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Palace & Spurs’ Cup Wins | NBA Conference Finals Breakdown | Brock Purdy’s New Deal & the Trey Hendrickson Stand-Off
20 Plays9 days ago
In this week’s episode of Who’s Got The Ball? the lads reviewed the Europa League and FA Cup finals, before being joined by Tomás to discuss Brock Purdy’s new contract and Trey Hendrickson’s stand-off with the Bengals & finally finish up by breaking down the NBA Conference Finals.
Gan Seans continues with Shane leading 27-18 & there is an update on the WGTB Multi-Sport Power Rankings.
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Tomás' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tomas.herlihy?igsh=MWFyanYybmVmcXQxaw==
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Transcript
Weekend Sports Recap
00:00:09
Speaker
Alright lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. Me and Shane back here once again. Shane, what's the crack? All good. Nothing really to complain about at the moment. We'll do the complaining when we talk about the football in a couple of minutes now.
00:00:23
Speaker
The only thing I really watched over the weekend was Limerick put on a clinic in the Hurling against Cork and then Liverpool played a friendly against Brighton on Monday night. There wasn't a single brain cell on the pitch in or a red jersey, but...
00:00:35
Speaker
yeah oh um but It was a tough watch now. Oh, it's outrageous. Absolutely outrageous. But we'll get into the doing the important football bits in a couple of minutes now. was Yeah. So, yeah, similar similarly, I just, don't know, what did I look at over the weekend? I can't really remember, to be honest. to was I didn't really watch a whole lot because we were trying to enjoy the weather a little bit um and get out and around because there's literally no point.
Sports Plans and Family Commitments
00:01:01
Speaker
in watching like United Premier League games at all. So I didn't really bother doing that on Friday. And then, yeah, Saturday I was going to go to the Carlo game, but it's a track enough to Mullingar.
00:01:12
Speaker
um So i just said, did, ended up doing something. You were actually running in Friday, were you? praise No, no, I wasn't. I was. I thought you went to, went to pass, I thought you went to pass or something. know where I got that idea from. No, no, I didn't. I didn't bother. I'd actually just,
00:01:28
Speaker
was down, oh, the picture of the crowd I sent you was yeah down, like, at the barge here in Dublin, like, where you just put everyone on the canal drinking, like, and stuff outside the pub.
00:01:39
Speaker
But, yeah, that was the big crowd. I didn't end up going to any games or anything like that. But, yeah, sure. Look, the next the next one for me now is Saturday week. I'm going to the quarterfinal, the Leinster quarterfinal of the...
00:01:55
Speaker
URC, so that'll be but we good against Scarletts. Hope to get the win there. Got some nice tickets, so that's the next game for me, but unfortunately won't make the Carlow game on Saturday, I don't think, even though it's big one against Leash.
00:02:08
Speaker
Need to win it to secure place in the Joan McDonough final, but I have family events on all over the weekend. It's that time year, so over this ill I'll be closely checking the score for that
FA Cup Final Analysis
00:02:21
Speaker
one.
00:02:21
Speaker
Luckily, we won it on the weekend against Westmead, so so Still in with a good shout, but let's get into the football here. and So we're going to talk about, last week we previewed the two finals, gave our predictions, chatted in depth about the form and stuff leading up.
00:02:36
Speaker
So we'll talk about now the games are, I suppose, more focused on the winners in both of the games, but how they both kind of went. So we want to start with the FA Cup if you want. i I'll throw out just one thing before we start. I'll throw it to you then. It's just the quote that I mentioned last week.
00:02:54
Speaker
I think is even more prevalent now. yeah It's just a brilliant quote now because I thought last week it was good and we were kind of giving our opinion on it and how we thought Glasner was a a great manager and that he could fulfil what he said. So what he said ah after City he beat them in the League five two was that if we meet again, you can't play in this system because we will solve it.
00:03:13
Speaker
And he did exactly that. He marked his word and they won 1-0 against City in the FA Cup final Palace. First time winning a major trophy in their history. What did you make of it? I thought played the game to perfection.
00:03:26
Speaker
They knew obviously City are a better team than them. And the way they played it was just exceptional. I really, I thought they were brilliant. Like there's one stat that jumped out to me as well. It was that Ruben Diaz completed more passes himself than Palace did as a team.
00:03:40
Speaker
He completed 129, Palace completed 126. But they didn't still didn't want the ball. They wanted City time to have the ball. They wanted City coming at him. Dean Henderson had the game with his life. The whole back five kind of stood up as well.
00:03:53
Speaker
Munoz was unbelievable, it I thought. He was absolutely brilliant. And Mitheta then is... I don't even have ever seen a man hold the ball up as well as he did in a long, long time. even Especially for the goal.
00:04:04
Speaker
But he held him off and then fed Munoz. They played it perfectly. And it worked out so well for him. And it was fitting that it was there that he scored because the man had been on fire for the last month in the base.
00:04:15
Speaker
Barred a penalty against Newcastle he've been he hadn't put a foot wrong And i thought they were deserved winners They went over the game plan I know they left pa the City had over 75% of the ball. I don't think that's ever really in any game plan, but they didn't want the ball. They let City have it, and City, they didn't really look like scoring outside of the two or three chances they had where Dean Henderson saved it, and of course the penalty.
00:04:39
Speaker
The penalty was the big one, yeah. For as long as I live, I will never understand why Holland isn't taking that penalty. It's absolutely ridiculous. ridiculous like If you're on the pitch, you should be the one to take the penalty. like If you're...
00:04:51
Speaker
If you're going to be fit enough to play, then there shouldn't be any question that you're not sure about, like taking a penalty. Like that doesn't make any sense, especially considering he's the, their striker. He's been their main man.
00:05:03
Speaker
And like the possession in general, like before palace scored city had 88% possession when they hit that goal. And in the entire game city had 78.3%, which is outrageous. They had 23 shots to palace's seven.
00:05:18
Speaker
And I thought one really interesting stat was Chris Richards. He had the most clearances in the game. He had 12 clearances. Every time the ball came in, he was literally just there. It seemed like he was he did exactly what needed to be done. They put on a clinic and boxed the fendant.
00:05:36
Speaker
They did everything to perfection. And Munoz was one I can probably highlighted too. I thought, tirelessly up and down that wing broke out a number of times as well and for that assist too like just unbelievable absolutely incredible and like as you said he was non-stop like he was getting forward when the rare times Palace got forward and he was he was back before anyone knew it then as well he was he just did not stop running and even when Mark Gay went off injured and then to bring on Jefferson Nerma who's obviously a centre mid They'd bring him on into centre-back when they were being peppered.
00:06:07
Speaker
And it was actually like it was still Mark A, just with a different number on his back. like I thought they were absolutely brilliant to a man. The XG, I think, is quite funny. It's 2.31 to 0.74. 23 shots to 7, as you said. it's it's just it was Man City did everything but put the ball in the net.
00:06:26
Speaker
And Crystal Palace, if I think if City had scored, Palace would have just broken and gotten another one. I don't think there was... yeah I don't think there was any other result in a Palace win coming out of that game down Saturday with the way it felt.
00:06:37
Speaker
Yeah, i think it was meant to be and the fans were unbelievable. And I think if we do take into account the penalty as well, like that's a 0.8, I think, XG for that. So like if you take that out of it, obviously you can't. But like it's a little bit more even. i ask Yeah. Yeah. So basically, if you take away that shot,
00:06:56
Speaker
And that penalty, then City had 22 shots with only 1.5 xG. So it shows they weren't taking that high quality chances. But yeah, the penalty was a real turning point. Because I think if City did score later on, like as you said, I feel like Palace could have still hit them on the break as the game wore down.
00:07:13
Speaker
But if I think if they scored at that point, it could have all changed like it did in the Premier League when Palace were 2-0 up and City got one back pretty early and then they just dominated. Yeah. So I think that resolve, the longer you go without scoring, it makes it harder.
00:07:27
Speaker
But yeah, I think Palace were great value for their win. 100%. Did you think it was a red card for Dean Henderson? Because I i definitely do. dirt Yeah, I'd say I think it probably should have been a red card, but I can understand how, like, I think a lot of people were up in arms because of, like, the fact that nothing and happened. But if they didn't think it was a red, it was outside the box and they can't give a yellow and they can't give a free.
00:07:53
Speaker
So obviously they determined that Haaland was not going to be you know clean through, but I don't see how you can think that because it would have been an open goal. yeah So yeah, I do think it would have been a red.
00:08:04
Speaker
It should have been a red. But I look i think block the small teams deserve a bit of luck sometimes. And I think they he well earned his luck why he didn't the rest of the game. So sometimes these things go your way and City have had plenty of things down the years. So I think it's about time Palace got something there.
00:08:20
Speaker
but Yeah, 100%. I think as well, I know we've mentioned him a bit now, but I didn't actually realise that Munoz had six goals and seven assists this season. Oh, yeah. flame He's quietly gone under the radar for the first half the season. And since January then, he's just become such a vital cog in this team. Himself, Wharton, Eze, Mateta are all... yeah like i could talk about Adam Wharton for weeks. I think he's absolutely incredible what he does in that Palace midfield. He's been such a difference maker since he came back.
00:08:47
Speaker
And then Eze with the form him his own like he's on, he's absolutely excellent. And I think he has Arsenal kind of written all over him. But I really hope he gives them a year where he gets to play in Europe with Palace. Yeah.
00:09:00
Speaker
And if they're the ones that gave him this chance, he should stay there and give him the year in Europa League. I know he'll be 27 or 28 at the end of next season then, so it might be too late for him. But I think playing in the Europa League with Palace would be more than anything else he could possibly have, I think.
00:09:15
Speaker
Yeah, i think I think he should do it. because I think he should stay there because, like, inevitably they're going to lose one of those guys she because that's just the way it goes with teams like Palace.
00:09:26
Speaker
Even if they do qualify for Europe, often someone does come in and swoop in for them. But I think now they have a lot more leverage. And you've seen what Steve Parrish did to Newcastle when they were trying to sign Gahey. He made a joke out of the way he just kept up in the price and he had no intention of selling Gahey.
00:09:43
Speaker
And I think now he has even more leverage to do things like that because they're in Europe. And it's just great for a club like Palace to get into something like that. um Winning again at the weekend against Wolves, even after winning the Cup, you thought they would have appeared a bit hungover.
Managerial Praise and Speculations
00:09:58
Speaker
But they did well for to win first ever 50-point Premier League season for them.
00:10:03
Speaker
And they could still finish in the top half if other results go their way. So like a brilliant season all in all for them. And it's just really... quite fitting that their goal difference is zero right now 13 wins 13 draws on 11 losses just properly even across the board you know what i mean that they did date like they are definitely losing on the last day because it has to be 13 13 12 that's the only way that the algorithm works unfortunately then the goal difference will be minus i know they see not about that now but yeah pure age and that they need to have kind of it makes more sense if they just draw
00:10:39
Speaker
Yeah, it would make a lot more sense, I think. Yeah, I get the zero goal difference. And then you have the, everything is kind of still close, but we'll see. <unk> I just want to, yeah, I want to give him one, just one more word to Oliver Glasner, because I think the job he's been doing there is nothing short of exceptional.
00:10:58
Speaker
There's a couple of managers himself. I think Geriola, I think Fabian Hussler, Hussler,
00:11:04
Speaker
Herschler at Brighton. I think the three of them are managers that are going to go to the top in the next two, three or four years. i think't like I think if, like let's say, if Peck did leave Man City, then Areola could very easily take that
Spurs vs. Man United Cup Final Review
00:11:18
Speaker
City job, I think, or someone like that. you know and yeah I think it's great to see that teams like that are in with a fighting chance of now obviously winning silverware.
00:11:26
Speaker
breaking points records their own points records in the premier league when the way they started the season well imagine if they played it all season the way they they finished it as well they could be they could be pushing into europe so yeah just i think the job he's done there with a kind of a limited budget that he's got he's been backed and they've they've backed him as all the players have and it's it's they've been excellent to watch them delighted for yeah i think it's gonna only hopefully expand for them because i think sometimes You see teams get into Europe and they're not ready for but I think they've been building nice and slowly.
00:11:56
Speaker
And I think they have a decent team there. So I think if they manage it right and they keep him there, then he'll do a good job. But I do agree. I think another manager I'd throw into that ring is Thomas Frank. If he wasn't just so in love with Brentford, I think. yeah i don't I don't even think he could be pried away from them, how much he loves being there and all he does for them. But he's another one in my mind that's just on that level too. and But then moving into one final, into another,
00:12:22
Speaker
Man United versus Spurs Wednesday night. One of the worst cup finals I've ever watched. Regardless of Spurs winning, I'm a United fan, so that adds insult to injury. But just as a neutral fan, if you're watching that, you might as well just turn it off. like It was so bad.
00:12:38
Speaker
There was so little quality in the game. Kind of a similar tactical setup, but just executed worse by both teams than the Crystal Palace and United and Crystal Palace and City game because Spurs did the Palace on it.
00:12:51
Speaker
They only had three shots. United had 73% possession. United had 16 shots. But United did worse than City did. And Spurs did worse than Palace did.
00:13:02
Speaker
But they were still the winners in the end. It was just really bad. What did you make of it? It was clearly a game between the 16th and 17th best teams in the Premier League.
00:13:13
Speaker
And the fact that it was a European final said a whole lot about it. I thought the first half an hour but actually was actually, it was even good to watch the first half an hour. And the ball went out for throwing and they all just forgot what to do afterwards. And the rest of the game then was just, it was a shocker to watch. It really was, it was boring.
00:13:31
Speaker
Nothing happened. As you said, you United 73% of the ball and did nothing with it. They had 16 shots and created a goal there, created an XG of one. one yeah like that's that's criminal behaviour Spurs only had one shot on target yeah and the reason their XG was 1.03 is because it bounced into an open goal so like apart from that they didn't do a thing and the way they played now in fairness like I've always said that Ange wasn't going to change his ways and I said already after the game that commending him that he had changed his ways and he did what needed to be done in that game he knew that United were there to make a mistake which they did
00:14:09
Speaker
He knew that they had to take that chance. And then all they did in the second half was just time waste, foul players roll around on the ground. They didn't want to score again at all. They just knew that United weren't going to break them down.
00:14:21
Speaker
And you have to commend them for that because he knew what needed to be done. He did it. And now he has his trophy. so Yeah. That's all there is to it, really. That midfield three they had, I thought, were exceptional.
00:14:32
Speaker
I wouldn't usually be Basuma's biggest fan, but I thought he was very, very good at what you're saying there, breaking things up, kind of. And just slowing everything down. Yeah. The way Romero had Harry Kane, Harry Kane, Harry Maguire rattled as well for the last 10 minutes.
00:14:49
Speaker
Harry Maguire was, like, if the game was done for another two minutes, Maguire would have walked. He would have been sent off. He would have had, but, like, Yeah, like his head was going to explode from the way Romero just kept winding him off and winding him off.
00:15:00
Speaker
I had no idea he was given into that though. Like that's what he wants you to do. It doesn't make any sense to be behaving like that. The foul at the end that pretty much sealed it was Maguire fouling Romero it was so silly. so Don't do it. Like you're an experienced player. you like your you wire You're better than that for one better way of putting it. Like he is normally better than Rietz and Gens. Yeah, he's never like that.
00:15:20
Speaker
No, and for let Romero, surely the last thing he said to him when I would address him was, don't let Romero get to you. Because he's going to try and stay straight away. Maguire hit one goal in Maguire and Maguire was straight away rattled.
00:15:33
Speaker
And I think thats i think if that kind of sums up the whole game, really, did between the two of them. Because Spurs got exactly what they wanted. They got their goal from the United mistake, as you said, and then they just set in.
00:15:45
Speaker
They had no intention of doing anything else. Even their substitutions, bringing off. bringing on Kevin Danzo for Brendan Johnson like you know he kind of went and went to black up. When saw that I was like oh holy god this was even worse like but I think like the Maguire thing think that was from when Romero just blatantly dived and then Maguire was trying to buy something similar and Romero was winding him up then like They were diving the whole game. Why are you giving into one guy who's only idea out there is to wind people up?
00:16:14
Speaker
Yeah. That's what he does. So I don't know why why he gave into that, but that just, it just sums up, as you said, it sums everything up for United's whole season, not just last night. like Oh, a hundred percent. As I said to you since, like, I've definitely been disappointed way more in other finals. Like I was really disappointed last night with the level of performance because it just wasn't acceptable.
00:16:36
Speaker
But I've been way more disappointed other times because this year has just been so abysmal that they actually didn't deserve to win anything. And they didn't deserve to cap off this season with a win because that's just pure false hope like last year.
00:16:48
Speaker
They deserve to be at rock bottom now because of what they put in and the
United's Season Reflection
00:16:52
Speaker
effort. Because it was really poor from a lot of guys out there. And some of the things, like, I don't know why...
00:17:00
Speaker
after 45-50 minutes, Mount wasn't taken off because he's not to be played. and like If you're winning or you're drawn, that's fine. He's there to win jewels and win the ball high up the pitch. But he wasn't providing anything else. Garnacho needed to come on earlier.
00:17:13
Speaker
Xerxes needed to come on earlier. And they waited way too long to do that. I don't agree that Amorim waited way too long to do that. He he made the wrong decision there. And then also by piling people into the box, they only put Maguire up top for the last like five minutes.
00:17:28
Speaker
Like, Okay, whatever about that. But early on, earlier on in the game, bring Maynard on or something and say, you play right behind Highland or right behind Xerxes and the two of you get in the box together.
00:17:38
Speaker
Because we've seen the very first time United put two people into the box, Spurs got overloaded or didn't know what to do and Luke Shaw arrived with a header that he should have scored. And that's the first time that they put an extra body in.
00:17:49
Speaker
And that was Luke Shaw just taking it upon himself. So there's some really bad tactical decisions there. Obviously, the players are not physically capable of playing that system. The guys that stood out to me, to be honest, were Dorgu put in a great shift.
00:18:04
Speaker
He worked very hard and Yarrow as well. And those are like probably the two most physically capable players on the team. So it shows how much physicality matters. And United are just far from physically capable at this level. They need so many more strong, physical, healthy, fit players, and they just don't have that.
00:18:24
Speaker
100%, but like even the way the first half finished, and I thought Bruno was really poor, and I'm i'm sure you'll agree on that as well. yeah like it At halftime, take Mount off, push Bruno up to where Mount was, because clearly he's losing his battle as one of the two in midfield, and bring Manu on, on Newgarity again, and sit him in beside Castmere, and then just have Bruno...
00:18:47
Speaker
Ahmad and Hoyland as your top three then and kind of see what they can do at there and give that 10 minutes and if that doesn't work then you bring on Zerci they said because Hoyland clearly wasn't the answer oh my god he's more interested in like getting sold than doing anything else it's just crazy what and then like his substitutions were mad are like his first sub I'm pretty sure was Dallow for Mizrahi no that was after the that was after the Zerci and Garnacho one okay
00:19:18
Speaker
But I was shouting for Dallow to come on since like 50 minutes to Ashton. Because Masrowi was better. He couldn't keep going. And he can't cross the ball. Not that Dallow can do it very well, but Masrowi really can't.
00:19:30
Speaker
But yeah, i don't I agree though, the subs were ridiculous and the timing of them money anyway. Yeah, like we we were talking last week and we were talking about the injuries and which one was going to make more of a difference.
00:19:41
Speaker
And if you just dropped someone in and said, which of this team which these teams isn't starting with first choice midfields? And you wouldn't you wouldn't have said it was Spurs with the way that Derek Green would feel played.
00:19:52
Speaker
And say to them, like, what they were missing. sin They were missing their most creative players. I'm not going to go into into it again. It's it's on our TikTok page you want to see it. But, like, no matter what I said, no Kudusiewski, they're playing Sarr in the attacking role. He's about to put the cross in.
00:20:05
Speaker
And then it was Bruno who lost the ball that led to that attack as well. i just Lost it twice in quick succession. Yeah, I just couldn't believe the the lack of intensity and the lack of what I perceived lack of fight from United was, it was appalling to watch.
00:20:19
Speaker
Now, I'm obviously delighted, but when you dig down into it, you kind of see there's big issues there. And as you said, this really this really is rock bottom.
Celebrating Victories and Guest Introduction
00:20:30
Speaker
Yeah, it is.
00:20:31
Speaker
I was talking to another Liverpool fan that I work with today and he's kind of similar to you. He's like, oh yeah, like I enjoyed them losing, obviously, but he's like, I actually have not like gone too hard on my friends who are United fans because he's like, that this is so bad. like It's actually seriously an issue um how bad they are and everything that's going on. that it's literally yeah I almost feel like you don't even need to rub it in anymore because it's so bad.
00:20:57
Speaker
um But then even like the quotes after the game from, like you don't need your players coming out, like Gernaccio with his quotes after so petulant. Bruno saying, if the club want to sell me, they can sell me.
00:21:08
Speaker
like ah vote Like, that's not the time to say that. You need to kind of let the dust settle. don't think and I think with the Bruno one, in fairness, they the way that that is pulled out is like that he had been, I think they asked him like about what the future holds and he said,
00:21:23
Speaker
He wants to stay at the club and he wants oh yeah to fight for like the future. But if the club decide to sell him, basically saying that he doesn't want to leave. But the Garnaccio one is just ridiculous, like purely childish.
00:21:35
Speaker
And saying that, oh, we didn't, oh, he said, oh, we didn't truly beat anyone. It's been a shit season. And that he played every game up until the final. So I don't know why he didn't play. And would like, just get on it. You need to go because that mentality isn't to work.
00:21:50
Speaker
No, I do agree with you in that sense. But I also think it was so strange to see Mount straight in to the starting lineup for the final. I did think it would be Garnaccio when I was kind of trying to put a team together in my head. But you can't play Garnaccio and Ahmad there. I think you've given away too much.
00:22:05
Speaker
So I had no issue with that because I thought Mount gives that kind of defensive work that Garnaccio doesn't do. So I don't know, unless the only way it would have worked, in my opinion, is that if Garnaccio played on the right 10 and Ahmad played right wing back. But then you're in trouble too because you're going to get caught out defensively. So I don't know.
00:22:24
Speaker
But i think I think, yeah, I i do like Garnaccio too off the bench because I think he has talent. He's done things that like his his record speaks for itself. It's similar to what Ronaldo's was when he was at that age at United. So players do come into their own as they age.
00:22:38
Speaker
But this whole mentality that he does honestly think that everything revolves around him. that's not going to work in the future. And if, if Amirim is to succeed, he needs to get rid of the likes of him.
00:22:48
Speaker
But yeah yeah, we spend enough time on, on United anyway. We'll get in into them over the summer. I'm sure there'll be plenty of incomings and outgoings, but ah well done to Spurs. They get their first trophy in 17 years well done to Palace, their first major trophy in their history.
00:23:03
Speaker
Two teams that waited a long time. So it's nice for their fan base and it's, it's nice to get one after a long time. So well done to both of them. But, Let's move into the NFL then. All right, lads. We have a guest on again this week to chat about the NFL. So we've got Tomás Herlihy.
00:23:19
Speaker
He's only from over the road from myself, an escorty man. I'm from Carlos, so we're pretty close. He has a master's in journalism. So he's well able to write. He's well able to give his peace of mind. And he loves the NFL and the NBA. So it's a pleasure to have him on. Tomás, do you want say a little bit about yourself?
00:23:39
Speaker
Yeah, James. and Thanks for having me on, lads. Yeah, so my name is Thomas Hardy, as James already said. I'm Mennus Garthi down below in the sunny southeast of Wexford. I've been a fan of the NFL really since 2014, maybe bit beforehand.
00:23:55
Speaker
maybe a bit beforehand I'm a Baltimore Ravens fan, so you know with the heartbreak is continuing every single year. Poor Patrick Holmes has me in a headlock since he drafted.
00:24:10
Speaker
I'm someone who's trying to get my own digital platform off the ground, but I'm only back in Canada now, so I suppose I'm trying to get myself back up and running while I try to get a career out of this. ah and yeah Thanks for having me on, lads.
00:24:25
Speaker
I'm on it at all, sir. Pleasure to have you on. Ravens fan is an interesting one. We haven't had that yet. Yeah, it's much an interest it' an interesting one. because my dad so it was I actually can remember today, it was the Super Bowl in, I think, 2012. 49ers versus the Ravens.
00:24:43
Speaker
And my parents would have lived in the San Francisco for a number of years. So my dad would have been a 49ers fan in the heyday of the Joe Montana-Jerry Rice connection.
00:24:54
Speaker
So out of a pure spite, when dad was going for the 49ers, I decided that I was going to support the Ravens. And that kind of just stuck then. So, you know, we I went through a a period of, you know, a bit of up and down with Joe Flacco and then you know We were lucky enough to get Lamar in 2018 and ever since then it skyrocketed. Now it hasn't landed in the Championship for us yet but it'll come soon.
00:25:19
Speaker
Well I hope so
49ers' Strategic Decisions
00:25:21
Speaker
anyway. you're onto a decent team anyway. I think you've had a lot of although not Super Bowl success I think you've witnessed a good bit of ah um regular season and some big playoff wins throughout those years so not a bad one now in fairness. and I think Moving into the 49ers who um supported, and we're going to talk about their quarterback. So he's he's after getting his big contract.
00:25:45
Speaker
It was a bit of a... I feel like there's always something to um in the offseason with the 49ers. And I think they've done... Whether you believe or not that this is right that he got paid, they did the business well, in my opinion. They didn't drag it out. and They made their decision and they did what they wanted to do. So looking at the deal, Pardis is on...
00:26:06
Speaker
Brock Purdy's on a five-year, 265 million deal, so it's 53 million per year. um That ranks him the seventh highest in the NFL, so he's around the level of Goff, who's on 53 a year, to 53.1.
00:26:20
Speaker
Interestingly, slightly above Lamar, who's on 52. The structure is one that I kind of looked at, and I thought, okay, they've backloaded this. I think there's 100 million guaranteed, and it's early on, as the cap hit is around 25, 30 million first couple of years.
00:26:34
Speaker
Then when you're getting close to The late 2020s, it's 57.6 million, then 72.5 million cap it, and 64.5 million cap it.
00:26:45
Speaker
So they've backloaded this contract probably with the hope that the cap gets better. Personally, i wouldn't have paid them this much, but I feel like they needed to. What do you think of that, Shane? What do you think of it when you first came across it?
00:27:00
Speaker
I think it's it's a massive deal and i agree with you. I don't think he's worth what they're paying him. But when you look at it, he was asking for 60 million or 63 million when they went into negotiations.
00:27:11
Speaker
They've gotten him down to 52 million or 53 million a year. So Brock has probably done a serious job on this himself where he's gone in like, oh, I'm going to ask for outrageous amount and they'll bring me down to an amount that I feel I'm worth in.
00:27:24
Speaker
I think the the way they've structured, as you were just saying there, is a massive win for him. It's £41 million for the first year, £46 million for the second year, £27.5 million the third year. And then, as you said, it gets high then. So kind gives them three years to try and go and build a team that can win them a Super Bowl and then start rebuilding then again from with his back three years. And he'll be club pushing 30 then as well. So he's only country coming into his prime when they start to pay him the big bucks.
00:27:50
Speaker
I just i think and just said they had to pay him, but like I honestly can't believe they've given him this much money as well at the same time. Yeah, Tomás, what did you make of it? Well, I suppose there's a couple of points. I can understand what you're saying about the amount of money that he's getting. But then if you look at the other quarterbacks, Barley is 26.
00:28:10
Speaker
25, 26, we'd say. So if we look at the other quarterbacks in that age group, we'd say 26, 27. You have Jordan Love, Trevor Lawrence, Tua, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts.
00:28:23
Speaker
they're all around that pay grade. Now, Jalen Hurts actually is, out of all of those, Jalen Hurts, you know, gets the least amount of money, which is ironic because he's the only one of those that has a Super Bowl ring to his name.
00:28:35
Speaker
But it does, it makes sense from the 49ers. I mean, it's like, it's, They've brought stability to the position. You see now with teams like, for example, New Orleans, who next year, their hope and they're their're hoping to be so bad to fight today. And Archie Manning will declare the day they have to land him and he'll be their franchise quarterback for this foreseeable.
00:28:54
Speaker
Teams, there is kind of an issue with certain teams with quarterback. for San Francisco lock and party gives them that stability for at least the next five years. um um Now, in fairness to Pardee, he came in as Mr. Irrelevant, but if anything now, Irrelevant because over the past three years, Pardee has, you know, his first year, he started five games, won five in a row, and then got the to the AFC Championship game. And then, you know, year two, sorry, yeah, year two was the exact same team, you know, except Fulier as a starter, 4,000 years past, and 31 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, really showed what he can do in the Shanahan offense.
00:29:37
Speaker
And then obviously, last year I think was a rare outlier, I think, to look at the amount of injuries across the board on that 49ers offense. McCaffrey was pretty much gone all year. Ayuk, who I would say is their best receiver, um who would have been their best receiver.
00:29:52
Speaker
you know he did his He did his ACL, he was gone for the year. Deebo was up and down, and I think 49ers getting rid of Deebo was a smart move as well, so it kind of opens bit more cap-faced term as well. but You know, there's there's room for growth there. I think they have pieces like Ricky Pearsall. I think they drafted, I can't remember the name of the receiver they drafted this, in in I think it was the second or third round this year. and They were very high on him. They're looking, I think it's a decent move. I think it kind of, it's cap friendly. It's not too expensive considering the current market.
00:30:22
Speaker
And as Shane said, it does give the chance for them to kind of develop and, you know, build a team around party for the next couple years. Yeah, I think, It's a good point to note that the stability is an important thing because certain teams, like you mentioned, the Saints, you can't always rely on the draft. like Even as you mentioned, Archie Manning, their hope is that he would declare. And there's no even guarantee that teams players will do this now with the and NAL money that's to be made.
00:30:50
Speaker
And also, you're you're never guaranteed that a quarterback is going to hit from the draft as well. So I suppose it is a smart move in the term in terms of that he has been good. He has got them to...
00:31:02
Speaker
kind of dizzy heights already in his first as few years, much above what they expected of him, drafting him very last in the draft. Now, the only issue I have is that last year, although there was a lot of injuries, it kind of gave more fuel to the fire that he is kind of ah player that needs elite talent around him to excel.
00:31:25
Speaker
Like last year, i think the injuries across the board and this year, they have less proven weapons than they did. Now that could work for them perfectly fine if he gets into a nice rhythm with them. Jordan Watkins was the guy they drafted in the fourth round.
00:31:40
Speaker
Then as you mentioned, Pearsall. I think trading Debo probably was the right thing, but they've gone all in really with McCaffrey again, trading away Jordan Mason.
00:31:51
Speaker
You're in a difficult position there where McCaffrey does go down, which All signs to me personally would point towards him going down again. That's a horrendous injury that he had. um It just makes it a lot more question marks.
00:32:05
Speaker
And I think hindsight will be 20-20 with this because in a few years time, could have created an excellent connection with some of these young guys and it'll be great. But another side of things, it might go awry and people would be questioning how much they paid for him. But I suppose that's also the chance that you have to...
00:32:21
Speaker
it's I don't know, I think also another big deal was Kittle getting paid this year, so he's the highest paid tight end in um four four years, 76.4 million, you know and he's 32 at the moment. um Tomás, did have any thoughts on that deal as well, tying him in at such a kind of an older age? I think, again, it's it's stability. I think Kittle is going to be like probably the main target in the passing game. Well, I suppose you never know, Ayuk,
00:32:49
Speaker
I am a big Ayuk fan. I think he's a fantastic route runner. I think he gives you a different alternative. He can take you in the short routes. he can you know when He can go around. He can take up the field.
00:33:00
Speaker
I think all three levels he's good. But yeah, Kittle is your safety valve. And I think in this Shanahan office, I do think his safety valve is important because for all of the complexities that involve in in the motions and everything that he runs, you know whether it's the tight end moves and in or the wide receiver moves, I do think that when you have someone that can just run a five-yard curl and just sit in the zone, similar enough the way Kelsey works from the Holmes, that you need that as a quarterback. And think we probably will see Kittle's best season in a long time this year because I think he is going to be fourth by the ball.
00:33:37
Speaker
But I'm interested to see what happens this season because I do think And I don't know if this is a rogue shout here, boy because I know that they have done well as a tandem together. But, you know, the whole Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch era as a head coach GM, that could come crashing down if things don't pick up soon for San Francisco.
00:33:57
Speaker
I mean, yes, they are going to try to rebuild, but you're looking at an offensive line that is relatively old. As you said yourself there, Kittle is 32 years of age. she's not it He's not getting any younger. Now, there is still a good bit of football in him. You know, he's he's rarely hurt.
00:34:11
Speaker
So there is a lot of football in him. But I'm just interested to see if there is any more, you know, if if there is a bit, or if there's further aggression from the 49ers, especially when, the division is so weak now.
00:34:23
Speaker
You know, I mean, like, you know, Seattle traded, they Smith, they traded the way DK Metcalf, they traded, you they got rid of Tyler Lockett. And then Arizona are still in the rebuilding phase. You never really know what the Rams are going to give you.
00:34:36
Speaker
think if they don't win the division this year, I do think it could be the end for Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. ah that quote As I said, that could be a bit rogue, but old ah just i'm very I'm very curious to see how much more patience they have. You know, they either or get to the conference championship or they just don't make a playoff.
00:34:54
Speaker
The consistency doesn't really exist there. So I would be interested to see if they do look to kind of change things up if things go in player shape in this or next year. But we'll see how it goes. I think it was like the early 2000s, the last time that they either didn't make the AFC Championship game or didn't miss the
Bengals' Contract Challenges
00:35:12
Speaker
playoffs. They never have a middle ground.
00:35:14
Speaker
Like you said, no it's one or the other So it'll be interesting to see what level they get. Personally, I fancy the Rams for that division a lot. I think what they did was smart this offseason. But again, some of their players are older, so injuries can play a part there too, as it can.
00:35:29
Speaker
that I think for me, the big thing now is Trent Williams staying fit as well, because... The production dropped off at times with different role players out. But every time Trent Williams has been out, Perdys' production has just fell off the map.
00:35:43
Speaker
And the Niners have been abysmal whenever he's not on the field. So he's the most important for me. And he is getting older as well. So I think they need to maximize the next year or two with him. But um let's throw it then to someone who hasn't been paid. This is another big story.
00:35:59
Speaker
It's Trey Hendrickson. And so... There's and one with the Niners, there's always one up in the air, but they always seem to deal with it in the right way. The Bengals are the opposite. There's always about five up in the air and they never seem to deal with anything properly.
00:36:13
Speaker
it's It's just mind-blowing the way that they're they've handled this situation. A couple of quotes that stood out to me massively is, first of all, Hendrickson, with his statement about a week ago, he said that rather than using collaboration to get us to a point to bring me home to the team,
00:36:30
Speaker
they are no longer communicating. um And he noted that they've been eagerly awaiting a solution um and it's hard to do when there's no discussion and an evident lack of interest. So that shows his opinion on the situation.
00:36:44
Speaker
He's extremely frustrated. But then for the Browns, you know, to comment or the Browns, the Bengals to comment on this and say, i think some of it is on him to be happy at some point. And if he's not, that's what holds it up sometimes.
00:36:57
Speaker
You can't just tell someone to be happy with the amount money you're offering them when they're clearly one of the best players at their position. Last year led the league with 17.5 sacks, Pro Bowl last four seasons.
00:37:09
Speaker
He doesn't owe them anything. They got him for four-year $60 million deal initially, which is outrageously good. um and My opinion is that they should pay him. But Shane, what do you think on this? They have to pay him.
00:37:21
Speaker
It's simple as that. You can't let someone of his talent and productivity just turn around and walk away or have to trade him somewhere else and make another team far, far stronger. Like, Myles Garrett's actually getting 40 million a year there. Like, I'm not saying give him that because I do think that's an outrageous contract they've given Myles Garrett as well. But he's only on 15 million a year at moment. the round, he gets 15.8 million a year at the moment.
00:37:44
Speaker
You need to be adding 10 million that at least. You can't just say, oh, we're giving you this now, be happy and deal with it. As you said at the top, they always have issues. They had the same with LeMarchais going into last summer as well. And I know they got there in the end and they gave him a lot of money too, but they just seem to cause themselves so many issues. There's always something going on with them and did they never seem to work it out properly. Everyone seems upset before it gets fixed.
00:38:11
Speaker
Yeah, and it's not good for morale to have that issue floating out there. And they still have the same... thing with their front office of paying each other, like even looking at their draft picks this year, they picked Shamar Stewart with the 17th pick and he still hasn't practiced yet because they can't iron out the details in his rookie contract.
00:38:28
Speaker
Yeah. Like over a small bonus, I believe it is. It's not confirmed what it is, but he didn't like participate in mini camp. He still hasn't practiced because he's not going to practice till he signs. And it's, it's reportedly over some kind of small camp bonus.
00:38:43
Speaker
um What do you think of their their overall carry-on here in the Bengals' front office, Thomas? I think the Bengals are shooting themselves in the foot here now, to be honest, but because, again, they have a history of being cheap, right? So, like, that if you look at the NFLPA, always does a survey at the end of the season, and I don't know if you pay much heed to that, but the Bengals always rate to last when it comes to facilities for the players.
00:39:06
Speaker
So it it was an indication on that front alone that there's no investment into the actual standards that the Bengals set for their own practice facilities arena, etc. And again, it's it's like, as you said, they kind of, they back themselves into a corner and then throw a load of money at players.
00:39:21
Speaker
i I mean, look, Hendrickson is someone I think you have to pay him um The problem the Bengals now have is that they can't afford to pay So, you know, they have £26 million in cap space at the moment.
00:39:32
Speaker
And, you know, they gave... I have no problem with Jermire Chase getting a big contract because this is Jermire Chase. Trippin' Crown winner, he is he is him. right He is the... I think he is probably... the my but He's the top receiver, i'm wa in my opinion, in the league at the moment. i My problem would probably lie with them giving Tee Higgins so much money, to be honest. I do love Tee Higgins.
00:39:53
Speaker
But Tee Higgins has Trey Hendrickson's money. right because over and i just I was looking into it today. so um Over the past five years, since 2020, Trey Hendrickson has a third-most sacks in the NFL.
00:40:04
Speaker
behind, as Shane said, Miles Garrett, who's on 40 million a year, and Watt, who's on 28 million a year, who's also in a bit of a, not as much of a standoff Hendrickson, but there is ongoing communication between the Steelers and Watt about a new concept for him.
00:40:19
Speaker
You know, he he counted for almost half of the sacks that the Bengals accumulated last year, 48.6%, with his 17.5 sacks. They had 36 in total.
00:40:29
Speaker
um And, like, i just I think you have to pay him. But, as I said, i don the Bengals can't afford him. you know They knew Tee Higgins wasn't going to pay on the franchise tag. I think it was, to be honest, the idea of tagging him and not trading him was kind of silly.
00:40:44
Speaker
you know, there's teams, like teams needed a receiver. You could have got at least draft capital out of someone like New England who who went off and got Steph on these. You could have got draft capital out of New England for him. He would be their bona fide number one receiver.
00:40:57
Speaker
But instead, you're giving $116 million over four years to a number two receiver. And like, as I said, it it kind of, i think it sets a precedent that the Bengals care more about their offense than their defense. Because, you know, over the last couple years, they've let key players go. Like Jesse Bates was an absolute savage a free safety for them.
00:41:16
Speaker
And now he's balling out in Atlanta. So it's kind of like they don't really help themselves. But to be honest, I don't see him. I don't see him playing. I'd say if anything is going to happen, he'll be traded. Washington apparently are very, very interested in trading them. If, you know, if things do come together where the Bengals do seriously want to move them.
00:41:34
Speaker
I'd love that move. I think they have a real lead for an edge rusher. And it would fit the scheme, the 4-3 scheme that Dan Quinn runs. Yeah. But yeah, I think he's been fobbed off. I think it's not fair on him.
00:41:47
Speaker
A player of his quality shouldn't be asked to play on a $15 million dollar a year contract when someone like Michael Parsons, who is equally as good, on his franchise tag is $24 million.
00:41:59
Speaker
So you're being asked to play for peanuts in comparison to your counterpart. And the Bengals should have paid off, but they haven't. And that's something that they're going to have to figure out now over the next couple of weeks.
00:42:12
Speaker
Yeah, I think the the look of the commanders, like they were reportedly in when we were talking about the possibility of Garrett getting traded, they were mentioned there too. So that's a situation that makes sense.
00:42:26
Speaker
But I honestly think I agree with you that what they did with Tee Higgins, it not only shows that they only care about the offensive side of the ball, it shows how much of and basically...
00:42:39
Speaker
a say that Joe Burrow has in this team. He's basically running the office in what he wants them to do. And yeah like, I know for a fact that he's telling them if they didn't pay Jamar and T Higgins this season, then he's gone. Like, or he'll allow his contract to run down.
00:42:57
Speaker
They're like, there's no other way that they make those two decisions, given how cheap they are over, over the last number of years that they actually go and pay these two guys now. But it's something that doesn't make sense then that,
00:43:09
Speaker
ah rest of the leagues just The rest of the teams in the league just wouldn't have done that. And I think there's a reason why teams only pay a top receiver and then you can plug and play as you go along.
00:43:20
Speaker
to To tag him and not trade him was absolutely ridiculous because that's the perfect thing that they should have done. And that's when, like you said, they could have got more capital in. But now they're stuck with this situation that if they did really want to pay Hendrickson now, they're going to have to backload the contract.
00:43:35
Speaker
which again, they've put themselves in that situation. And again, another good team would do that. Like the likes of the Eagles would have no issue in backloading a contract when they know the cap is going to rise again and they'll face it down the road.
00:43:48
Speaker
But the Bengals aren't that type of team and they always allow things to build up. They have a tendency to allow players to walk thinking they're going to build things with rookies. It doesn't
NFL Insights with Tomas Herlihy
00:43:59
Speaker
always work like that. And they can't even handle the rookies that have come in the door, which by the way,
00:44:03
Speaker
trading or signing Shamar Stewart wouldn't even solve this issue because while he is an edge rusher, he barely gets any sacks. So he's the one to apply the pressure and then Hendrickson is your closer on the other side.
00:44:16
Speaker
So they would be perfect together, but neither of them have signed at the moment. So it's a very... I think Green Bay would be a good shout. Sorry, that's a good shout. I was kind of looking at it today in terms of what teams, if you were to put Hendrickson on a different team, just for example, if you were to a trade, where would he suit best? Obviously, there's the unrealistic ones like Philadelphia. I don't think that would ever come to fruition they have too many people on their front seven on their front line that you could you have to trade someone right but the one team i was very interested in looking at was the green bay packers um so you know again a lot the scheme fits really important now because a lot of defenses now they will run a base four they will run a four three with two edges and an all tackle and a i suppose a defensive tackle kind of a pass rusher
00:45:04
Speaker
But they have they have the pieces there that you could just slot Hendrickson in. I think Rashad Gary and Henderson would be a very good pin and pull option there. You know, Gary is you're more of your burst off the edge. Henderson is power.
00:45:18
Speaker
It would be a great complement. And then you have, you know, great linebackers there. You could basic you could rush four, similar to what the Eagans in the Super Bowl. Rush four, someone will get home, drop seven into coverage, and it would be a fantastic defense because they have a secondary to Savage. I wouldn't be familiar with their linebacker cornerbacker.
00:45:36
Speaker
If they're keeping Dyer Alexander and they have Keyshawn Nixon and then you have, you know, Xavier McKinney as your centre-fielder, who's kind of just roaming around, kind of ball-hopping around the place, that would be a team that I would be interested to see because they would have the picks as well.
00:45:53
Speaker
They could make a move there, so that be that would be the team I would love them to go to. Commanders, as it's Commanders, would be nice, but Green Bay would. That would be a really good move for Green Bay just to kind of set them over the edge in what is a really competitive NFC North.
00:46:06
Speaker
it would It would set them apart, I think. Yeah, I think it works. The fact that you have McKinney there as well because he can fill in a lot of different roles necessary in the DB slot, like how many interceptions he had last year roaming around at safety. He can help out on your on your deeper end if needed. So you can do...
00:46:29
Speaker
go that way about it. But the only thing with Green Bay is they never, they never do things like this. They never trade for a big name. Really, they always like to grow their own talent. I know they did sign McKinney, but that's in free agency. And I can't remember the last time they've made a trade. They like to bring in their own guys in the draft.
00:46:48
Speaker
Often they, they like the homegrown idea. That's commonly a thing that they do. So I don't know if I could see it happening, but it doesn't make a lot of sense. Um, um Shane, any more thoughts on this Hendrickson situation before we wrap up?
00:47:04
Speaker
No, I agree with Tomas. I think they should pay him, but that they probably won't. And he went end up he will end up getting traded and they are going to regret it for quite a while after that as well. The money that they've given to Burrow, Chase and Tee Higgins, it's absolutely outrageous. It's the bones of 500 million they've given to three of them.
00:47:23
Speaker
I started giving between the three of them and if you're doing that to three players then you really are leaving yourself in a hole to try and fill the squad around the restaurant that can actually do anything like those three lads aren't winning Super Bowls in Cincinnati they're just getting money and they're walking out and I just I think they're in big big trouble if for the next while yeah I think so too I think they've really yeah they've really left themselves in a pretty bad position here and they haven't handled it well at all but That's it for our NFL um chat for this week. Appreciate Tomás coming on and contributing.
00:47:54
Speaker
It was great to hear from you and we hope to hear from you again soon. and We'll plug all your your social media in the links if any anyone wants to give you a follow and see what you have coming up. so Thanks again Tomás and we'll chat to you again soon.
00:48:07
Speaker
We'll move on to Conchance. So Shane, you're officially the winner. We have one more week left but you've already done it. So you're nine points up, one one week left. so congratulations. You are our season one, gone chance winner. We'll have to we'll have to come up with like next season when we, before we started, we'll have to come up with like a prize for the end of the year.
00:48:26
Speaker
Yeah. But yeah, how does it feel? How does it feel to get to the dizzying heights of nine points lead with one week left? I think I had three weeks in row where I had two and then two five-pointers. And other that, I've been absolutely appalling. So I think we both need to up our game for season two because neither of us have done anything to write home about. If people were backing our tips, then they're probably going to have to lose their mortgages and their houses over the last couple of weeks. So think we need to do better for next season.
00:48:58
Speaker
Yeah, definitely. We need to next season, we need to take pride in and actually track. each one if we put on say five on each individual pick and which would we come out with at the end of the season because uh let's see if you did it as an accumulator your effect because you had three five pointers and I hadn't won and so yeah but anyway I still picked for this week let's just go with it see if I can finally get a five pointer and so i went with Palace to beat Liverpool that's five to one Liverpool are 19 to 50 and
00:49:30
Speaker
I just thought they've they're on still on a good run. They might want to end the season nicely and Liverpool haven't showed up in a good few weeks. So that could be a be one. Second one then, I've gone with Spurs to beat Brighton at home.
00:49:42
Speaker
So they're 3-1. Brighton are 3-4. know Spurs haven't done a tap in the league all year, but I'm sure they'll have a lot of adrenaline after winning the final. A game at home in front of the fans will be be great for them. I'm sure they'll put in maximum effort there. And then The last one I've gone with the Pacers to win again in game two against the Knicks.
00:50:01
Speaker
So that's on Friday night at 1.10am. 2-1 to the Pacers and the Knicks are 20-49. So that's my three picks. I only have one different to you. I have Spurs to beat Brighton, I have the Pacers to beat the Knicks and I have Fulham to beat Man City.
00:50:18
Speaker
and City are 4-7, Fulham are 9-2. I think City, I know they beat Bournemouth and i think I think they have to win to get Champions League. But I still am not as convinced about them as other people are now. They're I know they're on a really good run in the league, but I think if Fulham can put their heads together and kind of... Fulham have a chance to do it, yeah, exactly. If Fulham just make an effort against them, then I don't see why they can't beat them and kind of ruin their season as well. And I think they might want to do that as well because City have just annoyed a lot of people over last couple years. So just have Fulham to beat Man City.
00:50:54
Speaker
Fulham are City are 4-7. Yeah, like like you said, I think... like City have to win, but they have to win against Palace too, and they didn't. So yeah I think there's every reason to doubt them. I don't think they're really proven too much yet. But yeah, that's our last
NBA Playoff Analysis
00:51:11
Speaker
week's one. Let's see if we can get any more five-pointers on the board to wrap it up.
00:51:15
Speaker
So moving into the NBA and our last sports topic, we're going to touch on both of the two conference final series. and Ones, I suppose that I don't know if many people suspected it would go this way.
00:51:29
Speaker
I think you had this prediction for the Western Finals in your bracket. Although it was a different route to get here, you had the final two teams correct. So fair play on that. But none of us, and I don't think anyone, had Knicks versus Pacers on the other side.
00:51:44
Speaker
So currently we have the Thunder 1-0 up. Game 2 will be on tonight, so you guys will know what the score is in Game 2 by the time you listen to this, but we'll still break down Game 1 and what we think going forward. And then the Knicks are losing 1-0 to the Pacers after an unbelievable game last night. Probably the best game of the playoffs so far. yeah So we'll start with Thunder and Timberwolves. What did you make of Game 1?
00:52:09
Speaker
i I like obviously and I really did think the Thunder were going to win but I couldn't believe how easy they found it again and they kind of they just kind of kept rolling they rolled over the Nuggets in game seven and they've come in there last night and rolled over the Timberwolves like the Timberwolves not even getting 90 points is outrageous with the talent they have on the floor and the Thunder just kept them at arm's length for the whole duration of the game really like you Like the Thunder's last two quarters, were said they scored 70 points in the second half.
00:52:40
Speaker
Like that's just outrageous in a comparison to 40 for the Timberwolves. And if you're doing that, then you really, you don't have a hope of of really touching anyone in the playoff season. If you're giving up 70 points and scoring 40 in the second half.
00:52:54
Speaker
No, I agree. And Jay is just incredible. so good. I think he... He showed what he's all about there. I know some people are going on about this whole flopping thing. And although he did flop a couple of times, I wanted to point out an interest in staff that, that amongst MVPs, he's ranked 27th in the number of free throws that he had in the season. and So he's not just a foul baiter.
00:53:19
Speaker
He led the league in free and field goal attempts with 21.8 per game. So he does a lot more than take free throws. So I want to put that narrative out there. Although he does flop um sometimes,
00:53:30
Speaker
And he does get calls that other players don't. There is contact there most of the time. um And that's on the refs to figure out what to do there. That's not on him. So I think, yeah, some players don't get as much of a whistle because they're more physical.
00:53:45
Speaker
Like people pointing to Jokic, but Jokic did a good bit of flopping in that series. did big time, yeah. he thought he needed to start doing it. Yeah. The way he acts with other players, like he literally elbows people in the face, does all sorts, because he's big and strong.
00:53:57
Speaker
And then when they go back to him in the same physicality kind of way with like Caruso, people are like, oh, Caruso had to foul him because he's so small, blah, blah. But he defended him very well, and Jokic could have been called for multiple fouls on him too.
00:54:10
Speaker
And they're both just grappling with each other, whereas Shea doesn't really do that. and So I think that's probably why he gets more calls, in my opinion. but Yeah, one just one thing would say as well. like Last night wasn't his best shooting game and he still got 31 points. but if He was zero over there or four from he field like i always comes out with thirty one point imagine if he gets back to what we know he can do. Like, he could easily put up 40 or 50 points last night if he was on top, top four.
00:54:39
Speaker
yeah When he's fit and firing again, because they had a really long seven-game series against Nugget, so when he gets kind of back to game three or game four, like, I don't see the Tim Wolfe would be going to be able to put a glove on him because he's, if he's shooting 31 when he's only the only half Harrison imagine when he's going to be like when he's fully on it again and everyone around him like again their bench step last night sorry keep saying last night their bench step just stands up every single time and they have the biggest bench in the NBA and it's
00:55:10
Speaker
And they're all good. They're all capable of playing in the playoffs. Absolutely. Yeah. It's outrageous what they're able to do. ale They can bring off Shea and bring in like Williams Alex Caruso, Wiggins. They have so many options they can bring in that are just point scores.
00:55:25
Speaker
It's crazy that Williams came on as well after basically being in the cabinet during the Nuggets series. He didn't play at all. um And then they just dust them off. And he comes in and has... Yeah, 100% from the field, plus 19, plus minus. Yeah, it's absolutely ridiculous. And Alex Russo was a treat from treat from treat. They were pulling points out of absolutely everywhere. And...
00:55:52
Speaker
It's very hard to do. And he didn't as much as he did defensively against Emeralds. So that was a nice thing for him too. Even though he was leading the defense when he was on the court, he didn't have to do the same thing because it's obviously a different matchup. So that was nice for him too once he came onto to the onto the field, onto the court.
00:56:09
Speaker
And as well, like, I think the biggest thing is the amount of steals that they got. So, like, Look, for OKC, you had Shea with three steals, J-Dub with five.
00:56:23
Speaker
yeah Then there's also two for Lou Dort. Across the board, like they had 31 fast-break points. That's the third time I think they've done it in the playoffs, which is the most any team has ever done it in one playoff to have 30 or more fast-break points.
00:56:37
Speaker
The Wolves had zero fast-break points. Yeah. So that's the winning and losing of this game, like turning the ball over and not being able to then counteract that by turning the other team over and getting points off it.
00:56:50
Speaker
But the thing as well was like when Anthony Edwards plus minus and minus 23 when he wasn't on the court and he wasn't playing well last night, only 18 points and a minus 23 on the plus minus, like you're not going to win a single thing. Like you need him,
00:57:05
Speaker
And you really need him to be shooting 30 or 40 points every game. You don't have a hope against a team like to end end to day against the Thunder because they'll just shut him down and say, oh, get someone else to score 30 points. The only have one other person capable of doing it is Randall. No one else hit 10 points last night outside of Anthony Edwards and Julius Randall.
00:57:27
Speaker
That's not good enough for a team that are in a conference final. Especially with how many days rest they had. like They had way more rest than the and the Thunder and they still looked lethargic. And I thought that Ant would have a lot more assists because I thought the Thunder would defend defend him physically and trap him a lot.
00:57:43
Speaker
And I thought he'd make good decisions like he did in the previous two series, but he didn't. He only had three assists and turned it all over four times. Yeah, but wasn't good enough. He needs to be a lot better if they're going to stand a chance here.
00:57:55
Speaker
But to be honest, I think for me, I'm going to go with OKC winning in five. I think the Thunder will get one at home. But yeah, closing it out at home. Then back in Oklahoma in game five.
00:58:07
Speaker
Yeah, I i have the Thunder in five at all. I think it'll go 3-0. And then they'll give one up and then they'll just say, OK, that's enough fun now. Let's just get it done here.
00:58:18
Speaker
Yeah, I think sometimes that can happen as well where you're on the road in game four and the team is like, OK, they don't put everything into that game because they know they can close it out with home court advantage. But yeah, Then let's move on to the Knicks and Pacers.
00:58:31
Speaker
So, God, last night, what did you make of that game? I don't even know where it to start. Even when I was trying, like, I watched it this morning. I didn't stay up last night. i was telling that's yeah I watched it this afternoon. And...
00:58:45
Speaker
The shots that Halliburton makes to force it to overtime. It's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen. Like the way he's driving to the line and says, no, change his mind. Runs back out.
00:58:59
Speaker
Then puts up a jumper with his foot on the line. And then the way it bounces out and goes in and then he thinks he's won it with three-pointer. It was just... yeah like It summed up the whole game. It was was absolutely outrageous.
00:59:11
Speaker
Like, Neesmith, towards the end out died um port of but where Where did that come from? He doesn't have that in him. I didn't know he was... like He doesn't do that. He scored 30 points. The average for the season was 12th.
00:59:25
Speaker
but to it oh was just it was absolutely ridiculous. um The Knicks should have had it wrapped up. The Knicks had so many chances to wrap that up. They shouldn't needed overtime. and in Those big free throw misses down yeah that are massive I think Ananobi missed one, Brunson missed one a Cat missed one. They're all massive. um but gift For Cat and Brunson to score 78 points between And then they come out and lose. in tea I think I couldn't believe di the way they fell apart in that fourth quarter.
00:59:56
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. Like, Cat was so good last night, I thought, in general, in the game. And I thought Brunson, he had 43 points, but it was interesting that sometimes he seemed like he was making the wrong decision. And I thought at the end he did get bailed out a few times.
01:00:11
Speaker
Like, he had seven turnovers. I feel like he could have had ten. And a couple of times, like, especially that inbounds pass and what he was doing there, they were lucky to get away with that one. But like you mentioned, Neesmith, like 30 points in the game.
01:00:26
Speaker
Just some of the stats off this. Six threes in the fourth quarter was the most ever by any player in the playoffs since the play-by-play era. So that was also a record that he set for the Pacers with eight threes in a playoff game.
01:00:42
Speaker
This is a team that had Reggie Miller before and he set that record. Another one then. most points in a five minute span in the second half of a playoff game since 96-97. He's leading it with 20 points in a five minute span. and That started on the 43 minute, 25 second, 43.25 minute mark. um And then it ended just before the end of regulation.
01:01:05
Speaker
That's ridiculous. And like you said, it's not exactly off a guy that everyone was expecting. Like to go eight for nine from three. absolutely crazy yeah is there anybody else that stood out to you um i i on both teams like as you were saying there i toss carlancy hound stood out yeah runton stood out but mikhail bridges stood out for the wrong reason uh he was 50 from free throw and so you really can't do that in the beginning especially i think he has zero 50 from the field Field goal, Terry. Yeah, Terry. Zero. Yeah. Yes. it's um eight Eight of 16. I wouldn't even be too concerned with that one myself. which In terms of his shooting, it would be his playmaking that really was for me. He he just still can't handle the ball. So as soon as Brunson sits, like nobody is able to handle the ball.
01:01:53
Speaker
Yeah, like, yeah, but with Mikhail Bridges was minus 15 and a plus minus as well, which is always it's going to be a big issue as well. Yeah. Other than him, I thought Towns was brilliant. I really did.
01:02:05
Speaker
And on the other side, the Halliburton is obviously just, he's just outrageous. He's so good. And this Patriots team looked really, really good with him. Yeah. He's just, he's a really good fit.
01:02:16
Speaker
He just dictates everything in the game. And not to mention on that, that three point that was his foot on the line, whatever. yeah When he's driving to the basket there, there was a slowed down clip of it the NBA put up. And you can clearly see that like Bridges fouls him like twice on that.
01:02:32
Speaker
And he still regathers the ball after it's knocked out of his hand, steps back and hits that shot. It's just crazy. And I think already we were talking about, they were like one, they had two of only three, like seven point comebacks in the last season.
01:02:47
Speaker
minute of a game in this playoffs ever like um they had two of the three that have ever happened and it was bought in this playoffs now yeah teams were zero and 970 in the playoffs over the last 27 years when trailing by 14 points with under 250 left tonight was the first win ever And an even more outrageous one, teams that trailed by nine plus in the final minute of the fourth quarter of a playoff game were 0 and 1,414. So so so what they did is just absolutely unprecedented. In this playoffs, in general, these comebacks, you literally can't write them off. They've been so good.
01:03:28
Speaker
And the thing is, you'd have to think that at some stage, it has to get to the point where they can't just keep making these ridiculous comebacks. But they're doing it, as you said, that's their third time doing it now.
01:03:42
Speaker
And yeah that's it's like da've theyve as you said, you can never write them off. They're never out of anything. Getting more outrageous these times. yeah like you All of a sudden, nice mate remembers how to shoot.
01:03:54
Speaker
And the burden just starts throwing up trees. ah I couldn't believe it again. like i When I saw the Knicks had such a lead, I was like, geez, I might just skip the end here and see where finish. And then just just kept watching. I was like, thank God didn't skip to the end to see where finish.
01:04:09
Speaker
It's just what what they're able to do coming into the stretch. It's like, oh, let let's save all our energy in the first... first three quarters and then the fourth quarter would just have a bit of fun then. There's a bit of jeopardy on the line. We'll make a comeback.
01:04:22
Speaker
Yeah, think they scored like... ah I think they scored... don't know. I think it was like 30 or something points are maybe more in the last like four minutes of the game. I can't remember exactly how much it was but was something outrageous and I think Halliburton taking 23 shots is not like him too. Usually he doesn't like to take that many shots.
01:04:43
Speaker
So I think... Again, that was good by the Knicks to force him off his game in that way. But he stepped up when he needed to do it. And I think now they're going to just push the pace even more.
01:04:54
Speaker
These Knicks players like 46 minutes for Bridges, 44 minutes for Hart, 42 minutes for Ananobi. And they don't have a deep rotation at all. Not of players they can trust anyway. And I think that's going to catch up with them, especially when the Pacers can bring McConnell...
01:05:10
Speaker
Obi Toppin, Benedict Mather and off the bench, okay, Thomas Bryant as well, but they don't trust him that much. But those three guys who are still fitting in perfectly to keep pushing that pace, I think they'll only push them further in the second game.
01:05:23
Speaker
And I could see them going up 2-0, the Pacers, to be honest, because they will really wear this Knicks team down and it will catch up to them. I see... Although I don't like to say it, I can see another injury coming like last year because they just play way too many minutes all year.
01:05:37
Speaker
And it's so hard to keep that level up, especially against a team that plays as fast as the Pacers. Yeah, so I do see them going 2-0 up as well. We both kind of just, we both picked them in to go on chance.
01:05:48
Speaker
But I do still see the Knicks getting out of this series and getting into the and NBA Finals. Okay, so what's your final prediction? Knicks in six. Hmm.
01:06:00
Speaker
So you could see the Knicks going one and two on the road and then closing out on the road. yeah i Yeah. I think the thing is that we keep saying about these ridiculous comebacks, I do think they have to end at some at some stage.
01:06:13
Speaker
And the way they played for most of that game last night was not a team that is going to go kind of just walk. I don't see them walking a series, obviously, but I don't see them winning a series even again with the way... The conference finals are too competitive to be able to keep going so far down and turn around and come back. It has to catch up to at some point. The way it does in every sport, there's no team capable of...
01:06:36
Speaker
keep running off comebacks like that so it's even just the only four or five six teams this year yeah exactly it caught up to them as well like yeah up to them a little bit so yeah i think it always catches up and i think the knicks will still end up in the the finals i'm actually going with the pacers um i was thinking if we did this episode before the game i was going to pick the pacers in six to close out at home i'm still going to go with that I do think, yeah, it could go either way. And I do agree that this can't keep up, but I don't think it will keep up is the thing because they've had these games where they've come back, but they've also dominated other games.
01:07:11
Speaker
yeah And I think they have the ability to dominate games and I think they will. And I think the Knicks, they had two brilliant comebacks against the Celtics to be up 2-0 and then they showed their proper skill level in game three and then when they closed it out as well.
01:07:27
Speaker
and So I think Yeah, or game four it was, I think, and then when they closed it out or whatever whatever order that went in. And I think that could happen again where the Pacers might have a comeback or two here, but I think there will be other games where they show their level. And I just think the depth and the minutes in the legs for the Knicks will catch up
Power Rankings and Closing Remarks
01:07:45
Speaker
to them. So that's what I'm going with.
01:07:47
Speaker
But... we've we've We've had a pretty long episode, so let's wrap up quickly then with the power rankings. um Do you want go first and give last week and go ahead with this week? Yeah, perfect. So last week I had Liverpool, Pacers, Knicks, Man City, OKC and Newcastle.
01:08:02
Speaker
I've changed it up quite a bit for this week now because a lot has happened in the last week since we were talking last. So Palace come in to mine and they go top. Ooh, nice. First trophy, and I thought they deserved this, so I put them in a top.
01:08:17
Speaker
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I've gotten them in a second. I know they're 17th in the league, but if you're winning the European trophy, then you should be in with a shower to get into anyone's power rankings. I have the Pacers in third, just because the comeback last night and the way they're playing, and they're just brilliant.
01:08:32
Speaker
Man City are still in fourth, so they have four wins in a draw in their last five. Even after losing the cup, though. Yeah, you know what? I just didn't want to change everything at one go. It's very awkward to to to put the graphics together, so I'll try and keep some people in the same place.
01:08:47
Speaker
And then I have the Thunder in fifth, just so that we've said enough for them. And then Villa are in sixth for me. No Liverpool. I don't think Liverpool have just drawn the beach.
01:08:58
Speaker
and They're very not hot at the moment, so what's the point in having them in there? I know they've won the league, but Villa four wins in the last five, and I hope they kind of hope they get into the Champions League as well. Yeah, no that's ah that's a fair enough. It's a good list.
01:09:13
Speaker
if So last week I had Pacers top and then Timberwolves, Liverpool, OKC, Brentford and City. So this week I've got OKC in first. um So I just think that the level to which they played in their last two games is so good. It showed what they've done all season and that's just boosted them up to the top again for me.
01:09:33
Speaker
And then in second place, I've gone with Palace. So I think they deserve to be up high after what they did. And currently their form in the league has been really good. They haven't lost in a good six or seven games in all competitions. So they're doing very well there. And then obviously getting their first trophy ever, they deserve to be high.
01:09:51
Speaker
I've got the Pacers then next up. They're in third. I thought what they did against the Cavs was excellent and they followed up with just one of the best games I've ever seen last night. So they're in third.
01:10:02
Speaker
and Then in fourth, I've gone with Spurs, kind of have to give them their props that they they won a trophy, even though, yeah, it pains me to put them in there because they're just not powerful at all in terms of yeah what they've done this season. But yeah, they they won a trophy, so...
01:10:20
Speaker
they they deserve to get in there at least for this week. Yeah, you're a better man than me, yeah because um when Newcastle beat Liverpool, I left them out for the next year and a half before I would put them back into it. You're a bigger man than I am.
01:10:32
Speaker
So then after that, I went with the Knicks. I didn't want to drop them out because I thought they played very well against Boston in general, and they played well for most that game last night, even though they did throw it away. So I think they still...
01:10:44
Speaker
They deserve a spot in there. And then six the same as you have gone with Villa too. Because, yeah, they only lost once in the league since the 28th of February. And they're only goal difference away from being in the Champions League. So I think, yeah, had that they do deserve a spot in there right now.
01:10:59
Speaker
It's kind of a last minute decision to put Spurs in. I was going to leave Liverpool in, but I think, yeah, I was teetering on the fence with that one. But I i think once you've you've said that you don't want to have them in there, i if it's coming from you, then I think it's fair enough to to leave them out for this week. 100%, yeah.
01:11:15
Speaker
yeah that's ah That's where we'll leave it. So that's our two power rankings for the week. I hope you enjoyed the episode, lads. We will be back again next week for episode 20.
01:11:26
Speaker
A big milestone. Shane, throw it to you. Thanks so much, lads. Just keep watching, listening, liking, subscribing, and we'll just keep bringing you the content that we love making. So thanks so much, and we'll see you next week.
01:11:38
Speaker
See you, lads.