This is The Drive with Josh Graham podcast. We're internet sensations, guys. Tune into The Drive weekday afternoons, 3 to 7 on WSJS. Hurrah! On a Monday Drive, it is WSJS, New Stock Sports for the Triad.
Where this is always a strange week in sports. On one hand, we've hit the Major League Baseball. All-star break, thus, sometime in the middle of this week. It seemed to be the slowest. Period.
On the sports calendar.
However, it's also SEC Football Media Day, so there's always drama. There's always fun discussion that comes from that. Yeah. And yes, yelling. And speaking of football discourse that could lead to some yelling.
You know it's summer time. When we start seeing the lists. Pop up. Anonymous GMs and coaches quoted in various stories telling us who the best NFL players are at given positions. And unsurprisingly, The list that garners the most attention each year is Jeremy Fowler's Top 10 Quarterbacks list at ESBN.com, the one that dropped the day, and here's the big takeaway from it.
There are currently only four elite quarterbacks in the NFL today. Which may sound like a small number to you, but the elite. top class of QBs. It's only four names long. And that fantastic forsom consists of Patrick Mahomes.
Josh Allen. Joe Burrow. and Lamar Jackson. That's the list. Mahomes obviously is the number one.
Because He's won three Super Bowls. and appeared in many others.
Meanwhile, the other three quarterbacks combined. have won no Super Bowls. And have not. Appear, but just one Super Bowl. Joe Burrow is the only one that has a Super Bowl appearance.
After Mahomes. don't really care. What the order is, how you rank. Alan This is how they ranked it. Allen two, Burrow three, Lamar four.
Some people yelling about Burrow being number three. Honestly, if you were doing it right, it's 2A, it's 2B, it's 2C. There really isn't much difference between those three.
So, why only characterize those four as being elite? How do you define elite? Is Joe Flacco elite? Because these are the four quarterbacks. But if consistently demonstrated They will succeed regardless of their circumstances.
Which brings us to the player that was ranked number five on this list. This is where most of the discussion is at in football today, and this is why. The takeaway we have is that there are only four truly elite quarterbacks going right now. The number five ranked quarterback, according to these GMs and coaches polled, Washington Commanders quarterback Jaden Daniels. And he is the wild card.
of the NFL. He carried a dormant franchise to the NFC Championship game as a rookie. That's why he's number five on this list. He did this with a below-average defense, with an above-average receiving core. And is he the fifth best quarterback in the NFL?
Maybe. Maybe he's better, maybe he's worse. We need more sample size. This season will help determine If he belongs in that elite status, along with those four quarterbacks that we mentioned that have separated. Or if he's part of that second tier, which is bigger.
than four QBs. He could be Joe Burrow. But he also could be CJ Stroud. CJ Stroud Had a tremendous rookie season. And do you know where he ended up on the top ten list?
Honourable Mention Not in the top 10.
So he goes from being seventh to. being an honorable mention. Because he had a bit of a setback, which is understandable. He had such a great year. The NFL is hard.
Defense is adjust. All of that is true. If he recreates the season that he just had as a rookie. Then yeah, he's one of those top four, top five quarterbacks out there. But if he regrets it, okay, he's part of that second group that there's no shame of being a part of.
But It keeps the list where it currently sits: who are the elite quarterbacks in the sport? Because for the rest of the non-top four guys. Their success is dependent. on their supporting cash. Matthew Stafford is at number six.
He had a decade of irrelevance with Detroit. Finally, he won a Super Bowl. When what happened? He played when he finally joined Sean McVay in an organization that was running properly. Justin Herbert is at number six.
Still no playoff wins. Jared Goff at number eight. Baker Mayfield's at number 10. He was nearly out of the league after playing with the Carolina Panthers and then getting released and picked up by the LA Rams. And now Dave Canalis helped.
Rejump his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Now he's seen as a top 10 quarterback. In the sport, but even going beyond that, that second tier, it's even wider than that. We put Brock Purdy in that tier, we put Jordan Love in that tier, we put CJ Stroud, maybe even Kyler Murray. This is the part that should inspire. Carolina Panther fans should make Carolina Panther fans hopeful.
Because What did we learn in the Super Bowl this past year? You don't need one of those top four, top five guys to win the Super Bowl. Jalen Hurts. Ninth on this list. And Nine times.
The Eagles dominated in the Super Bowl, winning a title. But It does feel pretty certain. You need somebody in that second tier. You need somebody who's top half of the league. Can you be top 13, 14, 15?
Can you be in the Dak Prescott range? Can you do that? That is still every bit on the table. Bryce Young can be Baker Mayfield. Bryce Young could be Dak Prescott.
Bryce Young could be. could be in that Jared Goff range. And what this list tells us is, well. It's a wider group. But that's the bar you have to reach in order to.
Give yourself a chance at potentially winning something. in the NFL. It's become apparently clear, and it's been this way really. Forever. There's nothing quite as rare or tough to find.
than a truly elite quarterback. And the list we saw today. Demonstrate, it showed us, it showcased. There are only four of those. in the world right now.
On X at Josh Graham Show and at WSJS Radio. That's where we're streaming video in addition to YouTube and Twitch. Will Dalton, he's the executive producer of this show. WD, how many Summer League games did you watch over the weekend? I watched the Hornets and I watched the Mavericks.
Oh, you saw it. Cooper data. On Saturday. Yeah, 31 points. Hornets Mavs later tonight without Cooper flag.
You watch both Hornet games? I did. Leah McNeely looked really good. Tajan Salon's gotten a lot better. Let's put a pin in that.
We'll get to Summer League in a bit. Didn't surprise me that you. Consumed all the Summer League. Proud of you, frankly. We need to talk about the main event, though.
The main event tonight. The home run derby in Major League Baseball. Is tonight, and the primary draw of the event, which is being held in Atlanta. Is undoubtedly Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh competing. For one, he brings local appeal to the event.
Not just because he is a North Carolina native. He's. An ACC representative. He's from The state of North Carolina, yes. From Cullowee, North Carolina.
He went to Florida State University, but What's interesting just relative to the event. His hometown of Cullowey, North Carolina, is just two and a half hours away. From Atlanta. Where this is being held. Raleigh is easily the biggest star that is competing.
in the derby. He is the AL MVP front runner at the break. With a Major League Bass 38 home runs. Three more than Aaron Judge has. Six more than Shohei Otani.
He's doing this as a catcher. A catcher. is leading baseball. And home runs right now. That simply does not happen very often.
And since Seattle Doesn't get The bulk of national shine doesn't get a lot of national attention. Tonight could be. Raleigh's introdu introduction. to the larger baseball audience, to baseball stardom. People, and it helps that you have an awesome nickname: the big dumper.
You kidding me? The big dumper tonight from Cullowey, North Carolina. Last name Raleigh. Let's go. Let's go.
Easy.
So root for that guy. And with all of that said, A big part of the reason Cal Raleigh is the show of this event. The names that are not competing tonight. We learned late last week, Ronald Acuna Jr. not competing in the home run derby.
It would be his third time competing. He'd be in his home park. He is being replaced by his Atlantic Braves teammate, Matt Olson. P. Alonzo.
Decided he wasn't going to go, even though he was elected an all-star. He wasn't going to chase a third home run derby title.
So he's not in the field either. Aaron Judge, Shohei Otani say they're not going to be part of it. Aaron Judge says the only time he will compete in this again is if it's being held at Yankee Stadium as a way to try to attract. A home run derby or an all-star game back to Yankee Stadium. Otani says that with.
Some of the health stuff he's dealt with recently that he's Not really interested in competing.
So you're going to get to know some younger stars. Baseball does do a good job of this, almost to controversial lengths. the stuff with the Brewers pitcher, the Miz getting Uh, a nod as a replacement in the all-star game. 30 players are all-stars for the first time this weekend.
So, you'll see a guy who's a tank, Washington Nationals slugger James Wood tonight. You'll see Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, who, by the way, went to the University of Georgia.
So, some local tie there as well. And, yes, at At the very center of the event, the primary draw of the derby. Seattle Mariners Catcher. The Big Dumper. Cow.
Rowley. Got a pick that we'll hand out and best bets. in less than 20 minutes. Related to the home run derby? You'll also see Jazz Chisholm tonight, everybody.
Just wanted to point that out. Or um The drive with Josh Grail. W S J F Whether it's the written word or the spoken word. Us Pete Podcast 24/7 sports sub stack, Brian Geisinger. For years, bringing it.
We'll get to outprecise the guys in just a bit. Summer leagues going on. I need you to help me and everybody else. In assessing What? the appropriate amount of value.
We should place on Summer League. What? Where what do you value in Summer League, if anything? You have to value something. I mean, it...
It comes with the obvious caveat: the competition's not great. The basketball itself is not great. I say this as someone Who spent a few days out in Vegas attending Summer League this season? Like, it is a little haphazard and sloppy at times, but I think there is still value to pull from it. You're still watching these guys who are a year removed from college or are weeks removed from the draft going up, playing in a new system.
Uh, going up against NBA caliber athletes, in some cases, guys who are, you know, active NBA rotation pieces who are second and third-year guys who still play in this.
So, I think it's a good way to get like sort of another indicator about what these guys look like against with a step up in terms of competition, athleticism, size, strength, length, and sort of like also. It can inform you, I think, in terms of like how the teams may want to use these guys, at least early on in their career, you know, in terms of what the Hornets are going to do with Ryan Kolkbrenner defensively, how they're going to use Liam McNeely, like how they'll maybe use Con Knipple.
So there's stuff to grab from it. But again, it does sort of, you got to take it with a grain of salt, too. Let's hit on a few of those guys. When you're taken in the top five, you're probably. Going to be on the big club.
You're probably not going to spend a lot of time in Greensboro if you're Con Kinipple, but. A Late first round pick like Liam McNeely. Ryan Kochbrenner as well, Cion James. The two that look like they translate well and could fit into the big club. depending on what the rotation looks like and how the rest of the roster shakes out.
McNeely and Cochbrenner, but you tell me between those four guys. Whose development is further along in your opinion. It's tough to say because, like, there's two young guys, two one-and-done guys, and then two fifth-year guys with Ceon James and. In Ryan Kolkbrenner. I mean, Kolkbrenner is pretty far along towards just having sort of like a defined.
You know, rotation center role in part because Charlotte's center rotation is so shallow from like a depth perspective.
So, like, if he's good, he can, there's minutes available as he competes against uh Musa Diabate, who's a nice energy guy who can defend and and um. And plays with a great motor, but is smaller, and then an old vet in Mason Plumley. I mean, I think a guy like Con Knipple is the furthest along from a skill perspective. At least that was sort of what would have been my assessment coming into the draft. Like, he is a little bit older for a freshman.
You know, he's close to turning 20. He's about the same age as DeJohn Salon, second year forward for the Hornets out of France. But as a pretty advanced offensive game, too, that we saw up at Duke with his ability to pass and shoot off movement and operate, pick and roll.
So I would say, from a skill development standpoint, it's con. But McNeely really does have a nice skill profile to come along with a guy who's. 6'7 can shoot, can handle the ball. Like he does some good stuff too.
So I don't know. I think in terms of like development, those guys are just sort of like on a different kind of trajectory. But a guy like Colt Brenner just has sort of like a very obvious pathway to minutes. You started that question, though, by prefacing that Knipple was a top, you know, top four, top five pick. Guys like that, I mean, Charlotte wants this guy to be in the starting lineup, you know, like as soon as possible, you know, when that can happen, basically.
I don't think that's going to be a day one thing, but you draft a guy like that hoping. That there's going to be big time minutes for them sooner rather than later. Brian Geisinger is with us here. We'll get to outprecise the Geist a bit, but I want to. Ask this question as broadly as I can so I can fully Try to capture where your brain is at on things.
What has been the most fun or interesting thing that you've seen in Summer League the last four or five days? Yeah, well, from a local perspective, and I'm wondering if this is where you were trying to like lead me into, but it has been the sort of like the development of Tajan Salon, who the number six pick last year out of France, you know, was up, was obviously going to be a project for the Hornets. Was, I think, the youngest guy in the NBA last season, spent the whole season as an 18-year-old, which is tough. He got thrust into probably like a larger role than he really should have had early on with. Grant Williams getting hurt, Miles Bridges injury, Brandon Miller injury.
But this season so far in Summer League, like he looks more coordinated, more fluid. He's handling contact better.
So that is interesting. To me, he was sort of a forgotten guy in Charlotte. Um, just because he, you know, he sort of had kind of a quiet, if not, you know, to like quiet to like bad, you know, rookie season. That should have been the expectation because he was so young and so raw. I don't know if he's going to be a contributor for them this year.
And I do kind of wonder, like, if and when that'll happen, and does that sort of like larger leap coincide with like?
Sort of like the timeline that the Hornets are on now, too. I think that's something to kind of keep in mind. But there's something here with his size, his tools, and the fact that you are seeing some of these jumps in terms of strength, coordination, and fluidity out in Vegas. Where do you want to see as a 336 guy for life. Chris Paul end up I mean, I'm Oklahoma City.
I just want him to get a championship ring. And there, they'll be the like, I wanted him to. Get bought out and sign with, or get traded to the Thunder this year. Like, I wanted, I'm. Totally like I'm like, I love Chris.
I'm sure you saw some of the videos and stuff of him back in Winston practicing with Wake Forrest last week, which was really cool. And I just want him to get a ring. And like, OKC is going to come into next season as the proverbial favorites. They don't really need him because A.J. Mitchell is a second-year guard who's been balling out at Summer League.
Um Very talented.
So, like, he's sort of like locked into that role.
So, I don't necessarily see this coming, but. Chris is a guy that could give them, you know, in theory, some ball handling off the bench, could play next to Shea, which he has, has good relationships with Oklahoma City front office and ownership dating back to the 21 or the The season he was there in 2019, 2020, and he took him to the playoffs sort of unexpectedly. That's where I'd most like to see him. I think there are a lot of fun landing spots. I mean, seeing him play with LeBron and JJ Reddick.
There'd be some cool, sort of like full circle kind of basketball components if he ended up with the Lakers. Banana boat. But like, I want to see him win a championship. And so, yeah, selfishly, I'd like to see him. Chase a ring with the thunder.
Fire up the banana boat, get it back. Let's make it happen. Brian Geisinger with us here. I am interested to see what. There probably is, well, LeBron will be an interesting answer to this, too.
Is what does the post-playing career for Chris Paul look like? He doesn't strike me as a guy who's just going to disappear. No, certainly not. I mean, I think. I think the foundation is already there.
Like, he's a wildly successful businessman. I think you'll certainly see him continue to dabble in that. He's someone who I think has. His sort of like, you know, tentacles in a couple of different markets from a business perspective, whether it's North Carolina. Los Angeles, Texas.
With San Antonio. He has an AAU program here in the state of North Carolina, which is really successful.
So I could see him going that. He loves basketball. He's pretty obviously going to stick around the game. I'm not sure I see him becoming like a coach, you know, like a full, like, you know, just the grind of being an NBA head coach. I don't think he's interested in it, but that was my brain went to when you were talking about Chris last week and hearing the way he was talking to the players.
I'm like, oh, that would work. What's cool about whenever Chris does those. Things like this, I've now seen him, you know, when he's come to wake a few times. I remember he came to a Lavelle Moten NZ Central practice a couple of years ago that was also taped by ESPN, I think. He, he and it's funny, he and Coach K, who, you know, obviously like Rocky origins with those guys competing against each other in the ACC, and then certainly like a respect as those guys won two gold medals together.
Anytime you hear Chris Paul talk about basketball, He says something that Kay talks about a lot too, which is just like the importance of communication. Like, you won't hear Chris talking about basketball without him talking about the importance of talking while playing basketball. And he's just like always on message with that. And that's something I've sort of. Really come to respect with both CP3 and Coach K.
Yeah, and Chris Paul certainly remembers Coach K communicating to those walk-ons to foul him. This part of that game, which you might have remembered this, John Shire walking off the podium one night. I was, I was after some game, and he knew I was in Winston and said, Do you know? I was just thinking of this. You know, my first time at Cameron?
I'm like, no. It was that game. It was my first time at Cameron Indoor Stadium. I was a high school recruit and I went to Care and watched what they did to Chris Paul. I was very, I watched that game at my mom's house in Winston-Salem as a small child and was very sad and very angry.
Do we remember the names of the Patrick David? Pat means Patrick Davidson. Patrick Davidson. That's awesome. He got a big bear hug from Kay when he came out of the game.
I was very, very upset. His face is getting red. BG's mad just thinking about Patrick Davidson. Bad times, man. All right.
How about we cheer him up? We'll tickle him a little bit by playing out precise the guys. Brian Geisinger is a basketball genius. Josh Graham is not. I'm smart, you're dumb.
I'm big, you're little. I'm right, you're wrong. Listen as Brian launches half-cord shots, and Josh, well, double-dribbles all over himself. And there's nothing you can do about it. Get off the bench and try to out-precise the Geis.
You should know. I told W D. Don't be afraid to explore the studio space and nerd it up today. Oh, we will. We're going to get a little gross.
Okay, get gross. Yeah. I like that.
Okay. The grosser, the better. What do we got?
So I saw a headline where Wimby is officially cleared from his blood clot. And we didn't see him after the all-star weekend, I think, last year. How many total rebounds on the year did he have altogether? Oh, man. That is gross.
That is a tough one. Total rebounds.
So, not average. All of them.
Okay, I'm now guessing how many games he played in. Yeah, that's where you have to start with the math, right? And then how many rebounds per game did he have? I'll say. I got a number written down.
I've got 450. I got 280. It's 506. 500. Because I thought 40 games, and I'm like, what's 40 times like six, maybe?
Not 11. Six and a half. Oh, it was 11 a game. That's why I overstore it. He's an amazing rebounder.
So yeah. See, we're off to a slow start already. This one's going to be really gross. I feel rattled as if Hatter Davidson just ran into the studio and started shoving me. Yeah, he's face guarding you.
Yeah. Cole Anthony. Oh boy. Former Tar Heel.
So he has been bombed. Former Magic. Yeah, and he's. Former Grizzly, I guess, because they bought him out. What was y'all's favorite Cole Anthony with the Grizzlies memory?
What were somebody to choose from? What was your favorite Tar Heel memory for Cole Anthony as well? That half against Ohio State before they blew you out in the second half? The season ending. Yeah, the season ending.
That's right. COVID. That was the highlight.
So he's headed to Milwaukee. Yes. What was his plus minus this year?
Now, are you talking about like... Plus, minus like per 100 possessions, or just like total, plus, minus. Total, like total. Oh my God.
Okay. I'm responsible for this because I told him to floor the studio's day. You got to remember he was on a good team. Good defense, bad offense. I'm just going to say, like, he broke even.
I'm going to say zero. I'm going to say cold neutral Anthony here. Zero. I guess seventeen. Minus 16.
Oh, minus 16. How great of an answer would that have been? Because I was like, it has to be within 20 of the mean. Like, you and I were thinking in the correct regard that way. Within 20 of the mean for the season, but.
Alright, here's my favorite.
So, Devin Booker just signed an extension in Phoenix. He did. Um.
So yeah. A lot of people didn't like that deal. A lot of people didn't like that deal. Devin Booker liked that deal. He liked it a lot.
Yeah. How many minutes did he play per game? This year minutes regular season minutes. Per game. Um Thirty-four per game?
I have 31.9 written down. I don't know why I was that specific. 37.3. I just got swept. Yeah.
I just got Patrick Davidson. I was faceguarding you from the microphone. I was hard denial there. I wasn't letting you get to it in time. Rattled.
Very much so. We need to see. I wonder what he's up to now. Like what law firm he's running. Yeah.
Or what private equity group he works for, you know, something like that. Probably works in the NBA League office underneath silver. It's like the third in command that no one knows about. Yeah. Like, I mean, all of these are like very realistic possibilities, just given the pedigree.
Somebody's going to be in the comments.
Somebody's going to be like, well, actually, Patrick Davidson now owns. You know? 12% of Google. Oh, that's a lot. You'd be very wealthy if that were the case.
Ryan Geisinger, appreciate the time. Thanks for doing this. It's good to see you. Buzzbeat 24-7, sub stack. You keep up the great work, my friend.
Yeah, anytime, guys. Take care. We're on the drive with Josh Graham. The Open Championship. Golf's fourth major.
Later this week. And it's hard to pinpoint. The biggest storyline. Going into This major. It's at Royal Port Rush.
Northern Ireland So Maybe it's Rory McElroy. Finish tied for second. At the Scottish Open, he's starting to get his game back. He won. He was the best player for for the first couple of months of the year, then.
seemed to get a little bit complacent, maybe a lot of bit complacent. after completing the career slam winning at Augusta, He finished. Tied for six at the Travelers before the Scottish Open. He was a top 20 player at the U.S. Open.
At the difficult Oakmont. Course.
So maybe it's Rory, maybe it's Scotty Scheffler. Scheffler. Sh quietly again. Continues to rack up. Rack up top ten finishes.
in all these major championships. Let me dig up. his level of success in majors because It's become Ridiculous.
So E finish. Tied for seventh. At Oakmont. After winning the PGA championship. That was at Quail Hollow in Charlotte.
Fourth, he finished. At the Masters. Tied for seven open championship. Really, when you go back to. But say Going back to 2021.
He has top 10 finishes. How many is that? Josh does math on The radio on this talk show. It's crazy. He has 11.
Top 10 finishes. And how many tournaments will? Yeah. So, top tens in 11 of his last 15 major starts. And that includes...
Two wins at Augusta and the PGA championship win.
So there's a lot of dominance there. don't think it's Scotty and Rory against the field level that we're looking at. There are a lot of European players who have been on the cusp of winning that never won. Ty Hatton had the bad break. At Oakmont, where he wasn't granted relief, despite the fact his ball was in a puddle.
On 15. Was pretty close.
So that's a guy to keep an eye on. Tommy Fleetwood nearly won a tournament a few weeks ago. Maybe it's him. Robert McIntyre, Bob McIntyre, was the runner-up to JJ Spawn at the U.S. Open.
Maybe it's him with this being the Open Championship. The British, previously the British championship. Royal Port Rush in Northern Ireland. We will be talking plenty of golf this week. If you haven't already.
Oh. First, let me tell you about our friends at the local YMCA. At the YMCA. Their before and after school academies dedicated to youth development. It was established to meet the needs of working parents while providing.
Children with a fun, safe, and enriching environment. Before and after Academy offers a variety of details or daily activities focusing on the following: academic support, character development, fitness and education. Games, service learning, homework support with certified teachers, healthy snacks, arts, and crafts. All the good things. YMCA, nwnc.org is where you learn more about them, which brings us to something that's a bit off the wall.
Every now and then. Not once a year, but maybe once every few years. A local TV interview, a local TV segment. Takes over the internet. And usually it's because of a character.
Somebody with a personality. Who You just don't forget. This is going to be one of those characters. It's right up there with the leprechaun story. from at least 15 years ago.
I want to know where the gold's at. If you know, you know. Hide your kids, hide your wife, hide everybody. That person. Like a good there are a few things better than a good local T V interview.
This Chicago ABC Affiliate Tells us about the time recently that a mountain lion allegedly visited the hood. This is in Chicago, ABC Chicago, and the story is fueled by a star interviewee. Here we go. I heard the row. I felt I felt that row.
I knew to keep it pushing. I knew that. Curtis Jones says he was walking near Rauber Street late Wednesday when he saw people running from what appeared to be a large wild cat. After I see the people run, I just see some big just walking just right over here, right here by the boy. It went right over here.
I swear, I promise, it went right over there. And it said, I just kept walking. I seen it, seen me, see it.
So in my head, I'm like, no, I gotta go, man. I'm out. I Seen it, seen me. Got it. It seemed me see yet.
Yeah. Uh-huh. Just had this idea. We should pass this along to the Carolina Panthers. Yeah!
Curtis Jones, if he becomes this viral sensation, as I imagine he's going to be. Having him show up. in a Panther jersey with his bat. Hitting the keep pounding drum. There seems to be There seem to be some fun possibilities there.
Something that we could potentially look at. We're not even close to done though. This is quite the dismount on the story. Gotta keep this bat right here, man. I'm gonna keep this bat right here, man, just in case.
I'ma protect this. I ain't gonna let nothing happen to us, nothing, okay? They didn't find it last night. It's still out here. It could be out here in one of these bushes or something.
You know, the mountain line, it be wow. They crawling, you know, they serious. The Monroe County Sheriff's Office assisted the investigation by using an aerial drone. The Seneca Park Zoo told 13 Wham all of its animals are accounted for. I don't play with lions.
I don't play with tigers, bears, nothing with the wild. I don't play with those. I promise you. I don't even do roller coasters. I'm good.
It's at this point. That I wonder. If this is a gag. If this is a real story. Or is this guy playing all of us?
Is this AI? I don't know what's real anymore. For him to say I don't do Things Well, with things that are outdoors. And he cites bears. You know, them mountain line, they be wow.
Mm. And then Connects that to, I don't even do roller coasters. is amazing.
Some say that. We are in a dead period. We are in a drought of having great. comedy movies. that I've been Done.
Of late.
Some say comedy is dead. Part of me believes that a part of the problem is The best comedy writer out there. A Judd Apatawe, Seth Rogan. could not write something as funny as what he just said right there. Saying, I don't even do roller coasters.
when talking about His Uh Hesitation? His fear of mountain lions, of jungle cats, and of bears. Yeah. Something. It's an amazing thing to say.
All the while, for those watching. Again, he's got his tank top on, he's got a Boston Celtics hat on his head. He's wielding a bat. Busting. He's ready for a jungle cat.
He's ready for a mountain lion to jump at him out of one of them bushes. It's what he's ready for.
So shout out to you. Curtis Jones. We see you. You are, and again. The Carolina Panthers.
Let's make something happen here. Because how great would that be, WD? Opening game, Panthers getting ready to go. Who is the keep pounding drummer? It's this guy.
I would love that. It's this guy. And he's got his protective bat. Which he's going to use to bang the keep pounding drum. And instead of the mountain lion, it's the panther.
Wow! Uh Yo! From the drive with John. Uh screen. No.
Uh oh yeah. S J M Before we focus on Tonight's best bet. Let's look and see how we did with the bets we handed out on Friday. W D We liked Chase Burns over Six and a half strikeouts. Yep.
On Friday night against The horrific Colorado Rockies. Fair to say Chase Burns. Exceeded that. Mark. Yeah, we both got in on that.
10Ks. Love it. Chase Burns day. Six innings pitched. Only allowed four hits, a couple runs.
Unfortunately, the Rockies did. end up winning the game, but. Jace Burns. 10 strikeouts. That's what we cared the most about.
You knocked my Tijan Salon pick. You said, oh, nobody's cared about Tashant Salon. I did not over 14 and a half points at plus 180 odds, Will. Yep. The guy finished with 18.
Send me that cash out. Buddy around that point. He's looking a lot better. That's a second-year player. Probably should look better than a lot of these rookies.
That's what we just call reading the board properly, Will, not letting the public impact. the way we look at things here. And I was at Charlotte FC's two to nothing win. See if you can find some local logic goal calls, by the way. See if any of those are available.
on the internet while I'm handing out winners. Here. Uh We just handed out Charlotte FC first half winner because that was also. about plus 180 odds. Really good odds on that.
And they were leading one to nothing at the half, ended up winning. Two to nothing getting back. I don't know if they call it the second half of the year, but essentially the second half. Of the MLS season.
So We didn't have any else, just handing out winners.
Now let's get to A home run derby edition of Best Bets. I'm not a betting duck. Can't make it interesting. You know you do. You're on.
Call me in on this. Your best bet. But my money's on the other team. This is Josh's best bet.
Okay. Best bets. Home Run Derby Edition. You wanted me to talk about Jazz Chisholm? Did we end up finding the odds for Jas Chisholm to win the home run derby?
Yeah, he's 12 to 1. That's the lowest. That's the lowest of any of the players competing in this thing. Who could have seen that coming? Huh.
Interesting. How? That works from the New York Yankees. Does that mean you're betting on Jazz Chisholm tonight? I will not be betting on Jaz Chisholm tonight.
Why not? Up.
Well, because I don't think he's gonna... Yeah, I don't think he's going to win.
Okay, so here are the odds, Will, of all eight players. Yeah. that are uh competing in this. Cal Raleigh leads Major League Baseball on home runs with 38. About three to one odds plus 295.
James Wood, plus 450, saw it another place at plus 400 from the Washington Nationals. Junior Caminero. Oh, wait, let me do this in order. Uh O'Neill, O'Neill Cruz. is has the second best odds.
thirty because that guy has Some of the hardest hit balls in all of baseball, including a 122-mile an hour, making 123-mile-an-hour hit. Off of a brewer's batter, hardest hit batted ball ever at a stat cast era the last 10 years. O'Neill Cruz from the Pittsburgh Pirates. James Wood, plus 450 odds. Matt Olson, who's replacing.
Ronald Acuna in this spot. From Atlanta. Eight to one odds. For the home park player, hometown guy, Brent Rooker A's. Plus 850.
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins, plus 950. And then, yes. 12 to 1 for Jas Chisholm and Junior Caminero. He's 22 years old. He replaced Alex Bregman in this all-star game.
Uh Tampa Bay Rays slugger. Here's where we're going, Will. There are two players I really like. The first one is James Wood. James Wood.
Hits Missiles. He's also 22 years old, 97th percentile and hard hit rate, 96th in average exit velocity, 97th in barrel rate. These are the things you like to see. And also, Will. I know it's a great story that Cal Raleigh's dad's throwing to him and all.
Do you know what I want if I'm gonna bet on something? I want actual Professionals throwing you balls.
So the Nationals' third base coach, who used to be a 12-year MLB infielder, Ricky Gutierrez, is throwing to James Wood tonight.
So I like that. A ton. I like that a great deal.
So, I'm going to bet that. And also, as a long shot, because he grew up in Georgia, Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins. His third base coach, Tommy Watkins, throwing to him. See, that's what I like. I like that better than Jazz Chisholm having his stepfather throwing him the ball.
All right. I like it better. Again, great story. Awesome. But we're talking about Skrilla here, WD.
Talking about making some cache. That's what we're looking at. we're trying to do here. Do you have any interest? jumping in on the home run derby tonight.
I think I'm just gonna Go for Cal Raleigh and call it a day. Since he's the favorite, Will, I'd be willing to make a wager with you. Oh, yeah. I'll let you bet Cal Raleigh against me in a home run derby if you give me. James Wood and Byron Buxton.
Byrd Buxton's a long shot.
So, James Wood plus Byron Buxton versus Cal Raleigh. And if neither of them win, it's a push. And this is a coffee bet. Should we do coffee? Should we do whatever you want to do?
What's uh Let's call it a coffee bet. Coffee bat tonight. On You have Cal Raleigh. I got Cal Raleigh. With his dad throwing to him.
And I got. I got James Wood. and Byron Buxton the night. All right. We'll roll with that.
Those are our bets. See? Just taking both of those guys. That's what we're looking at taking A quarter of the field, finding value where you can get it. and feel pretty good about.
That. Speaking of, oh, do you have Will Pelagico? What could that mean? Is Willie P here? Can I?
Okay. Do we have both goals? Do we have final set? What do we have? You set the table because.
I was in the stadium. I didn't get a chance to hear either of these.
Okay, let me uh Let me get back to The highlight page, so I can describe this. One of the second one will be. The game winner. I think that's what the.
So here's the first one. This is a goal. This is.
So that's technically the game winner because they won two to nothing. Yeah. So the first goal.
Okay, so this is a correct. I only have one goal from this game. That's fine. I'm happy with whatever you give me. We gotta.
I'll lie to F2. F2.
Okay. We're furthering the tradition of playing Willie P. goal calls after Charlotte FC wins. Give me the first taste. Here we go.
Side last third. Zaha in the area for Pet Biel. Pet Biel with a corner shot that's. Pickbiel to Edo Pocramati. The flags been down the whole time.
It's Charlotte opens the scoring against New York City. Love that. The second one, in my opinion, is better. Let me hear it. Set in the middle towards Vargas, chest it down, wants to turn and shoot, hit his man, a shot, pick up!
Both victory is Kerwin Marcus, and he jumps the fence and gets on top of the throne. Heard that in my car, actually. Did you really? Because. We had a babysitter.
And there was a 90 minute. Lightning delay. Oh. So we had the. Leave after halftime.
I did see that there was a delay. I'm like, oh, hope he gets to watch the game. We did. We got to watch the game. Yeah.
But then we had to leave at halftime, but. was nice enough to Will was nice enough to hang out with my wife and I at halftime, and she had a great time. We saw Carmen from the office there and Lisa. from the office. Nice.
It's a good time. We had a great time. It's great to hear Willie P. Calls. as well.
Ha ha! Yeah.
