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Todd McShay and Jimmy Hart could have joined us today.

We are all in separate places.

Todd McShay in about 15 minutes.

Is he in South Florida?

I'm in Chicago still, Taylor's in New York, I'm assuming he's going to a Yankee game tonight.

The last Todd, the last thing I heard before we started the show and I am shocked by it because

I was going to discuss BAM at a bio again because we have discussed more BAM.

I don't think there's a topic we've discussed more this year than BAM.

And I was thankful and shocked to hear Israel Gutierrez say to me right before we started

I want to talk baseball.

What?

Well, technically it was Taylor telling you that I wanted to talk baseball.

You want to take the calories, man?

We're doing radio.

I just want to be completely transparent and honest.

I know, but it's a detail that no one cares about.

What I was talking to Taylor about specifically was Mason Miller.

There's a number of things I would love to talk about, but that's just one of them.

But if you want to start there, we can start there.

Yeah, I do want to start there because, listen, Taylor and I have been waiting for you to

want to talk baseball since we started doing the show, I mean, well, we might have, I might

have been roped in a little bit because we were talking about baseball in general and

I mentioned Mason Miller and some of his crazy stats, but have you been paying attention

to what he's been doing this year, Stu?

No.

So is the Padres closer in case you didn't know that.

Thank you.

And he has been absent.

First of all, Taylor, correct me if I'm wrong here.

He did some work in the world baseball classic.

Did he not?

Yeah, he was on the US team.

And then there was the whole situation where they wouldn't bring him in because it wasn't

a safe situation and they were trying to respect the Padres.

So he didn't wind up pitching in that last game.

So just to look at some of his numbers to over.

So here's including the playoffs, okay?

Mason Miller has struck out, struck out, 20 of his last 23 batters, 30 of his last 38

batters, 40 of his last 55 keep going down to 80 of his last 135 batters, 80 of his last

135 batters faced.

He has struck out no other MLB pitcher in the last 50 years has matched any of those stretches

at any point in his career, okay?

Mason Miller, none of the, this one's crazy.

None of the last 114 batters who have faced Mason Miller have scored 114 batters, none of

them have scored.

But here's the thing that kind of makes me feel like you're taking a little bit away

from Mason Miller and really the closer position altogether, okay?

So far this season, 23 strikeouts to one walk, zero earned runs and he's given up just

one hit.

But this next number is the one that makes it less impressive.

Okay.

He's pitch 9.1 innings, 9 and a third innings and we're talking about this generational

never seen before pitch here and it's like, yeah, but he only pitches the very end.

It's like if you had step curry, the best three point shooter of all time.

But he's only available for the last minute.

If your team is behind, like, that seems like you're the one that, yeah, but it seems

like you don't want to take anything away from Mason Miller.

It seems like you're the one trying to take something away from Mason Miller.

Well, I want to talk about it with other baseball people.

My guy wearing a Yankees jersey over there in New York Taylor and just talked to me about

this because am I wrong here because I am mind blown by what he actually can do.

But why can't he do it for like three innings?

So I have this stat from Sarah Langs, Mason Miller's 76.7% strikeout rate is the highest

by a pitcher in his first nine appearances of a season in the last 120 years.

And is he the conversation around Mason Miller, we haven't really caught up to, hey, let's

start extending this guy to innings to three innings because the original talking point

with Mason Miller was he was on the Oakland athletics and the Oakland athletics were not

doing any winning.

They really didn't have too many safe situations for him.

So the conversation was, hey, we got to get this guy out of Oakland and onto a contender.

So the fact that he's even on a contender right now in San Diego is a win for the baseball

community.

We'll address him, him extending him and trying to maximize his role later on down the road.

But that's an actual thing that you can discuss because I mean, nobody ever discussed extending

Marianne Rivera or extending, you know, the greatest closures of all time.

I don't know why I can't think of another one other than Rob Nen.

Um, but just wondering like, is it make it less impressive his accomplishments or is

it just one of those like, let's just not dig in any further, let him be a closer, let

him be the greatest at that position.

So that's the role I will tell you in the post season, uh, Marianne Rivera would sometimes

go to weddings if he had to, uh, perhaps he'd go more if the Yankees needed it on that

particular night.

I am with Izzy from this standpoint.

I have often thought to myself, if a guy is that good, just getting three outs per game

and throwing one inning per game, perhaps you want to extend them out.

Perhaps you should see what he looks like.

If he threw five innings, four innings, seven innings, eight innings, would his stuff

be that good?

Unless he's no, otherwise they'd be doing it.

I would say, and this is the way, obviously you'd probably have to do that, like, you

know, if you're up three to one in the eighth inning, let's just see what this eighth inning

looks like with him.

And if he only has to throw eight pitches or nine pitches, ten pitches to get this side

out, go ahead and bring him back out for the ninth.

I think he'll be fine.

And then you just keep going from there.

Next thing you know, might be starting again for you.

San Diego is really the perfect team for Mason Miller because it feels like San Diego has

just compiled every player who you would look at on a baseball field and be like, wow,

this guy is fun.

This guy is must watch, but for some reason, they make a move every like two years.

And none of that has really equated to them having like this great postseason success.

When they went out and they got Juan Soto in 2022, it was immediately followed by Fernando

Tatees getting suspended.

And then in 2023, when Tatees comes back from his suspension, it's Soto, it's Tatees,

it's Zander Bogart, and they missed the playoffs.

That's insane.

I mean, that's insane.

There's so much fun and they don't make the playoffs.

But yeah, you throw in Mason Miller, man, they better make the playoffs because are you

saying you want to see what Mason Miller would look like?

If he was a number one starter or something, is that where you're headed here?

Yeah.

And again, this is probably just more of a philosophical situation with, you know, baseball

in general in the closer position.

And I understand sometimes those last three outs are really hard to get.

And you need that guy, but you're talking about this dominant to performance from the

very beginning.

Let's see if we can get more out of them.

That's all I'm saying.

Yeah.

So there's, I'm trying to think of my list of most, the people I trust the most when

it comes to baseball.

Jim Kirchens number one, Jeff Passen's number two, number three.

It's Bordeaux Riccardo.

Oh, yeah.

No, I would put Bordeaux Riccardo ahead of Passen.

I would.

Really?

Wow.

Oh, yeah.

Yes.

Yes.

And we just got this note from Bordeaux Riccardo.

Mason is very limited.

He has a crazy fastball, a nasty slider, and it changed up.

Not enough pitches to start.

Right.

And Bordeaux Riccardo was right.

Is he sometimes you just have a guy who can come in, give you nine fastballs, get your

three outs and the game is over.

And that's his role.

And he gets paid a lot of money to do that.

He does it better than anyone in baseball about that.

Okay.

So that's fine.

I'm going to, here's the compromise I'm going to take.

Here's like, I'm just going to not be as impressed.

That's what it is.

I'm going to look at all these numbers and be like, that is great part time player.

You're limited.

Riccardo told me so.

You're saying do it as a starter.

You're not believing in the actual role of closer.

Are you?

No, no, again, like I do believe that those last three outs are really hard to get.

If you have two, maybe even just one, Mario and Rivera, dominant pitch, hey, get me those

three outs.

I get that role, but I just won't be as impressed because it's just three outs.

There's 24 more in the game.

Is he?

So you're kind of questioning.

It sounds like if I'm understanding this right, what it would look like if we started

extending them out to two innings, the three innings, the four innings, the five innings,

eventually getting to the point where he can maybe transition to a starter.

I think what Mesa Miller would look like as a starter is happening in Pittsburgh and

it's called Paul Schienz.

I can see that.

What's what's been going on with him?

I remember the first game.

I kind of checked out since then.

What's going on with him is Taylor would now trade him straight up for Cam Schlippler.

I mean, that's not entirely there yet.

It's first off, Stu, I am going to the Yankee game later.

I just bought my tickets.

Happy Cam Schlipp or day.

It's a Cam Schlipp or start.

Of course.

Right.

A little nervous, but okay.

We go with Sal with their name.

What are you doing?

You and Sal?

A little date?

Date night?

No.

So I did, I did ask Sal.

Well, I didn't ask Sal.

Sal offered to take me to the game and go back, back behind the scenes and meet Aaron Boone.

And then he very reluctantly pulled away, said, offer, because he said he was going to

like, have a pig's house or something for his daughter's birthday this weekend.

That's more important.

Good.

He was like, I have to go to Peppa Pig's house in Pennsylvania.

I'm like, first off, that sounds like a tongue twister.

Peppa Pig's house in Pennsylvania.

Two.

Peppa Pig is a cartoon.

She's got a house.

Yep.

Yep.

You never been in this house?

Yes.

Now listen, I'm starting to wonder if Sal just used that as an excuse to get out and go into

a baseball game with you.

I'm not certain.

I'm tempted to answer you.

I'm starting to wonder on the show.

If you heard Taylor's takes on Aaron Boone, I was just like, no, no, I can't have you

meet that man.

Yes.

I've never been a closer turn starter than it where it's worked out.

I know we've had small two was a great start, a Hall of Fame starter and then became a Hall

of Fame closer.

I'm not certain it's happened the other way where a guy was a closer and because the

stuff was so good, he had all the pitches converted to a starter and then had a good career

as a starter.

Right now, I think the best example, coincidentally enough, is in San Diego, Michael King who was

a big piece in the in the Juan Soto trade, Michael King was a reliever for the Yankees

and when they acquired him in the Juan Soto trade, the Padres identified something that

said, hey, this guy could probably be a starter for this team.

And Michael King, since going over to the Padres, his ERA is pretty consistently under

like three, three and a half, which is, which is pretty good for our starter.

Perhaps what happened here and is he tell us if this is the case, you did not want to

partake in the Roger McDowell interview, you left him to me and I appreciate that.

But McDowell and a big game six in the playoffs, as Taylor now knows, threw not one, not two,

not three, not four, five innings in a playoff game and you would, you want your relievers

to do something like that.

Is that fair?

Yes.

Fair.

Also, you're welcome for letting us.

Yes, you have Roger McDowell out to yourself.

But did you hear that?

Did you hear McDowell say that?

Did you hear us discuss that with him and you said to yourself, hey, Mason Miller.

Let's go.

Five innings.

Yes.

That's exactly what happened.

He did it.

He did.

He finally played along with the radio.

Yes.

I also have a better example than Michael King, I believe in current MLB.

When Garrett Crochet was coming up through the minors for the White Sox, when he made his

debut for the White Sox, he was a reliever and then eventually they transitioned and they

were like, your stuff is way too good for it to be wasted on one to two innings when

we believe we can stretch you out.

And since Garrett Crochet has made the transition to starting pitcher, he's one of the best

pitchers in MLB.

I wish I started with Bam.

I was going to say when we turned to Garrett Crochet, which I've seen his name.

I've never actually realized that it's actually pronounced Crochet.

I thought it was Pratchett.

I think it's time to pivot.

Stu, can I tell you the other thing that I was dying to talk about today?

Sure.

Go ahead.

I was at home.

I clicked on, I think it was NBA TV.

They were playing game six of the 1998 NBA Finals jazz bulls.

And I caught the last two minutes and man, I want to revisit that because John Stockton

did not catch enough heat for his terrible play down the stretch.

That guy needs, we need to retroactively absolutely roast John Stockton for losing that game

six for the Utah Jazz.

How about that big steal down the stretch of that game by the greatest offensive player

that's ever lived, Michael Jordan?

How about that?

Go back and look at that.

That's a terrible decision by Stockton.

Let Michael Jordan clear the baseline before you make the pass, John.

He's the holo favor, is he?

Be sure to catch live editions of Stu Gods and Company live weekday, set 3 p.m. Eastern

12 p.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the I Hard Radio app.

It's Toyota Truck Month, time to get a truck that works as hard as you do, Tacoma, Tundra,

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I'm John Green.

You may know me as the author of the Faulkner stars and now I guess also is the co-host

of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast.

I'm Daniel Alargon, a writer and journalist and John and I have known each other since

we were kids.

My first world cup was Mexico 86.

I was 9 years old.

I watched every game and I fell in love.

And our new podcast The Away End will share with you the magic of international football

all leading up to the 2026 world cup.

For us, soccer, football is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the

star player on our high school soccer team very debatable and I was their most loyal

and sometimes only fan.

I love this game.

I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak and above all its beauty.

And together we'll find out why of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the

most important.

Listen to The Away End with Daniel Alargon and John Green on the iHeart Radio app Apple

podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

87799 on Fox.

That is 87799 on Fox.

Our thanks to Todd McShay for joining us last segment, Jimmy Hart, the mouth of the

South.

Going to join us coming up at around 415.

The Hulk Hogan documentary fourth part series is coming out on Netflix.

I am very much looking forward to that.

Israel and Taylor have been laughing the entire break because we referenced the story right

before we went to Todd McShay.

Every day page six, you can find a picture of me there and you can find a story about

Diana Rossini.

Taylor, what are you laughing about?

What are you and is he laughing about?

What happened here?

So this is kind of two parts what I'm laughing at.

One is the fact that anything you say gets aggregated by awful announcing page six, the

New York Post, you name it.

And for some reason, every time they pick a picture of you, you're picking like still photos

of you from videos and they're not getting you at the best angles.

No, listen, there aren't really any good angles if I'm being honest, okay, Taylor?

I mean, there's a picture now of you and your family's family port, which is your kitchen

and you're just like staring into nothingness and it's like the New York Post is like, this

one's good.

Let's run this one.

Hey, post, do me a favor.

If you're going to post pictures of me, please use a better angle.

Use better pictures because Taylor is right.

There aren't many good angles, but this is the worst possible angle and it looks like

a mug shot.

It does.

It's terrible.

Yeah, it really does.

You got to rest it in your own home.

All the post has to do is just Google George Clooney 2026, have a photo and just use

that.

Exactly.

Yes.

The other angle that the other angle that we were laughing at is this story comes across.

Somebody sends me this story and I'm double checking.

I'm triple checking because this feels like I'm getting ball sack.

It feels like I'm getting fake story, left and right.

When I get an article sent to me and the headline is from page six, Diana Rossini mounts

daring rescue of elderly man and dog trapped in car.

Yes, because it would seem impossible for that story to come on the heels of her last

story.

Yes, I understand that.

Can I read a couple of details from this because this is like, forget what has happened

recently that everybody wants to talk about Diana.

She's a hero.

This in itself is absolutely crazy.

So a local news site patch reported that around 5 p.m. on Wednesday, a 17 year old driving

a Honda Civic turned onto a street in suburban Wycoff, New Jersey and collided with the

Jeep flipping the four by four onto its side.

Okay.

So apparently according to the report, a 73 year old driver of the Jeep and his dog

were stuck inside.

This is what I love about the article, Enter Rossini, who just a day before had quit the

Times blah, blah, blah.

And eyewitness tells us that Rossini was driving along the same road as the Jeep and the accident

happened right in front of her car, quote, she ran out and had a tall man put her on top

of the Jeep to open the door.

And she and the other guy pulled the driver and his dog out of the Jeep and police arrived

soon thereafter.

And still what we were laughing at is during this situation for Diana Rossini, there's

probably been a few people who've been in contact with her more than you with with your

guy's relationship and how close you are with Diana.

And it seems like she just did not tell you that this happened.

I just spoke to her.

I mean, seriously, today because I'm trying to help my friend through a difficult time

and trying to help her find some levity and some laughter in her life because I can't

imagine what the last bunch of days have been like for Diana Rossini.

And we spoke for like 20 minutes.

She did not mention this at all.

And she knows I don't read the newspaper.

So she did not mention that she saved an elderly man and a dog and had to be lifted by

a taller man in order to make the save.

She did not mention it.

And I just sent her a text going, how do you not mention this to me?

So I'm trying to put myself in her shoes like she's driving behind this accident and watches

this happen.

And it's just like, is this going to be in the news too if I help out because it probably

will be, right?

It'd be funny if the tall guy didn't want to touch her because there's too much smoke

around Rossini.

So he'd rather risk the elderly man and the dog passing away that helping Diana Rossini

become an arrow.

Oh my goodness.

Yes, don't touch.

Don't get anywhere near me.

I can give you a boost from this direction.

That's about it.

Maybe you want to climb on something, right?

Because everywhere she goes, the post goes, I mean, it's unbelievable.

One of the times.

Yes, but we should be applauding her.

She did a wonderful thing.

I mean, how many people would do that?

Is he?

Would you do that?

Wow.

Yeah.

You know what?

I've driven.

This is 100% truth.

I have driven by accidents that have just happened and I've said to myself, somebody else

will take care of that.

Because I don't know what to do.

I wouldn't know what to do if somebody was unconscious or something.

I'll be like, I just make sure I look around.

If I'm not the only one there, I'll just let somebody else take care of it.

But I've never been in a situation like that where it looks like I'm the only one there

or it just happened right in front of me.

I would probably guess that yes, I would, but I have sort of turned the other way.

But if it was in your neighborhood, you would be more inclined to do it.

I'm not certain exactly where this was, but it wasn't like on I-95 because on I-95,

yes, I'm with you.

It happens right in front of me.

It's like, hey, what am I going to do, you know?

I like to think that I would help out in this situation because it feels like Diana

probably sends the severity of the situation and being able to spring into action when you

see an accident like that and you're looking around and you don't see any medical personnel.

But the opposite end of that spectrum for me, when I get on a flight, I sign up for the

emergency row almost every time.

And I always think if something happens on this plane, everybody here is counting on me

because I agreed to it, but I'm going to be the first person out of this plane in

which comes to shove.

Everybody, look, I know you're supposed to go first.

I'm going to set the example.

This is how you get the heck out of here.

I'm always thinking, God forbid, there's an emergency.

I didn't listen to a word they said.

If I'm Diana Rossini in that car, by the way, as the accident's happening and I'm like,

am I the main character?

Is there anybody else on this planet with me?

Why is this happening to me?

It's absolutely insane.

Be sure to catch live additions of Stu Gods and Company live weekdays at 3 p.m. Eastern

12 p.m. Pacific.

It's Toyota Truck Month, time to get a truck that works as hard as you do.

Tacoma, Tundra, built for the worksite, ready for the trail, and packed with tech that

makes every drive smarter.

Available with 360 degree panoramic cameras for perfect visibility and tight spots, power

tailgate for easy loading, and a high tech connected screen to keep you on the grid no

matter where you are.

All backed by the bread known for its legendary reliability, the Toyota Tacoma and Tundra are

built to handle it all.

And right now, your local Toyota dealer has great financing and lease options available

to qualified customers, meaning there's no better time to test drive the Toyota Truck

you need.

Find a great Toyota Truck Month deal today when you visit via Toyota.com.

Toyota, let's go places.

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There's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty

Mutual.

Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

Hey everyone, check out this guy in his bird.

What is this your first date?

Oh no, we help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together.

We're married.

Mitoa human, him to a bird.

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league anyways.

Only pay for what you need at Liberty Mutual.com.

Liberty, Liberty, Liberty, Liberty, Liberty.

I'm John Green.

You may know me as the author of the Faulkner stars and now I guess also is the co-host

of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast.

I'm Daniel Alargon, a writer and journalist and John and I have known each other since

we were kids.

My first World Cup was Mexico 86.

I was 9 years old.

I watched every game and I fell in love.

On our new podcast The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football,

all leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

For us, soccer, football is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the

star player on our high school soccer team very debatable and I was their most loyal

and sometimes only fan.

I love this game.

I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak and above all its beauty.

Together we'll find out why of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the most important.

Listen to The Away End with Daniel Alargon and John Green on the iHeart Radio App, Apple

Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

I always forget about the disclaimer, I mean, that magic means it starts talking.

Jimmy Hart, the mouth of the South is going to join us in about 15 minutes to promote

and discuss Hulk Hogan, the Docu series coming out on Netflix, four part series, Izzy.

I am told the Atlanta Hawks and the Nick Snap.

It's interesting because we have two more play in games tonight that we have to wait

a week for this play in tournament before we get to the actual playoffs.

It drives me absolutely crazy but I am told here that the Nick's and the Hawks, which

is a series I think most people of all the first round series, maybe Denver, Minnesota,

Nick's Hawks or the two series people are most looking forward to.

I would put Oklahoma City and Golden State in that category if Golden State could win

the play in game tonight.

I just want to see what Steph does against SGA, but I am told that the Hawks are talking

a little bit of smack as they head into this Nick series and the Nick, I'm telling you

right now, I said this earlier in the podcast, Jalen Brunson, better get to an NBA final.

I know no one's going to go after Jalen Brunson.

I'm telling Jalen Brunson right now.

If you don't get to the NBA finals, I'm going to start going after Jalen Brunson.

How about that?

I'm sure he's shaking in his boots right now, putting all the pressure on Jalen.

But there is one, I don't know if it's all the Hawks, there's one particular Atlanta

Hawks who said something, I'm going to have Taylor Reed what he said to you, but after

he reads it, I want you to guess which Atlanta Hawks said that.

Is that cool too?

Yes, yes.

He does it.

So a Hawks was asked, how important is it to get Game 1 Saturday and then said Hawks

said, I think it's very important to hit him in the mouth.

Wow.

All right.

I thought it was a little bit more to that.

Was that it?

The added context is this hawk was a pacer last year's stew.

And then they're asking about the pacer's winning Game 1 on the Howell Burton shot last

year.

And he said the reporter asked, did you sense the mix were demoralized after Game 1 last

year?

And this player said, oh, for sure.

So it has to be someone good.

And just because Taylor said he was on the pacer's last year, you would think that would

be a big clue for me.

It's not.

I have no idea who was on the pacer's last year, other than Howell Burton, and Nemhaward

or something like that.

So I can tell you it's neither of those two.

Okay.

So it's going to have to be someone good.

Trey Young is no longer there.

I am just learning that CJ McCollum is on the Hawks, but I know CJ, he doesn't talk

like that.

Right.

I'm going to guess Jalen Johnson.

That's the, well, wait, was he a pacer?

No, he was not, but you know what?

That's a fine guess.

It was not Jalen Johnson.

You can keep guessing, but we're not going to have enough time in the day because you'll

never get it.

It was, are you ready for this?

Yeah.

Tony Bradley.

Who?

An actual UNC Tar Heal, which is, this is how I knew that I really checked out on college

basketball for a few years because I used to know every single Tar Heal that's in the

NBA.

And that's not in a Tony Bradley that I'd never heard about.

And now he's sitting here talking smack to the New York Knicks.

Well, to be fair, to you, is he?

Tony Bradley played one season at North Carolina, the year that they won the title in 2017.

He was a, I'm pretty sure he was a five star recruit, but he came up the bench for them

that season.

He was like the six or seventh man.

If you're the Hawks coach, that's the last guy.

I don't know who the Hawks coach is.

But if you are the Hawks coach, um, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, uh, if you are

the Hawks coach, though, that's the last guy you want to say in anything, right?

I mean, anybody who, first of all, if you're the sixth seat in this situation and you're

the Hawks who haven't been in the playoffs since tray young did his whole dice thing or

whatever that was, or was that during the regular season anyway?

You should not be talking smack.

If you are the Atlanta Hawks in general, now you could argue that maybe that is very tame

as it, as it pertains to snack, smack talk, but you also got to be careful who you are.

Like, you know, anything is going to set off somebody, right?

You could use anything as motivation, just don't give them anything, especially if you're

Tony Brett.

It's the last guy you want if you're the Hawks coach, it's quid Snyder.

Um, is he, why were you telling me earlier that Khan Kinepple gets too much love?

I love Khan Kinepple and Khan Kinepple, everybody does, everybody loves them some Khan Kinepple.

I'm not saying he doesn't deserve some of the love, but it's driving me crazy.

The conversation, now the votes are in whatever as of today, driving me crazy.

This conversation for rookie of the year, I saw Tim Bontemps said that he voted for Cooper

Flag, but had a very difficult time with it.

And I'm just like, why?

I mean, if you voted for the right person, why do you have a difficult time with it?

Well, the team wasn't very good.

Cooper's great.

The team wasn't very good.

So, but this is what bugs me.

It's rookie of the year.

Well, Dremont Green said, when did winning stop mattering?

It never mattered in rookie of the year, never taken from an old head right here who was

voted for years back in the day, winning never mattered for rookie of the year.

Let me just say this about Dremont Green, okay?

He's lived a charmed NBA life.

He landed on the right team with the right guys, splash brothers, right coach and Steve

Kerr and won a bunch of championships.

If he played on the wizard, Dremont, we wouldn't know his name, okay?

How about that?

That's very true.

Very true.

Also, Ricardo with a great nickname for Khan Kanepal, King Khan.

Fantastic.

We're going to have to use that for the rest of time.

But yeah, it is, it's never, winning has never mattered when it comes to rookie of the year.

What you want to see from a rookie is just his ability and him putting it on to the court.

And the Mavericks weren't tanking.

They were utilizing him as their main option, of course, as their number one guy.

But who else are they going to go to?

That wasn't something just to boost his numbers.

And if you watch or study his tape, so I'm sure you're going to do, Stu, from the beginning

of the year to the end of the year, Cooper got so much better and then was just handing

guys, handing teams 40 and 50.

And so Khan Kanepal never had that level of responsibility and would probably look awful

if we were to give him that level of responsibility this year.

So there's just no chance that Khan's rookie of the year, great second option, great,

you know, number two in the voting, probably in all likelihood.

And you know, all of the rookie first team, but get out of here with the, I had a hard

time.

Cooper Flag should be rookie of the year.

The wins don't have anything to do with it.

And again, they weren't tanking per se.

That team was just putting people out there and losing.

The only thing I'll say in Kanepal's defense is the Hornets are a lot better.

Same players, they added him and the Hornets appear to be a lot better.

And I've made the playoffs here, at least the play in game and Khan Kanepal's a big

part of that.

That's all they added him.

They also at, you know, they get Miles Bridges back at a good, you know, condition,

right?

He's good conditioning.

And you've got, there's a couple of new guys that they have other rookies.

It wasn't just one guy changing the team.

Stu, I just found this stat going back to the Knicks for a second where I'm now declaring

tomorrow's game game one, a must win for the next.

Oh boy.

He's doing over there.

Okay.

You got a punch him in the mouth.

Yeah.

What happened?

The Knicks have never won a series when losing game one at home.

They've never won a series where they've lost game one at home.

It's a must win.

It's a must win.

It's a must win.

It's a must win.

It's a must win.

Yeah.

Stu, now you can see the urgency for this series.

This has to be a must win.

Now we know why the guy who played in the end last year said what he said, Tony Bradley.

Is that who he is?

I mean, that's why he said it.

Yeah.

It shows.

Yeah.

Stu, if we open the show on Monday and we say who was the player who played on the Pacers

last year that said something on the Hawks this year, what are the chances that you would

remember Tony Bradley 48 hours from now?

That's a great question.

It really is.

Leave the show with that on Monday, by the way.

I feel confident now.

So I'll say this is me being confident.

Be a 25% chance.

I'll remember.

Confidently, this is me and Max confidence though, okay?

My pro of the week is Aaron Judd for smiling as each one of those home runs left the ballpark.

About that.

Time of his life, Aaron Judd.

Cheezing away.

Taylor is so angry.

Thank you to Todd McShay for joining us.

Our thanks to Jimmy Horp, mouth of the South.

This has happened twice with Taylor, where I brought him back to the 80s when I was growing

up.

Roger McDowell and Jimmy mouth of the South Horn, and I think Taylor loved both of them.

I do.

He fell in love with them.

He looks a little there.

Yeah.

The WWF guys always deliver.

Yes, they do.

F.

See, that makes you feel a little right there saying WWF.

It does.

Yes, he used to be WWE.

Yes, they've advanced the letter.

Right?

Flip that.

It used to be WWF now.

It's WWF.

I'm dying.

It's been a long week.

Yes.

It's been a long week with a ton of poll questions.

That's to got 790 on X.

Taylor, let's wrap up the week with the poll questions.

Go ahead.

Let's go surfing.

The masters does feel like it was three years ago at this point.

So the first question comes from the masters.

Will Rory start skipping every tournament to just play Gustamor?

He should.

He's earned it.

90% of the audience said yes.

He does that.

Will the guy?

He wins a couple more.

He'll finally get on that Mount Rushmore that he deserves to be on.

Will the guy who was wearing the aches salad hat at Augusta have a golf podcast in a month?

Does he have one?

Could we know?

We haven't heard anything about him since.

I got to be honest.

I figured it would be about a week.

If he doesn't have one, I'm shocked that he doesn't have one.

And if a month goes by and he doesn't have one, Taylor, get him on the phone.

Let's hire the man.

89% of the audience said yes.

What would you rather Coachella be, a music festival or a coaching convention?

I've spoken to Phil Martelli, Jr. about him seeing this thing and he's any loves the idea.

He says we probably need to change the name.

That one's probably licensed.

The name is all that.

Coachella does sound like a meeting of women coaches.

Maybe they can change it.

Taylor put that on the poll, please.

Yes, good.

80% of the audience said it sounds more like a coaching convention.

This one comes courtesy of Mark Hawkman.

Are the Charlotte Hornets going nowhere fast?

He's going to create sentence.

Now I feel like Taylor announced it before anyone else did.

He said, Charlotte's going for it right now.

I feel like they're going for it right now.

Now I don't know if they have a play in game and if they lose that, then yes, they're going

nowhere fast.

But I think Hawk was saying if they win, they're going to get bounced out in four or five

games.

They're going nowhere fast.

So the audience did not agree with you, Stu.

77% of the audience said the Charlotte Hornets are going nowhere fast.

OK.

I'm telling you, America loves a good nipple.

A connipple, sorry.

What's Kobe White?

What's Kobe White born for the playing games?

Yes, he was clearly the most.

He's Mr. play in game.

Yes, 99%.

Get all your bets in tonight for Kobe White points over because he is going to hit every

mark.

89% of the audience said, yes, Kobe White was born for the playing game.

Yeah, somehow when playing games, he turns into Kobe Bryant, it's unbelievable.

Can you be surprised if you tune into a 76ers game and Joel M.B.

He does out.

Nope.

Oh, true.

I turned on the play in game and thought to myself, wait a second.

Joel M.B. is out.

And then I realized, oh, yeah, emergency happened to me because, of course, it's Joel M.B.

I'm more shocked when he's playing.

I got to be honest, so.

An overwhelming amount on this poll result.

The record so far this week, 97% of the audience said, nope, you can't be surprised

when it comes to Joel M.B.

Wow, this is, this is a good old fashioned sports radio debate right here.

If you know both are going to score 50 points, whose highlights would you rather watch?

LeBron James or Steph Curry?

What a great question.

That was between me and Taylor Stu.

You were not involved.

I feel like it's the greatest question ever thought of on this show without you involved.

Hmm.

Well, thank you.

Um, try to think of what my answer would be.

I don't know how that was a compliment, but okay, listen, it felt like one.

He heard what he wanted to hear.

That's it.

Yeah, we're just filling time here.

And I was thanking you for filling time.

I would rather watch.

Geez.

I'd rather watch Steph score 50.

I can't believe I'm saying it.

The audience agreed with you Stu.

68% of the audience said Steph Curry.

It's crazy how we take it from for granted, but I agree.

Another big one here for both of you.

Better defender, Michael Jordan, or Dremont Green.

All pass and sports pole.

So I feel so bad for Izzy because he knows it's Dremont Green.

I probably know it's Dremont Green, but I said Michael Jordan.

And I know the audience is going to agree with me and it's going to come back Michael Jordan.

I know it.

So I feel bad for Izzy.

Izzy, 57% of the audience said Michael Jordan.

Yeah.

What am I going to do?

What am I going to do?

I know my opinion is probably right, but the strength of the memory of Michael Jordan is even stronger.

What can I do?

Does Kauai Leonard lead the league in no nonsense?

I guess he does.

64% of the audience said yes.

We have two more poll questions here.

Wow, this is a big one for this group right here.

Is Al Hoerford a Hall of Famer?

I'm going to guess this comes back 70% no.

I'm guessing since the question was put out on my Twitter account,

that's to got 790 on X, that it's going to come back 75% yes.

55% of the audience said no.

No.

They love you.

They love you.

They love me.

But they love Hall of Fame measurements even more.

The last poll question this week.

Would you ever want a Chicago White Sox Popat?

I forgot about that.

No.

Not because it's a White Sox.

That's Popat.

I mean, let's end this show on this great percentage.

This great poll question.

Guys, is it never happened before?

No, 55.

Don't tell me.

Don't you dare tell me.

50-50.

Wow.

How divisive.

What are we going to do with this?

Now we don't know the answer to our question as we go to the weekend.

Stu got those with polls.

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Peace to the planet.

Shall I lean to God here and listen?

We are back.

The Black Effect podcast festival is back in Atlanta on April 25th at Pullman Yacht.

Yeah.

And the full lineup is nuts.

We got the Gritson Age podcast, Beyond Take Howe, and Big Ice Cup Cat.

We got Club 5, 20 with Jeff Teague in the gang.

Yeah, yeah.

Don't call me white girl.

Mona will be there.

Keep it positive, sweetie with Krista Renee.

We got reality with the king with Carlos King.

And yes, drink champ will be in the building.

Okay.

Plus, you know, we're gonna have a lot of guests.

So you need to join us.

And we got the Black Effect marketplace, the picture podcast, and everything you expect

from the Black Effect podcast festival.

Tickets are on sale right now.

Go get your other Black Effect.com slash podcast festival.

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Okay.

Pull up.

This is an I Heart Podcast.

Guaranteed Human.