The Ryen Russillo Podcast - End of the Warriors, Knicks’ Ceiling, Zion, and Lillard’s Future With Frank Isola. Plus, Comedian Dan Soder.

Episode Date: April 18, 2024

Russillo opens the show with his thoughts on the play-in games and the end of the Warriors dynasty (0:34). Then, Frank Isola joins to explain what went wrong for Golden State, share which eliminated team needs to hit the reset button, and discuss the Knicks’ ceiling (18:44). Next, comedian Dan Soder comes on to share why he chose comedy and details how jokes are created (55:13). Plus, Ceruti and Kyle join for Life Advice (89:51). How do we kick the bad player out of our pick-up games? Check us out on Youtube for exclusive clips, live streams, and more at https://www.youtube.com/@RyenRussilloPodcast The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please check out rg-help.com to find out more, or listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Host: Ryen Russillo Guests: Frank Isola and Dan Soder Producers: Steve Ceruti, Kyle Crichton, and Mike Wargon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today's podcast is me talking about basketball, shocker, playing games, old guys, players that aren't good, and also the end of Golden State. Frank Isola is probably one of my favorite radio guys going. We're going to talk more basketball with him. And Dan Soder is a funny comedian, and he's going to join us on the show as well. We've got life advice and some Kyle Travel stuff. So, lock in. It's the Ryan Russo podcast presented by FanDuel.

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The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please visit rg-help.com to learn more about the resources and help lines available and listen to the end of the episode for additional details. Must be 21 and older and President-elect states gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. Little NBA open for you. A bunch of different thoughts, a bunch of different directions. So we're not going to title this as anything.

Philadelphia, Miami. Let's start in Philly. Nine to start Sixers. Do you want me to share my moments along this journey? Sure. I will the Miami offense. I'm like, all right, cool. Post all-star break, shockingly, the offense was 18th.

I thought that was high for Miami. Their defense is second. They were 16 and 11 winner on the over unders for the second half of the season. But that part of the game, I'm like, all right, Miami probably isn't going to have enough offense to be able to hang with Philadelphia. Bam gets his second foul. Second one, first foul was a good foul. Second foul was a bullshit call. So I was like, all right. I felt like Embiid, it's weird between Embiid and Trey being out in the officiating revival, all my hard work.

I was like, because they didn't play during it. Does that mean they were given some sort of exemption from some of this stuff? So at the beginning of the game, I'm watching it going, all right, this is not good for Miami. Bam comes out of the stuff. So at the beginning of the game, I'm watching it going, all right, this is not good for Miami. Bam comes out of the game. Miami goes to zone. Philadelphia cannot solve the zone. They cannot stop turning the basketball over.

Kevin Love. We may have had him on. We have made calls. If Miami had won this game, we may have changed the name to the Kevin Love podcast, Zone Defense. How hard that guy worked his ass off just to try to muck up the Embiid part of it where it must've been like 2020, 2021 flashbacks

from being not being able to get an entry pass. Then we ended up on a 43 to 23 Miami stretch. Miami mucking it up once again. Up at the half. Let's look at the stars. And B didn't shoot it well. Maxie was six to 16. Butler had a bad night,

which we'll debate here in a little bit. Tyler Hero started 419. He ended up 9 at 27 like how did anyone win this game? Well, that's because of the 76ers bench bench Bob in the house third quarter huge them, but two 20 points in 28 minutes hit a bunch of big threes. And the Sixers win this game across the board. All the stars. If you game. Across the board, all the stars,

if you look at the boxers, you're like, what was going on there? And we knew that there was a moment where Jimmy Butler looked like he really hurt himself. He made the free throws. He was messing around with his knee. He stayed in the game. And you're like, well, there was stuff

in the regular season where I felt like Butler was deferring a bit too much offensively. Is that what's happening here? Or is he hurt? And now we know this morning he is hurt. And Miami is not going to have him for a couple of weeks or one more game. So not great there. I thought Embiid looked rough to be expected.

A couple big plays there at the end. The overall game is now what you're looking for. I don't know that we can expect. Like I'm going to be fair about it because clearly there's an injury part of this post injury. But whether it was him not having enough to get set up consistently to be a better threat offensively or the team not doing a good enough job around him, I just think he's somebody that needs to be set up a little bit more than the other superstars to then dominate.

He cannot dominate the way some other players can dominate, crossing half court, bringing the ball up, and going, I'm just gonna get into my stuff. But clearly not optimal situation for him after the injury. There's something I do wanna bring up though here in regards to Batum, because it relates to Klay Thompson. And I have a little bit on the Warriors at the end of this. But when I

think of how bad clay looked in the Sacramento game and how bad he's looked at different stages of the season also realizing that you may have missed that consistently like towards the end he was pretty good. There's even some months in there where I think if you were watching it, you're like I don't know how good he is and the numbers still end up looking okay. It's like a Steph Curry shooting slump. And then you look at the overall numbers like that's supposed to be mad about these splits.

Like this is bad. Well, yeah, it's bad based on the standard that you're held to and Clay's definitely held to a high standard and it looked physically bad a bunch of different times and now that he's a free agent the Warriors and the way they do you're like, okay, what is he worth? if you believe like oh clay costs himself a ton of money or if They had lost a close game or Golden State still alive to get into the playoffs and clay went for 30 Did he make himself all this money? I think both are kind of irrelevant I think clay is still gonna get paid a lot of money because he's a guy with incredible pedigree with a very, very valuable skill for teams

that will have cap space that don't know where else to spend it. And he's probably still going to get a pretty significant number and we'll see if Golden State wants to play with that kind of number. But the reason I bring up Clay is that there's just a lot of people have thought he was washed at certain points this season, washed with the way that they exited. I've thought that about a bunch of players. And there's a bunch of players that end up proving me wrong because they're older and I'm like, oh my God, that guy looks terrible right now. There's something going on. There's going on. I don't know how long, but there's something going

on right now in the league where there's just a list of players. Like Batum, I remember when I saw him with the Clippers at the start of 2021, he's only 32 years old then, so I think it was like mid thirties now. And Batum was doing the swing the ball. So it looks like I'm doing something, but I'm not really ever doing anything or threatening the defense in any possible way. I'm just kind of like out here getting a little sweat. And at 32, he was still too young to maybe be washed, but I was like,

this doesn't look very good at all. And guess what? We're talking a couple, what three years later, he's still contributing. He was actually important to the Clippers. Um, defensively, he's at least big enough to stay in position. And he still is a threat and he gets the shot off so quickly. Like he'll catch it kind of from the side and then swing it in to his shooting stroke, like from the side and then up off of the catch.

There's times where he shoots it so quickly. I'm like, why do you actually want to go that fast? And he looked like he was done. I don't know if there's a French thing going on, but he shoots it so quickly. I'm like, why do you actually want to go that fast? And he looked like he was done. I don't know if there's a French thing going on there. So the next French guy that looks like he stinks, go get him because Batum and Boris DL. Boris DL towards the end of Charlotte looked like he was going to be like forced out of the league. Clearly he didn't care there. And he wasn't even that old when he was there at the end of it. I think he was late twenties and it looked like he was done and his skill was so specific. It was different for somebody that big that was that good with the basketball

and that good of a passer. That was always the thing about him in his draft. And then he actually provided really valuable minutes in San Antonio for years after that, Kyle Lowry. I kind of think he should be banned from the league. I think when people say I pay to watch that guy, I think there should be a Kyle Lowry foundation that cuts me a check or Venmo's me for having to watch some of it. But if you're just going by the standard of what does this acquisition cost us?

Not really that much. Can we trust him out there for playoff rotation minutes? Hell of things fell apart and he had to be the closing five. Could we at least trust him? Maybe he hits one big shot. We know he's probably going to get a couple bad calls in there because he's so crapped and so good at it. He tried to fall down twice on the inbounds pass last night.

Maybe fouled the first time. Don't think he was fouled the second time. Yeah, there's probably some value there to go ahead and do that. PJ Tucker, when he was with Houston in 2021, I mean, he had, I think the number was like based on 500 plus minutes, the worst possible overall plus minus that anyone could have in the league. He had it, but there's a specific role for him and with the history of who he's played against, how tough he's going to play. Jeff Green, we know he's the goat, the Billy goat. That's why like, hey, Rosillo, what's up with the old guy love today?

Is that something you want to tell us about? No, it has nothing to do with me. It's just that don't be in a hurry to write off all of these guys because I know I have like this internal list of going like, I think that guy's toast. And then guess what? It's some other point. He'll provide value. Something to think about when Clay enters free agency.

So, the other thing that I wanna touch on is Chicago and Atlanta. Because that was the other game last night. A lot of people, because I didn't like the concept of the play-in, have mistaken that for thinking that I thought all the play-in games were going to be bad. It's not what I said. And I'll say the same thing applies to college football playoff expansion.

I don't like that this is happening. It doesn't mean I think the games are going to be bad. All right, because I'll give you last night, Chicago, Atlanta is evidence. Oh, hey, you guys are both almost 10 under. Cool. Do you want to still keep playing? See if you have a chance to be in the playoffs as if the last six months don't mean anything. Yeah, I think that's stupid. Okay, but I had fun watching that game because we get to see Kobe White

40 to 22 after the first quarter Atlanta goes on a 20 to 7 run with Trey not in the game. I think we have to talk about Trey, but what I'm not going to do. Is because he's coming off the finger injury. I don't want to bring up the negative stuff. Like I'm not going to bring up that that whole run happened with Trey on the bench. I'm not going to bring up that he went for a steel late that made no sense. It led to a wide open three. And then he brought the ball down at the other side and threw a shot clock

grenade pass behind his back to Dejante Murray Murray, where De'Jante got it back with two minutes with defenders on him with no chance to get the ball off. And he was so mad about not getting the shot off. He actually stepped towards Trey in an aggressive way. And then found a way to control his emotions and stop himself mid stock towards Trey Young. control his emotions and stop himself mid stock towards Trey Young. Uh, I'm not going to bring up that he tried to initiate, uh,

a foul off a bullshit three point attempt and was so short. It was like a punt and then stopped to yell at the ref didn't get back on defense. And then his guy went down and dunked. I'm not going to bring up the other shot clock grenade that he threw to Wesley Matthews. There's just a lot of stuff that I'm not going to bring up the other shot clock grenade that he threw to Wesley Matthews. There's just a lot of stuff that I'm not going to bring up because I don't think it's fair because he was coming back from an injury. He clearly couldn't shoot last night. There was a point where I was like, well, Hey, if your hand is this messed up, maybe you stopped shooting, which he did in the fourth quarter.

Took a couple of shots there late, uh, because this is somebody coming back, playing only three games and struggling from the floor before last night's play-in game where his shooting splits were 58 and 46 percent. Not gonna do any of those things. Because I want to talk about Kobe White. 42 points, 15 to 21, zero turnovers. Felt pretty good about my vote for most improved player because he looked like, and they called him on the broadcast last night, Ryan Ruko, RJ.

Good stuff, Ruko being like, you know, you draft this guy, you draft him kind of high. You're like, all right, maybe he's a rotation guy or maybe post-Levine and DeRozan not having it. He is a matchup nightmare now with the ball in his hands. You want to talk about like getting free. I'm not going to call anything Kyrie. Okay.

Cause nothing's Kyrie smaller play again to the rim. There's some stuff there with Kobe where it's terrific. And that's on top of Caruso getting stepped on by Andre Drummond, who I think will be the floor for our hall of fame debates when his final numbers are done. Um, but I love seeing this from Kobe white and they're still alive and I just think that Chicago fan base is incredible. However, we know Caruso after getting stepped on TBD. We know Butler's gone now unless Miami finds a way to like, I don't know, beat Chicago, beat Boston without Butler. Giannis, that one doesn't feel great.

And B just doesn't look healthy. Zion isn't playing against Sacramento. I bring this injury history stuff up every year because we all need to be reminded of it. Like we haven't even started really the playoffs yet. And we're down a bunch of dudes. New Orleans, Sacramento, you want to talk film grind, one of the rare discoveries where I go,

this definitively will happen because of what I've seen in this matchup. Pelicans dominating the Kings. Now, no Zion, I don't know. A few minutes on Golden State before we say goodbye. What were the other ways that this was going to end? There's no good endings. And I don't mean like in everything, but I kind of do. Their good ending is actually winning a title in 22. That's actually a good ending.

Because for most teams, it's like, okay, your 15 to 19 run, that's kind of your run. And maybe there's a late conference finals or some terrible upset in the second round, but that's kind of over. Their 22 title is their extra title. I think their four overall titles is the right number because 15 feels like they got lucky on the injury side. 19, they got incredibly unlucky on the other side.

Toronto has probably my least favorite championship of the last two decades with that one. So the number of four seems right. The Pats number seems right. I think BAMM it deserves one more because it felt like they were a little unlucky when there were chances to be lucky or unlucky. So Golden State at four, I think it's the right number. Um, if Draymond doesn't get suspended this season, doesn't play in only 55 games, they probably find a way to win three to four more games and end up in the sixth seed, but then what are you picking them against Minnesota?

I'm not. I don't think I'd pick them against Denver. I don't even know if I pick them against LA. Pelicans is a coin toss. Phoenix is probably a coin toss. Dallas, if you maybe wanted to zag cause you didn't feel like they were going to be exposed as much on the side thing and maybe you could do the same thing with OKC. The point is in this West this year, even if they were five or six seed, I'm not sure how many teams I was actually going to pick them against.

So they can lose in an embarrassing fashion to Sacramento on the road as the 10 seed, the exit, right? A 24 point loss at 10 seed. You're like, that's how this team is gonna go out. It's like Canard shooting Omar. Like that's how this team is going to go out. It's like Canard shooting Omar. Like that's how it ends. Like it needs a better ending. No, I think this is about right

because this is a 10 year thing. And you want to get into like people not liking them. No one's going to, if you don't like something or someone, you're not then going to like be bummed out when it's over, you're going to be happy. And that was the whole point of not liking them in the first place. But the Bulls never gave you this chance. Like Jordan, it was just gone.

It was done. The Bulls haters didn't even get a chance to hate. It's like, no, we're not even going to let you do that. The Lakers lost the finals to the Pistons in 04 and then they didn't even make the playoffs the next year. You know? So when I look at Golden State, it's like what did you think you were supposed

to be able to do? What did you think that you were, like why did you think you were gonna be, you already were different with this extended run. So yeah. Maybe it feels worse or looks a little worse because it's a 10 seed and you got smoked at Sacramento was great in that game. But like. Is it more respectful for you just lost in a three six matchup?

We knew it was over. We knew it was over for a while and very few teams get to extend it out even as far as they did. And I think that's more important than what we saw two nights ago. This NBA playoffs, Vanduul is giving all customers two chances to bring home a big win with a no sweat, same game parlay every weekend of the playoffs. Just place a same game parlay on any playoff matchup

and you'll get bonus bets back if you don't win bet on everything from rebounds to assist to three pointers and more. Here's what I like. I like the bulls. I also think that everybody's going to bet over 23 and a half from Tyler hero. We are not going to do that.

So Tyler hero under 23 and a half, even though he's probably even taking a million shots, but I think people say he didn't shoot it well. They've no Butler, whatever. So I'm going to go over, over, over. We're going to try to stress under Sears as much as we can on the props. Chicago plus a point and a half. Uh, maybe that's just me falling in love with Kobe white a little bit too much recently, um, but it's going to pay out two to one on that one.

Pelicans Kings. If Zion were healthy, I one on that one. Pelicans, Kings, if Zion were healthy I would be willing to take Pelicans minus 12 in that one with no Zion don't know what to do so we're gonna stay away and FanDuel is now live in our nation's capital Washington DC visit FanDuel.com slash Ryan RYE and shoot your shot in America's number one sportsbook. FanDuel official sports betting partner of the NBA must be 21 and older 18 shot in America's number one sports book. Fandle, official sports betting partner of the NBA, must be 21 and older, 18 plus in DC and present in select states. Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com.

Opt-in required, minimum three-leg parlay required, refund issued as non-betterable. Bonus bets expire seven days after a C, Max refund $5 unless otherwise specified restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fando.com. It's actually my favorite radio show in the business. Frank, I solo Brian Scalabrini, the starting lineup, seven to 10 on series six, I'm channel 86 and Frank joins us now. What's up, man? Good.

And it replays in the West coast. So now we get the West coast audience because now nobody's up, man? Good, and it replays in the West Coast. So now we get the West Coast audience because now nobody's up between four and seven. So now we're trying to get people up between seven and 10. So we actually have more people hate me now on the West Coast, which is good. You're really good at it. And I mean this as like somebody,

when I listen to the radio show, I'm like, this actually just sounds like an old school radio show in the best way of like stuff that I grew up with, probably what I was doing there for a long time and with podcasting kind of taking over whenever I hear like good radio, I go, Oh yeah, this was kind of what it was like. I love I've come in the car early enough on the days I'm not taping. I love the show. So you guys do a great job.

I mean, I think, you know, when you were on with Scott, you know, you, you kind of know each other, you're kind of having a conversation. I mean, you know, we don't, there's nothing wrong with people having hot takes. I think we very rarely have something like that. We both kind of view the NBA the same way. You know, it's a great sport. The players in their own right are a little goofy. There's a lot of drama in the NBA. And I love, remember when the NBA came out and Adam wanted more focus on just the X's and O's, which is fine. There's certainly an audience that and Brian knows that really well. But there's so much madness that goes on in the NBA.

And I think it's part of the appeal for the public is just, you know, knowing that these guys get caught up in so much utter nonsense. And now you have so many X players getting caught up in it. It will also have podcasts. I mean, Gilbert Arenas, I guess he's just trolling us at this point with some of the stuff that he says. So it's really, you know, let's face it, right. It's really player driven.

You know, the players and their personalities are with driving the show. We're just kind of reacting to a lot of the stuff that's going on. Yeah. I guess maybe I like it because I think you and I are like the stuff we think is bullshit. Like you and I clearly are aligned on. We're like, okay, well that's ridiculous. And you can still do that and then like the player,

which is like really hard to do. And I think there's times, I think one of the best things that you do is that you call out the bullshit, or at least maybe I'm just in the car agreeing with you. But I know that it's not like some evil vendetta against the player. No, and I think a perfect example of this Kyrie Irving. I mean, I'm doing the net games on Yes and Kyrie's having this one game he's great, then he's missing for two weeks and

he's saying crazy things and we were always reacting to it. So Kyrie, his time in Brooklyn, we spent a lot of time talking about him, kind of making fun of it, having fun with it. Now, this year in Dallas, he's been really good with Luka Dantjic. Brian and I, we'll be the first ones to say, we don't go down the road of, no, no, it's all a mirage. He's not really that good. We're going to stick to our guns and say something. We're just reacting to what is actually happening. Kyrie this year in Dallas has been really good.

When he got there last year and they completely fell apart, he needed to be criticized for that. And I'm not looking to be friends with the players. I covered the league for a long time with the Knicks and you have to establish a relationship with the players to want to get information. And sometimes that can be tough when you have to write a critical story. But I don't think we go over the top being negative. I don't, and you know, when we feel like we should praise a guy, I'll give you two examples. I love Giannis, but you know, this year I've gotten on Giannis because I think he probably had a lot to do with Mike Booth and Hulzer not being there, how they're getting traded, them not hiring Nick Nurse.

They want Adrian Griffin. Now he wanted Adrian Griffin out. So we criticize him about that. And just over the past 24 hours, Clay Thompson did not speak after the Warriors got eliminated. Yesterday at the Good Farewell Press Conference for the entire team, Anthony Slater of the Athletic asked him about the future, and Clay Thompson got all offended. Well, why aren't we talking about the present?

Why do we have to talk about the future? Again, I love Clay and he's been great to us. I said, well, Clay, you weren't available after the game against Sacramento. That's when they wanted to talk to you about the future. And again, I love Clay and he's been great to us. I said, well, Clay, you weren't available after the game against Sacramento. That's when they wanted to talk to you about the present. Now it's about the future. So that's, you know, I think we try to keep it fair like that. It's not just we have a group of guys that no matter what they do,

we praise and there's a group of guys, no matter what they do, we criticize. I don't think we do that. Yeah, I love Clay. I think Clay's been one of the best answers of questions. I know I'm supposed to just say one of the best interviews, but I wanna make it more specific because it's like, hey, did you hear what Clay said? Or like, I just know he's gonna put some thought into it, and I think he's very revealing, I think he's very honest,

but it doesn't mean you're gonna love all of it all the time, but I think for him specific to lose that way to be that frustrating. I talked about in the open a little bit with the Warriors, I go, why are we pretending there are ever good endings with this? Like they're just, there aren't good. This is what's supposed to happen. Honestly, 22 isn't supposed to happen.

You know, 19 is supposed to be their ending and you could argue this is, this is actually a much better version of an end run for them as opposed to these other teams. Usually it's the five or six year window if that and then it's kind of closed. It's this 10 year window. Like, what'd you expect? And I don't know that I was going to pick them against that many teams in the West, even if they'd gotten out of the play and begin with.

And I think you're 100% right. You know this from your New England years. I mean, think about the Celtics. It didn't end well with Bird, Parrish, and McHale. And then Danny Ainge made sure it ended abruptly with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, because he said, you know what? You can't just keep celebrating some championship

that you wore five and six years early. You always have to stay proactive. And you look at where the Celtics are now, and a lot of that has to do with Danny Ainge, saying, you know what? It's time to pull the plug on this. In New York, we go through it all the time. And I also think it's kind of an American cultural thing when it comes to sports. We want to hold on to Derek Jeter's leg until basically he can't stand anymore in the batter's

box. I think you look in Europe with these soccer players, they get to be 33, 34, the fans, even if it's a beloved player, they understand, all right, it's time to move on from this player. And in New York, we just, you know, whether it was Patrick Ewing held on to him really long, guys like Derek Jeter, I just think it's a sporting thing that we do. And maybe the part of it is marketing, because you know, if I have Derek Jeter on my team, I'm still going to get fans to come in. And I think sometimes it's the hardest thing just to say goodbye.

And you're right, it doesn't always end well. No one ended well for John Stockton. His final year, I think he went from 39 to 40 or 40 to 41 years old. He started all 82 games. The season ended. He said goodbye. He said goodbye and left. Yeah. Some people like Elway is kind of the standard. Hey, all right, I did it. Does it again. And you're like, all right, that's, that's the best for it. But like, if I look at the Warriors, I go just because the ending was, you know, a 10 seed blasted clay plays terribly. You're like, all right, but we're talking about like year

10. Yeah, I think year 10 is really the accomplishment of even being in the mix. Here's the other thing too of the way a team can end. I think Atlanta getting to the Western Conference Finals with that group two years ago, three years ago, excuse me, that's the worst thing that could have ever happened to this franchise. Because they lie to themselves about who they were, how close they were, what Trey was capable of. And I, I know, you know, he's dealing with this injury in the, in the loss last night. Like, I think that's the worst thing.

So if Golden State had made it to game seven of the second round, does it mean Golden State just goes, all right, let's just run it all back and we've got more trade, like whatever the end result is can really overstate who you are, who you want. And does it mean Golden State just goes, all right, let's just run it all back and we've got more trade. Like whatever the end result is can really overstate who you are, who you want. And I also do think, you know, Draymond getting suspended all those games and then he was take,

I think he was doing it despite somebody, whether it was the league or the Warriors where he took all that time to come back. You know, if they have done a little bit better during his time away, you win more games, who knows? You get all the way up to sixth place. That could change things. But I also think with the Warriors,

and I think this is kind of true, look at Detroit with those great teams that kept going to the Eastern Conference Finals every year. Then when they got the lucky, they were lucky in the lottery where they had the number two overall pick. And they had Chris Bosh they could take, they could have taken Carmelo.

They could have taken Dwayne Wade. They ended up taking Darko. And I think for Bob Myers, who's obviously done a great job, when you miss on a pick that high, it just sets you back. It's it ended up hurting Detroit. And I think it's, you know, you could tell now that it's starting to hurt the wars, even though Detroit won a championship with Darko at the end of the bench, just like the Warriors won a championship with James Wiso at the end of the bench, just like the Warriors won a championship with James Wiseman

at the end of the bench. Yeah, cause when I look back in that draft, like you knew I was wrong. I liked Wiseman, but I knew I was like, okay, how much do you like this guy when you've seen him play three games? And I could see like, oh, if it works, like this is going to be incredible because of his movement

and whatever you think his ceiling is. But like this also going to be incredible because of his movement and, and whatever you think a ceiling is, but like this also could be really bad because you can see these things where he gets stuck and he's, and the funniest thing about this whole worst thing, I was like, just think how easy his life is going to be. He just has to rim run and catch and set some screens. No one's ever going to pay attention to him. Everybody's going to want to stay with the perimeter guys all the time. It's going to be so easy. And then it's like, Nope.

Like you would have thought cominga's life was going to be easy immediately. Moody ended up kind of, he's just been yo-yoed all over the place. But yeah, if one of those guys really hit and it was something special, then it extends this a little bit. But their cap thing is so different. I think the tax thing ends up being almost equal to the salary, not dollar for dollar, but then I think about Clay and I go, I don't know if they run it back and everybody's kind of the same. They may be stuck to have to make those decisions

like those decisions that teams make where they go, okay, yeah, but if we just let this guy walk, then we can't really replace him. And if we're okay with the tax, then go ahead and be okay with it. I just don't know how many owners would be like, hey, sign me up for all those tax hits again to keep this group together.

Yeah, well, Chris, you know, the Chris Paul thing didn't work out. And really that was all about them wanting to get rid of Jordan Pool. So they didn't really improve in that area from a player standpoint. I also think, you know, with Steph and Draymond, I always feel like, I understand that called

the splash brothers, Steph and Clay, but I always feel that Draymond and Steph always feel like, I understand they're called the splash brothers, Steph and Clay, but I always feel that Draymond and Steph a little bit more connected at the hip. They certainly play like they are, they know where each other is on the court at all times. And Steph has always been very supportive about Draymond when it comes to everything that's happened with the suspensions.

For the most part, he's kept pretty quiet about it. If he really had an issue with Draymond Green and said, I'm done with this guy, I think he would have been a little bit more vocal, maybe even publicly about something like that. But you tell me, if you're the Warriors, would you take Klay Thompson on a bit of a discount? I'm not paying him for services already rendered.

I can't do it, to your point. I know he might feel insulted, but I said this the other day, I could see him now going to fill in the team It'll be the Orlando Magic and on November 20th, you'll see him after a game Everyone will leave the court. He'll be the guy sitting on the bench just staring into space realize You know what? I made a big mistake I maybe should have taken a little less money and just stayed with the Golden State Warriors I don't blame them for going

Hey go go figure out what's out there. And if you want to get every last dollar, because I think cap space works in a very predictable way. Like I don't want to pay Dylan Brooks this much, but we're not any good and we need some bets in here. I don't want to pay Van Vliet this much on an average annual salary. Like I think Chris Paul could get a deal where

it might be a huge number in just the first year. Like maybe it's a Bruce Brown deal where it's like, what? Like Chris Paul is getting that much because I think he would help New Orleans immediately tomorrow. I think he would help Orlando immediately tomorrow. Um, not saying he's going to be out there 35 minutes a night running every single possession, but there's just some teams that I still think could benefit from him. And I don't think he was a total wash this year. It just didn't work out.

I think he lost his confidence at certain times where I was like, why is he not shooting now? Yeah. Maybe because he was trying to defer and fit in more of that. But I don't think, I think the overall Chris Paul things like a C plus for them. I don't, I don't think it was like, well, if you, if you were Chris Paul, do you see him maybe ending up on the Lakers? Yeah, he was supposed to be there.

It just don't make any basketball sense when he and LeBron to play next to each other. Maybe now, maybe a doubt. A lot of times this comes down to relationships, friendships, for him it's a lot more convenient. He does get the house in LA. You know what though, I would say when they were both in their prime,

I never understood that. I'm like, why would you guys wanna play that much off? Even though I think both guys are so good and so smart, they would always figure it out. I mean, Paul kind of figured it out a little bit with Harden, even though when Harden was off the ball, it drove CP crazy. Uh, maybe at this point it's just like, Hey, you know, you, you can give us 20 minutes and you're right. The relationship part of it.

So the basketball overlap probably doesn't matter that much at this stage of their careers. So yeah, you, I just think there's a longer list. So there's a Golden State decision there. There's a Golden State decision with Clay. He should have to take a little bit less than what's available to him because I feel I still think there's a big number out there from him for him for a bad team. I just think that's what history tells us about free agency. Yeah, I think you're right and certainly in the case of Clay I mean, he still has a skill. He could still shoot. I was a little surprised when they put him on the bench. I kind of thought that that was the changing of the guard, so to speak. And they were kind of transitioning him into that role where, yeah, you're going to be on the team, but this is what you're going to do. Then they eventually moved him back into the starting line-up. And to be fair, I understand

they did finish the regular season really well before flaming out the other night against the Sacramento Kings. But I think for him, he's got to get to a point where it feels like every game is whether the media does it or the fans do. But I think Clay does it. It's like a referendum on clay. Yeah, like Thompson after every game. It's like, dude, just chill out.

Like not every game is the end all be all. And if you had a bad game, we need, we need you to overanalyze and your mood and your feelings. I think from that stamp, nobody probably needs probably at a stage of his life, he could probably use either a steady girlfriend, a wife or have kids this week. He needs something to distract him instead of worrying about his own nonsense every single day. Hey, take it easy on guys like that. He has a boat. He has a boat.

That's true. So he's fine. He's fine. That's true. What's fair about the Knicks hopes and dreams? It's funny about them. I always think about, I mean, I was covering them all the way back when Ewing hurt his, Andrew Lang, Ewing went up for an alley-oop in Milwaukee.

Andrew Lang shoved him in the chest. Ewing landed and broke his wrist. It's a kind of wrist injury you get in a car accident because people put their hands up when they see a collision coming and then their wrist bends back. Like it was pretty messed up. So from December until the second round,

Charles Oakley was the center for the Knicks and the Knicks were playing under man. It always seemed like under Jeff, they were under man. The game six against Indiana in 99, Patrick can't play, he's got the Achilles thing, Larry Johnson hurts his knee in the first half and then it's Alan Houston destroying Reggie Miller because for whatever reason, Larry Bird decided not to double team Alan Houston to get the ball out of his hands. So it's weird.

I think Tom kind of thrives in these situations, Tom Thibodeau, because when he was with Chicago, remember they won a game seven on the road in Brooklyn. He had Nate Robinson as his point guard and I think DJ Augustine. That might have been his back court, I think, in that series. So Brunson has become so good and he's so hard to stop. And Ryan, remember now, they only played once this year when Embiid played and the Knicks beat them by 36 points down in Philadelphia. So they're going to try to make Embiid defend the pick and roll all day long. The Knicks have nobody to go on Embiid. I will grant you that. But I think the Knicks can get to the first round.

I think they could win a second round series. And then no one's going to knock off Boston in the first two rounds. I don't trust any of the teams on the other side of the bracket. I don't think they'll beat Boston, but I think they'll give them a competitive series. That game was Uggs last night, man. It was the Philly Miami thing. Like, it was entertaining. It was close, but it was ugly. And all I could think about was Boston,

New York and the one and two watching that going, bring it on, bring it on. And now maybe, maybe MB works himself into a better version of himself physically. But once I thought like, Hey, the first game back, I thought he looked terrible to be understood, right? Like, okay, it got significantly better a couple of games in and then the Orlando injury thing happens. And I look at last night and I go look, if you're Boston in New York watching this game, you're just

you're just thinking to yourself like, and then now we know butlers out. So yeah. Those two seeds, I'm totally with you. Like the end this version of Embiid shouldn't scare this version of the Knicks even if they have their own questions. But if you go back a few years ago when they lost the Atlanta series, that was the Ben Simmons wasn't scoring in the fourth quarter, then he wasn't even shooting when he was underneath the basket. That covered up for Embiid. The fact that Embiid didn't do anything in 5,

6 and 7 in that series, right? Then if you look at last year, four minutes ago in game six against Boston that Series is there for the taking he did nothing then in game seven I think it was 15 he scored right or 12 whatever was and in Tatum had the one for 50 or more I thought last night it's weird. He hasn't accomplished a lot yet in terms of the playoffs for a guy That's been an MVP, but I thought last night, you know, the first half that fans are booing, he's not playing well. They're losing by 14. And I said, man, this guy's had some rough moments in playoff games, considering last night as a playing playoff game. But then in the fourth quarter, he did score 11 of his 23. He hit the big three pointer. He had the crazy three

point player. He got fouled and just threw it up. But then he had the biggest play of the game after Tyler Hero stepped on the mid court stripe. He came down, they double teamed him and he threw the ball to Kelly Uber, who got the good inside position on Jimmy Butler, laid it in. Remember, the score was tied with just under a minute to go before that three point play. So I saw something from Embiid last night that you certainly didn't see in the Atlanta series. You definitely didn't see it last year against Boston in the last two games.

The guy found a way. He did something finally in a big moment. So mentally I thought that was good for him, but you see him move around, you're like, man, he's clearly not in shape, which is understandable all the time that he missed. He's certainly not as dangerous now as he was at the start of the season

when you were thinking to yourself, this guy's going to be back to back MVP. But I, I, I respect the fact that he found a way last night in that fourth quarter against a team. Let's face it. Miami's not as good as they were last year, but it's still the Miami heat. And I thought he got the better of them in that fourth quarter. Yeah. The pass was incredible. He makes a straight on three. I mean, hero turned into a mess. I mean that that back court, like you just can't have that.

And then when they were down three and they ran that high screen for hero, I just felt like, hey, you're not. You're not hit. I know you're supposed to keep shooting and keep shooting, but like I still thought the two was there for them to extend a little bit and then that

does a great job of recovering. And I'm not really playing the results. Like in the moment I was like, you know heroes is going to take a three here to try to tie a little bit. And then that's, does a great job of recovering. And I'm not, I'm not really playing the results. Like in the moment, I was like, you know, heroes is going to take a three here to try and tie this thing up. But the back court, the back court was brutal. And then we know that Jimmy's out now. So how he survived that game, like basically all the stars last night, when you look at the stat lines, you go in with who was good.

You're like, but two. Yeah. Well, don't you also think you knew something was up with Jimmy Butler? Cause in the fourth quarter, even on that possession, we're higher, we're hero You're late for two. Yeah. Well, don't you also think you knew something was up with Jimmy Butler? Because in the fourth quarter, even on that possession, where Hiro, who's so light, he just basically gets touched and he's blown backwards. So Butler should have the ball

if he's healthy in that situation. And then even the Kelly-Ubrey play. In a normal, like, you know, winner advanced game, Jimmy Butler is allowing Kelly-Ubrey to cut in front of him in the final minute, get inside, you know, seal them off with inside position and lay it up. So those two plays, the offensive possession for Miami, and then the offensive possession for Philadelphia, Jimmy Butler, like kind of failed them. And it's obviously because of his knee. So think about it for tomorrow, the two home teams, or I should say for Friday, the two home teams,

So think about it for tomorrow. The two home teams, or I should say for Friday, the two home teams, New Orleans and Miami, we know that Giants out playing and we know that we think that Jimmy Butler is not going to be available either. So the road teams have a really good shot to get to get the eight seed. I'm a little worried with the injury star because every year I remind myself, I remind the audience like, Hey, gear up. But there's also probably two guys that are going to not be here at the end that can change the entire dynamic and how we remember this team and who's real and who is in all that stuff. I'm so worried about the start injury wise between the names that we have that

I'm afraid it's going to be Kacen Wallace, like finals MVP going like, yeah, we did it. Who do you like in the West? Like, do you have any level of, like there's probably some confidence, like my confidence falls off very quickly after we go through a couple of teams. Yeah, it's weird.

Like with Phoenix, to me, I think they're the wild card just because of the players that they have. You know, they won at Minnesota the last game of the season to get into the sixth seed. You know, they have two guys with Durant and Devin Booker in a fourth quarter of a playoff game. They could score 15 points, one of them, or 20 points and just dominate a quarter. I still think it's going to be Denver. I give the Lakers a lot of credit because I think LeBron and Anthony Davis, Davis played a lot this season and the other night he clearly was limited with his back, but he stuck it out and he'd got a million

Offensive rebounds the Lakers to me are more fascinating this year than they were last year Because you know, I just think they were a little healthier, you know LeBron clearly ran out of gas toward the end But then you find that amazing in the game against the Pelicans The Lakers were relying on LeBron and Anthony Davis and the Pelicans had to rely on Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance jr. Like what the hell what the hell happened to the Pelicans had to rely on Jose Alvarado and Larry Nance, Jr. Like what the hell, what the hell happened to the Pelicans? I mean, no, they put them on the bench. I had no problem with the brand Ingram thing.

I really didn't. I thought he looked a little lost out there. Uh, I thought the Brandon Ingram thing was like a very classic, like, Oh, the coach didn't call a timeout. The team lost. Therefore coach should have called the timeout. That's what the Brandon Ingram thing turned like a very classic like, oh, the coach didn't call a timeout. The team lost. Therefore coach should have called the timeout. That's what the Brandon Ingram thing turned into two nights ago. Uh, Pelicans blow game.

Brandon Ingram's good. Brandon Ingram was on the bench. Willie Green's stupid. And that's why they lost the game. I thought Brandon Ingram, like I knew what they were trying to do. I, I'm glad we agree on that one. Cause as I was, I was like, Brandon Ingram not playing is not the issue right now. CJ was 12 games. He missed 12 games.

He missed 12 games, played the final game of the season. How about the last shot that he took with about eight and change to go? It was, I haven't shot in a while, so I'm supposed to be one of the better players on the team. So even though I'm off balance and it's early in the shot clock, I'm gonna take a terrible mid-range jump shot.

And it was right after that that they took him out. So I don't blame Willie Green. I just thought, I'm thinking Willie Green. I don't have Jonas Valanchunas, he's not playing well. CJ McCollum's not playing well. Zion just got hurt. Brandon Egan's not playing well. So like my point is he had to rely on Jose Alvarado

and Larry Nance Jr. If Zion doesn't get hurt, I don't know if CJ comes back in. That's right, that's right. Hey look, if Zion's playing tonight, then I go, Okay, cool. Like, I kind of can't wait to see Thunder Pelicans. Because if there's one thing of all the tape, Parcells is why you lift all those weights, right? If there was one thing I felt definitive about this season, which is very hard for me to get to because of just being around

long enough going, this is plenty of stuff happens, you know, the Pelicans were the worst matchup for the Kings when they were healthy. Like you would watch the size and I remember like game two, I go, whoa, this is like visually, this is upsetting. And then here we are. And I just, I feel,

I kind of liked that Sacramento got through Golden State because it's like the West is that nasty in another year if things were lighter, you're like, hey, Sacramento is kind of like that Sacramento got through Golden State because it's like the West is that nasty in another year if things were lighter, you're like, hey, Sacramento is kind of like a fun story and they find a way through without her and without Monk who's so important to them. But I really feel bad about Zion having this moment finally. And you're like, is he gonna get through

and then put the Lakers in the one eight? Like, I can't wait. And now I don't know what to do with it. I don't know what to do with it now. Don't you love, so I got a chance to see him twice in person over the past two seasons, both in Brooklyn. And you know, they were the home opener last year.

This year, they came really late in the season. But you watch him play, and he was doing it against the Lakers where he knows he's got a bigger defender on him. really late in the season. But you watch him play and he was doing it against the Lakers where he knows he's got a bigger defender on him. He starts his move outside, drives it like you know exactly what he's doing. He's going to drive and he's going to try to finish at the rim with his left hand. He's so quick and strong. This against Anthony Davis. He's just getting to the basket and laying the ball in. I mean, he's so darn talented. It stinks for him. It stinks for the Pelicans because his entire career,

it feels like ever since he blew out his sneaker playing at Duke, it's just been one thing after another. He's such a unique guy and it's so cool to watch him play. And now, I mean, I don't think they're going to win on Friday without him. I just don't. They're going to need a big time performance, whether it's McCollum scoring 30 plus or Brandon Ingram. I don't know how they're gonna beat Sacramento.

Yeah, and the crazy thing about Sacramento's win against Golden State is like their guys are making all the shots that you'd expect from Steph and from Clay. Like Darren Fox got lost in it in a way because Murray goes nuts. Barnes has his moments, bonus everything. Yeah, and Ellis, the story there with him turning himself into a real player

starting for a team that's down, well, we'll see what happens potentially in the playoffs there. But some of the shot making from Fox, you just go, well, if that's gonna happen again from them. All right, last thing here. Do you have a team in your Frank crosshairs of like, you know, Atlanta, we can say, all right, they need, they need to finally figure this thing out here.

Yep. But when you have like a really popular star and non like historic NBA franchise, we know what happens. It's kind of like the Lamelo light thing. Like Charlotte's not going to be in a hurry to get rid of this guy that's like supposedly their star and the fans really like, and he's fun to watch when he's out there and all that kind of stuff.

And I think that's the Trey part of it. Do you look at one of these teams based on where they're eliminated or already eliminated where you're like, that team needs to like really hit the reset button? Yeah, I think you're right with Atlanta. I think that's the team. It's tough with Trey Young. I think there are teams out there that would trade for him because I think

in terms of marketing, fans like him and he could become kind of a face of your team from a marketing standpoint. The thing is how big can you win with him though? He's so darn small out there. He takes a ton of shots. They were really disappointing, Atlanta, the way that they played. I mean, come on, that 9-10 matchup, that was a tough one to watch. I mean, considering what you had in the Western Conference, and really, Houston had a better record than either the 9-10 in the East. So Atlanta is one where I could see, don't be shocked that the Brooklyn Nets don't poke around with a guy like Trey Young, because the Nets need a little buzz here.

They're going to hire Jordy Fernandez as the coach once the Kings get eliminated. And right now, the Nets have kind of flatlined a little bit, especially in a town where you have the Knicks with the more popular team to begin with, and the Knicks have stolen everything. So the Nets are going to be big game hunting. I think number one on their list is Donovan Mitchell. My question would be, would they go after somebody like Trey Young if they can't get Donovan Mitchell? I can't wait because there feels like there's a longer list of teams that you go, hey, you know,

and there's a couple overhauls on the front office, you know, some ownership transfer where it's like, okay, so now maybe you're bringing in all of your guys and you're nice about it. You know, whenever the guy buys the team, it's like, no, no, we'll keep some of you guys around. And it's like, okay, so now maybe you're bringing in all of your guys and you're nice about it. And you know, whenever the guy buys the team, it's like, no, no, we'll keep some of you guys around. And it's like, not really. Yeah. Uh, so I think there's like a list, it feels like a longer list of going into the summer of, we don't necessarily have the potential mad superstar that decides

he's going to want his way out, even though always prepare yourself to be surprised, but I think just based on basketball frustration, there's a decent number of teams where I go, it might be just time for them to do something, even though history tells us. It's just. Well, let me ask you this. Do you think Milwaukee would do something with Damian Lillard? If they, let's say for argument's sake, they fall short of getting to a conference finals? That one might be, I would say no, only because That one might be, I would say no, only because a year later to recoup the same price back, would they get it? Because I think Dame is probably, I don't know if Bucks fans would admit it or not,

they had to have thought there was a different version of him than this one, right? Yeah. Yeah. It's weird when you watch him, he just looks so small out there and you really could see we gets exposed defensively the thing that drives That's got to drive pat Riley nuts He wanted to get Damien Lillard and he's thinking, you know what? I'll figure out a way to make it work here in Miami. He doesn't go to Miami He goes to a rival of theirs and to make matters worse

the Celtics because of when the dust settles the Celtics are the team that ended up the best out of the whole deal. Because they got like a mill linebacker in Drew Holliday that can guard a million different positions, doesn't care if he's a star, doesn't care if he gets 20 shots a game, has no ego, and just can guard. They went from having a guy that can guard

so many different positions on the court to a guy that's a defensive liability in Damien Lillard. The Celtics somehow, even without Danny Ainge not there, they still somehow win. Yeah. I loved the, I've never understood this phenomenon and I don't know if you have a better understanding of it being on the local beat for such a long time, but like whenever all of us decided like, Hey, Dame is terrible defensively. Like we just like, we just know it, okay, he's bad. And then there was like a little push, and I knew it was gonna happen.

I mean, this happens every single time with this kind of story. It's like, you know who's a lot better on defense than people realize is Dame Lillard? And you're like, no way, no, not at all. And then there was a game, a national game at the close, and it was Chris Middleton. It's like, you know, when I talked to Chris Middleton

and Chris said that Dame's actually very underrated defensively and people don't give him enough credit for. Meanwhile, there's some off the ball action where Dame's on the other side of the lane watching it. Just going like, I'm not helping. I'm not moving. I'm not going over there. Like I never had to do this in Portland.

In Portland, I take a million shots. I get a million free throws. There's no pressure on me, except for that one year where that's another fake sort of Atlanta Western Conference finals where it's like, okay, you played in it, but that's not really who you are. You also got swept. Swept. And in a series, Kevin Durant didn't play it.

And then I double digit lead in all four games. I thought Golden State was trying to not sweep at one point in I think game three and they were like, okay Well fine if you guys aren't even gonna fly I guess we'll just keep our guys they have double-digit leads in all four games in a series of Kevin Durant in playing You know what? I always used to think this about Sharif Abdul Rahim who was a you know, a really good player So when he's playing for the Vancouver Grizzlies, it's on the other side of the world basically from an NBA standpoint.

Nobody has NBA TV. Nobody has league pass. We all just used to say, who the most underrated player in the NBA is? It's Sharif Abdu-Rahim. And again, not that there's anything wrong with him, but it was just, well, he must be because we know that he's good and we never really see him. So let's just say that. Then when he got traded and he was, I forget, what was it, Atlanta? He ended up wherever it was. It was like, all right, yeah, he's good and we never really see him. So let's just say that. Then when he got traded and he was, I forget what was it, Atlanta?

He ended up wherever it was. It was like, all right, yeah, he's good. He's not great. And in a way, I feel the same way with Damian Lillard. Everyone loves Damian Lillard because he's got, he takes the long shots, he does the thing, game time and everything like that. But hang on a second.

We view all these other guys like Jokic was, this moron better win the championship for us to even stamp him as a great player. Damon Lue has been to one conference finals and didn't take a game off the Warriors. And a team that Kevin Durant was hurt. So he kind of just now it's like because the pressure is on him a lot more and the focus is now you start to see some of the flaws. That's not to say he's not a lovely guy. I get all that. He's great. And he's a terrific player. But it's a little bit different now. Now that everyone's really watching.

Yeah. And that was game four. It went to overtime. So I just remember there was the one game towards the end of the series where I was saying, take it. And they wouldn't take it. Joe Lake up wants another home game. Please win this fricking game.

So the garden, I guess we'll go to overtime and beat you guys. Uh, I think all of that's kind of fair on Lillard there. Last thing, if it is Nick's Boston, do you let yourself two rounds of magic? This Brunson thing's incredible. Is he the most popular player since Ewing? Sprewell was really big as it went to the finals. Carmelo was big because he's from New York. He was born in Red Hook.

He's from New York. New York, New York, all that nonsense. He moved when he was what, seven or eight? Yeah, he's from Baltimore. He would even need a roadmap to get to Brooklyn. Give me a break. He's from Brooklyn. It's just like we claim Michael Jordan because he was born there. Michael Jordan probably hasn't been to Brooklyn since the day

his family moved down to North Carolina. But Brunson, what you love about him is he fits in, and I get it, you're going to roll your eyes when you romanticize about the 90s Knicks because they didn't win. But what resonated with people, people just like the Charles Oakley, Anthony Mason, Derek Carp, or John Starks, Craig Anthony who had the great quote where he said, we were either going to win the game or win the fight. And I think that's what people really like, the fact that every night there was effort.

And I think what Jalen Brunson does, and he's connected to the head coach through Rick Brunson, Jalen's dad, and Thomas coached and known Rick forever. It's just that same mindset. It's just about winning. It's just about this moment. We don't care about all the stuff on the periphery and all the other nonsense.

And they find these guys that just play along with them. It's just hard driving, hard playing guys. And that's the kind of team that New York likes. But I mean, Jaylen's been phenomenal. For him to, you know, become this kind of player has been something, it's a sight to behold. It's, I don't roll my eyes about the 90s Knicks. I like them now more that I'm not watching it because I think those kinds of teams, despite falling short of the ultimate goal, like they're important. They're important characters in this league, the continuity of, all right. Are you going to get through them? Okay.

You got through them, but it's just this dread and I, I miss that kind of stuff where it's, it's this team. I just don't know that we have the teams together long enough, um, to, to build up these characters. And in that case, it was a villain, depending on where you were from or they were your heroes. And I think it's kind of cool to like guys as heroes that aren't even champions because it means you just resonate like they resonate so perfectly. And I do see a

little of that with Brunson I mean hell watching Chicago last night with Kobe White going off I was like I actually wish Chicago was good that yeah awesome their fans are awesome and even look as a Massachusetts guy I can still sit there and see that weekend day game at MSG going that day game atmosphere there is so different. Yeah. What Brunson has given them like, I want that to be part of this playoff story. So and Ryan, what will happen to if they do play Boston, Przingius will become a central

figure in the whole thing because of his connections with the Knicks. He played with Brunson in Dallas. So I think that whole thing and there's something will happen in that series Like it always does where you know when what you love about the playoffs is the teams get sick of each other after game three and that's when the Tensions start to go up and it becomes even more intense as the games go on. I have I Put a future on a knee Smith a salt charge for the East. I Just think knee Smith in a playoff series I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East.

I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East.

I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East.

I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. I think he's going to be a great player for the East. He might get one of those plays as well. The great Frank Isola with Scowl every morning that's seven to 10 Eastern, then replayed on SiriusXM Channel 86, the starting lineup. Thanks, man. Ryan, you're the best.

Thanks, man. His name is Dan Soder. He is really funny. He's one of my favorite comics and his special is On the Road. He just made a face. What's that face for? Wow, that's very nice, man.

Thank you. I have low self-esteem, so anytime anyone says that, I go, dude, I can give you like five or 25 people that are better than me. Let's rank them. Yeah, dude, I mean, I'm like, I just hate myself. This is what it is.

I can find anybody to put over myself. Our relationship is not intense, but it started in a weird way. I don't even know if you remember. I was back doing get up years ago and that was my routine. They'd fly me back. I do get up for ESPN. I'd stay in SoHo. I'd walk up the street. I'd check out what's going on. I got ripped off once by some guys selling me tickets to Comedy Cellar that wasn't really the deal. Yeah, it was pretty. Where did, where was, where was the actual show? Do you know?

No, the guy was like, you just go over here. And I was like, no, what's this go over here stuff? He's like, no, it's sold out. Keep going. No, down there. Yeah. Keep going. Keep going.

So I ended up, I don't think it was that, I don't know, but there was a night I just went in, sat down and I hadn't seen you before, and you were so good that I sent you a very nice DM on Instagram and said, hey, that was terrific, you're very good at this. And I don't know if you remember that or not, and here we are. No, I don't. But man, I would have been like, holy shit.

I would have been like, what dude, yeah thanks man. Yeah, I- I don't DM a lot of guys like that. Yeah. I appreciate that man. No, I didn't. I don't think I saw that there. Also would have been like, Oh, thanks dude. It was a, it was good. So how are things for you right now? Cause I, it feels like it's a constant self assessment of where you are in your business. And I'm sure that's why some of you, it just drives you crazy. Oh, I mean, yeah. And it's also like, you know, I call social media the Dr. Do little

world. The animals can talk and you just hear all the animals talking. But, you know, the special has been really helpful. It did what I needed it to do, which was get people interested to see me on the road. So the road's been good. We've been selling out shows, which is awesome. Been adding shows in a couple cities and now it's just like building the next hour, which is like the most fun. It's the most frustrating, it's the most humbling and it's a lot of stuff, but it's also like,

man, this is why I got into it. I remember for so many years just being like, I wish people would come see me do standup and then to actually have people there to see me and to like fuck around. I think a lot of people lose touch with that where you're like, dude, you just get to go fuck around. You get to go have fun, like build jokes and joke around. It's like you're joking around with your friends. This is always the job I wanted to do. And this is always the job where I had, when I had other jobs, I was like, I could never imagine just being able to be a comedian and now being able to just do standup rules. It absolutely rules. But

I'm also very tough on myself and I hate a lot of my new stuff. But you know, that's just what it is. You know, you don't, you, it, what's funny about comedy is you tend not to like any of your stuff until it's out, until it's gone. And then you're like, I did like that joke. Yeah, I don't, sometimes I'll get, cause I will do these monologues like every single day, I'll have, not every single day anymore,

but I'll have like theories, right? Sure. And I'll try to keep some internal clock of like, okay, you've said, you've gone to this example, you've told this anecdote too many times. And sometimes I'll lose track of it and I'll get called out for it. I've never ever been like, hey, you know what?

You're wrong. And I'll be like, oh shit, I do kind of use that example all the time. And then I'll be like, wait, but comedians can, like how long can material last? Is it up to the audience or is it up to you? I mean, it just really, what's crazy about, what I love about comedy is one sentence

can change an entire bit. One sentence can, you can, you can loosen your perspective on something or be like, oh, maybe it'd be funnier if I took the opposite stance. And then you're like, oh, that's, that's the joke. It's like, it's not funny if I do the opposite stance. And then you're like, oh, that's the joke. It's not funny if I do it this way. It's funnier if I go from the opposite way. And like I was talking, Nate Barghetti is my favorite person to talk to about it because we'll be talking about

it. And he'll be like, well, did you ever think about the other angle? And you're like, oh no, that is way funnier. You always kind of want to be the loser in the joke. You kind of always have to take the hit in the joke. Because like, no one wants to see confident comedy. No one wants to see someone be like, then I, then I got the girl and I made the money and everyone loved me. It's like, no, you have to poop your pants. You have to be like, I pooped my pants at the most important moment. It's losing. Rock stars win, comedians lose. And that's just like what it is. It's just like, so whenever I see cool comedy, I'm like, what are you doing? That's not kind of what you're supposed to do. You're supposed to

be the idiot. We're idiots. We're clowns. But sometimes what's really fun now is like, I have like a stack of notebooks that I'm going through, all this shit. I'm going through super old notebooks and just looking through all my stuff from 15 years ago. And I'm finding stuff where I'm like, oh, that's actually a good concept. And then you're like, now I'm kind of a better comic so I can write a better joke about it. So just trying that stuff out. You kind of go through comic so I can write a better joke about it. So just like kind of trying that stuff out, you kind of go through your notes and you're like, like kind of what you were saying, like, have I done this perspective before?

And sometimes it's like a perspective that I wrote down on a, like a, I have like a these loose from my, when I was a waiter, like my, my, my pad, you know, in my apron, I'll have like ripped off ones. I'll be like, Oh, that's actually like a good idea. And you know, in my apron, I'll have like ripped off ones. I'll be like, oh, that's actually like a good idea. And you know, 15 years later. Were you a good waiter? No, no, no, no, no. I was funny though.

And that gets you, that gets you so much mileage. I remember, you know, I worked at a pretty corporate restaurant. Where was it? Dos Caminos, which at the time was owned by Be Our Guest, which Be Our Guest had like, enough to have a softball league. So like eight to 10 restaurants in New York,

they had like a ton of restaurants. They sold it one of my last years there, but they would have secret shoppers come in and evaluate how long it took you to your first greet and did you properly crumb the table? Did you bring waters? Like all this shit. And dude, I used to talk my managers into giving me my own section when I shouldn't have had. Like a massive section because I did lunches. I was doing stand-up at night so I had to make my money during lunches. So you need to get as many tables as possible. And I had a secret shopper that

I was such a dick to because I was such in the weeds. And I got like a 40%. And they're like, that's fireable. Like that's absolutely fireable. And my manager Daniel was like, I'm supposed to fire you. And I was like, but, but you can't find people to close lunches. And he's like, I'm going to keep you on. And I was like, yeah. And then I think like an hour later, I was like, Hey, for the softball this year, I want my number to be 40. And he was like, dude, don't, don't like, don't celebrate it. I was like, I want to be number 40 in the softball league. It took me a second. I was like, well, Ferris.

Yeah. Yeah. One of my favorite 49ers, William Floyd. So I just, I, did you hear the David Spade story about when he was a waiter and they were just like, you got to stop talking to everybody. And he's like, I'm doing material. He's like, here's the guy. Like I got to deal with the sharks. And like, how's the shark? He's like, I'm doing material. He's like, here's the guy. Like I got to deal with the sharks.

They're like, how's the shark? He's like, I don't eat them. And that's great. The way he's telling you story. Go ahead. You bet. That is that's like when you're a comic and you're a waiter, you want to be like, I think your instinct as a comedian is to be funny. And that's how you pass the time. The way I've, the way I've explained comedy to people sometimes is like, I get to do this as a job when it would have gotten me fired from every other job. Like the way I talk, like when

I was doing the bonfire, when I was doing even just a podcast, you're like, oh, this is at any moment, I feel like at any moment a manager is going to go, hey, you guys, stop talking. You got to go back to work. And you're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's like the energy you have. So when you're a waiter, you're kind of go, hey, you guys stop talking. You got to go back to work. And you're like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And that's like the energy you have. So when you're a waiter, you're kind of like, dude, I remember one time it wasn't even my table. I was like at the computer and someone was like talking about an Eddie Murphy bit.

And they were like, I saw this comedian one time and they're just like butchering the bit. And I'm like typing it in and I was like, I turned around and go, that's from Eddie Murphy Raw. And he's actually talking about marrying an African woman. And it's what have you done for me lately? It's the Janet Jackson song. That's what you're thinking of.

And these people were like upset that I interrupted them. But I like, as a comedy fan, I was like, no, you were fucking up a great bit. And I just like stopped them. And I was like, no, no, no, it's from Eddie Murphy's Raw. And they were like, what? And I was like- You're like Michael Scott, be like, well, no, no, it's from Eddie Murphy's Raw. And they were like, what? And I was like- You're like Michael Scott, be like,

well, the delivery's wrong. Yeah, that's exactly it. I was like, dude, I can't let you sit there and butcher a Hall of Fame bit. So when I was watching the special, it's funny because you said like the cool comedy thing. And I think about one of the things you talked about in the beginning of just, where is the line of intelligence to the dumb spectrum

of like pure happiness, but yet still like allowed to drive a car and operate machinery? Man, I don't know, but that's the sweet spot. But then it's kind of like, am I saying that I'm actually too smart? And that's why, you know, cause like that was the thing I thought

you were trying to balance in there. Cause I've thought about this concept way too much. And that's why, you know, cause like, that was the thing I thought you were trying to balance in there. Cause I've thought about this concept way too much. Yeah. Or like, I think where you're safe is it's, it's an enough intelligence to be self-hating is where you want it. You want to be right below that. You want to just be like, it's where I said, hot people are, they're to just be like, it's where I said hot people are.

They're just kind of like, well, yeah, I rule. And then they're also like dumb. I lived with a guy who was, he's a very sweet man, but I had to mute him on Instagram because he's just an idiot. And he just posts stuff. And I'd be like, you didn't think like, I look like an asshole posting this? Or like, I look like a bimbo? A bimbo. Do you think it's Gillis or his PR team? Yeah, dude. Shane, dude, Shane's always like, I'm gay.

He's always just like, anytime we like have a real moment together, he's like, oh, oh God. Like if he shows, that's what his is, when he shows emotion to you, like genuine emotion, he'll be like, oh, whatever dude, this is gang. And you're just like, nah man, it's fine. That's actually my only experience with him

is that we were at a football game together, we had a really good crew, I invited him to my friend's thing, because I was like, this will be the best setup for you and your friends, and you'll get in, and then you'll be protected, it'll be roped off, like trust me on this one, you don't even have to hang out with me. But I was with a guy from the Eagles, so I knew he was gonna be thrilled about it.

And at the very end, I was like, let me just cross into it a little bit, where I was like, hey, I just wanna let you know that you're just, you got it going right now, and it's just a lot of fun to watch, and it was like loser. Yeah. Yeah.

Like awesome. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're like, aw, fuck, I got too greedy. Nice to him. I tried to break through. Yeah. You feel like the drug dealer that didn't leave when he had the money. You're like, I could have left and had all of it. But yeah, I mean, that's, that's always the trick. It's always like this, like, you can't stay one second too long. You can't say, you know, and I think, I think like people that just enjoy life are just kind of like, well, I never, you know, I asked my therapist one time, I was like,

do people have, do people just enjoy themselves in life? And he was like, yeah. I was like, fucking idiots. What are you, what are you doing? Because I think it genuinely is, you know, I call it stupidity, but I think I'm jealous. I just think I'm like, I don't think I'm like super smart. I just think I'm very mean to myself. I think that's what it is. And I think- Did you like- Okay, sorry, I don't want to interrupt you going. No, that was it. I'm just saying like I'm just very incredibly mean to myself. Yeah, that's just heavy. That's heavy. So I'm trying to think of a perfect follow-up. Did the Steve Martin documentary, fuck you up then alone?

Oh brother, that one, that one hit, that one played some chords. That one played some, I had to watch that alone. That one played some chords. We were like, fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh fuh f And he's talking about his dad not approving of any of it. And then when he got past it and he talked about his dad dying and him realizing that his dad just never lived out his dreams. And that's kind of why he was like that. You're like, oh, god.

It's just kind of like someone reaches in and is like, it's like someone's twisting your emotional arm behind your back. I recognize this way too much. Because that's what it is. I think it's always like this idea of, you know, people are always like, oh, comics are so arrogant, they can get on stage. And I think it's the complete opposite. I think it's this like, it's this complete, like the gas doesn't stay in the tank. Like the approval doesn't sit, it doesn't hold. It immediately goes, you're like, it's like constantly having diarrhea.

You're just like, you just eat and it's like, oh, like your compliment is just already like, I'm pissing it out my butt. It's just like gone. So why do you do it though? I mean, if you're- Because it's fun as hell, dude. It's fun as hell.

You just get to be funny. Being funny is so fun. I've never been good at sports. I've never been good at anything. I've just always been like, I don't know, I'm a silly goose. And just like, I like being funny. I like making like, you know, what's crazy about comedy is there's, I truly believe there's like two types of comedians. There's ones that genuinely learn how to do A plus B equals C. They know how to write jokes. They know like, well, this is the premise and this is the setup and this is the punchline. And then I think there's people like Shane, Nate and I who are just like, oh, this is our defense mechanism. Like this is how we deal with stuff is like,

you slip in shit and you go, this is funny. You just start laughing. You don't go like, this is unfair. How could I, how could this happen to me? You go like, I got shit all over me. And you're like, that's just what it is, you know? Like some of the darkest shit that's happened to me, I probably am the funniest I ever have been

after it happens. You know what I really liked about the doc is there were a million things I liked about it. Yeah. One, one part that I really loved is they had him go back and listen to his old tapes. For anybody that does anything that's publicly consumed to go back and watch stuff, you're just like- It's one of my favorite parts. Like, I don't want wanna do this. And so. He did it for like a minute and he was like.

And just his look. So there's this joke that he tells when he's a lot younger and he's like arguably the biggest comedian in the world. I'm just doing this obviously for the audience. And he's like, you know, what would ruin show business is instead of two arms, we had one arm and he just slaps himself in the face

to make the sound of applause. And it's really tough for things to be timeless this is a, you know, instead of two arms, we had one arm and he just slaps himself in the face to make the sound of applause. Yeah. And it's really tough for things to be timeless and like anything. Yeah, stuff evolves and jokes get better and stuff and people do better versions of that or a better concept. And he just ejects the tape or he kind of like looks,

he looks at the camera like, eh. And then he goes like, it gets better after that. He just goes like, there's a great, when Conan started his podcast, Conan Needs a Friend, his first episode's Howard Stern. And there's a moment on that episode that is exactly that, where both Howard and Conan kind of realize that neither one of them

can listen to their old stuff. Conan's like, oh, I can't, I can't. Howard's like, dude, I hate listening to my old stuff. He's like, I just hear stuff and I'm like, that's weak, that's bad. It's like, yeah, that's something that I've absolutely identified with. I can't watch anything I did on Comedy Central. Anything I did on Comedy Central, especially now in the age where people are cutting up clips.

I just have a guy that does it, he posts it, I don't even watch it. Listen man, I was there, I wrote the joke. Just if you like it, you can put it up, but I know I won't like it. I will have notes about everything. Conan's podcast is incredible. When he had Letterman on,

is anybody that does anything that's publicly consumed, like I listen to those two guys go back and forth and it like made me want it. Like I was like, he probably like, I don't know, maybe do something else besides just talk about whether or not somebody's good at basketball. So I was just like, man, that was like heavy, heavy stuff. But it was so funny how different the two of them were. Like Conan, obsessive and critical,

and Letterman being like, I'm awesome at this, whatever. You know, later on at least. Yeah, and I think that's also, you're hearing like, you're hearing elder David Letterman, because I think it also like, it doesn't always break the same way for everybody. Every person's different. And like you hear stories about Letterman when he's at CBS and he wouldn't even meet the writers. They would almost like they were on a different floor

and they would send him jokes. And it's like, well, that's like a weird detachment that a lot of people don't have, you know, where you're like, well, then what's that about? You won't even talk to your writers? Like, that's weird. Like, I know now he's like, yeah, whatever, I'm the best. And it is, but there is like, it's crazy because comedians can be super arrogant in ways that you're like, that serves them. And then there's also like guys like me who are just insecure that are like, I don't know, was that funny? I thought it was funny. And I'm finding the more, the more and more I try to make myself laugh, the more and more enjoyable it is and the more I stand behind it. And I think that's kind of why

like this YouTube special I was like, this is stuff that I like. Here's like the 40 minutes that I like. And I hope you like it, but you got to let go of if, you know, I think so early in my career, I was like, looking to the sidelines, like, is this funny? Is this funny? Instead of going like, you know, that's the thing that Shane, especially, and Nate really get in my ear about where they're like, dude, you're just believe in yourself. They're like, believe in yourself, dude. And I'm kind of like, yeah, I'm even, even Katie, you know, Katie's like, just, just believe in because they see moments where I'm like, Hey,

I'll do something and I'll be like, that fucking sucks. And they're like, no, it doesn't. And I'll be like, I know, I don't know. Does it? Cause it's just, I don't know when you're trying to do the best thing. It's almost like thinking of a basketball player, like about to shoot and be like, I can't, I don't know. And then just instead of like, just throw it up, just throw it up. And if it goes, it goes. And if you miss, shake it off. They always say the best quarterbacks have short memories. Like if they throw an interception, the next drive, they're just kind of like, yeah, whatever. Yeah, I threw a pick, whatever. But that's something where I would like to get. And I think

entering my 40s and hitting 20 years of comedy, it's kind of like, oh, that's what I'm starting to feel more. I'm starting to feel like, yeah, I think that's funny. Like, oh, okay, I like that, so I'll just do that. I think you'll be at your best once you get there mentally. Yeah, and I think I'm probably the closest I've ever been to that is right now. Just kind of like writing stuff that I want that I think is funny instead of being like,

yeah, I think that's why you see a lot of generic premises kind of stop to death is because people go like well dating is weird and you're like what does it mean to you what is your specific take on it. Not even take like. What are you fucking feeling man like you know. What are you thinking about. Like, you know, what are you thinking about? I think the thing that you should, this is kind of turned into a different topic, like when I was struggling early on on being on air, I was like, okay, so wait, I was like, Calhart wants me to do stuff with them, Van Pelt wants me to do

stuff over them, Bill Simmons wants me to do stuff with that. I was like, so if all the best people. Soon to want me to do something with them, then clearly I'm doing something right and you're doing that. I mean, you're in the short list of my favorite comedians going, and these are also your buddies who wanna work at crafting the whole thing. So like, it's happened for you, Dan, it has.

You need to let yourself realize it. I think it's just kind of like, I don't know if it's like, just the way my brain was set up from childhood and my teenage years and the shit that I went through, but I just think there was a lot of like trying to please other people. And you know, when I even say that in the special about being a people pleaser, that

was very real because I think I'm to a fault worried more about other people's, I put other people's feelings in front of mine. And I think that's kind of what the, at the baseline of what we're talking about. It's like, do you like it? Cause I'm more worried about like, dude, how, but what do you feel like? Instead of like, well, I like it. So this is like, I watch Louie, you know,

Louie's one of the top five of all time. And you'll see Louie with these premises and you're like, oh, Louie thinks this is funny. Like this is what Louie thinks is funny. And you saw that kind of turn, because I've been, you know, I've been a huge fan of his. I got into him through ONA and like through old, like County Central specials or whatever.

But his real turn was he was the first person to go like, you fuck my kids. And everyone was like, what? And he's like, yeah, my fucking kids suck. And everyone's like, oh. It was, that was, that's such a clear, oh, this is how I feel. Fuck what you feel, this is how I feel.

And I think like, that's a moment where I go, oh yeah, man, I got it. I'm like close to there. I'm close to being like, yeah, I don't know. This is just how I feel. And I think that's like where everyone does their best work is when they're trying to, you know, there's this art critic that one time said,

every painter, I read it in like a book, Sam Sheridan book, but he said like this art critic was saying, you know, every painter starts painting with every influence of theirs in the room. And then one by one, every influence leaves the room until they themselves leave the room. And that's when they do their best work. And you're like, yeah, it's getting out.

It's getting, get out of your own way is basically the short version of saying that, you know? I am fascinated by like joke, construction, the inception, the evolution, the direction, like how, what's the process like for you? Dude, the best is there's a movie, a documentary that Seinfeld did in 2000 called Comedian, where it follows his return to stand up

after the end of Seinfeld, after the show. And it's like every comedian I know has watched it. And when they watch it, they go, that's the best documentary about stand up because you see all the process. But specifically, if you get the DVD, that's how old I am. I'm like, go buy the physical media. They did an ad campaign, some of the like the previews for it. And one of the commercials was, where does a joke come from? And you see Seinfeld eating cereal and he just stops and he goes, huh. And he keeps eating cereal and like, that's it.

Like that's how you write jokes, is you just think this thing and you go, that's funny. And then you like write it down and then you go in front of people and you go like, is this funny? And they go like, yeah, that's funny. And then you're like, oh, and then you just exp that's funny. Then you write it down and then you go in front of people and you go, is this funny? They go, yeah, that's funny. Then you're like, oh, and then you just expound on it. You just keep trying to find. I think right now Shane's one of the best working stand-up comics and I watched him. I went to the Super Bowl this year to watch my Niners lose again to the Chiefs. Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer had a show at MGM Grand and Shane did a set on it. And I watched Shane's set and I told him what I liked about it

was every joke was like a step. He had something funny and then it was a logical step to the next thing and then a logical step so where you could follow it very easily and it was very funny, where everything got funnier as you walked up the steps. That was the only way my brain could conceive of that was like, damn, you had a clear stairway to like, this is the joke and then it goes here and then it goes here and then it goes here and it's just adding on, adding on, adding, where you go funny, funnier, funnier, funnier. And you're like, oh, that's a fucking bit, dude. That's like a banger of a bit.

And I think that's where all jokes, that's where you want all jokes to go is almost like a construction where you're like, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that works. It's a clear line of thought where you're like, oh, that all makes sense. The first time I saw Gilles was part of the bird thing and Mark Norman was, was part of the lineup too.

Yeah. I love Norman. Norman's a guy that just is like, Oh, you know, so tight with his words. Yeah. Norman was cause we were lucky enough to go back after and say hi to everybody. And you know, and I've kind of learned my lesson with you guys a little bit, but I have with Mark, he had this Kobe joke that was just like, is ruthless. And then there was like the extra Mark part where he threw like another, like you thought it was over

and it's like, I'm not done yet. And then he threw another part on and I was like, hey, I got to ask you. I was like, have you done that Kobe joke at LA yet? He's like, hmm, let me think. I don't know, Spanish shouldn't do it. And I was like, well, I was like, hey, I gotta ask you. I was like, have you done that Kobe joke at LA yet? He's like, hmm, let me think. I don't know, Spanish shouldn't do it. And I was like, well, I was like, I don't know.

I'm like, I'm not a comedian. He goes, thought about it, probably gonna do it. You know, he just was like, I don't care. But to the Shane part of it, Shane's whole like, here's the premise, I kinda root for ISIS. And then you're like, okay. Well, what's crazy about that, it's not. here's the premise I kind of root for Isis and It's it's it's not it's like he comes into that joke and he goes

Well, it's the ex-girlfriend. Yeah It kind of like ear holes you you go like oh everyone's Everyone's dated a woman and then been jealous of their exes and he goes it used to be black eyes And he, could you imagine that? A whole, your dick is feared that much? And you're like, that's very funny. And he goes, well, my ex-girlfriend had a Navy SEAL as an ex, and he's like, how am I gonna compete with that? And then he goes, if you think about it, Navy SEALs are kind of pussies.

And then you're like, what? And then he's like, oh, this guy's so jealous of his girlfriend's ex, he's gonna put over ISIS. He's gonna go on the side of ISIS. And you're like, that's so funny. It's so funny. And then the way it plays out and like the audience was not one that would be like, what did he,

it was just kind of like, wait, what? He's rooting for ISIS? Like I was with them. So they got one set of monkey bars, they're all cheering, you know, the bros. And you're like, dude, this is so. So when you're thinking, like, are you always, and I know everybody has their own style

and their own presentation and everything, but is that kind of the goal of like, let me get everybody on my side before, or like, what are the tricks that you have? Yeah, I think there's like people who are really, really good at that. Like Nate Barghetti is like one of the best at it or Nate will be like, he'll just like be talking about something very personal. Like I got into an argument with my wife

and you're like, all right, I've been in an argument, you know, but with my wife before, what's up? And then he's like, like the way he opens Tennessee Kid, his Netflix special, he talks about he was with his wife and her ex-boyfriend was on another boat. And he was like, well, I'm not gonna fight that guy because how do you get out of the water to fight a guy? And then it all becomes this image of him trying to crawl out of the water into this guy's boat to fight him,

but he doesn't have the arm strength. And it's like, again, he looks like an idiot, but you identify immediately with the feeling of, oh, feeling stupid while also being angry. You're like, oh, this is great. Then everyone's on your side because everyone goes like, you just want everyone to go like, I felt like that. I felt like that before.

Sometimes it works and sometimes you have to figure out the way to get there. You know, one of my favorite comedians is Sam Merrill. And I just think like his jokes, he'll just like make an observation where you're like, Oh, yeah, I've kind of thought that before. And then he'll add where you go like, well, I've never thought about it like that. And I kind of like that where it's not like, there's not like an empathetic viewpoint as much as you go like, Oh, I've never thought about it like that where it's not like, there's not like an empathetic viewpoint as much as you go like, oh, I've never thought about it like that.

And that's very funny. So there's like different, I think, ways to get there. Well, what I've always liked about you is that I think you get us quick. Like you're incredibly efficient at getting us. And when you do the bit about like, all right, fiance is just way too formal. Yeah, I hate it. Okay, wait, and then with your whole,

was it, I forget, I don't wanna mess up your own material here. Yeah. But the next step of it was like, okay, I'm in. Now I'm interested. And I think if you can win that first couple seconds, it just makes the rest of the journey that much easier. As opposed to being like, what is this guy? You can say some wild shit once you get people on board.

And that's what's fun. It's like, you want to get them to where they go, okay, I'm on board. And then you want to go like, you want to shake the boat a little bit and go like, are you on board? And then they're like, I don't know. They're like, no, you're safe. You're on board. And then you do it again.

And they're like, I don't fuck. What the fuck? And you just kind of, I think that's the fun in it is just like being like, I don't know, we could, I could, you know, you might bail and there's people that bail. And that's the fun in it is just like being like, I don't know, we could, you know, you might bail and there's people that bail and that's what joke writing is. You like try and people bail and you go like, shit, all right, maybe I got to rethink that one or maybe they don't, maybe they're not into it. And then sometimes like where I'm at right now, there's jokes I've discarded that you bring back and you go like, oh, I think I

can make that better. I think I can make that fun I think I can make that funnier and that's like the fun. That's the very fun part of comedy is just going like It's it goes to the the basic question of like you guys think that's funny. I mean you just hope they go. Yeah Last thing before we we'd let you get on with your day. I Worked with Katie obviously wasn't always day to day. I was kind of leaving as she was coming into ESPN. Yeah. Does she ever go, hey, I really liked that joke, but maybe not that version? She rules.

The Bluetooth joke in the special is a hundred percent real. It absolutely happened. And it happened. And I was like, you know, very embarrassed, ashamed almost. And it happened. She was very mad. And then I went like, that is funny though. I like said that.

And she went, don't, don't. And I went, okay. And I respected it. I respected it. Cause I was like, that was a big thing that happened. And if you watch the special, it's not a cool moment, I fucked up. But what's great about her and her sense of humor is,

three weeks, four weeks later, I'm out in the living room and she walks out and she goes, you gotta tell that Bluetooth story on stage. And I was like, then let's fucking go. And then it just like, and then I just went to the club and tried it. And I just basically told the story. And I was like, oh, that's funny. And then you just like start putting jokes into it.

And you're like, oh. And then you see how many people go like, that happened to me. That exact same thing happened to me. And you're like, yeah, check your Bluetooth on your phone if you're gonna, yeah, check your Bluetooth on your phone if you're going to do anything dumb, you know? But she was like, she's, she's so funny that it wasn't that she didn't understand why it was funny, but she was kind of like, she was kind of like my sous chef at that point. She was

like, let it cool, let it cool on the rack a little bit before you serve it. And I go like, oh yeah, okay. I wanted it to go right from the oven out to the floor. See, that's gonna be fun though, knowing, especially being at the skill level that you're at of like, okay, now I have something, I have something new, and now I'm gonna like test drive it all over the place. And then once it's ready. Dude, I tried that Bluetooth joke specifically.

I did like the second time I did it was at the stand in New York. And I was just on stage. It was like a late show, like 20 people in the audience. And I was just fucking around with it. And then I get off stage and fucking Bill Burr is standing there. And it didn't go well. And Burr just goes, what happened Souter? I thought you were funny. And I was like, oh, he's like one of my heroes. And I was like, oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. And then it was just like, no, Bill, I brought, oh, he's like one of my heroes. And I was like, oh, fuck, oh, fuck. And then it was just like, no, Bill, I brought, oh, man. And then it was like, you know, got it to work.

But that's always what it is. We were like, oh, shit, shit, shit, shit. I didn't know you were in the room. I wouldn't have done that. I would have done like a finished joke that looked like, hey, look at me, I'm fucking good at this. That was some good, that was just perfectly efficient, real good Bill Burr on the way out.

What the fuck, dude? You can check out Dan's special on the road, on YouTube, and of course for upcoming dates, tickets, dansolder.com. This was awesome, man. Thank you so much for doing this. Thanks for having me and go Nuggets. Yeah, go Nuggets. And look, guys born in Hartford have to protect each other. So, oh, yeah, dude. Insurance industry, Hartford Hospital. Somebody at ESPN was like, hey, tone down the Hartford jokes on the air.

Really? I was like, hey, got the birth certificate. Yeah, dude. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Pay taxes. I was born there. That's where I came in. And they were they were like they backed off. They knew. Yeah dude, I'm sorry. Yeah pay taxes. I was born there. And they were like, they backed off. They knew. Yeah, they knew. Every time I drive through I'm always like Gary and Trish, no condoms. Thank you. And you're always driving through going, why do the exit ramps go this way and the entrance ramps go that way and there's traffic for no one who

lives here? This doesn't make any sense. What the hell, how did they build that city? I miss it. They built it wrong. I don't miss it. Thanks, man. Yeah, thanks, dude. You want details? Buy.

I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet. What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you can possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid. So now you know what's possible. Let me tell you what's required. Life advice, rr at gmail.com is the email address.

We've got Kyle, we've got Steve. I'm still home. So what's up? What's up to everybody? Just quit checking. Doing great. Yeah, same old. Making the trek up to Cape Cod today. See the parents. Good times. What's it like this time of year? Not great. I think you got to knew the answer to that. This is more of a childcare situation so that my wife and I can sleep in maybe for a couple days and you know they take care of the kid and everybody's happy.

So you know, I get it. Uh, yeah, but you don't find it like beautiful. I actually do. I think the average person would be depressed. I mean, my parents, this is the first summer they were there or the first winter they were there I think full time. And a lot of people were like, Whoa, you're going to be all right, like seasonal depression. And I don't know, my dad like works in the basement on cars and my mom watches shows.

It's fine. They'll be good. So I actually like it. I think it's fine. Cause all the other restaurants are like chill too. You can get into places that you don't normally get into. Although some of them are closed, but I don't mind it. Wait, so they got a vacation house or is that their entire house?

Okay. Yep. They moved away from the hometown and they live there full time. All right. I feel like I got a bigger, bigger shape of what your life is. Or is that their one house? No, they're retired. So that's their one house? They're retired. Yep. They moved away from the hometown and they live there full time. All right. I feel like I got a bigger shape of what your life is. That's great. Yeah.

You guys are getting real close. Yeah. Kyle, what would your dream retirement be? Dream retirement. That's tough. I think I told you before I got married, I had an idea, like a sort of a fantasy of being like, do you ever see like Mel Gibson and like, what was that like, get the gringo or something like,

just like a like a grizzly American in like some South American town or something. And like he's at the like the shantytown bar or whatever. And he's like, everyone's like, what's up with that guy? Like he's got like open shirts, like maybe a little nicer than a Tommy Bahama. But I really thought like I could pull that off. Cool sunglasses, warm weather, the just like mysterious American in some sort of a faraway place. I kind of like that idea

for me. But now I mean, that that dreams dead and gone. Retired spy. Yeah, retired spy sort of aesthetic. You know, James Bond in that. What? Forget the start of that one movie where he's like, maybe somewhere in like the Caribbean or something. Don't they all start that way? Don't they? They're like, oh, right, James is like on some island somewhere.

He's clearly out, he's like, I'm out. I left that life behind and then somebody's gotta go find him there. I kind of like that aesthetic, but I don't know. It's sort of like being a bartender. I think that that's passed me by. That was very specific. You've thought about this.

I don't know why that's unobtainable now though. Well, you got a wife. I don't think she's really into that. She'd be probably more on like the European nature-y maybe like somewhere in like upscale Montana or, you know, just like, I don't think, I don't think her things would line up with, with like, you know, dirty American abroad. Right. So mysterious gringo in Panama is not a puzzle piece.

Right, Panama is perfect. Panama is perfect for this. Panama is perfect, yeah. What's the closest thing to Lucerne in Montana? Yeah, all right, that's fair. Okay. Totally fair. Okay, we did have, we don't normally read these because then it turns into just

a fucking Yelp part of the podcast. But because it's Kyle, we're going to do it. Hudson Valley town recommendations. Love the pod. Never miss an episode. Wife is an NYU professor. We have a small faculty apartment in the village, which is great, but looking to buy a place outside the city for long weekends, spring break, summer vacation. Oh, wow. This guy's doing it. And he's reaching out to us. Does Kyle have some recommendations in addition to Poughkeepsie, I assume on towns to target looking for walkable, a few good restaurants and bars near on the river would be ideal.

College towns would be fun up to two and a half hour drive from the city. Thanks. Budget. Ooh, about 800 K to 1.2 million. You're gonna be just fine, buddy. This is great news. Buy half of a Pekipsi. The first thing, all right, don't get crazy.

The first thing I would say is that there's a great new show on HGTV that I've put all of my family on. We're so happy. It's called Small Town Potential. And it's about two ladies who are in a relationship and they like sell houses around the Hudson Valley because people like you are making the push up north a little bit.

So there's already like six episodes out, small town potential, HGTV, not a paid ad, but I'm really into it. So you check those out, see what you like. I think they're like some of the bigger names like Beacon, Newburgh, New Paltz, all great. I think Poughkeepsie's, the waterfront could use a little more TLC. That's what I'm hearing.

But for now, for now. But Beacon's got a great waterfront. I mean, you could go up to the Catskills a little bit if you're more of like a mountain guy. Like the Catskills are right there. Great episode. I think it was episode four about the Catskill Mountain House, small town potential. But I think you'd be happier in any of the bigger coastal towns,

coastal towns, look at me, river towns. Yeah, I'd say Beacon, Newburgh, New Paltz. If you want to fix her up or though, Poughkeepsie's right there. Sounds like you're looking for a roommate or two roommates, five rabbits. Yeah, you said vacation house, right? So yeah, it works. We have one room with sand and I just sort of wear a vest off the side. All right.

That was incredibly helpful. Kyle, you're, you're fucking on fire. It's specific. Very helpful. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right.

So, uh, let's do one that's a little less serious here. 46, five, 10, one that's a little less serious here. 46, 5'10", 180 player comp, aging Raymond Felton. I feel like Raymond Felton was always aging. As soon as he got to the league, it was just aging. But he found a way. Hi, big fan, recently divorced. Look, he was on high traffic, so it wasn't like.

Anybody who might have like a gut is like, oh, I'm Raymond Felton. I did wonders for dudes with guts. Anybody who might have like a gut is like, Oh, rain. I'm really felon. He was on a pod throwing out some stuff recently to these guys. We need to do a bracket. We need to do a 64 person bracket of athletes active or former and just do 64 takes and see what wins. We need to do it. It's endless. It's an endless supply. These guys are out of fucking control.

Did you see the clip of Rashid Wallace calling Wemba Nyambo, I think it was like Wamba Wamba. He's like, oh, that Wamba Wamba guy. Yeah, like he's. Oh yes. I'm sensing a pattern. I think the American hoopers don't like the international hoopers.

Yeah, Shocker. It was funny because like Perk took a shot at Charles Barkley about not watching games and immediately voted Pajemski first team all defense. I was like, what the fuck is happening here? I would agree. Yeah. I'd agree. The TNT guys probably don't lock in.

I don't lock in. I don't know that they get the legal pads out. I've talked about my work process. Nobody likes it when I do it. So just I get it. I watch a lot of games. That's it. But then when Burke was like, those guys are busters, essentially. And then it's like, and here's my votes. Like what he made sure SGA was ahead of Luka in Jokic. Do you think that was like a rogue agent thing? Because I know you talked about how sometimes before, like, hey, we need somebody to come

on first take and say this crazy thing. Do you think that was almost more like they wouldn't even have pushed him to say that? Like, we don't want to start a beef. Like that's, it's almost like too off the beaten path to be something that they had like coached him up on. You think he just went out there and did that? I think there's, I don't want to say specific to anybody, but I think if you're willing to play the game,

they love that you want to play the game. How far can we push this thing? Right, so like when you're sitting in the pre-show meeting and you're going around and there's like, um, like here's a perfect one, like the Brunson Steph Curry thing. It's like, Hey, where is Brunson? Oh man, he's really good. Is he MVP? And then, yeah, you know, everybody's like, you know, no, no, no then it's like, is he better than SGA? It's like, nah.

And look, I kind of understand like SGA votes a little bit. It's just hard when you were like, okay, that's not a shock. But then when it's like, okay, is Brunson better than Steph Curry? And then it's like, I'm your Huckleberry motherfucker. Yeah. And then everybody in the room starts to go like,

ooh, okay. all right, yeah. So how do we get. C-block. Yeah, here we go, you know. Because it's like, I think he's better than, I think he's better than James Harden. It's like, ah, C-block, man. Okay.

Yeah, so we got an eight-year-old here. Big fan. Second floor apartment, six story, 30 unit building in Brooklyn. I have an eight year old son who is a big fan of the movie Elf, specifically the scene where Will Ferrell presses all of the buttons on the elevator

at James Kahn's office building to make it look like a Christmas tree. So every time we get in the elevator, he does this and he still thinks it's hilarious. I know it's a dick move, but being that kids don't like it when their parents get divorced, I let him do it in the same spirit as the high C and Nintendo and other things I let him do so that he still likes me. This has been going on since December and no one else in the elevator when he presses the other buttons.

So there's no way anyone knows it is him doing this. My question is, do I make him stop? It's a low rise building with adequate stairs and five units per floor. I'm kind of okay with it in the punk rock, fuck you, have some fun kind of way that my ex kept us back from. Oh, so this isn't even about your kid.

This is about getting one over on the no fun ex. I don't like it. I'll be honest with you right away. Five floors? Every single time we got to stop on every floor. Who's to say this gets contained, right? What happens when you're going to the old, you know, parent family court hearings

and he pushes all the button in the elevator then. Now there's, now you're in the, in the basement. I mean, that was mean, but I mean, this, this, you can't be sure this gets contained to that thing he's a, so he kind of knows he gets old enough. He definitely knows. Yeah. But I'm. It's a child of divorce.

I'm going to go with, I'm going to go with the button pushing on this one. Really? I honestly, as an aside, I think we should have a cancel button in elevators and there maybe there's some sort of like child lock that you can put on it. Hit the button again. Like hit the button, yeah, hit it again or hold it and push the cancel button.

But I pushed the wrong button before doing like a little brain fart and I'm like, wow, everyone just saw me do that. It's really one of the most other people in the elevator. I don't know if we have enough capacity for that. I feel like we've had elevators a long time. Yeah, and I would say we have about a D plus, C minus grade on just operating elevators as a society.

We're just not good at it. People aren't good at it. It's kind of like McFlurry machines. They're always, like one of them's always broken. You know, like it's just, it's always maintenance. Well, that's cause they don't want to make it. They're not broken.

They don't, they don't want to make it. You know? Can I offer up something? I think the issue, isolated incidents, like, yeah, if you want to hit all the buttons in the elevator, sure. Be that one time, like nothing's going to happen. But like you're talking about the high C thing and all this other stuff. Like it sounds like they're boundaries. Like you're going to be the fun parent, but that's going to create more problems for you down the line.

Cause then like your kid might like act out, like maybe he's yelling at your, your ex saying, Oh, well dad's way more fun. He lets me do all these things that creates more problems for you in the future. I'm not saying don't let your kid have fun. Let your kid have fun. Really opened up his life advice. No, I'm just like the can of worms here, like that you're opening up to me is a little bit dangerous. I'm just, you know, that's, that's one guy's take.

Do some blow dad. a bit dangerous. I'm just, you know, that's, that's one guy's take. It's one guy's take. Want to do some blow dad? It's like, you let me hit all the buttons. Um, we just disagree, you know, I think in an okay way, cause I don't, I don't think it's crap. I think they need this moment right now. All right. This is like their thing. They kind of have their moment. You know, there's a couple of things there with my dad early on, like we were driving around and the F 150 where we may just do something kind of silly, you know?

And we'd have this moment together where he wouldn't necessarily like necessarily want me doing that, but since we were doing it together and we were having like this little thing. I'm not saying that you can't do that by the way. Like I'm just saying like, Are you a no moment guy? that can't be all the time? Your personality can't be like I'm fun dad who lets the kid do

whatever he wants because that's going to bite you in the ass in the long run. Yeah, if you want to have a moment like doing donuts in a parking lot, yeah, I don't care pressing some elevator buttons, but all of it. You mentioned a couple other things that you let him do. Just be careful. That's all I'm saying.

Hi, see a Nintendo. Do you think what? What do you think he's? I'm just saying there are you can't let him say you can't let him do whatever he wants when he comes over to your place. That's all I'm saying. And that's what it sounds like you are. It sounds like you are projecting a little bit because you want to you want this kid to be like you and be a part of your life. That's great. Have fun, be the fun parent.

But there do need to be, am I taking crazy pills? There need to be some boundaries. No, it's just your manager, Steve, in it right now and I love it. I don't like that. We don't see this a lot. I don't like that. Because what he said was, yeah, like he said,

I see Nintendo and he does this elevator thing that I'm sort of inclined to let him do. And you're like, whoa, grab the rope, it's almost gone. I know what you're saying though, but yeah, I had this relationship with my mom where she was like the one who drove a pickup truck and we had an apartment, you know, and she would like bring me to her like NASCAR buddies

and like, you wanna shoot the guns and like the stuff that my dad would be like, what are you doing over there? So I understand like the one wanting to be that that parent so I think I think The one maybe just find another cool thing because I think the buttons thing could be super annoying the one time it doesn't Go the way you planned You and your kid are looking like a couple of shitty teenagers when you know

A mother and their daughter get on the third floor and they're going up for some reason and they're stopping on every floor. So I'd say find a more constructive way to do this. Okay. I think we covered it. All right, getting kicked out of pickup. 28 basketball player comp, 2018 game for Rockets versus Warriors. PJ Tucker stat line below so you don't have to look it up.

4.0 field goals made, 16 rebounds, 44 minutes. Tasked with guarding KD all game. Okay. In essence, just a hustler with a real board man gets paid vibes. The reason for the email is to get the group's advice in a recent situation where he had to kick someone out of a pickup run.

A friend of mine, for purposes of story, you can call him Chris, started a weekly flag football pickup group with several former D2, D3 athletes and some low level D1 guys who want to stay in shape while being semi-competitive. Okay. This is like flag football pickup. We talking full contact on the line. Cause that's like, uh, it's a rare breed right there. Yeah. Uh, the age ranges from 24 to mid thirties, but the level is always really strong while remaining fun.

I played in the league one year I was in Boston and it was incredible. Um, it wasn't like, you know, super physical and scary or anything. My favorite part was that it was over at Cambridge and then, well, I don't even know if it was the league, I think it was just unorganized, but somebody had equipment so it looked a little bit better. Um, it was like the cones and the flags. Like one of my amazing ones What eight cones will do? Yeah, guys are like,

how late were you out last night? Like kind of thing. So I don't, you know, this wasn't like super serious or anything. But then I remember I would just go to the border cafe in Harvard square and eat so much food that I felt like I needed a call, someone to give me a ride just from being food drunk.

Like I would eat so much. I grabbed the Boston Sunday Globe. I would sit there and just read and read and read and just keep ordering as much food as possible. It's greatest fajitas I've ever had in my life. Um, and it's not there anymore. So anyway, um, shout out to that. Not league league.

So, um, as typical with pickup groups, sometimes we're short of numbers. So I invited someone I worked with to come out to a session as a guest. Let's call him Mike. As he had mentioned his experience being on a similar level with people that we play with after several sessions, Chris, the lead of the pickup group. And I realized Mark's quality, which must be below the rest of the group, and invited him to keep coming out as he was generally a nice guy and people liked having around. Flash forward about a year and the pickup group continued to approve, whether it's us getting old or just getting better players, Mike has continued to play consistently with the rising,

but with the rising level, it's become very apparent that he was a negative on every team he played with. Newer players continue to get frustrated and complain to Chris about why he was in the group to begin with. Because of this, Chris and I choose to bite the bullet and ended up reaching out to him directly over text after one of the sessions and letting him know we were no longer going to invite him out.

His reaction was one of confusion, frustration as he laid out, they'd already been playing with scoop for over a year and he was in fact, not one of the worst players in the weekly run. That's going to be a great argument. This is a fascinating text thread. Hear me out dude, Todd, tripping every route. Yeah. It's like, whatever my ceiling is, my floor is higher than bucking Doug's. text thread. Here we are dude, Todd tripping every route. Yeah.

Whatever my ceiling is, my floor is higher than fucking Doug's. Doug's a me first guy. You seen his conditioning? Yeah, Doug doesn't get a couple balls. He doesn't block downfield. Shut's down. After some further reinforcement, Mike ended up leaving the chat

and we haven't heard from him since. So my question for the group here, is there a better way to handle this situation? Kicking people out of pickup feels wrong, but since there was a monetary value, does that make it more acceptable? What's the monetary value? Did I lose something in this? Is there dues or something that they pay? I don't know. Yeah, I imagine that's kind of what he's talking about. Look, this is always really, really tough, really tough. And I think over the years,

I'll notice some guys that, and it's not so much now because I'm just not around it enough, but the guy who stinks who brings the best basketball, or the guy that stinks that's like, hey, I reserved the time. stinks that's like, hey, I reserved the time. And you're like, yeah, it's like all you have to do is go to the front desk

and be like, can we have the gym for the next hour? You just put it in her name. Like literally anybody can do that. I think more often than not, you should just find a way. You should find a way to let everybody work and be happy. But this, if you're seriously playing with like some D1, D2, D3 guys, and he probably isn't very good. If it's been brought up from other people, Hey, this guy isn't really good enough.

No one's going to say, especially if he wants to keep playing, Hey, you're right, I'm the worst player and probably shouldn't be there, right? He's going to point out other people that he thinks are worse than him. This is what all of us would do in any walk of life. But since this is so specific to this skill level that for the most part is not normal that you would have this many guys that are have this kind of athletic background. Um, I don't know if you could have been nicer about it, but clearly nobody wanted to play with them. All right.

Has anybody complained? Has anybody been like, Hey, where's good vibes? Mike, who's the worst player in the entire league? You know, there's just, there's just something, if it's that's, if it was that significant of a drop off, I think you handled something that there was no way that it was like you handled the best way you could when there was no way that it was going to be cool. Like no one in that spot's going to go, Hey, everybody thinks I'm the worst at this thing that I enjoy doing. I'm so bad.

They don't even want me to show up. Hey, all reasonable stuff. Cool guys. Thanks. Doesn't happen. So yeah. He's going to be, he's going to be in his garage doing fucking lateral drills for about a year or later. He's just a be, he's going to be in his garage doing fucking lateral drills for about a year or last year.

He's just a gym. Yeah. Yeah. I don't think it was a drug testing this year, but we agreed. I think this is the, this is the perfect time to insert just a tiny little white lie that everyone can agree on. You know, it's like the new guys is somebody's cousin or something. You know, it's just like, sorry, man, we have to do it.

You know, Brian's cousin is, you know, is, we're having him on the team and that was kind of the last spot. I'm really sorry and appreciate you filling in and whatever. Or like, you know, do, would you mind coming off the bench? Probably not. Okay. I didn't think so. I thought that was insulting, but I just wanted to say it.

Like there would have, I think that's where, where I would have where I would have just inserted something that softened the blow a little bit. It's kind of the same vibes as my normalized no, but this is just way harder. Normalized no is somebody's asking you to do something and you just say no and you don't say why. It's like, sorry. I know that sucks, but not sorry, actually. But this is actively going after someone saying like, you're out because you're the worst one out of all of us. Yeah, and everyone knows it. So you can't do that as proudly and it doesn't feel good to say that as like normalized. No. So I think that would have been a perfect place to insert a little like softener lies. Just a couple little pins there.

I skipped over something just to add to this. Okay, this is the age ranges from 24 to mid 30s, but the level is always really strong while remaining fun. It should be noted as important the story to mention that renting the facilities for a select time weekly costs nominal fees. So anyone who plays chips in some money for each session. All right.

So that that's just, it's not like he bought this place though, right? He's kicked in the money or whatever. But, you know, as I read this thing again, after several sessions, Chris, the lead of the pickup group, and I realized Mike's quality was much, much below the rest of the group, but invited him to keep coming out as he was generally a nice guy at people. So if he was, he lied already about how good he was. You're playing with sick athletes.

Anybody that's at that level of playing, it's not even just the D1 flirtation guys. You play pick up hoops with a D3 guy and you're like, oh, whoa, what the hell is this? So we know what we're talking about here. And if he stands out that badly, that means he's gonna be really upset about it because this might be the first time

like actually in his life where he's like, man, I'm kind of part of the guys. Like there was some flag football thing at ESPN and there was like one guy in particular like talked to all this shit and was like, oh, I used to do this, he used to do that. And then like he shows up and he's got this whole fucking setup

and he's got about 17 different fucking wraps around him and whatever. And everything's brand new. Yeah. Underarm ones that go just at the elbow. The gloves are okay. Just for the record. But I, they can't be like brand freaking new and expensive. Like they gotta be. Broken in Newman's are okay for you. Come on. Sometimes you need a new pair of gloves, buddy.

I love those. I love those. I love those gloves. So this guy clearly isn't even close and you did what you had to do because you're actually dealing, this isn't like the Sunday lunch run. This is organized. You get in the facility.

It just cause he kicked into the facility. Like pay back his money then, right? Yeah. I have no issue with the way you guys handled this thing. Cause I think Mike probably lied and it was just really cool for him to feel like he was involved. Like he was telling other people like, yeah, I'm working out with those things. Like even some D1 guys are showing up there. I'm just blasting them on curl routes, but whatever. What do you do? You seen anybody? I'm with you guys. I don't think I, you know,

the guy can get a Y membership, man. He can play somewhere else. You guys. I don't think I, you know, the guy can get a wide membership man. He can play somewhere else, you know. I don't think, unfortunately, you know, if you're just not, you're not going to be good enough then, you know, it sucks too because a lot of those situations like guys have, a lot of guys have the self-awareness to be like, hey, I don't, I don't know that this is for me. Like remember, I remember in, what was it? I think it was in college. They had like D1 and D2 versions of intramurals. So like the really good players in college, the intramurals would play in the D1 teams

and the other guys would play on the D2 teams. And like mostly people kind of got where they fell in line there. And every once in a while you'd have a guy in D2 playing. It was never really the other way around. Like the good guys never played in D2. It was always the guy that he was better than he was. And those guys got exposed kind of quickly and

then they stopped getting picked for stuff. And then you just kind of get the hint. It sounds like this guy didn't get the hint. So that sucks. But there's nothing you could do, man. No matter what you do, he's going to be bad. So I think he handled it well, about as well as you could. You kind of try to let him off easy. And it's like breaking up with somebody. You could have all the best intentions and somebody could be pissed off. This is me. Some would say it is worse. Yeah, it is worse because it's 12 dudes breaking up with you instead of one. Um, the worst part about this, the greatest shame is that a good pickup

football runs are hard. They're like, you know, there's like fucking unicorns, honestly. Um, so that's the worst part is that this is like, it's like you said, like, you know, get a, get a running at the Y or something like that. If it was basketball, that would be perfect. This would be so much easier, but it's, is that this is like it's like you said like, you know Get it get it running at the Y or something like that if it was basketball that would be perfect This would be so much easier But it's this is hard especially if you find like a great group and you're like, oh, it's at the best time Everyone shows up. We always have enough to fill a game You know all the things that could go wrong when you try to put together a football thing. So sorry to this man

Yeah, I I've had a couple different things like with golf I I get invited and I go, hey, I'm not good enough. So I actually don't want to go with you guys. You're like, oh, don't worry about it. I'm like, no, you guys are all single handicap guys, like two of you are scratch. Like it's just not going to be fun as I try to figure this thing out right now. I played in this beach volleyball thing kind of regularly,

but I could tell there is like one of the non-athletes, there was this, the athletes were totally cool with me, but the other non-athletes were threatened being like, hey, this is a pretty rare group of the non-athletes, there was this, the athletes were totally cool with me, but the other non-athletes were threatened being like, Hey, this is a pretty rare group of the non-athletes that get asked to play with these guys. So we can't have another one of these fucking guys taking up one of our spots. And I still don't forget it because like some guy was like freelance in a bit beach volleyball and he's like, what are you doing? Why are you doing the, what you're doing?

And I was like, I'm athletic enough to recover. I was like, I'm fainting a bit here. I'm fainting to move to try to set this up. I've actually played. And he was like, well, you better stay in position. Stay in back line, stay in back line. I was like, I know what's going on. I was like, new guys here.

And he's actually a little athletic. So are they celebrating over your walking boot right now? Cause you've got a couple of the field patch. No, I don't even know. They may still play and I didn't get invited. So maybe I actually, maybe I got mic'd. You got mic'd. I could have, I could have gotten mic'd. Um, not being around for a good chunk of the summer doesn't help. Um,

when it's like, Hey, are you going to be around? You're going to be around. It's like, no, um, walking boot update. Somebody, a bunch of guys emailed in, I appreciate it. Emailing in and let me know what the torn calf injury is like. And I think one guy had said something like it's 80, 20, like very quickly, you're going to think you're all the way back, but it's that last 20%. And he was absolutely right. Because out of nowhere, I was like, holy shit, I actually feel pretty good. Pretty good. I didn't think about like how it was the first time in two weeks. I thought about, or I didn't think about how I was moving my foot.

So like I let myself sort of move in a way that I've been protecting. And that was like, whoa. I was like, okay, that kills. All right. Enough about that. That's life advice. Thanks to Kyle. Thanks to Steve.

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