Takes

Kyrie Irving became a better teammate because of the solar eclipse

I could honestly see Kyrie Irving becoming a whole new man after an eclipse. I could see him experiencing that and being like, 'you know what, this is post-totality Kyrie, I'm gonna be a good teammate.'... Dallas was like heart of the totality path, right? I'm telling you, I think something flipped in Kyrie.

NBA GMs would likely choose Luka Doncic over Jayson Tatum or Anthony Edwards to start a franchise

Rank the players [for a GM]... Luca, Tatum, Ant, Haliburton... I think they probably take Luca because he's six-eight and he can be such a difference maker in a single game. Then Tatum and Ant is interesting because Ant defends, man... Not only does Ant defend, he wants to defend.

Mike Conley is the Timberwolves' third most important player

Conley always does the right thing... Mike Conley playing well and being healthy and doing his job. I think he's third most important on the [Timberwolves]... He gets them organized. Because that team gets a little wild.

If the Celtics do not win the title this year, it will be a terrible missed opportunity

If Boston doesn't win, it's a terrible missed opportunity. Because LeBron's not in their way. The Warriors are not in their way. Giannis didn't make it there cause he was hurt. The only team that handled them all year long was the Nuggets... they're gone. It's sitting there in Boston's lap. They gotta take it.

The EA Sports College Football franchise is the best video game franchise ever

The EA Sports College Football franchise... Best franchise in all video games. I agree. That's a solid take. That's good take.

Scotty Scheffler was set up to be arrested by the PGA to boost TV ratings

I have reasons to believe that Scotty was set up to be arrested. If you look at the PGA numbers the day before it was extremely down... They paid a cop to tell Scotty the wrong information. The police department knew what time he'd be coming in and what car he would be in. I believe it was set up for large number of views the next couple days.

The NBA should start its season on Christmas Day and play only 60 games

I am a big proponent of starting it like [a] 60 game season started on December 25th. Remember the year, the lockout year? That started. That was awesome. It was good [the] best schedule... I think every sport outside of football should do smaller seasons.

The Philadelphia Eagles will have a great 2024 season

[The Eagles season is going to go] Great... Couldn't be more sure. A hundred percent the guy [Jalen Hurts]... I'm going into this season optimistic with [Nick] Sirianni. We got good coordinators this year. We didn't have good coordinators last year.

The Celtics are effectively the NBA champions now that the Nuggets have been eliminated

Congratulations to Hank. Boston Celtics are NBA Champs. Because the nuggets are out. The only real competition that they had.

The formula for the Timberwolves to win is for Anthony Edwards to not score at all in the first half

When [Anthony Edwards] is held below five points in the first half of the game, the timber wolves are seven and one this season. ... So he just gotta not score, just have him not score at all in the first half and then you're good.

The Timberwolves are for real after beating the Nuggets in Denver

I couldn't be more impressed with, with the wolves. This series was just, it was the anti Minnesota series... they win the game somewhat convincingly. 'cause they were up 10 with like three minutes left and it was over in, in the Nuggets building. They win three games in Denver. I mean, what a what a what a performance. They're they're for real.

The Nuggets' navy 'Altitude' jerseys are not suitable for a Game 7

I don't know what the fuck burn that nuggets jersey Never wear it again... you gotta have something more intimidating and then you let, that's not a Game seven uniform. That's a game two uniform.

The Pacers deserve more credit for their Game 7 victory in the 'Mecca' than the ESPN broadcast gave them

The Pacers deserve all the credit. They deserve the shine that ESPN just did not give them whatsoever. ... The Pacers, the credit here, they went into the Mecca in a game seven and dropped 130. Just did not miss 67% from the field.

Real villains don't anoint themselves; they naturally become villains by simply not caring what others think

To me, the best villains aren't the ones that have to be like, you know what, I'm gonna embrace the role of a villain. A real villain just doesn't give a fuck. And they're a villain. ... People who anoint themselves as a villain [versus] people who are just naturally villain.

Celtics will beat the Pacers in 5 games

Celtics in five... I could see maybe going six, but definitely not seven.

Jayson Tatum is better than Luka Doncic due to his playoff experience

I would, I'd say Tatum is better than Luca... More experience. He's played longer... they've more playoff games. I mean it's close. It's close. It's, ...

The Mavericks made the right decision to tank at the end of the 2022-23 season to keep their draft pick

The Mavericks made the right decision. They got a good big young guy [Dereck Lively II] who can help Luca in his Prime win a title this year instead of trying to make, and probably failing to get in the play in. ... Tanking works sometimes.

The Thunder should draft Zach Edey to pair with Chet Holmgren

I actually think you wanna hear this one. I think the thunder should draft Zach Edey. Twin Towers... you got the, the Nimbly three point shooting Skinny center and then you got a little bit more of a traditional center in Zach Edey.

The Mavericks will beat the Timberwolves in seven games to advance to the NBA Finals

I got Mavs and seven.

The Scottie Scheffler arrest is the wildest golf story ever

I think it's the wildest golf story maybe ever... waking up to see Scotty Scheffler has been arrested the morning of a PGA championship and thrown in jail for and charged with a felony assault on a police officer. And it's Scotty Scheffler. Yeah. That's, that's the crazy part.

Scottie Scheffler is a 'system golfer' who is significantly less effective without his caddy, Ted Scott

I still think that the fact that [Scottie Scheffler's] caddy skip Saturday is a bigger story. That's so crazy to me. He sucked on Saturday. He's a system golfer. Ted Scott is the reason why Scotty is so good. ... [Scheffler] shot great again on Sunday when Ted Scott came back.

Bryson DeChambeau has successfully changed his public perception by embracing his role as a 'showman' and an entertainer

I do think he also has gone a little bit of the JJ Watt story arc where if you're so beyond corny and like do everything for the camera, if you can just dial it back a little and be a somewhat normal person, we'll immediately just be like, you rock. ... He is come all the way back around... he's a little bit of a human being and it works for him now.

Valhalla is a 'pussy' course for allowing record-low PGA scores

For guys like us who love the course, what a fucking pussy Valhalla is. Yeah. Got absolutely demolished... 72nd position was, was under par. Braden Shaddock went minus one and he finished 72nd by himself. That's nuts.

Sports networks need to stop forcing the 'Rory McIlroy is lurking' narrative when he is multiple strokes off the lead on Sundays

Can they just stop trying to like, will Rory down our throats? ... It feels like every major we watch Rory is, you know, teeing off early on Sunday. He makes a couple good shots and they try to show us and be like, well look out for Rory. Yeah. What do you mean look out for Rory? He was 10 strokes off the lead.

Oleksandr Usyk was the deserved winner over Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury lost, Usyk beat him in 12 rounds. It was an awesome fight... the right fighter won... Tyson Fury's in Deep Water because I knew he's the type of guy that if you're like Tyson Fury's done. Yeah. He'll come back and he'll just knock someone else out.

Connor McDavid is the most talented player to ever play hockey

I will say this guy's the best player that maybe we've ever seen play the game skill wise. Stuff that he can do out there... there's no one even close that can do the things at top speed that he does night in and night out.

Sidney Crosby is still the best all-around hockey player in the world today

I've seen [Sidney Crosby's] career, his game changed like three different times. Man. He reinvented himself and added things to his game. That's why I still believe he's the best all around player in the game today.

Hockey is a significantly tougher sport than soccer, and it isn't even a close conversation

In terms of toughness, we're not gonna talk about soccer with hockey players. Not taking it away from soccer. But it's not even, we're, they're not even in the conversation. ... These players, they're the warriors... dealing with the pain and the aches that they have to deal with for the rest of their lives.

NHL players want the 'physicality and shots' in the game's gray areas

The best part about that series was watching Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand shake hands. I mean it's, it's an f you to all those fans out there that try to take that component out of the game... you're telling me that I've never been cheap shotted before... I love them for it. That's a part of the game. Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant.

The Rangers will beat the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals

I'm gonna pick the Rangers... I think that the winner could be coming out of the east this year... if the Rangers can play their game, move pucks, break out clean attack... they will have a ton of success. And I hope they do. I 93, 30 years, I wanna see it happen.

To stop the Oilers' power play, defenders must prioritize taking away backdoor tap-ins and force shots from the point

If they're gonna beat you, don't let them beat you with backdoor tap-in and Easy tap-in around the net. Let them beat you from a Bouchard point shot or something from outside. You know, like let them let it have to go off two legs and into the net. You'll take that. But you can't have the backdoor tap-in to [Leon] Draisaitl and stuff happen.

Connor McDavid 'can't win the big one' until he proves otherwise

Has Conor McDavid [won a title]? I think we won. No, he has not. Okay. Alright. So there, the discussion... we have to, as our job say, he can't win the big one... He won the big one and now he's the guy that can win the big one.

The Dallas Stars are the best-built team in the NHL

How do you not pick Dallas? Like, what would be your reason for not picking Dallas? ... from the coaching Pete DeBoer to the stars up front. They have scoring depth up front. They have veteran presence, they have sandpaper, they have youth, they have speed, they have defense... Jim Nill deserves a lot of credit.

The Knicks would never have beaten the Celtics even if healthy

Would I have loved for it to be, you know, Mr. Bing Bong versus Hank? I mean, yeah... the Celtics look, they would've never beaten the Celtics. It was just fun to get in Hank's face.

The Knicks are still one superstar like Kevin Durant away from being a championship team

I still wish KD [Kevin Durant] was here. Man. It just would've, we needed, we needed that one. We needed that one player. You know, it's just crazy. So we'll see what happens in the off season.

Spreads do not matter in Game 7 of the Timberwolves-Nuggets series

So the spreads don't matter in this game. Put it that way. It's just pick whatever team you think is gonna win.

The Timberwolves cannot lose when wearing their throwback uniforms

The wolves wore their throwbacks with the throwback court, which was the minute I turned on the game, I was like, oh, it's fucking on. I don't know. They should wear that every single game. I do not think they could lose in those.

Stephen A. Smith could score five buckets on LeBron James in a one-on-one game to 100

I'm going to say that Stephen A. I think Stephen A. could score five buckets on [LeBron]... Because I think that LeBron would, he'd just, he'd get tired. There's no load management in the game to 100 one-on-one.

Xander Schauffele's record-breaking start at the PGA Championship will not end well

Schauffele was lights out today. He's in the lead. He shot nine under I think. So now everyone is saying like, this feels like it's the year... I'm gonna go on the record and say I've seen this movie before and it's not gonna end well.

LeBron James is going to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers

So LeBron is gonna go back to the Cavs... LeBron has a podcast with JJ Redick. LeBron wants to make the podcast even bigger. LeBron gets JJ Redick hired by the Lakers... I am gonna go to Cleveland and I'll get a different coach. So LeBron is actually trying to get two coaches hired right now.

The 'easy path' criticism of the Celtics' playoff run is an invalid excuse

I don't give a fuck about anyone that says that their path is easy. All they can do is beat the teams in front of them. It's not a valid excuse for people to be like, oh, Cupcake Mickey Mouse Eastern Conference run.

The Denver Nuggets have too much talent for the Dallas Mavericks

I just think that the Nuggets have even like four of those guys where if they have, they're capable of having incredible nights... I just think that the nuggets have too much talent for the Mavericks.

The NFL schedule release has become over-produced and exhausting

I'm talking about the entire thing. I'm talking about the leaks. I'm talking about the intentional leaks. The unintentional leaks, the release of the release of the schedule. I'm kind of overall of it. I actually wish the NFL would go to a system where we don't even know when it's coming out and it's just a random Tuesday afternoon.

Secretariat was likely racing on anabolic steroids

I think a pretty strong possibility that Secretariat was racing on anabolic steroids. But here's the deal. So were the other horses he was running against. It doesn't really taint his legacy in any way to me because he was an incredibly dominant race horse at a time when pretty much all the horses were running on that stuff.

Mystic Dan is a bet-against in the Preakness Stakes

I think he is a bet against. He got a perfect trip [in the Derby], which he's probably not gonna get Saturday. He's coming back in two weeks. For all those reasons, from a betting standpoint, I think he's a bet against.

Tuscan Gold is the best bet to win the Preakness Stakes

To me, the bet in the Preakness is a horse called Tuscan Gold, trained by Chad Brown. On numbers, he's just as good as Mystic Dan in my opinion... and he should be a higher price.

The Boston Celtics have the best team remaining in the NBA playoffs

I do think unbiasedly, [the Celtics] have the best team left. At least in the East. When you talk about the West, I think the Denver-Minnesota series has been incredible.

NBA players would win the World Cup for the US in four months if they switched to soccer

If the Bucks decided that they wanted to be the US men's national team in soccer, we'd win a World Cup. No problem. Pick any sport. They'd be our best soccer player without a doubt. Give them four months.

I will find a middle ground with my sleep schedule to avoid missing shows

The first incident sleeping in too late kickstarted my fitness documentary journey, which has me waking up early, which then forced me to be tired and sleep late. So I just gotta find that middle ground. But I'm gonna find it.

Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player in the world, and that's a fact

I am so happy that I'm alive, that I am blessed to be able to do a sports podcast while Nikola Jokic is playing basketball because holy shit, he is the best. ... remind everyone that yes, I am the best player in the world. And that's a fact.