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- [00:00]
A
This week, the PGA Tour's best players go Primetime with TGL presented by SoFi in doubleheader action. Atlanta drive takes on both Boston Common Golf and Los Angeles Golf Club, plus two primetime matchups on Tuesday. Keep up it's golf. Tune in Monday and Tuesday at 5pm and 9pm Eastern only on ESPN, ESPN2 and the ESPN app.
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B
This is Matt and Myron, the podcast Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio. The ESPN app, SiriusXM channel 80. You can ask your smart speaker to play ESPN Radio, joined by the great David Dennis Jr. Filling in for Matt Jones. A lot of stuff happening out here in Bristol. David Dava, first and foremost. How are you doing, Matt? Do you know you're the hardest working person at espn if you all don't know. One time I believe I was watching David Dennis on First Take. He had a podcast going on like that I saw on Twitter. And, and then he was also doing radio. How do you do it, David?
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C
Well, you know, it's a lack of sleep, a little bit of family, family neglect, healthy family neglect, a little bit of spousal abandonment. Just the good things that make me, make me great. You know what I'm saying? Just pure, pure. So no, no self regard for my own well being or the people I love. So that's really what keeps me going.
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B
Hey, listen man, a lot of coffee, I definitely understand.
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C
I do not drink coffee.
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B
You don't drink coffee.
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C
That's my, that is my thing that feel superior to other people and I like to say it anytime it comes up. So I'm glad you brought this up. Never had a cup of coffee in my life.
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B
Well, I'm trying to get off Coffee in 2026. I'm trying to get off caffeine. Every time I do it, the headaches start and then I just go back to coffee. So if you got any tricks for me, I would.
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C
So I was, I was a soda person for a long time and the caffeine, it was the sugar that got me. The headaches are not from the caffeine, they're from the sugar. Okay, so that's what, that's what gets you every time. But yeah, no coffee for me. To paraphrase the great CM Punk, I'm straight edge, which means I'm better than you.
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B
So.
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C
So there we go.
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B
Well, I'm glad to be joined by the Great David Dennis Jr. I've needed coffee this morning. We're gonna get to the gold medal game. The United States against the Fighting drakes of Canada. 1:1 right now in the third period. United States has not won a gold medal since the 1980 Miracle on Ice game. So I am in the middle of a blizzard right now. David Dennis Jr. I have a flight at 3 o' clock out of Hartford Airport to Minneapolis, where I live. And it doesn't look good Friday. The weather people were like, oh, you're good. And now all of a sudden they're like, this is gonna be the worst storm that's ever happened in the history of this world. And I'm worried that my flight may get canceled. I'm driving to Hartford after this. Am I gonna get stuck at the airport? Do I wait it out here? So that's one thing in the background of my life that's happening.
- [02:48]
C
Okay.
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B
But also when I was driving from my hotel to the studio today. All right, I got one of them FANCY David Dennis Jr. Cars, you know, that they only let like the top echelon rent here at.
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C
You know, I just tell everybody I'm used. That's how I get the nice car. That's how it is.
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B
Well, so I'm driving and this car says, stay in the center of the lane. Okay? I'm doing that. And then the car says, no driver detected emergency. We are taking over driving. I am fighting my car, David Dennis Jr. To try to see who's gonna be driving this thing. I didn't even know cars could do this.
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C
So is the steering wheel, like, resisting your situation there?
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B
It was Knight Rider. It was. All of a sudden, I was an episode of Knight Rider. This thing starts turning itself. I'm wrestling with the steering wheel. All of this on top of the weather issues. And I tell you what, man, I'm trying to get back home. We'll see what happens. Matt Myers, presented by Progressive insurance. Progressive Insurance offers 24. 7 protection when you bundle home auto and motorcycle. Learn more@progressive.com what are we thinking about?
- [03:49]
D
I'm trying to think, but nothing happens. Nothing happens.
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B
It's time to find out. This is off the Top. Flash off the Top with Matt. I think it's kind of funny, two brothers talking about hockey. Nobody expected that. But that's what you're going to get on ESPN Radio this morning. United States, right? Exactly right. In February, the United States won. Canada and the Fighting Drakes won. We're in the third period. There's a lot happening, right? This is sort of the ultimate event of the Winter Olympics. And this is what everyone was anticipating coming into this event. The miracle on ice 1980. If you haven't had a chance, there is an Incredible documentary on Netflix that everyone should watch about that historic victory when the United States beat Canada to win the gold medal. That was 46 years ago today. How incredible is that? The United States playing Canada right now for the gold medal. Different circumstances, David. There are a bunch of pros on both teams, but still, if you were to win the gold medal for the first time in 50 years, I feel like that would be a fairly historic accomplishment for the United States national team.
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C
This is huge. I mean, this is huge. This is. Everybody I know is locked in.
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B
Yeah.
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C
To this game. And as one of the beauties of Olympic play, really, and kind of hockey and how they roll, you know, like the way the game is situated when you know you're, like, your chances are you're getting some sort of sudden death thing at the end of the game. I mean, it looks like we're heading that way. There's nothing like it. There's nothing like. Like, this is peak sports that we got right now.
- [05:24]
B
Yeah. And what I love about these two teams is they don't like each other and they make it known. Yeah. Like, what I appreciate about hockey is they go into games and they say, we don't like them, and then they say it's time to fight.
- [05:38]
C
Right, right.
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B
So it's not just talk in hockey. It is. It is real, this rivalry. Brady Tkachuk, the United States hockey forward, was with our Emily Kaplan, and he was asked about this rivalry. Here's what he said.
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D
Well, what's it like when the US And Canada get together?
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B
Yeah, I mean, it's. It's there. It's. I guess there's hatred there. I mean, they've been. They've been the top dog. They've been. They've been the best for the last bunch of years. And for us, we want to. We want to be in that position. We want to be the best. So, yeah, it's going to be a game where I think a lot of guys could say this is the biggest games that they've ever played in. David. I love that energy.
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C
Yeah, right.
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B
I hate the politically correct. You know what? It's a game. We're competitors. Everybody's having fun. No, he said we don't like them. They are not like us, is essentially what he just told Canada. David. And I think that, to me, has just made this even more highly anticipated because of that emotion.
- [06:36]
C
Yeah. You know, of course, there was an NBA All Star game a couple weeks ago, and everybody was talking about, well, you do us versus the world. We'll get that. You Are not going to manufacture this. You are not going to get this level of passion and hatred no matter how it really Hardly any other sport than hockey, where these dudes are mixing it up across lines on a given basis. And then you get to do this internationally when you are repping your country. Like, there's nothing like international play in hockey.
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B
Yeah. And again, the tensions are built up. And what's interesting to me is even when you see the Olympics in basketball and other sports, it's still fairly friendly.
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C
Right.
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B
These guys are on the same teams in some cases, but they set all of that aside when it comes to international competition. The miracle and ice 46 years ago today. I mean, to not win a gold medal for almost 50 years and to do it against the Fighting Drakes, I think would be a major accomplishment. David, I think this single single elimination format is incredible. It's one of my favorites. What is your favorite single elimination game in sports?
- [07:43]
C
So, yeah, so I was watching, like thinking about this game coming up and you know, I am not a huge, huge hockey person.
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B
Yeah.
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C
But if you're telling me that there's a game seven in hockey, I'm watching that ahead of pretty much anything else. Like, if I had to choose, I'm picking that over as I love NBA. I'm picking that over game seven of NBA finals game. I'm picking that over a Super bowl or any NFL single. Single elimination March Madness golf on like master Sunday. If you tell me there is one single elimination game to watch, it is going to be hockey game 7 or gold medal game. Right. Because chances are like, you're more likely.
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B
Don't look it up.
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C
I don't know the actual statistics, but you're more likely to have sudden death or overtime or this thing come down to one final shot.
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A
Yeah.
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C
You're gonna have people knocking each other around. You're gonna have some bad blood. You're gonna have animosity that's built up over that time. The tension of. I mean, the only thing I would say that and then right below that would probably be a tennis major, single Wimbledon champion, Wimbledon championship, anything like that where you can have this thing go on. Like what? Alcaraz.
- [08:53]
B
Yeah. Center those marathon games.
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C
Yeah. They played for a full work day. Like, I wasn't talking about Bristol travel.
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B
Yeah.
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C
One of those times they played. Can't remember which one it was. They. I. I was doing sports center in the morning, finished Sports center, got on the plane, flew home and watched the rest of it from Atlanta, Georgia. Like, that's how long those dudes are playing. Like I would put that behind a single elimination. But for me, number one is hockey. Single elimination. Absolutely. I don't even care who's playing. Tell me there's a game seven. I'm watching.
- [09:23]
B
Well, and to have these two countries going at it in this moment for the gold medal 46 years ago today, the Miracle on Ice. We want to hear from you. What is your favorite single elimination game in sports? Is it the gold medal game? Is it NBA game seven? You tell us. 888, say ESPN 888-729-3776. We'll take some of your calls here on ESPN radio. What is the best single elimination game? Your calls and plus a huge game in the NBA last night. We'll talk about that next. Matt and Myron the Podcast.
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E
Rich Eisen here. The tax deadline will be here before you know it and you just want to know your taxes are actually being handled. But the old way, you hand everything off and then silence. Days pass, weeks pass. You start wondering, should I send another follow up email? It feels like you're chasing updates and getting nowhere. But now taxes are different because your taxes are done for you by a TurboTax full service expert. With Intuit TurboTax, you can match with your dedicated tax expert and hand off everything right in the app. And while your expert checks for every deduction, you'll see real time updates on your phone. So you always know exactly where things stand. Suddenly you're not refreshing your inbox. You're going for a run, grabbing a coffee, scrolling anything other than a just checking in mess message because your TurboTax expert is handling it and keeping you in the loop. So this tax season, get your best possible outcome and every dollar you deserve without the guesswork. Visit TurboTax.com today to learn more. Real time updates only in iOS mobile app only available with TurboTax full service
- [11:10]
A
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- [11:46]
B
We may have history ahead. United States battling Canada in the gold medal game in the men's hockey matchup of the Winter Olympics 1:1, about 10 minutes to go in the third. 46 years ago, the United States beat the Russians to move on to the gold medal game. Capturing the gold medal, the last gold medal that the United States has ever enjoyed in men's hockey. Today could be the second time in almost 50 years. David Dennis, Jr. What kind of history would this be? I mean, when you look at like sports and all the most improbable victories, where would a win like this stand for the United States?
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C
I think this would be one of the great American Olympic stories that we have to do this to beat Canada in hockey. I mean, when you're talking about all time Olympic moments, this would have to go up there, right? Absolutely. Absolutely.
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B
Well, and again, it's, it's a lot different than what 1980 was. A team full of amateurs, right, Playing this, you know, Russian team full of professionals, which is why you have all these great movies and documentaries. 1980, there's a great Netflix documentary if you haven't seen it, but we put it out to the callers. What is the greatest single elimination game that you have in Sports? David Dennis Jr. Said hockey actually has that. We're going to go to Sean in Phoenix. Sean, what is the greatest single elimination game in sports?
- [13:10]
D
Hey, good morning, guys. First off, I don't think you can go wrong with any elimination game. They're all great. But baseball, the drama that builds in between pitches, you're hanging on every single pitch. Like when there's a pitching change, there's time to think and stress and dwell on it. Like it's just, it's drama that you can't manufacture in any other sport. And I know baseball is kind of losing its value a little bit, but game seven or elimination game, think about the World Baseball Classic a couple years ago, usa, Japan, like you were hanging on every single pitch. So I gotta throw some baseball, some love.
- [13:45]
B
Yeah, I appreciate that call, Sean. You know what, I wasn't a Yankees fan, but when Mariano Rivera, they'd bring him in to close an elimination game, that was always a special moment.
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C
David Dennis, Jr. Yeah, I agree. And we just got it gay. I mean, World Series had classic. What the, what was 18 in it? Was that game four, game five?
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B
Yeah, I think it was game four.
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C
I mean, I mean, yeah, like you, you, I mean, for an entire series, you can have these type of games in baseball in a way that you can't really have in a lot of other sports, right? Where you have, I mean, NBA, a seven game series, you rarely have it where you have all of these incredible games in a row, you're going to have some blowouts, things like that, in the. In the midst of it. But there have been just absolute classic World Series games. Series. That gets seven.
- [14:35]
B
I will say this. The United States goalie, Give him a gold medal no matter what happens. Because I've never seen anyone defend a goal the way that he is right now. And Canada is getting so many shots, and yet the United States is withstanding this attack. 888, say, ESPN. 888. 729 3776. What is the greatest single elimination game in sports? Is that Sebulon in West Virginia? Is that how you say it? Is it Sebulon?
- [15:02]
D
Yeah, that's right.
- [15:03]
B
Wow, what a name. Where does Sibylline come from? Before you give me your take, where does Cebulon come from?
- [15:09]
D
I'm an alien.
- [15:11]
B
I don't. I don't know what that means.
- [15:13]
D
All right.
- [15:14]
B
Okay. What's your take? All right. Did we lose it? He was on a BlackBerry. I think he was calling us from outer space. Apparently he said it was an alien. Ron in Chicago, what is the greatest single elimination game?
- [15:30]
D
Well, I agree with the callers, Sean. I believe, hands down, baseball. We just witnessed it. Yeah, we just witnessed it. And baseball. Bill Mazeroski, one of the greatest calls in all of sport. Game 7 against the Yankees, 1967. Bob Gibson, 17 strikeouts. Hit a home run. Yeah, and to me, it's not even close to passing. Particularly you get with the greatest broadcasters, people that did baseball. So, yeah, for me, I don't even see what second. But yeah, that's it, guys. Baseball. And like I said, we just witnessed one of the greatest world Series ever.
- [16:24]
B
So appreciate that call.
- [16:25]
C
So I will. I will say yes for drama. Baseball is there, right there. Here's where I think hockey is a little bit different. When you. These teams hate each other, you see it on the ice, right? Like they're. They're like, they're. That aggression, that sort of attitude, that fight, I think, is what puts it over everything else. Like baseball. These guys can. Can hate each other all they want. But how often, like, how do you really demonstrate that on the diamond, right? Like, the pitcher may talk a little trash, may brush somebody off, but this. These dudes are banging and clanging out here, and it's really nasty if they. If they want to. And you can really see it in a way that you don't see in. And that just adds to the intensity and the tension of it. For me.
- [17:07]
B
Yeah, one mistake. He's David Dennis Jr. I'm my Macia. I've here on Matt Meyer and David Dennis Jr. Filling in for Matt Jones. One mistake in a game like this and it's over. I also think what adds to this for me, David Dennis Jr. Is hockey. Goalie at this level is the most difficult position to play in all the sports. I've argued with people about this and they've said quarterback. There's a whole group of people who are there to protect the quarterback and to put them in a favorable spot. These dudes are out there on an island many times having to somehow stop these shots that are being fired at 100 miles an hour. I don't think there's anything more difficult to than that. Greg in New Hampshire, what is the most important or maybe best single elimination game in sports?
- [17:49]
D
Any rivalry? Game 7 or like Canada. Canada, U.S. and hockey. That's a big rivalry. Yankees, Red Sox, Boston Celtics, L.A. lA Lakers. If it's a Game 7 or quintessential be all end all game. If it's a rivalry, it is that much better.
- [18:10]
B
Appreciate the call on that. I mean, I, I agree. I mean we have a lot of it. We have a lot of suspense in sports. I think that's a great take, David. Me watching this, I have a greater appreciation for hockey in single single elimination moments. High stick penalty for Canada. Now the United States on the power play. This could be the stretch that changes this game. It could be the stretch that seals a gold medal. I don't know that there's more drama than what I'm witnessing. I'm not going to lie to you. I don't know the ins and outs of hockey. I know the basics, I know the positions, I know the basic rules. But I'm not some expert on this, but I am locked in. David Dennis Jr. I am sitting here going, you know what? Do this, do that. I'm just, I'm passionate about this in ways that I didn't think I would be. As the United States tries to win its first gold medal in almost 50 years.
- [19:00]
C
I think that's part of it too. And I would put World cup sort of in this thing too, right?
- [19:03]
B
Yes.
- [19:04]
C
But I think that's part of it as well is the idea that if you sit somebody down who's never seen hockey, who's never seen soccer, who doesn't know anything about the players, doesn't know any like, you know, I sit somebody down, doesn't know anybody's name here, you're locked in. You're absolutely locked in on what you're watching because of the intensity and the drama.
- [19:25]
B
The World Cup, I think, is incredible. I mean, you get to a shootout in the World Cup. I buy soccer jerseys. Even though I don't know anything about soccer, I buy them to match shoes. Right?
- [19:35]
C
Okay.
- [19:36]
B
And I was in a store and I bought fresh.
- [19:37]
A
Yeah.
- [19:38]
B
I don't even know I bought this jersey. I didn't even know it was David Dennis Jr. And all of a sudden, this woman goes, oh, my goodness, Columbia. And she was so excited. She says, I'm Colombian, and that's our jersey. And she just loved the fact that I bought this jersey. I didn't even know what I was buying. But that passion that you get in the World cup for soccer, I don't think there's anything like that. We'll take one more call. JD And Alabama, what is the greatest single elimination game in all the sports?
- [20:06]
D
In my opinion, we're fixed to come up on it. It's the March Madness tournament. Every one of those games are single elimination. Everybody's putting it out there. Everybody's got it all hanging out. The emotions, the drama. You know, it comes down to the passion of the players, passion of coaches. The fans show up. It doesn't matter. You get fans that don't even like other teams that are pulling forward and those kind of tournaments and stuff. So to me, it's the NCAA tournament because every one of those games are single elimination.
- [20:36]
C
I mean, that's a good point.
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E
Over.
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C
As a collection of games, as a, like, overall month of sports, it's hard to beat March Madness. But the. One of the problems is so many games you might. You're going to get a lot of stinkers. In the middle of all that, you know, you'll get a lot of stinkers. And for the national championships, you don't always get that classic that you want. Right. Which is, I think, what kind of holds it down a little bit. The stress of that. That classic is kind of. Kind of not there in the way that it is, but, you know, as an overall experience. Yeah. March Madness is one of the things you can't. You can't beat.
- [21:09]
B
I always tell people it's the greatest three weeks in all the sports.
- [21:11]
D
Yeah.
- [21:12]
B
But you're right. As a whole, I don't think there's anything better than that. But you do have to kind of get to that moment. And when you have moments like this, a single elimination gold medal game between the United states and Canada 46 years ago to the day of the Miracle on Ice, let me say that again, 46 years ago to the day. 113 minutes 50 seconds. Canada and the United States are battling. Coming up, we'll head to college basketball and we're going to talk about everything that's unfolded in that sport. A wild day for college basketball. Everybody glued to the tv hoping that the United States wins this one here in the Winter Olympics. Matt and Myron, the podcast.
- [22:03]
A
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- [23:39]
B
This is Matt and Myron on ESPN Radio. The ESPN app Sirus XM channel 80. David Dennis Jr filling in for Matt Jones. We are presented by Progressive Insurance. You can ask your smart speaker to play ESPN radio. We're about to be joined by the great Tom Cream. But first, an update on the gold medal game between the United States and Canada. We are going to overtime 1 1. The action has been incredible. Is this what y' all do in hockey? Like, is this what you all deal with every night, because this emotion is a lot to. To deal with. Overtime 1 1.46 years ago to the day, Miracle on Ice. The United States beats Russia to move on to the gold medal game. This is a country that hasn't won the gold medal in 46 years, almost 50 years. That could change today. We are now joined by Tom Crean, ESPN college basketball analyst. Tom, I want to get to college basketball. I know you've been involved with USA Basketball. What. What is it like when you're coaching America versus the world? And how does that affect you, I guess, as a coach in those situations?
- [24:48]
D
Well, that's a great question. I did this about 20 years ago. I coached with Kelvin Sampson.
- [24:54]
B
I was there, Tom. I was there, Tom. I was there. I was there covering that trial. I was there at the tryout in New Jersey because I was working for ESPN the magazine as an intern in 04. So I was there.
- [25:08]
D
04. That's exactly right. Now, that. That was incredible. I mean, we had an incredible time. We were together for 19 days. And I think the way Kelvin did it, it was so good. He. It was. He planned things out, but he was also spontaneous when it came to how he ran practice changes that he would make in game planning. I mean, we just dove in, and I think as every day went on, we had guys, as you remember, like, Chris Paul was on that team. So many different guys. But bottom line, when you get closer to it and we were in Nova Scotia, it doesn't matter, you know, what country you're in when you're wearing the shirt or you're wearing the jersey. Every day amps up. And I don't know what it's like, you know, with USA Basketball and the Olympic competitions or things like that, but I know what. What guys like Dwyane Wade and Anthony Edwards have felt about it, and I think it's the same thing. It just hits you different as you go through it. No matter how committed you are to your craft, no matter how much fun you're trying to have, the more you wear that jersey every day, it hits you, the responsibility of it. And I just think this, like, going on my experience, the camaraderie of it was tremendous. We made relationships for life in there.
- [26:26]
C
Tom, we've been trying to figure something out this morning as we were discussing this hockey gold medal game and thinking about the great single elimination games where it ranks against things like Game seven in the NBA or Super Bowls, things like that. And from your expertise, where does, like, a March Madness rank In terms of all time, great single elimination type of games at all the sports.
- [26:51]
D
Oh, I think it's got to be probably as high as any thing in amateur sports for sure. I mean, game sevens in professional sports or the game and with the USA right now and the gold medal games, I think those are so international, you know. But when you're in March Madness, I think the buildup of it, I mean, I think that's, it's, it becomes a topic of conversation from mid January on, and by the time you get into February, it's really rolling. And to me, I just think you have to keep it. You cannot let the pressure, the expectations get in the way of the improvements that you have to make to get into those situations. And you try to put your team in every possible situation that you can, but there's no doubt about it, you can feel the level of the lights. I should say, as, you know, as a, it's just as an example here, the lights get brighter and everything feels tighter. You know, it doesn't matter what size arena you're in, it doesn't matter what size hotel you're in. Nothing feels big. You just feel like it's shrinking on you. And if that makes any sense. And I think when you have that, you can't let that get you off your game because you start to feel the pressure. It's like for the players with the interviews, when we went to the Final Four, every game it started to be almost double in size of the, of the media, you know, covered and being around the team. All of a sudden we're getting ready to go to the Final Four and every network is at the gym, all kinds of newspapers from all over the country. And then all of a sudden you get into the Final Four and it just dwarfs you. And I think that that's the kind of stuff that makes it so big. There's such an expectation level for it, and if you get in it, you're trying to do everything you can do for your team to get them to stay in the present mind. Not calm. You're never going to be calm, but you can't be anxious. And I think that's the hardest thing to get to, but it is, it is monumental and you feel it.
- [28:58]
B
He's Tom Crean, ESPN college basketball analyst David Dennis Jr. Filling in for Matt Jones. Here on Matt Myron. I'm Myron Metcalf. Cool thing happens sometimes on this show. David. Tom Cream was just on Sports center as he was talking to us. I don't know how you're in two places at once, Tom, but I think you're just that good, right, Duke? I did.
- [29:15]
D
I did two sports centers this morning, Myron.
- [29:17]
C
You know how it is.
- [29:18]
D
I did two of them. And then I'm getting ready to go over when we get done with this, and we'll have some college basketball shows as we start the noon games.
- [29:26]
B
Well, hey, just tell everybody a superhero because you were just in two places at once. Michigan battles Duke on the same day that the selection committee says these are the top two seeds in the NCAA Tournament. If it were to start today, Duke goes out and. And really handles Michigan with their physicality, Cam Boozer was great. What did we learn about Duke and what did we learn about Cameron Boozer in that win?
- [29:50]
D
Well, we learned that Duke can play a lot of different ways and they are unafraid. And I said this on SportsCenter. Unafraid and unapologetic, man, they just go at you. And I thought that was really impressive. There's two ways to beat Michigan. You've either got to be able to pull the bigs out where your bigs can shoot it, or you've got to get them into high pick and roll, which forces the bigs to either come up higher or they. You attack them in the drop coverage or you just go at their bodies. You know, because if you go in there and you think you're going to get a turnaround jumper off or you're going to shot fake somebody, it's not going to work, right. Like, you got to go at them. And Duke showed that they have that. I mean, they showed that Caleb Foster is a big moment guy. He's been answering the bell in all these games this year. The bigger the game, the better he plays. Isaiah Evans, Patrick Gamba. But the bottom line, Cam Boozer just continues to show his consistency, his versatility, his unselfishness, his intelligence, all the things that it takes to read a game. I think he's at 21 straight games right now where he has had at least 15 points and five rebounds. So that's unbelievable. 15 and five doesn't sound like a lot until you start realizing he's done at least that in 21 straight games as a freshman. So I think John Shire is a heck of a coach. They had a great game plan, and as is Dusty May. You know, both teams, Michigan was shooting 41% from three in the last three road games. And yesterday, it gets late into the game and you're looking at the stats and they're 4 of 20 from 3. They ended up going 6 of 25 and Duke didn't shoot it much better either. But Duke had a. Duke had a great game plan and I think the, the hidden part of that game was how much Jaxson Landenborg wasn't able to do in the second half. Having only five points, they limited his touches. I didn't think he was as aggressive or the team was as aggressive looking for him, but Duke did a great job. And when you watch how much better they're getting, there's no ceiling on them right now. I mean they are high level improvement.
- [31:53]
C
So with that said, what we saw with Kambuza, which was definitely a guy who seemed to control the game last night, does he look like the best guy in college basketball? Like who would you say that is if not him?
- [32:05]
D
Well, he's the most consistent and, and, and Jaxel Lenborg has been hitting that too. On the senior side of it. I'm not, I'm not sure yet on like what I would really truly consider a draft order because AJ DeBonsa is just doing so much and when Darren Peterson is locked in and healthy and doing the right things, he's an incredible score. AJ Devonsa just has so many different ways to beat you. But when you're talking about model of consistency day after day, controlling the game as a freshman from the power forward position and being able to pass and then the level, this is where he separates himself, level of unselfishness and ability to read the game, as soon as two are on the ball, he's getting rid of it, right? He's giving it up. And I just think that's so important now. The area he's got to get better at, one on one defense, he's got to get. He's got to be a guy that will really win some one on one fights, especially going into it, going into March Madness and things of that nature. That's the one area that he can truly get better at. But when you talk about a guy that can score, can use his body, has the footwork, has the three, has the off the dribble game, has the passing game and in it unselfishness, he's the most consistent guy.
- [33:17]
B
In my mind he's Tom Crane, ESPN college basketball analyst here on Matt Myron. Tom, we'll get you out of here with this. I want to make you an NBA GM with the number one pick. Darren Peterson, A.J. deBonta, Cameron Boozer, who are you picking first and why?
- [33:33]
D
That's a tough one. I think it was a little bit depend on where I was at. If I was picking number one and I had a team that was really right there ready to go and we were close, I would take Kambooser because of that consistency, because you can just plug him in and he's going to be a factor from day one. And I mixed up on Darren and AJ but this is what I what I think with AJ And I think you saw it last night, the way he guarded Milan Momcilovich and his AJ Debonsonnet. To me, coming into college, where we're at right now, he is still, he's one of the best defenders in college. When he's locked in, he's definitely the best defender in the freshman class because he's got incredible anticipation skills. He can read things. If I was developing a team and we were getting closer and I had some other veterans because you don't want AJ coming in and thinking he's got to take 25 shots a game. But if I was building my team and we weren't there yet, I'd take AJ if we were really close to winning, I'd take camp. And again, Peterson is still right there. There's no doubt in my mind because he's such an effortless scorer. But Peterson has struggled in these games where people get up and get after him. And I'm taking out the fact, you know, he's missing halves and things like that. Iowa State and yesterday with Cincinnati, they get into him the thing people get into AJ but he can rise up over you and make shots. So that's a two part answer to your question. It would depend on what kind of team I have as a GM that I see in the next couple of years.
- [35:09]
B
A great answer as always. Tom Crane, thank you so much for your time.
- [35:14]
D
Thanks to both of you. Thank you. Thank you, David. See you later, Myron.
- [35:17]
B
See you, coach. Coming up, we'll head to the NBA in an interesting back and forth between Shaq and Carl Anthony Towns last night after the Rockets lost to the Knicks. That's next on Matt Myron on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app. Matt Myron the podcast.
- [35:41]
A
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- [36:59]
G
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- [38:01]
B
Matt Myron on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, SiriusXM Channel 80. Ask your smart speaker to play ESPN Radio. David Dennis Jr. Mr. Everything at ESPN is what we call him. Podcast, TV, radio, digital. I mean you've been on documentaries. Is there anything you don't do at espn? David?
- [38:24]
C
Uh, we gonna find out. You know, right now we're doing, we're doing, right now I'm doing hockey coverage. So we got it, we got it all covered. So we got, we do a whole gold medal hockey game.
- [38:32]
B
We might see DAVID DENNIS jr. At the Stanley cup right at this point.
- [38:36]
C
Lock it in.
- [38:37]
B
What I love about moments like this, you have the United States vs. Canada 11 going into overtime for the gold medal. The United States hasn't won a gold medal in 46 years. We are 46 years to the day since the United States beat Russia in the Miracle on Ice, moved on to beat Finland in the gold medal game. I don't know everything and sometimes that's the best position to be in, David. Because my question was, well, what happens now? Yeah, I assumed it was a shootout. Right. Because that's what I love to see. Okay, they're going to do a shootout. They decide to go metal. That's not what happens right now. We are headed to. I believe this is the first time it's ever happened three on three for 20 minute periods with 18 minute breaks in between sudden death. So the three best Canadians, the three best American players for 20 minutes. First team to score wins if no one scores. 18 minute intermission and then we do it again. Can I tell you something, David? I love this idea. Like why are we doing this in other sports? If you told me in the NFL instead of overtime, all of a sudden we were playing seven on seven.
- [39:42]
C
Yeah.
- [39:43]
B
Or if in the NBA all of a sudden we had a one on one competition to decide who was going to win in the NBA playoffs. This is incredible. Like, I don't know what's going to happen. It sounds like the Canadians have an advantage. I think people thought Drake had an advantage too in the Kendrick beef. So let's slow down on that. I'm not going to give them that much credit. What's that weird leaf thing all about anyway? But this format is incredible. We're going to find out if the United States can win their first gold medal in almost 50 years.
- [40:08]
C
I'm with it. This is really. This is going to be fascinating. As you said, we haven't seen this. This is three on three, open ice. I mean, like just watching them just even line up right now, the camera angle, everything. This is. This is, as the kids say, this is cinema right now.
- [40:24]
B
Yes. Three on three to me is a little bit gimmicky. Kind of. We were talking in here. Kind of wish it was four on four because you get a little bit of the best of both worlds there. You know, more. More like hockey. It's closer to hockey. And then also there's more open ice. But this will be interesting. No, I want this. I mean, this feels like those video games you play where you just kind of create a game. Like on 2K you can play like 2 on 2, 3 on 3. This feels like that except there's a gold medal on the line. And listen, you score history on the Line. The United States is being so aggressive. I don't know how y' all do the emotions of this. Okay, there was a shot on goal. I thought it was going in. Canada blocked it because that's what the Canadians do. Apparently. The drama of this is not something I'm sure I can handle because this has been the most intense gold medal game I've ever watched. I'll be honest, it's probably the first gold medal game I've watched in hockey. I don't want to lie to the people, but the intensity of this is just remarkable. David, every shot feels epic. Now you got three on three. This format has just only built up the anticipation. We're going to keep you updated on what happens in this game. But last night, Carl Anthony Towns scores 25 points. Jalen Brunson gets 20 as the Knicks overcome an 18 point deficit in the fourth quarter. I'll go. I was watching and watching the third quarter, David. I'm like, all right, well, time to go to bed. And then all of a sudden, they launched this comeback. Everybody's happy, Ben still is cheering, and the Knicks come away with the victory. What did you take away from what the Knicks were able to do against the Rockets?
- [42:06]
C
So the takeaway is this, for me about this Knicks team is that there was so much doom and gloom about the way that they played against the Pistons. And I get it, they've been getting trounced by that Pistons team, right? And they don't look good against them. But if there's anything to hang my hat on, if I'm the Knicks, it is the fact that last year they looked just as bad against the good teams. They got smacked by the Thunder, they were getting smacked by Denver. They got smacked by the Celtics, especially. And then what happens come playoff time? They beat the Pistons, who also were beating them in the regular season, and they beat the Celtics in five, right? So if I'm the Knicks, you hang your hat on the fact that there are some times in the regular season where we do not look good, but when it's when our backs are against the wall, we will show up. And they did that against the Rockets. They showed that they have some of that championship grit against the Rockets. However, this is also about the Rockets and what they can't do. Oh, here we go.
- [42:59]
B
History on the line, right? I want to let y' all know something right now. If you're tuning in to this ESPN radio show, Matt Meyer. The United States just won the gold medal in hockey for the first time in almost 50 years. The United States got the gold, baby, over Canada. All that talk that they were talking, Drake and his boys, the weird red leaf. Canada's supposed to win. That's what everybody told me. They were favored. They had all the stars.
- [43:28]
C
Yeah.
- [43:29]
B
And then the United States said, hold on a minute. We got something for you. The United States just won the first gold medal in hockey in almost 50 years. 46 years to the day since the Miracle on Ice. 46 years to the day since the Miracle on Ice when the United States beat Russia. A team full of pros then went on to beat Finland to win the gold medal. The United States has the gold medal. I don't know how you could script this any better. This is gonna be a documentary. This is gonna be a film. This is gonna be something that we talk about 100 years from now. The United States just got the job done in overtime. 2, 1. United States wins gold. David, this is.
- [44:11]
C
This is incredible. Like when I'm watching Team USA celebrate, but also the sadness on Team Canada. This is what this is about. This is like high intensity sports. This is as important to them as Stanley cup championship. This is every like Kachuk. I think we played the audio for said that this was the biggest game of some of these dudes lives. And this is absolutely the biggest game of some of these dudes lives. Patriotism has run amok here on Mad Myron.
- [44:39]
B
And listen in the improbability of it.
- [44:41]
C
Right, right.
- [44:42]
B
You know, Canada has been the dominant force in hockey for years. What we are in basketball, internationally, that's what Canada has been in hockey. No one plays our dream teams and expects to win. They've been a few blips here and there. Yeah, but you expect to lose. And that's the same thing with Canada. They're that good. This is their sport. They do it better than anybody in the world. And they should. But for the United States, almost 50 years later, after the Miracle on Ice. And listen, the Miracle on Ice involved guys who were amateurs playing a Russian team full of professionals. Yeah. So the stakes are different. You got a bunch of great pros on this American team. But to go out and get the goal in overtime to go out and beat Canada 2 to 1, 46 years to the day since the Miracle on Ice. Again, this is going to be a movie. This is going to be a documentary. This is going to be the biggest news in sports because it wasn't supposed to happen. And I tell you what, what I love about the Olympics is you don't have to know these sports.
- [45:41]
C
Yeah.
- [45:42]
B
You don't have to be a fan of these sports, but I think everybody's watching this and going, wow, all of that build up and the US Gets the job done. And you just see the emotions you talked about. David Canada is crying.
- [45:54]
C
Yeah.
- [45:54]
B
I mean, these dudes are heartbroken over this. And you see the celebration on the other side. I think the Olympics are the only setting where you can get this kind of drama, this kind of emotion. We were glued to the tv waiting for what was gonna happen. The US Scores game over. Throwing hockey sticks all over the place. I hope nobody got hit. People celebrating in the stands and this is something that no one has experienced in this country in 46 years to the day. The Miracle on Ice. Wow. That's fun. And that's sports. We'll get back to Rockets next. And that's next. Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the Podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app, and on Sirius XM Channel. Matt and Myron the Podcast
- [46:53]
A
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