seven PM Eastern.

42:43You are fantastic. My friend expect a voicemail from me. And I expect to call and you co-hosting one day with me. Okay. I'll join you guys anytime. Thanks for having me. All right. Thank you, buddy. The entire draft room groans because you just took the guy they wanted. There's no better feeling than crushing your fantasy football league. I'm JJ Zacharyson, host of the award-winning late-round podcast. Before your draft, our players to target and players to avoid episodes tell you exactly who to circle and who to cross off. Listen to the late-round fantasy football podcast and the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. 30 years ago, an island off Manhattan almost brought down New York City. Who will you trust? Your friends and neighbors? Who will you trust the people five miles overseas? This is a story about neighbors turning on each other. And what happens when a forgotten place decides it's had enough. But we're not stopping, are we?

43:46Listen to Revisionist History, the Staten Island problem on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.