Ohtani & Soto Trades; Are we taking Trout’s Injury too Lightly?; Mega Millions is Obscene
AL East Snapshot
The O’s are in 4th place in the AL East ahead of the DISMAL Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox offense is terrific, but their defense is absolutely “laughable”, by Tom’s standards. They aren’t out of the picture here, but it doesn’t look like things are turning around. That being said, Boston has a ton of trade bait in J.D. Martinez and Devors; but Bogaerts is untouchable. They lost the Toronto series 40-10 which is maybe indicative of a lack of effort, and it ain’t looking good.
Not a lot of people are talking about it, but Toronto is a few pieces away from being a legit contender. The offense is unbelievably explosive and with another front-end arm they could catapult themselves to a top tier contender. The lineup, top to bottom, is absolutely brutal for any pitching staff.
The O’s on the other hand continue to grind and could be in a position to be buyers and push for a Wild Card spot. Conversely, recently, Trey Mancini seems to be settled with being traded, and his interviews have seemed like he knows the writing is on the wall. Thursday against the Yankees felt like a goodbye especially with the inside the park home run - if he goes it won’t be a surprise, but it will hurt the Orioles fans’ souls.
The Yankees are still running away with the division. Toronto is on top of the Wild Card race and Tampa Bay is 3 games back so things are heating up heading into August.
Soto & Ohtani Sweepstakes
The Nats & Angels are both waiting on huge offers for their stars in Soto and Ohtani respectively. The Yankees, Padres, and Dodgers are the only three teams in baseball that can probably get this done from a financial standpoint.
Both of these guys will absolutely make at least $300 million dollars, but whoever comes in for either one will have to give up “The Farm” on this one…literally and figuratively. In all honesty, neither one of them will move, but they should. It will be good for baseball to see these guys playing meaningful baseball into the Fall.
Trout’s Back!
Mike Trout has a back injury that he’s downplaying but that the rest of the world seems seriously concerned with. According to his doctor’s statement, this is a rare spinal condition that will be a chronic issue and impact his career.
Trout seems to be nonchalant about it, but it sounds like he won’t be able to play CF everyday, and maybe not even get At-Bats everyday. He has had a lot of injuries over the years, but none that were quite as serious as this. The Angels have to be cursed, because they’re currently holding two generational talents with no shot of winning and are facing the possibility of losing both in the next few years.
NFL Storylines
Tampa - Tom Brady’s O-Line is taking some hits which is always a concern for TB12. It’s early in the off-season so there is time to get a band-aid but this is an interesting storyline as we start up training camps across the league.
New Orleans - Dennis Allen taking the helm in New Orleans will be another interesting NFC South storyline. After all the years of Brees & Peyton we see Jameis with a new offense and head coach Kamara will be back healthy, too. They’ll need to knock of Brady and the Bucs to get anywhere.
New England - Mac Jones in New England has gotten public praise from Bill Belicheck, which is possibly a sign of the apocalypse. The O-Line has been reshuffled for him, but no real weapons have been added for him. Devante Parker could have himself a year, if he stays healthy. The team is centered around Mac though, so he’s in a comfortable spot, and the team should be solid.
QB Headlines
Aaron Rodgers. Can we have less Aaron Rodgers? Tom would like Aaron Rodgers with no personality back, because this one is…can we just have less Aaron Rodgers? The Con Air thing was pretty spot on, but still…
Russell Wilson showing up in a tank in his own throwback Broncos jersey may be the corniest thing to happen in the NFL since Jim McMahon’s dance moves on “The Icky Shuffle”. McMahon’s play was not corny though, for the record! The Broncos are going to stink though, because he’s overrated.
Josh Allen in Buffalo just lost Brian Daboll and this will be the first real test for him. Allen will most likely navigate this well because he’s incredibly talented, and expectations are high. The Defense is probably the bigger concern because they were a stop away. Allen should be fine.
Matthew Stafford gets a second year of comfortability with the playbook. Allen Robinson added to the mix to help Kupp. Bobby Wagner joined the Defense, and Cam Akers is the hands-down starter in the backfield. Nobody is mentioning them, but he should be licking his chops.
Rookie Predictions
Tom: “George Pickens. Pittsburgh Steelers. Looks like a Stud”
Somebody is confident about one of their rookies, but there are more important things to talk about than the Steelers.
Wide Receivers
Drake London in Atlanta will help open up some space for Mariotta and hopefully get some focus off of Pitts, who showed some great ability last year, minus the touchdowns.
Treylon Burks in Tennessee has some big shoes to fill with AJ Brown traded to the Eagles. Tannehill definitely has some competition in the division now with Matt Ryan in Indy.
Christian Watson in Green Bay will have a fair amount asked of him with Adams gone and a new #1 stepping into the role. Any rookie would love having Rodgers throwing to them.
Running Backs
Kenneth Walker out of Michigan St. looks like he is poised to win that RB1 spot over Rashaad Penny in Seattle. Pete Carroll is always cooking.
Breece Hall for the New York Jets is also looking to take the RB1 spot there as well, soon. Michael Carter was decent last year so it’ll be interesting to see who wins.
James Cook in Buffalo will be asked to be an every down RB, which is what Josh Allen needs to take some heat off of him. He looks a lot like his brother Dalvin, who we know is elite
Wide World of Sports
LIV Golf tried to get Charles Barkley, but it looks like they missed their man. Barkley announced he is staying on TNT to keep talking about the NBA. There is no telling what the next LIV Golf move is, but it sure is entertaining. Short of getting a Rory McIlroy or a Justin Thomas there isn’t much left for them to poach. The product needs to get a little better, but is sustainable if they clean up some of the formatting and can get a TV deal.
Zion Williamson is getting some flack for some contract language surrounding his weight. Details are a little fuzzy but Zion is in tremendous shape, he’s just a giant, so this is a little silly.
Kyler Murray is in the same boat with his “homework” clause, which is a little more concerning than the weight clause. The need for a contract clause to get your $200+ million dollar QB to do his job might be a red flag.
Never a dull moment in the wide world of sports!
Kyler Murray Gets Paid; O’s & Sotos; Year #2 QBs
Kyler Murray Cashes In!
Kyler got his bag, but it was significantly less than one of us expected.Kyler looks to get $230m, with $160m guaranteed.In fairness, this is sort of just the “nature of the beast” in the NFL. Teams work day and night to find a franchise QB so when they find theirs, they pay what they need to, to keep them around. Critics say he hasn’t earned it, but this is what the market calls for, and the Arizona Cardinals feel like they can win, long-term with Kyler Murray.
Chris poses the question, “What does that mean for Lamar Jackson & the Baltimore Ravens?” and Tom doesn’t think that’s something that is going to happen anytime soon. Whenever it does happen though, it will be for “silly money”. Herbert and Burrow, too. The critics will be there, too because people (fans) get really invested in how the owner’s money is spent. The front office wants to get a deal done. We’ll see when it comes to fruition, but it doesn’t sound like Lamar is even interested in talking about it at the moment.
Orioles/Yankees Series
The Yankees have lost a little bit of momentum over the last few weeks, but they are still probably the best team in baseball; either them or the Dodgers, according to Tom. The Orioles are catching the Yankees at the right time, it appears. The rotation is performing incredibly well at the moment, and the bullpen has been solid all year but the AL has a lot of good competition. The formula is working right now, but expectations should be tempered as we get into the later part of the season.
Meaningful baseball will be played at Camden Yards late into the season, this is a win for the club and the city! Oh, and it’s looking a lot like Tom will be accompanying Chris to an O’s game!
ANNOUNCEMENT: “Madden stinks! Those people are bozos” Tom says, and he’s really fired up about it.
Soto Time!
Juan Soto showed out in the Home Run Derby! Which was a pretty fun spectacle in itself. Julio Rodriguez and Pete Alonso both put on a show.Rodriguez hit 73 home runs! 73 HOME RUNS! That was incredible, but the format was very hectic. The announcers could hardly keep up, and Schwarber “took a dive like a company man” for Pujols to advance. It was a good show!
Back to the point - Juan Soto is clearly not staying with the Nationals after rejecting their offer a few weeks back. Then the Nats snubbed him on a charter to the All-Star game so it sounds like Soto is on the trading block moving forward.
“Everyone needs Juan Soto”, according to Tom.If he was Brian Cashman he would trade Aaron Judge for Juan Soto, because Judge leaving is almost a forgone conclusion.Tom has some hot takes, but we’ll let that one marinate for a second…
To be fair, Soto is a younger commodity than Judge and would be under team control for another 2 years. It will never happen, but it’s certainly an interesting idea and one that the Yankees could probably pull off, if they wanted to. No matter what happens, any takers will have to give up the farm, literally and figuratively, to get Soto. The Yankees are certainly a candidate, along with the Padres.
Year #2 NFL QBs
We take a look at Year #2 QBs in the NFL and which ones of them may have some success this year. Tom struggles with this one because there isn’t a lot to work with here on this list, but there is some potential upside.
Trevor Lawrence and Zach Wilson really can only go up but the Jags and Jets will still probably be below .500. Lawrence has the superstar talent though, but it’s not easy in the wrong situation. Justin Fields is very talented, but the Bears organization is a circus and who knows what will happen there. Mac Jones & Davis Mills probably had the best situations for growth. The teams were built to help them settle and grow a bit more than the guys mentioned earlier.
Trey Lance is probably in the best overall situation to win now. The 49ers are a complete team and could really push the Rams in the NFC West. Trey is a unique situation though with his limited college record and limited NFL snaps. Either way, Jimmy G is finished in San Francisco, and Kyle Shanahan offenses are QB friendly, so it could be a big year for the young man.
College Football Snapshot
Alabama, Georgia,and Ohio State are the clear cut “Top 3”, pretty much unanimously. Chris has a few under-the-radar picks in USC, Texas A&M, and Clemson. The expectations on C.J Stroud and Bryce Young are enormous this year, so there should be some exciting Satrudays in our future. USC being back on the radar for the core millennial crowd is exciting because the Coliseum is a fantastic atmosphere for college gameday.
Sept. 3rd Ohio State and Notre Dame meet to kickoff the season and this will be must watch TV! Sync your smartwatches!
Baker to Carolina; Chet Holmgren looks Legit; KD Staying in Brooklyn?
O’s
We kick it off tonight with Tom keeping Chris’ feet on the ground about the Orioles. Some might call Tom a hater…some. Credit where credit is due though, Tom agrees the O’s have been impressive, and improvement is exciting, now we see where it goes
The next few years will be critical and as we’ve mentioned before you will most likely see some familiar faces head out the door. Mancini will most likely get moved on, and rightfully so, as much as it will hurt the heart. Jorge Lopez is another candidate from the back-end of the bullpen. The offers will dictate, and could be critical to the short-term growth of the O’s.
Around the League
The Yankees hit 60 wins, and are in absolute cruise control at the moment. Gallo has been awful, but no harm, no foul at the moment. The Dodgers are getting healthier with Betts and Kershaw back, and have been in 1st place without them. The Mets have 50+ wins and are getting stronger with Scherzer back. The top of the league is strong.
Tennis with Pete from Atlanta
Djokovic v. Kyrgios is an intriguing matchup because Kyrgios has the quality to beat Djokovic, but he’s a bit of a headcase. The Nadal withdrawal also affects the crowd for a Wimbledon Final as well with two pretty disliked players going head-to-head. The injury sounds pretty brutal for Nadal as well with a torn abdominal muscle and a timeline for return is unknown.
Baker Mayfield to Carolina
The fanbase thinks this is an upgrade according to Joe from Charlotte, and Tom agrees that Baker has a greater upside in the short-term over Sam Darnold.The O-Line is solid in front of him with some draft upgrades and Baker has no shortage of weapons in McCaffery and Moore.
This is a true camp battle for the job in Carolina. Both QBs have the talent, but both also do some dumb stuff. Darnold has lost his confidence from his years in NY, and Baker has let his decision-making and accuracy slip, but both can get the job done…maybe. It will be interesting to see how this works out from camp and through the season.
“I’d rather be Carolina than Cleveland, right now; wouldn’t you?” Chris asks. It is sounding a whole lot like Watson is going to get a slap on the wrist for this one and the Browns will end up with Deshaun Watson after a relatively minor headache. Tom doesn't think Watson is going to sit out this whole season and the NFL will use last year as part of his suspension retroactively. Business is Business in the NFL and it ultimately means, Cleveland won here and the Panthers probably got stuck with a potentially expensive dud.
NBA Summer League
Chris is about that Summer League life and “nerds out” on it, so there’s been some good entertainment for him recently. Chet Holmgren was out there doing what we expect to see translate over to the league. Jaden Ivey lit the place up and was great to watch. Paolo was smooth in his outings and looked just fine. Generally speaking, the top ten have shown they should settle in fine with their clubs going into the season.
It’s hard to watch some careers fizzle out when some Vets ride the bench in Summer League. There is a good amount to take away from the Summer League, but it doesn’t forecast great success for the NBA slog day in and day out. We can see if a guy can hit his spots, keep up with the speed of the game, use his body, etc. It’s always a game of “wait and see” either way. The Summer League isn’t “The Show” and nothing can really predict in-season success.
Destinations for Kevin Durant
We may have done this a little bit over the last few weeks, and not much has changed. The market is small because the teams who can afford him are capped out, and not many teams are going to sell the farm for him. He’s in his mid-30’s and you’d have him for another 4 years. In short, we don’t know and nobody does at this point. We move on.
Jimmy G returns!
Garopollo will be throwing later this month and it looks like there is no market for him now. Tom finds this plenty amusing, until you mention him landing in Pittsburgh, and he’s less of a fan. In his opinion, they looked at that option and chose Mitchell Trubisky, take from that what you will. . Chris, doesn’t find the idea so far-fetched.
It does look bleak out there for him now that Baker landed in Carolina. Tom believes that he “is not good at quarterback” and he makes no bones about it. No, seriously, Tom thinks “he stinks”. Period. Eventually, somebody might need a QB this season so he’s worthy of a job. We’ll have to see how things play out as the season goes on,
DAN SYNDER IS HIDING ON A YACHT SOMEWHERE!!! THE GUY IS CERTIFIED TEFLON!!!
Death of the PAC12? Timberwolves get Rudy; Durant on the move…AGAIN!
Guest Host, Gil, with Chris in the studio tonight, so you know it’s going to be a good one!
The O’s are 35-42 currently, and if they can get to .500 by August they become a massively interesting story in the AL.
As Chris posits, the revival of the O’s could be the precursor to a bit of revitalization of the city as a whole. The Yard needs to find a way to fill seats. As Gil mentions, the old $10 Bleacher Seat tickets helped keep the place at least half-full, mostly with college kids, but full nonetheless. As the O’s have fallen from grace over the last 20 years, so too has Baltimore City; an interesting observation from the outside looking in.
Hays & Mullins have been so fun to watch, and this young team has a spirit we haven’t seen in Baltimore for quite some time. As the season progresses we may see some familiar names on the trade block, including Trey Mancini. The expectation is that the front office will be starting to look very hard at acquiring some starting pitching, both veteran and senior prospects.
What is going on at the Castle with Lamar and the Ravens?
Chris is right when he says, QBs are getting outlandish money, and arguably, Lamar is the most outlandish talent at that position.Even without looking at the numbers, wins and losses alone tell the story - the Ravens win when he’s in.
He is in an option year this year and if a long-term deal isn’t struck then the Franchise Tag is clearly on the table for next year. It certainly feels like he is simply waiting out Burrow and Herbert to see where the ceiling is. That being said, it’s not a scenario to panic about.
Looking at the rest of the squad, the Ravens are healthy again; Dobbins and Edwards are back and working, Ronnie Stanley’s ankle is said to be good to go, and the secondary is back to full strength, and has the addition of Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame. The real story of this team will be the O-Line to keep Lamar protected, the aforementioned Stanley is a massive return, and DeCosta got what appears to be a quality center straight out of the draft. The Pass Rush looks like the weakest link currently, so we’ll see how things progress.
Can the Raven’s win the Division this year?
Gil says, “it’s hard to call…” The Browns are still up in the air, and the Steelers are always a problem when we’re talking about the Ravens, regardless of the standings. The Bengals are for real, so we’ll see how it all plays out.
Big Ten Additions - UCLA & USC and
2024 will see UCLA and USC leave the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten which is a scary prospect for Maryland fans, and most likely the Maryland FB staff.It looks like the Big Ten is stacking up to match-up with the SEC, with the likes of Michigan, Michigan St., Ohio St., Penn St. Wisconsin, and more! Adding these two teams would make it on-par with the SEC
Chris asks, “what about UNC and Clemson” are they the next to switch conferences? Clemson fits in the SEC but UNC does not, especially with Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC in the near future. The SEC, as we all know, has Alabama,Georgia, and even though they had a bad year last year, Florida, LSU, and Auburn will all be back. Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M has ALL the recruits.
Does this benefit college football? Money talks, but only 4 teams go to the playoffs, does this benefit the teams in these conferences, really? Interesting times for College Football!
NBA Free Agency
Zach Levine (Chicago) and Bradley Beale (Washington) have both signed Max contracts and Chris isn’t sold that they will move the needle in the Eastern Conference. As a basketball fan, seeing both players move to different teams could have provided a more entertaining, competitive landscape in both conferences.
Rudy Gobert to the Timberwolves along with a host of bit players and a ton of future 1st round picks. Minnesota seems to be in the mindset of “win now” which may be easier said than done in the Western Conference. If D’Angelo Russell progresses, we could see some more positives, and Karl Anthony-Towns should remain productive, but they maybe aren’t upper echelon with their moves.
Kevin Durant, has requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets which was a bit of a surprise. The Nets did not offer Kyrie a long-term deal so that could’ve been a sticking point. Also Ben Simmons is on his roster, which is probably reason enough to leave, honestly. Miami, Toronto, Phoenix, are all in the mix for Durant, allegedly. If the Suns keep Devin Booker they could be a legit threat in the West with Kevin Durant. Toronto would need to part with some young talent to make this happen, which is unlikely. Miami, will probably not get rid of Butler or Adebayo
Washington Commanders
Terry McLaurin got his extension; 130 targets with 77 Receptions to lead the team with over 1000 yards. For context, the next most receptions was 43 by JD Mckissic, a Running Back. Overall, extending McLaurin is a great thing for the offense and especially Carson Wentz.
Wentz’ upside is much higher with McLaurin on the roster, so this was a major part of the Commanders’ off-season. For fans this was a huge win, especially for an organization that often does the “wrong” thing in these situations.
The Defense is an interesting story as well, Daron Payne is entering the final year of his Rookie contract, and the feeling is they would like to re-sign him either now or in the off-season. There is some trade interest in him and the Commanders don’t want to lose him just yet. Linebacker may be a more pressing concern, and Jack Del Rio may be on the hot seat if the Defense doesn’t produce.
Avs Stanley Cup Clincher; Kyrie Free Agency; Dan Synder Goes to Congress
NBA Draft Recap
NBA shenanigans in the hours approaching the Draft with fluctuations in the odds for who would go #1, #2, and #3. Paolo jumped to #1 when the expectation had been Jabari the whole time. Orlando ultimately played this one perfect and kept things close enough to the vest that the media was lost going into this one.
Detroit pulled in two great picks in Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren, and may be the winner of this draft; Tom certainly thinks so. Chris really likes A.J. Griffin to the Hawks at #16, and Tom’s Cavaliers took Ochai Agbaji at #14, both solid picks for each squad. Lastly, Chris’ boy TyTy Washington fell to #29 with Memphis, but after some trades he’ll be suiting up in Houston.
Ultimately, Paolo to the Magic, Chet Holmgren to the Thunder, and Jabari Smith to the Rockets is how the Top 3 picks shook out.
Stanley Cup Finals
Elimination didn’t feel like it was on the cards before this one, but the Avs are in control of the series going into tonight’s Game #5, up 3-1. A bit of controversy in Game #4 about too many men on the ice during the Avs’ winning goal, a sort of botched lane switch (from both teams) at the same time caused some chaos.
Vasilevskiy had a few bad breaks, and Kuemper stood on his head. Neither tendie deserved a loss here, but Tampa left Vasilevskiy exposed a bit too much. Stamkos even owned up to that post-game. Colorado has been incredible on the Power Play and Tampa has been weak on the Kill. The Avalanche are incredibly fun to watch and are seriously knocking on the door here.
Chris has the Avs winning tonight and the altitude has been a serious issue. Tampa Bay looks like a different team at home than in Colorado. We both agree though, for Tampa Bay to win this it has to be a low scoring affair. Tom is non-committal, but it feels like he knows Colorado is the horse to back here.
Baltimore Orioles
“We’re talking about…one of the hottest teams under .500, the Baltimore Orioles” - Chris
Chris is feeling good about the O’s and where they are trending. Tom sees the writing on the wall for the original bet of 50 wins,so amended terms were offered - if the O’s win over 60 games Tom will visit Camden Yards (as if that’s punishment). As of this recording, the O’s are 32-39; we repeat, THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES ARE 32-39, in June!!! The nucleus is forming and looking solid, the pitching has improved, and they overall look like the plan is beginning to come to fruition. The bullpen is currently much improved and all signs are pointing towards positive progress. Mullins, Hays, Mountcastle, Rutschman, Mancini - this lineup is starting to sound like one that can compete with a few additions.
Kyrie Irving….Free Agency
Kyrie wants to leave the “Superteam” Nets after winning nothing, surprise! Tom loves him, so that’s a thing. Chris is fatigued with Kyrie, which is also a thing. He’s probably not going anywhere; this is most likely just a bargaining ploy.
If Kyrie leaves, it throws Durant into question which throws the rest of the team into question and any hopes of competing in the East. The Nets are not the same without him, and Durant probably won’t want to stay. Ben Simmons is still on this roster which is good on paper, and maybe on the court one day.
“Blow it up”, Chris says. The Nets loaded up to win and haven’t accomplished anything. Tom thinks they are still a contender with all the ingredients remaining, but maybe it’s time for the Nets to cash-in and rebuild.
Supreme Commander - Dan Synder
Dodging everybody! Dan Synder is being deposed next week and it’s must watch TV. There has been 8 months of investigation into what’s going on in the front office. He’s become more aggressive towards the press that criticizes him yet nothing seems to be coming from it in the way of consequences; as Chris says “he’s teflon”. Maybe more teflon than Vince McMahon, says Tom, and that is saying something because Vince is basically Thanos.
The other owners don’t seem to mind because they haven’t truly been affected. It would take 24 out of 32 votes in order to oust Snyder from his post, and that seems like a longshot until it negatively impacts the league or the other owners. This isn’t a Donald Sterling situation, where he’s buried himself publicly, so the Commanders truck on.
Until he’s escorted out of Commanders HQ, we’ll believe real consequences when we see them!
GSW wins NBA Finals; Celtics future; Stanley Cup Game #2; O’s beat Jay, Closing in on 30 Wins
NBA Finals
The Warriors win their 4th Championship in 8 years, and Tom is thrilled! The hypotheticals about Steph and how he would have fared against other players/teams is ridiculous. Yes, Tim Duncan would have beaten him (at least once). Yes, him winning a Finals MVP is important to his legacy.
The Warriors did what they were supposed to do. Draymond upping his game changed the series. The Celtics blew it, with turnovers and Udoka running bench players with 12 minutes left and their lives on the line.
Will Boston be back to the FInals soon?
Tom says “probably not - Milwaukee will be back, Miami will retool…Boston has a lot of problems”
Chris, has some feelings on Boston teams,, but is not so pessimistic about the Celtics “the future looks good…I think they’ll be back 2 out of [the next] 3”
MLB & Orioles
O’s have 28 wins! Cedric Mullins is good at baseball, dare we say great at baseball! As we enter mid-June, Chris thinks about “half the teams in major league baseball are vulnerable to the ‘dog days of summer’” slump.
The Yankees don’t look like slumping at all though, they’re 47-16 at this point, and they are clicking in all parts of the game. Aaron Judge is driving his price up with every at-bat, so the newly conservative Yankee approach seems to be backfiring. Tom is a little bit disappointed that the Yankees aren’t just throwing around money, it’s their superpower. The Judge and Ohtani contracts are about to change the game!
The Angels may be cursed. The Padres are leading the NL West over the Dodgers still, but it looks like Tatis will be out longer than expected. Manny Machado is playing MVP level baseball. The Giants aren’t playing terribly either. It’s getting fun to watch, minus the Rockies & D’Backs. The AL East is the typical beast it always is, the Yanks, Jays, Sox, and Rays are all playing fantastic baseball, and the surprise Orioles make the division look deadly. The Mets are rolling even without DeGrom & Scherzer. Tom will “believe it when he sees it” though, but he’s not buying it currently…because they’re the Mets. The Phillies are getting healthy and are trending upwards, and the Braves continue to play stellar baseball.
The Commanders -
“The Commanders stink!” “...the whole division stinks!” according to Tom.
Carson Wentz is here to save the day, maybe. The organization is just always creating bad press, and continues to make it harder on themselves than it needs to be. Terry McLaurin’s new deal is a big situation looming over the franchise The Kupp and Kirk deals are driving up WR prices and the Commanders will need to be aggressive to keep McLaurin around - so he’ll probably be gone.
Chris thinks the NFC east is wide open, and Tom thinks this is Dallas’ to lose. They both agree though, this division is awful.
NBA Draft Preview
This is where the “smaller” franchises can get a Jaylen Brown or Giannis to compete with some of the larger market teams who can spend.
Orlando sits in the #1 spot and will most likely not pay their pick at the end of his contract and he’ll go elsewhere! MAGIC! We both agree that Jabari Smith is probably the pick to take here for Orlando so it will be interesting to see how it shakes out.The Rockets should be looking at Paolo ,according to Tom. Paolo is 6’10” with a great skill set and could be argued for as the best player in the draft. He may not even make to #3. The Kings sit at #4 and will probably ruin someone’s career.
We are both intrigued by Johnny Davis, he is a pretty complete baller who could make an immediate impact on a team this coming season. . Chris thinks the Wizards fit the bill here for Davis. There are a few G League guys and a lot of good talent that could all make an impact on an NBA Roster. The Pelicans could be a few pieces away from a good team if Zion can stay healthy and put some games under his belt.
Stanley Cup Games #1 & 2
We take a look at tomorrow’s Game #2 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Avalanche and Lightning!
The Avalanche came through in OT in an epic Game #1. The Avs offense is aggressive and it’s really entertaining to watch. Both squads are matching up pretty equally which hopefully makes for a great series. Both teams are physical and the Avalanche have speed by the Zamboni Load. Vasilevskiy gave up 4 Goals, which is unlike him again. Colorado’s style gave Tampa Bay trouble, but their experience kept them in it.
We both lean towards favoring the Bolts here purely on track record, but we both agree that this Avalanche team is talented, fearless, and fun to watch. They can definitely get this done if they keep playing the way they are.
Sign Off
LIV Golfers are at their first Major since getting that Saudi money for “beer league” golf. Phil is looking beatdown and defeated. Money talks and it’s taking more and more players by the week. The impact won’t be known for a while.
Lamar Jackson is practicing without a new long-term contract!!. He doesn’t feel like he deserves yet, which is a wild thought, but he is a wild dude. It’s good to have him back out on the field from a team perspective though. As Chris said “there is something rugged and cool” about him practicing without a new contract, but he is committed to Baltimore.. The Franchise Tag strategy is a risky one, but one that could payoff in the end.
MVP. Maybe a Super Bowl?. Lamar makes $500mil EASY!
Billionaire Athletes & “Wristers in Traffic”
Billionaire Athletes & “Wristers in Traffic”
This week on “Dialogues”, we discuss the NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics (BOS) and Golden State Warriors (GSW), a rundown of the “State of the NFL” as Mini-Camps begin, with a dash of LIV Golf, MLB Headlines, and Stanley Cup Preview
Celtics vs. Steph Curry
We preview the remaining NBA Finals games after Boston dominates in Game #3. Boston’s defense has been stifling over 3 games, with clutch performances from Smart, Tatum, and Brown on the offensive side of the ball. The Celtics weathered a 3rd Quarter storm from the Warriors and eventually went on a 20-8 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth that gave them a 102-91 lead, and it cruise-control from there.
GSW and Curry need to play better defense all-around to better contain the weapons Boston has through the lineup, and we both agree on that one! Steve Kerr needs to change up Draymond’s usage, and Klay Thompson needs to get more involved for GSW to have a chance to get back into this series.
Even more important than basketball though, is that everyone knows how much Tom dislikes the discourse around Steph Curry. He thinks Steph deserves the same criticism Lebron takes in similar situations, when he “doesn’t have help” or “he’s tired”. Steph Curry is not in the GOAT conversation, the Warriors are the villains, and Tom is tired of acting like he is and they’re not!! I think it’s safe to say, Boston has support from the “Dialogues” crew moving forward; and Tom hates the Celtics.
MLB 60-Game Mark
Major League Baseball is at the 60-game mark and we take a quick look at the hot clubs throughout the league . The Phillies and Braves are streaking right now in a loaded NL East; Atlanta has won 8 straight and Acuna’s return boosted the clubhouse.The Phillies have turned it around since Girardi’s departure and Bryce Harper getting healthy has changed the feel in Philadelphia. Buck Showalter’s Mets are #2 in the Power Rankings behind their NY neighbors and don’t look like they’re stopping anytime soon.
The Dodgers and the Padres are playing phenomenal baseball in the NL West, and the Padres stand to get Fernando Tatis back soon. Dare we say it? The Padres could take the division from the Dodgers if they stay healthy.
The Cardinals are playing their usual brand of solid baseball in the NL Central. The Astros in the AL West are in the same boat, and Verlander may be the most adaptable pitcher we’ve ever seen. The Chicago White Sox are also getting healthy and could reach their potential, that is, unless “Pop-Pop” Larussa intentionally walks them out of it.
The Angels just remain confusing! It’s the Trout & Ohtani show over there and we’re just here for the performances.
NHL Playoffs
The Eastern Conference Finals are in full swing and this is Tampa Bay’s series to lose at this point. Game #3 was a big swing game where the Lightning really took control after being down in the series 2-0 to the NY Rangers. Tampa Bay looks seasoned; they look like they’ve been here before, and they have. Stamkos and Palet are firing on all cylinders and Vasilevskiy is standing on his head. After two great games, and a heartbreaker in Game #3, the Rangers are showing some of their youth and inexperience.
The Avalanche cruised through Edmonton to sweep in the Western Conference. The offense is on absolute fire scoring a total 22 goals over 4 games to get a few days off before the beginning of the Stanley Cup Finals.16 of 20 skaters logged at least a point in the series and 10 of those 16 had a multi-point series.
Looking forward, if Tampa Bay can close out the series, the Lightning will be looking at back-to-back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, and as Chris likes to say “Wristers in Traffic, that is what Wins Games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs”
NFL Snapshot
Mini-Camps begin soon so we take a quick look around the league and share some opinions on the current goings-on for a few hot divisions
AFC North
The Bengals take a step back, according to Tom. Super Bowl teams do typically struggle to reach the same level, but the team looks largely the same. They’ve upgraded on the O-Line (on paper), and still hold the division crown, so they’re the team to beat. The Ravens are flying under the radar even with the noise of Lamar skipping OTAs. The defense is healthy and slightly upgraded in the backfield. The O-Line is healthy and upgraded (on paper) which will be vital for a successful season.The Pass Rush is a question, so someone will need to step up. The Steelers are in-flux on offense, but snuck into the playoffs with “a corpse at Quarterback” on the back of a top 10 defense and a great run game; a dark horse in the division. The Browns are definitely doing something. Cleveland’s fortunes depend on who lines up under center to start the season. If it’s Watson the division gets a lot scarier. If it’s Baker, well, they should have at least invited him to the Bahamas!
AFC South
The Colts and Matt Ryan look like a good move. Indy’s defense was in the top 15 last year and that unit remains largely intact. Jonathan Taylor is poised for another big year and the division is basically a two-horse race. The Tennessee Derrick Henrys are ready for another 340 carries this season, and Tannehill has a few new weapons around him in Robert Woods and Austin Hooper, but Malik Willis is waiting for his shot. Jacksonville is going to play a season full of games and there might be a win in there. The Texans are rebuilding after the Watson-grenade with Lovie Smith at the helm, but they don’t look to be a threat here.
NFC East
The Commanders…have the ingredients for a competitive football team? A stellar defense, a solid running back, and Carson Wentz! Let’s be realistic, the division is lackluster, and 9 wins could really take the thing. There isn’t a logical reason the Commanders can’t put together a decent season, but let’s just wait and see on that one. The Cowboys are the clear favorite to take this division.They’re talented enough to make a run, but it all relies on performances from their franchise players in Prescott and Elliott. The Eagles are mediocre at best and still have some growing to do with Hurts under center, and the NY Giants are a professional football team that also plays in this division.
AFC West
This division is LOADED with a capital LOADED! The Chiefs and Broncos are the early favorites here. The Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill, but picked up Juju Smith-Schuster and still have Mahomes, Kelce, and Andy Reid. The Broncos have their QB, finally, which according the the world means they’ll definitely win a Super Bowl, but we’re a little cool on that take. The Chargers with Justin Herbert at the helm are no easy win, and a dark horse to cause trouble in this division. The Raiders are also no easy win in the desert these days. This division is a minefield of talent and will be exciting to watch this season
SIGN OFF - LIV GOLF, ZION,
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Greg Norman are taking a run at the PGA Tour. We may disagree a bit morally here, but it’s simple, “Money Talks”. These athletes are free to take their talents to wherever, and whoever pays them the most. As Chris said, “we can’t have that level of expectation for these athletes, if we don’t have it for our politicians”. There’s a chance the Majors take a hit, but some athletes don’t care about prestige.
Zion Williamson, is a TANK! Y’all shouldn’t have made those fat jokes!