
Hour 3: Myles Sticking With Cleveland
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Matt
You don't wake up dreaming of McDonald's fries. You wake up dreaming of McDonald's hash browns. McDonald's breakfast comes first.
Myron
This is Matt and Myron, the podcast.
Matt
Welcome back. It is. Oh, you're not supposed to say that. I always forget. Sunday morning on ESPN Radio. Matt, Myron, we are getting you ready. 12:30. You got nuggets. And you know who do the Nuggets play today?
Myron
Okc.
Matt
Okc. Nuggets and okc.
Myron
The two MVP candidates.
Matt
Yeah. Should be a great battle. That'll right be here on ESPN Radio. We have some breaking news from Twitter. Adam Schefter. From a trade to a truce. The Browns and Miles Garrett have reached an agreement today for record contract. Average 40 million per year and includes 123.5 million in guaranteed money. Garrett's agent, Nicole Lynn of Clutch Sports and Browns GM Andrew Barry finalized the deal. You know, they weren't even able to talk to each other just earlier this week and now they end up getting the deal. Miles Garrett had no trade clause. I mean, there's really nothing else that could have worked. But he's a special player and I think it makes sense for the Browns to resign.
Myron
Yeah, I mean they weren't going to trade him and they made that clear at the combine. Like they weren't going to put him on the trademark. And no matter what he said. Now remember Miles Garrett called LeBron when he was making this trade request to get his advice. And Matt, NFL guys need to stop talking to NBA guys about free agency and trades. It's just so different. You don't have the same flexibility. He was always going to end up resigning with Cleveland no matter what he said. But he got a ton of money in the process, so. Good for him.
Matt
Yeah, good for him. Ultimately, that's, that's what you like. Who do you think is their quarterback next year?
Myron
Kirk Cousins. Yeah, Kirk Cousins.
Matt
Definitely you. You're a big Kirk Cousins fan, so that should be fun. The Browns, you talk about it. Why, by the way, why would the Browns not take a quarterback at 2? Like just. Is it just because they wouldn't think either one of them is worth. Like, who needs one more than them long term? I mean, I guess maybe if you did. You don't think they're good enough to take that high?
Myron
I don't think. I don't think they're in a good draft for quarterbacks. I think Cam Ward and Shadur are in the back of the first round, maybe even into the second round is good about them. No One said, like, what they're great at? They're just like, they gotta be the top three picks.
Matt
You know, you've heard a lot. And there are people who say if they were in last year's draft, they might have been like the fifth and sixth quarterbacks. It just so happens they're the first and second in this one. So we'll see. All right. We asked earlier, if you were a Giants fan, why would you want Aaron Rodgers? Nobody has given me a convincing case yet. There's a lot of people who said, well, you just would. I got three people on here. I'm going to get Khalil, Nick and Jim to give their best case. Myron. And then you're going to tell me which one. We're going to decide who gives the best case for Aaron Rodgers. Are you ready?
Myron
Okay.
Matt
All right. Khalil. Khalil. Khalil is in Nashville. Khalil, what is the case for the Giants taking Aaron Rodgers?
Khalil
I mean, we're talking about Aaron Rodgers. He's a bad, bad man, but a decent quarterback. Aaron Rodgers last year had a better season than any of Daniel Jones's season. It'll be the best quarterback play since Eli super bowl year. That's what the Giants need. And look, you get him, you can maybe draft a quarterback and have him train or you can go, best player available in the draft. That'll work. I think that's the key.
Matt
Let me ask you a question, because I'm not, I'm not disputing your. When you say he had a better year than, than any Daniel Jones year, is that. Does that include the year Daniel Jones took him to the playoffs? I mean, am I. Yeah, I don't have the stats in front of me. But he was better.
Khalil
In your mind last year he threw 28 touchdowns, 11 interceptions. Daniel Jones hasn't even snipped 28 touchdowns. I believe the year that he went to the playoffs, he had 17 touchdowns. He cut down the turnovers, but it wasn't what Aaron Rodgers can do in the passing game. Just not that. All right, so that's Khalil, that's Tribe Called Quest song lyrics to go.
Matt
I know all the lyrics. That song, by the way. Khalil. Hang on. Because we're going to see who's better. All right, so that was Khalil. So you write. Did you write down his. Myron. So you know what he said?
Myron
Yeah, but he's exaggerating things.
Matt
All right, well, let's, let's leave it there. I'll let you make the Decision. Nick in Wisconsin, what's your case? Why the Giants should take Aaron Rodgers?
Nick
Okay, well. Well, first off, the Rogers had the. Well, those Roger stats were the best under the Daniel Jones. Well, the Giants since Eli. That's what Khalil said.
Matt
Yes.
Nick
Okay, well, the quote, James Cornett, a little James E. Cornett. That's like being the nicest guy in prison. But I think basically, you know, when it comes to the Giants here, it reminds me of an old Onion article they did where it said Bucks GM found a perfectly good shack in the $5 bin. That's what this strikes me as with the Giants right now, going after Rogers.
Matt
And I don't think Nick is going to win since I appreciate the call. Nick didn't seem to understand he was supposed to make Myron a case for Aaron Rodgers to the Giants. He was making more of a case again. So I think it's going to be hard for him to win.
Myron
Yeah, no, it'll. It'll be hard. He didn't make a case, but the first guy. I mean, I'll wait for my rebuttal, but.
Matt
All right, well, let's see what happens, because Khalil. So. All right, so. So Nick in Wisconsin, you're out. Let's try Jim in Illinois. Jim, can you make a better case than Khalil? Of course I can.
Jim
He's going to improve their chances of.
Matt
Getting a top draft pick in 2026. Because he's so bad.
Myron
Because they'll be so bad that he.
Matt
Can help the team.
Myron
Yeah.
Matt
Okay, so that's interesting.
Myron
That's a good case.
Matt
That's a good case. Okay.
Myron
You like that case? Yeah, but I mean, I like that case. Like, if you're gonna. If you're gonna go all in, are you gonna tank? You know what I mean?
Matt
Might as well be the one.
Myron
Rogers.
Matt
Okay.
Myron
All right.
Matt
All right, so let's go back. I want to go back to Khalil for a second. Khalil, are you there on the phone in Nashville?
Khalil
I'm still with you. Yeah.
Matt
Okay. Myron wants to counter you. Go ahead, Myron.
Myron
No, you're just wrong. That's all. That's all I wanted to say. I mean, it's. Okay. So when you talk about better season. So Aaron Rodgers this past season finishes 25th in QBR, 20th and passer rating. Daniel Jones in the 2022 season you're referring to finished sixth in QBR, 13th and pass already. Daniel Jones was a far more efficient quarterback during that playoff run than Aaron Rodgers was in this past season. And Aaron Rodgers hasn't been a really good quarterback, as Matt said, in three plus years. So I think you're talking about Aaron Rodgers from a different era than the one that we're seeing right now.
Khalil
Khalil responds the Giants don't need a really good quarterback. They need a decent quarterback. Look, the Giants are making to the playoffs anytime soon, they can potentially, like I said, go best player available. If the two quarterbacks go number one and number two, that leaves us Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter, both positions of need for the Giants. And if they do Tank. Look, there's a reason to believe that the Giants are in the Arch Manning sweepstakes. Whatever they do, they're trying to keep Day, Bull and Shane are trying to keep their jobs and the Giants are trying to win maybe seven games next season that'll be a success.
Myron
Oh, Dable, they won't be there. Dable won't be there. If they pick Aaron Rodgers, I mean, maybe there's no quarterback who can save the job, but those guys wouldn't be coaching Arch Manning and those they're going to have a whole new regime, I think with the Giants, no matter what happens after this season. But like Aaron Rodgers, there's a myth about who Aaron Rodgers is. After those MVP years, Green Bay got out at the right time. Matt. They knew Green Bay not only because of the antics. Green Bay knew that he was going in the other direction in his career before the Achilles injury. So they made the smart move to get rid of him at the right time. No, they want to get rid of.
Matt
A guy a year later. Yeah, they sold at the perfect time. Khalil, I'm still going to name you the winner, even though I think your, your stat was misleading. But the other two guys didn't even really seem to play the correct game. So we'll give Khalil the winner. Khalil, I'll be in Nashville next week for the SEC tournament, so if I see you, I will give you $2.50, which is the first prize for the games here on Sunday Morning with Matt meyer. And the 50 cents is key. All right, thank you, Khalil. Appreciate it. There you go. So the Browns, Kurt, you say Kirk Cousins, you got Aaron Rodgers to the Giants at the end of the season. If those are the two quarterbacks, which team has the better record?
Myron
Oh, man, I think Kirk Cousins to the Browns. I think they'd have a better record potentially because there are more pieces. I mean, they have the run game in Cleveland. Defensively, you have the pieces that you have. So I would give it to Cleveland in that situation. The Giants are going to be bad no matter what they do. Like, they can't. They can't, you know, recruit or sign a quarterback or draft someone to get rid of the bad that's going to be on them all year.
Matt
I also need to address something I heard this week that my friend, at least I thought he was my friend, Joe Fortenbaugh was on the radio with Q. Myers and the two of them were mocking me for being high on Will Levis 2 years ago in the draft. I think that was extremely rude. Yes, I know Will Levis has thrown a lot of interceptions. Yes, I know Will Levis. Oh, I don't know, has it been, quote, unquote, efficient? And I know the Titans have the first pick in the draft because they were the worst team in the league, but Will Levis still is a wonderful quarterback. And even though it didn't work out, if they had gone to a different team and a different franchise, Myron, I'm still holding on to my Will Levis stock, regardless of what Joe Fortinbaugh and Q. Myers said about me on the nation's airwaves.
Myron
Yeah, I mean, you don't have to, though. I mean, I feel like you've been the leader of the Will Levis bandwagon for years and it's okay to be in a situation where it's like, you know what, you've done enough. You know what I mean?
Brian
You've done enough.
Matt
I'm trying, though. I mean, Liam Cohen got the job in Jacksonville. His O.C. i mean, he's still working on his Duval, he's still working on a lot of it. But otherwise, otherwise, he's working on a.
Myron
Lot of things, man. Yeah, well, it's gonna be him.
Matt
Well, I'm still holding out hope for they don't pick a quarterback number one. You still have a chance coming up this season, even though I don't know that it'll go well. We're going to make our picks today. And at the beginning of the show I said I wanted to have a guest. As they say in the Bible, ask and ye shall receive. They will be on next right here on Sunday morning. Which verse?
Myron
Matt and Myron, the podcast.
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Myron
Race the sails.
Matt
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Jim
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Matt
You know, if you're like me, Mario Metcalf, and you are a religious man, you believe in the various things in the Bible, there is a verse asking ye shall receive. So we asked at the beginning, I said I would love to talk to the coach of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. And now at the end, we have asked and received it. Sunday Morning with Matt Myron and Brian Barone is the coach of the first team that was officially in the tournament. Omaha's in now, too. But you know what? I'm not counting them yet. I'm talking about siue, Coach Barone. Do they, I hear, do, do people call you Sui or do we go siue? What do we do?
Jim
We go siue. We go siue. And I have a question. If you, if that's all you're.
Matt
Come on, what'd you say? I'm sorry, you, you went away, cut.
Myron
Out a little bit.
Matt
You cut out. What'd you say?
Jim
Can you hear me? Yeah, I was saying if you're asking, if you're asking to communicate with me, you should ask for something much greater.
Matt
I'm asking great though. You are. Listen, I saw your interview after the game last night where you brought out the scissors and you said that you had hung it up in your office because you all were going to cut down nets and now you're taking the team for the first time to the tournament. You know, Brian, I think that's such an awesome thing and in today's college basketball. I think this has been a great college basketball season. But it's nice to see you all, like programs still have that collective feeling. And what was that like to accomplish it last night?
Jim
It was amazing. It was special. Yeah. I mean, the scissor things kind of taken off, but it was something that, you know, if you're going to try to try to accomplish something, you might as well do try being the best at it and to do it with the group of guys that we've had. And you know, we have a ton of loyalty on our team, a ton of retention, high character guys. It was awesome. I mean there's not, I mean it's true excitement and my best Teams that I've ever been part of. You can just feel it going into this season that we are going to have an opportunity to do something special, and we capitalized on it last night.
Myron
What does Rayshawn Taylor meant to this program?
Jim
Yeah, I mean, it's, he impacts so many areas of this program in this university. He, he's from right here. You know, he, he committed when, when I was an interim coach. You know, he just, he, he, he. Every single thing he does in terms of, from an academic standpoint, from a work ethic standpoint standpoint, from a personality standpoint, he's truly, you know, someone that you want to have around your family, your team, your community. So he's meant a ton. There's no doubt about it. Guys want to play with him, they want to play for him, and he does the same thing back to them.
Matt
Let me ask you, I haven't gotten to see where people are projecting you for the, for the bracketology, but as a coach, we've talked to coaches over the years who, who are kind of in your position. Would you prefer to go play a game in, in Dayton and kind of get ready, or are you of the belief of give us one of the big boys and let's go see if we can knock it down?
Jim
Yeah, I mean, it's funny, I thought about it a little bit last night, just kind of, you don't, you don't, you don't let your mind go there. And then last night, you know, people are asking similar type of questions and, you know, not to be cliche, but like, let's go play whoever's in front of us. And, you know, because we're in the tournament and you, you want to go try to win the game. And yet you do know whoever's in there, they just want to, you know, they're in there for a reason. They're a champion in some capacity. If you end up going to Dayton and if you get something else, you're. You're going to play someone that's, you know, that you, you expected to be in the tournament. So we're excited to play. Obviously, you know, I've put enough thought into it yet, but, you know, hopefully some of that, that, that it'll be a fun game. There's no doubt about it.
Matt
Joe Linardi right now has you going to Dayton and playing Quinnnipo. But then if you won, getting a little team you might have heard of called the Duke Blue Devils, wouldn't that be awesome for your program?
Jim
Well, it'd be cool. My dad played on the 1966 Final Four team at Duke. Lost in the Final Four, I think Kentucky. And then.
Matt
Yes, I'm a Kentucky guy, so I know that game very well. Yes.
Jim
Yep. So I have his Final Four ring and my nightstand. And that would be special in terms of just from. On a personal level. And then obviously just, you know, the name, the brand and all that kind of stuff. Be kind of fun. So we'll, we'll see wherever it takes us. And let's, let's roll.
Matt
All right. Brian Barone S I U E Suey Head basketball coach all right, we're gonna, we do this, we do a little take your pick here, coach. We go through the games and we make a pick. There are four college basketball conference tournament finals with bids to the Big Dance at stake. So we're gonna have you pick them with us. Let's get started. What's up first?
Brian
All right, we got the Big South Championship final actually in progress right now on ESPN2.
Matt
Tell us the score. Don't tell us the score.
Brian
You got Winthrop against High Point.
Matt
All right. I do know that Tubby Smith is former High Point grad. They're the favorites in here. I'll go first. I will take High Point, Coach. Who you got? High pointer, Winthrop.
Jim
I'm going to go, I'm going to go with High Point as well. High Point as well.
Myron
My High points been on a. High Point has been on a winning streak. Kamani Hamilton is one of the better mid major players that people will get to know here in the weeks ahead. Definitely High Point.
Matt
Yeah, High Point is good by the way. They're a team that if they got in there and somebody doesn't show up to play High Point, if they can win, this would be one to just kind of keep in the back of your mind what's next.
Brian
All right, over to the Atlantic Sun Championship, 2pm on ESPN2. You got North Alabama against Lipscomb.
Matt
Lipscomb, of course, everybody knows over the years has made a lot of runs, but North Alabama this year's got a really good team. Kind of ran through the regular season, played well, hit a couple bumps right at the end of the year. Coach, I'm going to take North Alabama to pull the upset today against Lipscomb. What about you?
Jim
I got North Alabama as well. I saw them play Austin Peay the other day and man, they were good. They were. They were fun to watch. A lot of excitement, a lot of energy in that building too. That was at home when they were there.
Matt
Myron, I just told you I got A North Alabama sweatshirt. So what about you?
Myron
Well, thing to know about them is they have the lowest turnover percentage in America. They got a guy, Daniel Ortiz, who hasn't committed a turnover in six games. They're two guards, so they can't take care of the ball. They're efficient. Give me North Alabama.
Matt
What's next?
Brian
All right, the MVC tournament final to collect today, Bradley against Drake.
Matt
This is a huge game for these teams out here on the bubble because if Drake is going to the tournament one way or the other, and Bradley, if they were to upset Drake, one of these teams on the bubble, like a Texas or somebody like that, they could be knocked out. So a lot of bubble teams are going to have to be careful to take Drake. They're awesome. They're like 28 and three this year and have been rolling. So I'll take Drake. But for bubble teams, this is a big game. Coach, what do you got?
Jim
Well, my uncle Bernie played football at Drake years ago, but I'm going with Bradley. That's family right there. Brian Wardle, Jimmy Foster, Mike Bargain. We're all teammates or work together at Green Bay or played at Marquette. I know what Brian and that staff has done. I'm driving to St. Louis right now. Hopefully, and I'll say it hopefully, I'm going to be celebrating a championship with him when we get back into town.
Matt
Oh, you're going to the game. Good for you. Good for you. Cool. Enjoy yourself. What do you got, Myron?
Myron
Coach, that's family for me too. As a Milwaukee guy, I know Jimmy well. Brian Ward, all those guys, man. So, you know, looking forward to that if you don't know the name. America, 5 foot 8, Duke Dean, pound for pound, one of the best players in America. Brian Wardle's team, the best three point shooting team in the country. So you want to talk about teams you don't want to face in the tournament? It's a team like that, Matt, that can just come out and make a ton of threes and just run you off the court.
Matt
They really are. Drake is going to be like a 10, 11 seed in the tournament. And if you are the 6 or the 7 that gets them, good luck to you. I think that's going to be a tough one for whoever gets it. What's next?
Brian
And finally, guys, you got the Summit league championship at 9:00 tonight. St. Thomas of Minnesota, I guess, man. St. Thomas MN versus Omaha.
Matt
We played Omaha a couple weeks ago on this show. My Outrunners, the tag team from OVW went and talked to him. They're in no matter what. St. Thomas is ineligible because they haven't been in the NCAA long enough. But Omaha goes ahead and gets the victory and beats up a trash can. What do you got, Coach?
Jim
Well, yeah, I love the trash can. I grew up in Omaha when my dad was the coach at Creighton, but I played St. Thomas a few years ago and they were cutting and dicing us left and right, so we're seeing that firsthand. I think St. Thomas will get it. But no disrespect to Omaha in my.
Matt
Roots, St. Thomas, quickly. Myron, who you got?
Myron
St. Thomas wins. The Tommies are coming.
Matt
Brian Barone, coach at Suey. Good luck in the tournament pulling for you. Love the OBC from the old days with Eastern and all those schools. Schools. I hope you go and have a great run. Thank you very much.
Jim
Thanks for having me, guys. Thanks. I really appreciate it.
Matt
We'll see you later. This is Sunday morning on ESPN Radio.
Myron
Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the Podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, and on SiriusXM Channel 80. Matt and Myron the Podcast.
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Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron: Hour 3 – Myles Sticking With Cleveland
Release Date: March 9, 2025
Hosts: Myron Medcalf and Matt Jones | ESPN Radio
In the March 9, 2025 episode of "Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron", hosts Myron Medcalf and Matt Jones delve into the latest developments in the sports world, offering in-depth analysis and lively discussions. The episode, titled "Hour 3: Myles Sticking With Cleveland", covers significant NFL trade updates, NCAA basketball insights, and a special interview with Coach Brian Barone of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE).
Breaking News on Miles Garrett: The episode kicks off with Matt Jones sharing a major update regarding Miles Garrett's contractual status with the Cleveland Browns. According to Adam Schefter on Twitter, Garrett has secured a record-breaking contract with Cleveland, averaging $40 million per year and including $123.5 million in guaranteed money. The deal was finalized by Garrett's agent, Nicole Lynn of Clutch Sports, and Browns GM Andrew Barry, despite earlier communication challenges earlier that week.
Matt (00:40): "Miles Garrett had no trade clause. I mean, there's really nothing else that could have worked. But he's a special player and I think it makes sense for the Browns to resign."
Myron's Take: Myron echoes Matt's sentiments, emphasizing that the Browns had no intention of trading Garrett, a stance they reinforced during the combine. He also points out the unconventional move of Garrett consulting NBA star LeBron James during his trade request, highlighting the differences between NFL and NBA trade dynamics.
Myron (01:20): "NFL guys need to stop talking to NBA guys about free agency and trades. It's just so different. You don't have the same flexibility."
The hosts shift focus to the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation for the upcoming season. Both Matt and Myron express confidence in Kirk Cousins as the probable starter, questioning the Browns' reluctance to invest a high draft pick in a new quarterback.
Matt (01:47): "Who do you think is their quarterback next year?"
Myron (01:52): "Kirk Cousins. Yeah, Kirk Cousins."
Discussion Points:
Draft Strategy: Myron suggests that the Browns may not find a suitable quarterback in the current draft, believing that potential candidates like Cam Ward and Shadur might fall in the later rounds but are not exceptional.
Myron (02:15): "They gotta be the top three picks."
Long-Term Planning: Matt and Myron debate whether the Browns are limiting themselves by not selecting a quarterback in the early rounds, considering the limited flexibility of NFL trades compared to the NBA.
A significant segment of the episode revolves around the speculative discussion of the New York Giants potentially acquiring Aaron Rodgers. The conversation involves input from callers Khalil (Nashville), Nick (Wisconsin), and Jim (Illinois), each presenting their case for why the Giants should or should not pursue Rodgers.
Caller Contributions:
Khalil's Argument (03:11): Khalil advocates for Rodgers, acknowledging his personal flaws but highlighting his superior performance over Daniel Jones in the previous season.
Khalil (03:11): "Aaron Rodgers last year had a better season than any of Daniel Jones's season. It'll be the best quarterback play since Eli's Super Bowl year."
Myron counters Khalil's points with statistical evidence, pointing out Rodgers' decline in efficiency over recent seasons.
Myron (06:14): "Aaron Rodgers this past season finishes 25th in QBR, 20th in passer rating. Daniel Jones in the 2022 season... was more efficient."
Nick's Perspective (04:31): Nick reiterates the statistical superiority of Rodgers but introduces a humorous comparison likening the Giants' pursuit to finding a "perfectly good shack in the $5 bin."
Nick (04:43): "It reminds me of an old Onion article... the Giants are going after Rodgers."
However, Matt notes that Nick didn't fully align with the intended argument, making his case less compelling.
Jim's Input (05:37): Jim humorously suggests that acquiring Rodgers could tank the Giants' season, ensuring a top draft pick due to poor performance.
Jim (05:45): "He’s going to improve their chances of getting a top draft pick in 2026 because they're so bad."
Conclusion of the Debate: Despite Myron's rebuttal to Khalil's points, Matt awards Khalil the “winner” for making a more structured case, albeit the discussion underscores the complexities of high-profile quarterback acquisitions in the NFL.
Matt (07:58): "Khalil, I'm still going to name you the winner, even though I think your stat was misleading..."
Matt shares a personal anecdote about being mocked by Joe Fortenbaugh and Q. Myers for his support of Will Levis during the draft, defending his stance despite Levis' mixed performance.
Matt (09:05): "Even though it didn't work out, if they had gone to a different team and a different franchise, I'm still holding on to my Will Levis stock..."
Myron responds by suggesting that Matt has been a long-standing supporter of Levis and hints that it's okay to step back.
Myron (10:12): "You've done enough."
The latter part of the episode features an insightful interview with Brian Barone, the head coach of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) basketball team. The discussion centers around SIUE's journey in the NCAA tournament and their aspirations.
Key Topics Discussed:
Tournament Ambitions: Coach Barone shares the team's excitement about securing a spot in the tournament, highlighting the team's loyalty, high character, and strong performance throughout the season.
Jim (16:23): "It was something that, you know, if you're going to try to accomplish something, you might as well do it with the group of guys that we've had."
Impact of Key Players: Rayshawn Taylor is highlighted as a pivotal player for SIUE, praised for his academic achievements, work ethic, and positive influence on the team and community.
Jim (17:03): "From an academic standpoint, from a work ethic standpoint, from a personality standpoint, he's truly someone that you want to have around your family, your team, your community."
Bracketology and Tournament Predictions: Coach Barone engages with Matt and Myron in predicting outcomes of various conference tournament finals, offering strategic insights and personal connections to the teams involved.
Jim (20:37): "I'm going with Bradley as well. High Point as well."
Personal Reflections: Barone reflects on personal connections to past teams and the significance of potentially facing renowned programs like Duke.
Jim (19:19): "My dad played on the 1966 Final Four team at Duke."
In a collaborative segment, Coach Barone joins Matt and Myron to predict winners of several conference tournament finals, adding an expert perspective to the analysis.
Predicted Games and Outcomes:
Big South Championship (Winthrop vs. High Point):
All hosts and Coach Barone favor High Point due to their winning streak and standout players.
Myron (20:28): "High Point has been on a winning streak... Definitely High Point."
Atlantic Sun Championship (North Alabama vs. Lipscomb):
The consensus leans towards North Alabama, citing their low turnover percentage and efficient gameplay.
Matt (20:48): "I'll take North Alabama to pull the upset today against Lipscomb."
MVC Tournament Final (Bradley vs. Drake):
While Matt and Myron prefer Drake due to their strong performance, Coach Barone opts for Bradley, influenced by personal connections and team dynamics.
Jim (22:16): "I'm going with Bradley."
Summit League Championship (St. Thomas of Minnesota vs. Omaha):
Predictions are split, with Matt and Myron favoring Omaha, whereas Coach Barone supports St. Thomas, based on firsthand experience.
Myron (24:11): "St. Thomas wins. The Tommies are coming."
The episode culminates with heartfelt thanks to Coach Barone and a recap of the engaging discussions. Matt and Myron reiterate the podcast's availability across various platforms, ensuring listeners can tune in every Sunday morning.
Myron (24:32): "Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the Podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN Radio, the ESPN app, and on SiriusXM Channel 80."
Miles Garrett's Future: Cemented with the Browns through a substantial contract, indicating Cleveland's commitment to Garrett.
Browns' Quarterback Strategy: Likely sticking with Kirk Cousins, with skepticism about investing high draft picks in new quarterbacks.
Giants' Potential Pursuit of Aaron Rodgers: A debated topic with varied perspectives, highlighting the complexities of NFL quarterback acquisitions.
SIUE's Tournament Run: Under Coach Barone, SIUE exemplifies team loyalty and character, aiming for notable success in the NCAA tournament.
Conference Tournament Predictions: Insightful predictions blending statistical analysis and personal connections, enhancing the understanding of NCAA basketball dynamics.
Note: The episode notably excludes advertisements, intros, and outros, focusing solely on the substantive content and discussions relevant to sports enthusiasts.