Hour 2: Aaron Rodgers Is The Worst

Summary

Podcast Summary: Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron – Hour 2: Aaron Rodgers Is The Worst

Release Date: April 20, 2025

Welcome to a comprehensive summary of Hour 2: Aaron Rodgers Is The Worst from the ESPN Radio podcast Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron, hosted by Matt Jones and Myron Medcalf. In this engaging episode, Matt and Myron delve deep into various sports topics, culminating in a heated discussion about NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The conversation is rich with insights, debates, and memorable quotes, providing listeners with a thorough analysis of current sports happenings.

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1. NFL Draft and Shador Sanders: A Critical Examination

Timestamp: [04:00] - [09:52]

The episode begins with Matt and Myron discussing the upcoming NFL Draft, expressing their views on its subdued hype compared to previous years. They highlight the absence of elite quarterbacks and debate the prospects of players like Cam Ward and Shador Sanders.

• Myron Medcalf criticizes the hype surrounding Shador Sanders, emphasizing that without his famous last name, Sanders would likely be a second or third-round pick.
  "[...] if you strip away the name, if you just evaluate him for what he is, that's probably a second or third round pick in most drafts." ([07:10])

• Matt Jones counters by comparing Sanders to Lamar Jackson, arguing that Sanders lacks Jackson's exceptional talent, which undermines the argument that his name alone warrants high draft consideration.
  "Shador was none of those things. And yet people are acting like we're somehow crazy for acknowledging that this dude may not be what everybody thinks." ([09:19])

The hosts agree that while supporting black quarterbacks is important, there should be an objective evaluation of talent without bias from a player's legacy.

2. Comparing Shador Sanders and Lamar Jackson

Timestamp: [09:05] - [14:14]

Matt and Myron draw parallels between Sanders and Lamar Jackson, highlighting how Jackson overcame skepticism due to his Heisman Trophy performance and subsequent improvements, whereas Sanders hasn't demonstrated the same level of growth or exceptionalism.

• Matt Jones praises Lamar Jackson's performance and growth, questioning how Sanders is receiving similar support.
  "I feel like Rich Eisen, and I'm not blasting him, but he's sitting there saying all this stuff used people used to say about Dion in 1989, all of which was fair. But his son is not Dion. He's not as good." ([09:52])

• Myron Medcalf expresses frustration that Rodgers isn't afforded the same support or legacy preservation as Lamar, emphasizing the disparity in how talent is perceived and supported based on legacy.
  "I think that criticism is fair. I just think we've been talking about the Western Conference as if they're a secondary character in all this." ([35:46])

3. NBA Playoffs and Oklahoma City Thunder's Dominance

Timestamp: [13:25] - [35:46]

Shifting focus to the NBA, Matt and Myron analyze the Oklahoma City Thunder's exceptional season, discussing their 68-win record and potential for a championship.

• Myron Medcalf commends the Thunder's depth and strategic gameplay, questioning the general lack of national recognition despite their dominance.
  "They're an unforgettable experience that's waiting just for you. Visit traveltexas.com and plan your trip today. Let's Texas." ([35:22]) (Note: This appears to be an ad insertion. The actual discussion around the Thunder is summarized above.)

• Mark Kestinger, a guest and ESPN Radio play-by-play host, provides insights into the Thunder's potential in the playoffs, emphasizing their calm demeanor and depth as key factors for success.
  "This is going to be the time that most of America even discovers the casual NBA fan much about the Thunder." ([30:57])

The conversation underscores the Thunder's readiness for postseason challenges and debates their lack of widespread recognition.

4. Individual Sports Highlight: Rory McIlroy's Masters Victory

Timestamp: [20:35] - [23:18]

Matt and Myron celebrate Rory McIlroy's emotional win at the Masters, highlighting the significance of individual sports moments.

• Myron Medcalf appreciates the visible transformation in Ray and the emotional weight lifted by McIlroy's victory.
  "You could just see it just change his whole demeanor." ([21:24])

• The hosts discuss the class and prestige associated with winning the Masters, noting its impact on a player's legacy.

5. NHL Milestones and Player Personalities

Timestamp: [17:15] - [20:28]

The hosts touch upon Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal record, admiring Ovechkin's authenticity, particularly his decision to embrace his natural gray hair.

• Matt Jones praises Ovechkin's no-fuss approach to aging, contrasting it with other athletes who alter their appearance.
  "He's the last athlete in our lifetime that we will see play that is fully gray headed." ([17:26])

• Myron Medcalf comments on the prevalence of hair alterations among older athletes, highlighting Ovechkin's unique authenticity.
  "It's all fake." ([18:24])

6. Aaron Rodgers: The Controversial Figure

Timestamp: [38:50] - [46:18]

The episode culminates in a deep dive into Aaron Rodgers' recent fallout with the New York Jets and his diminishing relevance in the NFL.

• Matt Jones expresses strong disdain for Rodgers, criticizing his handling of media interactions and his perceived lack of value to NFL teams.
  "He is a person who I would not want at my party. And it sounds like the jets didn't want him at their party either." ([39:25])

• Myron Medcalf elaborates on Rodgers' decline in relevance, attributing it to his diminished on-field performance and off-field behavior.
  "Irrelevance is probably the biggest nightmare for Aaron Rodgers." ([41:57])

Rodgers' recent interview on the Pat McAfee show, where he voiced displeasure over his abrupt release from the Jets, serves as the focal point of their critique. They argue that Rodgers' inability to align with team cultures and his declining performance have rendered him a liability rather than an asset.

• Matt Jones highlights Rodgers' unrealistic expectations and lack of humility, suggesting that his demeanor alienates potential teams.
  "He has to be the center of attention. [...] That's just what they called him by. You know what, that's like when you watch a presidential debate." ([36:22])

• Myron Medcalf underscores the mismatch between Rodgers' personality and the structured culture of organizations like the Pittsburgh Steelers, asserting that Rodgers is no longer a viable option for top-tier teams.
  "He's not worth the trouble." ([44:40])

The discussion concludes with Matt and Myron firmly stating that Aaron Rodgers has lost his standing in the NFL due to his actions and diminishing contributions, deeming him one of the worst quarterbacks in the league.

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Notable Quotes:

• Myron Medcalf: "Irrelevance is probably the biggest nightmare for Aaron Rodgers." ([41:57])
• Matt Jones: "He is a person who I would not want at my party." ([39:25])
• Mark Kestinger: "This is going to be the time that most of America even discovers the casual NBA fan much about the Thunder." ([30:57])

---

Conclusion

In Hour 2: Aaron Rodgers Is The Worst, Matt and Myron navigate through various sports topics, ultimately delivering a scathing critique of Aaron Rodgers' current standing in professional football. Through insightful analysis and candid opinions, the hosts provide listeners with a clear perspective on Rodgers' diminishing legacy and the broader implications for his career. This episode is a must-listen for fans seeking unfiltered commentary on current sports narratives.

Transcript

[Advertiser]

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[Myron]

This is Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[Matt]

It is Sunday morning here. Matt Myron, ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance. We got the Sunday night baseball tonight Padres at the Astros. Coverage begins at 6 Eastern. All you Padres been good this year. It's probably the first time most of you will have seen them play, but you can tonight at 6 Eastern or listen here on ESPN radio. Remember, the Grizzlies and the Thunder will follow us. The name of the song minor in the is Seven Nation army by the White Stripes. You've heard of that, I'm sure.

[Myron]

7 I've heard the song.

[Matt]

You didn't know the name was Seven Nation Army?

[Myron]

No.

[Matt]

Yeah, most people probably there more lyrics.

[Myron]

To it than that.

[Matt]

Like not, I don't know. Yeah, they, they have some lyrics. He screams him, he's like dash the fight. I don't know. I actually, I don't know what the lyrics are. I just said they're just wait. I don't know what I thought that was. One person writes Matt, I've been to a professional darts event in Liverpool, England. It is next to a Penn State football game. The wildest atmosphere I've seen in sports. People in America cannot comprehend how excited people get in England for, for darts. How about that, Byron?

[Myron]

Do you all have to take like a blood oath or something when y'all go to these events? Because this is extreme. It feels like, I mean, I get loving something, but this is, this is, this is intense, man.

[Matt]

It's about darts. I love it. I'm considering going when they're in New York in June. That's how good it is now. The NFL draft is next week and I don't know about you, Myron, I feel like maybe part of it was because I was out of the country. I haven't felt America as interested in this NFL draft as maybe in years past. I think part of it is you don't have a ton of massive personalities at the top. Cam Ward's going to go number one. But I mean, I don't feel like a lot of America knows a Ton about him. I mean, most of the discussion is about Shador Sanders. But before we get into Shador, do you agree that this is kind of the less hype filled draft in a while? Do you agree with that?

[Myron]

Yeah. And I think it's easy to know why is that you don't have a group of like elite quarterbacks. You know, I mean the, the NFL draft is usually about, you know, when you have top names that people are interested in and you just don't have that. I also think Cam Ward, good player, should, you're a good player, but they're probably not top 15 guys in A, in a good draft and maybe not even first round picks in a great draft. So I think that element also. I know people going to the draft, Matt, and there are a whole lot of people who are wondering about going to Green Bay in, in late April where it's going to drop down to the 40s. So I am interested to see too about the atmosphere once people realize what it's going to feel like this time of year in Green Bay.

[Matt]

Yeah, the. I saw they expected like a ton of people to be there for like selling houses and stuff and it just hasn't materialized. So I do wonder, I mean, I think a lot of packers fans will go, but I do wonder, like on day three, you know, a lot of these other drafts have been in major cities where they could kind of, you could roam around. That really isn't the case.

[Myron]

No Roman in Green Bay.

[Matt]

So I don't know what that's going to be like. But let's talk about Shador Sanders. You were, well, while I was gone, you got upset, you know, one of your mini soapboxes, you were upset about the jersey retirement. Are you still upset?

[Myron]

Yeah, I thought that was ridiculous, you know, and I know Deion has said if his name wasn't Sanders, people wouldn't care. I mean, his name is Sanders, which is why obviously he's being having his jersey retired. I just, to me at a school where Cordell Stewart's jersey isn't retired, that's my biggest thing. Like you have greats who have done more than Shador ever did. How can you retire that jersey? I just think the way that people are trying to force us to believe that Shadora Sanders is an elite quarterback prospect is really laughable to me. Because if you strip away the name, if you just evaluate him for what he is, that's probably a second or third round pick in most drafts. And in this particular draft.

[Matt]

Well, yeah, we'd be interested to See, if his name was Shador Smith, what would it be? I don't like. Deion tries to have it both ways in the same way that LeBron did with Bronnie, which is he gets the benefit of his last name being Sanders. That's why there was so much hype around him. That's why everyone knows who he is. That's probably why he's going to be a first round pick. But then Deion loves the hype of his name being Sanders and then doesn't want the negative effects of his name being Sanders. You can't have it both ways. If you're going to hype your son as the next coming and he's going to be hyped because he's your son, then you're going to have to face the backlash of being your son. And the other thing is I, I understand why stock is slipping because he was really good, but he's not an exceptional talent. He's very good, but he's not an exceptional talent. So his stock should drop. I mean, Rich Eisen, who. I love Rich Eisen, but let me, I want to play Rich Eisen's take to then counter it. Rich Eisen doesn't understand why his stock is dropping. And here's what he said.

[Myron]

I don't get it, to be honest with you. I don't understand it. The, the usual things said about a Sanders is being said about Chador. As you know, I've known Dion for two decades and what Dion is doing in Colorado is obviously terrific. We're, you know, waiting to see what happens next there. That's, that's for another day. But everybody always thinks Dion is more about the flash than about what's most important, which is winning, which is being a professional. And that couldn't be far further from the truth. And I think the same thing is being applied to Shador. Oh, he was, he wasn't paying attention in certain meetings because teams might not draft him or oh, this, that. And the other thing about his lack of championships in Colorado, it was a one win team that he was quarterbacking when he first arrived with Deion. So I think that's what's happening right now.

[Matt]

Now that's 50 seconds, 35 of which were about Dion. Right. So Dion was an unbelievably spec. Unbelievable specimen of an athlete who when he was on the field was clearly the best player. Shador Myron is not. So like a lot of the grace given to Dion is being given to a son who's not as good as him. That's just a fact.

[Myron]

And it's okay to say that. You know what I mean? I guess what bothers me is people acting like Shadur is this undeniable talent. We don't have these conversations about great quarterbacks days before the draft. Like, you may debate, okay, is Josh Allen ahead of whoever's behind him. But for the most part, if there is a great prospect, everyone goes. It's just a matter of where they might end up getting picked. This rarely happens, but it's happening, Shador, because the talent isn't overwhelming. Now, you know, I'm obviously a huge proponent of the black quarterbacks, and I think sometimes in these moments they get kind of placed in a box. That's not what's happening with Shadour. He just hasn't been good enough to make everyone say that guy can be a franchise quarterback. And I think that's the conversation, not whether or not he is being judged or criticized because his last name is Sanders. If anything, that's helped him get in this position in the first place.

[Matt]

A lot of the stuff Rich Eisen, some of those people are saying was correct about a guy. It was just a few years ago and his name was Lamar Jackson. Right. Lamar Jackson had done all of these things at Louisville and people didn't want to believe it because they were like, oh, that won't translate that. That's not what Chador is. He is not Myron an amazing athlete. He's a good athlete, but he's not a blow you away athlete like his dad was. He actually a lot of his successes. He plays very intelligently, but his measurables Marin are not off the charts like his dads were, like Lamar's were. So I feel like Rich Eisen, and I'm not blasting him, but he's sitting there saying all this stuff used people used to say about Dion in 1989, all of which was fair. But his son is not Dion. He's not as good. And why can't we just say that? Why do we have to with Bronnie and with Shador, like, act like we have to treat them differently than we would any other prospect because their dads were really good.

[Myron]

No, it shouldn't be that way. And you know what? You. You hit something that made me realize why I'm, I think, emotionally charged over this. It bothers me that we didn't stand up for Lamar the way that people are standing up for Shadow. Lamar Jackson won a Heisman Trophy, came back and got better. That's what people forget. I Don't think people realize he won the Heisman, was better the following year in a lot of categories, and yet was still facing this idea of he can't play in this league. And now you have some of the same people who are not advocating for Lamar who are like, oh, Shadur has to be a top five pick. Well, why? He's not that prospect. He's not this can't miss talent. And it's okay to say that. It's okay to say that he could be a good quarterback in this league, but no one is convinced he can be great. And that's why we're having this conversation now.

[Matt]

When Lamar came into the league, I've been going to Kentucky football games for 35 years and I've watched watched every great talent in the SEC come in and whip our tail for 35 years. Myers. And without question, Lamar Jackson was the best player I ever saw player ever. He was just a different level. And so when he was coming into the league and I was listening to and I'm not going to call these people out, but a lot of these people are big time NFL draft experts say what he did isn't going to work. I wanted to say, did you all not watch that guy? I hate Louisville, but he was unbelievable. Shador was none of those things. And yet people are acting like we're somehow crazy for acknowledging that this dude may not be what everybody thinks.

[Myron]

So yeah, I wish simplicity of it.

[Matt]

He seems like a great kid. I think Dion is smart. Dion's done an amazing job. But if I was a team, I understand not wanting to pick Shador in the top 10. Now into the first round, second round, that's a different situation. We're going to do some headlines coming up. Matt Myron here on Sunday morning on ESPN Radio.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron, the podcast.

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[Matt]

It is Sunday morning here on ESPN Radio. Matt. Myron, I was gone for three weeks. A lot of stuff happened during those three weeks, Myron. So I thought maybe we'd go back, let you and I, for the first time together, talk about some of the big moments during my trip to the Netherlands. You good with that?

[Myron]

Let's do it.

[Matt]

Let's do it. Try not to act so excited with Sunday.

[Myron]

No, we're like going over month old stories. Yeah, let's do it.

[Matt]

Yeah, I guess it's dead. Sunday headlines. Extra, extra. Read all about it.

[Myron]

Read all about it. The Sunday headlines.

[Matt]

Remember, you're the guy who doesn't want results spoiled for you.

[Myron]

This could be new news. These could all be like, what did I miss in Christmas week? You know, I'm like, okay, all right, who's next?

[Matt]

They're first. All right. Yeah.

[Myron]

Since you fled the country after Kentucky lost in the Sweet sixteen, probably in search of sunshine and rainbows, you didn't get to talk about the final four or Florida winning the national championship in the men's or UConn winning the national championship in the women's.

[Advertiser]

So that's where we'll start.

[Matt]

Yeah. So first of all, Florida, if you start in like January, Myron, they were the best team. So I'm not shocked that they won. I thought they were Great. Walter Clayton Jr. You think Walter Clayton Jr. By the way, is a. I know he's older, but in terms of talent, is he a lottery pick? Talent? They might not go there because of his age, but would you think he is in the NBA?

[Myron]

I don't know about lottery, but first round, I mean, I think, you know, outside of the top seven or eight, he's right there. I think when anybody.

[Matt]

I think, I think he's really good now. Duke, however, lost. Did John Shire produce the worst coaching job in history there at the end to blow that game?

[Myron]

It was not a great finish at all.

[Matt]

That's all you got for me. You're the college basketball analyst for what? That's all you got. It was not a great finish for me.

[Myron]

Come on, you said is John Shire. Did he just do the worst coaching job we've ever seen?

[Matt]

Yes, I think to blow it with that Duke team, they're going to have three top 12 picks. They are up big. They score one basket in the last 10 minutes of the game. Again, I know he's a young coach, I think he's going to be a great. But that to me is one of the worst performances by a coach down the stretch of a game that I have ever seen.

[Myron]

One of the great collapses and John shy took responsibility for that. I mean, but I give Houston more credit for just the way that they play to stay in the game in that situation. I think with three minutes to play they're down nine like that to me. Was Houston really believing that they still had a shot when no one else did?

[Matt]

Are you at all worried about the fact Cooper Flag had four games this year where he could have won a game at the end with the ball in his hands and he was over four at those Kansas, Kentucky, Clemson and Houston. Does that bother you at all?

[Myron]

Not at all. I think he was 17 for like three of them. You imagine going and playing Kentucky and Atlanta in the Champions classic as a 17 year old who's supposed to be starting your senior year of high school and then you get the ball in the last seconds and everyone knows it's going to you. I mean that's a hard situation for anybody to be put in. So I don't worry about that at all.

[Matt]

You don't worry about it at all. He's still going to be great. I mean he was excellent in that game until that last shot. But I Shire Duke fans are going to look at this year the way we Kentucky fans look at that 2015 season and go, how did we lose that? I feel like this is going to be that one for Duke, Myron, don't you? It could be.

[Myron]

No, certainly. I mean, this was. There's no guarantee they're getting this shot again in the years ahead because Cooper was just that good.

[Matt]

Yeah, they sometimes just have a team that's special and you go, this was the year we should have won. I think that's going to be like that with Duke. All right, what's next?

[Myron]

Alex Ovechkin broke Wayne Gretzky's NHL record.

[Matt]

For most career goals on April 6.

[Advertiser]

Reaching 895 against the Islanders.

[Myron]

He currently sits at 897.

[Matt]

I thought that was cool when it happened. Here's what struck me the most, Byron. How Ovechen's got to be the last athlete in our lifetime that we will see play that is fully gray headed. Right? Like, that's the kind of thing you would see many years ago. He doesn't even try. He's not LeBron going and getting hair transplants. He's not Carlos Boozer using, like, spray tan on his head. He's just like, I'm gonna be gray and old and still play. I respect that about the dude. In addition to him breaking the scoring record.

[Myron]

Yeah, that's different. I mean, because most guys definitely are coloring their hair or shaving it off, but he's just all in on the full.

[Matt]

What percentage you think of NBA and NFL, Like, NBA players that are older, what percentage you think dye their hair? You think. You think there's a lot of them trying to keep the gray.

[Myron]

All the older black players are. I guarantee it. Like, all the. All the Black players over 33 who have, like, a receding hairline or who have, like, some patches, all are. It's all fake.

[Matt]

So who's doing LeBron? LeBron's dying.

[Myron]

LeBron is. LeBron is doing it. He just has a lot of money, so you don't always know, but it's Kevin Durant. A lot of these dudes, it's paint.

[Matt]

Kevin Durant does it. Right?

[Myron]

It's all of them.

[Matt]

No, no, I need names. Kevin Durant. Durant.

[Myron]

I bet it's doing it 100%. I bet Steph is doing now. Maybe not Steph, but, like, Steph is about to. It's leaving Steph. I mean, you look little by little like he's losing that battle.

[Matt]

James Harden, you know, he's got to dye that beard. Like, there's no way. There's not good I mean, the gray comes in the beard before it comes in your hair.

[Myron]

Guys are doing weave beards. They're doing fake beards.

[Matt]

What's a.

[Myron]

Guys are weird. That's a thing, man. I'm insulting part. Doing fake beards.

[Matt]

What do you. Wait, what do you mean we've beard. You mean there are people who are adding. Doing fullness beard?

[Myron]

Mm, yeah.

[Matt]

Really?

[Myron]

People are doing. People are doing. I mean, I would. I can't grow a beard, so I actually would. I would.

[Matt]

How do you even do that? How does that work, man?

[Myron]

If you Google weave beards, people are. And it looks. It looks. It looks like what Steel has. There are black dudes. I don't know what's happening in the white community, but, like, there are brothers who are doing weave beards, and it's like a whole.

[Matt]

Perkins has a weave beard.

[Myron]

I don't. I wouldn't do that to K. I wouldn't do that to Perk. But there are certainly people who are doing. You know, they're called, like, beard weave. It's a. It's a. It's a whole thing.

[Matt]

Huh?

[Myron]

Guys getting fake beard.

[Matt]

You just taught me something. Somebody. You're not going. He won't say it about Kendrick, but he's. He'll say it about some people. What's next? Just real quick, have you seen, like.

[Myron]

Have you seen his, like, diet on game days, too? Ovechkin. He, like, eats a Subway sub, has.

[Matt]

A bag of hot Cheetos. He's drinking Coke. He's drinking Coke out of his.

[Myron]

Out of his water bottle on the. On the bench.

[Matt]

Yeah, that's. He's.

[Myron]

Fact.

[Matt]

He's got gray hair, a Subway sub, Cheetos and a Coke, and he's. That's my kind of guy. All right.

[Myron]

Royal ma Roy. Rory McElroy.

[Matt]

Easy for me to say that again. What was his name? Rory.

[Advertiser]

Roar.

[Myron]

Oh, no.

[Matt]

One more time. That third time's a charm.

[Myron]

Rolling McGolden. What'd you say?

[Matt]

Rory McElroy. Okay.

[Myron]

Finally won the Masters last weekend.

[Matt]

Yeah. That was very emotional. I stayed up really late at night. Yeah. To watch it. And I have to say, top three for me. Myron of people. I don't know. But I was happy for in sports, in my life, was watching Rory right there, like, him walking off the course for those seven minutes. And, like, it was just. That was you.

[Myron]

That's.

[Matt]

What's the beauty about individual sports. We don't get that a lot. Like tennis and golf, though, give you these individual moments, and I thought that was one of the better emotional moments I can remember in sports in a long time.

[Myron]

No, it was cool to see him. You know, the weight lifted. You could just see it just change his whole demeanor. I love the Bryson DeChambeau stuff. Or like, he wouldn't talk to him as part of, like, you like that. I guess the sports psychologist said that.

[Matt]

Was a part of him. He said he did. Don't talk to him at all the whole time. Interesting, isn't it?

[Myron]

Not even in the clubhouse. Like, just did not say a word to him. So, like, the fact that we may get that rivalry is pretty cool, obviously, going forward. But it also reminded me that the Masters, outside of a few other events, and I don't know if any are close, you win that and you're legendary. And I think it just has a certain class and there's a certain perception of what it is in sports that when you get that, you really don't have to do anything else in your career. For him to complete the grand Slam, you can tell that he just has a different vibe now.

[Matt]

Is that. Is it rude? Is it rude to not talk to him the whole time? Like, do you like every other. In every other circumstance of life that would be considered antisocial, obnoxious behavior? Is it rude on the golf course?

[Myron]

It's not rude if it's Bryson dechimbo. I think. I think that to me is like, where we all agree that, like, if it's Bryson, you can.

[Matt]

He's not as bad now. Like, he's kind of become lovable people. Like, like the YouTube show, like you, you, you know, he's a different now, isn't he?

[Myron]

He's changed his vibe. But here's the thing. It probably. Of all the people on tour, it most likely bothered Bryson DeChambeau more than anyone else that someone wouldn't talk to him. So, I mean, I think it was genius by Roy.

[Matt]

Yeah, you're probably right about that. If you're trying to get into a guy's head because. Because Bryson was. He birdied that first hole, but then was bad from then on.

[Myron]

That was it.

[Matt]

Yeah, Maybe so. Rory McElroy into your head. Sunday mornings presented by Progressive Insurance. Protect your auto, home and business [e-mail] we'll get back to the NBA next here on Sunday morning.

[Myron]

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[Matt]

Regular season will come to a close, a historical season for the Thunder as they will get their 68th win of the season. If you go into the playoffs and punctuate this with a championship, we're going to say, is this one of the great all time teams? It is Sunday morning here, Matt Myron on ESPN Radio and we've been talking playoffs. So let's bring the guy on who knows more about it than anybody. Mark Kestinger. He's ESPN's radio play by play host tonight. He actually this afternoon calling the Grizzlies at the Thunder. He is in beautiful Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, where they say dreams are made. Mark, I hear you and pj, you went and ate some Italian in Oklahoma City. That sounds like that. That's basically where they invented Italian food. Right?

[Mark Kestinger]

Of course. You know, if you read the history books, Come on. Hey, PJ knows the great Italian spots in every town, every hamlet in America, maybe even internationally as well. And so we were at Michael's last night. It was awesome. We had a great meal. We're not used to, you know, PJ's lifestyle is more, you know, get up around 10 and you know, burn the midnight oil. We got a high noon tip off your central capital, Casey. So we're looking forward to it.

[Matt]

That's me too. I'm with pj. All right, so now we got two games here on, on a, on ABC and then on ESPN radio here that it's hard for me to get excited about. I'm a company man. But at the same time sitting there and thinking about Memphis and Oklahoma City, how does Memphis have any chance of even making this competitive? Mark, make the case that this could be a series that at least goes six.

[Mark Kestinger]

Well, that's, that's our job, right? To sell this series right at the top of the broadcast coming up. Look, all the metrics point the other way for obvious reasons. You know, just what a great season that Oklahoma City has had, both sides of the ball. They dominated Memphis in the four times they played. I don't think any of the four games were decided in single digits. But if I'm to sell the series, I don't know if I could sell six. But if I could sell a competitive series, it's. Look, the Grizzlies, outside of Jalen Wells getting injured and being done for the season, have been as healthy as they've been. John Morant, let's hope that ankle holds up from what really amounts to not even 48 hours. Like 36 hours since we ended the game in Memphis the other night. If he can look as springy as he did the other night. And Jaren Jackson Jr. Was terrific. Desmond Baines been shooting the COVID off the basketball. Maybe they catch Oklahoma City, who, you know, hasn't played all week and their stars really haven't played in the last 10 to 14 days because they've been resting them, you know, the last two or three games of the regular season. And as we mentioned, high noon. We know how much NBA players love that 12 o'clock start time or 1 o'clock on the East Coast. It's usually a little bit of a slog early. Maybe Memphis catches them a little bit by surprise today and can pull off the shocker of the NBA postseason on Day 2. But Memphis has a huge hill to climb. I'm just fascinated to see if Oklahoma City can transition what they just did for the last six months, which was extraordinary. Only seven teams have won 68 or more games and translate that to a playoff in a very tough Western Conference.

[Myron]

I think that's the question. Kissed you, right? I mean, it's fascinating to me. Oklahoma City won the west by 16 games, and yet we've heard a lot of conversation about the Lakers before last night. Of course. Denver, do they get their mojo back? The Clippers playing strong down the stretch, and even Golden State after the Jimmy Butler trademark. It seems like despite what they've done, a lot of people still feel like, yeah, young team's not going to get it done. How have they handled that, being the number one team in the NBA right now, and yet people still wonder if they're too young to finish the job.

[Mark Kestinger]

Yeah, to me that's like the last step. You know, they're the. They were the youngest roster at the start of the season. They're the youngest roster ever to win 65 or more games. They got knocked out in round two last year. Luca and Dallas got hot and disappointed. Oklahoma City season early. And to me, that's always the Knox teams take. I think Detroit's going through that right now. We'll see if Houston's going to go through that later tonight. Is. It almost feels like a rite of passage in the NBA with these good young teams to run up against some adversity and then blow through that barrier. And it feels like if there's any year for Oklahoma City to do it, it would be this year. You know, what fascinates me about them is they had both of their bigs. You know, first Isaiah Hartenstein and then Chet Holmgren both go out with injuries and Oklahoma City just morphs. You know, they'll go small ball with the tallest guy was six six Jalen Williams playing center. And they would dominate. And they're deep. Shay Gilgeous Alexander is an incredibly tough cover. It's hard to keep him off the free throw line. This is just a precision team that seemingly plays without pressure. So to me, that's the big thing is, you know, when they're getting those close games, which they haven't had a ton of this year, when they might lose the first game of a series or get behind in a series, how do they react? Because right now, all season long, they've reacted with such calm. They're having so much fun, it almost feels like they don't see any pressure at all. So to me, that's the fascinating thing about what might happen over the next two months for okc.

[Matt]

Talking to Mark Kassinger, calling the Thunder Grizzlies game here on ESPN Radio. All right, Mark, I'm going to say something that true NBA fans would then look at me and go, okay, casual. And then they would mock it. But. But I know this is true. Whether they want to say it or not, there's still a lot of America that doesn't know much about Oklahoma City, right? Like, they know that Shea Gilgis Alexander is good. They've probably heard of Chet Holmgren, but they couldn't pick my man Case and Wallace out of a lineup. They hear Jalen Williams, he could walk down the street in New York, and I don't think there's one person that would stop him and say, hey, you're Jalen Williams, except for the fact that he was 611. This is going to be the time that most of America even discovers the casual NBA fan much about the Thunder. Do you agree with that sentiment? And then are they so good that whether America knows them or not now, they'll know them in six or eight weeks when they're playing in the Finals.

[Mark Kestinger]

No, it's a great point. I mean, Jalen Williams, they wouldn't even know which Jalen Williams. There's two of them.

[Matt]

Yeah, that's exactly right.

[Mark Kestinger]

Which one? I mean, no one. I mean, Lou Dort's been playing here in Oklahoma City for the last six years as one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Alex Caruso came here from Chicago on a contract. Outstanding defensive player. You mentioned case in Wallace. You know, guy can shoot threes and defend. Isaiah Joe, another guy, got two first names that nobody has any. I mean, they're so deep. Isaiah Hartenstein might have been the best acquisition they had in the off season. You probably recognize him because he's 7ft tall and played for the Knicks last year. But your point's well taken. And I, in a sneaky way, maybe not, because I'm wondering, like, why is this game tipping at noon on the, you know, maybe go Boston first and then put Oklahoma City, you know, in the 3:30, which would be 230 here. I think, you know, this is the opportunity to put Oklahoma City on the big stage on a Sunday national ABC television, national ESPN Radio. And you're right, introduce them to the casual fan or even to the medium NBA fan who stop watching early this season because they've just been so dominant and really, you know, doesn't recognize, you know, not only the individual talent and the offensive prowess, but just how good these guys are defensively. I mean, it's. It's amazing. So I think you're right, and I think if they have the run that many expect them to have, and it won't be easy, you know, right now, Round two is either Denver or the Clippers. And many people felt the Clippers were the best of the next group in the west, even though Denver took Game one. And Denver's got a championship pedigree from a couple of years ago and then may have to get through the likes of Minnesota or Golden State or Houston or the Lakers. So I think by that point, you know, if. If you're watching NBA on a nightly basis, it's kind of fun, you know, to discover, you know, a team that has already been discovered, but maybe you haven't, you know, watched it close enough. And I think you're right. Today is the jumping off point for Oklahoma City to show what they've done and what they might be able to do this year.

[Matt]

I get annoyed at how many Matt Joneses there are. I can't imagine having another Jalen Williams on my team. That would really frustrate me. Mark Kessinger, ESPN Radio, on the call tonight for Grizzlies and Thunder. Thank you very much for your time, Matt.

[Mark Kestinger]

Myron, always great to be on with you.

[Matt]

Appreciate it. Thank you, Mark.

[Mark Kestinger]

Thank God.

[Matt]

That would be annoying. There's too many Matt Joneses. It drives me craz.

[Mark Kestinger]

Oh, man, I would love to have that anonymity. But you know what, you've. You've turned it into great success. So you guys have a great show, guys.

[Matt]

Enjoy the game. Appreciate it.

[Mark Kestinger]

All right, talk to you down the line.

[Matt]

You know, Mark is a, is a great dude and he's having to call this series and I give him a lot of credit for putting a happy face on it. But is there any way Meyer in these games will be close between the Thunder and the Grizzlies?

[Myron]

I mean, I think the Grizzlies can be competitive for a game, maybe. I mean, I think people are going to be watching to see how John Morant plays. You know, can he be at a superstar level? But okay, see, won the Western Conference by 16 games, man. And I, we can talk about all these other teams in the NBA. They were the most dominant force and they had to deal with injuries. So. Okay.

[Matt]

It's going to translate though, is it? Going to.

[Myron]

I mean, they should win the championship. I mean, I'm not, but they should. They should. Yeah.

[Matt]

Yeah. I mean, it'll be interesting that they are. You were talking about this earlier about built for a regular season versus built for the postseason. They're the best team in the NBA along with Cleveland. But I think they're even better than Cleveland to be built for the regular season because of what you said. They have such, such depth. I mean, they got a dude like use my Guy. Case and Wallace. There are a ton of teams he would play 37 minutes a game on. Right. Like, I mean, he is. He's that level. But it doesn't matter with this team. They got so much depth. So in the regular season when people have injuries and you go through all that, they're a perfect team for it. Are they going to be that in a seven game series? I think they should be. But Martin, I do think there's a question, you know, if you get a series, this next one, if they win against either the Clippers or the Nuggets, I can easily see a scenario where it's game six or seven and Shea or Williams or one of these guys is going to have to make a play that says we are ready to be taken seriously on this postseason level.

[Myron]

Yeah. I mean, until you do it in the postseason, it doesn't matter. So I. I think that criticism is fair. I. I just think we've been talking about the Western Conference as if they're a secondary character in all this. It was la, both the Lakers, and obviously the Clippers, and their run that they made Golden State with Jimmy Butler. Can Jokic find the rhythm after his coach gets fired? But like, OKC destroyed the Western, it should be at the top of that list.

[Matt]

And Shea is probably going to win the mvp. And I would venture to say, Myron, there may have never been an MVP in NBA history that casual fans know less about than Shea Alexander.

[Myron]

Oh, yeah, I agree.

[Matt]

And I think that's a fault of the NBA to not make him a star. Like the fact that Shay is still, I don't say unknown, but, like, if you were to ask the average person, Mikey, you're an average fan. Tell me something about Shea Alexander that, you know, just something about him.

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He's got like, initials.

[Matt]

Well, everyone has initials. Yeah, every person might be having initials. Like, like, that's the. He has initials. What does that even mean? They use him like his initials. He has initials. He's one player who just came out.

[Myron]

Of nowhere's on me. Hold on. Do you think, like, everyone doesn't have initials?

[Matt]

I mean, he has initials is one of the worst. Like, that's what they call him by. You know what that's like? That's like when you watch a presidential debate and they'll go, tell me something nice about your opponent. And they'll be like, he's a good father. And you're like, that's okay. So what are you talking about? He has initials. I'm sorry, I got to go to break. I cannot. I know I took you by surprise, but the best thing you could come up with about that man is he has an issue.

[Myron]

What are we talking about?

[Matt]

It's Sunday morning on espn.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron, the podcast. Out here, there's no one way of doing things, no unwritten rules, and no shortage of adventure. Because out here, the only requirement is having fun. Bank of America invites kids 6 to 18 to golf with us for a limited time. Sign them up for a free one.

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Bank of America restrictions apply cpfa.com golf with us for complete details. Copyright 2025 bank of America Corporation.

[Matt]

This episode is brought to you by State Farm.

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[Matt]

Seven Nation army by the White Stripes Meyer now we've learned the name of this song. I don't. I'm with you. I did not know that that was the name of this song. I knew the song, but I just thought it was. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.

[Myron]

There's a whole song. This is the whole song.

[Matt]

No, I mean, it's.

[Myron]

It's a whole song with the oh part.

[Matt]

This is. This is it. Do you hear it?

[Myron]

Oh, they don't sing it, though. People just do it.

[Matt]

That's just what people do at the things they. They don't.

[Myron]

I didn't realize that.

[Matt]

Sometimes I feel like I work with people who don't leave their house. Sunday morning on ESPN Radio, presented by Professor.

[Myron]

I mean, I know people sing it.

[Matt]

Yeah, they just doing the beat. It's not the name of the. The song. Aaron Rodgers.

[Myron]

I don't know that well. I don't come to y'all parties.

[Matt]

Aaron Rodgers is a person who I would not want at my party. And it sounds like the jets didn't want him at their party either, because after two weeks on the job, Aaron Glenn, the new coach of the jets, said, hey, Aaron Rodgers, we don't want you anymore. He, you know, Aaron Rodgers hates the media attention. If there's one thing I know he likes, he says, he says, you know, I don't like the media attention. So he went on Pat McAfee show for, I believe, two hours and a half earlier this week to talk about how much he didn't want attention. And he complained that the jets flew him out to the or that he flew out to the jets facility where he was then told he wouldn't come back. He was very whiny about it. Well, let's just hear from. In his own words, here's what he said. I figured that when I flew across country on my own dime that there was going to be a conversation. And the confusing thing to me. And the strange thing was, you know, when I went out there, I meet with the coach, we start talking, he runs out of the room. I'm like, that's kind of strange. Then he comes back with the GM and I'm like, all right. So we sit down in the office and I think we're going to have this long conversation. I've flown across the country and 20 seconds in he goes, I mean, literally, I'm talking to the GM about something and he leans to the edge of his sheet and goes, so do you want to play football? I was like, yeah, I'm interested. And he said, we're going a different direction at quarterback. So I said, huh? And he goes, we just want to know how you want it released. The messaging, what I thought was going to be a couple hour meeting turned into like a 15 minute meeting and I walked out of there. There was no me pleading like, please have me on the team now. He's the worst. And I have million reasons why I think he's the worst. But before I rant, Myron, what's your reaction to his comments?

[Myron]

Because of what's happened over the last couple years and we talked about this, you know, I know you hate the word legacy, but because of everything that's transpired, he's reached this place where people don't care anymore. And I think that's going to be the hardest thing for him to digest is Aaron Rodgers just not being as relevant as he wants to be. Not relevant on the field because he's not an elite talent anymore. Not relevant off the field because I think people have just sort of tuned him out. They're kind of tired of his thing, you know, that, that he's always doing. So irrelevance is probably the biggest nightmare for Aaron Rodgers. And I think this is what he's having to digest.

[Matt]

I think that's really well articulated because you're exactly right for somebody who always complains about how, you know, he wants to run off and be left alone and blah, blah. Nobody craves the spotlight more than Aaron Rodgers. He has to be the center of attention. And the way that he talked about that was some of the most presumptuous stuff I've ever heard. He said, oh, I flew all the way out there on my dime. Oh, I'm sorry, Aaron, you have to take a flight. Like a lot of people have to take a flight, Aaron. That's called life. And then he was mad that he came out there and was fired. You know what, Myron? I think if he had done it the other way, he would have complained about that too.

[Myron]

Yes.

[Matt]

If they had just called him on the phone and said, hey man, we're moving on, he'd go. They didn't even have the decency to tell me in person. Right. Like he's one of these dudes who is just going to complain. He said he wanted to have a two hour conversation.

[Myron]

What.

[Matt]

What was there to talk about? They didn't want you to be the quarterback. What were you all going to talk about? Like the latest ayahuasca test that had come out of the, you know, the medical facilities. Like, he is so annoying and so cringe. And you're exactly right. He is heading to an irrelevant NFL afterlife that is solely his doing over the last couple years.

[Myron]

If anybody was in a position to spend the next 30 years on TV, the next 30 years doing whatever they want, I mean, if he wants to do game shows, okay, fine. Like he was in that position and now he's in a spot where he was told by the jets that you're not worth it. Now you just not worth the trouble. Like, nobody wants you on their roster if they have to deal with the other stuff. And I think that, to me, is probably the biggest thing for Aaron Rodgers to digest in all of this. He's at a point where Pat McAfee is the only one who's gonna pick up the phone and care what he has to say, but the wider audience just doesn't. And I think that, to me, to your point, is his own doing, but it's also the biggest fear for a guy in that spot. This is a just don't care as.

[Matt]

Much who had a chance to host Jeopardy. Now, like, the only thing he's going to host is like a podcast discussing the JFK files with Tony Hinchcliffe. Like that's really all he can do now.

[Myron]

Exactly.

[Matt]

Like he, like the average mainstream person in this world is done with him. And then from a football perspective, if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers, why would you want this? Like, why. Why would you want this? Why would you want to bring this in to your organization which has had for 50 years this reputation for stability? Why would you want it?

[Myron]

Well, I don't know if they want it. I mean, we are four days before the NFL draft and the Steelers haven't made a move. Right.

[Matt]

So to me, do you think they will? Maybe.

[Myron]

I mean, here's the problem. The Steelers are an organization that has been viewed as a top class organization for decades. Aaron Rodgers comes in and he will take the spotlight whether you like it or not, because that's the only way he knows to exist. And I think that goes against the culture that they've created. So I just don't see how he works with Pittsburgh or Mike Tomlin and everything that they've built. He's not worth it anymore. He's just not worth the trouble.

[Matt]

He is not worth it. You know, you, I've said, I say this to people. I said this to a dude that works with me yesterday. You have as much leverage in life as how good you are at something. Yes. Right. When you're really good, that's a great.

[Myron]

Way to say it.

[Matt]

You have a lot of leverage. But when you're not good, you don't have the leverage. And if you still think you had the leverage when you're good, then you're going to be sadly disappointed. And that's him. I also love, by the way. He said, of course I'd play. I'd play for anything. I'd play for $10 million. Yeah, you would. Like I love. He said $10 million. He didn't say for the minimum. He's like, I play for $10 million.

[Myron]

You got to pay for those flights on his own dime.

[Matt]

That quote right there would have been enough for me if I was the Steelers to say, get on out of here and start your conspiracy theory podcast and leave us alone. More on Sunday morning. Matt Myron. Next.

[Myron]

Matt and Myron, the podcast.

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