The Big Suey: The Braden Looper Talk
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Welcome to the Big Suey, presented by DraftKings. Why are you listening to this show? The podcast that seems very similar to the other Dan Levitard podcast. I'm sorry, I'm not going to apologize for that. In fact, the only difference seems to be this imaging. I have been tempted in restaurants just walking past tables to grab somebody's fries if they're just there. That hasn't happened to you guys? I've done it. And now, here's the marching man to nowhere, fat face, and the habitual liar.

This episode is presented by DraftKings. DraftKings, the crown is yours. That presented tripped you up there. It was right there for you. I just got off a goddamn plane. You tell him. No need to curse at me. I'm sorry, I'm tired, man. You've mentioned that. You've mentioned that you're tired a couple of times now. Sorry that the hockey run of your life has been real hard on you. He's obsessed with the plane. Yeah.

But I mean, he's complaining the whole time about how tired he is. And it's the time of his life. Like it's the greatest thing is happening all around him. But he's like, all he has to say about it in commentary is I'm tired. Also, like the company could just tell you, no, like you didn't have to go on this trip. You could also not go to a game seven if the flight is so bad.

Oh, yeah? Watch me. Well, this is the thing. Yes, see, this is the thing. He would not miss this for his life, and he just likes to complain. He wants to complain. He's at the height of joy. This is what it looks like. This is Joy Roy. It's different than reality. He said it's a happy tired. That's what he is. We all understand that. But the point is, he's happy tired, and also, if I get my beloved Game 7...

If the company didn't send him to Edmonton, he'd throw a temper tantrum and protest in the streets. Yeah, I'd be marching. No kings. Chris Cody took today off to recover from Roy's flight. Huh. Chris Cody is a phony baloney. What are you, Billy, what are you shrugging your shoulders about? We're just trying to figure out, you know, why Roy is in this position of being tired driving the show. It's not even on the calendar, like a taken day off. It's just not in today.

Yeah, just didn't show up for work? Well, it wasn't scheduled. It was just, I don't know. Okay. Maintenance day for Chris. Got to keep him fresh. It is because this runs, Stugatz. The last few years, last five years, I think this show has been battered by what the playoffs in basketball and hockey have been. And this amazing team locally that overcomes all the things...

is on the precipice, one game away, from turning Brad Marchand into what, locally and nationally, ever as a trade deadline acquisition icon for all time, Stugatz? Because there's just, I don't have the historical context in our city to have ever seen, like, I know the Marlins traded for Jeff Conine and Darren Dalton, but it was, it's never been this. Yeah, they got Uga Thurbina, they got, you don't

Y'all remember Nugget Urbino differently than I am. Yeah. He was giving me a heart attack every time he was on the mound. But he was a step up from Braden Looper. Braden Looper was the worst. Except that game. That game that Braden Looper had. The Alex Gonzalez home run game where Braden Looper was going up against, I think it was Jeff Weaver. And no one in the stands felt comfortable about their team's position at all. It was Jeff Weaver versus Braden Looper.

The momentum of the World Series in balance. Okay, so Billy is not wrong. Sometimes the series comes down to that. Yankee Stadium in the backdrop. Well, no, it was here. And it was historically supposed to be that fraud Roger Clemens' last game. Oh, God. His first last game, which started out with such promise. Then there was the Miguel Cabrera opposite field home run. It was like, wow, this is going to be an all-time classic. And then it's going to be decided by...

Braden Looper versus Jeff Weaver, and it was ended by some random defensive shortstop who got lucky and hit it just in that spot between the foul pole and where the wall before it started going up and was like twice the size of that one little spot in the corner. Baseball.

Stugatz, that right there is as much, that moment that Billy speaks of, is as much, I believe, as he's ever cared about sports, at least in part, because it represents such delicious anarchy that

that Braden Looper would shut down the mighty Yankees of Roger Clemens because he got out of a bases loaded jam that none of us thought he would get out of. I've got a really good one. This guy started, shot lights out in the bubble for Miami. I think it's a pretty good comp for Brad Marchand. Now, Brad Marchand has a much bigger name, but in terms of role for the team, very similar. Jay Crowder.

Yes. Jake Crowder is... It was incredible in the bubble. It became the Jake Crowder trade. Yeah. He was a huge part, a starting player on a team that made it to the finals. But people will laugh at you when you say... In a bubble. When you say Jake Crowder because it's Jake Crowder...

I'm saying because of the nature of the goal scoring, you're underselling emotionally what's presently happening in this sport. Whether you want to dilute it or not with he plays on a great line. Oh, I understand the goal score. And that's why everyone thinks that he's the best player on that line because he's the one scoring the goals when...

he's partnered with two incredible players that are on almost any other team. I know, but to Dan's point, he's been the best player on this team, on a team that won a Stanley Cup a year ago. No, I won't say that. He's scored all the biggest goals. He has. What's funny, the leading goal scorer in the playoffs is Sam Bennett. Give him some credit. Can we find the spot, please?

Between too much credit and not enough on I believe we're witnessing something that's going to echo for generations. Okay, so we can get to the arguments about how much credit or not credit or best player or not best player matters.

Right now, the story of this series is that McDavid doesn't have enough for a 37-year-old Brad Marchand. Yes, of course, Brad Marchand has an army of soldiers behind him. Yes, this team is overwhelming. They're the defending champions for a reason. McDavid doesn't look that way because McDavid stinks. McDavid looks that way because that's what the Panthers do to people, flogging them to death with depth. Like,

like that's that the i i don't believe edmonton's getting enough credit for the two games they've won in this series for the way that they've got not kidding you coming back this edmond team edmonton team has been worthy of dethroning a champion and now you need mcdavid to do what you need superstars to do when you expect them to beat the best but the problem is

Team sport, man. Team sport makes it so that Marshawn can hold up the trophy and the consmith and everything that matters and be the ninth best player on the team while scoring a bunch of goals. We are not letting this guy get the consmith, okay? Presently Sam Bennett is minus 230 to lift this thing over his head. Right. And...

honestly it bothers me sam's been great sam bennett has been so good he's been phenomenal you can make he if he gets a goal game he's named the best most outstanding player in the entire playoffs and it would be deserved i don't understand what's happening with sergey boborovsky in this conversation not counting my chickens but he's had his most stellar postseason run he has been good damn near every game this is the best he's playing as a florida panther usually when the goalie plays this well they are not

Plus 1,000 to win the cons. You know what it is, I think, with him? And you're right. He has been great, Bob Brodsky. But here's the thing. When you look statistically, game one, he gave up five goals. Game four, he gave up five goals. And it's like, you look at his overall stats and you look at the save percentage, and it's not as high as what you would think a goalie was going to win the consmiths.

what those percentages and as low as the goals against would be. We know from watching he's been amazing, but statistically there would be an argument against it. Zaz, you are right. He gave up five goals in that game four, that heartbreaking loss at home, but that's the best game I've seen a goalie play, giving up

five goals in my entire life. He's been awesome. Every game, he's been awesome. Edmonton should have scored 10 that night. Yes. It's really rare for a goalie to have this long odds playing this well consistently throughout the playoffs because remember, it's a playoff long award. Right. I don't know how we're here. Well, if Bob was not good at the start of the Toronto series, you got to take that into account, right? But then he was lights out and he was fantastic against Carolina. It's just rare. But Sam Bennett, the reason why he's such...

Bob's got such long odds, it's because Sam Bennett's been the best player throughout the entire playoffs. And if he wins it, it would be deserving. I will say, I love what Marchand is doing. The reaction in the Zaslow Mansion family room with me and my boys does not get any louder or any greater than when Brad Marchand scores. We love him. That's my dog right there. That's my dog, Brad Marchand. But, but...

I don't want him to win Conn Smythe. What? I don't. I don't. Can't you dog that? Because I want Sam Bennett to win or Bob Brodsky. I want one of our guys who have been here for years to win. The Panthers have never had a Conn Smythe winner. Obviously. Never ever. Even though they've won a Stanley Cup, they've never had a Conn Smythe winner. I want it to be one of our guys who have been here.

Dan, you were mentioning how historic this would be and how generations would be telling their children and grandchildren about this playoff run. Like Braden Luper. Yeah. Well, I haven't told my children yet. I'm waiting for the right moment to sit down. Of course. Maybe after we have the talk, then we'll have the Braden Luper talk. But we'll get there at some point in time. Now, Zazzle mentioned the Zazzle family relationship.

and he also has mentioned how pricey the tickets are. He had a situation where he, I think he won a bet and he got to go to a concert he wanted to go to. This could be a game for all time that him and his children could watch.

Now, I'm wondering if maybe there's some sort of bet or maybe some sort of barter situation that can go on here where Zaslo can go. Maybe Zaslo goes, but then he's not back for the rest of it. Like, that's it. He's not. That's his time on the show. Would he exchange that for going to the game or if there's a bet or something we can do? I think Billy is on to something here. I'd like to make it two tickets. Zaslo has to choose a child. Oh, yeah. All right. Whoa. We're doing Sophie's choice for game six. That's a good game. Yes. Who do you love more?

That's terrible. Why are you looking at me like that? Like you actually want me to say who I love more. No, I just want a bet that proves it.

Yeah. Or how about this? If it goes to a game seven, you fly Zaslow and his children to see game seven. Just one. Yeah. Not Roy, though. Roy, I'm sorry for the sake of this prank. I have no interest in going to game seven if it won't get there. What? None. I hate the idea of being, even for any of these other games, I hate the idea of being in Edmonton for this game because it's literally me sitting there with 20,000 people around me rooting for me to be miserable. I hate it.

I hate that whole concept. The Oilers fans are quite nice. And you get to watch history. It's not about them not being nice. It's about when they're happy, I'm miserable. I don't like the concept. Understood. That'd be a kidney punch, I guess. But being in the building when that thing comes out and a team gets to hoist it over its head...

It's just a special feeling. We had lost three consecutive games. That barn was haunted when I walked in there for game seven, and I was fine with the decision that I made because either I see my team lift its first Stanley Cup or I get to see the game's greatest player etch his name in an all-time great conversation with the greatest comeback in the history of sports. You would have been saying that to yourself if they were marching it out there last night to give to Edmonton.

At least I'm here to watch history. The way that I rationalize the price, and those tickets were twice as much as what I paid to get into the barn for game six tomorrow. You're going to keep doing that barn thing. It's a hockey thing, man. You're wrong. I'm not crazy. You're crazy. So when that situation presented itself last year, I was like, if I'm ever at a hockey cocktail party, I got a pretty cool story. I was there for when McDavid capped off the comeback in game seven. That didn't fly for me. Really? No.

Well, let's see if we can find these stakes and find a way before these games are played. These are giant stakes games. And I do think, Stugatz, that we get the wonder and majesty of knowing, right? Because we can all look at each other and know today as we talk in South Florida, hey, this is an all-time team the Panthers have.

And if they lose the next two games, that's not how history's going to do it. Like, we can all sit here right now, and Mike's doing chickens before they're – don't count your chickens and everything else. But no, right now we can say it.

We know what this team is. It's one of the most excellent we've ever seen. Buzz saw it through the playoffs. Everyone knows the depth of this team. And I already took you through the litany of what they've done the last three years of taking out franchise blueprints. This would be an all-time team, right, if they finish this off. When you're up 3-2, you have to finish it off. No, but my point is it is an all-time team. I know it right now as we speak. If they look—

Stugatz, if they lose two 5-4 overtime games the next couple of days, it will make them no less good to me. I know how good this team is. You do not need to prove to me, Panthers, that in these next two games you have some sort of resiliency I don't believe you to have. No, I

know you have it. You may lose the two games because hockey happens, but I know what I'm watching here. It's excellence of the highest order. I understand that, but the way you have people talking about you for the remainder of time is by winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. That's how you do it. That's the way you do it. They would be up there with the 72 undefeated Dolphins. They'd be up there with those Heat teams with LeBron and Wade. They would be up there with the Hurricane team. They went back

to back Stanley Cubs, they need to finish this off. No one's talking about 50 years from now, a team that won one cup. Okay, and you can do that argument in sports for the rest of time. Fine. I'm just telling you that right now as we sit here, up 3-2, what the Panthers have is earned.

The hockey world knows. Oh, shit, they're a giant. They were a champion last year, and it was no fluke. Obvious to all, oh, McDavid will really be doing something if he climbs over them. Sukatsu's right, though. They don't talk about individual one-time champions. When you lump in the greatest...

franchises to ever win the Stanley Cup? Who are the greatest teams of all time? They invoke the Islanders. They invoke the Oilers. They may mention the Blackhawks, who didn't go back-to-back but had a crazy run there. Multiple championships get you in that conversation. Red Wings, those are the teams, too. So let's think about these guys. So Rasheed Wallace was traded at one point, and the Detroit Pistons produced what would be the biggest upset ever.

save the one we're about to witness if the Pacers beat Oklahoma City. That Pistons team beat Shaq and Kobe, and Rasheed Wallace is remembered for all time as an all-time linchpin. That team needed Rasheed Wallace to win the NBA championship. Right. I want to talk a bit about the transactions from sports yesterday. They don't rise to the level of blockbuster only because we've gotten spoiled by when legends like Durant are moving.

But there were a couple of trades this weekend that, while not blockbusters, are getting swallowed by the fact that you have a champion in town and you have Marchand writing an all-time storyline with it. Because who's another trade deadline acquisition that you would put in this conversation of going to be remembered as an all-time acquisition? Locally, I...

It would be Marchand, especially since they win the championship. Oh, no, locally it is Marchand. I think the question is, is there anyone that's close to Marchand, right? Locally, I don't know. I'm doing nationally. National Verlander in 2017. That's a good one. Helped the Astros. I think there are a couple of examples of guys that...

were really great. You can maybe make the argument. CeCe Sabathia was the greatest deadline acquisition ever. Really helped the Brewers. Carlos Beltran. They didn't win the championship. Great one. Beltran. Sabathia didn't win the championship. Manny Ramirez. Florida was in those talks when Manny Ramirez went to LA. He was spectacular for them, but they didn't win.

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Warning, this product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. Don Levitard. Mike Ryan's in there, and he's the one with the baby. He's the one who's got to, like, worry about what the future is. And Mike Ryan bet on DraftKings because Mike Ryan bet on us. This is the bet you're afraid of doubling down on? Putting up a billboard in Edmonton? Stugatz. I care more about Matthew Kachuk than I do my daughter. This is the Don Levitard Show with the Stugatz. ♪

So I want to examine these trades with you guys because I want to examine in general the trade with you guys. The acquisition of giant talents and

but not necessarily star talents. Like what's been distorted over the last 15 years of can we get Giannis so that when Desmond Bain is traded or that Raphael Devers is traded, it's a big trade, but we've changed sort of how we consume these things. The baseball trade is,

for, I'm going to say, 40 years was one of the most fun things that there was about baseball. It was what made it different from other sports in the offseason, hot stove league. Baseball kept itself in the news a million years ago the way football now keeps itself in the news because players could be traded pre-internet age.

What happened yesterday to the Boston Red Sox, I know people don't, we don't talk a ton about baseball here, but for the Red Sox over the last 20 years to get to great and finally topple the Yankees and have something like Mookie Betts and then have the business of it, they signed Raphael Devers to one of those $300 million deals to try and make up for what they botched with an all-time player like Mookie Betts. You let go of him, it's like letting go of Babe Ruth. It's just terrible, right?

to let go of him. And now the business of Boston baseball sports comes for Devers where he doesn't want to be their first baseman. He doesn't want to be in Boston anymore. And so yesterday, the Giants trade for the best left-handed bat they've had since Barry Bonds because he's a power hitter. And Boston is out of the business of actually competing with the Yankees at the top of the sport because they're saying, never mind, the new ownership group is telling you who they are right off the top.

But baseball is such a weird sport. The Red Sox have won five straight. I think they're just six back of the Yankees in the AL East. Like, it's such a strange sport that even without their third baseman, who was a first baseman, who didn't want to play first base, they could still make it to the playoffs. They can. It's a weird sport. The Marlins did it. No, they, okay, they could. But what I'm saying is Boston is signaling, right? The Yankees are playing for everything. Aaron Judge is the monster of the day. Boston

is out of the game now. Like, maybe they won't be okay, but they're signaling to you, nah, the Devers contract, it needs to get out of here, even though he's a three-time All-Star, he doesn't want to be here. But again, I'm giving you the symbolism of, this was the make good for bets, and now they're out of both of the businesses. You don't just grow these players. Well, they got rid of him because he was a malcontent. Like, he was just not cooperating with management. He was refusing to play positions. Like, he...

were not on the same page, and it became apparent that they were just not going to resolve that situation. I know it sounds crazy, but we're in a world of baseball where he's making 31 this year, 27 next year, 28 until basically 2033. That's not that much in baseball right now when you have players making $60 million a year. So his contract isn't even terrible for what he is. He's just a situation where...

They just were not going to get on the same page as him. You're right. He was a malcontent, and they just shipped him off. And it sucks for the fans. I mean, no one can feel what they're feeling more than us down here. Hey, look, your star player now has just traded to another team. But let me ask you guys this question, because I don't know how it would bleep with your head. Everything started with Rafael Devers because management didn't

paid Bregman, right? Like that, and they paid him and no one informed him and so he went from star of the team to no one's telling him anything to can you play first base? No, I don't want to play first base. And it's like, that's what happened, correct? And, and,

I mean, A-Rod played third.

Okay, but the respect of it, does it not mean anything? On just human terms, yes. Go do what you're told, of course. But are you going to allow the humanity of that to actually reach you on someplace that hurts? It can go both ways, though, right? Like there could be the respect thing with the player. You gave him this much money to do X.

And then the other side of it is, well, we gave you this much money. How about you have some respect for us? We would now like you to do X. It goes both ways, right? The funny thing with Bregman, too, is that he can opt out after this season. So they could potentially lose both of them. And then the Red Sox don't have really anything going on.

It does go both ways, Zazz, but I do understand how a player is so good at baseball that he becomes a three-time All-Star and he gets a contract that's worth $300 million. And the team signals to him and everyone, your team, big guy, you're the future. Well, am I? Were you going to tell me?

That you guys already decided to move me positions? Yes, of course. Everyone's got a boss. Yes. But was anyone going to tell me, ask me, wonder, like, or wherever it is, wherever his hurt resides on, at what point do we get to a dollar figure that the person arrives at the own ego stature of, do you tell me what to do?

Because I thought I was here of value to you because I was the third baseman and you want me to be happy and proud of what I do, right? In an emotional game where you're asking me to travel all over the country and stuff and everyone's tired like Roy because we're flying. You're asking me to be great at the top of the sport. You're paying me $300 million to be that. Don't I get personnel? No.

Like, isn't this what we're fighting about all over the place when we talk about the power and the transaction in sports, where these guys want to be sort of in on what they get to do for a living, and the fan is like, no, just do your job. Get over there and designate hit. Just be the designated hitter. Go over there and just be a first baseman. I mean, he's Raphael Devers. Is it Devers or Devers? Well, that's not great. Just keep going with Devers. All right, so do it.

Did that guy have say over how the roster is built? The Red Sox are trying to make the team better, and he wants to ruin it because he doesn't like the position that he has to play or because Red Sox management didn't consult him before the trade? Get out of here. You have a chance to get Bregman. Bregman's a good player. He plays third. You play first. He's worse than Devers, though. There's that. Oh, yeah. Slump. Devers. I just wonder, like, how did the Red Sox—

They must have thought that Devers was going to be okay with the conversation of, we would like you to change positions. Like, how did they...

How did they not handle it so poorly, but what like they didn't know that this okay? So if we actually want to talk about this because the two transactions clearly misjudged it I thought were interesting this happens all the time managing people is hard. It's a difficult thing and Raphael Devers I understand Stugan's how people who climb over

other countries, other athletes in a fight over money, when they get to the 300 million, they're like, I'm the star, right?

I win three-time All-Star. Everyone knows that's hard, right? There are only a few All-Stars. I'm a three-time All-Star. I'm the star of your team. You got me. Look, this stuff is tough, Stu Gatz. I don't know if you've seen what's happened with the Braves. So Freddie Freeman's a first baseman, icon in the town, wins the World Series, historic moment, gets fired, fires his agent. Okay, please just let me get through this. You can get to your Freddie Freeman situation in a second. Freddie Frodman. He's just talking about the teeth.

I'm talking about emotional connections to players and where it is that people, they get it wrong in terms of how people connect in a way that then everyone gets surprised when Luke is attached to a city. Brian Kinney did something great on this the other day. He's consistently great on baseball. And he was just talking about what the Braves did at first base. And they did something business smart. They got Matt Olsen. He plays every day. He's just about as good as Freddie Freeman. He's amazing. Only

Only problem is Freddie Freeman has been even better in Los Angeles and he also plays every day and no one expected Freddie Freeman to get even better because he was already as great as there was. So Matt Olsen is something else at first base for the Braves than what was the soul of a champion team and something that was connected to community. Raphael Devers was a Boston Red Sox and he was the make good on Mookie Betts. We traded him contract wise.

You made him the face of your team in a town where they still care about baseball like that.

where they still care about baseball and where it connects, you really hurt them. It's something soulless. The transaction in Boston on a baseball team, you can't always be the one trading Ruth when you're the Red Sox and you've now beaten the Yankees. Boston crapped out on the game yesterday in public and Red Sox fans, I would understand why they would be mad at Devers for not behaving and also mad at their franchise because it's like, oh, we're going cheap now.

No? Isn't that what happened? Do I have it wrong? Because Zazz is asking me a good question. Where did the communication break down? I'm sure they've reported this in Boston. And I'd wonder where the communication breaks down on someone like Raphael Devers, who doesn't necessarily have a history of loyalty to Boston as a market, isn't connected there the way Mookie Betts was, the way Freddie Freeman was. So it doesn't want to be there.

Like, is unhappy in Boston because be the malcontent in Boston. See how that goes for you. Be the guy who won't play first base for the team and see how nice people are in restaurants in Boston. Yeah, like then you're Carl Everett is what ends up happening there. No, your life away from Fenway is terrible and your life there is not great either, especially when you start the season the way he did, just striking out all the time. Well, he's going to San Francisco. That's a pretty good spot. And they need him. Well, they haven't had a left-handed bat since Boston.

They don't have anyone who hits home runs like that. We're also just assuming here with the way that we're saying this that they're not going to spend that money on someone else, which we don't know. They got rid of him because he was a malcontent and he was just refusing to play in the field after they made him a DH. They're 10th in payroll this year. I mean... So, Stugatz, the thing that I wanted to sort of marvel at with you, though, when it comes to the trade and the transaction and how we care about it. Now...

At any other time in my lifetime, the idea that Shohei Otani is pitching tonight. Yeah. It's about time. Yeah, but okay. Snuck up on us, huh? Okay.

Yes, it's about time. I'd like to enjoy the excellence of this for a moment before you berate it, okay? Sure. Just give me a second. Enjoy your way, Dan. Enjoy it now before he blows it on the mounds. Just give me an inning. Okay. Otani is pitching tonight, and what I read recently about him— I'm reading now he's only throwing innings. Jesus Christ.

Oh, God, he's an opener? He's not really pitching. Expensive opener for Dodgers, huh? $700 million, that guy pitches an inning? Feel good. Jeez. Go on, Dan. The feel good. Thank you, Billy. I appreciate the permission. A little quality start, you know what I mean? What would Nolan Ryan say? A little QS. Mm-hmm. Anyway.

A little QS. Something. It is. It is. We've gotten to the point where that's a baseball thing. Somebody gives you a little QS, you value that. Why even send him out for an inning? You're just going to get him hurt, potentially. An inning is Real Cormier. That's...

He's not lying, Dan. Better be nine pitches, I'll tell you that much. So Otani is pitching tonight, and I did read the other day, it made me laugh out loud that Otani broke a big drought with two home runs. His drought had been 10 games. He hadn't gone 10 games without hitting a home run.

A giant drought for Otani. And also, he's pitching tonight. But the thing that I wanted to frame this against is... Sort of. Otani is pitching tonight. And Aaron Judge... A bullpen session. Live game action. Okay, so Otani is going to go out there and stand on the mound and do something that resembles pitching, briefly. Little rehab start. Which makes him one of the most majestic athletes of all time.

which makes him one of the most majestic athletes of all time, being able to do both of those things. And I believe the audience wants more on Devers and Desmond Bain. Do you really? Yes. Yes. I'm chomping at the bit for Desmond. I believe, I believe the new going rate of three, four first round picks for Desmond Bain and us saying, well, that's better than bridges went for five picks or go bear went for five. They got a deal. And,

And the thing that Orlando needs is exactly what he does. It's just like the one thing. Catch and shoot, can you make threes? Orlando's terrible at that, and Orlando knows they're close. Like, Orlando absolutely knows they're not that... That they could beat the Knicks, that they could beat Detroit, that they could be at the top of the East. So Orlando suddenly is playing for right now with its draft picks, and I think that one caught us off guard because I...

I think the next step on this is we all assume is Ja now available in Memphis? Are they going to start shutting that down in a way that starts rebuilding so that everyone's doing it OKC's way? Where you now can get 50 picks.

and do whatever it is Ainge was doing in Utah and he tried to do in Boston because the going rate for somebody like Desmond Bain, who's never been an all-star, is four first-round picks. I think that's the most fascinating part about this. And yes, the Grizzlies have already come out and said, Ja's not on the table. We'll see if that...

proves to be true. But I think this is a fascinating move in that, as you mentioned, Dan, he brings them exactly what they need. A consistent outside shooter, over 40% from three, a three and D guy who also slashes when they have guys that draw double teams and they don't really have guys that cut to the basket all that much. For me, it's what's the tipping point? We think the bridges move help New York, but five picks is too many is fantastic.

for the right number is for the right number for a team like Orlando that had some pieces maybe to get a superstar, but are they really in that game? Did they have to keep their powder dry or is this the exact moment that they seize and

And Zaz, the East right there is so weird, it might be for the taking, and this might be the perfect move for Orlando. Yeah, so the first thing is, I think it was really more like three first-round picks that they gave up for Bain because it kind of feels like... And a swap, right. Yeah, because Caldwell Pope's contract sucks, and so it's kind of like, hey, we'll take his contract, we'll give you a first-round pick to sweeten it. So it really feels like it was three first-round picks for Bain, and when you think of it like that, it's like, alright.

All right, it's not that much, you know, but I think Mike is right overall where I think it's just as much about being able to get a player that you really like in Desmond Bain and watching what's going on in the Eastern Conference. Wow, Boston, you're screwed. Milwaukee, you're screwed. Let's get in the mix here. You know, I think it's a great move from Orlando for that perspective for a franchise that never does anything.

It's like, yeah, let's go for it. I think it's mostly about the Eastern Conference. I do. Because you have a 50-win team and the Pacers playing for an NBA championship right now. And I think Orlando had 42 wins this past season. They're good and young. Don't underestimate how good Orlando and Detroit are. It's just surprising to see an irrelevant franchise except for that one couple of years with Stan Van Gundy.

And the one couple of years with Shaq and Anthony Hardaway, this team has existed for 40 years without getting – it's gotten two finals and never won anything. And this is the best young team they've had in a while. Wagner and Benchero are excellent players.

They had some injuries at an unfortunate time, so they could have taken out Boston this year. Boston will acknowledge that that team's youth and length and perimeter defense is a problem, and the one thing they didn't have is the thing that Bain does better than anyone in the sport. It's...

He's third best in the sport. It's catch and shoot threes, catch and shoot threes, catch and shoot threes. They're terrible at both. They're historically bad at threes, and they're historically bad at catch and shoot threes. But it's also really, I think the second part of the story here is

This trade happened during the NBA finals. This is clearly the start of what's going to be a crazy transactional period. Keep, uh, keep that energy for this conversation. Cause Tony reality has buzzed in from the basketball court that is in the building, the basketball court. We have not explored any of these spaces. Uh, Tony is playing with a fan of the show who does it. Oh my God. That was a tremendous brick. Uh,

Earlier in the show, I just went into the video room. I was told that Reali and Big Mac had a terrible dap at the start of saying hello that the video team did not capture. Reali, did you remember the dap with Mac? Because unfortunately, we couldn't find it. Yeah, I caught him. I caught him.

I caught him on the forearm like we were medieval soldiers checking each other for a sword, you know, when you really go up high on there. So that's where I was. So this is absurd what just happened. John can hoop. He played in junior college, right? He's a basketball coach at Butler High School in Pennsylvania. But we had somebody matched up to play against him one-on-one. It was Jordan Hawkins of the New Orleans Pelicans. Ten points per game this season for the New Orleans Pelicans.

National champion. Where is he? Is he there? Angel Reese's cousin. Is he just working out? He was here. He's working out, yeah. So he was going to work out outside, but I recognized him, and I saw him, and he gave me what's next. He's like, Kick Patowski, season two, episode 37. I'm like, yep, man, you got me. So we almost had 10 points per game in the NBA versus John, but John's game, I mean, is solid. He played Juco. He coaches at Butler in Pennsylvania right now.

And, you know, this is all about positivity. You mentioned all of this before. I don't know why we're recapping this now. Well, it's just a recap. It's just called TV. I know you guys are doing something else. So what I'm going to do in spreading, in the guise of spreading positivity, I'm going to sacrifice myself now because John is about 6'6". So I'm going to...

I'm going to allow myself to be Frederick Weist at this moment, I think. So let's just see. You're going to play against him, but you're going to do this while carrying a microphone. Now, I have to tell the people, as I've told them before, you used to be unreasonably competitive, scream at referees, et cetera. Yes, you know this about me. You know this about me. So, John, once again, here's John from Pittsburgh, the poppy shirt.

All right? One night and one night only in Miami, and now he's rocking it with the poppy shirt. His wife is packing for their trip, and this is what he's doing. That's good. This is a good moment for him. Maybe we're not spreading positivity. All right. So this rib right here may not be 10, but we're going to be going with it. Let's see what your game is for a second and see if I can get a ball, too. So...

He started out with some mic and drills, and now we've got the baseline jumper. But what I really want here, I'm all about sacrificing myself here for a viral clip that can live on the internet forever. So John's going to dunk on me, and I'm going to eat it. All right? So let's put this down for a second. Okay. So that should be slightly less rehearsed than that. I thought maybe perhaps you guys would just do that instead of saying you're going to do that. There are probably liability issues here, and the video's not great in the gym. Mmm. So...

Angel Reese's cousin was there to witness it, though. Yeah. That's too bad. How do you recognize him? That's too bad. We were right there to a strong, strong moment, and then the video cut out because we're in the bowels of the gym somewhere. I heard it. I think it happened. I don't know. We did hear it, so maybe we can get a recap of what we didn't see from an incredibly— Right here. We're going to get a recap from this angle. Okay. Yeah, they're not picking it up.

We'll come back to you, Reali, in a little bit. We were proud of ourselves for executing it correctly one time. We decided to go right back to it, and it was too early for that.

There was a fan at the game, the last Panther game, that removed his Edmonton jersey quickly. And then to reveal a Panther jersey underneath. Was that a plant? Well, this person has gone viral, and this would make Panther fans mad, I would assume. Hate him. That that guy came to the arena with both jerseys, and that he could do that to Edmonton fans when they're down 4-1 and their team needs them, and this guy's a phony.

It's just, what are the chances that the shot is perfectly framed for this dude that's standing, who's not being emotional in the moment, he's just chilling, and they know to cut right to this guy, and at that exact moment he takes off his sweater? It could have been a natural moment, but I'm a little suspicious.

Mike, you mentioned something about keeping the powder dry. I don't know what that expression is. Like, I don't know where it comes from, and I don't know what it even means to keep. I guess I sort of know that to keep your powder. Go ahead, Stugatz. I'm sorry. Cocaine. Cocaine. I don't think it's cocaine. It's not.

I don't know what it means to keep your powder dry. Back in the day, it was harder to load up weapons. It wasn't these automatic weapons of today. You had to realize, do I use this shot and then take the allotted time? I might be running long. So that's a reference from using a musket and like a bayonet and keeping powder dry before you shoot? Yeah. Save it for a more judicious time.

Okay. Yeah, more difficult time. Like, all right, we can take this little guy out, but what's coming our way? I didn't know that that was gunpowder that we were talking about. Did you guys know that that was gunpowder? I haven't looked it up, but I'm fairly certain this is what it is. It's muskets? I thought it was cocaine. My friends told me that. It sounds good. How are we doing with Reali? Because Reali, I'm being alerted that Reali wants to get back in here, and I don't want to get back in here if we're not going to get dunked upon. So...

All right, so we will come back in moments here and get all of Mike Ryan's Desmond Bain thoughts that I know you're eager for. Howdy, folks. It's Mike Ryan. Now, if you've been listening to the show a lot lately, you've heard so much playoff talk. Playoff hoops down here in South Florida were especially enamored with playoff hockey. It's not just limited to the playoffs. Motorsports, tennis, golf. It's truly one of the best times ever.

in the sporting calendar. And with the weather outside warming up, it's just perfect to hop in a pool, maybe grill up some food, but most certainly crack open some Miller Lights. I just described a pretty perfect day, didn't I? And it culminates with Miller time. There's something about a perfect grilling day. The sun's out, friends show up, and that first sip of Miller Light just hits different. I've been stocking up the cooler with it for years. This year, Miller Light turns 50.

That is five decades of cookouts, laughs, and ice-cold moments that never miss. And if you've listened to the show for its 20-year existence, you know this to be true. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to MillerLite.com slash Dan to find delivery options near you. Or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer. Cheers to 50 years of Miller time. Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces.