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NBA All-Star Snubs | Man City Keep the Title Race Alive | Super Bowl LX Recap
0 Playsin 8 hours
Episode 62 – NBA All-Star Snubs, Premier League Title Drama & Super Bowl LX Reaction
Shane returns to join James as they debate the biggest snubs from the 2026 NBA All-Star Game and make their predictions for the Three-Point Contest and Slam Dunk Contest.
Plus, Manchester City’s huge win over Liverpool keeps the Premier League title race alive, reaction to the sackings of Thomas Frank and Sean Dyche, and a full Super Bowl LX winners and losers breakdown.
Power Rankings updated and Gan Seans returns with an FA Cup twist.
In This Episode:
- All-Star snubs
- Man City title race alive
- Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank sacked
- Super Bowl LX
🎙️ Who’s Got the Ball? breaks down the NBA, NFL, and Premier League every week — trades, transfers, tactics, and real talk with no clichés.
🎧 Listen if you’re into:
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🌍 Based in Ireland | Talking global sports weekly
(0:00) Intro
(4:06) NBA All-Star Snubs
(14:13) All-Star Weekend: Farce or Fire?
(18:20) Man City Defeat Liverpool
(30:32) Forest Sack Dyche
(35:21) Spurs Sack Frank
(40:58) Gan Seans: Our Underdog Picks
(46:17) Super Bowl LX Recap
(1:04:44) Multi-Sport Power Rankings
Recommended
Transcript
Podcast Introduction & Subscription Plea
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got The Ball. Myself and Shane here once again. Usually we say this at the end, but I'm throwing it in here at the start. If you could just take one second, pause the video if you're on YouTube, pause the podcast, or keep listening if you're on Spotify, and just click that follow button or click that subscribe button. And if you have been enjoying us, give us a five star view.
00:00:29
Speaker
and We would really appreciate that because we have been seeing an uptake in in listeners recently. and And we'd like to see that as subscribers and followers, too. So if you could do that, we'd really appreciate
Weekend Recap & Rugby Talk
00:00:40
Speaker
it. But Shane, what is the crack? How are you?
00:00:43
Speaker
Not a whole lot. I was trying to think. Normally have something to say here about what I did at the weekend, but I didn't really do a whole lot, to be perfectly honest. So just kept it quiet. Just keep ticking over. Watch Liverpool, Diamond City. We'll talk about that shortly.
00:00:57
Speaker
And just want to echo what you said there about liking and subscribing. As you all know, we're on the road to 100,000 subscribers. I'm never going to give up until we get there. So the sooner you do it, the sooner I'll stop talking about us.
00:01:09
Speaker
Yeah, up to like 3.22 now on YouTube, so it's creeping ever closer every day. Yeah, you never know. there and Yeah, we're we're on the doorstep. We mentioned last week as well about Ireland, the rugby game. It was on the night we recorded, and we were like, we both were like, oh, they're going to lose. And it was just pure domination. So I guess we're looking by France, so I guess we're we're hoping that something a bit different against Italy. But the way Italy played against... I try with a score prediction...
00:01:36
Speaker
I threw out a score prediction for that and I think I said 38-19 or something so I wasn't that far away from getting that spot on but Ireland were just chronic yeah and I wouldn't feel i'm not confident about this Italy game either are you? no not with all the changes and six changes Prendergast starting again despite the fact that he was quite poor in France. I think what does Prendergast have to do for Crowley to even get the Italy game? But everywhere bringing Prendergast back in for your big games, your England, your Scotland, give Crowley a run out against Italy, surely. It makes no sense keep him on the bench.
00:02:11
Speaker
But yeah, I'm glad dog goes on the bench and will get his debut. I think he could be a monster for us going forward. Other than that, if he can't beat Italy at home, then Farrell might need to go. Yeah, a couple of nice young inclusions, at least, I think is the only positive. But yeah, some questionable other decisions there. And yeah, some of the players that did get dropped, you're like, all right, there is rotation there because it's it's shortened. But like, I don't know why it went the way it did in some cases. But anyway...
00:02:38
Speaker
Let's hope for a win for Ireland. But yeah we both said we're not holding out hope. But that'll be the main event this weekend with the FA Cup not really being the most interesting thing and in the world, unless your club is still in it. So enjoy that one, Liverpool and Brighton. I will. Thank you.
NBA All-Star Weekend & Criticism
00:02:54
Speaker
a lot to talk about in this episode we started out with the NBA and we chatted about all-star snubs which players we thought should have made it that didn't and a quick chat about and some of the competitors in the dunk contest and the three-point contest and generally how it's Kind of a bit of a joke. Then we moved into chatting about the Premier League. So we talked about City beating Liverpool, how that was the performance of the weekend and last weekend, but how both teams played quite well and City are keeping the title race alive.
00:03:23
Speaker
Then we talked about the seconds of Sean Dyche from Forest and Thomas Frank from Spurs. two teams that are sitting towards the bottom but we had different opinions on which ones we thought was right or not because i think it's two very different situations despite them both being in the same spot and and then after that we went into our Ganshans, gave our underdog predictions talked about the NFL. Obviously, the Super Bowl had to be given a recap. So we went into detail on that, what we thought about it and what's to come next season for the Patriots and Seahawks, and given the way things have ended and and how impressed we were with the Seahawks in general. And then after that, wrapped it up with the power rankings as usual. Massive episode. Let's jump straight into it.
00:04:06
Speaker
OK, so we'll start with the and NBA this week. um We've got to take a look at the All-Star weekend since... that's what's coming up. I think it's becoming less and less interesting every year to look at it really no matter how many times they change the format unless you have Like a player you like or from your team that's in either the three point contest or the dunk contest. I think the actual game itself is just a waste of time. And the format this year has changed again. But what we're going to do is look at the all star snubs players we thought should have got in that didn't.
00:04:40
Speaker
Because I think that's that's more interesting than looking at the rosters and picking apart. who is in there because it's not like all and NBA. It's not like something that really matters. It is just an all-star thing. It's like the Pro Bowl in the NFL. It's not like the end of the world, but there is certain players that it doesn't really make sense to me why they didn't get in. So I'll let you go ahead first. If you have anybody at the top of your mind, you want to shout out that didn't make it, that think should have.
00:05:07
Speaker
Yeah, so i have two that were left out completely and one that's only on reserve that probably should have been in the main roster. So the two that have been left out are the two Spurs players, Stephon Castle and De'Aaron Fox.
00:05:19
Speaker
ah can't believe that at least one of them didn't get in. and It's just, it's mad to me. and like I understand that there's a lot of competition there, the likes of N.T. Edwards, Jamal Murray. They're probably the ones that are in Fox and in particularly Stefan Castell's way. But Castell's stats for the season, 16.7 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 46.8% field goal range.
00:05:41
Speaker
And he had that 40-point triple-double as well, which kind of should be putting him at the top of everyone's minds. And the Iron Fox then is 19.3, 4 and 6 for the season as well. So not quite as high as Castle. But definitely with the way Spurs have been playing, it's and Wemby has missed so many games as well. So it hasn't it's not like it's been all about Wemby as reason that they're they're flying so high. It's been the whole team. And these two in particular were massive misses for me.
00:06:06
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. that Those weren't two that I had. But I think the One of them probably should have gotten in given how good the Spurs have been. And like you said, Wemby hasn't played all season.
00:06:19
Speaker
He's missed a good number of games. So you would think that one of them then gets the credit for a lot of this. I think Castle is an interesting case because he's a way better defender as well. and But then if you were to pick one that voters would actually go for, it would probably be Fox just because of the name. And...
00:06:37
Speaker
because of the move he got there and the trade and everybody knows more about him. But I think Castle is a great, a great option that should have been considered because now that
Manchester City vs. Liverpool Analysis
00:06:46
Speaker
I think about how good his defense is, obviously that's not considered as much for the all-star game as it would be for say all-ending.
00:06:53
Speaker
But like, he's probably going to be first team all defense, if not second team all defense. And then you're not even getting luck in here, especially with the ability he's shown on offense. He stepped up massively. Like,
00:07:05
Speaker
Yeah, it's it's just mental to me, dust especially with the defence, as you said, and he is going to be right up there in the voting for the all-defensive team. But like 16.7 points per game is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when Wemby is playing, because you're just kind of complimenting him. And Spurs are just winning games left, right and centre. They're looking so, so good.
00:07:23
Speaker
And the fact that neither of these two got in has just kind of, it threw me off a little bit. The other one wanted to mention then is Chet Holmgren. I know he's on the reserve list, but he should be in the...
00:07:35
Speaker
the starting teams. If not starting teams, then definitely definitely in the squads, not just waiting for someone to drop out an injury. He gets in then because he's another man. The OKC, they haven't been as good recently, but he's still 17 points per game. 17 points, two rebounds, sorry, nine rebounds and two assists.
00:07:54
Speaker
He's only 25% from three, but he's also averaging two blocks a game. So he's he's flying on the defensive side again. And especially when Shea is missing out, and not having one of their kind of big stars,
00:08:06
Speaker
like I think Chet will be, after missing his first year to injury, Chet's a name that's known around the NBA. So it'd be kind of someone that people would looking for and he's just not there. It's madness to me as well.
00:08:18
Speaker
Yeah, J-Dub being out as well, you don't really have anyone then representing the best team in the league, which is which is kind of mad to think about. And again, you said they're defensive, his prowess on defence is massive and then that's being overlooked.
00:08:34
Speaker
This is just like, a gimmick of a game like they don't care about so many things the voters are just voting for their favorites and then see people sway their vote based on what they want to see in the game yeah and i think shangun was another one that was ridiculous that he was only an injury replacement Like, he should have been in there from the start. Like, he's probably having one of his best seasons, if not his best season. And and he's he's looked better offensively and defensively. Like, he looks so good this year. And the fact that he only got in to replace Shea, I thought that was yeah kind of more of a just than anybody who actually did miss it. um
00:09:14
Speaker
But I have a list of four. um Two of them, I think, are kind of... guys who are great, but they're on a hopeless team, and that's Keontae George and Lowry Markkinen with the Jazz.
00:09:27
Speaker
like They're 17 and 37, so it's kind of hard to consider them. But Keontae is 34 minutes per game. 24 points per game, four boards, six and a half assists and a steal.
00:09:39
Speaker
And he's shooting a career high from the field and from three at 45.8% and 37.5%. So he's like superstar in the making by the looks of it. And it'd be interesting to see what happens with him when they have to pay him because they've got Jaron Jackson there now and they have to pay Lowry and they still have to pay a Kessler. So it's interesting if they will pay him or not, but he looks really, really good. And then obviously Lowry is 27 points per game. It's his career high, seven boards and one and a half two blocks. But again, they're playing on the jazz.
00:10:12
Speaker
So I think that probably hinders their their chances there more than actually the fact that they're playing so well. Yeah, and I think Michael Porter Jr. is another one who's kind of fallen into that category as well. Another one who can probably feel her dumb bites not be in just because Brooklyn are absolutely garbage as well.
00:10:30
Speaker
I agree with you on the two lads from the Jazz and the Jazz have kind of, they picked up a small bit in the last couple of weeks, but they're obviously still... like they're rubbish if we're being honest about it so that's probably why they're missing out but I agree I don't know what they're do come the end of the season they have to pay all these lads they brought in and kind of see like who's going where going forward and he might be the one that does drop out of the reckoning but any team in the league will be looking to pick him up as soon as they can and he'll get a serious contract next year no matter where he goes Yeah he's going to get a massive payday and that might be the reason why they miss out on him because the market is going to be so high
00:11:07
Speaker
They were disagreed with Hankin though. The other night they were beating the Magic in the fourth quarter and they sat out Jackson, Markin and George like I don't know if they get away without getting a fine for this or something against them because it is it is so obvious what they're doing. And then two more I have. I think these are ones I seriously think should have made it.
00:11:29
Speaker
First up is Joel Embiid. So i know I'm a Sixers fan, but the numbers he puts up when he's on the court. And again, he probably wouldn't have played because he sat out the last two games with injury. So I doubt he would have played in the All-Star game.
00:11:42
Speaker
But 31 games, 31 minutes per game, 26.6 points, seven and a half boards, four assists, a block. And the team is 19 and 12 with them.
00:11:53
Speaker
And now they're 11 and 12 without them. So just under 500 without them. And when they're with them, they're one of the best teams in the East. So the difference he makes, he's missed a good few games, but that's because he's rotating in and out. There's like, I think he's played more than enough games to be considered for the all-star game, and considering the level that he's at. And then the second one I had is James Harden. I think it's a disgrace that he didn't get in.
00:12:20
Speaker
He's been so good this season. It's been one of his best that I can remember in recent years. Obviously, it's nowhere near the Rockets level Harden that we saw before. and But in terms of maybe the last four years, it's probably his best.
00:12:33
Speaker
Like the Clippers weren't anything amazing early on, but he was keeping their head above water when Kawhi was out and so many people were out. And then when Kawhi came back, he continued to play really well. 25.3 points per game, five boards, eight assists. As I mentioned last week,
00:12:49
Speaker
He's finally getting back to the free throw line again, which shows, you know, he's he's playing his own game the way he likes to. So I really think that he should of got in and I don't think it was fair that he missed out.
Management Strategies in Football Clubs
00:13:02
Speaker
Yeah, so the only reason I didn't mention Embiid is because I knew you would. He's on my extended list here along with i Leonard, who was added later to the pool, so that's fair enough. Shengguin, obviously, I have him here. Harden is there as well. I just didn't really want to talk about him we did enough talking about him last week on his trade deadline, but you brought him up as well, so I'm happy to bring him in.
00:13:21
Speaker
And as I mentioned, Michael Porton Jr., they were on my my list of snubs, but I just felt mostly for the Spurs players, but back to Embiid for a second. The season he's having when he's playing, is is as good as he's been for the Sixers.
00:13:35
Speaker
um In my opinion, anyway, you're probably watching more of them than I am, but the difference he's making is he just messes it off there when he's on the court when he's not on the court. He's obviously, he's just the leader of the team. And even if he was picked and they were like, oh, you're not going to play, that's fine.
00:13:49
Speaker
But to completely leave him out just makes no sense to me. it's almost like they were like, oh, we can only have one sixer, we have Maxi, let's not even look at the rest the roster, just leave it there, and like Vijay Edgecombe, I know, I think he's in the the rising star, maybe, yeah yeah, maybe he's not, maybe he's not an all-star, but he should have been close with the way he started the scene, at least, he's probably dropped off a smaller, room but he's still absolute quality, and,
00:14:14
Speaker
It's just like, I don't know why you we're spending so much time talking about this because this whole thing is just gone in the bin. USA versus the world. And then you get to play another USA team in the final in a three-legged thing. It's madness. Yeah, it's mental. And...
00:14:32
Speaker
it's just it's mental and like yeah I don't know if it's like if the player is going to be as upset or not making it this year as it would have been years before because it's just becoming nonsense and it's getting worse and worse as the Euros will buy and I don't know how they're ever going to fix it now. They've gone down the route of splitting up the USA versus the rest the world. That's the way it's going to be going forward now.
00:14:53
Speaker
It's going like playing the Harlem Globetrotters. It's what it's going to end up being at some point. It'll be the USA versus the Harlem Globetrotters and then The stripes against Europe and then the winner play off against each other. it's That's the way it's going. It's just nonsense. Yeah, it's farce, really.
00:15:08
Speaker
And that leads us into arrest them of the of the lineup. like I just... I don't know, like, some of this... Well, firstly, I'll say the slam dunk contest competitors. I don't think either of us want to talk about this, but... Carter Bryant for the Spurs...
00:15:26
Speaker
he's a rookie and he was selected 14th overall he hasn't really had much of a look in because their team is is stacked and and then Jackson Hayes is in there as well like seven seasons in in the NBA I don't know how he's been around that long he's always been hopeless he has a few good dumps but I just feel like he's the type of guy that'll just do something ridiculous and this Keishad Johnson from the Heat, so another forward. he's He's in the G League at the moment. like Don't know a thing about that guy. And then Jace Richardson, another rookie for Orlando.
00:16:01
Speaker
Just because his father won the Slam Dunk Championship twice, I don't think that's good enough reason to have him. No Mac McClung this year, who won it the last three years in a That's so disappointing. I'm genuinely devastated. That's the reason I would have watched this.
00:16:14
Speaker
Don't worry, though. He got called up to the G League team in the Rising Stars game, even though he's 27 years of age. So we do get to see him. It's just absolutely ridiculous. like that is That's just a farce when I saw that he was called up to that. and The more interesting one is the three-point contest because, first of all, Damien Nillard will be interesting to see because he hasn't played all year because he has a torn Achilles, but he's still going to do this.
00:16:38
Speaker
Devin Booker has been shooting really badly from three this year, but he's a big name. I really like Con Canople being involved. He's been lights out. Tyrese Maxey is obviously the highlight for me. First time he's been in it. A sixer.
00:16:51
Speaker
Then Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell, Bobby Portis. God help us. like He's a good three-point shooter. but yeah And then Norm Powell is trying his hand at it again. and But Tyler Hero won it last year.
FA Cup Predictions & Podcast Game
00:17:02
Speaker
And Damien Lillard won it the year before, so let's see what he can do on and on one leg this time around as he's kind of, I think he's like halfway through his Achilles recovery.
00:17:11
Speaker
Yeah, like this is the kind of weekend where I'm just going to forget fastball exists and we'll just come back next week and we probably won't even talk about it. We look ahead to something and instead of going back looking at this.
00:17:22
Speaker
does like Except for you getting Maxie there, there's nothing here that kind of jumps out and say and screams excitement in any point of view. Even the All-Star game, there's a couple of rockets there. and i'd like I'd love to see Shingun, but he's probably going to get like four minutes.
00:17:37
Speaker
So like but I'm not sitting up until three o'clock in the morning to watch four minutes of Shingun. So yeah, I just can't wait for this to be over and get back to the actual proper basketball and get the fantasy back going now that I'm almost in the top four.
00:17:49
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. ah playoffs coming in like four weeks so interesting time for fantasy basketball after the NFL kind of ended but yeah the only to do thing I'm going to watch is the three point contest just to see Maxie and and again if it's on really late I don't think it's too late but if it if it drags on i'm not I'm not staying up for I'll just watch it the next day yeah But yeah, I think that's it on the and NBA. and We want a real basketball back and not this weekend of of whatever is going to go on, whatever nonsense. But we'll move into some Premier League chat.
Super Bowl Analysis: Seahawks vs. Patriots
00:18:23
Speaker
and
00:18:24
Speaker
So performance of the weekend, we're going with Man City having beaten Liverpool because it's such a big win and it keeps the title race interesting, especially after they then went and battered Fulham in the first half on Wednesday night. But Overall, we want to talk about it because it was a really good game and an interesting game. and Shout out now to my to my barber, Derek. and He's a Liverpool fan. I told him I'd bring up his point of view on the podcast because he was at the game. um
00:18:54
Speaker
And he said it was really enjoyable. And he said it like really annoyed him afterwards going online to see a lot of like the Liverpool fan pages giving out so much, especially that Irish guy. I can't remember what his name is. The bald guy.
00:19:09
Speaker
Craig, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. time praise and the I think he said, yeah, he was, like, super annoyed by seeing him, like, losing the mind after the game. And he said he was close to, like, replying to it being, like, here, like, you haven't a clue. Like, at least enjoy the fact that...
00:19:26
Speaker
His whole point of view is like the fact that Liverpool won the league last year, like that's massive. And it was such an enjoyable season. And now this year it's not going exactly to plan, but at least there's some kind of improvement because he was at the last game he went to was the PSV one where Liverpool got bothered.
00:19:43
Speaker
And he was just like coming out with that game. It was so deflating. And like... just to see the level of performance wasn't there. But in this game, it was. And like, at least they looked very competitive for the majority of the game. Now it's not good the way it ended. That's another issue. I think the way Liverpool end games is is something they need to work on. But at least the positives were there.
00:20:04
Speaker
And that was his take on it. So I said, I'd bring that to you since obviously you're a Liverpool fan as well. Yeah, two things on that. First of all, it's the way they start and end games. So again, for the first 20 minutes, they were so comfortably second best in this game. City were all over them and I really thought City were going to do what they did the Etihad, but then Liverpool came back into it.
00:20:24
Speaker
Second of all, I am sick to death of coming on here every week and talking about our teams. playing against Liverpool having the performance of the weekend. and I'm just like, we've had Bournemouth, we've had Villa, we've had Fulham, we've nearly had the whole league at this point talking against Liverpool.
00:20:39
Speaker
i mean I have the stats here in front of me and it's it's wild how similar they are the whole way down. So shots, I'm just going to go Liverpool first, City second, obviously. So shots 15 to 16 on target 5 to 7. Possession 46-54.
00:20:53
Speaker
passes 340 to 420, passing accuracy 84 to 83, fouls 1216, yellow cards 2-4, offside 6-2 and corners 5-4. Everything across the board was nearly a 50-50 split and it literally came down to the laps of the gods at the very, very end with the penalty.
00:21:13
Speaker
I know by the rules it's a penalty, but it's one of those that I really hate the fact it's penalty because all he's done is gotten the ball to kick it out of play and gone over the keeper. And I know it's it's been like that for years and I'm i'm not complaining about the penalty. I know it's a penalty, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. And I hate it when, obviously you don't hate him and it goes against, sorry, it goes for Liverpool, but it's just one of those that shouldn't be going for any team.
00:21:34
Speaker
Unless you control the ball, keep it in play and they're going around the keeper and the keeper takes you out, then a penalty, fair enough. Not when these lads are running behind, kicking the ball into Rosette and going over the keeper and getting a penalty. I don't understand it, but...
00:21:48
Speaker
Yeah, it it was just, it was a really good game. It was all City in the first half. Nearly all Liverpool for the first 30, 35 minutes the second half. And if you wanted to spend the rest of the podcast talking about that free kick, I'm more than happy to do so. Because...
00:22:03
Speaker
Yeah. for What a strike. You just, it's mental. It's better than his one against Arsenal. It was a joke putting two men in the wall for that. like Obviously, you're never going to expect that.
00:22:16
Speaker
But I feel like that was like almost a disrespect to the fact that Sabaslay can do that. And then doing that, he's just going be like, well, I'm going to just bang it the side of that wall. And City paid for it. It was nice. One of the best goals of the season.
00:22:33
Speaker
Yeah, it's just, it's some strike and it it was almost like, I dare you to try and put this outside the two-man wall and into the top far corner because Dan Romo's almost like, you're not go going to be able to do it. You're not going to come my side.
00:22:46
Speaker
The wall is going to stop you going the other side. And the way he hits it is just unbelievable. The arc he gets on this and in off the inside of the post. Better than his Arsenal free kick. I think that's four free kicks he scored this season now.
00:22:58
Speaker
which is pretty disgusting as well. You can't be doing that. That's James Borne-Prowse levels of pre-kick taken now at this stage. um Yeah, it's... Liverpool are really struggling to put 90 minutes together.
00:23:09
Speaker
Except now they were good last night. I think they put close to 90 minutes together last night, but even the first 10 or 15 there, it was a very even split. But after that, Liverpool kind of took over.
00:23:21
Speaker
Yeah, just the first 20 minutes and the last 10 minutes again are just, it's what's costing Liverpool in so many games this season. And even games they start where they can see goals and then they fall off the cliff. And that's that's the reason that they are struggling to get into top four, top five at the moment.
00:23:36
Speaker
Yeah, and I think you're right in the fact of the slow start as well. um But I think finishing so poorly is bigger issue because you can make up for in the middle of the game, like they did against City.
00:23:49
Speaker
Like, you did go through the stats there. I know there's a penalty, so that sways to XG, but that was the thing that was overpowering in City's favour. It was 2.75 to in Opta.
00:24:02
Speaker
Now, that's not the whole story, but, you know, I think... City were dominant early and they had a lot of good chances that they probably should have scored or a lot of good positional.
00:24:13
Speaker
Yeah, and Haaland should have scored early. And then Liverpool really dominated the second half and I thought they should have scored more goals. And then the one they do get is a wonder goal. So it was like a lot of squandered chances for both teams.
00:24:25
Speaker
And then City just kind of got, came out an nowhere. And even last night, I thought Sunderland, like against Liverpool, Liverpool dominated them. And then as soon as you went 1-0 up, all the Liverpool players started panicking, like and retreating back into the box. And there was a couple of occasions there where Sunderland, obviously, they weren't the most exciting team to watch last night, just lumping it into the box at times. But there's a few times there where the ball can just bounce around and go in. And then you're like like, why did we do this? Why did we sit back again?
00:24:55
Speaker
So I think... That's an issue, the first thing that needs to be looked at. and I was looking at the pass maps and Liverpool played a lot down the right-hand side. and So 58% of passes that came from Alisson went to the right side of defenders versus the left. and The best like partnership for passing, almost 10% of Liverpool's passes between starters was between Kanada and Sabaslay so they were clearly going down that right I thought Sabaslay was brilliant he solved a lot of the issues I've pointed out recently in Liverpool's fullbacks I know he's not a fullback but he did a great job there and not being out of position which is hilarious given that as I said he's not a fullback he was better positionally than anyone Liverpool have played there this season and so I think a lot of the plan was clearly to go to him feed into Salah
00:25:46
Speaker
and I don't know like, that obviously didn't lead to a goal, but I think that's probably your best bet, considering how Gatpo has played at times this season. But then it does become one-dimensional. And I think...
00:25:59
Speaker
We've said a lot about Liverpool, but City did get the win, and I really hate Bernardo Silva, but he was so good. He was... Yeah, he was brilliant. Brilliant. Won the penalty. I know, like you said, the way it goes, it's one of them ones, like United gave away a penalty to Fulham a few weeks ago, where Jimenez took the shot. Then he got fouled. The shot already got off. Yeah. That doesn't make sense. You had your shot. That used to be your route. That wasn't a penalty, but now it is. It's a similar one.
00:26:26
Speaker
and And another player is Gehi. He's so important to what City do. He kind of has that John Stones role now. And if you looked at, I looked at the pass map, as I said, and a lot of it went to Gehi. And then he fed either Aitnori, Rodri or Bernardo Silva. the most technical players that City have and they just let it on from there. So I think signing him was absolutely massive and obviously Bernardo Silva as well as it was a key part of this for City to keep the title race alive.
00:26:55
Speaker
Yeah, especially in the first half and Guay and City were absolutely brilliant at all. They were bossing it. There was no getting passed away. and no matter who it was, it was his shots or crosses, whatever it was, he was getting in the way, blocking them, celebrating like he'd scored a goal, which actually drives me insane. When you put the ball out for a corner, just get set for the corner. There's no need to be hugging your goalkeeper because you put a block in. both city were just City were really, really good until Liverpool actually started putting a bit of pressure on them.
00:27:24
Speaker
City kind of retreated back a small bit then, and then when Liverpool scored, they did the same and just invited City on them then after that. But... City, it's Liverpool's bench has been such an issue again because Slott doesn't trust the subs.
00:27:37
Speaker
So they were 1-0 off. Everyone was clearly tired and he doesn't bring on anyone. Like he should have been bringing on Robertson for Kirkus then. Even if you think Kirkus is better at the moment, you have fresh flares on the bench. You need to start using them a bit more and a bit better.
00:27:50
Speaker
because you can't just expect the same lads to go for 90 minutes over and over and over again. It's probably why there's so many injuries, because he doesn't trust the lads he has in the back-up. But anyway, enough about Liverpool, I need talk about Man City, unfortunately.
00:28:03
Speaker
Bernardo Silva was immense. um I'm like you, I absolutely despise myself, but... Gets up for the goal. Well, Halland gets up the goal. He still puts it away. And he was just running the show from the middle of the park the whole game through.
00:28:15
Speaker
I thought he was excellent. He was deservedly man of the match. Arguably could have been sent off at the end for that really, really high one on Wirtz. But he doesn't really catch him. He gets when he Wirtz and he knows he's off.
00:28:27
Speaker
Yeah, he's gone. So he's lucky there. But he was probably man the match. i just cannot stand him. He's such a little rat. He's horrible. He's one of those... so what He's Portuguese as well. He's very like Bruno. You love him when he's on your team. You hate him when you're watching him from the sidelines for another team. I feel like Bruno does a lot of complaining, but Bernardo Silva does a lot of dirty things, like really dirty. Yeah, he does. thatphon i Like that one on Virts.
00:28:53
Speaker
But yeah, I just, I thought City were deserved winners. I'm sorry. Yeah, they probably were deserved winners on the balance of the whole 90 minutes. But Liverpool just need to keep going out there. That was a massive win for Liverpool last night. Get some two points behind Chelsea, I think it is.
00:29:08
Speaker
Heading into next week. And playing Forest. So we'll talk about Forest in a second. But both of those teams need the three points so badly. New manager bounce. But ah i think I think it's the main problem City you have is not being able to play in both halves. Like, They were unbelievably good in the first half against Spurs. And they were 2-0 up. And they looked like they could have been like 5-0 or 6-0 by the end. And then they just fall to pieces with one small tactical change.
00:29:36
Speaker
And then against Liverpool. Brilliant first half dominant. Should have been 1-0 or 2-0 up. And then just. completely different team second half when Liverpool changed the way they played a little bit, which is unlike Pep teams to be so flustered by minor changes.
00:29:49
Speaker
Obviously, last night against Fulham was was it not the same thing because you're treating a lot halftime, so you do sit back, but the other two games are really important. So I think that's something they'll need to work on. But as we go into Arsenal and Brentford tonight, obviously, you will know the score of that when you're listening to it because it's Thursday night as we're recording Thursday evening.
00:30:09
Speaker
But at the moment, City have applied the most pressure they can. They're only three points behind Arsenal. Even if Arsenal do win, which is not a given against this Brentford team, it's still only six points and anything can happen down the stretch. So at least City are keeping the title race alive. um And that's... and Yeah, Arsenal have to go to the Etihad as well.
00:30:27
Speaker
Yeah, so that's going to be major. and So we'll be looking forward to that one. But you mentioned we'll talk about Forrest.
00:30:36
Speaker
In general here, what are not... and oh God, I could get the words out, Nottingham. What are Nottingham Forest playing? Like, it's just ridiculous. Like, they're moving on to their fourth manager now.
00:30:48
Speaker
Like, the Nuno issue was a very... Obviously, he wasn't there for long, and they got rid of him for ridiculous reasons and wasn't actually, like, anything to do with football. Then they brought in Ange, which was a disaster class. And then he was
Cultural & Strategic Impact of Seahawks
00:31:02
Speaker
having his great is great chats on the overlap or whatever that thing is called with Gary Neville about Thomas Frank leaving. I didn't even listen to that because I didn't want to hear the victory laps because Ange is an awful manager. um Then you move on to Sean Dyche, who wasn't even doing that bad of a job.
00:31:19
Speaker
Six wins, four draws, eight losses. I know eight losses is a lot, but six wins and four draws for this Forest team is a lot better than the other lads were doing because they were one win, two draws and five losses between the others.
00:31:32
Speaker
They're 17, three points above West Ham. Win, draw, win, draw, loss, draw. Not the best in the world, but like they're still keeping afloat. They got a draw against Arsene recently.
00:31:43
Speaker
They beat West Ham recently. like I don't know what more he could have done to keep this. And now you're going for Vitor Pereira, who managed to turn Wolves around massively last season, but then fell apart with him this season. So is that the right thing to do? I don't know. Dyche seems like the best option here.
00:32:01
Speaker
Yeah, so first of all, and and if he had waited until this morning's studio overlap, because he could have talked about the two managers that had replaced him at two different clubs instead of just having to talk about Frank for half an hour. So that's hilarious.
00:32:13
Speaker
I am shocked by the Dyche one. Like... Deich isn't on the pitch. So Deich can't put the ball in the net when a team is having 35 shots. like that's It's not on Deich but to bond the ball in the net. It's on your your big players who are out there.
00:32:27
Speaker
All the attacking challenge you have in the world, you have 35 shots. One of them has to go in. It's not Sean Dyche's fault that the lads can't finish when they're out there. I think it's mad. He's obviously, Mr. Maranakis, my apologies, has obviously gone and he's spoken to prayer and said, look, I had you at Olympiacos. You did a great job for me there. You won Exumoy.
00:32:47
Speaker
you want to come in the forest? Yeah, I'll do it. Grant, Sean, you're gone. That's obviously how it went. It was half 12 of last night and he sacked him. He was probably speaking to Vito Pereira for the last week. Everything was agreed and wrapped up by 10 o'clock this morning.
00:32:59
Speaker
Like you're not hung your manager. Like your manager's not coming in for an interview at 4am. So obviously that this was done before Deitch was sacked. So obviously he's like, I want Pereira.
00:33:10
Speaker
How do I get him? Oh, he's coming. Brilliant. Sean, you're out the door. I'd say even if he had won yesterday, he might have been gone anyway, because this looks like a Mr. Maranakis move written all over it, where he just doesn't know what else to do.
00:33:22
Speaker
Getting a bit bored, trying to windows close. He can't do anything. Let's change the manager again. The Thomas Frank one the ta han one makes perfect sense. Long overdue. The Sean Dyson makes absolutely no sense. and we We spoke last week about can West Ham catch Forrest.
00:33:44
Speaker
I think it's just become a hell of a lot more likely now that West Ham will catch Forrest. and Imagine Forrest to win the Europa League. We have a championship team in the Champions League next year. ah ah That would be unbelievably good. when Did Wigan do that one time when they won the FA Cup? Did they get a real game? Yeah, they got to... Yeah, but that was the Europa... The UEFA Cup and they lost in the qualifiers.
00:34:07
Speaker
Yeah. They lost in their qualifiers. That would have been mad. I don't think so, anyway. Yeah, no, I think you're right. That would have been a bigger a bigger thing at the time.
Updated Sports Power Rankings
00:34:17
Speaker
But yeah, I agree that it is easier for West Ham to catch them now, especially given probably the best man out of anyone I trust around this is Nuno. And West Ham had him. Like, United played them the other night and I was happy with a point, even though United won their last four.
00:34:31
Speaker
Like, Nuno had West Ham set up. He had them set up exactly how far it's beat United. Like... just frustrate them, pack the box, and United were passing it around, not putting the ball into the box enough. When they actually brought Cesco on and put the ball in the box, they scored. like They should have done that earlier, but I think...
00:34:49
Speaker
He knew exactly what he needed to do, pack it out. United couldn't figure it out and then hit them on the counter attack like he did with Alanga when Forrest played against United and beat them 1-0-2. And it almost worked again. So credit to him. He's a great manager and he has West Ham finally, despite up a big lack of talent really there.
00:35:09
Speaker
looking like they might have a chance to stay up um Now Leeds are going quite well at the moment and i think it looks like it could be between Spurs, Forest and West Ham at this stage and like you said, Frank going long overdue, seven wins, eight draws, 11 losses in the Premier League, 16th, just five points above West Ham.
00:35:31
Speaker
I don't know if... If they stick with Johnny Heitinger, is that going to be something that keeps you up? That would literally make me think that they're going down. Like, yes, he was assistant to Slott. Yes, he was assistant to David Moyes. Those are both assistant roles. He was an intern at Ajax and he did an OK job in a bad situation. But then when he went back to Ajax as a full-time manager, he was awful. And they sat him in a few months. Yeah.
00:35:56
Speaker
So, like, i would definitely not be going for him. And I think he's after edging ahead of Deservi as the favourite today, tonight, in the last few hours. So, I don't know. Deservi is a clear choice here. If they got him in, I would say, okay, that they have some sort of a chance of getting maybe up to even...
00:36:12
Speaker
like 13th but with with Heitinga I would say it's going to be nip and tuck between them West Ham and Forrest especially with Pereira and now like you said I don't think it it doesn't definitely doesn't strike confidence in in me in Forrest doing well or Spurs with Heitinga Yeah, and Spurs have no easy games coming either. So they have Arsenal at the weekend at home. They're absolutely dreadful at home.
00:36:37
Speaker
Away to Fulham, another London derby. Fulham don't really like them. Fulham are great at home. Palace at home. Sorry? Fulham are great at home as well. Yeah, Fulham, yeah, exactly.
00:36:49
Speaker
Then they're playing Palace, then they're playing Liverpool away, and then they're playing Forest. and we could like This is not even joking. That could actually be the biggest six-pointer of the season if Spurs is going badly in the next five and Forest are doing what they're doing.
00:37:04
Speaker
And then you've Sunland away, Brighton at home, and then Wolves, obviously, I'll stop it there because... There's not a single easy match in the league for Spurs with the way things are going. And their last two are horrific as well. They're away to Chelsea and at home to Everton or their last two games. If they're actually fighting to stay up, then that's that's a really, really bad way to end any sort of season. And the fact they kept Thomas Frank in this job for so long is the reason they're in this position. He probably should have been sacked two months ago. Yeah.
00:37:34
Speaker
yeah's like He probably would have been if they didn't at least do something in the Champions League the way they have been. But like we said we spoke about this like two weeks ago and we both said he wouldn't last. Yeah, he said it wouldn't last till the end of February. We both agreed on that. But yeah the only reason he's in this position is because of Champions League form. But again, I don't see them doing anything in the next round of that. So that's not enough. Yeah.
00:37:57
Speaker
Yeah, the K hasn't done enough all season. I know what did towards the start of the season, they were second there. They were pushing within three points at first. And then the wheels fell off the way it falls off under every single Spurs manager of lakes. Like, it never, ever works out for anyone in there, whatever...
00:38:13
Speaker
whatever the issues with that club but like even under Nuno they won six in a row to start the season and he won manager the month then got sacked a month later like it's kind of the players will do it for a certain amount of time and there's players in there who are quality likes of Xabi Siemens it's clearly a really really good player but why isn't he doing this Slanky slannky wouldn't say he's great but he's like he's a good finisher another a man who just isn't doing this just and they're littered all over the place Romero is a shambles really really good player but cannot stay on the pitch he's had two red cards now and the key incident match panel whatever it're called said he should have been sent off in both games against Brentford as well so he should have four red cards this season like how can you trust him as a captain
00:38:56
Speaker
You can't. And it's not just on the players. Then you have Thomas much Frank, I'll never get over him drinking from the Arsenal Cup. It's only a cup, but wow. Things are bad enough for you, like with the way things are going as far as don't go and drink from an Arsenal Cup. It's just that the lack of hindsight or foresight, whichever one, I don't know. But it's just the fact he lasted that long.
00:39:18
Speaker
It just, it gives hope to me that I might become a football manager someday. Yeah, you just have to get the foot in the door at this point and then and then you're sorted. You should just start being a set-piece coach and then you'll get yourself in there since you love set-pieces so much.
00:39:32
Speaker
but I'll have a word with with with my my friend Keith Andrews after this. Yeah, maybe Thomas Frank will have to take up that set-piece role now at this point. But I i do think that you're right, that Spurs is like a place that sucks the life out of every manager and player that goes there. And when your captain is doing ridiculous things the way Romero does, it's not a good look for the rest of the dressing room at all. And I think both teams had issues with the ability of their forwards like you said Solanke but he he looked good when he has played he has been injured but again he can never always stay on the pitch or always be consistent when he plays and then Chris Wood has been injured and Forrest don't have any other striker so that's down to recruitment as well and it's also down to utilizing the talent you have so it's on it's it's a lot of factors but
00:40:21
Speaker
Yeah, I think it's actually an interest in relegation battle as well. So that's that's a bonus because some season it seems like it's almost over at this point. There are two teams gone. So there there is three there is tree teams for one spot now. And that's always an interesting battle when it comes down to it's not just the three teams that done and dusted like they were last season. at least there's actually something to work at watch down there this season.
00:40:41
Speaker
Yeah, 100% I agree. And then Burnley getting a shock win against Palace, just keeping their fans alive. Just kill them off and let them forget about it. Absolutely mild what happened at the of that first half.
00:40:55
Speaker
Yeah, crazy comeback. But we'll move into Gonshance then. I know we've gotten a few new listeners recently. So first of all, thank you for for for listening to us. And a lot of the new listeners we've had, you can see on our statistics that a lot of them aren't subscribed to the podcast. So if you could subscribe, just follow it on Spotify or whatever, or subscribe on YouTube. And and if you have a minute to leave a five-star review if you are enjoying it. then that would be greatly appreciated too but the rules for this one are we have a game gone chance basically means no chance in irish and we pick three underdogs every week so the way we do it is in football and in the nfl we pick a team that is playing against another team that is odds on favorites so let's say arsenal are playing
00:41:43
Speaker
um Wolves this weekend and Arsenal are one to five on and Wolves are three to one like we can pick Wolves then to win and so those are the parameters there and then in the NBA we pick games for the weekend um and they don't have the odds out on time so what we do is the team has to be five wins back from the team that's they're playing against so if the Magic are 38 and 31 and they're playing against the jazz who are 17 and 30 then there are more than five wins behind them so that's perfect you can pick the jazz to win that game now that's all explained obviously the nfl is done so we won't have those and we used to pick one from each sport now it's going to be two from soccer and one from the nba another caveat
00:42:27
Speaker
It's all-star weekend in the NBA, so we only have soccer this weekend. No Premier League, all f FA Cup. A bit of a mad mishmash, but those are the rules. i Currently, I'm 25 points to 22 on the season for Shane.
00:42:42
Speaker
You get one point for each one predicted correctly, if you predict all three correct, you get five points. Last weekend, I had Sunderland to beat Arsenal. That was a loss. The Pacers to beat the Bucs. That was also a loss. and Then I had the Rockets to beat to the Thunder, which was a win. You also had the Rockets to beat the Thunder, so that was a win for you. And and then you had Everton to beat Fulham, which was a win, along with the Jazz to beat the Magic, which was a loss. So you had two points last week. Very, um very very close two led to a five-pointer.
00:43:12
Speaker
And that would have been, as we said earlier, if the Jazz didn't bench all their players in in the fourth quarter, it would have been a five-pointer. But yeah, you're three points behind me. So what have you got for us this week as your three picks in the f FA Cup?
00:43:25
Speaker
So it was a really tough one. So I'm going with Salford at 60. No, I'm only joking. I'm absolutely not going with Salford to Heatman City. They've got the all-white kids ready. Yeah, imagine it comes in now, I'll be feeling. But the first one, I've gone with Wrexham at 12 to 5 to beat Ipswich, who are evens.
00:43:42
Speaker
So Wrexham are at home and are somehow underdogs when they're playing at home. After watching it at the Forest, you never know. And this was actually a lot harder to pick than I'd expected anyway. So I just thought Wrexham were a great price.
00:43:53
Speaker
I've gone with Stoke 16-5 to beat Fulham here 8-11. Again, Stoke at home. Fulham are kind of looking at the European places now with the way things are going from they can pick up another couple of results.
00:44:05
Speaker
I don't know how high on the list of priorities the FA Cup will be. I don't think they'll think they can win it, but you like I don't know why teams don't do what Palace did and just go all out. but I could see Fulham resting a few here.
00:44:17
Speaker
And finally, after the midweek madness between Leicester and Southampton during the week where Southampton wanted the very last kick of game, I've gone with Leicester at 3-1 to get their revenge. Southampton are 3-4.
00:44:29
Speaker
So Leicester to beat Southampton, Stoke to beat Fulham and Wrexham to beat Ipswich. Okay, yeah, I've got one of the same. I've also gone with Leicester. I think the price for Leicester, even though they're away, a bit mad like to be 3-1, where I saw was just slightly above 3-1, and then Southampton are 8-11 on. like Yeah, that's a bit that's a bit interesting.
00:44:49
Speaker
I was looking at the Stoke one, but they've just been so bad recently that I couldn't get behind them. But again, you could be right, Fulham might rest everybody. So instead, I've gone for Brighton to beat Liverpool away. Now, I just think that Liverpool are playing in so many competitions that could be a similar thing where they play like young players. Like they've done it in recent years where they played like so many young players.
00:45:12
Speaker
And they're playing like a lot in the Cups. They're playing in the Champions League still. They're in the Premier League hunting for the top four. So I think with a but a kind of thin squad, that could be a tactic that they lose. Brighton haven't been good recently. So this is, I'm basically banking on Liverpool playing all the young lads to get this one over the line. and And then my last one, I've gone with Grimsby.
00:45:34
Speaker
Why not? Grimsby to beat Wolves. Grimsby are unbeaten in their last five. Wolves are useless. Grimsby already did United over this season in Grimsby. So why can't they do Wolves over? Wolves 9-20. Grimsby 5-1. It's the biggest outsider in the three of us. But I said, hey, let's go for it. It's something a bit mad this week because it was hard enough to pick these ones.
00:45:56
Speaker
Yeah, I did look at that one as well and it was just like, there's no way they're beating two family teams in the one season, even if both teams, when they played them, were absolutely garbage. You never know though, we'll see.
00:46:07
Speaker
Yeah, and at the time in Beckrams we beat United, they were like hovering barely above their relegation spots and now they're nearly in playoffs, so they're they've definitely used that a boost for themselves. But let's move into the NFL then.
00:46:19
Speaker
Obviously, we we had the biggest game of the season go down. The Super Bowl pretty much went how we expected it to go um and how a lot of sports media expected to go. We previewed it last week. we I gave my prediction for the score. I said Seahawks 31, Patriots 14.
00:46:36
Speaker
Pretty close. Seahawks were 29, Patriots 13. So I was only a few points off with that one. um And I think the Seahawks dominated really from from start to finish.
00:46:47
Speaker
The Patriots never looked like doing anything. Their only tactic to me seemed like they were jumping in front of some of Darnold's throws really early to try and get a big pick. And then that was a risk because JSN nearly housed one if Darnold didn't have pressure on him and early on. And that would have set the tone there fairly quickly. But that was clearly their tactic to just go after him, and his passes early, try to get a big interception or something off him.
00:47:13
Speaker
And after that, it looked like they they didn't really know what to do once Kenneth Walker got going. He had a massive game, 135 yards on 27 carries, 26 yards through the air. He's the first running back MVP since 1998 when Terrell Davis grabbed it. So K-9 getting the MVP, it was well-deserved and a really great performance all over the pitch, special teams, defensively, everything for the Seahawks.
00:47:40
Speaker
Yeah, this game was all about defences. I actually thought the Patriots' defence was really good to a point as well. The couple of passes that were broken up by Gonzalez was absolutely superb for the Patriots. But what the Seattle defence did was just made Drake's dr may drake may life a living nightmare.
00:48:01
Speaker
Six sacks, two intersections. Like, his stats aren't even that bad. He had 295 yards, two touchdowns. But when you're watching the game, it's one of those where these stats did not pass the eye test. It was a 79.1 passer rating.
00:48:14
Speaker
It was actually higher than Sam Darnold, who was 74.7. But it's like the six sacks are the killer. His offensive line were all over place. Will Campbell had an absolute nightmare that he might never see a football pitch again with with how was what he was doing the other night. That's a bit hard.
00:48:33
Speaker
You... You put it to me at one point that Drake May is like, he was still a child out there. And it was very, very clear. And I think Will Campbell is another one who was still a child out there as well. He was not ready for this stage. And...
00:48:45
Speaker
I know the Patriots were years ahead of schedule, but when you do get to this game, you you kind of want everyone to show up and do it. And the only ones that showed up were really Ernest Jones, 10 tackles, Witherspoon, four tackles a sack, Byron Murphy, two sacks, Nibusu, the interception and the touchdown.
00:49:02
Speaker
just Their defense just came to play. And when it wasn't really going on the ah offense, their defense just kept getting the Patriots off the pitch over and over and over and over and over again. Outside of K9 then I thought AJ Barner was the only one who was really noticeable for the Seahawks offense.
00:49:18
Speaker
I thought neither offense had a really good game and that showed on the scoreboard as well. Yeah, I thought it was a a poor offensive performance. That's why Darnold really didn't get a consideration for MVP. I think if it didn't go yeah to Kenneth Walker, it would have probably went on the defensive side, probably to Hall. I thought Witherspoon was absolutely exceptional. And he said after the game that that McDonald had kind of seen a tell from their offensive linemen, which is not a good thing to to be seeing that. That's obviously coming from Campbell.
00:49:51
Speaker
that they knew when to attack him and when to get past him. And he could have had two sacks on May. He only had one. I think Drake May, like, taking six sacks in that game, a fumble, they ruled the second as an interception. you know, like you said, for him to have a better passer rating than Darnold shows that sometimes stats are completely pointless because, like,
00:50:14
Speaker
He was awful in this game. So, so bad. And he missed so many times there was people open and he just didn't see them. It was like he was the one seeing ghosts out there. And that was something that people had put on Darnold.
00:50:27
Speaker
Now, he had a great regular season, but this playoffs is probably the worst I've ever watched a quarterback in the playoffs. Like he, like no exaggeration. For someone to make it this far, he was so, so bad.
00:50:39
Speaker
He has the worst statistical playoff run as well. So the stats back this up. Minus 29.2 expected points added. So he's taken nearly 30 points off the team in expectation this season. It's the worst ever on a quarterback this century that's played three games.
00:50:57
Speaker
So, you know, it's just... not something the defence could outdo for him. Like the defence couldn't carry him like he had in other games. And I know I said earlier that their only thing they had early was to jump passes and try and catch them. That wasn't to say that the defence didn't play great. The defence was brilliant. I just meant that that seemed like their only game plan to winning the game because they wanted to like house a mistake by Darnold rather than actually trusting on Drake May to to do things and just locking it down. And when Christian Gonzalez...
00:51:30
Speaker
If they had won, he would have had to get the MVP. like Five targets, he only allowed one catch, 16 yards and three pass breakups. like He's going to get absolutely paid this offseason.
00:51:40
Speaker
He's only cost them $2 million this season with his salary. is He's still on his rookie contract. They have a player option, 17.5 million, or a club option, should I say, so they they have the option to extend that. But they'll either extend that and then work out a deal or they'll work out a deal before that because he's going to get some amount of money as well. So I think I felt sorry for guys like him who had a great game and really were let down by the ah offense sold it so massively, like...
00:52:05
Speaker
we we expected at least Stefan Diggs to try and show up a little bit and he only had 37 yards he seemed to be doing a whole lot of complaining on the sideline and I don't know whether that was motivational or what it was but it seemed like a bad kind of a bad persona to have on your sideline and obviously he is not a good human being for some of the stuff that he's done and then on the other side you have Cooper Cupp playing for the Seahawks six catches 61 yards doing exactly what needs to be done and a veteran who does nothing but give positivity to the team so that's that's a difference in these two the way the team has been built and Like you said, the Patriots are way ahead. They shouldn't have been here this early. But again, like you said, when you get here, you want to give it all you can. And it's not a given. what to show all get
00:52:52
Speaker
Just ask Dan Marino. Youngest quarterback to ever make it to the Super Bowl. Never made it again. Never got back again, yeah. But even like the the one that kind of that was the biggest shock to me was like you So we're going to take out his his receptions here for a second. So Ramondre Stevenson had five receptions of 40 yards.
00:53:09
Speaker
Very he good, well done. But on the ground, himself and Henderson were shocking. Stevenson, seven carries, 23 yards. Trevion Henderson, six carries for 19 yards.
00:53:20
Speaker
These are two lads who've been breaking tackles all year and all of a sudden comes the biggest stage. And fair enough to see all the defense was absolutely unbelievable. But you think when you're kind of... They did give up on it eventually, which I said they should in the message before canine rich ripped off his first big massive run and it made me look like i was talking about him.
00:53:38
Speaker
The Patriots should have given up on the run game a lot quicker than they did because it clearly wasn't working. But then going to the sky wasn't working either. There was nothing working for They couldn't get a first down. I think at one point they couldn't get past the halfway line. It just kept having to be punted away and they were lucky their punter was excellent. Can we talk about Seattle's punter actually?
00:53:56
Speaker
His boot is absolutely outrageous. He's insane. But did did i get all the guys on the offense who wanted to step up, Diggs, Henderson, Stephenson, they didn't. Matt Collins did what he could, four receptions, 78 yards and a touchdown.
00:54:10
Speaker
He can't really do much more than that. Pop Douglas, 5 for 45 well.
00:54:15
Speaker
The three lads over the course the you've been kind of relying on the two running backs and Stephon Diggs just nowhere be seen. And obviously Drake May was pretty much nowhere where to be seen either, unfortunately for him. But I do think this will make him a better quarterback.
00:54:31
Speaker
But as you said, like there's no guarantee you ever get back there again. It's like just 32 teams going for it every year. that These are the longest odds of any team to ever get here. So it could be another five or six years for the Patriots to do it back here again.
00:54:43
Speaker
The Jets might get there for the Patriots. Who knows? Wow, that's a bit mad now, to be fair, but we'll let you have it, given how how bad the Patriots played and you had to suffer watching them get back there, so we'll let you have this moment. I'm sure it was a nice one to see them lose, but I think, again, on the Patriots, to to kind of come back off what you said there, like they could build like a really nice roster now around May, but At the same time, other teams are going to be ready next season. Like Mahomes is going to have a full off season. Josh Allen has a new situation and with his head coach, as does Lamar Jackson. Joe Burrow be hoping to have a fully healthy season. Trevor Lawrence looks like somebody who's ready to lead a team far.
00:55:28
Speaker
CJ Stroud may learn from what he did and they have an amazing defense. These are all like possibilities. Now, five, three of those might not happen, but then the Patriots have the easiest schedule in the league and the Broncos have the second easiest. And we saw those two playing the AFC championship game. it was an awful game. They both got there because of scheduling. And and next year they both have to play a first place schedule. So they have to play against other teams that were one seats. So it's not going to be a walk in the park anymore. And,
00:55:56
Speaker
Drake May is going to have to face defenses that are on a high level way more often. And he can't just kind of fall by the wayside like he did. I know it's the biggest game and he will learn from this, but it's, yeah, it's something that it will bother Patriots fans into the off season. Haven't watched that. Like in the, in the playoffs, they had 53 drives.
00:56:17
Speaker
On those drives, they averaged 1.13 points per drive. To put that into context, the Browns, who went zero and sixteen in 2017, averaged 1.22 points per drive that season.
00:56:29
Speaker
They had a better offense in their own 16 season than the playoff Patriots did. So that needs to be assessed and that needs to be fixed very, very quickly, or else they're not going to sniff this game for a long time.
00:56:41
Speaker
i I didn't know was that bad. Wow. Obviously, I knew that Drake may have struggled throughout and there was kind of, there was mitigation for it until this game. So you had that, the weather in Denver was insane. The way that snow came down was absolutely insane.
00:56:56
Speaker
But there was no, way there was no, there was no bad weather. At the Super Bowl, it looked like a really, really nice day when I was having a great time in the crowds. There was absolutely no mitigation for him to say, him come out here and not be able to find passes. And then,
00:57:10
Speaker
Like one of the interceptions was a pure panic throw and there was no need to panic because they just scored the touchdown. They's hepped out Seattle, like hepped them to three. Maybe you can't remember 100%. And he tries one beforehand, just goes over the head of Mac Collins and his next one. It was never going to be intercepted.
00:57:27
Speaker
Sorry, but never going to be completed. It was always going to be intercepted. Like it was just one of those mad throws. It's one of those ones you throw up if you're six points down and it's a Hail Mary. They still had three or four or five minutes left and he throws this up into the middle of three Seahawks and he's just... There was no one there within an arse's roar of getting it to bring it down. So it was just mental.
00:57:48
Speaker
I like it. Sorry, I don't know where that came from.
00:57:53
Speaker
and I was like, how do I respond to this and not laugh when I'm trying to say something, but... it's, it was like, Chris Collinsworth was like similar to like completely stumped. And he was like, pretty much like milliseconds away from being like, this guy is useless because he was like, he was like, what is he doing here? He was like, and he was like laughing, doing that Chris Collinsworth laugh that he does when he's like glazing Patrick Mahomes every single week. But like, I'm pretty sure his exact words were, I have nothing for you. I think that's exactly what he said. I have nothing for you on that. So I was like, yeah. He didn't know what to say. Like,
00:58:31
Speaker
Yeah. he he but Like, what was the troll? I don't know what it was, but yeah, look. I think a lot to learn and a lot to improve on. and The Seahawks have a different conundrum now because they have so many good players. How are they going to be able to pay all these guys? We saw the Eagles. Obviously, I think the environment with the Eagles is really off and they didn't manage the personalities that they had. So when they let guys go, there was cracks shown there when they didn't have the talent to overcome the bad attitudes that were there. But the Seahawks are a completely different beast. Like...
00:59:03
Speaker
Schneider has built such a good team. He's the first GM in ah NFL history to reach multiple Super Bowls with the same organization would have it while having a new coach and no players from the previous Super Bowl team.
00:59:15
Speaker
And now he's won with both. So that was something that Jordan Schultz put out there before they got there. So now he's won twice with two completely different teams, two different head coaches, two different eras.
00:59:27
Speaker
And this time it seems like the Legion of Boom era, they had Russell Wilson who got a bit too big for his boots. They had some guys who were kind of seen as bad and eggs in the dressing room. But now they have nothing but guys who seem to back each other up, be on the same page, all fighting, working as hard as they can. Sam Darnold's on a really nice contract, so that might help with paying some other guys. It just seems...
00:59:50
Speaker
different than before with the Seahawks and it also seems different than coming off the Eagles win where if you do lose some guys I think he's a savvy enough guy to draft again great talent like he has done like Eamon Worry this season was such a massive contributor and he only just drafted him in the second round like what he's done drafting Grae Zabel in the first round he knows how to draft and he knows how to build a good culture so I would not be surprised at all if the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl again next year and and can do something that the Eagles did not manage to.
01:00:26
Speaker
Yeah, I was just going to mention Darren's contract. It was three-year, a hundredth and a half million dollar contract and everyone was looking at it saying, what on earth are they doing giving him this much money and look what he did at the Vikings, blah, blah, blah. I'm pretty sure it was one of them saying, i can't believe they're giving him a hundred million after what he have what he's out there doing. But looking back now, it's pretty much a steal what they have him on.
01:00:47
Speaker
I'm reading here, it's it's half of the open market, whatever that means. I don't know if that means if he went to market now, he'd get double it after winning the Super Bowl maybe, but... like it It actually looks like a steal. Back-to-back 14 win seasons and a Super Bowl from a man that everyone thought was just going to drop out of the league the way that most Jets quarterbacks have done over the last couple of years. I'm not saying that to disparage him, but that was just the way it was looking.
01:01:10
Speaker
He was bouncing around, bounced the Panthers, 49ers, then found a home in the Vikings by sheer luck because J.J. McCarty got injured and has ended up at yeah seahaks with the Seahawks the best receiver in the game.
01:01:23
Speaker
Cooper Cupp is just, he just seems like a really good guy and he's your wide receiver too. You're in business there. And obviously, Kenneth Walker, when he's fit and firing, does what he does in the Super Bowl. and so it's like he's landed in the perfect spot for him at the perfect time for the Seahawks. And the fact that it's like guaranteed 100 million is unbelievable. And then going win a Super Bowl, they're like, yeah, i imagine he was getting double that now. But that's not the way he'd be thinking, I presume. He's just happy to be playing and happy to be a Super Bowl champion.
01:01:53
Speaker
Yeah, he's 100% happy that they backed him and believed in him. Like he saw straight away he went to McDonald's and said like, thanks for believing in me. And McDonald is a kind of reserved guy too. And so is Darnold. They're not like, they're kind of held back there for, for want of a better word, they seem like kind of like nerds more than and anything. yeah And McDonald definitely seems like that and not in a negative way. They just seem like they want to study the game of football and be the best they can be and be the best teammate and the best coach. And, Yeah, like I think it was a perfect situation. They've got him on a really, really good contract.
01:02:28
Speaker
Like you you highlighted it there. Like if he did go to open market now, he's getting at least 50 million, if not more. And like he's getting that Brock Purdy contract, like at least I think he could be asking for it. And last season, if it didn't end the way it did, maybe the Vikings hold on to him and maybe they're here because they have an amazing roster, but they didn't have the quarterback and they have an amazing coach. So the Vikings will be kicking themselves. I'm sure they're not the only one though.
01:02:54
Speaker
Yeah, the likes of the Steelers must be kicking themselves as well that they didn't even look at him. They were like, they were all so set on Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers and they let him go. The Vikings like, oh, JJ McCarty's back. He's great. He's clearly not. like du That's just two teams off the top my head that have made a massive mess up of this. And the Seahawks, to be honest, I was semi-laughing at them. they were I was like, is this really you're going for now when you're...
01:03:19
Speaker
trying to push and do something after missing on the playoffs but he's completely proved me wrong but this whole this whole season of the NFL has proved me wrong in so many ways i know absolutely nothing about American football if this the way the season's going to keep going just mental from start to finish yeah no i I think it was a mad season hard to predict hard to like give your thoughts at the start or at any point and have them be backed up by what you saw because every weekend it was changing but I think um yeah i do I do think that some teams would be annoyed but then
01:03:50
Speaker
you did need a really good situation around Darnold because he does have flaws so we'll see how he he gets on without Kubiak next year they need to get in a guy who who's going to run a lot of RPOs and and has a run heavy offence so they need to look for that and I'm not sure what way they're going to go but it'll be interesting to see who they hire for that position now that he's gone as their OC he's a new Raiders head coach with Mendoza going to be drafted there so that's a great hire for them but Yeah, that's it on the on the Super Bowl. That's it on the NFL for the season. There's obviously so much going on in the offseason with the drafts and with the combine coming up soon. And then we lead into free agencies coming up as well. And ah so much, so much happening. We'll have plenty of stuff to chat about over the offseason, but another season in the books. And I'm already looking forward to the next one because it absolutely flew by. Yeah.
01:04:44
Speaker
Let's move into power rankings to wrap things up. I'll go first here. So last week I had the Seahawks number one, the Pistons number two, Patriots three, Arsenal four, Knicks five, and Man United in sixth.
01:05:00
Speaker
Now i'm going to leave in the Seahawks. I know the NFL is over, but I'm going to leave them in for one more week. And and then we'll move into just doing Premier League and NBA eight until, until the Premier League is over. And then we'll,
01:05:12
Speaker
We'll kick it into something else fun for the summer when the power rankings are no longer of use. But I've got the Seahawks number one still. They deserve it. Super Bowl winners. and They have to be sitting here at the top.
01:05:23
Speaker
Number two then I've gone with the Pistons still. I think they're on a great run overall. They're the best team in the East. They could have the same record as OKC and pretty soon if they keep going the way they're going. And they're going to be a force be reckoned with. Third is a new entry. I've put the Cavs in and I've put them all the way up to here because they were in the playing mix and now they are storming ahead and they've added James Harden.
01:05:46
Speaker
They're only going to get better. They looked like they weren't taking the regular season seriously and now they're like, oh, we better move up because we don't want to be here on the play and like... come March or April. So now they're a 9-1 in their last 10. They're absolutely flying it. They're pushing up to to that second seed. They're very close to it.
01:06:03
Speaker
So that's where they are for me right now. I've got Arsenal still in fourth, still top of the league. Let's see. That might change if I knew the result in the Brentford game, but I think they've been good recently. They've done what they needed to do, so they're staying in fourth.
01:06:16
Speaker
man united are in fifth and four wins and a draw in their last five undefeated in in more than that after i think it's nine that they're undefeated in at this point and eight or nine so they're they're doing great despite the draw at west ham they've had some great wins against tough teams recently so they're staying in fifth and then new york knicks are in sixth i keep them in but they just moved down to sixth not that they've been bad and or anything like that they've still been great but I think you United have been good recently, so i just moved them up a spot. So it's Seahawks, Pistons, Cavs, Arsenal, United, Knicks. I've got three NBA, two Premier League to go to Seahawks. And next week, as I said, it'll be three Premier League and three and NBA.
01:06:56
Speaker
Yeah, I like that list and we'll talk about the Cavaliers in a couple of seconds.
In-Depth Team Rankings Discussion
01:07:02
Speaker
But I've gone, so last area last week I was Seahawks, Pistons, Patriots, Knicks, United and Arsenal.
01:07:08
Speaker
So my top two stay the same, Seahawks and Pistons. i' I completely miss the fact that the Cavaliers have gone 9-1 in their last 10 and I put in another team who've gone 9-1 in last 10 and...
01:07:20
Speaker
The Charlotte Hornets have come in at 3 for me here. and yes I know it's wild. It's completely out of the box. But they've just been really, really good. They're up to the 9th seed now all of a sudden. And they actually look like a competent basketball team.
01:07:33
Speaker
If I'd teamed the Cavaliers in 9-1, they obviously would have been here over the Hornets. But it's the Hornets who make it for me. Arsenal are up to 4th for me. Don't want to talk about them. The San Antonio Spurs, not the Tottenham Hotspurs, are in at 5 for me. They're 8-2 as well. They're just really, really good. And United dropped to 6th, but stay in there for me. So it's the Seahawks, the Pistons, the Hornets, Arsenal, San Antonio Spurs, and Manchester United Football Club.
01:08:00
Speaker
Yeah, nice, nice. I like i love the Hornets move to put them in there. Like, they've been unbelievable. Like I already mentioned a couple of weeks ago, they they've been They had the second best point differential in a single month in NBA stat tracking history. and So that was in January and they've continued that into February so far.
01:08:21
Speaker
Nine and one last time, I think they only lost by like three points to the Pistons. So they're charging against the best team in the East. So they'll be like someone that's really, really looking to...
Podcast Conclusion & Call to Action
01:08:32
Speaker
to push on into the playoffs and I would like not like to play against them so I really like their inclusion here and they'll have to make the list pretty soon they're actually 10-1 after last night they beat the Hawks by 3 last night so they're 10-1 at the moment and they lost by 6 to the Pistons but the Pistons are maybe the best team in basketball at the moment we're not sure at the moment but we'll see soon Yeah, so they're exactly, they're putting it up to teams like that. So yeah, interesting lists. Like, love the Hornets shout. But that's it for another episode. Hope you enjoyed.
01:09:07
Speaker
as usual, we really appreciate you listening up to 62 episodes now and and still going strong. And so we'll continue to do this as long as you continue to enjoy it. And we love doing it too. So let's let's keep going. I'll throw it to you, Shane, to wrap it.
01:09:23
Speaker
Yeah, so if for all those new people would like and subscribe, we'd have the 100,000 subscribers by now. So make sure you just hit that button on YouTube and Instagram and TikTok and Twitter. We're putting a tweet out nearly every day. when we We try and get it out every day, but sometimes it's not possible. But there's at least one tweet a day going out off the Twitter page. And...
01:09:41
Speaker
they're always good, so you should follow us over there as well. And then we're just cutting clips for the TikToks to the Instagrams. They're going up pretty semi-regularly the moment now. It's at least two, if not three a week, and they're always worth watching as well because...
01:09:54
Speaker
the amount of times are wrong. If you want to just come over there and laugh at us again, just go and watch the TikTok where we say things that are wrong. We did get Thomas Grant right though, so that that was good. But normally our football predictions are terrible. So go follow us over there as well. i think we're only one follower away from 300 on TikTok as well. So whoever wants to be that 300, that would be great.
01:10:13
Speaker
And then we're on the road to 100,000 there as well. And we'll see you next week. Welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball with Shane and James.