Matt Barrie (2:19)

Oh, you're saying just between sports, what's the best athlete? Okay, gotcha. Yeah, see, I don't. I still think basketball players are the best athletes. You don't. You disagree?

Myron Medcalf (2:28)

I thought that for a while but I mean you see some of these guys like a 240 pound six two human being shouldn't be able to run a four four like it just they can do all these things. And I bet a lot of these guys were great basketball players, too.

Matt Barrie (2:44)

I don't know how many basketball guys that if they focused on football, they could be good.

Myron Medcalf (2:49)

A lot of them could be good, skilled players. 100%. I mean, LeBron was an all state football player in high school before he stopped. I mean, you look at the Russell Westbrooks, there are a bunch of guys who would be really good. But, man, I think these football players are just.

Matt Barrie (3:03)

No. And then they get more free freakish the whole time. It's also, however, the time that you start to get the grades. So if you remember, the players association anonymously polls their players and they ask them, you know, tell me about your teams, the franchises, what are they like behind the scenes, what's the facilities like, what are the coaches like, what are the owners like? And they poll them and they get grades A to F. Used to be the athletic would release those every single year and the players association would officially put them out. Now the NFL basically banned them from officially putting them out. So we thought they were gone to history, but someone leaked them to espn. And so this week, ESPN actually got them and leaked the players evaluation. So the NFL was not able to keep them out. Lots of interesting stuff. But here's the one that's most interesting to me. One of the. One of the grades, one of the categories is food. They grade each of the teams and they say, what is the food like here? And it was interesting. Only two teams got eight. Which shows me it's just a universal thing that wherever you are, people complain about the food. Probably every high school, every college in the United States, people are always complaining about the food. That is also true in the NFL. But the most amazing was the Cincinnati Bengals, right up the street here from me, received an F minus for food. The only F minus given the entire report, F minus for food. There was only one other F in anything having to do with food or supplies. What could the Cincinnati Bengals, what could they be serving Myron that would lead to an F minus in food?

Myron Medcalf (4:58)

I mean, here's the thing about it. An F minus isn't even a grade. It's not even a real grade. Like, it stops at F. F minus is a statement like F minus. If somebody gave me an F minus on a test, that's a message. That's not a great.

Matt Barrie (5:14)

And they pulled 10 players. And to get an F minus would mean literally all 10 had to give an F minus. And to do that, there had to be an agreement amongst the Guys, we are all picking F minus.

Myron Medcalf (5:28)

Well, it's Cincinnati, so there might be rationing. You know, I mean, like, you. You may get like one box lunch per day with them, you know, with the milk and the. And the peanut butter and jelly and some chips.

Matt Barrie (5:40)

You think. You think they ration the food?

Myron Medcalf (5:42)

It might be. You might get one a day. So, I mean, I can see disgruntled players, but. But what's most likely is they're forcing that chili to everybody. Like, you know, it's chili every day and it makes you eat the chili when you go to Cincinnati. For people who haven't been to Cincinnati, I kid you not, you get off the plane and there's a dude in jet bridge with a pot of chili who's like, you want chili? Here's some chili. It's like, bro, I got bags, I gotta collect. Leave me alone. They just make you eat chili down there. And I think that's what's happening since it.

Matt Barrie (6:12)

The Bengals also got another F minus treatment of family.

Myron Medcalf (6:17)

Oh, man.

Matt Barrie (6:18)

So they got an F minus for food and an F minus for treatment of family. What could they possibly do be doing to these people's families? They will not give them food and then will they not let them see their family? What could it be?

Myron Medcalf (6:32)

Somebody was trying to bring both families on the plane. Probably. I bet that might be. That could be a part of it. Like somebody. Somebody was trying to bring everybody on the trip and the Bengals said, nope, that's not gonna work out. So I don't know if I blame the Bengals as much for that. Cause, like, what are they doing? Like, the family comes down to the field and the Bengals, people are just talking crazy to them. Like, what. What could they be doing to get.

Matt Barrie (6:57)

I need to interview someone with the Bills who will say, what could the Bengals be doing that is so bad to the family? Do they make the kids like, they make the kids work? Like, if you. If you have kids, do they make them work in the garden? Like, what is it they are making them do?

Myron Medcalf (7:18)

You gotta. You gotta do a four hour shift if you want to get a ticket to the game.

Matt Barrie (7:25)

They say to the wives, you want to come to the game? All right, work the chili stand.

Myron Medcalf (7:28)

There's a bunch of kids in the loading dock carrying boxes the night before

Matt Barrie (7:33)

the game in order to earn their tickets.

Myron Medcalf (7:39)

It's the only thing I can think of on treatment of families.

Matt Barrie (7:43)

And then when it comes to food, it also says food and drink. Does that mean, like, the water bottles are filled with Mountain Dew?

Myron Medcalf (7:50)

What Is it?

Matt Barrie (7:51)

What is it that is wrong?

Myron Medcalf (7:52)

There are no water bottles. First off, it's a dude. It's a dude with a pitcher.

Matt Barrie (7:57)

It's a dude with a pitcher of

Myron Medcalf (7:59)

water walking through the aisles and pouring. And you better not lose your cup. That's the other thing. You get one cup the whole trip. You lose that cup, no water for you until we land. I think that's what they're doing.

Matt Barrie (8:10)

I gotta learn what's so bad about the Bengals. Gerard is in Utah. Go ahead, Gerard.

Tom Cream (8:18)

Hey, what's going on? Matt, Myron. How you guys doing this morning?

Myron Medcalf (8:20)

Good. How you doing?

Matt Barrie (8:21)

Doing good.

Tom Cream (8:22)

Not too bad. Hey, so I was listening to Myron talk about collecting coins. I actually got into collecting coins a few years ago. I lived in North Carolina for about 11 years down in Pinehurst, North Carolina. So I was hitting up estate sales, and estate sales is, like, one of the places that I got a lot of my coins from. So if you want to get into them, try to look out for start.

Matt Barrie (8:44)

Basically, you look through the obituaries to get your coins started.

Myron Medcalf (8:49)

Estate sales are posted. That's a good idea. So what.

Matt Barrie (8:53)

So what's the. What's the best coin you have, Gerard?

Tom Cream (8:58)

So I have like a. I have a JFK coin from. From. It's a. The full silver one. So that one's pretty good. That's worth, you know, a decent amount.

Matt Barrie (9:08)

All right, so you go to a state sales. Well, all right, so maybe Myron, you now have a coin collecting buddy in. In Utah in the states.

Myron Medcalf (9:17)

And I've been to Utah a couple times already this year, Gerard. So I might look you up, man.

Tom Cream (9:21)

Yeah, that's what's up. I'll also say this too. I lived in North Carolina for 11 years, so me and. Me and Myron are from the same community. And I didn't really go to Durham that much.

Matt Barrie (9:31)

Myron's not from North Carolina.

Myron Medcalf (9:33)

No, he said the same community. He said he wasn't talking about the state.

Matt Barrie (9:37)

Oh, okay. All right. You're talking about the broader community.

Myron Medcalf (9:40)

He wasn't talking about the state.

Matt Barrie (9:41)

So, Gerard, you are part of Myron's community, yet you collect coins in Utah?

Myron Medcalf (9:46)

Gerard, we should be friends, man. Send me a dm. We should be buddies, man. I like the way this dude rolls, man.

Matt Barrie (9:52)

Gerard, you. Gerard, what do you think? You, Myron and Carolina Mike, doesn't that sound like a group that should hit the streets?

Myron Medcalf (10:00)

Let's go do it.

Matt Barrie (10:00)

Oh, yeah.

Tom Cream (10:01)

Oh, yeah. And then I'm about to go snowboarding right now at park city. Me and my boys.

Myron Medcalf (10:06)

How far is that? Is that near Provo? I was just in Provo.

Matt Barrie (10:09)

Who's your favorite musician?

Tom Cream (10:10)

Gerardo Provo.

Matt Barrie (10:11)

Gerard, who's your favorite musician?

Tom Cream (10:15)

I would have to say Jay Z.

Matt Barrie (10:17)

Okay.

Myron Medcalf (10:17)

I bet we might be related. Yeah, definitely. I appreciate the guy.

James (10:23)

I think they just become best friends.

Myron Medcalf (10:24)

I think we did as we come best friends.

Matt Barrie (10:26)

We saw a friendship start right there. We did.

Myron Medcalf (10:29)

I didn't know where we were going though with best favorite artists because I was like, all right, this could be the curveball here, you know. But he didn't disappoint.

Matt Barrie (10:36)

Coins in Utah. I was expecting him to say like Jason Aldean.

Myron Medcalf (10:40)

And then I was gonna go. I was ready for that too. But I like the other cool nerds. Like I'm, you know, I'm in the cool nerd community and I appreciate that.

Matt Barrie (10:49)

Well, glad you are. We are gonna do There are other stories in sports besides important things like the Bengals food and coin collecting. We will let you know about those in Headlines next here on Matt and Myers.

Myron Medcalf (11:03)

Matt and Myron the Podcast.

Rich Eisen (11:10)

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Matt Barrie (12:56)

It is Matt myron here on ESPN Radio 888. Say ESPN. Been a fun morning. Big day of women's basketball on espn, including at noon, Duke in Carolina. Then later on today, you get. What is it? TCU and Baylor, Kentucky and South Carolina. A lot of ranked matchups today on the women's game. Are you women's basketball kind of more open than it is in most years? Probably four or five teams that could win the title?

Myron Medcalf (13:27)

Yeah. No, a lot. A lot of really talented teams. South Carolina's really good, not unbeatable. Yukon, though, looks like they might be.

Matt Barrie (13:35)

It's hard with UConn, though, because they play in a conference where they never play anybody. So it's hard to know. It's hard to know kind of how good they are. All right. Not all the biggest things in sports necessarily come up at the top of your list. So we give secondary headlines.

Tom Cream (13:50)

Extra, extra.

Matt Barrie (13:51)

Read all about it.

Tom Cream (13:53)

We all want it.

Myron Medcalf (13:54)

The Sunday headlines.

Matt Barrie (13:56)

All right, James, what's up first?

James (13:58)

Yeah, we're just, while you were just making fun of everybody, for clarity, collecting things. So let's go here.

Matt Barrie (14:02)

Making fun of people.

James (14:04)

Pretty mean to everybody. Another T206 honest Wagner baseball card, considered to be the holy grail of collect of the collectible space, was recently discovered and has been sold at auction for $5.124 million. It's on the third most expensive T206 Wagner card ever, after two were sold in the past couple years, one for 7.25 million and other for 6.6 million.

Matt Barrie (14:33)

Okay, can I ask you a question? Okay, first of all, you keep saying. How do you. How are you saying his name?

James (14:38)

It's honest Wagner, right?

Matt Barrie (14:39)

It's not Honus Wagner.

Myron Medcalf (14:40)

It's honest. It's honest because I've said Honus Wagner,

Matt Barrie (14:44)

everybody, for this since I was a little chat. When did this change? When did it change?

James (14:49)

I don't think it ever changed. I think people just.

Matt Barrie (14:51)

When did just people. When did people collectively decide it's not Honus anymore?

James (14:55)

I don't know if there's a collective movement with. With honest versus onus, but why are

Matt Barrie (15:01)

you saying it was such confidence? How do you know it's honest? Did they just not put the H in the name? I'm Just supposed to act like that's not there.

James (15:08)

I was just. I've just been told. That's how you say, by who.

Matt Barrie (15:11)

I don't told you this.

James (15:13)

I mean, I don't know.

Matt Barrie (15:17)

Honest Wagner, or as most of us like to say, Honus Wagon. Why did he say that? Why is this card so worth so much? I mean, I know it is always, even since I was a little kid, been known as the card, but he is not the greatest player of all time. And it's also not the oldest card of all time. So why is it this card that's so. So exclusive? Yeah.

Myron Medcalf (15:41)

I mean, I don't. I think it's just like maybe one of the first.

Matt Barrie (15:45)

Great first. And Babe Ruth and Luke Ehrig and all those guys. Like, why aren't it. Why isn't it their cards? But let me.

Myron Medcalf (15:53)

But let me. When I hear these stories, let me tell you something that never happens to black folks. Nobody discovers a Honest Wagner baseball card in the attic that sells for $6 million. That's not a black person who's ever had a Honest Wagner. Honus Wagner card that was just sitting in between the couch cushions. And somebody was like, I think grandma left this behind. Can we put it on auction and sell it for $10 million? The luck of this thing is what's incredible to me.

Matt Barrie (16:19)

Yeah, I have an attic full of stuff. And it's mostly just records that my grandmother.

Myron Medcalf (16:24)

But y' all just find stuff that goes to auction, like antique road shows. People are like, listen, I was in my garage and I found a hundred thousand dollar Rolex. Never been a black person on Antique Roadshow.

James (16:35)

This one was. Was a pretty low grade because you get these cards graded and it was a 1 out of 10.

Myron Medcalf (16:41)

What does that mean? Now these are.

Matt Barrie (16:42)

These are things. These are cards that back in the day were put in like tobacco, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

James (16:47)

I can't remember.

Matt Barrie (16:49)

They came with tobacco, I think, back in the day. Yes. Okay.

Myron Medcalf (16:52)

Was he good? I mean, how good?

Matt Barrie (16:54)

Nice. I think he's good. Was he in the hall of fame? I know his name solely because of this card.

Myron Medcalf (16:59)

Yeah. But I don't know how good he was.

Matt Barrie (17:01)

I think he's. I think he's in the hall of fame, but I don't know.

Myron Medcalf (17:04)

Yeah, but I mean, I don't, like, I don't understand the connection between the car.

Matt Barrie (17:09)

Remember collectively when we decided it wasn't Honus anymore. And since he's been dead, I don't think he got a say in this. No. So I don't Know how people just decided it was honest.

Myron Medcalf (17:19)

And he wasn't facing brothers either. So that's. Make sure y' all remember that.

Matt Barrie (17:22)

That's. That is an important part of this. People will look out and go. They'll look you right in the face and go, ty Cobb was the greatest hitter of all time. You slow down.

Myron Medcalf (17:34)

All right, go to that next neighborhood down the street and let's see Ty

Matt Barrie (17:37)

Cobb start for city.

James (17:39)

He played. He played for 21 seasons, had 3,400 hits.

Myron Medcalf (17:42)

Oh, I didn't realize he had 3,104. Three pre brothers, though. He was in the pre bucket.

Matt Barrie (17:47)

Wagner. All right, what's next? Anytime you're ready.

Myron Medcalf (17:53)

Sorry. Did you plan this? Yeah, I did.

James (17:57)

I had to flip the page.

Matt Barrie (17:59)

Okay.

James (17:59)

I wasn't. I wasn't prepared for you to come to me so quickly. We were talking about the NFL combine a little bit earlier. Long days for these coaches and scouts. It's on. Pretty much the entire thing is on the NFL Network. And at one point earlier this week, during the coverage of the NFL Combine, NFL Network cut to a shot of jets coach Aaron Glenn watching things unfold. And it looked like he was sleeping, so.

Matt Barrie (18:27)

It didn't look like he was sleeping. He was sleeping. Good for him. The combine is stupid. Like, they still have these old men out there with their clocks. Like, I. You know what? I don't need your finger version of it. I'll take the official timing from the NFL. I feel like they'll do a pretty good job of it. Aaron Glenn shut his eyes. He should have shut his eyes. What does he need to watch you get the official numbers? What is there to even see? So I'm fine with it.

Tom Cream (18:54)

Yeah.

Myron Medcalf (18:54)

I mean, coaching the jets is like being in a toxic relationship. You gotta rest sometimes, you know? So I understand him being like, where else can I get a few Z's other than right here, you know, and I take the camera off of like, to me, moments like that. Also, you don't put a camera on a guy in that situation when you know he's sleeping. So that wasn't cool to me.

Matt Barrie (19:14)

Yeah, I, he. It's embarrassing for him, but it's not the most embarrassing time. Somebody ended up on a big screen in the last 12 months. That's the people at the Coldplay concert. They've had. They had a much.

Myron Medcalf (19:25)

They take that over that any day.

Matt Barrie (19:27)

So you know what? I think just shutting your eyes would be okay. What's next?

James (19:32)

Toyota Racing Development said Monday that it had signed 13 year old Keelan Harvick he's a third. He'll be a third generation driver to a long term deal. As Kevin Harvick's son, fully committed to a NASCAR career quote, my main goal is to just be like my dad and just try to make it to the cup series.

Matt Barrie (19:50)

So I find this story crazy. Toyota signed Kevin Harvick's 13 year old son to a deal. 13 years old. How could they possibly know that he could drive a nascar. He can't even see a high enough above the steering wheel to drive. And the answer would be, well, his dad was good, so that's why. Which proves to me what I believe, which you could take any kid in america and at 13 years old probably turn him into a NASCAR driver if you're just. I cannot believe they signed in a 13 year old kid. He has no. What is the talent he could possibly have that you would have more than like myron's kid at 13. So you just sign any 13 year old kid.

Myron Medcalf (20:32)

But what's the risk? I mean, I think it's a smart move by Toyota. The family name, the legacy. If he turns out to be nothing, big deal.

Matt Barrie (20:39)

Do you think you can tell skills in a 12 year old or 13 year old that they'll be a good NASCAR driver?

Myron Medcalf (20:46)

No, but I mean what is he, a third generation driver? Potentially.

Matt Barrie (20:49)

So you think it's in your blood to drive a stock car?

Myron Medcalf (20:53)

I understand the gamble, which isn't really a gamble on a third generation talent who could turn out to be something. We got college teams offering 8th graders scholarships and so 14 year old tennis players.

Matt Barrie (21:05)

Yeah, but I feel like when you're in 8th grade at least you're showing athleticism. What could this kid possibly be showing? This is my point. I think you could take any kid in the United States or in the world and if you started at age 7 and taught them to drive, you could make them a superstar. Why not?

Myron Medcalf (21:23)

But they wouldn't be a third generation talent.

Matt Barrie (21:26)

And, and you know you're for stock card nepotism.

Myron Medcalf (21:31)

He probably sounds like he's about 48. You know, based on what these guys say, he probably talks like a much older guy. He's been around older dudes his whole life.

Matt Barrie (21:38)

Matt Myron is pro NASCAR Nepo babies and it's. What's the harp? All right, there you go. I'm not, I don't care if, if what's. If Harvick's kid wants to do. I'm just saying this proves to me anyone can be a NASCAR driver. If you start early enough in your career, we'll talk more College basketball in the NFL. That's next.

Myron Medcalf (21:59)

Matt and Myron the Podcast

Rich Eisen (22:05)

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Matt Barrie (24:47)

Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance. We are getting you ready for another big day of women's college basketball, men's college basketball, NBA, lots of stuff going on. Tom Cream was on TV. Tom, were you on TV for 12 straight hours last night? I felt like I saw you all day. Were you on for that entire time?

Tom Cream (25:13)

No, not for 12 straight. Actually had a little break in there but I was on TV until about 1:30 in the morning. So yeah, little break in the middle of the evening but then back on for the 10:30 game and the college basketball live show which ended up Starting at about 12:45 1:00am but it was cool. Malcolm Huckabee now he went the entire day. Malcolm Huckabee had a noon to 1:30 day. That's a long day.

Matt Barrie (25:41)

That is a long day. Well, we didn't get a ton of close games yesterday amongst the big games. But I. Tom, I'm taking this viewpoint going into the tournament, you tell me if I'm wrong. I think Duke, Arizona, Michigan, Yukon, Florida are my five. Every year I pick five teams and I say one of these five will win the with the title. Those are my five. And then I actually think it's kind of a big drop off to everybody else. Do you agree with that? Is there anybody you would leave in, take out or whatever with that group?

Tom Cream (26:15)

I think you're huge. Far away. I know Iowa State has not played as well as of late, especially yesterday. I wouldn't say that they're that far away. But I like your list. That's how I would see it.

Myron Medcalf (26:32)

Tom, when you look at Cameron Boozer, obviously he's a different player than Cooper Flagg. What does he do that has made Duke such a force at this point in the season?

Tom Cream (26:44)

Well, he's just, he's so efficient. I mean he passes so well. Like Cooper Flag did so many other things other than score last year as well. They were the best passing team in college basketball, I thought. And I thought Cooper Flagg and Con Canymple had a lot to do with that. Like they could really score and shoot well. Especially Knipple could shoot it so well but they could really pass. And I think like Cam Boozers like that, he doesn't make a lot of offensive mistakes. If he feels pressure on the ball with two on him, he gets rid of it. He's reading help so Much better than what he was. He just punishes you when he drives to the basket with his shoulder, with his footwork and now with his ability to kind of extend his shot. You know, he's not a narrow player. What he doesn't have maybe an overall go up and dunk over you. He beats you with strength and footwork and I think the shooting has improved. He spaces well. The thing that is going to be interesting and the only team that has truly done it was Texas Tech when they beat him in a garden is they went after him like they went at him on defense and J.T. toppin just went at him. In fact they made the game winning play on a shot over Cam Boozer. I think that's where I'm not making it a comparison to Cooper Flag, but Cooper flag got better last year being able to deal with the physicality of somebody going at him. I still think that's an area that could really hurt Duke if somebody really game planned that way that he's so smart, he's so efficient. It's now either 23 or 24 straight games of 15 and 5 minimum, which is incredible. And I think again he's like all great players that can pass the ball. Everybody feels better, more empowered and like they're a better player because he's out on the court with him. And you can see that with Duke.

Matt Barrie (28:44)

You talking to Tom Cream, ESPN college basketball analyst. You know Darren Peterson has been a conversation all year. Kansas gets destroyed. I don't know if Kansas, I mean their upside, they can beat anybody but they also three games go lost at home to Cincinnati. But Darren Peterson, you've coached a great college player, multiple ones, but obviously Dwyane Wade, if you were an NBA GM and you're sitting here and you're looking at this draft and you have AJ DeBonsa who's great, we just talked about Cameron Boozer and you look at Darren Peterson and let's say you believe he's the most talented player in the group. Do you care about this whole will he, won't he play when he shows up, when he doesn't effort like. Or do you think all of that's a little overblown?

Tom Cream (29:34)

Two answers. I don't. I think some of it is overblown because we don't know. But I do think the NBA people, especially the ones that are going to be hovering in that lottery, I think if they don't know, they will know. And I think it's important that you start with okay, not only what's real what's not real? But how much of this is physical? How much of this is something that's mental that's bothering him? And then you gotta understand, like, what is the mission of the people around him? Okay, like, and I'm not talking about the coaching staff or Candace. Yes, we want him to be the top pick. But the one thing you have to be so concerned about in the NBA moving forward is, and you guys know this, these better players, you don't even have to be one of the best players, but a lot of the best players, they've got their own counsel, they've got their own teams, they've got their own doctor groups. I mean, I heard about a player this year that got injured and when he left to go to the hospital to get an mri, there were seven people on his team, on his poor group with him, and maybe one or, I mean one, maybe two from the team that went with him. Like, that's just the way that it is. And I think what happens now is they're coming in earlier than ever with that. Now on the side of Kansas, you know, especially coach of Anthony Edwards, there is a, there is a pressure you feel when you've got a guy that could be the number one pick. Like when Dwayne Wade came in, Victor Oladipo, those guys weren't considered candidates to be the number one pick. Anthony Edwards was. So like, you feel a level of pressure to protect them, to get them where they need to be. You really want that to happen. I think Bill has managed that well. I'm not one of those believers that now people are trying to come back with, well, you know, they're better off without him or he's not doing this, he's not doing that. No. When it comes to pure skill and talent and offensive abilities, he's the best. All right. In the class. But like everybody else, like I just mentioned with Boozer, if you go at him physically, when you bring, when you bring a lot of help and traffic to Darren Peterson and he can't get into a one on one or he can't get a clean look like that bothers him. So like, you've got to be able to look at this and say, is it NBA gm, there's going to be a process here to get him where he needs to be. All right, it's not.

Matt Barrie (32:03)

Let me ask you a question on that Edwards thing real quick because that's interesting to me. You brought in Anthony Edwards. He was projected to be the number one pick. You obviously wanted your team to be Good. That was a year where there were a lot of expectations for you all. How did you balance? I want my team to be good. And also this superstar has trusted me with him. How do I take care of him? Because that is a balance. How do you do that?

Tom Cream (32:29)

Well, it's a tough balance. When we signed and we thought we were going to have Nick Claxton back, and we saw this inside, outside, a threat. And then Nick went into the draft and obviously was right because he's making $26 million a year now. But we didn't shoot the ball as well. And so when we had Anthony and we had a lot of young guys, you know, we had three freshmen in the starting lineup. We had Sevier Wheeler in the starting lineup, and we had Tumani Camara, who now plays for Portland, in the starting lineup. So we were really, really young. And there's the maturity part, the experience part, the physicality part, when you're that young. But we didn't have the shooting, so we really needed Anthony to do more with the ball and with shooting that I really would have envisioned because some of our guys, we just didn't develop the spacing and the shooting the way that we needed to. So I think the biggest thing you do is, yes, you're putting the team first and you're. And you go through some growing pains. Like, we were up over 20 at Missouri, we were up over 20 at Florida. We lost those games. Like, you go through some real processes. But the number one process with Anthony was to make sure that every day we got him better, that he understood how to practice hard, that he practiced the right way in practice, that he knew how to finish a practice, competed as much as possible, and then got his offensive skills better along with his defense. And so you can never get away from the level of improvement that any of your players have to have. But you really got to take it to another level when you have a guy that's going to be an early pick because you know you're only going to have him for a few months. So you've got to accelerate the progress. Now, Anthony didn't miss practices. I'm not sure how many practices Darren Peterson has missed. He was sick or injured, and that can set you back a little bit. But Anthony, the people that were in Anthony's circle were really locked in with us, and I thought we had very good communication. And that is key when you've got somebody that is that kind of talent. And I'm not sure that's always the case with Darren Peterson's. Group and the Kansas group. I'm just not. And that doesn't make it uncommon because I think it happens more than we think. It's just played out more in the media because he's missed those games.

Matt Barrie (34:42)

Tom Crane, ESPN college basketball analyst, very much appreciate your time. We're two weeks from the brackets and we will see you then.

Tom Cream (34:51)

All right, Thanks a lot, Matt. Myron, have a good week.

Matt Barrie (34:53)

There you go. Myron had a lot of news there. I got a question about Darren Peterson, by the way. You, you did a quite a report on him.

Myron Medcalf (35:05)

Oh, yeah. Now, yeah. People notice I got on NBA Today for the first time.

Matt Barrie (35:10)

What was that like? You were on NBA Today. What was it like to see your face on there with all those legends? And then there's Myron Metcalf, the Double

Myron Medcalf (35:16)

M. I still, I still keep, you know, doing things I never thought I'd do here. So that's pretty cool.

Matt Barrie (35:23)

Yeah. Well, you know, you're welcome. This is, did you, did you send a note? No, I'm saying thank you on behalf of the network that you're getting your, your, I'm on behalf of espn. You're welcome. Hockey has been in the news quite a bit this week and the hockey teams got together last night for a big thing. And is this a moment for hockey in America? Plus, more from the combine and news.

Myron Medcalf (35:50)

This is Matt Myron, Matt and Myon.

Matt Barrie (35:52)

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Matt Barrie (37:23)

Matt myron here on ESPN Radio 888. Say ESPN, having a fun Sunday morning. Tonight, you know it's hockey night on espn. Did you know that, Myron?

Myron Medcalf (37:35)

That's what they call it. They're calling it hockey.

Matt Barrie (37:37)

Sunday night. Hockey night. Panthers and the Islanders.

Myron Medcalf (37:41)

Nice.

Matt Barrie (37:42)

6:30. Got Bucci. Gross. John Tortello. Tortorella. Excuse me, P.K. subhan and more. That'll be on ESPN. So we'll get ready for hockey night. Who you got? Panthers, Islanders. We'll go ahead and pick it before Sunday picks.

Myron Medcalf (37:56)

I'll take Panthers.

Matt Barrie (37:58)

Why?

Myron Medcalf (38:00)

They've been great on the power play, I'd say. I think that's going to be their edge.

Matt Barrie (38:05)

They've been good on the power play. Which players have been particularly good for the Panthers on the power plays?

Myron Medcalf (38:11)

I mean, the people who don't know. Yeah, people who know.

Matt Barrie (38:16)

Okay, maybe the Kachuks. You know, the Kachuks are.

Myron Medcalf (38:19)

Oh, yeah, they've been great.

Matt Barrie (38:20)

Yeah. Yeah. Remember they were on the Olympic team, the Kachuks.

Myron Medcalf (38:23)

They won the gold. They don't want a movie. It'd be a movie about them.

Matt Barrie (38:27)

What the other Kachuk's not.

James (38:28)

Yeah, one's the captain for the Senators and the others on the Panthers.

Matt Barrie (38:32)

Okay, well, one could. Chuck is plenty of Kachuks. They've won the last one. They've won you. Yeah, they went. He's. He's a. He. He fights all the time. I think is his name like Matthew? Well, hockey has gotten a lot of attention, as you can see by our interest in it here. And last night there was. They both teams wanted to go metal. There was, of course, the controversy that happened last week with the phone call and then the invite to the White House and all that. And then last night on Saturday Night Live. The host of Saturday Night Live was heated rivalry star Connor Story. You're familiar with heated rivalry, right, Myron? It's. It's a hockey TV show. It's gotten a lot of attention. One of the two stars of it, he was the host of Saturday Night Live and during his monologue, he brought out the men's and the women's players. Two of them. The men came first and then the women came on and said something to the effect of, we were initially invited, but we wanted to make sure the men's team got invited, too. You're basically playing off on the on the joke. But at one moment there on the on Saturday Night Live were five people associated with hockey. An actor playing a hockey player, and then four U.S. hockey players, two men, two women. And it was only the second time ever that a hockey player has ever been on Saturday Night Live. Monologue. The only other one was Wayne Gretzky, who hosted one time in an episode that I remember as one of the worst episodes in the history of the show. Wayne Gretzky, maybe the worst actor to ever be on Saturday Night Live. Is this a hockey moment? And can hockey as a sport, Myron, get. Get some benefit from a very popular television show and the Olympic success?

Myron Medcalf (40:22)

I'm not sure. Right. I feel like we've had this situation in other sports as well. And I think the Olympics is actually its own thing. I think the interest is its own thing. And I don't know that it always translates, you know, like people will watch Olympic basketball and never care much about the NBA because of what they believe it represents. And I think hockey certainly think so.

Matt Barrie (40:45)

I feel like I actually agree with you that hockey Olympic is different than NHL. But I think in the basketball Olympics, we know all those guys and I think it's much more connected to the NBA than maybe on the hockey side.

Myron Medcalf (41:02)

No, it is. I just don't think all of a sudden everyone in America is like, I got to watch the Timberwolves after watching what happened in the Olympics. Because Anthony Edwards. Right. I don't think there's a direct pipeline that way. I think the hockey gold is going to be huge for Olympic hockey. I think hockey has done a lot of things, the NHL, the four nations eventually to really boost viewership. But I think the ratings that have come out have shown that the game since the Olympics haven't like hit a bunch of record marks so.

Matt Barrie (41:31)

Well, I mean, there's only been a couple. It just started back Thursday. But. But you know, it's interesting. I don't. I agree with you. I don't know that it does a lot for the sport. Although I will say I think that TV show has had done a lot, a little bit in terms of women liking hockey. I went to, I told this on here before, but I went to the Carolina Hurricanes and the Devils in Newark and I saw a group of like eight women there together, like young women. And we were waiting on an Uber and I struck up conversation and excuse me. And I asked them why they were there. And they were there because of that television show. They had decided it's like a girls night out to Go watch hockey because of the TV show. So I actually think that can make a difference. I will say I think it'll make a big difference for Jack Hughes. Hockey to the average fan. Yeah, I think he can be the face of hockey. You know, Sidney Crosby and Ovechkin. I think average fans knew them. I'm not sure how many Fans know Connor McDavid. Like, they may know the name. I actually do think Jack Hughes, he dates Tate McCray. I think he can be an American face of hockey. Do you?

Myron Medcalf (42:46)

Yeah, I mean, but I think he'll be a bigger face of American Olympic hockey, if that makes sense. Like, again, I think what he did. There are going to be movies and documentaries made about that. I don't know how that translates, but he's going to be the biggest star.

Matt Barrie (43:01)

You think when he gets his teeth fixed, is he going to people? Well, do you think he should?

Myron Medcalf (43:06)

No, no, not in hockey. Not hockey.

Matt Barrie (43:10)

You think he's a handsome guy and he dates a pop star. You think he should just leave the crack in his teeth?

Myron Medcalf (43:15)

It's part of the bit. It has to be in hockey.

Matt Barrie (43:17)

Rachel, you're a woman. Do you think. You think Jack Hughes should leave his teeth and not fix them? I would fix them. I would like them to be fixed. We had this discussion earlier. I also don't agree with this. Should he put in a gold tooth? No, no, no. I. Every time I see someone with a gold tooth, I think. I think they have to have a record. That's almost what I said. I mean, do you know, I don't think there's any person with a gold tooth in the front that it does not have at least one felony, probably.

Myron Medcalf (43:54)

I don't. I mean, if it's an 82 hip hop album he's going to make, maybe you put the gold tooth in. But I just think hockey, you expect guys to have messed up teeth and faces and it's kind of like part of it.

Matt Barrie (44:06)

So do you think. All right, let me ask you this. How many people in America, if I said the name Jack Hughes, how many of them do you think now would know has he reached a crossover yet in or not?

Myron Medcalf (44:18)

Based on the numbers of how many people watch that gold medal game? Yes, I think a lot of people, but.

Matt Barrie (44:22)

Well, that's different though. They know the quote unquote US Hockey team. But do they know Jack Hughes?

Myron Medcalf (44:28)

He's the. He's the. He's the icon of that team. Like, he's the face.

Matt Barrie (44:32)

I don't know. How many people do you Think would recognize his face when he fixes his tooth?

Myron Medcalf (44:39)

Not as many.

Matt Barrie (44:40)

I'm not going to lie.

Tom Cream (44:41)

I probably won't remember who he is

Myron Medcalf (44:42)

in, like, three weeks.

Matt Barrie (44:44)

I'll remember. I mean, I. I think some people remember his name. I think very few people will remember what he looks like. Now. How about this? How many people that even know who he is could tell you what NHL team he plays for?

Myron Medcalf (45:00)

I don't know. I mean, but I think in general, though, again, I think.

Matt Barrie (45:05)

How many of the people, like, how many people that aren't hockey fans, do you think? No. Even if they know who Jack Hughes is, they could tell you he played for the New Jersey Devils.

Myron Medcalf (45:15)

Probably not, but. But again, that's why I think there are a lot of people who see him as the Olympic hero and may not understand anything about the NHL. You know, I think that's just sort of the reality of hockey and kind of.

Matt Barrie (45:28)

Well, I am a huge. I have become a massive Carolina Hurricanes fan. Like, I watch every game. I literally. I literally watch at least the highlights of every single game. But even me, okay, Carolina Hurricanes fan, watch all their games. When I watch the Olympics, I knew, like, Myron, four people on the team. I do think it's just a sport that just leads to more anonymity. And I think it would be good for the sport if they had a face. I just wonder. Jack Hughes is a great chance, you know, major media market, handsome guy, good player, dates a pop star. And Myron, I still don't know if people will really know who he is.

Myron Medcalf (46:11)

Yeah, but. But I mean, a lot more people know him now than would have, I think, before the win in the Olympics. So don't think that's probably true. That's the brand.

Matt Barrie (46:19)

Don't fix your team. Myron says keep the chip. And even if it's whistling all the time, which it probably is, you just have to deal with it. All right, there's some news about the quarterback position in Minnesota. We'll do it.

Myron Medcalf (46:31)

Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10:00am Eastern on ESPN Radio, the ESPN ESPN app, and

Commercial Voice (46:40)

on SiriusXM Channel 80.

Myron Medcalf (46:49)

Matt and myron the podcast.

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It's a season two playoff race with tgl, presented by sofi. Sunday at 9pm eastern, jupiter links versus boston common golf. Monday at 7pm eastern, los angeles golf club versus new york golf club. Tuesday at 9pm eastern,. The bay golf club versus jupiter links. Keep up. It's golf watch on espn, espn2 and the espn applied.