It is! The JR Sport Reef Show. on the Infiniti Sports Network. Come to you live from Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you so much to everybody tuned in, locked in, all over.
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The show gets started. The JR Sport Reshow 6 p.m. Eastern. Three Pacific Monday. through Friday.
We've been hanging out for an hour already. Where have you been? Hey, we talked about Lou Holtz. Not missing an opportunity to throw a dart at Ryan Day in the Ohio State, even at eighty eight years old. It's like, oh, they're soft, and they're not good, and they're not as good as you think they'll be.
It's like, man, it's just one week, man. Just. Go drink an insurer or something like that. I don't know. We talked about Kawhi Leonard.
Kawhi Leonard. Allegedly, Paid under the table? Through like a shell company? Owned by Clipper's owner, his boss, Steve Ballmer? We're going to find out if it's true.
If it's true. Man, a clipper's a going to get punished. Kawhi Lennon might be punished as well. We'll find out sooner than later. Jerry Jones keeps defending the Micah Parsons trade.
Roger Goodell is talking Taylor Swift. And then we even got news about the the latest NBA All Star game. We're not going to have two teams. We're going to have three teams. I will explain.
In 20 minutes from now, we'll have a conversation with Andrew Beaton from the Wall Street Journal. In an hour from now, In honor of the eve of the NFL season. In an hour from now, I'm going to tell you the top six NFL teams. in twenty twenty five. Easy.
You can always listen to this show on the free Odyssey app. Your local Infinity Sports Network affiliate Sirius X Sam channel three hundred seventy five. And a smart speaker if you got one, ask o' the speaker. To play The infinity Sports. Network So much going on, so much to do Here, l let's get into this uh this NBA situation first, not Kowal Leonard.
But about an hour ago. We got a report. A little bit more details about the NBA's upcoming All-Star Game. Which we know. has been complete garbage.
The NBA All-Star game is just it's not even worth Tuning into. These guys don't play, they don't try, they run up and down the court, there's no effort. Guys don't want to get hurt. The bottom line is, these guys make so much damn money, there's no impetus. To go out there.
They've been trained so much that, well, I can't get hurt, and what's the point of the all-star game? to actually celebrate the fans and be competitive. That that doesn't happen. We had these stupid three All Star games this year. Teams were split up, had these stupid mini games.
it was a waste of time. And so the NBA looking at the success of the NHL, decided to maybe switch things up. and take an international approach. And so we learn the upcoming All-Star game in 2026 February in Los Angeles, the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers. who might be in trouble, by the way.
if they paid Kawhi London under the table. We're going to have an international squad. Versus A United States of America squad. but about an hour ago We got some additional Details. Because there are so many damn American All Stars And because let's be real.
There's a lot of international players in the league But it starts falling off after a while. If you start reaching for 15. Players from outside the United States of America. We're gonna have guys who wouldn't be All Stars normally. And are you going to have some US players who Aren't going to be there.
And so the format for the twenty twenty six game. is likely to be a round robin tournament, consisting of three eight player teams. Two US teams. N1 World Team. And in essence That would basically uh kind of keep the pool simple.
you would still have sixteen All Stars from the United States of America. And then you would also have another set, eight guys, to be from World. And that's actually a good idea. because the concern always was, You gonna leave American players out? Typically you'd have two rosters.
maybe uh twelve guys on each team and you're now gonna go from 24 to 12? And where the hell are you gonna get twelve international players? like no disrespect. I mean, like the last guy selected is was gonna be what? Bogdanovich on the Clippers?
No disrespect, but what are we doing here?
So, this is actually a good idea. to kinda keep things uh rather even. Realistically, it's also going to be a good way, I believe, to to keep things competitive. If I gotta just think off the top of my head, maybe, possibly. You got an eight-man international team.
Nico, you ready to help me out here? Let's do it.
Okay. I'm I'm gonna write this down because I'm a professional, somewhat, sometimes. Uh let's see if I could count at the same time. We got uh we got Jokic, right?
Okay. Janis? Mm-hmm. Uh man. Doesn't B count?
I know he does he does can we do we gotta include him somewhere? No, right? Ah, I would say so. International? Where was he technically born?
That's what I like to call. Cameroon. Then I would say, yeah.
Okay, we got him beat, even though he just won a mer a medal in America. Uh we got Luca. Mm-hmm. Oh wow, here we hit now we're getting interesting. Shea Gilgas Alexander.
Yeah, he's Canadian. He's the top Canadian in the league. Who's the second best behind him? I don't know. R.J.
Barrett is not good. I'm just saying. He's good, but not all star good. Maybe one day. Uh that's five guys right there.
Who are we missing now? Oh, poor Zingis right? No, maybe. Who knows? But when he plays, he's well, he's healthy, he's good.
I mean. Eight guys.
Well, this is tougher than I think, huh? I'm struggling to come up with anything either.
Now I'm gonna cheat. Here we go. Yeah, now people are on this stupid internet that's talking about Hakeem. Yeah, he's been gone now for a while.
Okay. Not a chemology. Here we go. Oh, my God Pete now I know we really hate him. Rudy Golbert has to be on that list, okay?
Everybody's favorite four time defensive player of the year.
Okay, Pascal Siakam, yeah, he'd also make the list. I think he's also from Cameroon. Oh, I got one. I know. I don't think you said this one.
Victor Wembanyama? Oh, my God Oh, man, what did I do? I had to look it up, so I also forgot for what it's worth. We forgot. Because he had the blood clots.
Right. Right. Damn. Um Oh man, there's other Fran the Wagner Franz Wagner. Yeah, he's just Did we forget anybody else?
I think that's it. Hold on. Say again? I said hopefully we didn't forget anyone else, otherwise we might get some angry callers. Yeah.
Angry callers call us up. 888-710-4ISN. 888-710-4ISN. I mean, w but one and I I guess this is the point. And why they whittled it down to eight If you're gonna really make this competitive, You can't have an NBA All-Star Game International roster.
of fourteen guys. Me and you forgot Victor Wembanyama. Out of sight, out of mind. The poor guy had a blood clot in his arm and we we completely omitted him. But if you know for sure guys that will make the roster, even if we throw Embiid's name completely out the window.
Jokic, yes. Yannis, yes, Wembanyama, yes, Shagilgis, yes, Luca, yes. That's just starting five. Ruig Obert would make the team. Siakam would probably make the team.
Jamal Murray, who knows, maybe he'd make it. That's just that's eight guys right there. That I just counted.
So. It's going to be a competitive squad. And um that that doesn't include the Cameroonian guy who didn't want to play for France, but Wanted to win a gold medal in America, And then didn't play last season really. I think he played 20 games in Joel Limby. That doesn't include him.
So. We'll see what the NBA does. I like it, Nico. You a fan? You like this idea that they got?
I loved what they did in the NHL with the Four Nations.
So, I mean, it seems like they're kind of just copying the idea, but I think it's worth a shot. I I think so. But he is and this is why. The international players Giannis and even Jokic was just kind of lollygagging through the all-star game. The international players are not going to have to be encouraged to try to put up a show.
Because and then even the guys from the US They don't want to be embarrassed. They don't want to be the guys in the first all-star game, USA versus the world. To get their asses whooped by the world. They they don't want that. And I think guys like Wenben Yama and Giannis, man, we saw Wimbenyama crying.
After he lost that gold, A medal game to Team USA in the Olympics last year. Like he was crying. We see Giannis is going hard. He doesn't know any other type of speed. but to go full speed.
And so I think this will force the the American all-stars to go out there and play. It's like we all know you make a lot of money. We all know you got the big contracts. We all know you work hard and you don't want to get hurt. We understand and get all of that.
I I I think this might be the way to go.
Now, whether it is just a quick Flash in the pan, or if it's a A novelty and it's here today, going tomorrow, we'll see. But given what we've seen, Out of these stupid games? I I think we're going to be uh I think we're going to be due for a good one. And so let's see what we got. We're going to have a three round-robin, well, three teams in a round-robin tournament style in two USA teams and in one international team.
Sign me up. I'm here for change. And speaking of change, Change is good. Change is inevitable. The NFL has gone through plenty of changes over the past several seasons, and one of these changes.
Potentially. is that the NFL ultimately moved from a seventeen game slate to an eighteen game slate. I want to remind you of something. Roger Goodell was was speaking publicly. At the NFL draft, And Roger Goodell back in April on ESPN beats.
basically said what we all knew. That 17 games was almost the precursor to 18. He didn't say it that way, but just listen to what Roger Goodell said in April. The first thing is: can you do it safely? Is it safe for our players?
And as you know, we've made a lot of changes, both to the off-season, the way we train our players, taking contacts out. We've made the training camps much different and taking different drills out. And the way they practice, there's no such as double sessions anymore. And even in the regular season, you know, you don't pad up in the regular season anymore. And so we've really tried to make our game safely, working with the Players Association in a very constructive way.
And we'll continue to do that. From a fan standpoint, would they rather see another regular season game versus a preseason game? I think that's overwhelmingly yes. It's something we'll have to work with the Players Association and see. Do you agree and can we make the right changes to continue to make it safe for our players?
Man, they ain't think about nothin' bein' safe. NFL is thinking about money. There's a reason why they're now playing 17 games. It's not because they think it's safer and we can do it, it's because they can make more. Money.
Simple as that. From nineteen sixty one to nineteen seventy seven, They played fourteen games. from nineteen seventy eight to twenty twenty. They played 16 games. From 2020 coming out of that horrific pandemic.
We moved to seventeen games, and we knew that getting a jump would ultimately get us closer to eighteen. Come on now. NFL doesn't care about these guys. There's a reason why they lessen the preseason. We don't see guys out there running around.
Some teams play, some don't. In regards to the stars and starters, There's a method in in in to to everybody's madness and it's cash. But today We heard from David White. Who's the interim executive director of the NFL Players Association? He's the guy who helps lead the union.
on behalf of the players, and he had an interview with the Associated Press. and he said I have had zero conversations with the league, about expanding the length of the regular season.
Okay, that that might be the case for now. The NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2031. And if they're going to move up to 18 games, It would have to be collectively bargained and negotiated between the players. And the owners. And pretty much what David White says is.
I'm open to have a discussion about any and everything, as long as it serves as a benefit. to the players, which means you want to add another game, Well, damn it, we we got to get another game check. We got to make sure that these guys get paid. And also, by the way, getting paid is the biggest thing. NFL players are throwing their bodies around knowing that they will get beat to a pulp For a dollar.
I don't know how many NFL players would we have. if these dudes was runnin' around out here. Doing it for free. Realistically, the answer is probably zero. They'd be in wheelchairs and they would need real jobs, which I don't think you can do both successfully.
And so I it it's still inevitable. We're going to get to 18 games. I was fine with 16. I don't need seventeen games in a regular season. It doesn't matter to me.
Feels like it starts to get sloppy. and then start adding an eighteenth game Are we going from sloppy, but it's inevitable we're adding another a week of wear and tear. But I guess if the dudes aren't working hard in the off season, not being worked in two a days, if they're not playin' in the preseason, Hell, the NFL might as well become two hand touch. Not yeah yet, but we're on the way. It's the J.R.
Sport Breed Show here with you close to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. I can tell you one thing we are close to. The regular season starting to morrow. We got the equals. We got them cowboys.
We got Friday action in Brazil. Man, we got the The Chargers and we got the Chiefs, they'll be on YouTube. The NFL season is upon us. And when we come back, we'll have a chat previewing the season with Andrew Beaton from the Wall Street Journal. Have that chat with Andrew on the other side of the break.
What do we need to look out for? Who should we look out for? What should we maybe be afraid of? We'll talk all things NFL on the other side. It's the JR Sport Re Show, the Infinity Sports Network.
We are now one day. and thirty eight minutes away. From the start of the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys at the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles. We've seen Michael Parsons get moved to Green Bay. We got teams that are trying to get over the hump, like the Ravens and also the Buffalo Bills.
We got teams that are trying to bounce back. I like the Kansas City Chiefs. There's so many questions, and of course, there's always going to be some dark horse that surprises us. To talk about everything, NFL, he covers the league for the Wall Street Journal. Here he is with us, Andrew Beaton.
Andrew, how are you? Thanks so much for having me. I think we're all ready for the season to finally start. Hey, about 24 hours away, a little more than 24 hours away. What are your thoughts on Jerry Jones in the comments?
Obviously, we will not see Michael Parsons tomorrow in this. season opener, what do you think about the the comments made by Jerry about how the team has gotten better without him? Yeah, I mean, I think the thing is, you don't get better instantly when you lose a player like Micah Parsons. Players like Micah Parsons do not grow on trees, they don't grow on early first-round draftics. You hit on a guy like that.
once in a generation maybe. But the Cowboys were in a difficult position when you look at how much they ended up paying Dak Prescott, when you look at how much they end up having to pay CeeDee Lamb. If they ended up having to give Micah Parsons a true top of the line deal, that's an incredible amount of money committed to three players.
So, is there a world where two first-round picks helps them? rebuild and build a sustainable, cheaper contender in the long run. I can see it. Do I think this was handled well? No, and does it make them better in the short term?
There's just no way that's the case. But there is a world where this does help them reset. It just might take years to realize that. And it also might never happen because These early drip Draft picks are lottery picks and Parsons is one that they struck gold on. Yet he hit the jackpot with a potential future Hall of Famer.
And now he's on out the building.
Well, the team that Dallas is going to take on tomorrow, the Philadelphia Eagles. Outside of a few adjustments on the line, a guy like Makai Bechta now being gone. They're returning almost the same squad, which is a a rarity, and they're refusing to really talk about running it back or trying to repeat. What are your thoughts on the Eagles this season and how they've kind of taken through the offseason? You know, that it feels really rare for a Super Bowl team to return that much of its talent, right?
Like you always feel like that roster gets rated. Because they won the Super Bowl. Everyone wants their guys. When they hit free agency, people pay big bucks for them. But they did a lot in terms of keeping their roster, not just for this year, but for years to come.
They didn't just re-sign a guy like Zach Bond, who was a complete diamond in the rough that helped propel their Super Bowl run. They signed Saquon Barkley to an extension to reward him after an incredible year. And so this is very much like a hey, This worked. We had a whole breadth of talent on both sides of the ball. Let's run it back and see if really the same crew, for the most part, can do it again.
We'll see if they go ahead and do it. Nixiriani doesn't even.
Well, he's playing coy. I don't know anything about the banners. The players don't want to acknowledge it. Jalen Hurts is like, yeah, you know, my Super Bowl ring is behind me. Do you think they've gone a little too far in ignoring it?
We know you want to repeat. It's not a dirty word to say so. Yeah, I mean, I think it's just sort of that you can chalk some of that up to lip service. These guys know that they're the Super Bowl champions. They know that they're the team that ended the Chiefs' quest for a three-peat, and they did it in pretty emphatic fashion.
So I think it's almost like a bit, in a sense, of just saying that over and over. But there's no doubt this team is taking the field knowing that they won the Super Bowl. They're among the favorites to do it again. And the thing is, they can all look around that locker room and say, This isn't just a team that sort of fell its way into doing it. It's an extraordinarily talented team.
When you look at the guys who they have on the offensive line, when you look at that receiving core, when you look at Jalen Hurts, who they didn't even have to lean on that much as a passer last year. because they had Saquon Barkley running over teams. And so There might even be kind of untapped potential with this team. And that's sort of what I find fascinating about them going to this year, which is. We saw in some games like the Super Bowl just how good Jalen Hurts can be.
Often he was just more of a game manager at times last year because they didn't need him. But can this team be even better? I think there is a chance for that. Oh, well, damn it, if they're any better than that, They may go undefeated. We'll see about that.
Andrew Beaton is here with us from the Wall Street Journal.
Well the team that they beat Kansas City Chiefs. I don't want to say they feel stale, but we know that Travis Kelsey is entering into the final year of his contract. He's not getting any younger. Patrick Mahomes doesn't want to get into a revenge tour thing. They got Rashid Rice being suspended.
What do you expect from the Chiefs? I know they open up on Friday in Brazil against the Chargers. You know, the thing that I'm most excited to see about the Chiefs is: can they find that downfield passing attack again? Because that's really what's been absent. And what's kind of interesting is a lot of people chalk that up to the absence of Tyree Kill.
But even the first year after his departure, they were able to. Pull off those explosive plays. Granted, Travis Kelsey was a different tight end back then than he is now, and what could be the last stages of his career. But can a guy like Xavier Worthy develop into that guy? I felt like we started to see flashes of it, especially late in the year.
Can the addition of a new tackle, Joshua Simmons, Help give Patrick Mahomes the time to do that. And that's, I think, the least talked about. Change with this team, which is whenever there's problems with the passing attack, when you have a Patrick Mahomes, when you have a couple weapons, people are talking about the receivers and about Kelsey. But one change, like that type of offensive lineman who can all of a sudden protect Mahomes in a way that he hasn't necessarily received, that could really be the key in unlocking something that, listen, this is a Patrick Mahomes offense, it's an Andy Reid offense. You feel like those big plays should be there, and they just weren't last year.
And so that's the change that I'm most interested in seeing.
Well, Andrew, you talk about change and also players that are closer to the end than the beginning. We got a matchup on Sunday. We have Aaron Rodgers, another new team here with the Pittsburgh Steelers, taking on his former team in the New York Jets. The Steelers seem like they're trying to go for it, but then also rebuild and have some options for the future at the same time. What are your thoughts on what their season might look like with Rodgers at the helm?
Well, it's so funny because I feel like over the last God knows how many years, the Steelers have been. The Classic example of methodical team building where they don't do anything flashy, they're not making controversial acquisitions. And they're just steady and good. And for the most part, that's worked really well. That sort of consistency has been why the Steelers always make the playoffs.
And Why they're just sort of the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know, they're a team you always expect to be in the mix. The problem over the last several years is. They were consistently okay, right? They were never bad enough to be below 500.
They've still never been below 500 in the Mike Tomlin era. But even when they made the playoffs, they were never really contending. No one ever really expected big things out of them. And so this offseason, it felt like completely out of character for them. They go not, it wasn't even just Aaron Rodgers.
They go get DK Metcalf, they go get Jalen Ramsey and John U Smith. And so all of a sudden, the team that was sort of the face of stoicism and keeping your head down. has not just all these big names, but they have these big personalities. And so Asking me to answer what the Steelers will look like, I think They are the biggest wild card in the entire league because Are you that shocked if this team with those talent, if Aaron Rodgers has a revenge season, are you shocked if they manage to win 11 games? No, but isn't that shocking if this doesn't really work out and they win six or seven games?
No, we saw that last year with the Jets.
So I think. Yeah. There's some teams where it feels like they have a narrow band of outcomes. The Steelers team, it feels as wide as it gets in the league. But we know two teams that they're high expectations for them.
And they will close things out in week one.
Well, almost. We still got that Monday night game. But we got Baltimore and Buffalo. They're back at it again, and they're These are the two teams that are just staring at the Chiefs. They can't get over the hump.
Uh do we just gotta wait and roll the dice in January with these two squads? I think so, because at this point, these teams are so good that it would be stunning if either missed the playoffs pending some giant injury. Yeah, and so For those two teams, and you can even add the Bengals in the mix, even though the Bengals have reached a Super Bowl in the Joe Burrow era. But there's teams that say, all right. We have one of the five best quarterbacks in the league.
We should be. completely in the mix for a title every year. But every year that it doesn't happen, it feels like those questions grow louder and louder. And the bills have come awfully close, and then it seems like they always run into Kansas City. Baltimore consistently looks amazing during the regular season.
They've managed to disappoint in January.
So and the thing is, we know how good these guys are. Yeah. It feels like It's January when they have to answer their questions, not September. Andrew Beaton is joining us here from the Wall Street Journal. Are there a team, or is there a team?
that can can make a jump. Nobody had an expectation that The Commanders would do what they did last season with the rookie QB. But is there a team that you think might make a step where they can threaten one of these stalwarts? You know, it's a team that took a step back last year, but is anybody that surprised if the San Francisco 49ers are back in the mix? After all, this is a team coached by Kyle Shanahan.
Brock Purdy is still, you know, he's not the Mr. Relevant anymore. He's a good quarterback. And there's been a lot of personnel changeover. But There's still a lot of pieces in play there between the coach, the quarterback.
George Kittle, who's a top three tight end in the league. What if Christian McCaffrey can stay healthy again this year? That that's a team that you really don't want to play on a Sunday. And there's been kind of a lot of personnel changeover, but that's also maybe the changeover that a team needs for that sort of rejuvenation and reset. And so It's the type of team where the expectations aren't that high right now, but if they're playing in, say, NFC Championship game.
at the end of January, are we that surprised given the the types of personnel and coaching that they have.
Well, that would be one hell of a reset by Lynch and Shanahan if they're able to do so. I'm eager to see what they can go out there and see. and pull off You know, final question for you. 'Kay. There's so much about Cam Ward, which is is nice.
You really don't hear anything about him. I want to see what he can do. Everything is focused on Shador and Travis Hunter. A are these just going to be the two rookies that garner all the attention? And whenever Shador gets thrown out there, w what rookie should we pay attention to?
Who's going to get the most attention for good reasons? For good reasons. Ooh. Um I mean, I think you might start hearing about so a lot of these running backs because Even though we know that it's not a position that the NFL places an immense value on these days when you look at the free agent contracts and so on and so forth. Maybe it's because of fantasy football, but maybe it's just because it's a position that gets the ball in their hands a lot.
I think we're going to hear about these running backs, whether that's Ashton Janti, Marion Hampton. These are guys that should be on interesting teams. I mean, the Raiders have the whole Pete Carroll reset. going on with Geno Smith Under Center. Hampton gets to go to a team with Justin Herbert as the quarterback and Harbaugh coaching the way.
And so th those are guys that Will they necessarily be the Highest paid players from their draft class? Almost certainly not. But between what fans draw their eyeballs to, to answer your question, I think they're the types of guys that could be talked about because they're going to make impact on games. It's a position where you can step in as a rookie and play a really regular role. And plus, everyone's obsessed with fantasy football, right?
And these guys can be stars in that. Yeah, we're we're all expecting Some major things to go down this season. Travis Hunter and Shador, Cam Ward getting all the attention. A good point to point out all the running backs that'll make some solid contributions. Andrew, we appreciate the time.
Where can folks follow you, your work, and everything you do with The Wall Street Journal? You know, you can always follow me on Twitter at Andrew L. Beaten, but just read the work in the Wall Street Journal. That's what makes us happiest. Hey, we appreciate you, Andrew.
We'll catch you on down the line, okay? Perfect. Anytime. Thanks for having me. Absolutely, man.
We are getting closer and closer to the start of the NFL season. Thank you so much to Andrew Beaton for joining us. Make sure you go ahead and follow him everywhere on social media. It's the JR Sport Brief Show here with you, coast to coast, on the Infiniti Sports Network. We're going to take a break.
And when we come back, You thought that uh Well, nobody said anything about the Patriots. I think the Patriots might take another step up now that they have a second-year quarterback, now that they have a new head coach. But the Patriots are also stepping up to do something else. I'm going to tell you what Robert Kraft is planning. For someone who no longer works at one Patriot place.
I'm going to give you that on the other side of the break. At the top of the hour, of course, it's going to be time for a new top six list. The top six NFL teams for 2025. I'm gonna give you my list. of the best six teams for this upcoming season, who I think Has the best chances of going out there and winning the Super Bowl.
It's the JR Sport Reshow on the Infinity Sports Network. It is the JR Sport Brief Show here with you on the Infinity Sports Network. Thank you so much to Andrew Beaton for joining us on the last break as he came to us courtesy of the Wall Street Journal. He covers all things NFL. He gave us some tips and insights as to what we should look forward to this upcoming season.
And if you missed that conversation, go ahead and hit rewind. on the free Odyssey app. We got the NFL season starting up tomorrow. it'll take place with the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. No Micah Parsons.
None. And how about this? In about 15 minutes? I'm going to share with you a new top six list. I'm going to tell you the top six NFL teams in 2025.
These are the six teams. that I believe most strongly are best positioned So hoist the Vince Lombardi trophy. Come February, In California, home of the 49, the Santa Clara.
So we'll get to that top six list in about 15 minutes from now. One thing that was just announced. And I have to tell you about this. It's not surprising. I think the timing of it is.
Robert Craft, Owner of the New England Patriots, no. Nothing happened out of massage parlour. No, there's no video, no, none of that stuff. Uh Robert Craft. He spoke to CBS Boston.
and he pretty much said that they will build a statue of Bill Belichick, Right next to the statue of Tom Brady. Whenever Bill Belichick is done and has time and he's finished coaching at college, they're going to put a trophy right up.
Next to Tom Brady, the This is one thing that he said specifically. When that twenty year era ended, It was always my intention to commission a statue for both Tommy and Bill when their respective careers were over. playing and coaching. When Bill's coaching career ends, we look forward to sitting down with him and having a statue made to be right next to Tommy.
Now Bill Balachek, we know what he's doing at at North Carolina. Brought in 70 new players, just got smacked by TCU. He's in the news with his girlfriend and this and that. the relationship between the two. has not been the best.
When Tom Brady got well, he didn't get the boot, but Bill Belichick wanted to move on. Robert Kraft is like, man, what the hell are you doing? Brady ultimately got sick of Belichick. Went to Tampa Bay. won another championship.
Meanwhile Bill Belichick was out here floundering. trying to think about what he was gonna do post Tom Brady. Had a record Below 500. Drafts were terrible. Ultimately, they mutually agreed to part ways, Belichick and the Patriots, and we know that's just a fancy way of saying.
You're fired. You done. And since then We've had Robert Kraft pretty much say that I took a chance on hiring Bill Belichick. Given his tenure with the Cleveland Browns. And then we had Bill Belichick in turn say, I took a chance on working with the Patriots, an organization that never had any success until I got there.
And so to hear Robert Craft be the bigger man He is also the older man here in the situation. Robert Kraft gotta be. Yeah, he's 84 years old. Maybe Robert Kraft is like, man, I don't. I don't need no beefs out here.
I don't need any trouble out here. Let me just bury the hatchet the best way possible.
Now, I will say this. Belichick to me comes across as the type of guy. To hold the grudge? and then say, you know what, you want to build me a statue? Not right now.
I'll get to it another time. And I'm talking about whenever he's done, if Belichick is done in North Carolina in two years. I don't see him immediately sitting down and going Yeah, well put up s put up a statue of me. I see him waiting until he's just Doesn't want to deal with it. He may do that just despite Robert Kraft.
I don't know. You never know. Guys can hold a grudge. We heard from Lou Holtz earlier in the show. Still mad at Ryan Day.
Who for what we don't know. Guys can hold a grudge. We'll see. Nico, do you think Bill Belichick would you know, openly embrace the concept upon retirement, or do you think he's got type of dude to lay low? I mean It seemed like he had no interest in laying low the fact that he was doing T V hits and then he went to North Carolina.
I mean. I understand that the whole thing with his dad coaching there and him wanting to keep going, but like. him going to North Carolina is clearly just because he doesn't want to retire. That's at least h how I'm viewing this. Yeah, absolutely.
But whenever it comes to a conclusion, do you think he? I don't think he's going to have another coaching job, let alone in the NFL after this. Would you agree with that? Probably not. Sure.
So, if we have to tack on, I don't care if it's another, he got a five-year contract. Do I think he's gonna see that through? Uh I don't think so. I don't it doesn't matter if we get one more year of Belichick after this one in North Carolina or or we get two more years. That's a ways away, two and three years on top of this.
I I just don't see him retiring whenever the case is and just saying Alright, guys, let's schedule me to get this statue commissioned and built. I could see him trying to disappear. Especially If the tenure at North Carolina doesn't go well, I don't think he's going to want to be up in that limelight. You know, he was doing all the TV hits and. everything basically because he wanted to be in the the front So he's not forgotten about when it comes down to jobs.
And he still didn't get an NFL job. I I see him laying low. I don't know if he's gonna embrace Robert Kraft saying Yeah, we're gonna stick you a statue next to Tom Brady. You know, whenever you retire. I just.
That much like see well, he's a jerk, is he not? Yeah. You could say that again. Yeah, the guy's a jerk. I don't We'll see Belichick going out there Doing much or making things easy.
And speaking of questioning anything, making things easy, how about this? It's been reported by Stephen Bondi of the New York Post. that Ben Simmons, is questioning whether or not he wants to continue his NBA career. For this upcoming season. He apparently has received interest from the New York Knicks, and one other team on the market.
What a way for this guy to fall. 2016, number one overall pick. Philadelphia's seventy sixers took em. was a three-time All-Star from 2018 to 2021. and one day he was up under that damn basket, Afraid To be fouled by the By Trey Young, so he wouldn't go to the free throw line.
Doc Rivers basically said, Yeah, I don't know if this guy can be a championship caliber point guard. And Ben Simmons just kinda. collapsed after that. Confidence shook. A six-time all-star.
You hear about athletes that get the yips, and we all know about. You know, mental foundation and athletes are so open now about being mentally tough. Being in the NBA when he actually hit some adversity. It ate up Ben Simmons to the point now. where he may not even want to play in the NBA this year?
Damn. I remember when Ben Simmons played at LSU, and I'm not going to say it's a shock or a surprise. People were looking at Ben Simmons and going, Does he have the heart?
Well well, here we are, it only took a few years after the fact. For people to look at Ben Simmons and just say, Well, if Doc Rivers is questioning his heart publicly, and he pretty much shattered. After that, Yeah, Ben say Ben Simmons and here's the here's the thing. There should be no reason why he can't, I don't know, run up and down the court and rebound and pass and he he's just in his head to to just shoot. It's horrific.
Ben Simmons, an all-star now, almost out of the league, is just. Where did they do that at? And in playing for the New York Knicks, the Knicks could have interest in him. Why would you want to go into a uh a larger Fishbowl. Why would you want to do that?
He was playing with the Clippers to finish last season. You're in the background who cares? Nobody's looking at you. He couldn't last in Philly. What the hell would happen with Ben Simmons in New York, even as a backup?
A versatile big man slash point guard to play some defense and just move the ball up the court? He'd be cursed out in the first day. He would, if he could not make it in Philly. Why the hell would Ben Simmons make it in New York? Yeah, we really know where his mind is at.
Not anywhere close to a championship. Good luck to Ben Simmons, whatever decision that he makes. And good luck to Belichick, too. He needs it hanging out with those uh well that young lady, okay? Watch my words here.
It's the J.R. Sport Brief Show here with you coast to coast on the Infinity Sports Network. We are going to take a break. And will we come back? It's gonna be time for a new top six list.
I'm giving you my top six NFL teams for 2025. Who are the six teams closest to the To winning a championship. I'm going to give you that list on the other side of the break. You can follow me online at JR Sport Brief. We'll be back in five minutes.
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