Nightcap Hour 1: Michigan WINS NATIONAL TITLE over UCONN + North Carolina HIRES Mike Malone as Head Coach + Knicks BEAT Hawks in THRILLER

Summary

Club Shay Shay – Nightcap Hour 1: Michigan Wins National Title, Mike Malone to UNC, Knicks Beat Hawks in Thriller

Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Shannon Sharpe (with Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, Joe "Iso Joe" Johnson, and "Uncle")

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Episode Overview

The episode dives deep into a dramatic night in sports:

• Michigan's gritty NCAA national championship win over UConn
• North Carolina hiring NBA coach Mike Malone as their new basketball head coach
• The Knicks’ narrow, late-night victory over the Hawks in a high-stakes NBA game

Shannon Sharpe and his co-hosts blend X’s and O’s analysis with player perspective, humor, and candid takes on everything from March Madness coaching hires to NBA stars’ career arcs.

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Michigan vs. UConn: Michigan Takes National Title (03:53–23:26)

Key Discussion Points

• Game Summary & Defensive Battle

  • Michigan defeats UConn 69–63 for their first men's title since 1989—ending UConn’s Sweet 16-or-later streak since 2009.
  • Both teams struggled offensively due to intense defense.
    • "Neither team shot great tonight... It was an ugly game, Uncle, I ain’t gonna lie. But the defense that Michigan played... they scored easy buckets off their defense thriving." – Joe Johnson (09:00)
  • Michigan won with aggressive point guard play (Elliott), transition opportunities, and a dominant showing in the paint despite poor outside shooting.

• Coach Dusty May’s Quick Success

  • May wins a national title in just his second season—only the 5th men’s coach ever to do so within two years at a school.

• The Transfer Portal’s Impact

  • Michigan’s starting five was built via the transfer portal.
    • "All these guys, all the starting five come out the transfer portal. Ocho. Yeah, these guys ain’t been to Michigan. This was their first year." – Joe Johnson (09:00)
  • Discussion on the strategy shift: targeting experienced upperclassmen through the portal.

• Game Stats & Momentum Shifts

  • Shooting numbers: Michigan (38% FG, 13% 3PT), UConn (31% FG, 27% 3PT)
  • Michigan dominated the paint: 61 of 69 points came via paint or free throws.
  • Michigan’s poise under pressure, holding off UConn’s late surge and second-chance points.
    • "I never thought UConn was gonna win the game. From the second half, I just thought Michigan’s experience..." – Joe Johnson (11:53)

• Officiating

  • Praise for referees’ restraint and letting players decide the game; referenced how officiating often colors big outcomes and contrasted with recent controversial calls in football.

• NBA Draft Prospects

  • Speculation about Michigan players’ draft stock:
    • Lindenberg (projected late lottery), Mara (7'3", projected first round), Johnson Jr.
    • "Lindenberg? Mara at 7:3. You can't teach height. …In the mock draft, they got Lindenberg going 13 to the Heat, Mara going 23rd to the Hawks, and Johnson Jr. 27th to the Celtics." – Shannon Sharpe, Joe Johnson (19:14)

• Most Outstanding Player Debate

  • Debate over who deserved Most Outstanding Player—Lindenberg’s tourney performance vs. Elliott Cadeau’s title game heroics.
    • "Y’all know Elliott Cadeau won it." — Shannon Sharpe (22:53)

Notable Quotes

• "I didn’t think UConn was ever going to win the game after halftime; Michigan just controlled it, and their experience showed." (Joe Johnson, 11:53)
• "Michigan scored 61 of their 69 points either in the paint or at the free throw line." (Shannon Sharpe, 17:45)

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North Carolina Hires Mike Malone as Head Coach (28:47–40:40)

Key Discussion Points

• UNC Bucks Tradition

  • Carolina breaks precedent by hiring Malone—an NBA championship coach, not a Tar Heel family member.
  • Malone’s NBA credentials: Denver Nuggets, 510 NBA wins, Jokic/Murray development.
  • His daughter plays volleyball at UNC—a "win-win" for the family.

• Portal Era and the NIL Reality

  • Urgency of hiring—portal opens tomorrow; you need a coach to start recruiting immediately.
  • Heavy emphasis on NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) and “pay to win” reality in college basketball.
    • "You got to pay to play, you got to pay to win." – Uncle, 32:08
    • Kids value scholarship and playing time, but “how much you got for your boy?” is common.
    • Athletes (not students): “All that student-athlete—damn that. You’re an athlete that happens to be a student.” – Shannon Sharpe, 33:54

• Portal Strategy Mirrors Michigan’s Success

  • Praise for programs building veteran squads via experienced transfers.
    • "If you’re a freshman, you gotta be a five-star and you gotta be that boy." – Joe Johnson, 37:21

• Modern Blue Blood Recruiting

  • The “one-and-done” and NIL era has decentralized elite talent; Duke/UNC/Kansas/Kentucky now must outbid and out-recruit mid-majors and the entire portal field.
  • Alumni support and program resources highlighted as key.
    • "If you guys want to compete with the big dogs, this is what it’s going to take. Everybody loves a winner—when the winning stops, the funds dry up." – Shannon Sharpe, 39:51

Notable Quotes

• "This ain’t just regular college no more. College is professional sport, bro." (Joe Johnson, 30:18)
• "You got to pay to win. That’s what it comes down to." (Uncle, 32:08)

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Knicks vs. Hawks: Brunson’s Fourth-Quarter Heroics (45:43–65:13)

Key Discussion Points

• Recap & Key Stats

  • Knicks snap Hawks’ 13-game home win streak, 108–105.
  • Jalen Brunson: 30 points (17 in 4th), 13 assists, MVP chants in Atlanta.
  • Karl-Anthony Towns: 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists.

• Brunson’s Emergence

  • Comparison to his time as Luka Doncic’s sidekick—the Knicks allowed him full offensive freedom.
    • "He’s a ball-dominant guy... being a six-foot-two guard, you gotta have the ball, man." – Shannon Sharpe, 60:53
    • "Dallas effed that up." – Joe Johnson, 60:28
  • Fourth quarter: 17 points, showing how "once you get it going, ain’t no turning that off."
    • "When you watch Brunson late in games, man, it’s like he’s so comfortable out there, he understands what he can get." – Joe Johnson, 62:42

• Key Game Dynamics

  • Trading buckets down the stretch, McCollum’s half-court buzzer-beater (wiped out).
  • Hawks: Jalen Johnson’s lack of late aggression (“growth and maturity” needed), Alexander Walker’s breakout performance.
    • "When you the guy and you got another guy getting going, you still have to somehow maintain rhythm." — Joe Johnson, 55:53

• Star Role Evolution:

  • Extended discussion about how stars thrive with the “ball in their hands”; parallels with James Harden’s move to Houston from OKC.
    • "The James Harden we fell in love with... was as good as anybody in the 80-year history of the NBA in putting the basketball in the basket." – Shannon Sharpe, 53:46
    • "The way he was able to do whatever he wanted in Houston, bro, he wasn’t going to be able to do that [in OKC]." – Joe Johnson, 47:54

• NBA Modern Offense

  • Analytics: Threes and pace-shifting lineups, the downsides of going small (rebounding issues), and bigs defending guards.
  • High-volume shooters and the willingness to “live with” star shot attempts (Brunson’s 26 attempts for 30 points).
  • "If a guy’s gotta take 26 shots to get 30 points... all day long, bro." — Joe Johnson, 64:24

Notable Quotes

• "When Brunson late in games, man, it’s like he’s so comfortable out there. He got a lot in his game." – Joe Johnson, 62:42
• "If a guy’s gotta take 26 shots to get 30 points... all day long, bro." – Joe Johnson, 64:24

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Star Power & NFL Talk: Player Mentality and Scheme (65:13–78:49)

Side Topic: NFL Skill Players, Targets, and Changing Era

• Receiving in the Modern NFL

  • NFL wide receivers get far more targets now, salaries up: 2017 top WR = $17MM/year, 2026 = $42MM+/yr.
  • Modern schemes create easy touches for stars (Nacua, Chase, Jetta), while Hall-of-Famers like Shannon and Ochocinco had to earn every target “off the muscle.”
  • Tight ends and RBs with receiving ability are increasingly essential (McBride, Gibbs, Bijan).

• Player Psychology

  • Discussion on the need for early touches to get a star going, frustration when game plans don’t deliver (“don’t do me like that,” “let me touch it once and I’m good”).
  • Old-school gritty stories about calling plays, chemistry with QBs, and venting to coaches.

Notable Quotes

• "All that student-athlete—damn that. You’re an athlete that happens to be a student." – Shannon Sharpe, 33:54
• "Let me touch the ball early. Once I start talking, you got me for the rest of the game." – Ochocinco, 73:16

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Memorable Moments & Standout Quotes

• Shannon Sharpe on NIL and College Sports Reality:
  "You got to pay to play, you got to pay to win... All that student-athlete—damn that. You’re an athlete that happens to be a student." (33:54)

• Joe Johnson on Michigan’s Defense:
  "Michigan is a great defensive team, Uncle Ocho, and they showed it tonight... But the defense that Michigan played, man, they scored easy buckets off their defense thriving." (09:00)

• Uncle on the Transfer Portal:
  "When I got my job application—experience required." (37:47)

• Brunson’s Clutch Factor:
  "When you watch Brunson late in games, man, it’s like he’s so comfortable out there, he understands what he can get... He got a lot in his game." (62:42)

• Shannon on Harden’s Prime:
  "James Harden had a stretch in Houston that was as good as anybody in the 80-year history of the NBA in putting the basketball in the basket." (53:46)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Michigan-UConn Recap & Analysis: 03:53–23:26
• UNC Hires Mike Malone/NIL & Portal Era: 28:47–40:40
• Knicks vs. Hawks Break Down: 45:43–65:13
• NFL/Player Mentality/Modern Offenses: 65:13–78:49

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Episode Tone & Style

The show blends expert-level basketball and football analysis with player perspective, humor, and real talk about the business of sports—from NIL realities to how stars get theirs in the modern game. The chemistry between Shannon Sharpe, Joe Johnson, Ochocinco, and Uncle keeps the conversation lively, unscripted, and unfiltered.

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Perfect for listeners who want:

• Inside-the-locker-room analysis
• Real talk on how college and pro ball works today
• A focus on the drama and personalities behind the box score
• Candid stories from elite athletes, both past and present

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Transcript

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[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Shoot your shot on Prize picks and get $50 instantly in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup. That's right. Prize Picks is now giving you $50 in lineups when you sign up and play your first $5 prize picks. Make every dunk, every dive, every board more exciting. So don't miss this chance to get started on America's number one app for sports Pick. It's peak basketball season and you already know. More points, more threes, more assists. It's go time baby. Find your community on Prize Picks with new social feed features. You can share Prize Picks with your friends and copy lineup from winners with a single click. Copy lineups you like or use them as inspiration for your own picks. You can even follow Prize Picks Partners like us and and Taylor fade our picks with just one click. Get in on the action at. Prize Picks is now available in all 50 states including California, Texas, Florida and Georgia. Prize Picks is simple to play. Just download the Prize Pick app today. Use Code Shannon to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That's code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups AFTER you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks it's good to Be right. Well, the Wolverines stand the top of college basketball. Thanks to a 6963 victory over the Yukon Huskies. They get it done. 69, 63. And it's only fitting that I may wear Michigan J. Frog. Everybody's doing the Michigan Rag. Y' all know who I am. I'm your favorite. That is my partner and co host, Liberty City Zone. Bingo. Great. A former Pro Bowler and an all Pro. That is Chad Ochocinko Johnson. And the third member of the Big three, a seven time NBA all star. He's a little disappointed tonight cuz they had the game and Jalen Brunson went haywire in the fourth quarter. But nevertheless, he's here joining us as he does on most nights. Again, that is ISO. Joe Johnson. Joe, what it do, man?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Come on, man, you know what going on.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, yeah, you know, I know what going on, you know. Hey, Joe, you know I'm saying you might want your little boy a little bit. Joe.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey, hold up now. I keep it close by now though. Threaten me with no good time, you know. Oh, it won't be one.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

It won't be long now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It's gonna be one of them nights.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be one of them nights.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

How y' all gonna drink without me?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, man, we ain't got time.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Get some, some apple juice. You got apple juice?

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Let me get my. Let me get my liquor. Hold on, let me get my yak.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I don't get it, man. I'm. I'm locked in. Night boy.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I'm locked in too.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Damn. You seen that Hawks game, man? You was watching that too?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, man. Hey, man, you know, bro. Hey, you know Bronson, get going, man. He get the cooking. They don't call him bus and burning for a reason. He could heat up, but get it. Thank you guys for joining us. Please make sure you hit the subscribe button. Please make sure you hit the like button. Do us a favor, go subscribe to the Nightcap podcast feed wherever you get your podcast from. Thank you guys for your support. We really appreciate you guys waiting for us to join the chat. We can't thank you enough because all the awards that you see behind me and all the accolades that we've received on almost three years is because of you. It's because of your eyes, ears, and your word of mouth. None of this is possible without the fan support. So thank you again for your support. Those looking to purchase a bottle of shade by Laportier, head over to laportierconjac.com to purchase you a bottle if it's currently unavailable in a state or city near you. It is a premium bsop, the best tasting premium VSOP on the market. Compared against other cognacs, I believe we have the best cognac on the market. I believe it's the smoothest. You don't hit that bite and you don't have the hangover the next morning. But please drink responsibly and be safe again. The Michigan Wolverines take down the UConn Huskies 69, 63. Michigan wins this, the program's first national championship in 89 and becomes the first team to beat UConn in the Sweet 16 or later since 2009. Dusty May wins it all in only a second year as Michigan head coach, just the fifth head coach in NCAA history to become a champion within his first two seasons at a school. Joe, you picked Michigan last night. You felt they were going to be. They were going to win this ball game. They put three guys in double figures. Neither team shot the ball well from the floor. Neither team shot the well from three. It was an outstanding defensive game. A lot of challenges, a lot of block shots, some steals. What did you like? How did Michigan, how was Michigan able to overcome? Because we know UConn is proven, especially in moments like this.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Man, Michigan is a, a great defensive team, Uncle Ocho, and they, and they showed it tonight. Big Mara down there in the paint, he gave, he gave Reed problems tonight and re averaging. Excuse me. Reed was averaging a double double, like 20 and 11, something like that. It's just the length that he possessed, obviously his offensive paralys that he has, and he's a great pick and roll. Michigan got a, they got good bigs. They had, they got great bigs and they got good point guard play tonight from Elliott, which I thought that's what got him over the hump. I thought Elliott being aggressive, getting in the paint, getting in the teeth of their defense, causing havoc, keeping guys in foul trouble and throwing lobs to the big fellas. Look, neither team shot great tonight. It was an ugly game. Uncle, I ain't gonna lie. It was an ugly game. But the defense that Michigan play, man, they, they, they score easy buckets off of, you know, their defense thriving and, and getting out in transition, getting easy baskets and they got guys who don't been there. I think this is, this is a great win for Michigan considering the fact that I think all these guys, all the starting five come out the transfer portal. Ojo. Yeah, these guys ain't been to Michigan. This, this was their first year. So kudos to their coach, man, for, for getting these guys together and playing championship basketball. It was fun to watch, but this was, this was a defensive game tonight.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, I think, I think Joe, I think and ov I'm turn over to you. I think we can both agree, I think everybody agree that both of these teams play outstanding defense.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

They get up into you, they contest shots. Nothing is easy. You're going to get contested at the rim because if you think you're going to get layups, you got another thing coming. And I think that had a lot to do with the one. Yukon shooting 31%. Michigan shooting 38% from the floor. Michigan. Michigan shooting 13% from the three. Yukon shooting 27% from the three. And I think that has a lot to do because there were not a, a whole lot of open looks and even layups were getting contested. I thought, I thought the refs did a great job of letting him play also. OO Go ahead.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

OO Now I'm gonna say the refs did a great job of letting them play. Obviously, like Joe said, it was a very, very ugly game. Neither team shot the ball well. Neither team shot the ball well. Joe. But defensively, defensively, UConn played, played defense well. Michigan played defense well. But when points had needed to be had at the time, they need to be made. Yeah, Michigan came out on, on the winning end. Towards the end of the game, I thought UConn might, might get that UConn magic again and somehow come back and, and maybe make it a little bit closer, maybe have an opportunity to win. But Michigan held on, held on towards the end. I mean, it was an enjoyable game. For me watching it, it was, was kind of ugly, but it, but it was exciting. I guess if you're a basketball purist, especially a college basketball purist, this is the game that you could enjoy.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I, I, I'm gonna be honest with y'.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

All.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I never thought UConn was gonna win the game. You know, from, from the second half, I just thought Michigan experience that they have a lot of juniors and seniors. They had one freshman come off the bench, which was McKinney, but for the most part, man, they controlled the whole game. Uncle and Ocho, they got what they wanted. If they wanted to get in the paint and make a play, they did that. They crashed the glass. I just thought collectively, you know, they, everybody stepped up. Their best player, Lindbergh, he didn't, you know, he didn't play great, but he played great enough for him to win. You Know what I mean? He had 13, huh?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He had 13 points.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Due to the injury that he's dealing with that mcl, for him to come out and play, like, if this was regular season, he probably would have set out, so probably. You know, they showed a lot of toughness tonight, man. They. I mean, this was a great win for them. Shout out to Michigan and shout out to Connecticut as well, man. I thought, you know, I thought they came ready to play, but for the most part, Michigan just was too overwhelming for him.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The thing that started concerning me, Ocho and Joe is that UConn started crashing the glass in the second half. They started getting second chance points. And I'm like, damn, Michigan, y' all right there. You got three guys right there. And somehow the ball. Yukon guy has the ball. He lays it back in. So I started to get a little concerned about the second chance points as UConn started to get those re. Offensive rebounds. But. And again, they had this nine point lead. The next thing you know, it's a four point lead. Oh, my goodness.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Oh, my goodness. And if you notice, Michigan had a guy deep. Guys like, I ain't throwing that ball.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Damn.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Damn, y' all tied me up. Y' all get a foul, but I am not throwing this ball. I learned my lesson last time. The last thing I want to do is to have that thing tilt. And he had two guys back there. He did. I ain't throwing this ball. I am not.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

And the funny thing is, un. He had just missed two free throws.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He did.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. So for him not to throw it, I was like, wow. For him to hold that ball and get fouled again, I'm like, sh. I probably would have got up off that thing. I just made two. If I just missed two free throws, it ain't a lot of cats who going to want to go back to that line.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Nah, nah, you're. You're absolutely right about that. And then heads up flat at the very end. He got the rebound at the end and threw it down. And say, by the time y' all hustle this down, the clock gonna be over with. So don't even worry about it. Don't. Don't even waste your time trying to bring it back up. But this was. This was. This is what we expected to see. I'm glad we saw this. I was like, man, please don't let us see what we saw yesterday in the women's game where we get a ucla, South Carolina, we get a blowout. I said, that's the last thing that we need to see. And so I was glad that we're able to see a very intense, very well played. The officials had no bearing on the ball game because you always worry about that people having. Well, the official called this call, and you see a file here, and everybody's slowing it down. I thought the game was officiated very well. Yeah, the game was officiated very well. I thought he let the kids determine the outcome of the ball game. And in a game of this magnitude, that's all you could ask for. Let the combatants on the field determine the outcome of the game. Now, I understand that there's. Sometimes they're going to be a foul. They're going to be things, and you got to call it because a lot of times. Oh, you and I were on there. We had the, The. The Kansas City Eagles game.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yes, sir.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And Bradford held it.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And they're not. I'm like, Bradford is in the locker room telling y'. All. Yeah, I held him. I was hoping they wouldn't call it, though. No, he. He said it. The official, even the referee came out in the pool. He said, hey, the guy went in, and as juju was trying to uncover back, he tugged his jersey and the back judge saw. He saw it.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Caught it. So I like this. You know, sometimes calls have to be made in crucial junctures of the game.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And everybody's like, well, swallow your whistle. But you can't swallow. It's. It's too important. You can't. That was too obvious, too egregious of a play to swallow it. But in this game right here, I thought he. They let the kids play, and, And. And Michigan kids played a little bit better than Yukon.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I agree. I agree. I like that the officials let those guys play. It was a physical game. A lot of missed shots, which calls for a lot of, you know, bodies falling, hitting the ground. I'm glad, I'm glad the rest kept their composure, man. And really, it really didn't dictate the game. I agree with you. It was. It was a great game to watch, man.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And if you think about it. If you think about it, guys, Michigan was extremely aggressive. They shot 28 free throw attempts.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And they, they. They cash. They were 25 or 23. So prior to the guy missing two, Joe, they had only missed one free throw.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You see, guys, five or five.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Eight.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Two for two. Eight or nine. Four for four.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Four for four.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Two for four. So you were getting. That's what you. That's what. When the clock is stopped, I got a cash into these. Yeah, I got to get those, I got to get those points.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And Michigan did an unbelievable job. Congratulations to the Wolverines. London Berg said, hey, we think we the best team. I think they got a case. He showed a very compelling case.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

To say they're the greatest Michigan team that came through the University of Michigan. I understand the first team won and Glenn Rice and Terry Mills, Sean Higgins, Ramil Robinson. But what this team was able to do, 37 and 3. And who they beat along the way, they beat number one Michigan. They beat, excuse me, they beat number one Arizona. They beaten UConn who had won two of the three last national championships. They were just unbelievable throughout the tourney and a very, a very hard fought win that they earned and they are the national championship. The University of Michigan reign supreme of men's college basketball. 69, 63 over the Yukon Huskies. The Husky was go trying to do something that only Coach Wooden can say he's done. That's when three championships in four years. Maybe Coach Rub done it in the, in the 40s, but no modern coach. When you look at, when you look at Coach K, you look at Coach Smith and Roy Williams and Bobby Knight and there have been some really, really good college coaches along the way. Billy Donovan, none of these guys could have said they won three championships in the four year span. And Michigan took down a very, very heady team. They're led by, you know, a bunch of seniors. They do a. Coach early does a great job of coaching these guys. They play, they're well conditioned, they trap, they, they, they get up into people. But tonight belong to, belong to the Michigan Wolverines. Check this stat out, Joe. Michigan scored 61 or the of their 69 points either in the paint or from the free throw line.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, hey, hey, Joe. Look at that Michigan team, right? With most of those players coming out the portal coming from other schools. Who do you see that might I'm. Any lottery picks in there? What you think that can make a difference at the next level?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, they got, they got. I don't know if they're gonna be lottery picks, Ocho, but they got some first rounders in here. Meaning like Lindenberg.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Probably be a lot late. Lindenberg?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Mara at 7:3. You can't teach.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He going.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah. You can't teach height. He can help any team in the league. I mean with that presence. And he ain't really no big stiff on the block. He got a few moves.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, he moved.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, but Defensively, yeah, I've seen him. I've seen him switching on the pick and roll, guarding guards, but defensively, he's gonna. He can help anybody. Man, they. You right, Ocho. They got some. They got some. They got some first round picks.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

If you think about it, Ocho, remember we was on the car when they had big edie at Purdue? 7 4.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He's more agile than Edie Joe in the Mark draft. They got Lindenberg going 13 to the Heat. They got Mara going 23rd to the Hawks.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Oh, okay. All right. All right. Mara, we. We might could do something with you down here in the ATL. What?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And Johnson Jr going 27th to the Celtics.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, look, this.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

This.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

This game, though, I ain't gonna lie. It was an ugly game. Cause. Cause for Michigan to shoot 13% from the 3 and 38% from the field, man, it's hard to win games like that. But when you. When you sitting in that chair and you shot blocking, you defending and you making the game ugly. And UConn shot 32%, 28 from three. Hey, this. This.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

This.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

This ball game could have went either way, but, yes, I feel like Yukon never. They never caught a rhythm. They never got. They shooters. They shooters never caught a rhythm.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And if you.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

If y' all really watch this game, you'll see how Michigan switched everything.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Switched everything.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I seen Mara out there guarding Mullins one time, way out there on the perimeter.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

As soon as they come, as soon as they try to hit us with a slip, the guy's already pointing, go. But don't even worry about it. Go.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, that's why we watch film. We know everything they gonna do. They like to run these back, these back picks, these slips. Yeah, man, we ain't giving these dudes nothing. We already know the game plan. We gonna be out there before you even get out there. So I thought it was a great game plan by Michigan, man. Them dudes came to play, they understood what was at stake. And Michigan, national champs, bro.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yep. The Wolverines. 36 point paint.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Paint Point.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Paint paints were the Most allowed by UConn all tournament long. Damn, that's a big team, man. You got seven, three, Mar. You got Lindenberg. You got guys to age.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I like Johnson, too. Huh? I like Johnson, too. Johnson played great.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah. Hell yeah, he did.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Yeah, they had a lot of guys step up and play big, score some big baskets, played great defense. I thought they were really in tune tonight.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, I thought Mar. Early on, Joe, he was on the. He was on the Right block. He couldn't scan it toward, he was spinning towards the baseline. Throwing with the left. I said, if you want that shot, go to the other side. It's been to the baseline and throw it with your right.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

So that's what, that's the only thing I was like, bro, that's twice that you've had that shot point blank and you've missed it. Go to the other side.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And throw it with your dominant hand.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Unless you. Jokic. Jokic is really the only guy that can consistently throw that shot. That little soft baby hook because his touch is so phenomenal. He, he might have some of the best touch that I've seen from a big man from about 10 foot and in.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Throwing the ball with either. And it looked like, bro, you just throwing that issue up there. But all I know is it goes in.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I, I, look, I thought Reed battled Mar early on. He missed the first, he missed them first couple post ups that he had. Mara did. I thought Reed done a great job. But as the game kind of went on, you know, he started to get to his spots. He caught, he caught alive. He got some easy baskets.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yep.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Able to put his stamp on the game. So, man, I'm, I'm. Hey, hey, this was, this was a fun game to watch, bro. It was a fun game to watch.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Who was a outstanding player? Lindenberg,

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

probably Elliot.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Damn.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Who?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Because if they go, if they go. Cuz I'm thinking they go by the entire tournament. Most outstanding player.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

They going by the tournament.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

If it's the tournament, it's lexing. It's Lindenberg.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Lindenberg.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Sometimes, sometimes they don't do that though. They go by straight the championship game. You know what I mean? I'm serious.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

If you look at, if you look at Joe, you look at Lauren Best yesterday, she got it and, and, and, and, and, and Gabriella Hawke way out played her.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

So you, you might be right. You might. Who, who wanted though, Uncle?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Y' all know Elliot Cadeau won it.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Well,

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

this is, I mean, this is unbelievable. What, what, what's his classification? Is he coming back?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You know he came from Carolina. He came from North Carolina last year.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I know.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, he came over, he got a

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

little cheese come out the portal.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, he jumped in that portal quick, didn't he, man?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, that little nil done paid off, huh?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Ain't a man.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Literally and figurative, because I won a national championship and I got a little cheese in my pocket.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Right.

[Julian Edelman]

This is Julian Edelman from Dudes on Dudes. With Gronk and jewels. All right, real quick. Take a look at yourself right now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

What's wrong?

[Julian Edelman]

Nothing. Nothing's wrong. You look like a guy running on three hours of sleep and vibes.

[Liquid IV User]

Okay. Yeah, I'm tired, kind of cranky and very thirsty.

[Julian Edelman]

Congrats. Those are some of the potential signs of mild dehydration. And I bet your last bathroom break showed you another sign your body might be throwing you a penalty flag.

[Liquid IV User]

So what's the play?

[Julian Edelman]

Call Liquid IV Hydration multiplier. One stick in water helps hydrate faster than water alone.

[Liquid IV User]

Okay, but where's the proof?

[Julian Edelman]

Liquid IV's clinical studies, not just a guy I know. Real science. Results you can trust.

[Liquid IV User]

Well, take a look at me now. Liquid IV is officially part of my daily hydration routine. Pass the firecracker. Popsicle flavor.

[Julian Edelman]

Stay hydrated like a pro, not like Jack. Before this. Stock up on Liquid IV hydration [e-mail] and use the promo code nuthouse for 20% off your first purchase.

[Toyota Advertiser]

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[Lily Herman]

Ready for a different take on Formula one? Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Lewis Hamilton, Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it? Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon.

[Lily Herman]

The story of the sport's most consequential driver's strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better. And plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful, decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Green]

I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of the Fault in Our Stars. And now, I guess also as the co host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast.

[Daniel Alarcon]

I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, the Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World cup for US Soccer.

[John Green]

Football is a story we've shared for over 30 years, since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Very debatable.

[John Green]

And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, its beauty.

[Daniel Alarcon]

Together we'll find out why. Of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the most important.

[John Green]

Listen to the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Foreign

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And I'm Greg Rosenthal.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And this is 40s and free agents.

[Greg Rosenthal]

The games may be over, but the NFL never stops. This is my favorite part of the calendar.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine, the NFL draft, pro days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future.

[Greg Rosenthal]

This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money on 40s and free agents. We break down every move that actually

[Daniel Jeremiah]

matters, from my draft evaluations, mock drafts

[Greg Rosenthal]

and team fits to my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built. Cap space, contracts and all the tough decisions included.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You got quarterbacks on the move.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Absolutely, it's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise, and what it means for your Favorite

[Greg Rosenthal]

team, smart, analysis, real conversations every week.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

That's the double. North Carolina search for the next head coach has landed in an unexpected place as the Tar Heels intend to hire longtime NBA coach Michael Malone as the school next head coach. Malone is an NBA champion from his time with the Denver Nuggets, won 510 games in 12 seasons. He's one of the most respected tacticians in the NBA, has spent the past 10 months as an ESPN analyst. Malone hasn't coached college since he was an assistant at Manhattan in 2001. He was also assistant at Providence from 95 to 98, in Oakland from 94 to 95. According to ESPN, Malone's reputation as a coach is high in NBA circles and having the respect of UNC legends Michael Jordan and Roy Williams played a role in the hire, Joe. Nor knowing how Carolina normally hires, they like to keep it in the family. If you think about it, they went from coach, Coach Smith to Guthrie to Matt Dardy. I think they had Peterson, and then they got. Oy.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And then they turned it over to Hubert Davis.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I think.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I think that. I think that's the succession. Who came in after Matt Dardy? Before you go, Joe. Okay, so there was no there. So it went for Roy, came after Matt Daugherty, and then it went Hubert Davis. So you like this high, Joe?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, I love this high, Uncle Ocho. You know, Mike Malone is a proven winner, obviously. We know he's won an NBA championship on the highest level. He's coached MVP Nicola Jokic, you know, All Stars like Jamal Murray. And when y' all look at it now, hey, we know college is a professional sport, bro. This ain't. This ain't just regular college no more. So you want a coach who's well respected, you know, who these recruits are going to idolize and look up to and want to, you know, come to North Carolina. North Carolina is a prestige. Is a prestige school, man. So they trying to get back on the winning track. I thought this was a great hire. Hey, look, and another point is the portal opens tomorrow. Yep, the basketball portal opens tomorrow. So now you got a coach who's in the driver's seat, and now he can go out and get some players. Because, y' all know it's probably about 2,000 players in the portal right now.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And the thing is, Joe, you gotta have a coach on hand when the portal opens.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You got to.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You can't wait. It can't. You can't hire somebody on Wednesday, you can't hire somebody on Thursday. You've got to have somebody in place when that portal open and says, okay, we got. I got. Because you can't go to a kid and says, we're thinking about hiring X, Y and Z. The kids want to know who they could potentially be playing for outside of the. How much. How much you got for your boy?

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Okay, now we talking about outside of that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Oo, that's the first thing. How much you got, how much and how many minutes? That's what I need to know.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Okay, go ahead. Hey, hey, hey, hey.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Joe and un. That's the first thing I was gonna say. Right. Listen, I know Mike Malone, right? Very respected, well respected in the circles when it comes to NBA. He's won a championship. He coached one of the greatest, if not one of the greatest big men of all time in the co Yokis.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yes, yes.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

That has no bearing and no weight. Is not going to pull any strings being the hiring head coach at North Carolina. You got to pay to play, you got to pay to win. You understand the landscape of college basketball right now and football in general. In order to get those players in there, you got to come with the bag.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hello.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

We respect what you've done in the NBA. We expect y' all keeping it in the family when it comes to hiring coaches at North Carolina. But you have to understand, open up your checkbook if you want to get the players to come there. Just because you hired Mike Malone doesn't mean you gonna have success. Yeah, it doesn't mean that. Now I respect him and what he's done in the NBA. I. I respect that. The players probably respect that as well. But how much are you paying me to come here? Even though it's a prestigious school, we know what you've done. We understand the players that's come there before, but times are different now. Yeah, you got to pay to win. And that's what it come down to.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And some of these guys jokes like, hey, I make me about four or five million dollars in case I don't make it to the NBA. I. I got a great. A great head start on life because, you know, sometimes your parents be able to give you, like, hey, my kids, they got a head start. They had no college debt and they had a car already taken care of, so they got a head start. Everybody got, you know, within a month or two, they had jobs already lined up, but they had no college debt. And they had a car, so they got hit. So a guy's like, hold on. I ain't make the NBA. Now, I can go to the G League or I can go overseas, but if not, I. I can go ahead and start my. Whatever I got my degree in or whatever the case may be. I got me a nice little egg. Nice. A little nest egg.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

I got 500.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I got a million dollars stashed away.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I can get me a great start if I can just wait until the job that I really want get to come to fruition. This is how these guys think. You're business people now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

All that student athlete.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Damn that. Yeah, you're right.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Y' all try to do that. Talking about student athletes, Y' all didn't care nothing about nobody getting no books until they started getting some money. And now y' all try to put student. Put emphasis on student athletes. Which one of them got an academic scholarship, walked on to the football team because they already had a degree, already had a college tuition paid for. Now the college tuition is paid for because of those academic. Because of the football or that basketball or that baseball. So y' all keep that student athlete board job. I'm an athlete that happened to be. Have to be a student.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Hey, hey, hey. And we know that even though the portal open tomorrow, we know teams already been working.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Oh, yeah. They've been talking.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

They.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

They gonna act like, you know, tomorrow, the first day, but, hell, they've been. They've been recruiting since the tournament started. Hear me?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah. They don't see them a little something, Joe. They don't sleep them a little something.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Y' all already know what's going on. They locked in because, look, think about it. We've never seen North Carolina, obviously. You know, they gonna have a lottery pick. They're gonna have a top four or five pick this year, and Caleb Wilson, but for the most part, they always have great players at North Carolina. You know what I mean? North Carolina, Duke, those. Those blue blood teams always keep great talent. So with Mike Malone at the helm, Uncle Ocho, I'm sure he gonna be looking forward to bringing in some great talent, putting, you know, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, back. Back on the map for sure.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah. You know, Joe, they're not getting the. Because of the. The one and done the nil. The talent is more spread out. You know, before Joe, they only went to, like a handful of school.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

North Carolina, Duke, Kansas got first pick and then another five or ten guys kind of spread out all over the place. But Duke, Carolina and, and. And Kansas and Kentucky got picked. They got. It was like a summer. If you ain't have no money, you got to wait everything unscrapped over. People don't try to hit show. And now they're like, man, these show don't feel like no 30s, they feel like more like a 32, 34. Because everybody squeezed their ass it up. And you get. You. Your mom ain't had no money to put it on layaway. So you get what everybody picked over. Go ahead, O. Joe.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, Uncle Joe. Just like you said, right? It's a business, right? And when it comes to business, right. When you got goddamn bees, what's the baby. What's the best way to attract bees? With the goddamn honey.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

So the college landscape is goddamn even now with players going all over the place. So if you understanding that now that you understand, it's a goddamn business. Hell, goddamn supply and demand. The more you open up your pocket, the more players you can get.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Come to your school now thinking just because it's North Carolina, thinking just because we have the Jordan brand, thinking just because we. We hired Mike Malone, you know, who's well respected in the circles in the NBA. That's not gonna cut it.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Still got.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

I mean, it ain't. It ain't cut it for how many coaches they had before Hubert Davis?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Well, Roy. And that's why, you know, you see a lot of coaches talking about, you know, I want to spend more time with my family. But I guarantee you, if the Nil hadn't come into a place and you

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

still had the upper hand, that'd be coaching.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Yeah, be coaching. Y' all already know what's going on. Hey, but look, they going. Hey, they going after these. These guys that's in the portal that has experience who's been in college, who are juniors and seniors. You look at Michigan, people gonna copy this, man. You know what I mean? You want guys who not scared, who understands what college basketball is like and gonna come out and compete. So hey, man, if you're a freshman, you gotta be a five star and you gotta be that boy. You hear me? Yes. You wanna come in and play, boy, you gonna. Hey, you gonna have to be that boy.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And the fact of the matter is, Joe, is that a guy that's in the portal. He's already been to college. He already knows he has study hall. He already knows he has to lift weights. He already knows he has to condition. He already knows he has to go to class. So I Don't have to have. I don't have to like. Boy, I sure hope you go to class. I sure hope he go to study hall. I sure hope he does conditioning. That guy's already done that.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, if I'm paying.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Look here, if I'm paying you, I ain't finna try. Look here, ain't no on the job training, no Joe. No, you come, you gotta come ready.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Experience.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey, when I got my job application. Experience required.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Don't you bring your ass on here. Think somebody gonna teach you what to do and get. Hey, okay, I'll teach you what to do. But you're gonna be on our salary. You damn sure not gonna be salaried.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, look, the one thing y' all know is, you know, it take a while. Even, even the top freshmen, it take them a while to understand how to compete at the highest level, how to. How to play defense, how to play the right way. Hey, bro, it ain't just about you, you know what I mean? Like, we got guys who've been in college three, four years already. You know what I mean? Yep. So it's a learning curve for a lot of these young cats. And, man, it's going to be fun to watch. I'm looking forward to see what Mike Malone, you know, pull out his hat as far as who he going to get out this portal, what kind of guys he going to bring in, what type of system he going to run and what it's going to be like.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But if you look what Arizona coach and the Michigan coach and a lot of these coaches says, I'm not interested. Because I mean, it used to be if this job opened up 10, 15 years ago, every coach would have been interested in it.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Matter of fact, that ain't the case now.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Nah, that ain't the case now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

As a matter of fact, they probably would have kept it in the family, too.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yes.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I just think now, like, like I've said before, with it being a professional sport, you want a guy who's proven who. Who you know, that you know these cats gonna respect. And that's what it was about.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And you look at. Because the coaches, now, they're looking at, hold on. I can go build a program with the Portal. I can go build something like Signetti and become the second highest paid coach and make it almost 12, 13 million dollars a year. I don't have to go to one of these Blue Buds, because you know what? Other schools pay money too. Now, there you go, Portal. And we got famous enough alumni, you Got Mark Cuban who went to Indiana.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

So you got these guys like, okay, this. Hey, if you guys want to compete with the big dogs, this is what it's going to take. And as everybody loves a winner, nobody has a problem spending money. As long as we're winning.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Winning.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

When the winning stops, the funds dry up.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, you're right. Hey, hey. And it's been reported that, you know, his daughter played Mike Malone. Daughter plays volleyball at North Carolina too. Yes. See, she on the volleyball team. It's a win. Win for him.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yep.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You know what I mean? So, man, well, now I gotta take off scholarship.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Your dad to coach you. He can pay for your way. So I get somebody, I get somebody else.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But I don't. That's normally what happens anyway. You know, you got a kid, your son or your daughter is a student out there. Your dad is a coach. Hey, he probably take it though. I say that tongue and cheat. Let me stop because everybody go, man. You hear what Shadow Shop said? He said that North Carolina should revoke Mike Malone's daughter and he should have to pay for it out of his pocket. I said that tongue in cheek.

[Toyota Advertiser]

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[Lily Herman]

Ready for a different take on Formula one. Look no further than no Grip, a new podcast tackling the culture of motor racing's most coveted series. Join me, Lily Herman, as we dive into the underexplored pockets of F1, including the astrology of the current grid.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Lewis Hamilton Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon. Wouldn't you know it, Michael Schumacher is also a Capricorn Sun, Cancer Moon.

[Lily Herman]

The story of the sport's most consequential driver Strike. We have one man who, upon hearing that he was going to be fired, freaked out and apparently climbed out the window of the bathroom. And was Daniel Ricardo's illustrious F1 career a success story, a cautionary tale, or some combination of both? He started getting all this attention and he maybe started to think, I'm bigger than this, I'm better. And plenty of other mishaps, scandals and sagas that have made Formula One a delightful decadent dumpster fire for more than 75 years. Listen to no Grip on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[John Green]

I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of the Fault in Our Stars. And now I guess also as the co host of the Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast.

[Daniel Alarcon]

I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, the Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World cup for us.

[John Green]

Soccer. Football is a story we've shared for over 30 years, since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Very debatable.

[John Green]

And I was their most loyal and sometimes bonely fan. I love this game. I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, its beauty.

[Daniel Alarcon]

Together we'll find out why. Of all the unimportant things football, soccer is the most important.

[John Green]

Listen to the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John green on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I'm Daniel Jeremiah.

[Greg Rosenthal]

And I'm Greg Rosenthal.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

And this is 40s and free agents.

[Greg Rosenthal]

The games may be over, but the NFL never stopped. The season is my favorite part of the calendar.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah, mine too, Greg. Free agency, the combine, the NFL draft, pro days, trades. This is where teams reshape their future.

[Greg Rosenthal]

This is where Daniel Jeremiah makes his money. On 40s and free agents. We break down every move that actually

[Daniel Jeremiah]

matters from my draft evaluations, mock drafts

[Greg Rosenthal]

and team fits to my top 101 free agents and how real rosters are built, cap space, contracts and all the tough decisions included.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

You got quarterbacks on the move.

[Greg Rosenthal]

We got teams rebuilding. It's hope season.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah Absolutely. It's hope season. We'll tell you what's real, what's noise and what it means for your favorite team.

[Greg Rosenthal]

Smart analysis, real conversations every week.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

I don't know about the smart, but definitely analysis. Listen to 40s and free agents on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Julian Edelman]

This is Julian Edelman, host of Games with Names. On our latest episode we got comedian Blake Anderson from Workaholics and the hilarious this is important podcast. Let's go.

[Toyota Advertiser]

We did beat him in improv.

[Julian Edelman]

You had an improv against the team?

[Toyota Advertiser]

Yes.

[Liquid IV User]

We would pull up their schools would

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

be there with signs for us.

[Toyota Advertiser]

It's competition, it's what you would win

[Liquid IV User]

is a bottle of gold schlager.

[Toyota Advertiser]

James Fester threw it out of a van cuz he didn't want us drinking it.

[Julian Edelman]

For more games with names, visit the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The Knicks beat the Hogs 105. 108, 105 at the quick review wipes out CJ McCullum's half court buzzer beater that would have tied the game. The Hawks first home loss since early February put it into an Atlanta's 13 game home winning streak. ISO Jalen Brunson led the way with New York. He had 30 points, 13 assists. Carl Anthony Towns K A T 21 points, 12 re, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. MVP chance rubbed in fourth quarter for Jalen Brunson who carried.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hold on man, listen, you know when we play the Knicks Lakers out here, man, be more Knicks fans and Lakers fans than it be Hawks fans in the building. I seen so much, so much much blue and orange. It disgusted me tonight. I ain't gonna lie to you. It disgusted me watching the game. I'm like man, what's going on? But hey, look, I like Alexander, man.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey, hey, Joe, Joe, before you go see what I'm talking Ocho, you see what I'm talking about?

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Now Nikhil Alexander Walker, he was playing alongside Ant Man.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Could he do this in Minnesota?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

No.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Now you see why I say guys they got to go be have the ball in their hands. He was never going to be this in Minnesota. Nah, not with Ant Man.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Nah. Not. Not with Shane.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Gil just was never going to be that. Not with Kawhi.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, I agree, I agree. I think in Minnesota not only do you got Ant man, but you got Julius Randall and both of those guys are kind of ball dominant. So he was getting scraps, man. He didn't came over here and thrived, bro.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

36 points on 12 or 19, shooting 7. 11 for 3. So you mean to tell me with Russell Westbrook, who's an AllStar, with Kevin Durant, who's an MVP, James Harden, the way we know him today, because he went to Houston, he was going to do that at okc.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

I mean, when you asked, when you asked, when you asked TMac that question, he said, yes, he could have done it. Now, I can't explain it the way Mac. Hey, I can't explain the way Max Spain ISO.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

There you go. Do you believe James Harden? If he stays, if he stays in okc, he's going to be the exact same player that he left and went to Houston playing along Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hell, no. Ain't no way. Let me tell you something. Would he still average, like, 20 points a game? Yeah, he probably still would have got 20 a game, but, man, the way he was able to, you know, kind of do whatever he wanted in Houston, bro, he wasn't going to be able to do that. You KD a ball handler, Russell. Ball handler. Hell, you can't have three dominant ball handlers on no. 1 team, bro.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, hey, Joe. I, I would, I would say as one dominant ball handed at the OKC team, and that would be Russ, because KD could play off the goddamn ball.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, he play the ball.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, listen, I, I don't remember exactly how unc. You probably remember better than I, I, I could. The way TMac explained it, when, when, when, when unk asked TMac the same question and TMac said, yeah, James Hart was still thriving, that if, if he was still in that team and being able to score 30, 36 even with those two.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, he did. I give to t max credit. He said he averaged 20. But at 20, you're not even in the conversation. He got in the conversation for being one of the best two there was, like, who was a better scorer? Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant or James Harden? He stays in OKC and average 20. That's not even the discussion. Yeah, that's not even the discussion. He's not gonna win an mvp. When was the third option ever an mvp?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

And I don't even know if he would even been an all Star because, you know, KD and Russ, they, they were gonna be locked in every year.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I mean, like, unless you just head and shoulders better than everybody. Yeah, yeah. But outside of that, it was gonna be hard. It would have been hard for him to be an all Star, but I think he still would have been a hell of a player. Just nothing like he was in Houston, bro. Let me tell y' all something.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

All I was trying to say, that was my only point. I didn't say he couldn't make an all star team. I didn't say maybe they don't. They figured out and they won a championship. I said, but the James Harden that we know, that's a four what a three or four time scoring champ. Averaging 36, averaging 35 average in 32. One of the first to have a 60 point triple double. He's not doing that with Russ and

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

KD because his usage rates were going to be too low in okc. His usage rate was so high in Houston, he had the ball every chance, every time down court.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

So look, Ocho, what did I, what I, I say? I say, Mac, I said, I hate to go against you, but James Harden had the ball all the time. So what's Russell, what's Russell Westbrook going to do? We've seen Russ. He's not an off the ball guard. He needs the ball. Now, KD can play without the ball, but he's still going to need his 17, 18 shots.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Go back. Look at James Harden when he was in Houston. How many shots per game did he average? They only so many shots to go around, man.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, it ain't like. And they had Ibaka like they had. So they had some guys who could play, man.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yes.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It was gonna be hard for him to average 30 or 36 a night. That. That wasn't gonna happen.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

It's like Shaq and Kobe. Shaq and Kobe gonna take the lion, share the shot, but they're not gonna have enough. A third option. That could be potentially a. An allstar. No, look at, look at what Chris Bos when he got with D. Wade and LeBron. LeBron.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Look at Kevin Love. Kevin Love was 26 and 13 every day. Go look it up. He was 26 and 13 every day. Look at what his numbers did when he got with Kyrie and LeBron.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, because they, hey, they ain't going to be force feeding you like that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Check this out. In 1819, he averaged almost 25 shots a game. What was his peak was? 24? 25. Yeah. The highest in OKC was 10. So he went from 10. He averaged 15 more shots. Because why? He's the guy.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yep. And he knew it. And he knew it.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I'm not saying James Harden. Maybe, maybe not. He's a top 75 player. But all I'm saying is the James Harden that we fell in love with.

[Daniel Jeremiah]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The guy that was giving you 30, he averaged. He scored 30 points in 30 plus consecutive games.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Impressive.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

They were like, man, Kobe never. This guy never did that. Great scores. Never did that. And I'm like, t. Mac, I said, bro, I show you the basketball, bro, you in the hall of fame. But I got to disagree with you on this one. Yeah, I just got to.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I disagree with him too. And that's my make. My guy. I just, I couldn't see.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I just don't see it. I just don't see it. Not with Russ. Not with Russ and not with kd.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Nah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He had, he had to get away. He. Look now we would have never known had they gave him that extra $5 million that he was looking for.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Right.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But when they didn't give him. And then he went to Houston and I, he, he came out the box, he had like 35 back to back. I'm like, hold on, wait a minute.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And he did not look back.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I know.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Remember that. The game that you remember when he was talking, they went over to. They went overseas and they was talking about. And the, the GM said something crazy about this country or that country.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

China got upset and everybody thought James was bad. And James, he out of shape and he dropped 44.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Bad boy, man. Bad boy.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey, listen.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey, hey.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

That left handed. That's joker there. He had a stretch for about five years. He was as good as putting the ball in the basket as anybody in the history of the game. Yeah, anybody, Jordan, Kobe, whomever, whoever, whomever your great scores is. Will, anybody. That's average 30. James Harden had a stretch in Houston that was as good as anybody in the 80 year history of the NBA and putting the basketball in the basket.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I love watching him, especially his first couple years there. Uncle and Ocho, I mean, and not only was he getting by his man, but he was dunking that thing. He'll boof that thing on you coming through that lane. Hey, he was something else, man. He was special, bro. He's still special. When I watch him play now, he still know how to manipulate the defense, get what he want, make guys around him better make big shots. You know, I think everybody get onto him because of the post season, you know, he hadn't had much success in the postseason, but for the most part, I think now he's with a team that, you know, they can make some noise in the East. I don't know how far they can get, but I know they can make some Noise.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I don't believe they can beat Boston.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You don't think so?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Nope. And if Cade don't get. Could they beat. Could they beat Detroit without Cade?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

How soon does Cade get back?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I just don't know how he gonna be when he come back. That's a punctured lung. Like that. Ain't that. Like, you need that to breathe, bro. Like, at the end of the day, I don't know what that's gonna be like with Detroit.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Joe, all your starters had double figures. Y' all had 48 rebounds. Y' all didn't shoot the ball that well. They didn't.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You know what was a glaring thing when I was watching this Hawks and Knicks game?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

What'd you thought?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

And this is the growth and maturity that. That Jalen Johnson has to have, Ocho. The growth and maturity that Jalen Johnson has to have. He had 21 and 11. Yeah, but with seven minutes left on the clock, I think he. I think he may only took one shot. I think he made a three. You know what I mean? Like, he. He has to. He has to demand the ball more. He has to be more aggressive, and he'll figure that part out. You understand? Like, this was the first. This is the first year. They traded Trey early in the year. So it's a learning curve for him. I expect him to make a huge jump next. Next season, and hopefully in this postseason. Man, he understands it more, but they gonna need him to do a lot more versus just, you know, kind of being out there. I know Alexander had it going in there for.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

That's what I was about to ask you, Joe.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Did he get. Did he. Did he. Did. He says, you know what, Walt? You got it going. Go ahead and do your thing.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

But that's the thing. That's the thing, though. It's like, you know, when you. When you the guy and you got another guy get going, you. You still have to some way someh maintain rhythm within the game, you know, I mean, because I thought it was a few possessions ankin Ocho, especially under three minutes, I was like, I need. I need Jalen just to get the ball, maybe even go to the mid post, tell him get out the way and just make a play. And I think he'll learn that part because he's such a special talent, and I enjoy watching him play, man. That's why I say, don't nobody want to see the Hogs, man. Don't nobody want to see the Hogs, bro.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, Joe. Hey, Joe. With Alexander Walker going off like that, you still think Jalen Johnson should insert himself even with Young Bull? It is hot.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, they needed him. It was a few times, Ocho, it was a few times. They needed him to be aggressive and make a play. Like I say, man, the last seven, eight minutes, Ocho, he was, you know, he was just kind of watching because Alexander kind of had it going. But I thought that he had some opportunities to be aggressive and try and make a play. Whether it's get to the line, get you a little chippy. I just think, you know, just a little more, you know, probably would have got us over the hump tonight, but I mean, he's still a special talent, bro.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah. I mean, you guys had five. All your starters in double figures. You guys just didn't shoot the ball well. A Kong. Woo. 4, 13. Jalen was 8 or 19. CJ was 7 of 19. Walt was the only one. He was 12 of 19. Dyson Daniel was 4 of 11. You guys just didn't shoot. You guys shot 40%. Yeah, 40 that. I mean, yeah. Opposing team shot of 50 and then

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

getting none from our bench. For real, like coming.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You got eight points. Yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Kaminga played 22 minutes, five points, five rebounds. It's just, it's. It's kind of disheartening for me because I like Kaminga so much, Uncle Ocho, you know what I mean? I'm like, I. I feel like it's good. It's. Sometimes, man, you're gonna have to have Kaminga and Jalen Johnson out there at the 4 and 5 just to make us a faster team.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You know what I mean? To create opportunities for everybody. I think it'll make the game a little easier, but I think Quinn doing a great job with these guys, man. I mean, they had won 11 straight prizes tonight, so, you know, it's a tough loss for us.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You do realize though, if you go that small lineup, somebody gonna say, bro, I just gotta make sure I crash the board. Cause you are really undersized. Yeah. Because when they go, if they go, catch. Cat is a legit 7 foot tall and I don't know what you call it. Mitchell Robinson. So you got to be careful. So you got to say, guys, look here we got. Hey, we got to go. We got to have basically everybody go to the glass. You're so undersized. If you, if you go, if you go, if you go dice, you go Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and the three, four, five.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You are seriously undersized.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I, I understand that part, but think about this. Who in the hell Carl Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson gonna guard. They can't guard no damn body. If we like that we made, they what they gonna be able to do? They ain't gonna be. All we gotta do is game rebound and get out and run the boys. Hey, hey.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And I was like, hey, cat, I know you don't like to do this, but get your ass down on the block. You got Kamingo, you got Diane Daniels. Oh, you got. Oh, you got Jalen Johnson. He.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

He probably would try and take advantage of, but I live with it. I ain't gonna lie to y'. All. If I can get the ball out of Brunson's hand, because it seemed like down the stretch. Uncle Ocho, y' all know Brunson's so clutch, bro. Like, he made up shots down the stretch. I'm like, man, I'd rather. I'd rather ball be a cat hand than it is in Brunson.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But, Joe, the shot that he's making, hey, I'm like. I'm just looking at the business, coach. What you want me to do? Do you see that shot he just made? Damn, you're right. He took my shoe off and threw and tried to hit the ball, and I still didn't. I've tried everything, Joe.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey. Big, bright, big body Bronson.

[Toyota Advertiser]

He.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

He a tough cover. I ain't gonna lie. He know how to use his body well, Uncle Ocho. To create space, get to spots and his pivots with step throughs. I'm like, man, he out there. He look like a. He like a little bitty big man out there.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, he got tremendous. He got tremendous feet. Watching him at Villanova, I did not see this.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Nah, I ain't either, bro.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The only time that I saw he could be special. If you remember when Luca went down when he was in Dallas.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Oh, yeah, he took over.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He took. That's what I was like, hold on. You. You could do this.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

That's how he got paid.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hell, Dallas effed that up.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, well, he.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

He's a ball dominant guy, and I don't know if you can play him and Luca together. I understand. You know, we look now, but, hell, think about it. We just talking about James Harden in okc. Brunson wouldn't have been able to do none of this in Houston. I mean, in Dallas, playing with Luca. No, Nah, he wouldn't have been able to do this.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, I mean, being a six foot two guard. Two. You gotta have the ball, man.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Two guard, post player. Cause he gonna post up yes. Bigger than him or not he gonna post up. Hey, hey. He a good guy to have on your team, man. I think he facilitates well. And if them other guys get involved, Bridges, og If they play well like they did tonight. They played decent, huh?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

They did, yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It's gonna be hard.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

OG was 50% from the floor. Cat was 9 of 12. But Carol Bridges was 7 of 13. Mitchell Robinson was 4 of 6. But he gave you 12 rebounds in 20 minutes.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. They hadn't been playing great ball like this. They. They've been playing decent, but, you know, everybody ain't been putting up numbers like this.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, but I'm definitely getting the ball out of Brunson hands. Somebody else got to beat me.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

I'm saying. How you gonna get out of his hands, though? You gonna double him?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I gotta trap him. I gotta make him give it up.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

They got too many guys. They got too many guys who can play.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I live with Cat. I live with OG You. You just said the man won the clutch award last year, Joe.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, you're right. I. Yeah, he did. He did.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You don't believe it?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah, I believe it. Hey, hey, listen. Hey, I'm like, hey, I don't know, man. I think, you know, he made a lot of tough shots, but doubling him on a pick and roll and you and he get the passes to Cat, I feel like Cat's smart enough to where he can make the right play. He can find OG he can find Bridges. He may even shoot his little touch floater in the paint. I think Cat too good for that. You can't. You can't double off Cat.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But you do realize, you do realize, Joe, that Bronson ain't looking to get a ball up in those situations.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

No, he not. He not. Because he thriving. Those moments, he understand those are his times. Hey, man, when you got that, when you got the ultimate confidence from your, from your, Your teammates, your coaches, in those moments y' all talking, I'm speaking from, you know, experience here. In those clutch moments, the last thing you want to do is let your teammates and culture staff down, bro. Because they believe in you so much. You know what I mean? So when you watch Brunson late in games, man, he. It's like, it's like he's so comfortable out there, he understand what he can get. Not only does he have a great mid range shot and three point shot, but them pump fakes to where he get you and he get to the line, them step throughs. He got a lot in his game. He got a Lot in his game,

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

they didn't shoot a whole lot of free throws, neither team. They only shot 17 free throws a piece, Joe. Both was 13 or 17.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It's a three point shoot. Three. How many threes we get up tonight?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The knicks got up 33. You guys got up 42.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

We gonna shoot that three now. Yeah, we're gonna shoot that three ball. I ain't gonna lie to y'.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

All.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

We're gonna shoot that three ball.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

It was. He got 17 in the fourth. Joe, he had 13 points going into the fourth quarter.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Who?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Bronson.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Oh, he had 17 in the fourth. Yeah, he got it going on 13 assists.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I mean. No, he get it going in the fourth. What did he go. So what is he looking to do? Keep it going?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. I mean, I didn't. I didn't think he shot well. I mean, hell, he was 11 for 26. Hey, look, if you. If you. If a guy gotta take 26 shots to get 30 points,

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

hey, Joe, you can live with that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hell, yeah. Yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

All day long, Ocho. All day long, bro.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

He was three. He was three fake from three. Shoot. He getting his 30. But you see, long as you're winning.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Well, I think in that fourth quarter, he was very efficient in that fourth quarter. I think he wasn't playing great throughout the game, but in that fourth quarter, obviously he turned it up.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He did.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He got seven. He got 17. And that's the thing. Well, you. Look, Joe, you've been. You've been that guy. That's been the guy in the fourth quarter.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And you know, once you get it going, ain't no turning that off.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Nah. Not unless you double it.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Either you run out of time or somebody beat you with a big. A bigger shot than what you made. But you're not stopping it once he get going.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, okay. Because it was nip and tuck back and forth for the last two, three minutes.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yep.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

And I seen McCollum, he. That one at the end. I thought it was good when he. When he shot that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

It was good. It was just on the fingertips, man. It's like. Oh, what you say in football, Coach? Give it to me early. Get. You go get a guy going. Early.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Early.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You can kiss the baby. You. Yeah. Hey, you. He. You. You had my mercy now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I don't got me about four or five, about six passes in the first half.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Oh, no, you got me all the way to the four. You got me all the way to the four.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey, I know exactly what you talking about. Hey, listen, in football, you know, Y' all want to get off to a great start.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You don't want to go in halftime with one catch for seven yards, another.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Nope. Hey, but they think you could just turn it on after that. Oh, yeah, yeah. We got you. We got you. Hey, what you mean, you got who?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey. You gonna be in there with an attitude or something else?

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, Joe. Joe. That's one of the worst feelings in the world, Joe, and would make it even worse, is if you go through practice all week and they got stuff game planned for you.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Just to get you the ball.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

The team you plan. Make sure when those plays are called where you know it's coming to you. And they roll and they bracket and they W. Is a rap, man. Listen.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Damn.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

All I'm saying is, look. Oo, I want to get you frustrated.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

We're gonna double oo the first half, get him frustrated. Look at him on the sideline. Look how he pace it.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey, hey.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

And then when he.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Look at motor side like, you see through that water. He ain't even drinking the water. He got a cup of water and he drinking. Throwing his helmet down.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Throwing his helmet.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey,

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

hey, hey, Joey, Joey. Hurt boy. Going. Going to the half with no catches or going into the half with one catch. It hurt. Because you can't tell me you went and did all this practicing all week. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We had to walk through on Saturday. And you gonna allow these folk to dictate what we want to do offensively.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, the worst thing is when you go into a game, bro, and your body feeling good, your attitude, right? You feeling good?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You like? Oh, yeah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

This is gonna be a good night tonight. And you mess around, you throw a dud out there. That's the worst feeling in the world.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

He like, hey, hey, watch it, watch it, watch it. All I need to see is one thing. I need to see one thing from it. We got it. That's it. That's all I needed to see right there. That's all I needed to see. You see that right there? We got it. We got. Don't even worry about it. We got him now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey. Ain't running his R4 because he know the ball.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey,

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

put. He put them hands up and let him slap. Slap his hips. Good job. Good job.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey. Oo, yo. Hey, when. When games like that happen in football, do y' all ever talk to the quarterback at, like, halftime, try to tell. Hey, look, look, man, you got to look over here sometime. I'm open.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

I don't bother him. I Go straight to my old coordinator. I go straight to my officer coordinator. I probably tell Hugh something, especially when the game is going on. Even though Hugh doesn't have as much control as I would want, especially in game. I wait till halftime come. I never, ever, ever, ever bother my quarterback, ever.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Oh, you probably tell Hugh, huh? You probably tell Hugh.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah, I mean, I'm gonna tell Hugh.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Okay.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, during the game when I was frustrated. Hey, Joe. Hugh Jackson was my outlet. That was my outlet to bent my frustration because he's one of the few people gonna listen. It's probably going in one ear and out the other, but he's still gonna listen to me. I don't bother Carson. Carson has enough he got to worry about. Especially during, you know, during the game. Every blue move, Joe, I pick up the phone and tell brat, listen. Now, you. You know, I got you. I got you, and that's it. I won't get into nothing else. You know what I see and they doing. I won't do none of that. I. I would just remind him I got you. And then I just hang up.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

And just in. In hopes. Come on, now. Don't do me like that.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hold on. So you can use the phone anytime you're on the sideline, okay? Ojo.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah, yeah. Once you pick up, it goes straight to the office.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Go straight. Yeah, yeah. The. The offense got a phone. The defense got a phone, and if you dial 9, you can get an outside line. What? Well, I'm glad.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah, I'm glad I ain't know that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I'm glad your ass. They know that either. Calling people.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, I'm glad I know that.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I'm definitely glad. I don't even know why I said that.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Oh, man.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Nah, Joe, I. I was. I told you. I just like, man, I was like, man, we did all this. You know, I'm talking to myself, you know, Rod. I'm like, man, we done did all this practicing, and then it's late in the ball game. We down. What you like you to get out my face? I mean, what. Oh, what you want me to do? Not what I like what you see.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey. They see. They. They see your attitude. They see you pissed off, so they trying to come over there and talk to you. Hey, hey.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

We going, bud. We okay.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You okay?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I'm not.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

And what make it worse is, Unc, they'll come to you asking what you like, matter of fact. And we losing. We losing. So whatever you give me ain't gonna make no difference anyway at this point.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yes. I sure Wish y' all asked me this in the first quarter of the first half.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It happened like that in basketball, too, though, believe it or not.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

What you say, but, yo, your personality, you. Your personality, you ain't gonna say nothing.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Well, I think I enjoy being

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

an

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

all around guy, Ocho. Like, I ain't never needed nobody to get me to rock, you know, and when I was a kid, you know, I used to always see the big man, you know, they had to go down there and post up, and if the point guard don't throw on the ball, they be pissed off, too. So once I got a little size on me and I can handle the rock. Oh, you mean tell me I can go rebound this ball and push it up the court and make my own play? Boy, please. I ain't never worried about. No, I'm the point guard. I'm just playing the center spot and the point guard. Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Okay.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Unfortunately, Joe Ocho and I, we couldn't do that. They have to call a play that's deliberately. That's. That's meant for us.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Now, I have done some things I'm not proud of.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Like run the wrong route intentionally. Hey, I've switched positions. Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Hey, what I do like, Joe, this is. I mean, I. Obviously you have to have years in, especially with your quarterback. The chemistry has to be there. You guys have to understand and know what each other. Know what each other is seeing, especially out there on the field.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

What I do like is once I got comfortable with Carson, we got into, you know, year three and year four is if there was a game where a game was slow and I wouldn't get the ball and. And he wanted to get me going. Try to not to really calm me down. It's not like I acted or acted a couple. Acted a fool or nothing. He had changed the play at the line of scrimmage. He'll just look at me. If I got. If that safety drift over in the middle of the field. Yeah, he'll look at me and he'll. He'll throw a number up, you know, just. Just to let me touch it, you know, give me a slant, give me a quick out just to get me going. And once I want. Joe, once I touch that ball, you got me. The rest of the game I don't need, you know, it got to be nothing deep. You ain't gotta, you know, just. Just let me touch it. Just let. Let me feel it. And then I get going. And once. Once you get me talk. Once I start talking in the game. Yeah, I'M good, Joe.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You just wanna. You wanna feel like you're a part of the game.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

That's it. That's it, Joe. I don't need much. I don't need much. I didn't wear a mouthpiece on purpose, Joe. Just let me touch the ball early. And once I get to talking to players on the other team and TV timeout, you got me the whole game.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I'm good. Hey, look, in basketball, man, when you bring. If you bringing the ball up, especially early in the 2000s. Cause we were playing with two traditional bigs, you know, they'll trap you at half court. Especially if you got it going. They'll trap you at half court, make you pass to somebody. Now it's harder because everybody can shoot. You know what I mean? That's why. That's. That's why, Uncle. I was saying, you talking about trapping Brunson. It's too many guys out now who can play make and shoot the midi. Shoot the three. As opposed to, hell, 15, 17, 20 years ago, you ain't had it.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I just. You know what, Joe? I just want him to get a ball up early. I don't want him to have the ball the whole damn shot clock if he get it late. Okay, but I gotta make. I gotta make. I want. Maybe. Maybe I can entice somebody else to shoot it, to f it up.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, I think what. I think what Atlanta was thinking tonight, though. They had played pretty good defense on him throughout the whole game. And in that fourth quarter, you know, they probably thought they were still gonna be able to, you know, do a number on him, but he was able to get loose. He got a couple easy buckets, step throughs. I'm like, man. And then he made a couple threes. Next thing you know, hell, you can't cool nobody off. Once they. Once they done made two, three in a row.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, you right about that. He get. You don't get. He done got it going. That was. That's the worst, though. That's the worst. You practice all week, Ocho, and you just catch him like, oh, man, I called my brother. Hey, he broke. Go have a good one this week. Hey, he boy, your boy in there, right? Hey. Cause, you know, he asked how that thing looking. Say, looking real good. Looking real good, man. Looking real good. I don't got. Hey, I don't done told him. I don't. I was like, oh, I don't count. I'm like, okay. I'm looking at the first 15, Joe. I'm like, okay. One, two, three.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Four, five, six. I say out of the first 15, I literally have six. But I'm gonna be conservative. I got three catches in the first 15. Oh, Joe. I'm like, okay, okay. And they already know because I put my head. I put my. My chin strap, Joe. I fastened it backwards. So the chin strap, it ain't dangling. It's back here. So they already know what time it is.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

84. We good? We good. No, we ain't good, man. Stop. No. You know I'm not good. Why you asking me this? Hey, Sharp. Telephone

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

in. Hey.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Hey.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

You know, it would have been different, Joe, if you. If you look at today's game. Look at the way they use Puka Nakua. Look at the way they use Jamar Chase and jsn. Who else they use?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Like that Jetta.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Oh, yeah. Justin Jefferson. You see how they be all over the place in the slot, coming out the backfield, putting them in motion, you know, stacking the splits and doing. Joe, I ain't do none of that.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

You didn't do none of that.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

I'm out. I'm out wide to the left. I'm out wide to the right. Every blue moon, I'm in the slot. Every moon, Joe, I'm out there getting it off the muscle, Joe. Off the muscle. I don't do. I ain't going in motion. I ain't doing that. Ain't no tricks. Ain't none of that. I'm getting open. I don't give. I don't give. You put three people out there, I'm gonna be open.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Look at them tight ends now. Joe, catching 125, 109 ball. What's the dude? The dude in the.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Who?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

McBride. Trey McBride.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Oh, yeah. He went crazy.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Arizona.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah, he went crazy.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

The guy's getting 117, 120, 126.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, y' all know a quarterback, like a nice tight end now?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah, my quarterback liked me, too, but not like he must have that ball off the TD, getting 5, 6 yards to clear. Man, you out there running that thing, getting 1500, 1700, 2000.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah, well, y' all had a squad, boy.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You ain't gonna get no whole bunch of passes. I think. What's the most I did care? I think 70 passes. I mean, 70 passes. You got a 1700 yard rush, Ocho. Yeah, that's a lot of passes.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

That's the most you caught in the season?

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, the most I caught in the season was 87. But I called. I called. I called 80. He had over 1500. I called 70. How many? 72. He had 1700. And I called 60. I think 64. He had 2, 000.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, they had eight in the box.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Yeah. To try to stop him. And then I tell, you know, and everybody want to play cover too, because even if they didn't have seven in the box, they can get that safety down in a hurry. So it was TD job to run them out of COVID too.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Make them drop that safety down.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

And so now me, Ed and Rod, we playing one on one.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

But, hey, it is what it is. I, I got what I got. I, I, I can't complain. I was a Bear. I was a part of three teams that, that got to the Super Bowl. We won. We got some Pro Bowls out of it. Got some. Got some All Pros out of it. Got a gold jacket. I can't complain.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hell no.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

I see these guys bad catching 100. Ocho, you see JS Ocho, you realize these guys be getting 180, 190 targets.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

That's crazy. That's. That's crazy.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

Targets.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

It's a pass heavy lead now.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Oh, yeah. But they throw the hell out that ball now.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

What top salary, Ocho, in 2017, the top salary was 17 million for a wide receiver.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

In 10 years, it's increased 25 million per year. So the top salary was 17 million. AB. Now it's 42 JSN. Oh, that's cool. So in another 10 years, where it's going, Ocho, about 60, 60, 65. Oh, quarterback will be well over a hundred.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

What about the running back? The running back gonna come back.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

You gotta be.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No, but 25.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Hey, hey, hey. If you're a running man, you gotta have some hands too, don't you?

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

You gotta be able to do everything.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

You gotta be Gibbs, you gotta be Bijan Robinson. You need to be CMAC. The days of, like, guys just bruising. Nah.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Get 25, 30 rushes a game. That ain't happening no more.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Like a Derrick Henry.

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Yeah.

[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

Nah.

[Host/Analyst (possibly Shannon Sharpe)]

No. Hell, I don't know if they gonna be a guy that big, Be that big, be that fast, and be that durable. You know the beating that man done took?

[Joe 'Ocho' (Joe Johnson)]

Mm.

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[Uncle (Co-host or Analyst)]

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