Happy Retirement Vince Carter and Thanks for the Memories

After 22 years Vince Carter officially retired from the NBA this more.

He said, "I'm officially done".

I have always been a fan of his. There were times that I rooted for other players, wanted his team to get beat, I was not a fan when he was in college, but things changed over time for me. I have a distinct memory, as I am sure most NBA fans do, of the dunk contest that Carter entered and won going away. I don't remember when Jordan and Dominique went head to head, I am too young for Dr J's stuff and while Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine have put on some shows in recent years, the dunk contest Carter won was the most spectacular thing I have ever witnessed as a basketball fan. The reverse 360, the elbow in the rim, the bounce off the side of the hoop, it was all amazing and all new to me. He then went on to the Olympics and dunked all over Frederic Weis. I only know Weis' name because Carter ended him. He literally jumped over him and made the poster to end all posters. I had a picture of that on my wall, and I know a good group of my friends did too. That was when the fandom started for me. It was the dunk contest, then ending Weis. I have always been a fan of more thunderous dunkers. Guys that would dunk, and dunk hard. I loved seeing Shaq pull down rims. Daryl Dawkins is an icon dunker to me. I am, and always will be, a big time Shawn Kemp fan, he is my all time favorite player in fact, and that is because of his incredible dunks. Carter was able to do that, but also put some finesse into it. He was like a mixture of Dawkins and George Gervin with the way he would dunk. He would do these incredible twists and turns and loops and throw it down with authority.

I started liking him more and more after the dunk contest when he was in Toronto. When he moved on to the Nets I cooled a bit, but that was because I was naive at why he changed teams. Toronto wasn't going to do much to help him. They weren't going to compete for a championship, and Carter knew it. He figured the Nets were his best shot. And he had chances. He played on some good teams. Teams that made deep playoff runs. But they couldn't quite get over the top. This was also when Carter's game started to evolve. He was still doing magnificent things in the air, but he also started to work on his jumper, try a bit on defense and become more of a team guy. This made my fandom grow even more. After his tenure in New Jersey, he became a journeyman of sorts. He would go to young teams and kind of be a mentor, but also he could still play. He was still a contributor. He spent a season in Orlando, the next in Phoenix, then three years with the Mavericks, when his jumper became a real threat, three more seasons in Memphis, two in Sacramento and his last two years in Atlanta. Watching him play when he went to Memphis, then Sacramento and then Atlanta, he played into his 40's, he still contributed and you could see the love of the game. He didn't want to leave. Father time is undefeated, but Carter fought it more successfully than a lot of pro athletes.

What made me like Carter more near the end was his attitude. He didn't go to these places and demand things. He didn't go with an ego. It was like I said before, he wanted to play and he wanted to help the new generation of NBA players. I bet you dollars to donuts than a player like Trae Young loved having him on his team. I guarantee he helped John Collins a ton when he got wrongfully suspended. I'm sure Lloyd Pierce loved having him on the court as a "coach" on the floor. Carter became a beloved figure in the NBA, and that is rad.

Do not get it twisted, Carter was the man in his early days, and I think he is a first ballot hall of famer. While he may not have a ring, and I think it rules that he didn't chase one, he was an 8 time all star, twice on an all NBA team and won the rookie of the year award. He was also an All American in college. He was a lottery pick that lived up to the hype. He has a gold medal. He is an important and prominent figure within the NBA. Honestly, I'd rather have his career than super star guys like Carmelo Anthony or Tracy McGrady, who I love also, and is his cousin or James Harden. Vince Carter was steady, at times dominant, one of the most athletic players to ever play and, at the end, a threat when shooting jumpers and, all in all, a great, great teammate. Vince Carter has earned his stripes and my hat is off to him. Now he gets to enjoy retirement.

What a career. A Hall of Fame worthy one if you ask me.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Who Should Be the Next Head Coach for the New York Knicks?

Another day another basketball story from me.

Today I want to talk about the New York Knicks and their coaching search. They fired David Fizdale, unfairly I still think, and this team has been in the tank for too long now. The Knicks are a flagship team, and the NBA is better when they are a good team. The last time I can remember them being good was eight years ago, when Carmelo was still good and they won fifty games. They then immediately went out and got washed by the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. Since then it has been a dumpster fire. They have not been a good team. They have made some odd draft choices, and odd trades. They've made some questionable signings. And they have missed out on some big time free agents they thought they may be getting. And even when they make a good draft choice, Kristaps Porzingis comes to mind, he wants out and they trade him. And Mitchell Robinson is very good, but I am at a point where I think they will trade him when his stock is high. They won't let him stick around long enough to become the all star I think he can be.

The Knicks recent downswing has resulted in them becoming a laughingstock, they need James Dolan to be gone, they need to get a solid draft pick and they need to start making sound free agent choices. I think a lot of that depends on who they hire as their new head coach, and what Leon Rose brings to the team. Rose will get them meetings. He will get guys in the room. He was a super agent. Now the Knicks need to get the right coach.

I've seen so many names connected. It seems like every coach, be it a current head coach, former head coach or upcoming assistant is being mentioned, or have an interview coming up. The last three names I heard recently are Mike Brown, Jason Kidd and Tom Thibodeau. These are the three guys they seem to be honing in on.

I wouldn't hire Tom Thibodeau. I wasn't a fan of his in Chicago. I thought he overworked his best players and I still throw a little blame his way for Derrick Rose's knee exploding in the strike shortened season. He played him far too much. I also wasn't a fan when Minnesota hired him to be the coach and GM. I wrote a whole thing about it. He didn’t do much of anything until the Timberwolves signed Jimmy Butler, and we all saw how that turned out. I am not a Thibodeau guy, and I don't think he has it in him to coach a team that needs to be developed. He needs a team that is laden with vets, and I still would be hesitant to hire him.

Jason Kidd has come on strong as of late because of his relationship to Giannis Antentokoumpo. He coached him in Milwaukee, Giannis likes him and those Bucks teams were solid under Kidd. Unfortunately what I remember most from his tenure there is the water spilling incident to try and save a timeout. Also, it appears that he wears out his welcome quick. Milwaukee let him go after three years and the Nets job, I don't believe he finished one season there. He may also want to stay in LA because LeBron may want him to become the head coach if Frank Vogel screws things up. And, all this talk of Giannis leaving Milwaukee, and teams trying to set up how they will sign him or trade for him, getting the right players to pair him with, I truly believe Giannis wants to stay in Milwaukee. They are always going to be a threat with him, he seems like he likes it there, he started a family there and they can offer him as much money as any other team. He reminds me of a guy that wants to play for just one team his whole career. And if he can bring them a title, man would that make my dad happy.

So we are left with Mike Brown. I actually do think this would be a homerun hire for the Knicks. He has had major success as a head coach. Sure, it was with a young LeBron, but still, he coached a Finals team. He has also been doing wonders as an assistant in Golden State. He has stepped up, stepped in when needed and the players there love and respect him. I know things didn’t go great in Cleveland after LeBron left for Miami, but it hasn’t gone good for anyone else whenever LeBron isn't on that team. They are the Browns of the NBA. Cleveland is a waste land without LeBron. So I don’t knock Mike Brown for that. I also think his time in Golden State has opened him up to the modern NBA, he has helped develop some great players, he has taken the role of head man when Steve Kerr has had to sit out, he has done it all. I also think Knicks fans, and more importantly, players, will adore him. He can coach vets as well as he can develop raw talent. Mitchell Robinson could reach the all star level under him. Maybe Dennis Smith Jr would buy into being more of a distributor than a shooter. Frank Knilitina may be able to work on his jumper and become a poor man's Draymond. They could get a solid draft pick, maybe Tyler Haliburton, that they can turn into a swiss army type guy, because Mike Brown knows how to coach and develop guys like that. I think he is more than deserving of his second chance, and I think the Knicks would be foolish to not give him the job.

We shall see, but I feel that Mike Brown is far and away the best candidate for the vacant head coaching job for the Knicks right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Where Should Boogie Cousins Play When the NBA Restarts?

With the restart coming in the NBA, hopefully, there have been some guys that have already said they will sit out, and some players who weren't signed, or just signed before the shutdown, they are now available to be picked up by one of the twenty-two teams headed to Orlando, again, hopefully.

Davis Bertans is sitting out, and I get it. He has had his best year, he will never be as highly regarded and sought after and the Wizards are going nowhere. Trevor Ariza has opted to sit out because he is going through a nasty custody battle, and he wants to spend time with his kid. Those guys I get their reasoning. I'm sure some other players, with about as much clout as them, will decide to sit as well. But the big name I saw today, and oh, by the way, tomorrow is the deadline for players to let their teams know if they are not going to go to Orlando, so I am sure we will see some more names, was Demarcus Cousins.

So, I assumed Cousins was done for the season. Then a report came out that said he said he was going to get himself ready for next season and forego this restart. But then another story came out that said he wasn't fully committed to sitting out, and he may field some offers. That all got me thinking. First off, I thought he was done for the year, but in reality, it has been about a year. He came back last season early from a torn ACL and played, not well, but still played. He has had more time to heal now. He may be in better shape than he was at this time last season when he had to play for Golden State in the Finals. Who knows. He is also still a very, very high volume low post scorer. He was one of the best for a minute there, but injuries have slowed him down to a halt. He isn't the guy he was in Sacramento, but he is still a quality player, and an above average scorer. He can help a team immediately that needs an enforcer, rebounder and a big down low. I do honestly believe that. I am still a Boogie fan. I feel like he has been treated unfairly, and that he can still play offense, and rebound, at a high level. With all that being said, and the injury stuff, and his rehab, I also started thinking about teams that could use him if he wants to play.

The number one obvious choice is the Lakers. He was there, he knows the system, Dwight Howard may not play and LeBron likes him. He has also played alongside Anthony Davis before, and they had a bit of success. He would be a solid replacement for Howard if he were to opt out. I actually think he is a better scorer. Dwight Howard has been so much better on defense, and really accepted his role there. But, Boogie is an All Star and young and can play. Personally I'd rather have Boogie. I also think the Clippers could use him. They have good bigs, but no one like Boogie. Ivan Zubac is fine, but he is just fine. Montrezl Harrell is a super high energy rebounding machine off the bench, but he is small. Other than that, it is Kawhi and Paul George. And while they're great, I think Boogie could be a third or fourth option that they crave. I think Sacramento could use him. They have a crew of young guys, a new head coach and they need a solid big. Sure it would be weird to see him in that uniform again, but almost everything has changed since he was originally there. It is pretty much brand new. And I would love to see him paired with DeAron Fox is a pick and roll. Orlando could pair him with Vuvcevic, and that would be like the poor man's version of what the Pelicans did when they paired him with AD. Vucvevic is more of a scorer, like Boogie, so they may get eaten up in the post. But, they could each put in 20 to 30 a night, especially with all the time off every player has had. People will not want to body him. Hell, I could go on and on with teams I think could use him. Utah could pair him with Gobert, and that would be menacing. Denver could replace Paul Milsap with him and have a younger, more athletic big next to Jokic. Boston is begging for a big man, and the two have been linked prior. Toronto may even want to put him out there with Marc Gasol, and let Serge Ibaka roam for open jumpers on offense, and hunt for blocks on defense.

I feel like Boogie should be a hot commodity if the restart happens, and if Boogie wants to play. I still have faith in him. I still believe in him, and I wish nothing but the best for him. We will just have to wait and see. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Mike Gundy, a Profile in Idiocy

So, can someone explain to me why Oklahoma State still has Mike Gundy on their payroll? Sure, he is good for seven, eight, maybe even nine wins sometimes. He has coached some pro talent players. He has had Oklahoma State in the thick of Big 12 races. But, with the state of the world today, and the fact that he wore that god damn shirt, why is he still employed?

Gundy apology was false, and seemed forced. There have been stories released recently that he has said racial epitaphs in the past. He has shown that he has a very short temper and will fly off the rails. He has that stupid, redneck haircut. And he fully knew what shirt he was wearing the other day. He is clearly one of these far, far, far right wing nut jobs. He probably owns more than one of those shirts. He took a picture knowing that it would be posted on social media. He has shown that he supports the current "president", and has never backed away from it. Mike Gundy is, was, and always will be a racist. The fact that he didn't do or say anything prior to his star running back saying he wouldn't be involved with the university until this was addressed speaks volumes. He didn't care. He didn't think. He put on a t shirt that is a conspiracy theory right wing nonsense network, and knew it would get out. Then the star player says something, he happens to be African American, and all of the sudden Mike Gundy is talking about the "error of his ways", and how "things need to change".

I don't buy it for one single second. He would have never said or done anything had the current situation been different. Hell, when/if the college football season starts, and if Oklahoma State starts to win, no one will bring this up. And that is the problem. He has not been fired because Oklahoma State was a perennial whipping boy before he arrived. And while they aren't great by any means, they play a fun offense, and find a way to make bowl games more times than not since he took over. But that is beyond the point. And before people say, "he is a republican, why can't he support his party? ", or "why does everything have to be so politically correct now?", that is not my point. If he is a republican fine. Things are very different now, so people in the limelight should at least try to be politically correct. That is the truth. But this goes beyond political correctness or being a republican.

The problem is Gundy’s choice of apparel. That shirt with OAN on it, that is a conspiracy theory news publication that has some of the most hateful and hurtful speech in the current media. If you want to be disgusted, go check out some of their stuff. It will turn your stomach. So for him to be wearing that shirt, that means he not only supports it, he believes it. He is part of the problem. He is the type of person that wants four more years of this. He is the type of guy that would call me and my family a "sheep" for wearing a mask in public. He probably thinks the Coronavirus pandemic is a myth. He has issues, and they are scary issues. I support Chuba Hubbard so much more than I will ever support or respect Mike Gundy. He is a young, influential black man, he saw a problem and he addressed it. He did what he felt was right, and what was actually right. Mike Gundy is a racist. Chuba Hubbard shouldn't have to play for him if he doesn't feel comfortable. There are a ton of colleges who would love to have him on their team right now. He should be free to transfer anywhere he wants.

It is time for the Mike Gundy's of the world to be held accountable for their horrendous actions, and to support the Chuba Hubbard's of the world, who see a problem and want it fixed immediately. Mike Gundy should be gone, he should be fired. The ball is in Oklahoma State's court now. Lets see what they do. Hopefully it is the right thing. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "Long Gone Summer"

Yesterday I watched the most recent 30 for 30 "Long Gone Summer". The doc was about the summer of 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chased the home run record set by Roger Maris.

I lived through this moment in time, and I vividly remember the chase because I live in Saint Louis, and I am a Cardinals fan. That was one of my main motivations for watching this movie. I also wanted to see how much they talked about steroids in this era, and how much of a part it played in both guys, and eventually Barry Bonds, breaking such a hallowed record. And yes, records in baseball, for some reason, are held in higher regards than in other pro sports. So the fact that three guys in four years broke the record, people had lots of questions. But I will touch on that in a moment.

As for the movie, it was just fine. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was just fine. This is unfair to the movie, but I am now going to be comparing the every 30 for 30 to "The Last Dance". That was epic, perfect and one of the best movies I will ever see. So I know comparing this movie to it is not fair. But it just didn't fully live up to the hype for me. A lot of the footage, I remember seeing. I was 16 when this happened, loved baseball, played baseball, so it had my full attention. Baseball also needed something to get back in people's good graces after the 1994 lockout, and this home run race was the remedy. I remember McGwire starting off hot. I remember Ken Griffey Jr being right in it. I remember Sammy Sosa coming on super strong in June. They covered all this, but they didn't really add anything new. I don't think they put in anything that your average baseball fan doesn't remember from that era. They talked about Kerry Wood, but he was the hot phenom at the time. They mentioned Harry Caray's death, and everyone knew about that. They mentioned Sosa's unexpected explosion in June, but that is what got the world's attention. They talked about how hard it was on both guys, but anyone that watched could see it in their faces, especially McGwire's. Sosa loved the limelight, and he shined in it. McGwire just wanted to hit baseballs. I also remember not being a fan of either guy, even though I was, and still am, a Cardinals fan. I was always a Griffey Jr guy.

What I am trying to say is, I already knew all the stuff they were getting into with this movie. I watch 30 for 30's because they give me new info, or tell me about someone I never heard of before. This was almost a paint by numbers doc. It was softball question after softball question. They did not really dig deep into what I was hoping they would, steroids. And that is on me I guess. I was going into this movie thinking it was going to be a salacious take down of both guys, and both guys would come clean about their steroid use. And, I mean, I guess they did, but it was kind of half hearted admittance. McGwire said he used steroids, but only for injuries, which is B.S. Sosa said, "everyone was doing it", which isn't really an admission, but also kind of is. But they did all that in the last ten minutes of the movie. They spent an hour and a half praising these guys, showing legions of fans cheering for them and how they overcame adversity, only to switch at the end to say, "they may have used steroids". There is no may, they did. This could have been like the Lance Armstrong doc. They could have delved so much deeper into the seedy world of steroid use in baseball in the mid to late 90's and early 2000's. They chose to go in a different direction, which is fine, it just wasn't what I wanted or expected. Sosa and McGwire almost come off as good guys, and they both are not, at least in baseball terms. They both took PEDs. They both cheated the game. They both fell off after this one magical season. They both were called into congress to talk about PED use. And "Long Gone Summer" just kind of glossed over all of that in favor for watching a baseball fly over a wall.

It was nice to go back in time and see a ton of cool stuff that I watched as a teenager, but this movie could have been better, at least for me. I wanted more steroid talk, more salacious stuff. "Long Gone Summer" went for sympathy, and that is their prerogative. Now I know to watch "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience" if I want what I deem to be the truer story, and I'm totally cool with that. I'm glad I watched, but I don't see myself revisiting it like I do with so many other 30 for 30's.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on if the NBA Should Come Back

I didn't write yesterday because, as I told RD when I called him, I needed another night to figure out how I was going to word my piece for the day. I don't want to come off as an asshole at all, but I figure there will be at least one person that disagrees with me today, and well, there is really nothing I can do about that.

Today I want to talk about the player uprising in the NBA right now. Maybe uprising is a bit too strong, but still, there is a decent number of players, and former players for that matter, who do not think right now is the correct time to come back and play. They deem it too much of a distraction from what is currently going on in our country, as far as the protests, Black Live Matter, police brutality, the pandemic, and any other hellscape that we currently live in. And I fully, fully agree with that. I understand. Once players start playing basketball, that will be the biggest story, at least in the sporting news. That is what people will talk about. The people that cover it will immediately shift their focus to the games, the players and the plays that decide the game. The protests will seemingly shift on the back burner. We don't need that. These protests are working. Stuff is starting to happen. I want the police defunded, and the money given to public education personally, and I feel like there is a shift happening in that direction. Some places have already had votes to defund police, and it is working. Also, a good amount of prominent NBA players have taken part in the protests. Players like Giannis, Russ, DeMar DeRozan and Steph and Klay, among many others, have marched, spoken at the marches and been front and center. I LOVE that they are doing that. I love that they are letting their voice be heard. I appreciate that they are taking the time to go out and fight for what is right. But I do fear that once they step on the court, it will all be forgotten. Well, maybe not forgotten, but pushed aside. Guys like Steph and Klay won't get pushed aside because the Warriors weren't invited. But Russ, Giannis, guys on teams that will be going to Orlando, I think the fact that they marched will be put aside when they throw a pinpoint pass, or get a steal or do a thunderous dunk. That sucks.

There is also the current uptick, alarmingly so, of Coronavirus cases in Florida right now. I don't think the NBA players will be as susceptible, due to the "bubble" they will be put in, but still, there has been a scary amount of newly reported cases in Florida. I get NBA players being wary of that. There is also the injury factor that some young guys have brought up. This is going to be a quick restart, and the way these guys are built, someone could suffer a devastating injury. I would hope that the NBA has contingency plans for that, and I assume they do. But still, it is a big time risk. I get all of these fears and problems being brought up by some players.

Now, for what some may see as the heel turn, I'm shocked that Kyrie Irving has this much hold over current NBA players. When rumors started to surface that some players were unhappy with the restart, I racked my brain trying to figure out who. I thought maybe Chris Paul. He has a family that he is super involved with, and three months away is a long, long time. It wasn't him. Then I thought about some guys on the six teams that got invited. I figured guys like Devin Booker, DeAron Fox, Damien Lillard, CJ McCollum, thought it would be pointless because they will, most likely, be there for only eight games, and then have to head home on an airplane. It wasn't those guys either. I even thought, well maybe Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell don't want to play because, and if it wasn't them it would have assuredly been someone else, they essentially shut down the league, and know firsthand how rough this virus can be. But it wasn't them either. The biggest, most dissenting voice was Kyrie Irving, a guy that wasn't invited to play because he is injured and will not return to next season. As soon as I saw it was him, I scoffed and said out loud to no one, "of course it is Kyrie, he is going to ruin this for everyone".

I am not a Kyrie Irving fan. I never have been. Not even in college, or when he hit one of the biggest shots in NBA history. He is a great, great player. I just don't care for him. He is also an insane person. He is a flat Earther. I believe he is anti-vaccine. He has this deep hatred for LeBron James, so much so that he asked to be traded from a perennial Finals team because he didn't want to play with LeBron. He has also destroyed two locker rooms on his way to this new mission of his to shut down this restart. Now, I agree with his issues with the restart. I said it all up top. I want the protests to be front and center on the news, and I do agree that basketball will take away from that. But coming from Kyrie Irving, a kid who grew up with every single advantage, makes millions upon millions of dollars and isn't even going to play, that makes me mad. I'm sorry, but it does. It pisses me off truthfully. I get his message, I cannot say that enough, but he has money to last for the rest of his life. He makes money outside of his NBA contract. He is doing just fine. But what about the 8th or 9th guy on his team. What is that guy going to do if they cancel this season? Also, if they cancel this season, that will lead to, almost certainly, a lockout next year, and billions upon billions of dollars will be lost. Again, I agree with his words, but he is only thinking about himself in this scenario. He is only trying, as some conspiracy theorists have put out there, to keep LeBron from chasing another title.

Yet, there have been other voices coming out in support of Irving, like Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley and Carmelo Anthony. Dwight Howard, I get. His baby's mother died from this disease. He has personal issues with this. If Minnesota were invited, and they asked KAT about it, and if he didn't want to restart, I'd get it. He lost his mother to the virus. Stephen Jackson has been very vocal about cancelling the restart, and he is one of the biggest voices in the protests, I love what he is doing, and how much he is stepping up. He also lost a dear friend due to police brutality. He is also retired. I get why he is so adamant on stopping the restart. But, Kyrie, Avery Bradley and Carmelo, they confuse me. I think I covered why Kyrie's involvement puzzles me. Carmelo, he begged to get back in the league, got signed, and has played well. Why now does he not want a chance to play, at least, eight more games? I don't know. Maybe he is fearful of the virus or getting hurt or something else. But for a guy that was on every TV show until he got signed to suddenly be against a restart, that is puzzling. Avery Bradley is a role player, and I assume he would like to continue to make money. He would be giving up a huge chunk of his salary if they don't restart, and then he would be looking for a new team next season when the lockout inevitably happens. His involvement is the most puzzling of the names of players that have been released. He is due to lose the most money of any named player against a restart.

Ed Davis, who is a ten year vet came out yesterday and brought up some very good points I thought about not restarting. He mentioned that guys like Kyrie, they have made their money and they will be set. The people who have most to lose are vets like him. They rely on the paychecks that come in every two weeks to provide and care for their loved ones. They make a ton of money, but it isn't at the level that a Kyrie Irving makes. So while Davis said he gets where Kyrie is coming from, he also stated that a player like Kyrie doesn't have the same worries as a player like himself does.

I fully agree with Ed Davis. That is the bottom line of all this, and that is the sad thing. The NBA is a business. They are around to make money and get on TV and promote super stars. I asked my wife, who works for a big time stock firm, what would they do if someone said they wanted to leave to go protest and march. She said they would wish them all the luck in the world, sing their praises, support them and let them know they would try and save their job. She also told me that while that person was away, they wouldn't be required to pay them. That is how businesses work, and I think Kyrie doesn't realize, or care about that. If he does get his way, and enough star guys decide to sit out this restart, enough star players that is, this will cause much bigger problems in the future. There will be a lockout next season. The CBA will be torn to shreds and the owners will have all the power. The NBA will use their Force Majeure clause, they can use this in an event that is so catastrophic that is causing unforeseen cancellations, and rip up everything past players worked for today. This is a very weird, very rough, very bad time in the world right now. We are living through some awful shit. And while I applaud the reasoning that some guys are giving for not wanting to restart, I also think they need to know that it will destroy everything they have worked for to be where they are today, to make the money they make today, to have the power to speak to people the way they do today.

The NBA is one of, if not the, most forward thinking professional leagues in the world. If they cancel this restart, it will be catastrophic though. I don't think it will be cancelled though. LeBron has already come out and said the he doesn't think restarting will take away from his ability to speak to people and force change. I agree with him. Also, when he said that, any anger I had towards Kyrie went away, because when LeBron speaks, the NBA listens.

This is one of the more confusing and frustrating things I have dealt with personally as a sports fan. I want the NBA back. I want to watch basketball. But I also want people to continue talking about the protests, I want people to continue to march, I want the police defunded. I want all these things, and I still think we can have it even with NBA players playing basketball. I guess time will tell. Until then, I will be curious to see what the next couple of weeks has in store, because the next couple of weeks is when players are supposed to start reporting to the mini training camps. We will just have to wait and see. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Basketball is Back Baby

Yesterday the NBA approved the 22 team proposal to finish out the 2019-20 season. They are heading to mini training camps in June, they will go to Orlando early July for more practice and on July 31st they will start to play real games. This was a nearly unanimous vote. The only team that voted against the proposal was Portland, which I am still a bit confused about since they are one of the non playoff teams being invited.

Needless to say, I am over the moon at this news. I was almost certain up until about two weeks ago that they were going to cancel the season. I just assumed they wouldn't be able to pull it off. And while there is still going to be massive hoops to jump through, while they will need to be extra careful, while I am certain that some players with get sick and contract the virus, I feel like the NBA is being very smart, and more importantly, safe with their plan to finish this out. They seem to have tripled checked everything they are doing, and that is why I think their plan going forward is going to work.

I like a lot about this plan. I love the idea of playing play in tournaments for the final seeds in the East and West. I'm all about the eight extra games to determine seeding. I am stoked that they are going Summer League style and playing games all day long. I get to watch hours and hours of NBA games all day long when they return. That rules. I am curious, and also happy, that they are doing it in one spot and that they are secluding the players in a "bubble". The Wide World of Sports seems like the best possible spot to finish this out. I love that the players are going to get time to get back in shape. To meet up with teammates and coaches again. To see people they like and work with. I am stoked that my team, the Memphis Grizzlies, have a real shot at the playoffs. I love that I will get to see Ja, Zion, LeBron, Kawhi, Chris Paul, Jokic, and so many other stars that I have missed since the season was suspended on March 11th. I even like that the NBA is looking into a way to let guys bring some of their family with them to stay with them while they finish it all out. I am on board with pretty much everything they have set forth as their plan.

The only thing I don't really like is some of the teams they invited. I believe when they were getting closer to a solution last week I said I liked the idea of 20 teams being invited, and having the four extra teams fight for the final playoff spot. I don't get why the Kings, Suns and Wizards are all being invited. The Suns and Kings have a very limited shot at making the playoffs. They have to play flawless basketball for the most part, and they don't have the luxury of facing the Hornets, Warriors or Knicks. All the teams invited are good teams. Washington has an even more uphill battle to fight. They have been not very good all year, and they must play flawless basketball for a shot at the play in tournament. They cannot afford one slip up. It's cool that we will get to see Brad Beal, DeAron Fox and Devin Booker. But, it is going to be eigt games and then they will be sent home. Hell, I could even throw San Antonio in this conversation, but they have the best coach to ever coach the game roaming their sideline, so I still won't count them out.

If the only real problem I see is the addition of two extra teams from what I wanted a week ago. I'd say that is small potatoes. I can live with that. I'm just so very happy that NBA basketball is going to be back. I am also very curious to see how the bench interactions goes, how they deal with social distancing, what they do with crowd noise or if they use mannequins or cardboard cutouts to fill the stands. It is going to be weird at first, but the moment that ball is tossed up and tipped, and these players start playing, I feel like all that will go away for me and I will be grinning from ear to ear because the NBA is back.

This is great news. Real great news. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Drew Brees is a Stupidhead

I know "RTJ 4" came out early, and I am still going to dedicate all of next week to the record. Believe me, I have listened to the whole thing multiple times already, and the early release will only give me more time to be more eloquent when I write about it all next week. I'm still doing that. For the remainder of this week though, I have a few things I want to write about.

Today I will focus my energy on Drew Brees and his insensitive, stupid, misinformed and racist statement he made on some show I have never even heard of yesterday. He has already apologized, but it was one of the most cliched apologies I have ever read. It felt like it was pre written years ago by someone that works for him in case he said something as dumb as he did yesterday. I don't buy his apology, and I think, when he made his statement about "standing for the flag" yesterday, that is what is truly in his heart. That is what he believes. The apology is to try and save face. He doesn't mean it, he just doesn't want anyone mad at him anymore. To that I say, too late. I have seen a few people come to his defense, and bring up freedom of speech. To those people I say, read a book and actually look at what guys like Colin Kaepernick and others when doing when they knelt during the anthem. Find out why they were actually doing that. Read what they were peacefully protesting by kneeling. They are more American than Drew Brees could ever dream of being, or any other racist that sits on their couch and yells at them for "disrespecting the flag".

Brees' statement, for those of you that still don't know, or are simply avoiding it, was basically spitting in the face of players who peacefully protested police brutality. The protests have nothing to do with the flag, with America, with disrespect, with wars, none of that. Kaepernick started kneeling because of police brutality aimed at minorities. He knelt because he saw what we all see everyday. A lot of police officers profile minorities, without even doing a check first, and that was what the players were protesting. They weren't protesting the anthem. They weren't saying the hate America, although I don't really like it right now. They were, and still are, protesting police brutality. So for Brees to make a blanket statement like he did yesterday, he clearly hasn't done his research, and he said what I feel like he truly believes. He didn't do his homework, he just popped off at the mouth.

And boy oh boy did the heat come pretty much immediately after it was shown on multiple websites. We have just witnessed the police murder a man in cold blood. In fact, police have been doing this forever. Kaepernick's protest started in 2016. So, after the Brees interview was released, star athletes everywhere chimed in, as I hoped they would. LeBron James instantly called him out, stating, "is it still a surprise, not anymore". That is one of the truest statements that was made yesterday. Teammates of his, Michael Thomas and Malcolm Jenkins and Emmaunel Sanders came out and called him out on his racist statement. Richard Sherman chimed in with some very thought provoking statements. Stephen Jackson and Ed Reed put out two great, two not safe for work, videos that I have watched multiple times. Hell, even Aaron Rodgers came out and said something. After Rodgers statement, CJ McCollum came out and tweeted, "we need more Aaron Rodgers and less Drew Brees". He is right. Since then many, many other athletes have come out and spoken their minds. Players are talking about all the respect they have lost for him, how phony his whole "brotherhood" stuff is, how he doesn't really, truly care about anyone but himself. I completely agree with them. His statement was so selfish and so self fulfilling. He doesn't care about Michael Thomas or Alvin Kamara or any skill player that is a minority on his team. They have made him millions of dollars, but his statement yesterday alone proves he doesn't care about them personally at all. He looks at them like owners of football teams do. They are property to him, and if they kneel to protest police brutality, he doesn't even want to give them the time of day. He doesn't care. And the apology does nothing to change my mind at all.

Drew Brees is a scumbag and he showed me, and all of the world yesterday his true colors. I didn't cheer for or against the Saints before yesterday, but now I will be cheering very hard against Drew Brees. He is as misinformed as any other person out there that has never done a lick of research into why players were/are peacefully protesting. He is a racist and I will only see that in him now. He can apologize all he wants, my mind is made up. As Ed Reed said, he is a "sucka". That's facts. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The NBA Has a Plan. Now Let's Get This Thing Going.

Being that the world is still a shit storm of a waking nightmare, and I talked politics with RD on the most recent pod, I am going to go back to my sports and other pop culture stuff that I normally write and talk about. What is happening in the world is awful, brutal, racist and wrong. It makes me upset and angry. But, I want to keep those conversations between me and my loved ones. I will fight in my way, and support in my way. For now though, on to some NBA news.

Last Friday there was a big time conference call involving all the big wigs in NBA circles. They are looking to devise a plan that will have teams starting games on July 31st, with a training camp type atmosphere starting in mid June. They have also talked about three plans, that I know of, where, one has all 30 teams come back and play a few games to close out the regular season. The second plan, they just have the 16 teams, 8 from each conference, to go right into playoffs. The third option, have 20-22 teams come, keep the top 16 teams and have a play in tournament for the other 6 teams.

The third plan is the one I like the most. I like the idea of having teams like Memphis, Portland, San Antonio and New Orleans all vying for the final couple playoff spots. I would love to see Ja Morant and Zion Williamson face off to go to the playoffs. I feel like Greg Poppovich could devise some crazy game plan for a one or two game play in spot. I would love to see Damien Lillard under that pressure because the dude always comes up big in big time moments. I think it would be like the end of the all star game this year. Guys would be going all out to get into the playoffs.

I also wanted to point out that the four teams I mentioned that would be invited, they are all West teams. The Western Conference continues to be the best. I mean, teams like Orlando and Brooklyn are going to get in because they are firmly in the playoffs in the East right now, but come on, I would much rather watch competitive first round series than see Milwaukee cruise by Orlando in the first round and Indiana in the second round. I would also like to see them seed the top 16 teams, after the play in tournament, by record. I want the 1 seed to play the 16 seed. I want it to be like the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. I know it wouldn't be as tense, what with the series going at least five games. But still, it would be fun as hell to watch.

That is the other thing with this proposal, or proposals, on the table. I am going to watch no matter what they choose, if they choose to come back. I am a basketball junkie. I have missed it so very, very, very much. I know it has only been three months, but it feels like so much longer. I want any kind of basketball right now. Hell, I watched that HORSE thing they did, which was not great, just because it had pros from everywhere doing wild trick shots. And I understand that someone can get sick doing this. I am sure that someone will get sick. It is bound to happen. But, if they take all the precautions that they have been so far, and I feel like the NBA has been extra safe, almost too paranoid to come back, they should be okay. It looks like they will have the tests. If they choose Orlando, which is a no brainer, they have the space, the rooms and the facilities to be safe. There have been stories already posted that they will only allow teams to bring 35 total people per team. That includes roster, coaches, staff and trainers.

The NBA, at least it seems to me, has looked into restarting closer than any other professional sports league so far. It also helps that they have seen the KBL, UFC, Bundesliga, NASCAR and other pro leagues come back and see very little, to none, positive tests come back. It has all been going well so far. I really, really hope when they vote on Thursday they come back with a firm plan for restarting. All signs seems to point in that direction too. I hope it comes to a conclusion, and if/when it does, I will be watching so much basketball this summer I won't know what to do with myself. Man I hope this happens. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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MLB is Blowing It

Earlier today it was announced that the English Premiere League, one of the bigger professional soccer leagues in the world, is going to resume their season on June 17th. They will be doing it behind closed doors, they will air the games and the majority of the players seemed excited. The other soccer league that started seems to be doing okay. The NHL has announced their plan to resume with a 24 team playoff, they just need a venue. The NBA seems to be making progress everyday towards a restart of some kind, my favorite being the 20 team play in type tournament being held in Orlando. And the Korean Baseball League, I would be lying if I said I haven't tuned in here and there to see what pro sports is going to look like in the immediate future.

Every major league seems to be making plans and progress, except the MLB. This was their chance. They could have owned the summer with sports. They could have been the big draw. They could have had all the eyeballs on them. Hell, I am not a baseball guy, but I even admitted to watching the KBL. I would most definitely have watched many more MLB games than I have in nearly a decade, had it come back at some point. But they seem to keep stalling and squabbling over some minor things, and that has kept them from gaining any momentum that other pro leagues seem to gain each day.

Predictably, they are fighting over money. By they I mean the owners and players. I heard someone say recently that the A's are simply going to stop paying minor league players at the moment. How on Earth is that fair? But the professional players, the stars, are making it even harder for any one to make a decision. The Tampa pitcher, Snell or something, I am not sure, came out and bemoaned the fact that he would be asked to take a pay cut to play. I get that he is worried about getting Covid-19, we all are. But for him to bring money into this conversation, especially when he has made millions of dollars, that is some petty junky stuff right there. Now the owners are saying they are going to slash pay for all the games missed, and will continue until they find a resolution. That is absurd, from both parties. The star players that are refusing to take a pay cut, that is necessary. Everyday working people, people who live paycheck to paycheck have lost money, a portion of their salary or their jobs all together. We have millionaires here complaining about losing 100,000 dollars from a check that is over a million dollars. How dare they. Hell, even the NBA guys are willing to take a cut because they just want to get back and play. They asked Chris Paul about that specifically, and he said he doesn't care, he has made enough money, he just misses the game. But ask this Snell guy, or Max Scherzer, and they scoff at the notion they should be paid less. But then for the owners to make any headway, any concession, these players are not property, they are people. Sure, they are people that make an exuberant amount of money, but to these owners, they earned that money. I don't chastise them for trying to make cuts, it is necessary. But, to withhold money from current players, especially minor league players, that is straight up sadistic. I cannot believe what the A's are doing. I hope it is a false report, but at this point, I wouldn't be shocked if it were real.

Baseball had a shot. Hell, I have gotten multiple emails from my son's little league association about the start of his season and the protocols, and it seems like more info than the MLB is willing to put out there. They also seem unwilling, both sides, to bend whatsoever. That's a shame. As I said, they could have owned the summer. They could have been the only show. But now we have the KBL, UFC, NASCAR, pro soccer leagues, Cornhole Leagues and the NHL coming back. Then there is all the progress with the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball. All these sports are so far ahead of the MLB at the moment. They blew it, and it all seems to be for selfish reasons from all parties involved. That is the real bummer of it all, the selfishness. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Talk About How Wrong Channing Frye is About Michael Jordan

Yesterday I talked about the final two episodes of "The Last Dance" and mentioned how some modern day players are crazy for suggesting that Jordan isn't the greatest to ever play. I mentioned Channing Frye because he was the first person I really saw take this stance. He is wrong.

Frye’s comment, and I quote, was "he only had one job and that was to just score. He did that at an amazing, amazing rate. But I don't feel like his way of winning then would translate to what it is now. Guys wouldn't want to play with him". This is a loaded statement from a journeyman bench player his entire NBA career. In fact, the only reason Frye is still even being talked about is because he played with LeBron, who many current day players, and young kids, think is the greatest. If it were anyone that didn't play with LeBron, this would be totally pushed aside. But, I kind of want to break down this comment piece by piece, and I am not the only person to do this recently. Scott Van Pelt, of ESPN, dragged him the other night. He did actual research, and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Frye's statement was absurd. He mentioned the scoring, but also mentioned how he was all defense all the time. Jordan might be the best perimeter defender the game saw in the 90's. I guess Frye didn't research that. Richard Jefferson, a former teammate said that all Frye was doing was "trolling a bit online". I know they're friends, but come on, this is more than "trolling". Jefferson even went on to text him, telling Frye, "it's not the time or the place". Then Tracy McGrady, on "the Jump", went on to quote things Jordan did outside of scoring. He mentioned that he was the 87-88 Defensive Player of the Year, had two seasons where he had 200 steals and 100 blocks and earned all defense nine times, tied for a NBA record. McGrady also said, "he did way more than just score the basketball, he won Ships". That is a tremendous quote. Also, before I get dragged, I know Frye has one title, but he barely saw the floor on that Cavs team. His title is like Jeremy Lin getting a ring last year.

Look, I am a big time proponent of calling Jordan the GOAT. RD and I have discussed this, I have written about it numerous times and I talk about it during any basketball conversation I have. "The Last Dance" only further proved that. But lets take that dive into Frye's statement now, as I assume his perception is LeBron is the GOAT. I think LeBron is the second or third greatest ever, but Jordan is so far ahead of the second place guy for a myriad of reasons. Frye made the "only a scorer" comment. Bull shit. Tracy McGrady and Scott Van Pelt proved that wrong with statistics. My eyeballs proved that wrong by growing up watching him play. I was a die hard Sonics fan as a kid, and I remember that 72 win team shellacking everyone except Shawn Kemp in the Finals. They stopped everyone else. The guards couldn't do a damn thing against Jordan and Pippen. I bet you the Suns and Trailblazers and Lakers and Jazz fans all have the exact same memories. Or what about the Dream Team stifling Toni Kukoc? That was all about Jordan deciding he wanted to stop him. He had no other reason to do that, other than to show people he could stimy the best European player at the time. Jordan was a defensive force to be reckoned with. Also, he had to be the captain and coach on the floor. He had to place everyone, he ran the show, he set guys up and put them in the best possible spot to score. Just ask Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and a myriad of others. Once he began to trust teammates, they got shots they were never getting before. As for the scoring, that was the only thing Frye got “right”. Jordan is the greatest scorer ever. He was able to get to the hoop in the toughest, rawest and hardest era to do it. He played in the NBA when you had to be crushed to get a free throw. Look at the way the Pistons, Knicks and Pacers played him. They tried to hurt him, yet he still got 30 plus regularly. I don’t think any modern guy could handle being roughed up like Jordan was. Today’s players gripe about EVERYTHING. If they miss a layup, they look at the official. They get a little tap, they flop. There is so much complaining, it has slowed the game down. Imagine how James Harden or LeBron would react to someone throwing them to the ground. They would have a hissy fit. Jordan went out, got tougher and dominated. He could also shoot. Remember six threes against Portland? The shot to win the title in 98 over the Jazz? The shot over Craig Ehlo? Yeah, Jordan was a scorer Channing Frye, he’s the best scorer EVER.

Then Frye had the most telling thing ever in his statement with the “it wouldn’t translate to today. Guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. That says so much more about the current state of the NBA than I think Frye wanted to reveal. First off, and I’ve said it before, the star players in the current NBA are soft. LeBron, Harden, Doncic, KD, Steph and Klay, Kyrie, all they do is bitch and moan when they don’t get what they want. They also act like fake tough guys. Today’s stars are posers. They think they’re tough, but they’re not. They couldn’t handle the physicality that Jordan took on a nightly basis. Look, I think LeBron would’ve been a great player in the 90’s, just like Karl Malone was. I also think these Jordan would’ve beat him, and beat him bad. He would’ve made it his mission.

Which brings me to Frye’s final thought, “guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. You know what, Jordan wouldn’t have wanted to play with them, he would’ve wanted to beat them. Modern NBA is consumed with the “super team”. From the time Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston, the NBA changed. It all became about stacking the deck. No one wanted a challenge. After Boston, we had the “Heatles”. Then LeBron going back to Cleveland, but only if they traded for Kevin Love. Then there was KD joining the 73 win Warriors. And now we have KD and Kyrie in Brooklyn, Kawhi and Paul George on the Clippers. And LeBron all but forcing the Lakers to trade their future for Anthony Davis. Stars don’t want a challenge, Jordan did.

Channing Frye has accomplished more than I could ever dream of, but this was a Skip Bayless or Colin Cowherd esque statement. It was dumb, poor timing, reeks of resentment and jealousy, but most of all, it was flat out wrong. I’m glad he’s getting ripped by everyone because he should be. This was a Bill Simmons, and The Ringer, type dumbass statement that shows the younger generation doesn’t know much about 80’s and 90’s basketball, and are prisoners of the moment. Jordan is the GOAT. There is no question anymore.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 9 and 10

"The Last Dance" ended last night, and it may be the single greatest documentary series that has ever existed. I don't feel like I am being a prisoner of the moment. I don't think it has anything to do with the lack of sports, although that definitely helps. I think this is the greatest documentary series ever because it is about the greatest basketball player ever, and it is directed by one the best sports story tellers of all time. "The Last Dance" has every single ingredient to make it as perfect as it was.

Now, spoiler alert out there for listeners to out podcast, but I will give my feelings on the documentary as a whole on the next pod. Today, I want to continue with my review of the most recent episodes. Last night finished it off with 9 and 10, and they were magnificent. The series continued to get better, and last night was no exception. Episode 9 went straight away into the 98 East Finals against the Pacers. This was one of two series that went to 7 games during the Bulls double three peat. This was also, probably, the toughest series for any Jordan led team, prior to the Pistons. The Pacers had the style of team that could compete with this Bulls squad. They had big, nasty guys. They had a veteran point guard. They had quickness and electricity off the bench. They had an old sharp shooter. They had size. And they had Reggie Miller. They could have won this series. They could've ended the dynasty one series early. But they didn't. Too may mistakes, miscues and poor rebounding and free throw shooting doomed them. Also, the jump ball between Rik Smits and Jordan was a play I never, ever thought about, but was played out to show how important that one moment was in this series, and I will never look at it the same ever again.

They shifted from that series to the 97 Finals against the Jazz. They showed a lot of stuff from there. We got some great back story on Steve Kerr. His story was very, very in depth, heartbreaking and showed his character. It made me like him even more. We also got the real truth behind the infamous "flu game". As I suspected, and a ton of others did, it wasn't a stomach flu, it was food poisoning. To hear Jordan confirm so quickly and assuredly made it hit home even more. And to see the way he came out and played, after going through something as awful as food poisoning, the guy is not human. That was cool. I also liked getting to see Jordan's kids and hearing them talk about their dislike for Utah and why their mom wouldn't let them go to games there. It was nice to finally hear from someone in his family.

They shifted back to the Pacers series and we got all the intel that I mentioned, and so, so much more. Reggie Miller is underrated, Scottie Pippen is one of the best defenders ever, Larry Bird could coach, Steve Kerr was a sharp shooter and Jordan was an absolute killer. It was awesome to see them break down the series the way they did. We also got to hear about his close relationship with one member of his security detail, and that was a nice story to see how that gentleman took on the fatherly role for Jordan after his dad was killed. It was all great.

Episode 10 was all about the 98 Finals and the aftermath. This was a tremendous episode. To see them talk about how they went about winning, how tired mentally and physically they were, how they laid it all out, it was amazing. Also, big props to Scottie Pippen for playing through that horrible back injury. He really showed his mental toughness, and to do what he did with that injury is astounding. Also, props to Dennis Rodman. Sure, he is an asshole, he skipped out on practice to go wrestle, he wouldn't talk to anyone, but the dude laid it out on the court every game night, and he was the best pest and rebounder that the Bulls have ever had. He also hit four straight free throws in a critical moment for the Bulls, and that is just amazing.

But this was all about MJ and his willingness to put this team on his back and carry them to their 6th title. The things he did in game 6 of the 98 Finals was spectacular, especially the last minute of that game. The Bulls were down 3, and he goes and gets a quick layup. I mean, guys tried to stop him, but he is Michael god damn Jordan. If he wanted to get to the basket he got there. Then, to get the strip on Karl Malone, and bring the ball up and hit that jumper, I mean, there is no better way to go out than that. I know he came back to play for Washington, and some may say he pushed off Byron Russell, but I will always look at that jumper as his last moment. That personified his greatness. That sequence proves for the billionth time that he is the greatest to ever play basketball. I have a piece tomorrow about current players calling him out, Channing Frye I'm talking particularly to you, and they are all full of nonsense. But I will save all that for tomorrow. Jordan proved time and again, when he wanted to win, he was going to find a way to win.

Then the aftermath of that, what followed after the 98 title was wild. Everyone wanted this team back, they wanted to see if they could go for four straight, to win seven in nine years. And I think they would have. If they were able to pull it off, they could have done it. And to see Jordan's reaction to Jerry Reinsdorf's explanation as to why they had to split this team up was something else. Jordan said he didn't agree, and laid out a scenario where they could have done it all again. We were left thinking, what if, but what we got from the 90's Bulls, and Jordan himself was witnessing greatness that we may never see again.

This, and I will keep saying this, is the great documentary series that has ever existed. It is, by far the best sports doc ever, and dare I say, the best documentary ever made. "The Last Dance" is a rare achievement we don't see that much today, and that is being a perfect movie being perfectly told. I love this and I cannot recommend it enough. I will rewatch this maybe a billion times. It's the best. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Will the Zion Allegations Finally Shine a Light on the Real Coach K?

Well maybe we will finally see Duke get some kind of sanctions handed down to their men's basketball team.

In a report that came out two days ago, it appears that Zion Williamson "received gifts and benefits from people at Duke to attend the university". Now, this type of stuff happens all the time in college sports, especially in basketball. This happened at Michigan with the Fab Five. Louisville got a slap on the wrist for similar stuff. I am almost positive LSU will get into a same type of legal situation. Kansas is going to get absolutely hammered by the NCAA when the FBI investigation is done, at least I think they will. And now we have this Zion situation at Duke.

Look, I have said it on this site, on the pod, to friends and family that will humor me, Coach K is no different than any of the other coaches accused of this, most notably John Calipari, but he has some weird pull over the media. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, they never, ever say anything bad about him when they are almost too eager to attack other coaches and programs. They all talk about how "clean" of a program he runs. But, when you constantly get the top prospects every year, there is something fishy about that. With the Fab Five, it happened once and Michigan got everything taken away from that era. When Calipari left UMASS and Memphis, they were hit with sanctions. LSU will get crushed soon because why on Earth would Ben Simmons choose to go play his one year of college basketball there, I will never know. If you continue to cheat, one day you will get caught. I am a firm believer in karma, and at some point, if you do some underhanded bull shit, the powers that be will catch you.

Now, I am curious to see how the NCAA handles this. I get the feeling it will be kind of like what they did to Penn State football and now Michigan State. I fear they will try and sweep it under the rug. The NCAA doesn't want a stain on the guy they always promote as "being a molder of young men", a guy that "runs a clean program", a guy they claim to be "more of a teacher than a coach". The NCAA loves Duke, but more importantly, they ADORE Coach K. I feel like they will protect him at all cost. I honestly believe they will throw Zion, and any other top prospect he has recruited, under the bus before they say a bad word about Coach K. To me, that is because the NCAA is corrupt, and they care more about these coaches that makes millions upon millions of dollars for themselves and their schools and their product, than they do about these kids. The thing is, these kids are the ones bringing in all the money. No one, and I mean NO ONE goes to Duke games to watch Mike Krzyewski coach. You really think all those people at the Duke-UNC game two years ago went to see him and Roy Williams game plan?! Get out of here with that nonsense. They were all there to see Zion. I tuned in from my home to watch two teams I could care less about because of Zion.

So that begs the question, do I think Zion took money, or he and his family asked for money, or someone they trust asked for money and other stuff for him to attend Duke? Absolutely I do. Which may lead you to ask me if I think Zion should get in trouble? Not at all. I don't think Zion or Chris Webber or Ben Simmons or Derrick Rose or Marcus Camby or any other kid that has asked for something should be punished. They bring in money to those school hand over foot, which then allows those schools to pay coaches millions of dollars, and make millions more on merchandising kids that don't see a dime off stuff with their likeness on it. And Coach K isn't immune to this. He is just as guilty as any other coach that has gotten their names dragged through the mud for doing the same. The fact that Zion is going to be disposed, and asked to answer questions about this under oath could be a major blow to Coach K's image. Either way Zion is going to reveal some truths we all know and have kind of let go, or he is going to be pressured to lie, under oath, so Coach K won't have his image tarnished. To me, it doesn't matter, Coach K's image was shot when he decided he needed to be part of the "one and done" recruiting, if not before then. Look, I know KU hasn't been charged with anything yet, but believe me when I say that I don't look at Bill Self and see a solid coach. When I see him, I see a guy that will cheat to get top flight players. I see the same thing will John Calipari. Hell, even with Tom Izzo. But at least those guys aren't trying to hide it. They may not out and out say it, but we know they know we know. That's just facts.

All in all, I hope Zion goes in there, tells the truth and Coach K is left to answer. Because if he gets away with this, I will have lost what teeny tiny little sliver of respect I may still have for the NCAA. Coach K has done some underhanded stuff, and I hope he gets his comeuppance.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 6 and 7

I just finished up the most recent episodes of "The Last Dance", and this is why I was so interested in this doc. This is the stuff I was here for. These are the episodes I have been waiting for. This is the kind of new information I wanted to see, and hear from the man himself, in Michael Jordan. I was so enthralled by everything I watched.

The first episode talked about the first three peat. The team, and Jordan getting to that level, and all the stuff they went through after the third tit;e. This was when Jordan retired the first time. This was when his father was tragically killed. This was when all the theories came out that he was "forced" to retire by David Stern due to his gambling. All the people refuted everything, but still, seeing them questioned, and seeing them kind of shift and look around when they answered, it was glorious. I don't believe that Jordan was forced into retirement, but I also don't think he left to simply play baseball. He was at the top of his game, he was winning every year, he was making a ton of money and he was the biggest star in the world. I think he wanted a new challenge. He mastered the game of basketball, so I think he wanted to try to conquer a different sport, a sport he grew up playing, and falling in love with due to his dad. I think the passing of his dad was the main reason why he walked away. That, and that he was so tired from carrying the Bulls to three straight titles. The stuff with his dad was so upsetting and sad and just miserable too. To see the media drag him the way they did back then, that was disgusting. I cannot fathom what the media would do today. It would have been ten times worse. I will say, to see Jordan, his mom and brother talk about this was pretty upsetting, but I respect that they did it. It had to be really tough for them, but they still did it.

Then they shifted to his demeanor with his teammates. This was the stuff I have been waiting for. They touched on it a little in episode 7, but they really went into it in episode 8. In 7 we got to see Jordan going after a young rookie, Scott Burrell. The stuff he stood up to, the stuff he dealt with, the way he handled it, he is a much better dude than I am. He was a pro, and he knew why Jordan was doing what he did. We also got stories of him and Steve Kerr getting into it. He used to shit talk guys like Jud Buechler and Luc Longley. He went in on anyone that he felt didn't meet his standards. Jordan is the GOAT, and I would have hated playing on his team. But, he did win, and he helped to squeeze out every ounce of talent his teammates had.

They also talked about him coming out of retirement the first time, and how he had to reshape his body multiple times because of switching sports. Jordan was nothing if not maniacal when it came to getting the best out of himself. We also got to hear about the incredible pick up games that would go on while Jordan was filming "Space Jam". The people who made that movie built him a gym, and he had players fly in from everywhere to compete with him so he could get back into basketball shape. This was the season after the Magic ousted the Bulls in the playoffs. The only time I believe a Bulls team MJ was on, after getting past the Pistons, that didn't win a title. Reggie Miller, during a talking head interview talked about how MJ must have been a "vampire" because he filmed the movie all day, played games at night, lifted and did this everyday during the course of making "Space Jam". That was a special moment from this doc.

We also got a look into the 72 win Bulls team. This was the year after Jordan came back, the fight with Kerr during practice, and the way that Bulls team ran roughshod over the rest of the NBA. That team still irks me because they beat my team, the Supersonics, but damn it were they impressive. We also got more of the asshole Jordan during this season, and this part of the doc. I mentioned Burrell and Kerr, but he did this to everyone on the team. They asked him if he ever regrets being so mean, being described as a "mean person", and he said no, very bluntly I might add. He didn't care if he hurt your feelings, as long as you helped him win. I also liked that we got to see Gary Payton heavily interviewed during this episode, he is my second favorite Sonic ever behind Shawn Kemp. He was a great defender, and an even better shit talker. He talked about how he locked Jordan up to help the Sonics win two games in the Finals, and they showed the film to Jordan, and he kept laughing, and simply stated, "Payton didn't stop me, I had other things on my mind for those two games". We come to realize that Father's Day was the day of game six, and this was the first season, and Finals his dad wasn't at. The Bulls proceeded to dominate the Sonics to win the title, and they show Jordan just collapse in the locker room. I would be lying if I didn't say I teared up at this moment. It was a gut punch indeed. They finished the episode off with the East Finals in 1998 against the Pacers, and Reggie Miller saying that he was going to be the guy to retire MJ. Another great line from Reggie Miller.

These were the two best episodes to this point, and it has me so excited for the last two. It's bittersweet though because I don't want this doc to end, but I am so excited to see how they finish it. I imagine it is going to go out with a bang because, with every episode to this point, it has just gotten better and better and better.

This is an amazing docu series.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Aaron Rodgers is Not Leaving Green Bay

We are over a week removed from the NFL draft, which was a massive success, one I did not see coming, and my hat is off to everyone involved. That was something that could've had thousands of problems, but they figured it out. Kudos to all involved.

Now, my team, the Packers, did not have a good draft. I could see that, the media saw it, the fans saw it and the talking heads all on Zoom saw it and said it. The picks didn't make a ton of sense. They took guys at positions they didn't really need. They didn't take a receiver, in a loaded class, which was what they needed most. They reached for AJ Dillon, who I like but will be put in a bad situation for him. It was a mess of a draft. And, the big topic on everyone's mind coming from the Packers overall draft was trading up to take QB Jordan Love from Utah State in the first round.

There were a lot of questions about Love leading up to the draft, he didn't have a great final college season, he is raw, he is going to need a good amount of time, he is more of a mobile QB than a pocket guy, just a ton of stuff that people questioned. What those same people didn't question was his talent. He was deemed a first rounder the second mocks started to go up. But, nobody, myself included, had him going to a team with an established, Hall of Fame QB currently on their roster. I think this is the main reason everyone was so up in arms about this pick. The Packers have Aaron Rodgers, and while he wasn't great, for him, last season, he is still one of the best, if not the best, QB currently playing in the NFL. He has all the tools, he has the leadership and he has that will to push his team to wins they shouldn't get. But, Rodgers is also on the wrong side of 30. He has a big contract he signed last year, and while that isn't a big problem, I believe that it goes beyond what Love's rookie contract will be, which is a problem for the future. But, I want to point out some things that I have seen since the draft that have kind of blown me away.

I know as well as anyone that Rodgers is one of the prototype asshole professional athletes. He has a very open feud with his family. His former girlfriends don't have too many nice things to say about him after they split. He is tough on his teammates, and while he is great, he isn't Jordan great. He hasn't earned that right. He ran a coach who won a Super Bowl out of town, although it was time for Mike McCarthy to go. Rodgers has his issues. But, he can still play, and play at a solid level for a few more years, if us Packers fans are lucky. But to see articles being written with headlines like, "Which Team will Rodgers Play for Next Season", or, "Rodgers All but Done in Green Bay", or "Rodgers is not on Board with the Love Pick", it is all so stupid, and we are so lost without sports that people will seemingly write about anything that they hope will get clicks right now. Look, if anyone knows what Jordan Love is going through right now it should be Rodgers. So, instead of moaning and groaning about it, I would hope he would be a good mentor for him. He had to sit three years before he got a shot. Also, does he really want to leave Green Bay? Who would he go play for? I know everyone is all hyped about Tom Brady joining Tampa, but I don't think that is going to work out as great as some others do.

Let's say Rodgers does leave, then where would he go that would fit? People have thrown out the Jets as a possibility. They have a worse receiving corps than Green Bay. Some said Jacksonville if they don't get Trevor Lawrence. Why would he go to a losing team for the twilight of his career? I have heard Washington as a possible spot. Well, they still have Dwayne Haskins, and I still believe they would be better off with Cam Newton. Honestly, every team I look at makes no sense for me. I guess this is my roundabout way of saying I don't think Rodgers is going anywhere. Love is no threat to take his spot, this team was in the NFC title game last year and they have a solid defense and a good run game. Also, I truly believes he wants to finish his career as a lifetime Packer. I just feel that these articles are nonsense, and we are all just bored and missing sports.

Look, I was wrong about Brady, but I don't think it is going to be the seamless transition everyone else does. I would be shocked, more so than I was with Brady, if Rodgers doesn't finish his career in Green Bay. It would be a true sports stunner. 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 4 and 5

Episodes 5 and 6 of "The Last Dance" aired last night, and like the first four, this doc just continues to get better and better, and more revealing. I love this whole thing, and I am actually a little upset that there are only four more episodes. There are only two more weeks. I could watch this for another 10 to 20 episodes easily. That is how intriguing and wonderful this has been.

In episode 5 we got a look at a little bit of everything following the Bulls first title in 1991. We also got a dedication to Kobe Bryant prior to the start. The first part of the episode started with the 98 All Star game that featured the two going head to head. We even got a talking head interview with Bryant, and it was eye opening to hear him say the things he said about Jordan. Hearing him talk about his importance, and how if it wasn't for Jordan, he wouldn't have been the player he was. He even said how much he disliked the comparisons, and people asking who would win one on one. He all but squashed that, and let it be known that Jordan is the GOAT.

From there we got a glimpse into the 92 team that repeated. This was great because we got to see this team really rise to dominance, and see Jordan kind of take basketball to a whole other level. BJ Armstrong even said that he wasn't playing basketball anymore, he was simply out there to find new ways to win. That is how dominant, and great and maniacal he was as a player. The matchup between him and Clyde Drexler was supposed to be close. It wasn't. This series featured "the shrug" game, where MJ hit 6 threes in the first half, and scored 35 in the same half. He outplayed Drexler every step of the way. He said that he wanted to show how much better he was, and that it pissed him off that they were even comparing the two. Jordan is better, and will always be, and he proved that.

We also got a look at the Dream Team where, once again, and as usual, Jordan was the alpha. He was the dude. He was the guy. The video tape of a practice game was awesome. The way he and Pippen dominated Toni Kukoc was wild. They wanted to prove Jerry Krause wrong, and while Kukoc turned out to be a fine player, Jordan and Pippen proved they were better, and more important.

The episode also got into his cultural impact, what with his shoes and commercial appeal. It had to be hard to be Michael Jordan. That was the big takeaway for me from episode 5.

Episode 6 starts off with how hard it was for him to deal with the fame. It seemed like he had no time to just be alone, or away, or with his family. He was pulled in a million different directions. From there we dig into his gambling. This added to his competitive nature. There is a scene where he is betting with his handlers who can get a piece of change closest to the wall without touching it, and when he got beat by one of the dudes, you could tell it irked him very much. We then shift back to 93, with the Bulls working on their first 3 peat. This was also when they started to dig a little deeper into his gambling, referencing Sam Smith's wonderful book "The Jordan Rules". This was the same time they started to try and dig up dirt on him. They figured he couldn't be as perfect as he appeared. This is the episode I have been waiting for. This is where it got grimy and gritty and down and dirty. Apparently Horace Grant was the first one that spoke up, but it seems like there were plenty of other people. Jordan said it was Grant, but Grant said he didn't say a word. Who knows, but I do know that Grant wasn't too thrilled with the attention that MJ and Pippen were getting over him. But being the genius of basketball that he was, his play didn't waver a bit. In fact, he just kept getting better. It seems like it fueled him.

Then we shifted to the rivalry between the Bulls and Knicks in the early 90's. The Knicks tried to be the new era "Bad Boys", but the Knicks weren't as dirty, and easier to root for. They also weren't nearly as good. They did some stuff. They went up 2-0 on the Bulls, we got the famous Starks dunk. But, other than that, they were no real threat to the Bulls.

We did shift from there back to his gambling, which people blamed for the Bulls dropping the first 2 games. This was also when we meet a guy named Slim Buller, who was a badass dude that gambled with him all the time. Apparently, Jordan spent a good amount of time with this gentleman. This was when people started to really push on the gambling, and if he was an addict or not. This was the first time I have seen Jordan a little defensive in the talking head interviews. He was near over explaining what he was doing. But, as he is want to do, he responded as he always did, and came back and dominated the Knicks in four straight games. We also got to see the epic game 5 finish, with Charles Smith getting blocked four times, right at the rim. Poor guy.

That win pushed the Bulls to their third finals appearance in a row, this time to face the Suns and league MVP Charles Barkley. That series was an okay one, but it still gave Jordan the platform to prove is greatness over everyone else, which he did. This 6th episode started to show more of the asshole that Jordan was, and maybe still is, and that was great. I have been waiting to see this side of him. This was one of the things at the very top of my list that I wanted from this doc. It closed out nicely with them getting ready for the 98 playoffs, and as I am every Monday now, I cannot wait for the next two episodes.

"The Last Dance" has been so worth it so far, and it is only going to get better and better the rest of the way. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches "The Last Dance Parts 3 and 4

I just finished episodes 3 and 4 of "The Last Dance", and just like the first two, this is amazing. This is exactly what I, and all other sports fans, have been craving. The show is starting to dig deeper and deeper into all the things that went into this last run for the 90's Bulls.

Episode 3 was focused on Dennis Rodman's addition to the team. First off, Rodman is a crazy dude, but man was he an excellent basketball player. I do not agree with his politics, he is crazy as I said, he is still a little loony, but man could that dude defend, be an enforcer and grab rebounds. Hearing him talk about his early days in Detroit was like taking a class on how to judge angles on the floor, and I loved every single second of it. When he talked about taking friends to the gym at 2 and 3 in the morning to shoot and miss shots just so he could watch how it came off the rim was astonishing. Talking about watching film of how big time players would shoot, and the way the ball would rotate, was like the coolest lesson I could have learned as a young player. His tenacity on defense, and his willingness to do the little things, the dirty work, it was amazing. But, he did come with a ton of baggage. He started to lose it late in his Pistons career. He really lost it while he was in San Antonio. And, while he gave in to the greater good of the team while playing for the 90's Bulls, he was for sure going through some mental issues. He had, and still has, some serious issues, but I say again, the dude was such a uniquely gifted player. He was also another one of these super small school guys who made it big in the NBA in the late 80's and early 90's, and it was because he was willing he work his ass off. He seemed to work harder than almost anyone else in the league at that time. It was pretty eye opening. My favorite part was when the director showed Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Phil Jackson the video of Jordan reacting to Rodman saying he "needed a vacation". That was epic.

Episode 4 picked up with Rodman on his "vacation", and we got a one on one interview with Carmen Electra, Rodman's girlfriend at the time, and again I have to point out the people they are getting for this doc are amazing, and she described Rodman perfectly. She talked about his constant partying and how much fun he liked to have and even spoke on when Phil, Scottie and MJ came to Vegas to pick him up. That was hilarious, and I imagine what must have been going through her head when this happened. We shifted from there to learn more about Phil Jackson. This episode was his episode. They talked about his childhood, his love of Native Americans, how much he wanted the game to be a team game, his work with Tex Winter, his playing days, his drug use and how great of a coach he was. I have said many times that I think Greg Poppovich is the greatest coach in the NBA ever. But I am now wavering because of the way we see how Jackson worked with the greatest ever. How he got him to buy in. How he made him realize that he needed his teammates to help him. MJ may have liked Doug Collins more, but Jackson was the perfect coach for him and that team. Poppovich has the best system, and it will always work. But, Jackson is the best at dealing with major, major personalities. He knows how to handle super duper stars. And while Jackson is the weird hippy guy, he knows the game very well. Well, he and Tex Winter worked together very well. I feel like this episode was kind of an ode to Winter. He is the genius behind the Triangle offense, Jackson was just the face. But, I came away from episode 4 really admiring Phil Jackson. I was also happy because they started to show the real asshole side of MJ in the middle and near the end of the episode. They talked a lot about the rivalry between the Bulls and Pistons back then, and this is when true MJ started to come out. He hated the Pistons, he did what he took to get over that hump, and man oh man does he despise Isaiah Thomas. Again, they showed him a video of Thomas explaining why the Pistons walked off when the Bulls finally beat them, without shaking their hands, and you could see Jordan, who is 57 now, seething with anger. It was another great moment.

"The Last Dance" has been truly wonderful so far, and I fully expect it to continue that way. While this is on, every Monday I am going to write about my thoughts with each viewing. I cannot recommend this doc enough people. It is a wonder. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

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Ty Watches the 2020 NFL Draft: Round 1

Last night was the first round of the NFL draft, and it went fairly well, and fairly chalk.

The top 3 picks were what everyone was saying they were going to be. Luckily for RD and the Bengals fans out there, they, rightfully so, took Burrow number one. They have their QB now. Washington got the best athlete in the draft in Young and Detroit didn't have any trade offers, so they took Okudah. Then the Giants did what the Giants do and took the third or fourth best offensive tackle in Andrew Thomas. He will be a fine player, but if they wanted a tackle why not Wirfs or Jackson or Becton, who knows. We are talking about a team that took Daniel Jones last year. I am kind of stunned they didn't grab Simmons, but again, the Giants do this every year. The Dolphins pulled the trigger on Tua. They needed a QB, and they went for one of the best college QB's ever, but that injury still terrifies me. I hope he has time to sit and watch before they throw him out there. Then Herbert went, but this was another one of the foregone conclusions of the draft, and I think it will take some time before Herbert gets real playing time. The Panthers reached for Derrick Brown, but he will be a fine interior D lineman I suppose. The Cardinals got my favorite player in the draft, Isiah Simmons, and I really, truly believe they are on the come up. The Cardinals will be a solid team for a good long time. The Jags got their Ramsey replacement in CJ Henderson and then two O lineman went off the board, with Jedrick Willis going to Cleveland and Becton going to the Jets. Then the Raiders reached for Ruggs. They went with speed again, as they have always done. They could've had any receiver and they chose Ruggs. I would have gone with Jeudy, but I am not a scout, GM or coach. Wirfs landed in Tampa, and Tom Brady has his blind side protection. The fact that he fell to 13 is wild to me. The 49ers took another interior D lineman in Kinlaw, and this pick surprised me. They already have a great defense, and they need better wide outs. Jeudy ended up in Denver and Drew Lock should be very pleased. They got the best athlete on offense in the draft. The Falcons went with defense, which they needed to do, and got a solid corner in AJ Terrell. The Cowboys added another offensive weapon, and they took CeeDee Lamb. He is good, fast and has solid ball skills, but he won't stop anyone on defense. The Dolphins, with their second first round pick, got a day one starter in Austin Jackson. He is a solid tackle. The Raiders then took a second round talent in the top 20 in Damon Arnette. I know they need help everywhere, but they could've gotten this kid in round 2 or 3. The Jags went defense again and took K'Lavon Chaisson, and he is a solid linebacker that will be a 10 year player. Two more receivers went to Philly and Minnesota next. The Eagles got Jalen Raegor, who I wanted Green Bay to pick. He is good and fast. Minnesota took Justin Jefferson, and RD, this kid is going to be very good. He will easily replace Stefon Diggs. The Chargers took Kenneth Murray next, and while I am not high on him, he is going to a team already loaded on defense. He can sit and learn. One of my Michigan guys was next, when the Saints took Caesar Ruiz. He is a good, modern center, and the video of him tearing up after they showed his father, who has passed, on screen was very moving. The 49ers then took a receiver that, quite frankly, I know nothing about. They took Brandon Aiyuk, and while I think they need help at that position, I don't know why they didn't just go with Jeudy at 13.

Then my team, Green Bay, made the wildest decision of the first round, taking QB Jordan Love. I don't think it is as awful as others do, but I also don't get it. They could've gone receiver as well, maybe traded up for Raegor, or they could've gone linebacker, but they chose a backup, raw QB. At least he will be sitting for awhile, but while I am not as low on this pick, I truly do not get it, especially from the Packers, who usually draft smart. I will say, the last time they picked a QB I didn't like, it was Aaron Rodgers. Maybe they can prove me wrong again.

From there on out, it was pretty chalk. The Seahawks kept their first round pick and took a solid linebacker in Jordyn Brooks. The Ravens shored up their already awesome defense with Patrick Queen from LSU. Tennessee got a protection and hole opening tackle in Isaiah Wilson, which is what they need. Miami, with their third first round pick, which is wild, took a solid corner in Noah Igbinoghene. They are building a solid team there. Brian Flores is going to do good things with this squad. Minnesota took TCU corner Jeff Gladney next, and that pick is as ho hum as they come. And the Chiefs closed out round one with Clyde Edwards-Helaire, running back from LSU, proving further that they just want to get more and more weapons around Mahomes to defend their title.

Like I said, outside a few odd picks, this was a chalk draft. The only true surprises were Andrew Thomas going so early and the Packers trading up to take Jordan Love. Other than that, all solid, understandable picks. If I had to pick a "winner" of the first round I am going to go with Arizona. They got my favorite player, and the player I consider to be the best athlete in the draft in Simmons. He is going to be instantly great. I am also happy that Ruiz went round one, and went earlier than I thought. Now I bet the rest of the draft will be a bit more intriguing, with more trades and more reaches and steals. We shall see. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Gronk Will Not Be the Answer in Tampa

I teased it yesterday, and here I am today to talk about the Gronk trade to the Buccaneers.

This was inevitable the moment Tom Brady simply mentioned how nice it would be to play with Gronk again. Once he said that it was a forgone conclusion that the Bucs front office and Bruce Arians were going to do whatever they needed to get Gronk. Never mind the fact that they have a younger tight end they drafted two years ago. I know that OJ Howard hasn't totally lived up to the hype yet, but this upcoming year will only be his third in the NFL. Now he will be traded, or simply let go. That is a shame.

Look, I think most people know how I feel about Gronk. I do not like him. He is a frat boy, a douche, a party animal, a phony and if he was with any other team during his height, and was not a white person, people wouldn't love him the way they do. Say he played for a team like the Dolphins or Jets or Raiders, he is basically a nobody. Change his ethnicity, he would be viewed very differently by major media outlets. I don't like putting that out there, but it is, unfortunately, true. And now he is coming in to take a younger kid's job just because his buddy wants the team to.

Also, I don't think this is going to be as great as other outlets are proclaiming. I have already gone on the site and said that I don't like the fit with Brady in Tampa. I know Arians has done wonders with older QB's, but those QB's had big arms. I think Brady is the best QB to ever play in the NFL, but arm strength has never been his thing. He has always been a quick slant, diagnose the defense quick and make the right, shorter throw. That is how he destroys other teams. The only guy on the current Bucs roster that is fit for that is Gronk. But, Gronk has been away for an entire year, he has had multiple concussions, he may not play an entire year, if the NFL has a full year, and he has lost a ton of weight. He also went on this weird speaking tour where he talked about the dangers of the NFL. But, since his "bro" is in a city like Tampa, I guess he figures why not.

Actually, the more I write about it, I feel like Tampa is a fitting spot for Gronk's personality. But you don't win games with a "fun" personality. I actually think this trade, and the signing of Brady, is going to hurt Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. They are two of the better deep threats in the league, but just look at Brady last season, or even the season before. Last year he was not great. Maybe it was because he already knew he was leaving, maybe it was because the offense wasn't as talented or maybe it was because Brady is 42 years old. He is an old man in NFL terms. And as we have seen over and over and over again, when guys hit 40, they regress. Even the year before, when they beat the Rams in the Super Bowl, it wasn't because of Brady. He had an awful game. It was their defense, and how green that Rams team was. And Todd Gurley was very hurt. With this new addition, I am stunned at how the media is treating this. I don't want to put this out there, but does everyone remember after the Odell Beckham trade last off season how great that was going to make the Browns? Every major media outlet had them as a 10 plus win team, a favorite in the AFC and a lock to make the playoffs. How did that work out? And that team is much younger than this current Bucs team. And they have a better defense, even though they struggled mightily last year.

I don't know, maybe I am just a hater, but I don't think acquiring Gronk pushes the Bucs to the best in the NFC. I don't even think it makes them the best team in their division. I think the Bucs right now are champs on paper, but they will have to go out and play, and it will be tough sledding. This trade is so unimportant to me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's 2020 Not Mock NFL Draft

Seeing as how they are doing a NFL draft tomorrow, via the internet, and it is still blowing my mind that they are doing it this way and not just waiting a month or so, I do want to do my style of a draft guide. I don't like doing a pick by pick thing. Last year I picked 10 players I thought were going to be very good and 5 busts. This year I want to go position by position, putting interior offensive and defensive line as a whole group, as in, I won't go nose guard, tackle, defensive end, or guard, tackle center, I will pick players for the whole interior. I will pick one player I think will hit, and explain, one that will bust, and explain, and a mild to deep sleeper. This seems like a fun way to approach this very odd, very complex draft.

Real quick though, even though I think there will be tons and tons of mess ups, I am stoked that there is going to be a draft. It gives us sports people a fix. And, I will get to the Gronk trade tomorrow. Believe me I have a ton to say about that whole thing. Lets get to the draft now.

Quarterback

I'm going to start where every NFL team starts, and that is with the QB position. I'm not as sold on this class as other writers and people on TV, but I do still have some thoughts. As for my prospect that will, or should hit, I have Joe Burrow, just like everyone else. You don't have a season like he did and then just flame out. He is agile, has arm strength and is wildly accurate. The only downside I see from him is the Bengals. They will need to find a way to protect him. Even still, he will be a solid rookie, and I think he will have, at the very least, a solid NFL career.

As for the bust, I have already written about him, but I just don't trust Tua. The injury scares the hell out of me. The kid is an incredible talent, but that injury ended Bo Jackson's career. And no one has seen him go through a real workout. I hope I am wrong because I like him, but I am just so scared of that injury.

As for my sleeper, I am going with Jalen Hurts. He is the new era QB. He already had the mobility, and last year at Oklahoma proved he can throw. He is going to be, at the very least, a weapon for whatever team takes him in the third or fourth round. He is also a good dude with a great attitude.

Running Back

So running backs are a dying breed, but there are still a few in this draft that could work as later round picks. I wouldn't take one in the first round, but late round two or early third, I would jump at some of these guys. My prospect that will hit is Johnathan Taylor. He is big, fast, durable and destroyed great defenses in college. He is on a long list of Wisconsin running backs that tore up college, but I feel like he will be the first to really, truly succeed.

My bust is Cam Akers. I loved this kid his freshman year at FSU, but it was all downhill from there. He never really got better over the next 2 years. He is also small, fumbles a bit and can easily get hurt. I had high hopes in college, and those weren't met. I don't think he will translate well to the NFL.

My sleeper, and it's not that deep, is JK Dobbins. This kid destroyed the Big Ten for two years, he put up similarly huge numbers like Taylor and he is a ball of strength. He is a bigger, stronger Doug Martin, except he will be better.

Wide Receiver

Shifting to receiver, this class is absolutely loaded. It is as deep as any group in a very, very long time. I had a good amount of trouble finding guys to pick for my prospect that will hit. I finally settled on Jerry Jeudy, but honestly, I could've picked any Alabama receiver. But Jeudy looks to be the biggest, second fastest, runs the best routes and has tremendous hands. I am hoping he falls to Green Bay, but I don't think he lasts outside of the top 10. He has a good mixture of Amari Cooper and Julio Jones. Jeudy is great.

As for my bust, and this hurts so much for me personally, I have Donovan Peoples-Jones. I rooted so hard for this kid for three years, and had such high hopes. He had tons of moments at Michigan, but he was more injured than not. He also was nowhere to be found in big games. He also drops the ball at a Braylon Edwards rate, especially when going over the middle. I hope he proves me wrong, really hope, but he just tailed off too much last season at Michigan.

As for my sleeper, I'm going with Jalen Reagor from TCU. This may not be a sleeper to you, but he played in a run option offense, yet put up stellar numbers. This is a guy that could actually land in Green Bay, and while he isn't Jerry Jeudy, he will do just fine.

Tight End

At tight end, and this is not the same level as wideout, I just don't really know. As for my top prospect, I guess I will go with Hunter Bryant from Washington. He is a big target with good hands and can block some. He will be fine.

For my bust, again I have no idea, I will go with Cole Kmet from Notre Dame because other people seem to love him, and since I am a Michigan fan, I am just going full on hater here.

My sleeper is Thaddeus Moss. He was so crucial in LSU's explosive offense, he is big and he will score TD after TD. Moss isn't his dad, but he will be a solid pro.

Offensive Line

As for the interior O line, my top prospect is Tristan Wirfs frim Iowa. He is huge, he is a roadblock and he can be a cornerstone for 10 plus years. O lineman are boring picks, but also the safest, and Wirfs is top of the list this year.

As for my bust, and again this is hard because O line is so easy to hit, I am going with Meckhi Becton from Louisville. I know people love him, but Louisville was so average, and he played in a very heavy read option offense. I don't see what others do in him.

My sleeper, and I am fanning out here, is Caesar Ruiz. He was the captain of the Michigan O line, he was the most important guy and he was the most improved on a very improved O line last season. I was sad to see him leave early, but I get it. He is going to be a day one starter in the NFL and he will be around for a very long time. He is a prototype modern offensive lineman.

Now lets shift to defense. I fully believe the cliche that defense wins titles, and there are some solid defensive players to load your team around in this draft.

Safety

At safety my prospect that will hit is Grant Delpit from LSU. He reminds me so much of Jamal Adams, except with better ball skills. Adams is a better hitter, but he is also on an awful team, so I don't think he is as respected as he should be. I think Delpit can end up in San Francisco, or Chicago, somewhere with a solid defense, and he will have a similar type career, but be more highly regarded.

As for the bust of this class I have Antoine Winfield Jr. Yes he has tremendous ball skills, he got a ton of interceptions and was the key to Minnesota's defense, but I just don't see it from him. The interceptions means college teams weren't afraid to throw to his side, and he did get beat some too. He has the name recognition, but I'm not sold.

As for my sleeper, I'm going division 1-AA here, and going with Jeremy Chinn from Southern Illinois. I hadn't heard of him until recently, but I saw some of his highlights, and this kid is good. He is going to be a solid special teams guy at the start, and he will be a starter sooner rather than later. He is also very big for a safety as well.

Corner

Switching to corner, how can you not have Jeffrey Okudah as the top guy. He is so arrogant and cocky and seems like a real asshole, but the kid can play. He is as shutdown as they come right now. I have to say, seeing him get torched by Trevor Lawrence was hilarious to me, but that was an outlier. He is really good, and if Detroit passes on him, it will be another in a long line of mistakes for them. I loathe that I have so many University of Ohio State players as top prospects, but they had a loaded team last year.

My bust corner is Kristian Fulton from LSU. Outside Delpit, the LSU defense got torched at times. Also, without Delpit, Fulton wouldn't be as highly regarded. Fulton was helped so very much by being on the same team as a legit top 5 potential pick. He was part of a secondary that let Ole Miss gain a million yards on them.

My sleeper at corner is Jaylon Johnson from Utah. He is 6 feet tall, almost 200 pounds and has some speed. He will be a solid slot corner that turns into a lock down corner within a year or two. Corners that big don't come around often, and I would jump at a chance to take him in the second or third round if he is still available.

Linebacker

Moving on to linebacker, Isiah Simmons is without question the best linebacker, and for me, the best player in the draft. He can do it all. I could have put him at safety or corner too, and he would be number one. He is so good, can do it all and will change the fortunes of whatever team takes him very early on in the draft. Simmons is dream modern prospect on defense.

My bust is Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma. I think he looks like a traditional linebacker, and he can hit, but I just cannot shake how much LSU exposed him in the playoff. They attacked him in the air and on the ground. I have images of him heaving and laying on the ground to try and get off the field. He got dusted by a team filled with NFL talent. I think he will just be okay, not team altering.

My sleeper at linebacker is Troy Dye from Oregon. He is fast, used to playing spread teams and can cover and hit. He will be a solid team dude as well. I could see him being a quieter version of Luke Kuechly. I think he has that in him.

Defensive Line

Chase Young is the guy. He is the best D line prospect since Jadaveon Clowney, and he may be better. To me he is a bigger and stronger Julius Peppers. Young wrecked backfields all year, and I think he will do the same in the NFL. If Washington doesn't take him I would be absolutely stunned.

My bust is Javon Kinlaw. I know he is big and strong, but leaving the Senior Bowl and not doing the combine left a bad taste. I know his spot is secure, but he isn't a QB or skill player, guys who normally do that. I wanted to see his times and other stuff, but he decided not to compete claiming he was injured. I don't know about all that.

My sleeper is Josh Uche. Again, fan boy here, but this kid was great, and he became a sack machine for Michigan over the past two years. He is quick, has good hands and can move. He was constantly in the backfield the past two years. I will forever be thankful to my dad for pointing him out to me early two years ago when we were at a game. He has been a joy to watch, and I think he will be a great NFL pass rusher.

So there you have it, my version of a pre draft ranking of some players. I do want to say, I hope all the kids I considered "busts" prove me wrong. I don't like to judge children that are so much more talented than I have ever been. I want them to all have success. That being said, this draft will be odd, but I stoked it is coming, and I am interested to see how wild this thing gets because I think, especially in the later rounds, it is going to be real wild. We will find out starting tomorrow. Oh, and one last thing, I hope the Bengals do the right thing and take Burrow number one because I don't want to hear RD yell at me about it for years, and this is the most perfect situation that franchise could ever fall in to. They better not screw it up for a ton of people's sake. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.