Hour 1: Matt's New Best Friend (M&M on Amber & Ian)

Summary

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron: Hour 1 Summary – "Matt's New Best Friend (M&M on Amber & Ian)"

Release Date: July 2, 2025

In this engaging episode of ESPN Radio's "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron," the hosts delve into a diverse array of sports topics, blending insightful analysis with humorous banter. From NBA free agency buzz to WNBA expansion debates, and playful discussions about New York geography, Matt Jones and Myron Medcalf deliver a compelling hour filled with key discussions, memorable quotes, and thoughtful conclusions.

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1. New York Geography: A Lighthearted Opening

Summary: The episode kicks off with Matt and Myron engaging in a humorous exchange about New York City's geography. Matt teases Myron about his limited time living in New York, highlighting Myron's struggle to recall all five boroughs of the city despite claiming to have lived there.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones ([01:21]): "Once you lived in New York, how long did you live in New York?"
• Myron Metcalf ([01:37]): "About four and a half months."

Discussion Points:

• Myron clarifies that he did live in Manhattan but initially confused Long Island with Brooklyn.
• The hosts playfully debate the correct terminology for areas within Long Island, with suggestions like "South Queens" and "East Queens" to simplify geographical distinctions for listeners.

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2. NBA Free Agency Frenzy: The Bucks' Bold Moves

Summary: A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the intense activity in NBA free agency, with a particular focus on the Milwaukee Bucks. Matt expresses excitement over the Bucks' acquisition of Miles Turner, initially believing the team is bolstering their championship aspirations. However, this optimism is tempered when news breaks about the potential departure of Damian Lillard, leading to speculation about Giannis Antetokounmpo's satisfaction with the team's direction.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones ([04:03]): "If Damian's not going to play next year, then Miles Turner might be exactly what you need."
• Myron Metcalf ([06:26]): "They don't have another star."

Discussion Points:

• Giannis's Happiness: Matt questions why Giannis might be unhappy with the Bucks' moves, considering that reallocating Lillard's contract could provide flexibility for future signings.
• Team Dynamics: Myron highlights that Giannis and Lillard may not have meshed well, and Lillard's potential trade or buyout could impact the team's future.
• Eastern Conference Outlook: Both hosts discuss the competitive nature of the Eastern Conference, suggesting that the Bucks may no longer be the dominant force they once were.

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3. Long Island vs. Brooklyn/Queens: Geographic Clarifications

Summary: The conversation takes a humorous turn as Matt and Myron revisit the earlier discussion about New York geography, emphasizing the distinctions between Long Island and the five boroughs of New York City. Their banter underscores the importance of accurate geographical knowledge, especially for listeners from New York.

Notable Quotes:

• NICK ([13:22]): "The city is not Long Island."
• Myron Metcalf ([19:46]): "I did. I got a haircut in Queen."

Discussion Points:

• Clarifying Misconceptions: Matt encourages listeners to educate themselves about New York's boroughs to prevent confusion.
• Facilitating Listener Engagement: The hosts express a desire for Long Islanders to call in and share their perspectives, fostering a sense of community among listeners.

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4. WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final & Sophie Cunningham’s Expansion Views

Summary: Transitioning to women's basketball, Matt and Myron discuss the upcoming WNBA Commissioner's Cup Final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx. The focus shifts to Sophie Cunningham, a prominent player for the Fever, who has voiced opinions against the league's planned expansion. The hosts analyze her stance and its implications for the league's growth and player dynamics.

Notable Quotes:

• Sophie Cunningham ([24:39]): "We want to make sure that you're not expanding our league too fast."
• Myron Metcalf ([26:37]): "Sophie Cunningham is average like five points a game for the Fever."

Discussion Points:

• Critique of Expansion Cities: Cunningham expressed reservations about adding teams in Detroit and Cleveland, suggesting alternative cities like Miami and Nashville could be better choices.
• Fan Base Considerations: Myron debates the suitability of proposed cities based on their passion and support for sports, challenging the selection of places like Miami.
• Impact on Player Salaries: The hosts touch on how expansion could influence player salaries and the league's financial landscape, with Myron suggesting that Sophie’s stance might inadvertently support better financial negotiations for all players.

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5. Indianapolis and the Essence of a Sports Town

Summary: In a playful yet critical segment, Matt and Myron discuss Indianapolis as a sports town. While acknowledging differing perspectives, the hosts debate whether Indianapolis possesses the passionate sports culture found in other Midwestern and Southern cities.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones ([31:19]): "Indianapolis is like an Applebee's potato skin of cities. Like, it's fine."
• Myron Metcalf ([31:33]): "I don't feel that way, but I love it."

Discussion Points:

• Cultural Comparison: The comparison to Applebee's highlights Matt's view of Indianapolis as a typical, unremarkable city for sports, whereas Myron defends its sports culture.
• Regional Sports Support: Emphasis on how Midwestern and Southern cities are often celebrated for their unwavering support of local teams, contrasting with perceptions of cities like Indianapolis.

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6. Co-Hosting Dynamics: Matt, Myron, and David Dennis Jr.

Summary: Towards the latter part of the episode, Matt and Myron address the dynamics of co-hosting, especially during Myron’s absence when David Dennis Jr. filled in. The conversation takes a personal turn as they discuss the boundaries of hosting introductions and the comfort levels between long-time co-hosts.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones ([34:35]): "You should know that inherently. It sounded to me like you were getting a little jealous that I might have another friend."
• Myron Metcalf ([35:24]): "You send them throughout the entire relationship."

Discussion Points:

• Host Relationships: Matt expresses concern that Myron might feel slighted by over-the-top compliments directed at guest David Dennis Jr., while Myron clarifies his feelings about maintaining authentic rapport.
• Professionalism in Hosting: The exchange underscores the importance of balancing professionalism with genuine camaraderie among co-hosts to foster a seamless on-air partnership.

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7. WNBA All-Star Voting Controversy: Caitlin Clark's Ranking

Summary: The episode concludes with a heated discussion about Caitlin Clark's unexpected ninth-place ranking in the WNBA All-Star Game voting. Matt and Myron dissect the reasons behind this ranking and its broader implications for player recognition and league dynamics.

Notable Quotes:

• Matt Jones ([38:14]): "When you go to the negotiating table after this season, that is going to be the number one reason."
• Myron Metcalf ([39:28]): "She's ninth in anything, man."

Discussion Points:

• Performance vs. Popularity: The hosts debate whether Caitlin Clark's statistical performance justifies her ranking, with Myron arguing that her averages (18 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists per game) warrant higher recognition despite missing half the season.
• League Politics: Concerns are raised about intra-league dynamics, suggesting that some players might undervalue Clark to allocate more attention to their peers, impacting her visibility and bargaining power in future negotiations.
• Comparison to Other Sports: Matt draws an analogy to professional wrestling, highlighting how star power and journey can influence recognition beyond pure performance metrics.

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Conclusion

In this episode of "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron," listeners are treated to a blend of insightful sports analysis and entertaining banter. From dissecting major NBA free agency moves and WNBA expansion debates to navigating the nuances of New York geography, Matt and Myron offer a comprehensive and engaging discussion that appeals to a broad sports audience. Their ability to intertwine humor with critical analysis ensures that both casual listeners and dedicated sports fans find value and enjoyment in their conversations.

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Notable Exclusions:

• Advertisements and Commercial Segments: The summary intentionally omits sections featuring advertisements, promotional content, and non-discussion-related segments to maintain focus on the core content of the episode.

Transcript

[Matt Jones]

Have you ever spotted McDonald's hot crispy.

[Myron Metcalf]

Fries right as they're being scooped into the carton? And time just stands still. This is the Amber and Ian podcast.

[Matt Jones]

It is Amber and Ian here on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. I am Matt Jones. I'll be playing the role of Amber. My Metcalf is playing the role of Ian coach. Thank you very much for joining me today. Amber and Ian on ESPN Radio is.

[Myron Metcalf]

Presented by Progressive Insurance.

[Matt Jones]

Save when you bundle motorcycle, RV and boat insurance, you can visit progressive.com as you heard that intro. Myron. Not good at geography, but we are good at coming to you on Sunday mornings, ten to one every week if you would like to listen. Looking forward to doing tonight and tomorrow night. It was nice listening to you try to figure out where Alaska was. What people didn't hear is before the show started tonight, you were telling me that you are a New Yorker, which I think our audience in New York would really be glad to hear. Because then you couldn't figure out what the five boroughs of New York were. Even though you claimed to have lived there. You couldn't come up with all five boroughs.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, the Long island thing gets sketchy. That's all. That's all it was for me. I mean, I lived in New York.

[Matt Jones]

Sketchy, it gets.

[Myron Metcalf]

It's a lot happening over there.

[Matt Jones]

Okay?

[Myron Metcalf]

So let's just try.

[Matt Jones]

I've already told you this. Once you lived in New York, how long did you live in New York?

[Myron Metcalf]

About four and a half months.

[Matt Jones]

Four and a half months. Name for the people across America. The five boroughs of New York.

[Myron Metcalf]

I know the boroughs. I know the burros. Obviously Manhattan, where I lived in Manhattan, the. The Bronx, the boogie down Bronx they call it. And then. Well, that's the old hip hop phrase.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

KRS 1. And then Queens. I think that's what I forgot. And then I called Long Island. But Long island is actually Brooklyn too, right? So Brooklyn now.

[Matt Jones]

That's four. That's four.

[Myron Metcalf]

And. And I said Long island was the fifth borough, but it's actually Staten Island.

[Matt Jones]

There you go. So well done. Fifth time's the charm. Nice job.

[Myron Metcalf]

I lived there. No, I lived there. I lived there near, you know, I lived near all the stuff, man.

[Matt Jones]

Near all the stuff. All the stuff. That's good. Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten island in the Bronx. We welcome you to Amber and Ian. It's gonna be a fun night. It is. Sports center is doing their fifth 50 states in 50 days. Today is Alabama. So if you are from Alabama throughout the show, we will Be talking to you a little bit about the state of Alabama. If we all you Alabama, Alabama Knights that are out there. We will. We'll have a lot of stuff for you. But let's get started with what is probably the biggest news of the day, which is the NBA free agency. It's, it's. It's. It's hot and heavy. It's fast and furious. Every time I get online, there are names that I didn't even remember were in the league. Their names, I didn't know. And they're signing deals for $4.4 million, and I'm clapping for them. But the big story is in Milwaukee, where early this morning, if you're a Milwaukee Bucks fan, you got excited and you said, wait a minute, we're signing Miles Turner. We're going for a title. It is time to go at it. And then a couple hours later, it came out that they are waving Damian Lillard. Giannis, who has, you know, people assumed was going to be happy in Milwaukee, he then sent some social media posts kind of going, what's going on? Reports were he's not happy about waving Damian Lillard. I look at all this, Myron, and I think it makes some sense to me. Damien's not going to play. He gets. He gets bought out, which will allow him to go to a team when he gets healthy. What did you make of all the moves?

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, I mean, you know, Milwaukee's my hometown, so obviously there's a lot of buzz in the Bucs community, but, yeah, I think you got to look at it from the perspective of Dame wasn't going to play next year. So. So it's not like they got rid of Damian Lillard for Miles Turner. Like, Damian Lillard wouldn't play. He's going to be, I think, 35 when he comes back from an Achilles tear. Not exactly the age you want to be trying to recover from something like that. So there was a world where you never saw Dame Lillard make the same contributions he had in past years. I also think, like, Giannis and Dame just didn't work. Right. Like, I understood why you went after him. You know, I don't think it worked. I mean, try to add another star.

[Matt Jones]

It was a good attempt, but it was. It's not like they hadn't accomplished anything of significance yet.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, from the time they won a championship till now, they didn't get any closer to winning another one with the moves they made, man. So. And I thought Giannis and Dame never just really found a way to click and Then the injury happened just as they were starting to bond. But I think you got to go out and do something to make Giannis happy.

[Matt Jones]

I think this free understand why Giannis is unhappy. I mean, if I'm Giannis, okay. I think most people believe Giannis was taking the view of, all right, I'm going to do another year here and then see how it goes. Okay, so let's just assume that's his view. He has a three year, $175 million extension start starting next season, which that's, That's a lot of money. If he wants to win next year, then waving Damian Lillard to be able to extend his money and use it to go get another piece, isn't that exactly what Giannis should want? Like, having Damian Lillard not play and take up that money would be the. It might be the best thing for the franchise, but it would be the hardest thing to have success next year.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, you know, you never know what these guys think. Like, you know, LeBron was always notorious for being like, oh, my goodness, I can't believe you traded my favorite player. When, like, deep down.

[Matt Jones]

Is that your LeBron impression?

[Myron Metcalf]

Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. You traded my favorite player. That's my LeBron. You know, and then it'd be like, well, It'd be like, LeBron, you know, you had a hand in this, or you, at least you knew about it. And who knows what Giannis really thinks. Miles Turner is going to give you more than Dame obviously would do injured and maybe even with him healthy, like, maybe a rim protector like Miles Turner who could stretch the floor as a three point shooter, maybe that's exactly what you need. At the end of the day, they don't have another star.

[Matt Jones]

You got another 10 million to go do something else.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

Right.

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, like, they don't have another star.

[Matt Jones]

They don't, but they can go get another person. I mean, I, when I saw that, well, I don't know, but, I mean, that's, that's somebody else's problem. My point, though is I don't understand what Giannis would be upset about. If Giannis wants to win, the moves today are win now moves. The build for the future move would have been just wait till Lillard gets healthy, tank a year getting a great draft, maybe even end up in the lottery. You know, I don't, I don't understand what Giannis wanted. And maybe it's just, you know, he was surprised by it. He wasn't let in on the decisions. But it goes to show, you Never really know what these players think, because when I saw the Miles Turner deal, I thought, Giannis is going to be thrilled. And then an hour later, he's upset.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, again, like, you know, I'm sure he maybe has mixed emotions. Like I said, I think Dame got hurt just as they were starting to connect. But he wasn't going to help you next year, and maybe he wasn't going to help you ever again, considering that he's in his mid-30s. So Miles Turner comes in. We saw what he did in the playoffs. I think that's a good addition. But I think to win a championship, you need another star, and they don't have that. The interesting thing, though, and I think of your Giannis, where you go, okay, this could be more positive than maybe he imagined. The east feels wide open.

[Matt Jones]

Anyone can win.

[Myron Metcalf]

Who knows what happens in Indiana with Halliburton hurt, obviously, Jason Tatum is hurt. Detroit made a move and gave Duncan Robinson 48 million. I think they'll be good. Obviously, you got to deal with the Knicks, but it's not like the east has all these powerhouse teams that can't.

[Matt Jones]

Be beaten, are they? How many teams are there that could win the east next year? And you wouldn't be shocked. Okay, so you wouldn't be shocked. At least I wouldn't be shocked if, if the Knicks win it. You wouldn't be shocked if Cleveland won it. I wouldn't even be shocked if Orlando won it. I think Atlanta has made themselves a team that is a contender to win it. I think if I have Giannis in that east, in Milwaukee, I've got a shot. And then you have Boston and Indiana sitting there that depending on when Halliburton or Tatum were to come back, if they came back, and then I don't think he will be healthy. But Joel Embiid, if he were healthy with that roster, there's like eight teams that, if you told me they could win the East, I wouldn't say you were insane.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, and I think that's the approach of today. You know, I think if you measure this against a typical Eastern Conference with everybody healthy, you still feel like the Bucks are probably fourth, you know, or fifth.

[Matt Jones]

Well, and if those teams were in the West, I'm not sure any of them could win the West. No, any of the eight that I just mentioned.

[Myron Metcalf]

But. But in the Eastern Conference, and then this idea that the Knicks might hire Mike Brown, you know, whatever. They're thinking about that. So I can understand going out and getting Miles Turner and saying, okay, we got better because you had nothing with Damian Lillard. So I don't know what Giannis could be upset about. The team got better than what they were before. These moves.

[Matt Jones]

Today they are better and they're better immediately, which I would think is what Giannis wants. But then again, I would have assumed that if you lived in Manhattan, you would know all five boroughs and would have some sense of what Long island was. And you didn't know either of those things. Like you didn't. You had no clue what long.

[Myron Metcalf]

Change the name.

[Matt Jones]

What do you want to change the name to? Like France.

[Myron Metcalf]

I call it Queens, Brooklyn.

[Matt Jones]

But there's other parts of Long island besides Queensland.

[Myron Metcalf]

Brooklyn doesn't matter.

[Matt Jones]

Those places don't matter. One of our producers is call it South Queens.

[Myron Metcalf]

South Queens, Brooklyn, East Queens, Brooklyn, North Queens, Brooklyn. Just do it.

[Matt Jones]

But what about the Hamptons? They don't want to be called Queens in Brooklyn.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, but for people like me, it would help from a geography.

[Matt Jones]

So ultimately this is for you. They should change names in Long island to places that are convenient for you.

[Myron Metcalf]

You qb.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, if you're from Long island and you like Myron suggestion that you just go By Queens and Brooklyn888 say ESPN New York people show up. It would be very nice of you to educate our alleged Manhattanite, Myron Metcalf. Plus four months. Is it possible four months. Who lives in New York for four months for LeBron James to end up traded? That's next year.

[Myron Metcalf]

This is the Amber and Ian podcast.

[Matt Jones]

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[Myron Metcalf]

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[Amber Deehan]

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[Myron Metcalf]

Are subject to change.

[Amber Deehan]

USAA means United Services Automobile association and its affiliates. San Antonio, Texas.

[Matt Jones]

It is Amber Deehan here on ESPN Radio 888 say ESPN would love to Hear from folks from Long Island. Take it up for their. For their island. We don't. A lot of you haven't. Maybe Myron's right. Maybe it should just be called Brooklyn and Queens, because. Although I guess they're in the Hamptons, they're pro partying tonight. It's okay. You know, age comes always partying. Yeah, they are.

[Myron Metcalf]

I feel like they have this. That's just what they do every day. Just like party in the Hamptons.

[Matt Jones]

I think it is. You know, age comes for everyone. Not so much me, but pretty much everybody else. Age will. Will come for him. And you get that moment where you realize you don't have the. The power you once had. You don't have the swag you once had. And then all of a sudden, whereas you used to say, drop and stop, everybody else, they. Myron, open up shop and they're not worried about you. And that was off the top of my head. I thought you would like that. LeBron James. Sorry about that. I don't know why I said that. I'll tell you what. Let me collect my thoughts and go to Nick and Queens real quick. Go ahead.

[Nick]

I'm a little disappointed in the opinion that Brooklyn and Queens is part of Long Island. It's definitely not.

[Matt Jones]

Okay. Why not? Why not?

[Myron Metcalf]

Explain it to me.

[Nick]

No, because. Have you ever been to Brooklyn or Queen?

[Matt Jones]

I have been to both.

[Nick]

Very different.

[Myron Metcalf]

How's it different on Long Island?

[Matt Jones]

How long is it different, though? I'm interested in how it's different.

[Nick]

I don't. Well, then you must have never been to Brooklyn or Queens.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I know how it's different. I just wanted you to say it. I can't say it on espn. I wanted you to say it.

[Myron Metcalf]

Explain it.

[Nick]

It's great. I love Long island, but Brooklyn and Queens is the city. The city is not Long Island.

[Matt Jones]

I agree. I agree. He's exactly right. I'm with you, nick. You are 100% correct. Now, let me go back to my point about the. About. About LeBron. So LeBron used to be able to say whatever he wanted. It would happen. If he wanted somebody traded, they got traded. If he wanted somebody to get signed, they got signed. Then all of a sudden, he comes out and he. He opts in for his $53 million and then says, I'm going to be watching what happens. And it's clear that the Lakers are going to make moves about Luca in the future. But I have to give a similar comment I made a minute ago about Giannis Myron, which is. I don't know what LeBron wants. The moment LeBron James takes $53 million, he makes it to where the Lakers can't do anything. They don't have the money. So if he really is about winning, he would have taken less money. Now, I'm not asking him to do that, but you can't take your $53 million and then also expect money to come out of nowhere to go get new players. What does he want?

[Myron Metcalf]

Nobody knows. I mean, none of it makes sense. Like, to opt in and release that weird statement. I've never seen anything like that. Because you're right, it kind of handcuffs the team to go out and do what he's asking them to do. I think he's trying to set up a win win situation for himself. If the Lakers exceed expectations and compete for a championship, he'll get the credit, Right? He ops in. He's the reason he joins Luka. And now the Lakers have another chance. If they don't do that, rather than look at the 53 million, he can say, well, they didn't go out and do anything in free agency and people will want him to do what.

[Matt Jones]

What does LeBron want him to do? They don't have any money to. I mean, unless they go over the second apron, what are they supposed to do?

[Myron Metcalf]

But Brian Winhorse pointed this out yesterday on, I believe, get up. The Lakers didn't put out an official statement when LeBron opted in, which is extremely. Like, teams always put out a statement and say, this player opted in, this play is coming back. And with LeBron, they didn't do that. There's a part of me that feels like if you're Rob Pelinka, it's sort of like, man, I don't care. You know, like, what can I. What can you do? You opted in. You put the team in a tough spot to go and add talent. And by the way, LeBron is not the priority right now. The priority is the four year, $229 million that they want Luca to sign. That is more important than anything that LeBron James wants for.

[Matt Jones]

Do you agree with. I agree with you. That's exactly what the Lakers think. But do you agree that's what they should think?

[Myron Metcalf]

Yes. They should prioritize Luca over LeBron.

[Matt Jones]

Okay.

[Myron Metcalf]

At the end of the day, like, no. No franchise has ever, I think, benefited from holding on to a legend too long.

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Myron Metcalf]

And it always is ugly.

[Matt Jones]

Even the Lakers. No, I, like, they did that with Kobe at the end. And what? And, and, and it, they, it was just Kobe And a bunch of dudes those last couple years, like, I mean, that's, that's what happens. I'm not a believer in Luca long term because I don't think his body will hold up. But I do think you're going to have two or three years of if Luca is healthy, peak Luca, and you gotta, you gotta take advantage of that. Whereas LeBron, he's not close to peak LeBron now, still a great player, but you can't base your fortunes on a 41 year old.

[Myron Metcalf]

No. And then the way, you know, for him to opt in like that, does he think he's. There's a magical trade out there. No one would given up their best player for a 41 year old making $53 million. Like, this is not going to happen. So where does he think he's going to go and compete for a championship.

[Matt Jones]

On the tax machine where you can text in 772-774-5254. One person writes, I don't think Myron gave you enough credit for your DMX line. He was so happy when Chris Canty quoted Tupac. But he will not be happy when you quote dmx.

[Myron Metcalf]

First off, you said drop, stop. When it's really stop, drop.

[Matt Jones]

I was mixing it up.

[Myron Metcalf]

Shut them down over remix.

[Matt Jones]

It's a remix.

[Myron Metcalf]

Y' all had the bootleg version up there, didn't y' all?

[Matt Jones]

In Kentucky, we flipped it.

[Myron Metcalf]

Y' all had pmx.

[Matt Jones]

Jose is in Brooklyn. How are you, Jose? Jose?

[Nick]

Good evening, guys. How are you guys doing?

[Matt Jones]

Doing good. See, you're laughing. That's the goal. It's a Tuesday night in July. What else are you supposed to do? Go ahead.

[Nick]

So here's the situation. I have to get on my plate for his horrible explanation of five borough area in the city. Because I get it when you look, when you, when you're not well, acclimated with the boroughs and you go to Long Island City and you see Long Island City and you're like, oh, wow, this is connected to the rest of Long island.

[Matt Jones]

And.

[Nick]

It'S one in the same. But the problem is it's not one in the same. There's a reason why there's a separation from Long island with the rest of the five boroughs. Because Long island is not part of the greater New York City area.

[Matt Jones]

Exactly. He's not part of the five. Brooklyn Queens are. Yes, exactly right, Jose.

[Myron Metcalf]

You said I'm not well versed. Let me, let me tell you. So I crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. I got a haircut in Queens. Like, I know the area. You know, I've been.

[Matt Jones]

Jose. Hang on. Jose, do you want to take it back? He got his haircut in Queens once.

[Myron Metcalf]

I did. I got a haircut in Queen. That's got to come for something.

[Nick]

Jose, I gotta ask. Which neighborhood in Queens?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

Which neighborhood everybody goes to to get their hair cut?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. You know that neighborhood. That's exactly right. Thank you very much, Jose. I appreciate it. You know, I was walking just yesterday, Myron, in Bushwick. Do you know which borough Bushwick's in? Bushwick, Bill, which borough is it in?

[Myron Metcalf]

Bushwick is Brooklyn. Right?

[Matt Jones]

Well done. Look at you, just absolutely killing it. That is your New York geography today. 880 say ESPN now, the WNBA, the Commissioners cup final is tonight, but there's been a lot of talk about things having nothing to do with the court. Two controversial Indiana Fever moments. That's next here on Amber Amber and Ian the podcast. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. With the price of just about everything going up, we thought we'd bring our prices down. So to help us, we brought in a reverse auctioneer, which is apparently a thing Mint Mobile Unlimited premium wireless. How do you get 30? 30? Better get 30.

[Myron Metcalf]

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[Matt Jones]

It is Abrad Ian here on ESPN Radio. Matt Jones, Meyer Metcalf filling in. If you listen there on the update, the Blue Jays beat the Yankees in a big ale showdown in a day game. I will tell you there's very little more depressing in sports, Myron, than a day game in Toronto with the dome closed. Yeah, like, it's so beautiful outside and then you walk in there and you're in this, like, danky, like Musty's Dome. I got to be fair to Toronto today, though, because today they played at three o' clock because it's Canada Day. Okay.

[Myron Metcalf]

And the roof, what is that?

[Matt Jones]

The roof was open and absolutely beautiful and it was A great atmosphere because it was Canada Day. So I just. Okay, to Toronto. All right. I'll be fair.

[Myron Metcalf]

Canada Day.

[Matt Jones]

It's like their Fourth of July, except it's not on the Fourth of July.

[Myron Metcalf]

It's there the same week as our Fourth of July.

[Matt Jones]

Look, they didn't run it, Bias. I mean, it is when it is. It's when they got into.

[Myron Metcalf]

You can't move it, right?

[Matt Jones]

I mean, no, you can't move it. America does not get when everybody's Independence Day is. That's not how it works. But I will say I've been to a day game at the Sky Dome, and I mean it. I've never been more depressed. It was sunny and absolutely beautiful. And Toronto, you know, it's an awesome city. And then you walk in that dome and it's like you're in your Grandma's basement in 1976. It is the most sad thing. So I. In my opinion, there should be no day games in Toronto. That's my rule. Unless you can open. Unless they open a roof, at least.

[Myron Metcalf]

You can open it. I would support a federal ban on domes that you can't open. There should not be another. A stadium created in this country where you can't open the.

[Matt Jones]

Especially anywhere.

[Myron Metcalf]

Any sport.

[Matt Jones]

Especially for baseball. Any sport in baseball, especially. Like, the whole point is to be outside. All right, so the Commissioner's cup final is tonight. It's the Indiana Fever. Who are they playing against tonight?

[Myron Metcalf]

The Minnesota Links, the best team in the league.

[Matt Jones]

Indiana Fever in the Minnesota Links. But the Indiana Fever in the news for more than the game tonight, which Caitlin Clark may have to miss. Sophie Cunningham, one of the Indiana Fever players, she gets a lot of attention, huge following on social media. She reacted, you know that the WNBA is going to expand. They're going to add new teams in Detroit and Cleveland. And Clark is out tonight, by the way. Detroit and Cleveland and Sophie Cunningham, who plays for the Indiana Fever, that I want to be clear, is in the Applebee's of cities. Indianapolis, Indiana. Whoa.

[Myron Metcalf]

Don't, Don't. Don't do that to Applebee's.

[Matt Jones]

The O. Charlies of cities. Indianapolis, Indiana. Sophie Cunningham had this to say about the expansion.

[Jose]

You want to listen to your players, too. Like, where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play in golf games? I do think that Miami would have been a great one. Like, everyone loves Florida. Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City, amazing opportunity. There's a huge arena downtown that no one's choosing. And I think that the women's soccer league is showing that, like, people draw, you know, and so I'm not so sure what the thought process is there. But at the end of the day, you also want to make sure that you're not expanding our league too fast. I think that that's also another thing that you don't want teams to totally dominate and then have teams that aren't. And so I just think that it's kind of a hard decision making team or situation. But man, I don't. I don't know how excited people are.

[Matt Jones]

To be going to. First of all, she said Detroit and Cincinnati. Cincinnati takes a stray. That is not deserved because we're not. Because Cincinnati is 45 minutes from here and we don't even get a team. But put that aside. Detroit. Let's say it was Detroit and Cleveland. She's right. Nashville's fine. Miami's nice. I like how she threw in Kansas City. She's got to be from Kansas City. There's no way you would just.

[Myron Metcalf]

Beautiful, beautiful.

[Matt Jones]

I understand. But when you're sitting there going, what are the great American cities? Nobody's just going to say Kansas City. She's got to be from there. I like Kansas City. Don't get me wrong. Is she from there? She's got to be from there. There's no she is from there. I see. From Columbia. Of course she's from Canada. Because who just throws in Kansas City unless you're from there? But my point is, Sophie Cunningham plays in Indianapolis. I've said Indianapolis is the strip mall of America. If it is a chain restaurant, it is a chain restaurant as a city. And I'm fine with.

[Myron Metcalf]

I'm not saying that it's a nice.

[Matt Jones]

Place to host events, but if you are from Indianapolis, how dare you. And you're talk trash about Cleveland and Detroit, by the way. Detroit and up and coming city. Myron, I didn't like that by Sophie Cunningham, who otherwise I'm sure is a wonderful person.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, and like, you know, people are calling her a star. I mean, Sophie Cunningham's average like five points a game for the Fever. She's a bigger star on social media than. Than she is on the court. But she does have a big spotlight. Right. And this is why this is getting attention. I don't think in general that any player in the WNBA or any league should be against expansion. Right.

[Matt Jones]

Makes more money. More money.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah. So that part never made sense to me. They're adding teams. There's going to be more revenue. They're gonna have to pay you more. I Mean, that's all jobs, More jobs for the players. Yeah. So I can understand wanting, like, I guess to go to south beach every couple of weeks, if that's what you want, or having a team in Miami, but the league isn't thinking about that. The league is trying to go to markets where they think there will be.

[Matt Jones]

Support and where exactly in Miami you got a lot of other stuff to do. Right.

[Myron Metcalf]

Like Miami.

[Matt Jones]

Let me.

[Myron Metcalf]

Let me tell you something about Miami. Anyone's ever gone to an event in Miami. If you've gone to a basketball game, if you've gone to a football game, Miami doesn't care that much.

[Matt Jones]

They don't care.

[Myron Metcalf]

Like. Like, people do that to LA and they talk about, like, Los Angeles. Los Angeles. People don't care at all. Like, they don't. They're not really into sports like that.

[Matt Jones]

They think they can, but they care about the Lakers and the Dodgers.

[Myron Metcalf]

No, they care about the Lakers when they. They show up in the second quarter. I've been. I've been.

[Matt Jones]

But they also go. But they care about the Lakers. They care about the Dodgers. Miami. Like, first of all, ask the Marlins what kind of attendance they do.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, they don't care. The Hurricanes even.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. The hurt that, you know, the Hurricanes are in Carolina. Are you talking about the football team? Yes. They've had great college football teams. People don't go the heat. It's kind of a social event. So. But the bigger picture for Sophie Cunningham, and I don't say this to be rude to her, but she averages five points a game. When Detroit and Cleveland get in the league, she might need Detroit and Cleveland as a place that might want to have her play. Okay. She's not, you know, she is not necessarily a player that will get to always pick her spots. And I just think you got to be careful. I. The only city in America I will make fun of is Indianapolis. Myron, where she happens to be.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, I mean, it's a bad look, too, because remember, like, the CBA is over after this year. Like, there could be a strike next season. Like, the players want more money. They're going to demand it. This is a big off season coming up for the players, and if the league is expanding, that's just more revenue. You get a chance to ask for more money. So I think if I'm a union rep in the wnba, I'm going, Sophie, this is not helping anybody. Let me backtrack on something, though. Isn't Amber from Miami? Does she live Miami?

[Matt Jones]

She does.

[Myron Metcalf]

Okay, this is Amber and Ian. Let Me, take back what I said about the city of Miami city. Miami is a very passionate, strong fan base and they love all their teams. And I misspoke there. I wouldn't want to disrespect the league.

[Matt Jones]

I like Amber a lot.

[Myron Metcalf]

Great city, great fans.

[Matt Jones]

I hosted with Amber for like a month straight the year the Heat ran all the way to the finals. And I like Amber a lot. But Miami as a sports town stinks. It just does. Now, is it. Is it a great city? It's a great city for a lot of things. But as a wonderful town, as a sports town, it's not as good a sports town as Detroit. And guess what? It's not even as good a sports town as Cleveland, because Detroit, I meant. But Detroit and Cleveland care. They care. And ultimately about sports, it's the place where you are. Do they care? And in Miami or even in. I mean, Nashville cares, but it's like Nashville's like country music, Disney World. Detroit and Cleveland would care about the team, and I think that's what they need.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah. I mean, the best sports towns in America are in the Midwest and the South.

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Myron Metcalf]

The coast don't have a lot of great sports.

[Matt Jones]

Well, now that's. But yes and no. I mean, I will say like New York with the Knicks and the Yankees and all that with Chicago with the Cubs and the Bears. I mean, big cities can still.

[Myron Metcalf]

They're giant city. Yes, those are. Those are gigantic. But even Chicago is a Midwest city. Right. I think for the most part, they're going to places that have a proven track record of supporting teams. You can say what you want about Cleveland. That city has supported the Browns of all teams. You look at Detroit and what they have supported over the years in the post Isaiah Thomas Pistons hasn't been a lot of winning in that town. And they have been supportive. And then you go to Philly. As much as people talk about the fans who boost Santa Claus, they are. They all really love all of their teams as well. So it makes sense. And if I'm Sophie Cunningham, why would you say I'm gonna criticize expansion, which ultimately leads to more revenue for players?

[Matt Jones]

That's especially if you live in Indianapolis. I mean, seriously, Indianapolis is like an Applebee's potato skin of cities. Like, it's fine.

[Myron Metcalf]

I don't feel that way, but I love it.

[Matt Jones]

Like, if you end up in Indianapolis, you're not gonna be. You're not gonna be sad.

[Myron Metcalf]

But.

[Matt Jones]

But maybe they're a sponsor. If they are, I'm sorry to Applebee's but if you go to Applebee's. If you go to Apple's.

[Myron Metcalf]

What about the whole market? We just.

[Matt Jones]

You're not gonna be shut off their radio. You're not gonna be mad if you end up at Applebee's, you can find something nice. Maybe you get some spinach dip. Maybe there's some flaming fajitas.

[Myron Metcalf]

Man, I partied at Indy. I love it.

[Matt Jones]

But you're never gonna sit there and go, honey, where can I take you for our anniversary? Applebee's. Indianapolis is the exact same way. No one's gonna go, can we go for our anniversary? Let's go to Indianapolis.

[Myron Metcalf]

Depends on where you're from. Because I know some people.

[Matt Jones]

If you're from Fort Wayne or you're from, you know, man, the whole state is getting Indian. I'm just kidding with you. It's okay. It's. It's no big. No, it's no big thing. There is a lot more to get to from NBA free agency and more. This is Amber Nian on ESPN Radio.

[Myron Metcalf]

This is the Amber in the End podcast.

[Matt Jones]

This episode is brought to you by.

[David Dennis Jr.]

Nespresso and Samra Origins by the Weekend Coffee Collection.

[Amber Deehan]

Introducing Samra Origins.

[Matt Jones]

My collaboration with Nespresso is a connection to my roots, to my mother. Samra Coffee that hits the right notes. It transports you.

[Amber Deehan]

Crafted with unique notes and bold, soaring flavors. Experience a taste that moves you. Nespresso and Samra Origins. Discover [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by Polestar. There's only one true way to experience the all electric luxury SUV Polestar 3, and that's to take a test drive. It can go from 0 to 60 in as little as 4.8 seconds with the dynamic handling of a sports car. But to truly understand how it commands the road, you need to be behind the wheel up to 350 miles of range. The 3D surround sound system by Bowers and Wilkins. It's all something you have to experience to believe. So book your Test drive for Polestar 3 [e-mail].

[Matt Jones]

It is Amber Die. I'm here on ESPN Radio. So you just heard on. For people who don't know, normally I'm Matt Jones. Well, I'm always Matt Jones, but normally I host with Myron Metcalf Sunday mornings on ESPN Radio 10 to 1. And Myron was not here this past Sunday. So he. So I had David Dennis Jr. In and I said, you know, one of the things you do as a host is you try to be like welcoming to your guest and I said as we were talking about Temptation island there, that David Dennis Jr. I think my quote was, is one of the smarter people that I know that works in sports. And when we came on earlier today, before the show started, you were offended by me saying that because. Explain to people why you are offended by that comment.

[Myron Metcalf]

Well, you just kind of overdoing it. And listen, I Love David Dennis Jr. He is incredible. You're right about that. But it felt like you were just. You were saying things to him that you hadn't said to me in, like, 10 years. So it was a little odd to me. At one point, you said to him, like, three times, you are speaking my language. And you've actually never said anything like that to me in all the shows we've done. So it was just a little odd to me that, you know, like, I was like, okay, maybe they're going out for coffee after this, because that's kind of. It sounded like what was leading.

[Matt Jones]

But you understand, like, I consider you like. You and I are like, good friends. We've worked together for almost eight years. So I don't need to tell you that you're smart and that I like. You should know that inherently. It sounded to me like you were getting a little jealous that I might have another friend.

[David Dennis Jr.]

You.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, it's not a secret. I don't work with a lot of people at ESPN because. Because the audience may know I'm not the easiest co host in the world. And here I found somebody else that I get along with, and it seemed to make you jealous.

[Myron Metcalf]

Listen, in a relationship, you just don't stop sending flowers. You know, like, you don't say, I sent you flowers for the first three years of our relationship, and now you stop.

[Matt Jones]

Okay?

[Myron Metcalf]

You send them throughout the entire relationship. So listen, David, Dennis is amazing, and he is really good at everything he does, but it felt like you were trying a little too hard to make another black friend. I did feel that way. Like you were overdoing it a little bit, trying to add another black friend to your contact list. And it just felt over the top.

[Matt Jones]

If I'm being honest with you, you are one. I get to have multiple black. I'm one when I'm the only one. No, you're the best one. But I get. I don't. I can't only have one black friend. I should be able to have multiple black friends. I know I'm from Kentucky, but I still should be able to have multiple black friends.

[Myron Metcalf]

You were trying really hard, I feel like, to, you know, I Feel like the next thing was gonna be like, David, are you free after the show? That's kinda how it felt. It felt like that's what we were leading up to from what I heard. I'll say if I made David is amazing.

[Matt Jones]

If I made a DMX reference, if I made a DMX reference to David, he would have not made fun of me about it like you did. Now Caitlin Clark is not going to play tonight in the Commissioners Cup Final against the Minnesota Links. But she's still in the news because it's always, she's always in the news. There was a voting amongst players for the league's All Star game and she was like, she was ranked ninth at the guard position on the players ballot. There were six in the front court, four in the back court, but she was ninth. And some several players did not have her on the ballot for the All Star Game entirely. Now you may also remember the All Star game is in Indiana this year, so she's definitely going to be playing in it. So there's two different ways to argue this, Myron. On the one hand, if you're ranking the best guards in the league, it would be absurd to rank Caitlin Clark 9th. And so people could say, wow, these other players must really be disrespecting Caitlin Clark because she's clearly better than the ninth best player. The other way to look at it is she has missed half the games this season with the, with the game she's going to miss tonight, it will be over half the games this season with an injury. And if you are making the All Stars or picks based on this season, she arguably may not have played enough games to be in the top three or top four. Which side of that argument are you on the first?

[Myron Metcalf]

I mean, you know, we have this all the time and the NBA where a player misses the season or part of the season or whatever and they don't get knocked for that. So it's absurd for Caitlin Clark to be ranked ninth at anything. And I just don't, I don't always know if WNBA players want to make more money. Like that's the weird thing for me because your ticket to maybe having the first million dollar players could come out of this new cba. Caitlin Clark will be the reason. Like that is the bargaining chip. So I feel like there's still this world where at least some of our peers, not all want to make some.

[Matt Jones]

You won't say. I mean you are right that in like fan voting for the baseball All Star game, guys can be hurt and still Come in first. But this is player voting. This is player voting. Do you. You don't think it's possible that the players just said she's not played enough games? You don't think that's possible?

[Myron Metcalf]

No. She's averaging 18 a game in the game she played. She's averaging five rebounds a game in a game she's played. She's averaging 8.9 assists in the game she's played. I believe she's top three all time already in triple doubles in WNBA history. And this is year two and she's missed half the season. She's ninth in anything, man.

[Matt Jones]

So you take the net, you believe the narrative that, like some people want to profess other WNBA players are jealous of Caitlin Clark. Do you believe that?

[Myron Metcalf]

I don't know the word jealous because that's a pretty strong word. What it feels like to me, though is there's still at least some players in the league, based on this vote, who maybe don't want to give her her full credit. She was one of the five best players in the WNBA last year.

[Matt Jones]

So why do you think that is then?

[Myron Metcalf]

Because I think there's still this divide within the league where there are some people who feel like other players should be getting more attention. My problem with that idea is you don't control what people like. That's always the weird thing to me.

[Matt Jones]

That's true.

[Myron Metcalf]

Like you don't have any control. If people want to say, we love Caitlin Clark, that's why we watch the wnba. You have no control over that. That's just reality. She's that big. But when you go to the negotiating table after this season, that is going to be the number one reason when.

[Matt Jones]

The players union double your salary. That's right. When the players union sits down with the owners, the brochure they put together for their case, we'll have Caitlin Clark on the front of it. That's probably true. Here's what it I would analogize it to. Okay, I'm going to use my world of that I like of professional wrestling, Logan Paul. Okay, yeah. Logan Paul is in professional wrestling and is objectively really good at it. But he didn't go through the process that most wrestlers do. He was a YouTuber that picked it up and then ended up being really good at it. And I've watched how wrestlers have had an odd thing to him. He didn't quote, unquote, pay his dues, but when he wrestles in a match, it gets a lot of interest because it's Logan Paul. And I think the wrestlers struggle with. Yeah, we know he's good, but he didn't go through the ranks like we did. Now, Caitlin Clark went through the ranks, but I do think you're right that there are players who are like. There are other players before her who should have gotten attention. But, Myron, you're right. You get attention because you get attention, and she's got it. And I wish players would look at her like Tiger woods and say, let's do this so that we all rise rather than not. Yeah.

[Myron Metcalf]

And I don't know how it helps anybody. If you're saying. If you're saying she's ninth, what does that say about everybody else? Because there's just no world. There's eight players that actually believe that, but it doesn't. Nobody believes that. And I just don't understand. It feels like there are some players who, like, we'd be better off without her.

[Matt Jones]

See, I thought.

[Myron Metcalf]

Yeah, but you also wouldn't make as much money if that's what you really.

[Matt Jones]

Give her the benefit of that. I thought you were going to give the players benefit.

[Myron Metcalf]

No.

[Matt Jones]

Say maybe it was because they ninth.

[Myron Metcalf]

Come on, man. If you say fourth, fifth. All right, ninth is crazy.

[Matt Jones]

All right. Myron's a lot harsher.

[Myron Metcalf]

18 a game, five rebounds, nine assists.

[Matt Jones]

All right, well, we will get back to some NBA action. Are the folks in Milwaukee confident that Giannis will stay on the Bucks? We'll talk to somebody who knows.

[Myron Metcalf]

Thanks for listening to Amber and Ian the Podcast. You can listen to Amber and Ian live weeknights from 7 to 10 Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app, and on SiriusXM channel 80. Amber and Ian the podcast.

[Jose]

In 1979, the first words spoken on ESPN weren't just an announcement. If you're a fan, they were a sports prophecy.

[Myron Metcalf]

What you'll see in the next minutes.

[Matt Jones]

Hours and days to follow. Glad you're with us tonight.

[Myron Metcalf]

May convince you you've gone to sports heaven, and right now, you're standing on the edge of tomorrow.

[Jose]

This fall, the next era of ESPN begins.

[Matt Jones]

Sports forever.