Episode #39: Astros Playoff Push & MLB Expansion Rumors Explained

Opening Banter & Weather Talk

Welcome back everyone to the Sport Shots pod. I’m Isaiah. I’m here with Kyle. We live on different plains of the earth, same country. I’m over here angry. I’m over here in a wife beater because it’s hot over here on the south side. And Kyle showed up in a hoodie. Door open, back sliding door open, no AC. I have my AC cranking. It’s just, you know, now Kyle is Texas born, but he’s living in good weather right now compared to us.

It’s okay. It’s okay. Compared to us right now. I know. I used to sweat down there with y’all, too. But then I wised up and said I’m going to get the hell up out of here.

Yeah. Yeah, you did wise up. But now you’re saying there’s some competition with good old homestyle Blue Bell ice cream. And that’s where I’ve got to drop the gauntlet.

Ice Cream Wars & High School Football Memories

Ah, well then I’mma step over that line. I’m gonna make sure and I’mma step over with – guess what, you know what, I’mma go ahead and give them a run. Kemp’s Ice Cream. Go ahead. I’m trying to say I’m pushing it. Y’all are better than Blue Bell. We need a damn sponsor.

As a born current, that is a shot. Kyle has drawn his weapon and fired. And there’s more – there’s more of a personal touch against Blue Bell too because you know they started in Brenham and you know their high school kicked our ass my senior year, as they should.

Yeah. So don’t be mad because y’all can’t beat anyone out of San Antonio.

Oh dog, once we pass, you know, the 361 Corpus Christi, that’s it for us. My alma mater, man. The Mexicans can only go so far. Once you’re a dominantly Mexican-based high school football team, you only go so far in playoffs. That’s just a fact.

It’s okay, Isaiah. It’s okay to come in second sometimes.

Dog, I wish we came in second. I wish it was second place. It’s third round and we’re done. Once we pass the third round, it’s over for us.

Well, speaking of high school football, seems like it’s back. It was all on ESPN yesterday after that Kansas State-Iowa State game. But we’re getting too far into it. You got anything in the cup?

What They’re Drinking & Moonshine Stories

I mean, like I mentioned before we started recording, I’m already a six-pack deep in. I was at a Mexican barbecue panga, right? So Bud as always. Drank six beers and I don’t want to get any more because I’m going to have to face my wife after this. So she had like a couple seltzers and so, yeah.

Are we calling seltzers alcoholic beer just now? If it’s more than 5% alcohol, it’s an alcoholic beverage. If it’s more than 5%, there’s some beers more than five. We’ve gone soft. I mean that’s the easiest.

Have you ever tried moonshine?

Can’t say that I have. I’ve tried it once. I was not that deep in the south in places where I shouldn’t have been where it would have been prevalent to have tried it. So yeah.

So is there something you want to tell me, Isaiah?

Oh no. I’ve only tried moonshine once. Dude, that shit is rubbing alcohol. I don’t know what. It’s pure alcohol. You open that closet. What kind of robes you got up in there?

Oh, listen. I got nothing but robes. All right. I gotta robe every day of the week. Nothing but my drawers underneath. I got everyone feeling weak. Do you think that’s free balling under there?

Of course. Of course. The reason why I say it ’cause I am. I’m just joking. I’m not free balling. I’m not free balling. I have at least my drawers on, my chonies, my underwear. They be fully in them robes and you know I always want to just go to them and just pull the hood off and just to see what it looks like, but well, that’s called public indecency, that’s what—

Oh, just showing their face?

Yeah, it is. Yeah, you know, that’s what you don’t want to see. That public indecency just having it. Yeah, stay away from that moonshine. Yeah, it’s not worth it. The only thing you need to do is try to taste it once just to say you tried it and that’s it. If you drink it on a regular basis, something’s wrong.

Did you drink it out of the big bottle with the triple X on it?

I did. I drank it out of that bottle. No, I drank it out of a mason jar.

Yes, it’s close enough. Basic. That’s some hillbilly stuff. You know what I’m saying? That’s something, man. Felt like I drove through towns that used to push that shit in Virginia off the 81.

Oh, I know. I know. Definitely one of them was. Did I tell you that story when I pulled up at a McDonald’s on my – it might have been on the way to your wedding, actually. No, it definitely was on the way to your wedding.

This is news to me.

All right. So, I pulled up at a McDonald’s out there. It was like in the boonies, like way off in like on the other side of Appalachia, I guess it’d be them kind of towns but not in West Virginia though. But I pulled up there and the whole Trump rally, the whole caravan just pulled into a parking lot, horns blasting everything, and they pulled into a parking lot of what looked like it used to be a Kmart. So, ain’t nothing been in that little strip center for about a good 20-plus years. So, that kind of tells you what kind of town it was.

The thing that tripped me out the most about it was that there was a sign that said “Blacks for Trump” and it was driven by a white person. I was kind of confused by that. I’m like, that makes no sense.

Sir, what do you identify as?

Yeah, that’s kind of what I’m doing. I’m like, I was just, you know, just asking in my head like y’all still going back home broke. Exactly. But yeah, I saw that. So, you know, that kind of town where the way you say you drank, you tried that moonshine. I picture it coming from that town. Yeah. Marion, Virginia. That’s what it was. So, be careful if you go through there.

Probably exists. I might one day. All right. You got anything to cook?

Basketball League & Getting Older

No, just water. Healthy stuff. Dry over here. It’s prohibition in this house for a minute. We may restock this week. We need to. It’s been a minute. So, yeah. But going on the clean shit, I actually cook. So, you know, trying to be clean.

Yeah, that’s a counter against that. And you know, since I got something going every Wednesday, I gotta make sure that I’m also not picking out.

Yeah. I don’t know what’s going on every Wednesday, but yeah. Something where you accuse me of having rebounds.

Oh, yes. Yes. Yes. You got your good old 40U basketball league. Kyle is the – we’ll just say he’s the wisest on the team. We’ll just say wisest because you’re the oldest.

Listen, I didn’t want to say oldest on the team, not in the league.

Well, there you go. That’s good. You know, it’s way better than being oldest in the league and you’d be like then you’d be considered the old timer, the OG, as they say. I’ll just call myself Tom Brady then. Might as well. The LeBron James.

Anyways, on to the Astros actually figuring out how to score runs this weekend. How did it feel?

Astros Talk – Offense Finally Clicking

It felt good. Yes, it was against the 60-70 Orioles. I don’t care who – I don’t care if it was against the damn Rockies. Just score. Just beat up on someone.

Yeah. Now, the last three games they played, they averaged like eight runs, which is awesome, right? That’s great. It was good to finally see something happening. Offense could get going. The only problem I have is we’re closing into playoffs. What we got, maybe three weeks left, four weeks left of games. And I’m a big stats guy, right? And our season runs per game ranks 21st in the league.

I was just looking at the fact that we’re sitting in first with a plus-19 run differential and that’s not the best in the division. You know who is?

I mean it’s Seattle. Nope. The Rangers. The Rangers.

Damn. Yep. Damn. And I think we have the lowest run differential out of all the first places in the division by not even close.

Yeah, it’s not even close. Shortest plus-98. Toronto’s plus-55. We’re a measly little plus-19.

Yeah. Not even over 20, dude. And that’s what worries me the most is like we’re winning, but we’re scraping by, you know?

Oh, man. It’s been like that for like the past year-plus for us, man. You know, there’s no more of that, you know, when we’re sitting back comfortable by like the fourth, fifth inning. Exactly. Not to say that happens every night, but when you’re barely scraping by like they are and you have your key guys going down like they had, doesn’t it make you really damn nervous?

Exactly. It does. It does because we’re barely winning against all these teams now. We at one point we had the best record against over-.500 teams, but that’s like we’re barely getting there. And you told me that in the text and not to which I responded saying, “What does it matter? Look at them in the last week-plus.” Like I don’t care about what they done two months ago. I care more about what they’ve done in the past two weeks.

Yeah. Because in baseball there’s recency bias. There is. No, baseball is a hot and cold league, you know, and like I know this doesn’t correlate with wins, but like also who what speed do we have on a team? We’re like top five in least amount of steals, bottom five, whatever. Now, I would say that number is definitely not moving with Coria. You know, it’s been since the Biden administration since he last stole a base.

Yeah, I can’t remember the last time I saw him attempt.

Yeah. So, no, don’t count on it to happen. You know what? I’m actually out of all the stats that’s come in baseball that’s come and go, I could care less about the stolen base now because I’m actually more worried about it being out versus you, you know, moving up 90 feet. Do that on a wild pitch or something. But you know where I know for sure that the ball is not in the catcher’s hand and he has a chance of throwing you out like just stay first.

Yeah. And we – you say that because we don’t have a guy like that that could confidently, you know, get there majority of the time. And I know we should be relying on the home run ball because we got some thumpers. And Kyle, God almighty, please let him come back on Tuesday.

Speaking of thumpers, speaking of thumpers, the Astros have this guy in double-A. This man is raking.

Yeah. Is he going to be a quadruple-A player or is he, you know, is this someone that we should really call up? I don’t know, man. He’s 6’4″, 240 pounds, out of Cuba, looks the part, but I don’t know. His name is Yordan Alvarez.

Those are usually the ones that be blasting 300-400 home runs, which is he still on that pace ’cause we thought so like his first year or two in the league, but these injuries, man, they’re stacking up.

Well, I know he’s over 100 home runs. I mean, I thought for sure he was going to smash through Bagwell’s number. I thought he was going to get through Bagwell’s number before he was 30.

Damn. I mean, still can get there, but you know, it’s either the knees or the hands. And you know, as someone who is also 6’4″ and almost 240 pounds, whoa, them shits hurt. Once you get to a certain size, once you get to a certain height dimension and weight, gravity holding, whatever – your weight against gravity, yeah, there is such a thing as crooked knees. I can confirm on that.

Now, this guy’s out here hitting doubles, you know, like we mentioned before, we don’t want him hitting doubles. I’m getting double shots. We want Yordan to take it easy. We need him back immediately. I told you, remember what I said. You are not allowed to hit doubles or triples unless it’s like straight up triples unless it’s like a ground rule double or like for sure it’s a gapper. No hustle doubles. No sir. None for you anymore. You jog ground outs. Jog.

Exactly. You are on a no-run restriction. Definitely paying him too much money.

Oh, we are. And then his most recent game he went three for three. So he’s looking like himself. As long as he keeps hitting BBs, that’s all I care about. Exactly. And we need him. We need him back in that three-four spot, man.

Sorry people. You’re getting Astros. We don’t give a damn. Yeah. We’re Astros-centered. Yeah. That’s just how it’s going to be. If you don’t like it, what about the Rangers? You’re in Texas. Who gives a damn about the Rangers? Y’all are the biggest fluke in the last century for sure. Tell them. Tell them.

Do you think the Rangers make playoffs?

No. Right. No, they’re barely .500. Yeah. Barely .500. Too many other teams who – they’re currently – well, they just got Kansas City in front of them. No, I don’t want to see them. I don’t want to see them.

So, the only way that Kansas City is coming in kind of hot, the Yankees, okay, of the three wild card teams, since let’s pivot to the pennant outlook, which we’ll go a full deep dive into like awards and all that shit next week at the start of September. But of the three wild cards right now in the AL – Boston, New York, Seattle – which one do all three stay or where do you think it’ll be at the end of September?

I think New York drops and Kansas City sneaks in. Same order. Fight me, Yankees.

Yeah, I think the Red Sox and Seattle go in. Can you believe the Astros? And if it stays as it is, Astros play Seattle in the wild card. Can you believe the Red Sox? All they needed to do was get rid of their franchise player.

Sometimes. That’s what happens. And replace him with an Astro. That’s all it took. And call up a couple more what could be franchise players, which is what they did.

Speaking of that, didn’t they sign their franchise players like stupid cheap really early? You know what? Something else I’m noticing when I see these alerts of these players getting signed, you’re only seeing the years. You’re not seeing the numbers anymore.

Yeah. Well, I think his name is Marcelo Mayer. I think that’s who he was. They signed – I think Roman Anthony or it was probably Roman Anthony, I think, eight years, but he’s only getting like $17 million a year. They had the perfect marketing behind them. The Roman Empire. That’s really good. That’s really good. They’re going to sell the shit out of that shit. That’s marketing, man. Someone probably came up with that shit drunk. That’s just as good as Judge’s like “All Rise” in the – you know, when it’s just when it’s so simple.

Yeah. Like his name just does it for himself. The name sells itself, man. Where was NIL when we was in school? I don’t know. Same thing with NCAA, you know.

Yeah. So Roman Anthony signed for eight years, $130 million. So they signed that type of player for only $16 and a quarter million a year. He could turn out to be like a $30 million a year player, but he’s stuck for eight years. That’s why you get him young. So young. That’s what we do on – what does it matter? You’re getting over $100 million.

Yeah. No. Yeah. No. Yeah. That’s fair. That’s fair. But I’m just thinking from their perspective. Oh, and that’s the problem. That’s what I’m saying. I said it before. I said it again. That bubble’s got to burst somewhere. But it’s going to screw us all though when it does.

Yeah. Has it been another strike?

Playoff Picture & Wild Card Discussion

But all right. Yeah. So you got Kansas City and what about in the NL?

Man, it is going to be a dog fight between the Dodgers and the Padres and I’m all for it. I think there’s ties in the NL, right? Like you said, the Dodgers and the Padres. I think they’re tied for the West. Like an even tie, I think. I mean, I haven’t really been watching the Padres. I assume the Dodgers would take it. I’m still shocked by the Brewers. Honestly, do you – the Brewers are the highest winning team right now? 81. How many games are left? That’s got to be about what? 35? 30-35 games. 32 or four for the Brewers at least. Do they get to 100 wins? They need to win 19 out of 32. And I asked that – probably just at 100, they’ll probably pump the brakes just to like, you know, if they win, they got what – how big is their lead in the Central?

They’re what? Looking for their lead in the Central. They got up – oh, it’s just five. No, they’re going to have to because the Cubs are hot on their heels. I mean, it’s just five games right now. So, I mean, it’s in their best interest that they win every game that they can on their schedule. So, they have no choice but to get to 100.

Yeah. But in the NL wild card, I mean, it’s going to be the Dodgers or the Padres, right? The Cubs probably. Now, do the Mets sneak in and then – Mets again, you know, or do the Reds get in? That’s really all I could really see. Marlins tried to make a push, but they’ve just – yeah, my prediction is probably going to fall short.

Yeah, they were on a roll for a while. They flirted. They flirted with it, but it did. It went nowhere. And then we took their left fielder from them. Jesus. I thought you was about to say that last night. I was like, “Same thing.” Holy shit, I literally thought you was going to follow up on that. I was like, “Gosh, I said don’t do it.” God didn’t do it. You didn’t do it. Yeah, I’m the only one. I’m being immature.

What else? So, let’s – have you heard about the expansion?

MLB Expansion to Nashville & Salt Lake City

I have not. Yeah, I’ve not heard shit. No, I’ve been watching games. I haven’t been too much into the news. I’ve been, you know, what is this? I guess that’s my nerd self.

No, well, it’s probably, we’re probably narrowing it down to Nashville and Salt Lake City. And from that point is when they’re going to redo all the divisions and shit.

Now, the expansion of what? They had six teams, one for each division, or is it just, you know, we have right? It’s already 30 teams right now. Three teams. Yeah. Yeah. So five in each division. So it’ll be – so we’ll go up to 16 on each side. But you’ll probably – you’re going to do it the way it’s looking like on this map. It’s going to as usual, Mississippi River, east and west.

Saying when you know they’re going to make it like the NBA which that’s like it’s going to – I wish they would make it like the NFL and do what – northeast, south and west. I hope they don’t go to East-West. I mean they have to keep the American National League like you can realign it, do that, but keep the American National –

No yeah yeah but I’m talking about like having like instead of adding – well, no, you’re right. They would have to do it like that because they would have enough teams to make a new division. What’s weird is that, you know, they don’t even have all the money backed up and ready to go for the stadium in Vegas. So, I mean, this is all hinging on the fact that, okay, the A’s are officially really going to – there is a stadium that’s going to be built up and then, okay, you know, they’re trying to put something in Salt Lake because they’ll give them what, three out of four major league teams because, you know, they have hockey, they have basketball, they have baseball. Does the NFL go to Salt Lake City? To Utah?

You see how they fall up there. What’s the closest team? Denver.

Yeah, they’ll cut into that. Well, either Denver or – well, really, it’s the Raiders, actually. Well, it depends. Either the Raiders or the Broncos. I could – yeah. I don’t know why when you said Salt Lake City, I just thought of the Chargers, but I mean, with the stadium they have there, like it’s – yeah, that’s not happening.

But it seemed like it’s becoming real that Nashville is going to be on that list because what is this article from New York Times? They said there’s like a full team of backers ready for it. I just – oh, no. It was on Yahoo. I was looking at this was and this came out just today – today’s the 24th – this morning. ‘Cause where is it? Yeah, we got the Music City Baseball ownership group. I hate when, sorry, I’m just gonna go on a little rant. I hate when news sources try to make you buy subscription to read their full article. It pisses me off. I hate that. We’re going to have a rant about that later on, too, when it comes to subscriptions.

But yeah, the Music City Baseball ownership group has names that would be associated with this would be Eddie George, Barry Zito, R.A. Dickey, Don Mattingly, Tony La Russa, and Bruce Bochy. And as reported by Yahoo Sports, it’s all on one collective team to bring a team to Nashville, which they already have a name for them. You want to know the name?

What’s the name?

Nashville Stars.

Okay. Well, that’s not very original. Well, no. I was going to say something else, but I don’t want to get cancelled, you know.

So, is it a real thing? I mean, we’ve been hearing between Nashville and Charlotte in the East, it’s been those two. And they’re getting – you know the Titans are getting their new stadium because they want to get a Super Bowl out there, that college football playoff, all that shit, you know. I don’t honestly get the, you know, “let’s go to Nashville” hype. I’m not with that crowd. I’ve been through the city, it’s kind of congested to drive through and kind of annoying so I do everything I can to go around it.

Yeah, really. I try to go around Tennessee altogether to be honest with you.

Oh, yeah. I remember you telling me you won’t stay the night in Nashville. You stay somewhere else, you know, when you’re traveling to and from.

Yeah, it’s kind of – then again, you know, your options are limited down south. But either way, I mean, it’s not an ugly place, but just not my place. But they want baseball and they’re going to get it.

Yeah, the Stars. Let’s go. Almost like the National All-Stars.

Okay. Well, that was corny. All Stars, which is the first snack I thought of. Have you ever eaten at Stars?

No. You know, you know Stars? Talk about – no, I did not.

Oh, it’s like, you know, Sonic, right?

Yeah.

Just think of a ghetto version of Sonic. That’s what happened. Maybe it’s only like a South Texas thing maybe.

Yeah, it probably is. Yeah, that’s probably what it is. Like think of Sonic as Target and then Stars is like Walmart. That’s kind of where it is.

Is it that poor down there?

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There’s only one Stars in the city I live in. There’s only one. There’s a Stars in Kingsville if that makes it any like realize – you know where – okay. Did you ever go to Big House Burgers Kingsville?

No.

Okay. Okay. My hidden on campus or there’s a road that leads kind of – I can’t remember the road names ’cause it’s been so long, but there’s a road that leads from Walmart all the way to like the only McDonald’s in the city, right? The McDonald’s is across from the Walgreens.

Yeah. Across from 77.

Yeah. So, if you go down, I think it’s called King. It might be King. If you go all the way down, you pass a – you got to go up, come up to a high school. Opposite from the high school is the Stars. And it’s literally same layout as a Sonic. You drive up, there’s the menu, they bring out your food. Copyright infringement, man. Like a – I don’t know what came first, but yeah, definitely Sonic. It’s definitely copy and paste with just different colors. And what’s funny is the Stars colors exactly like the Dallas Stars hockey team.

Of course, folks. Kingsville is a fly-by-night town and deep in South Texas for those who don’t know. It’s where we went to college. And Kingsville is one of those Texas cities where they only got like a Dollar General and a Dairy Queen. And the HEB is the local gathering spot for everything. It’s the only grocery store besides Almonte for miles. It was a big deal when Chick-fil-A opened, like an actual physical location ’cause the only one was on campus.

Yeah. And damn was packed. I remember a group of kids, college kids, just waiting for the first chicken sandwich to pop out. Just go and grab it. Man, imagine how fresh it is ’cause them ovens and shit would actually be like completely clean. So the chicken is going to taste the freshest and the crispiest.

Oh dude, it was good. I’m telling you, it was hot as soon as you bit into it. But it was good. I remember when Raising Cane’s opened in Corpus and dear God, the lines coming off SPID ’cause they know I lived off that street and it was hard to get off that freeway because everyone was lining up for that shit. That’s what happens when you got big things open up in small towns. People go damn crazy for it.

Technical Difficulties

Did I lose you?

No, I was muted. I was trying to open the window and I was misclicking so much.

Okay. I thought my computer froze too for a second. I was like, “Holy shit.”

No, no, no. I just had a stupid face and it froze.

Okay, that would be the perfect face to have when the screen froze because I want you to save that image, too, because you really had me fooled because that was about the ugliest look that you can have.

Yeah. Yeah. I was all mouth open and everything. You know what you was looking like in that second? You remember that episode of South Park when they were playing World of Warcraft all day?

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

And the fat guys just – “Oh, mom. Mom, bathroom. Bathroom.”

Oh man. All right. What’s up with this Shadeur Sanders shit, man? People complaining again. You remember that tight end for the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh, whatever his name was. No, had like the whole – he had like the whole alphabet in his last name. Anyway, I’m not going to even try to remember. He’s an analyst and they said that they’re killing Shadeur Sanders’s career because they’re playing him with the backups and it’s like what are you talking about? He wasn’t even the first quarterback taken by the Browns that draft and we all have seen Joe Flacco still got it. Jesus coming back. I don’t know. I don’t know. I’m not – I mean God, anything negative and that’s what’s going to suck. Anything negative is going to be labeled me a hater.

All right. There was one play I didn’t even – I didn’t even go into looking into all his highlights. I just saw of the last game of the drives that he had outside of the one play where he was scrambling and took a sack when he was holding on to that ball. He was just kept scrambling backwards and because my first thought was that is some high school shit. When you keep holding on, you keep backpedaling when there’s time to throw it away. Just throw it away. If your first or second read isn’t there after three to four seconds, throw it away because that’s all the time you’re going to have, especially if you’re behind the threes protecting you. You know, you don’t have a line that’s going to actually hold up for up to five seconds or if you’re playing with them.

People saying, “Oh, well, he’s not playing with the ones.” He wasn’t ever going to be scheduled to play with the ones. It wasn’t like he was going to start out the gate. How many fifth-round quarterbacks can you think of that started for their team week one? And I don’t care. I don’t care. It was like, oh, he dropped because of this and that. Like, how many fifth-round quarterbacks start week one? Absolute fat zero. How many of them even get playing time in that year? How many third-round quarterbacks start week one? Still zero. I can’t name it. Dak Prescott was a third quarter, but he didn’t start.

Okay. And he was the fourth round. He didn’t start week one.

Exactly. No. Yeah. No, he didn’t. None. Now, let me – they just let go of a quarterback. They still have five, right? All this talk that his career is being ruined and God will prevail and it’s just like, how’s Cam Ward doing? Let’s talk about someone that’s actually worth all the energy and the time. I’m not saying Shadeur isn’t, but it’s like y’all pump the brakes. Y’all really acting like he’s the second coming of Jesus. It is literally only because of his last name. Facts.

Is DeShaun Watson like out for the year or something? Is he already sidelined? Because I mean he’s on the team still. I think he tore his Achilles or something.

Yeah. Getting paid like $40-some million a year to be a predator. So who the hell cares?

Yeah. Him and Justin Tucker. Tucker isn’t getting paid $40 million a year. I need to put my glasses on. Hold on.

Now, the Browns said that they could keep four on the roster. They had six QBs and they won’t go. There’s still five. So that means they still need to cut someone. Did they cut Kenny Pickett? Did they cut Dorian Thompson-Robinson? Do they cut Shadeur Sanders? ‘Cause they ain’t cutting Flacco or Watson.

And people saying, “Oh, the Browns, that’s why they will always be the Browns because of what they’re doing,” and it’s like the Browns are going to be the Browns regardless. The Browns have been the Browns this century since – but that doesn’t change anything like and whatever curse that is placed on that franchise is deeper because of what they did to Baker. Exactly. Hey, look what Baker’s doing now. So, you know, it’s like you going to replace – they really replaced Baker for DeShaun.

That’s why the Browns are the Browns.

But yeah, but I mean I think that’s all the attention it deserves really. Like you said, more attention should be on, you know, Cam Ward, someone who’s actually at that caliber.

Yeah. Going to start, too.

And might be the second-place team in a division over Jacksonville and – did you hear the Colts are starting Anthony Richardson?

Fantasy Football Discussion

Is he a sleeper pickup in like the seventh or eighth round? I think so. I think he is. I think he has the tools around him, especially now he has Jonathan Taylor. I mean, he had Saquon Barkley. Like, we’re not past when I when I read that he’s starting. I should have been giving away my ideas because screw you. Screw you if I actually see it’s you.

Listen, I’m telling you right now, my backup sleepers could be Drake Maye.

Okay, I’m biased.

Ah, you didn’t have to tell me that. I know. And I would probably be the actual one to draft him from you. You do that. I’m taking Nico immediately.

Oh, Nico would already have been taken by me. What the hell are you talking about?

I don’t know what you’re talking about. No, I’ll make sure I have first pick, first player. Make sure. Let me manual draft settings. Go to that. Pull me whatever pick you want me to. I am drafting to succeed. And you draft to succeed by taking the players away from your opponents. That’s how you do it. You know, people, I’m not one of those guys that picks up a player, all favorites just so no one else can get them. But I will be.

All right. You’ve been –

No. No. Come on. I’ve never been that. I’ve never been that. I’ve been – if my team’s solid, you probably will be this year because didn’t you say you’re – because you’re down one league, so you’re going to have more eyes on this one?

I am. This is correct. This is something I said. I am not doing a league that I was commissioner in and because I sat down as commissioner now they don’t want to do the league which is fine, you know, that’s what I expected, but now I could put more attention on my other two leagues so there’s that.

Have you had any time to do any mock drafts?

I have not. I was planning to this weekend but I was out. I didn’t even send you. Let me send you where I was out at. Hold on. I’mma give you real time. It is so beautiful out here. Let me see. Real time updates. Real time. Nothing. I was doing some shit like that last night. Check the phone. Let’s see how long it takes to send something to me. Oh, just got it. Never mind.

Whoa. Is that water? You’re near water. That’s crazy. That’s some nice hills. Nice trees. Nice. Part of the reason why I’m wearing the hoodie up here.

That makes sense.

Yeah. So, I was trying to take a break from the phones. You know, you need that mental cleanse from – if the TV is the idiot box, what do we call the phone?

I don’t know. I agree with you on your first statement, but I don’t know. We – everyone needs a break especially from social media. I took – I’ve been taking a few of those too.

Yeah. Yeah. And then you know what else we need a break from?

What’s that?

Oh Jesus Christ. That’s what fatherhood has done to you now?

Dog, it’s 9:00, dude. I’m – yeah, I’m old, brother. I’m old. I usually go to bed at 10.

Streaming Services Rant

What? What’s funny is because I kind of wanted to tell you like when we do these on Sundays during the season, I want to try to make these like at 9. Start these at 9:00. So, two hours later than my proposed time.

Yeah. Yeah. Unless we do like Monday, then we could recap all of Sunday’s games. I don’t know.

Cool. Sunday. Sunday. My ass is at home. Keep it outside.

All right. Perfect. That’ll do that. Something else that we’re tired of, we need to stream it, man. I’mma hop on the bandwagon that I know we’re beating a dead horse with the same stick or however that saying goes. I’m so sick and tired of it, man. Let’s see if I got it all. You need Paramount, ESPN Plus or wherever, however you manually watch or over the air watch ESPN. You need Netflix for those Netflix games. You need Peacock. You need Prime. And you need Sunday Ticket because sometimes the games on the Sunday Ticket is not on that. It’s on the other five that I mentioned. So, how many is that? Well, also YouTube. Jesus Christ. So, that’s – we’re up to seven. Seven. Yeah. I think that’s it. But still going from one to seven, dude. And my bank’s coming like what are we doing?

It’s our fault. It is. It’s the millennial’s fault because we want everything we’ve done have been over the computer and online. And since we’re the new TV demographics that’s coming into the majority, the NFL says we’re going to play into that. And because this is how millennials do it, it’s easier for them to keep up with it than it is for say, you know, the older people or people that’s like me that don’t like damn change and everything. Keep everything the way it is. There was – there used to be three channels on one TV package. CBS, Fox, NBC, and ESPN for Monday night.

Yes, that’s correct. That is correct. You know what else? You know what else? I’m also omitting Thursday night. We don’t need Thursday night football. We don’t need that crap.

I don’t know, man. I need – I get the whole rest of barriers argument. But like I don’t know if I could go Monday to Sunday, you know?

Hell, college is every day.

Yeah, but they only play once a week. I mean but like college is like the – the team – okay. Okay. So, no no Isaiah. Monday night football. Tuesday, Wednesday night MACtion. Thursday night college football. But the MACtion is the – that’s like good shit to bet on, man. You have absolute no emotional – you have no emotional attachment to them. So, if you lose, it’s not going to hurt that much. You bet small on those games.

I’d rather go watch Peewee football than watch the MAC Conference.

Bro, don’t sleep on the MAC, man.

I am. I am. Dude, the MAC is making me yawn right now. The only MAC I want is the Mac and Cheese. All right. That’s all – that’s the only type of MAC I want, man.

Oh my god. I can’t – I think I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Ohio. I’m sorry, Kent State. I’m sorry, Ball State. I’m sorry, Bowling Green. I’m sorry, Toledo.

Why not? Why not move it Thursdays to Fridays? There’s both. You got Pac-12 on Friday nights. I’m talking about like Thursday Night Football. Like move it to Friday Night Football.

Well, they’ll probably lose out more viewership because of high school. One of those people is out on Friday nights.

Yeah, I’m just being selfish with myself.

Yeah, gambler. Happens. All right, let’s go on to the off topic.

Most Painful Sports Positions Debate

I’ve been wanting to talk about this with you. What do you think is the most painful position of the main four sports? And the main four being basketball, football, hockey, baseball.

Okay. Okay. So, baseball’s out for the pitcher. If I were to say most painful, most painful would be the pitcher position. But if I’m thinking those four, baseball is automatically out. The reason why is because they have the most games because it’s the least painful, right? So that’s just – I’m good at that. We – like you texted me this week, man. Altuve has played three straight seasons of 162 games. Well, it’s probably at like 770 now ’cause I forget how many days ago I texted you that. It’s doable. Players now don’t do it, right? But it is. But yeah, that’s three or four years. Yeah, that’s impressive playing 162, right?

Basketball, I would actually – I’ll put basketball out first before I put baseball out actually. But if you put basketball, it has to be the center position, right? That’s the most painful in there, you know. I’m going to go football and I’m going to go running back. That’s the position that I’m going to go. I could say receiver. I could say linebacker because I think linebackers get the most CTE, you know, and that’s got to be running backs. Well, I’m going off based off of deaths by position, you know, some of the greats.

Well, they were kind of a little bit more extreme in the ’70s.

Yeah. And then I also think nowadays linebackers are retiring earlier. Look at Patrick Willis. Luke Kuechly, you know, guys who are still in their prime that seemed, you know, all-pro. I had – speaking of Luke, I had explained to my wife who Luke Kuechly was. I was like oh you don’t understand. She don’t know ball. You don’t understand this guy. This guy was the quarterback of the defense. This man used to study film with an Xbox controller. He had a notepad everywhere he went. You know that’s who Luke Kuechly was.

He should have finished that with saying he is the most interesting linebacker in the world ’cause that’s who he was sounding like just now.

He is. He is. Dude, I love Luke Kuechly, man. One defensive rookie player of the year. One defensive player of the year after that and then six straight all-pros. All-pros, dude. And then he retired. No, NaVorro Bowman. I’m sorry – NaVorro Bowman, sorry. The other guy, Patrick Willis. I mean, NaVorro Bowman, there’s another one. True. You know, these linebackers who are delivering blows like that, they’re retiring early. And I just think it just takes a whole toll on their body, but so is running backs. Running backs feel 29, 30 years old for that position.

Explain Derrick Henry.

Listen, that man is built like a Greek statue. He causes other people to retire early. You remember his 99-yard touchdown run Thursday Night Football against the Jaguars?

Yes.

Those linebackers aren’t playing anymore. They’re gone. But they don’t want to go – and electrician now.

Exactly. He’s not playing anymore. The man got a stiff arm from Derrick Henry. He causes people to retire early. I don’t blame him, right? But that’s it. I mean, like I said, and if I was to do individual baseball, I think it would be pitcher has the most wear and tear, most injuries. I then I would go basketball would be center, right? Just bigger bodies, having to be more physical. And then football, I think I want to go linebacker just because of what I’ve seen lately, right? That’s it. What about you? What’s your take on this?

Well, my take is you really need to watch hockey to understand how difficult being a goalie is.

I can understand the hockey one. The goalie one is just for me – they don’t move, you know, and you – dude and they got pads on pads on pads, you know? Like I get I’m not saying and can still get cut by a blade. No. Yeah. Yeah. I get that. I’m not saying it’s dangerous. I’m – but I’m just saying that like how often and you got that and you got those pucks flying at you at like 90-100 miles an hour.

Oh yeah, agreed. Agreed. And you and your reflexes, first of all, you got to stretch a lot. You notice a lot of times they get down into a split. Yeah. With all that equipment, you’re constantly crouched down. You’re holding all that shit. And then you got dudes who are literally they’re skating at you just flying down the ice looking to just smash right through you like –

Yeah, I get you. But then my kind of argument would be a catcher for baseball. And that’s my next thing. I’m surprised you didn’t even say catcher because a catcher you say wear and tear – catcher – hello, knees.

Yeah. Yeah. No, I get that. But you see what pitchers have to do to throw 100. There’s a reason why Molina played so well. He is an extreme outlier. No, but there’s also who else – for the Johnny Bench. Another outlier, you know. Yogi Berra right now. How many guys besides Nolan Ryan can throw that fast for that long? Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens. Well, I wouldn’t count Roger Clemens. I don’t think he’s up there with Randy Johnson at speed-wise.

And he was touching – he was touching 95-96.

Yeah, Johnson and Ryan are like hundreds.

Okay. Again, they’re in the leagues of their own.

Well, that’s why I wouldn’t count Roger Clemens.

Yeah. I’m just giving names, but you know, but to throw just to as far as longevity with pitchers. Well, I mean longevity you could throw in Zack Greinke. How much wear and tear has he put on his arm? He was throwing puss though.

That’s what I’m saying with Roger Clemens. You know, it’s like don’t – Clemens wasn’t throwing puss.

Yeah, but he wasn’t throwing Randy Johnson. Wasn’t throwing Nolan Ryan. Can you throw Randy Johnson? No one can. That’s why he’s Randy Johnson. That’s why I don’t understand why you’re putting Roger Clemens with Randy Johnson.

I’m not. I’m just giving names of just pitchers that just power pitchers that had extended careers. While yes, I’m naming them after Randy Johnson. I’m not putting them in the tier with Randy Johnson.

Well, that’s why I’m naming catchers that are in that tier, right?

Okay. We give our kind of different lists, but same list but different angles to it. But I see what you’re saying though. That’s what you’re saying at the same time is that because you have a guy like Yadier Molina, he can defeat that notion that oh, a catcher is not hard, but a catcher is damn hard, man. I mean, no, it is, dude. You got – I mean, and they – it was hard to the point to where MLB had to soften it up to change the rules where you can’t slide in to the guy anymore.

Yeah. Yeah, that’s why I would put the catcher position over the goalie position. You piss off a lot of hockey people, man.

That’s fine. They could cry behind the glasses. The only reason – the only reason the big glasses you – you ever seen a hockey fan get hit with a puck?

No. But I’ve seen a baseball fan get hit with a ball. Not ’cause I got nuts now. Yeah.

By a bunch of pansies. Hockey fans wearing sweaters to games. I’m staying out of this argument. Wearing sweaters. But bet you feel all cute. And then what? They let them roll around in the ice rink afterwards, too. Hand in hand. You know, I’m baseball fan 100% over hockey. You know, there it’s not just hockey fans pissing off. It could be an entire country and they have lots of nukes and we have a lot of their players here.

Are you talking about Canada?

No. What you talking about? I’m talking about an aggressive country. Only aggressive country I know is North Korea and Russia.

Russia.

Listen, I’ll take American baseball anytime any time of the day. I’ll take good old USA.

Yeah. Russians could keep their cheating tactics.

Oh, yeah. I agree. I’m just saying. I’m just saying I’m not going to go on that fight and saying goalies are damn – that I’m not saying that. I’m not saying that near catchers. So that you know that was – that was that’s what was inferred. And I’m going stay on over here. I didn’t – I wasn’t the one that said goalies were pansies.

Listen Kyle have you – you watch more hockey than me for sure by far but those size of the pads they’re the only one with those – I don’t know how they move in those honestly.

They don’t – they don’t have to move they’re in those – you know all they got to do is sit on their knees like a cute little – but that’s just why and then put their hands up. I’m staying out of it.

But no, I mean, I just develop a respect for them because of the fact that they have and just the player in general they have, you know, they’re wearing all that equipment and then the hand-eye coordination to have to skate, you know, like a pretty little girl like you say, you know, are we – well, I’ve never seen a Mr. Goalie skate too much.

Well, not the – well, okay. I probably should have led with this now. Just the sport in general with all the equipment that they’re wearing and just the respect that I have for it and just for all the players because it’s like yeah, I don’t know how they move with that. But the goalie, but back on the goalie, it’s I mean just the fact that I’ve heard that there are stories that has happened in the past where dudes gotten their throat slashed on that shit. It’s like, okay, we’re here. I’ve heard. I’ve heard where you’re playing a sport where you can like potentially die from that shit.

Yeah, that’s got to be on the top at least top three of hardest in sports. I mean, your life is literally at risk.

Yeah, I got – if you say top three, I would – but then pitchers come back. I would put them like I’ll put hockey over base. Sorry. Basketball regarding like danger, you know, for sure. I honestly wouldn’t even have basketball on the list.

Yeah. Yeah, that’s why. That’s fair. But I just think talking about danger. I personally think hockey has so much protective gear than the other sports.

No, they do for sure. And it’s mainly not used as weapons, right? Football – football gear is used as a weapon.

Oh, well, I mean, you know, it’s frowned upon, but not supposed to use a stick as a weapon. Yeah, they sometimes have some fights. I respect them for being allowed to, you know, throw fists at us. That now that is something that drop gloves, man. No other sport would allow. And that’s something that like –

Yeah, that’s some tough shit right there.

Yeah, that’s go mano a mano until someone falls. You know, now last thing before we wrap up. What do you think is still on the topic of the hardest and going to football? Which position is harder? Because as I’m looking at from complex.com when they had their little list. They had both of them listed. I’mma ask you which is harder, cornerback or left tackle?

Well, it’s by far left tackle.

I think cornerbacks are receivers that couldn’t play receiver.

Okay, we agreed on that. I thought you were going to say corner, but no, left tackles, they have the most – most of the greatest pass rushers come off that side.

Exactly. A blind side. Like imagine you have to go against Lawrence Taylor and all you can do is patty-cake him. You can’t grab him. You can’t hold him. You can’t really push because you’re, you know, taking your step back. I was watching an old piece of film today when Mike Singletary just blasted through the D gap and took on Eric Dickerson. I mean, the left tackle is engaged, but what can you do in that moment? You remember when that – I never saw live, right? I’m too young. Steve Atwater taking on Christian Okoye, the Chiefs running back. I think you see that video.

I think I’ve seen that. I believe so.

Christian is this human of this monster of a man and Atwater’s like maybe like 5’10” like 180 but just went straight at him. Trying to think – I don’t know I can’t remember the name of that linebacker but it was against the Rams but it’s always in my head when Earl Campbell basically headbutted him a good five yards forward and kept running. You know which I’m talking about.

I don’t think so.

You need to look at that. Look at that play. So, all right. So, we agree left tackle is the hardest position in football. Besides QB.

Besides QB.

Yeah. Yes. Agreed. I was making sure, am I going to be stupid before and cut my mic off and be like, “See you next week, folks.” It’s like nah nah I’m not going to go there ’cause I will really piss Isaiah off if I went there. I had to think for a second.

Yeah. If we – if like QB is again like its own in its own tier of its own regarding the difficulty. Because that takes another type of mental game right knowing the game right. So but yeah no I agree with you. Left tackle is the hardest position. There’s a reason why you know more edge rushers than left tackles.

It’s true. This is true. All right. Any average NFL fan can name you more Hall of Fame D-ends than they can left tackles. We had another one go in this year. Jared Allen, the all-time leading sack leader in this season.

Yes, sir. Have you seen that video pop up on your feed where it’s like he had 23 sacks, but the sack that he got on Aaron Rodgers, they counted as a team sack, so they didn’t give it to him, and they showed the video of him getting that sack.

Rodgers again.

Yeah, Aaron Rodgers had the ball, fumbled it, picked it up, and then Jared Allen hopped on him, right, to sack, but they counted that as a team sack. So instead of 23, they gave him 22 and a half. And then even Aaron Rodgers recently, right, because he’s in his uniform saying this, that Jared Allen is the all-time season sack leader. But I remember him gaining that sack, doing, you know, good old whatever – this – he was doing a lasso or something. You know, he was cooking something. He was cooking before Ezekiel Elliott was cooking. But man, that retirement video, that was beautiful, huh? Just beautiful. Beautiful. Make you shed a tear in the eye. And that’s exactly how we’re going to ride off in this episode.

Yep. Thank you everybody. We’re going to ride off in the horses in the sunset, just says Jared Allen. We’ll see you on the flip side.