This weekend, we have college football. It got to a point where I never, ever, ever thought I was going to be able to say that again.
That, of course, is me getting into my emotions and overreacting because of them at certain points throughout this pandemic. It's been a real concern, right, whether or not this stuff would get started on time. And it's not ACC football, but it's just another indicator that soon, very soon, we are going to have that. Of the ACC Network and Sirius XM, our friend Roddy Jones now joins us to talk a little bit of pigskin. And I know Roddy, as I said prior to the break, I know no one as excited for college football to get here than you, I think. Could you think of anyone on planet Earth as excited, at least, as Roddy Jones?
I don't know. Maybe the coaches. They may be the only ones. But I think with everything that's gone on and all the hoops that they've had to jump through, they will be happy to kick off the football and actually play some football. But I certainly am on that list of people most excited.
I know you are, man. Looking at just the overall landscape and what we're dealing with, the Big Ten earlier today began a meeting and they were apparently trying to figure out a way to reverse their decision and maybe play some football later this fall. But it just goes to show the fluid nature of everything. And the ACC schedule is fascinating to me in that way because Clemson earlier this week announced a maximum seating capacity of 19,000 for their home stadium there at Death Valley. Well, here in North Carolina, we're still in what is referred to as phase two.
And a decision to possibly bump up restrictions or pull back restrictions, rather, is probably more likely, is on September 11th. Well, North Carolina, if things stay the same, will stay in phase two going into September 12th, which means Clemson would play at Wake Forest in front of no crowd because phase two limits outdoor gatherings to 25. And then Clemson, the very next week, would host the Citadel in front of 19,000. You played at Georgia Tech, a former team captain, a running back.
I'm just curious. I don't think you played any games in front of zero fans, Roddy. But what would that be like, do you imagine, from a player's perspective, going from zero to 19,000 fans or 19,000 to zero?
Or is it enough tunnel vision for most players that it's not going to make a difference? It's going to be weird. You know, it's especially going to be weird for a team like Clemson who draws a big crowd no matter where they go. We certainly played in front of some sparse crowds.
I mean, I played against Duke a couple of times when they were really bad at the very beginning of David Cutcliffe's era coming out of the Ted Roof era. And let's just say those fans were not excited to see that product, so there were not a lot of fans there. You know, you go to a couple of others.
If you go to certain places on a Thursday night, it's just going to be tough. Georgia Tech being one of them. There were some games where we played at home against an SDS opponent where we had some pretty sparse crowds. So it is a little weird. Garen, the thing that's going to be weird is that 19,000 sounds like a lot of people, but those 19,000 people in Death Valley at Clemson are going to be spread out around the entire stadium. It's not like there's going to be a concentration of them anywhere.
And that may be the weirdest thing. You're getting 19,000 people that are spread out in an area that's supposed to hold 81,000. That's going to be really weird, maybe even more weird than having just 19,000. Because if you imagine a spring game or an open scrimmage, Clemson probably gets 19,000 for that, and it's a little quiet. But the fact that you have people packed into a section or a lower bowl or whatever makes it a little more normal like a spring practice. But the fact that you're going to have basically pockets of four to six all over the stadium is going to be a little weird.
But it's just one of those things that guys are going to have to deal with. There are certain places where it may be weirder than others. Like, I would say Pittsburgh, for example. You're going to a giant, cavernous NFL stadium, and they're not going to have any fans for the entire month of September.
That's going to be weird. You don't ever scrimmage in an NFL stadium if you're a college player that's not Pitt, and they don't do it very often, or Miami. They almost never do it. They usually go to the high schools for their scrimmage.
It is going to be weird, but it's just something that guys are going to have to get used to. Yeah, that's such a good point, because 19,000 is, of course, far more than zero. But the practical difference might not be that much between going to a place like a Wake Forest in the event that they don't host any fans, and then somewhere else where you're accustomed to having a ton more. Roddy, as a former player, can you quantify the difference that the injection of energy of a full stadium and a fan base can give you as a player?
You probably don't have science in front of you with numbers and charts and everything, but would you say, in your playing career, high school, college, otherwise, was there a direct correlation to, you know, I got more amped up for these games and, in fact, performed better? Yeah, I think what it does is it gives you little bursts of juice over the course of the game. Like, when you run out of the locker room at Clemson or at Virginia Tech or at Florida State when they've got that place packed, or really any place in the ACC when people are in the stadium.
NC State's a great example. That's an underrated place that I really enjoyed playing in. When you run out of the stadium and you have fans cheering either for or against you, that gives you a jolt of energy. It gives you a burst of energy. And then over the course of the game, you're either jacked up by the crowd cheering for a big play or you're jacked up by silencing the crowd during a big play. So the crowd does give you sort of these artificial boosts.
I don't know how long they last, to be honest with you, but it does give you those boosts of endorphins when you make a big play. So, honestly, what guys are going to have to do is it's sort of a bring-your-own-juice thing. Like, sidelines are going to have to be more asked of these things, which is difficult with them trying to social distance on the sidelines.
I don't know how all that works. But you are going to have to have some sort of reliance on your teammates for how live the crowd is. If your sideline is dead, that always affects you more than the crowd because that's kind of the energy of the team. So those sidelines are going to be even more important, I think, this year because the entire stadium is going to be so quiet for these games.
If you've ever been to a scrimmage in the summertime or in the spring when it's essentially closed doors like just media only or just a few fans, that's what it's going to be like. You're going to be able to hear everything that every coach yells pre-snap. You're going to be able to hear stuff that people are yelling during the play. And you're going to be able to hear communication when it happens with a line of scrimmage. So it is going to be really interesting from that standpoint because no one's going to have the excuse of we couldn't hear a snap count or a check or whatever.
So you would guess you would get better ball because of that. Roddy Jones of the ACC Network and Sirius XM is with us. With that in mind, last thing on empty stadiums and how to prepare for that. You talk to a lot of coaches, whether they're your former coaches or people that you've developed relationships with as a broadcaster. Any indication from coaches around the ACC or elsewhere as to how they're preparing players for that oddity? I imagine, especially with a lot of guys coming from big high school football environments, it's certainly going to be interesting for them.
Is there anything being done maybe that's trendy or an outlier in terms of preparing players mentally for these empty stadiums? It's a good question, Darren. And I actually have not asked any coaches that question. And as you were asking me, I was thinking, why have I not asked that previously? But there's just so much going on that you want to ask about 50 million other things. You never quite get around to the empty stadium thing.
But here's what I would guess. I would guess that the coaches are going to try and stress the fact that when you're going through these scrimmages over the summer, this is the environment that we're going to play in. This is what it's going to be like. Whether we go to Clemson, whether we go to Notre Dame, whether we go to North Carolina, whether you go to Miami. It is going to feel a lot like this, an empty stadium where we are just going.
And you're going to have to do everything you can to bring your own energy. So if I was a coach, I would stress that. I would try and make it something that we practice. We practice the way we're going to celebrate. We practice all of that stuff so that when big plays happen during the game, it's muscle memory and you're ready to go.
And you know, hey, I've got to pump my teammates up. Because honestly, you only play in front of crowds maybe 14 times a year. 13 games, you get a bowl game, you get that one as well included in the 13.
And then in the spring game. But every other scrimmage that you have, which are a ton, if you're in the stadium, there's nobody in there. So you're actually kind of used to it. You're just not used to it with another colored team there.
So it is a little strange, but also it will feel kind of familiar to some of these guys. Because they do scrimmage in the stadiums with nobody there, with referees, with whistles, with game lights. So now they just have to do that with another team.
That's another great point. As always, great insight from our friend Roddy Jones of the ACC Network Series XM. Also the ACC AF, that's for all football, heads out of the gutter, podcast. You guys just finished up season previews, right? And that's going to continue even going into the season? Yeah, so just got done with season previews for all 15 ACC teams, which was awesome to do. It was a lot of fun. And yeah, it'll definitely continue going into the season. It'll be sort of a review preview type deal with a little bit of my flair.
I like to bring out stuff that I get interested in. So it may veer off course every once in a while. There's nobody telling me not to veer off course. So no guarantees that we'll stay on the straight and narrow the entire time.
No, we can relate here. Like with these three hours, we've already gotten into a couple, even in the 30 minutes before you joined us, Roddy. As you can imagine, we've gotten into some weird places already. But as always, a pleasure this weekend.
We've got college football. I know you're excited, Roddy. Enjoy it, man, and we'll catch up again soon. All right, man. Appreciate it.
Thanks for reaching out. That's Roddy Jones of the ACC Network and Sirius XM, former Georgia Tech running back and team captain. I didn't even think about that. When you put things in terms of what guys are dealing with regularly when they put pads on and play an organized game of football, which can still be in a scrimmage setting, most of the time they're doing it in front of nobody. Usually they only play, like Roddy said, 12 to 14 games in front of fans anyway. So maybe this isn't going to be as foreign of an environment as I thought with college football teams.
So that's interesting perspective. If basketball is any indicator, I hope football is the same way. I just love the trash talk. I love the back and forth. I love the quips. I love everything.
I wouldn't consider football my favorite sport, and I know people who live and die with football. You people, you know who you are listening. You're really going to enjoy the hell out of hearing pads pop and hearing face masks clash and that sort of thing.
Those sorts of people are going to love this, right? Even with cases like the NFL is going to have fabricated crowd noise, and I would imagine some college football broadcasts are going to have that as well, but it's going to be more distinct, just the sounds of the game down at the field level. So I've certainly enjoyed observing the psychological component of the NBA bubble, right? How do you feed off of energy when there's not a crowd? Now, certainly they put the virtual fans up there, and that does it to a certain degree. You can feed off of an image of one person getting hyped up for a dunk that you just executed or something like that. There are ways around it, but you got it.
You have to work around. So it'll be very interesting to see our thanks to Roddy Jones of the ACC Network for stopping in. Next, I have strong-armed my way into another trading card war. This will be the second time I've done this. I know it's a regular thing here on the show.
I know Josh did it earlier this week. But to be honest, Rob, in this pandemic, the card collecting as I ruffle the pack in front of me that is unopened has become in vogue again. The hobby has had a resurgence during this pandemic and quarantining. And to be frank, I just love opening a pack.
So if nothing else, I'm going to get to do that when we have a trading card war on the other side. This is the drive. Josh Graham loves to talk sports.
He also loves writing sports poetry, but he can't think of a rhyme for. I get it. You're on the drive with Josh Graham. Welcome back into the drive there and bought in for Josh Graham today. Robert, that's a throwback. A little cameo for you on Friday. Word up. Robert, while we were playing baseball for dummies, asked me a question about basically the best players in Major League Baseball today.
And for both position players and pitchers, you can make an argument. For guys with the Atlanta Braves, he once was a brave himself. He's now on the Fox Sports Southeast Braves TV broadcasts alongside Chip Carrey. Frenchy, Jeff Francore, now joins us on the drive. Jeff, thanks for joining us, my friend. How are you? Good. How are you? Thanks for having me.
We're great here. I got a tweet when we sent out the word that you were going to be on the show today. That someone was surprised that we got you off the blueberry farm for long enough to do a segment here. So we'll give you the opportunity to sell the good people of North Carolina on Terrapin Beer Company's Frenchy's Blues, which is your beer. Well, yeah, so this is not harvest time. So this is my relaxation time away from the farm.
But no, I got a 200-acre blueberry farm in South Georgia with my father-in-law and another good buddy of ours down there. And it's been great. It's been good so far. We've had a lot of fun doing it. And then two years ago, Terrapin kind of got with me and we ended up doing a beer. It did pretty good in the park and at the Chophouse and Terrapin Taproom last year. So they canned it this year and now it's great because I can have one right after the game every night. So those in the listening audience, keep an eye out.
Terrapin's Frenchy's Blues, as made with blueberries from the farm of our guest, Jeff Francore. Now, you're a couple of years into this TV analyst gig after your playing career with some oddities this year. No doubt, right? With empty stadiums. And I'm curious your thoughts on the rookies you've seen debut this season. Because I'm recalling your debut with the Braves back in 2005. You homered in your first at bat. It was at Turner Field. Your parents were there. You're the hometown kid. There's got to be part of you that wonders what that would have been like in a weird season like this.
It wouldn't have had the same magic, right? How have you seen it play out for guys with those sorts of opportunities this season? Well, you hate it. You know, like you saw Ian Anderson the other day go out there versus the Yankees and throw an absolute just gem. You know, and his parents can only watch it on TV. And whether they're down here and see him right after the game, it's just tough that, you know, you work all your life. And, you know, that's kind of how you come to the big leagues. With that being said, you know, I think two months ago guys have been saying we just wanted to play baseball.
So, I think it's like anything, it's all in perspective. I think it could be a little easier for him at a point of like the other day for Ian. You know, instead of being 45,000 facing the Yankees here, you know, there's no fans. So, I think from a pressure standpoint, you know, it might help those guys a little bit not to feel that. But at the same time, when you're doing good and you pitch six innings like that, I'm sure he would have liked to kind of come off to the fans giving them a standing O. No doubt about it. Ian Anderson, by the way, that debut that you mentioned, just for those listening that might not have seen it, was fantastic.
Six innings of absolute great pitching for the Braves who play at Philadelphia later this evening. Jeff will be on the call for that one on Fox Sports Southeast. It's interesting that you mentioned that maybe some of the pressure comes off in those situations, Jeff, right? Former Georgia Tech running back Roddy Jones of ACC Network joined us a little bit earlier. And we were discussing this with college football in mind.
And he laid it out in these terms. He says, well, you know, guys only play in front of crowds 12 to 14 times a year. So, if anything, it's a more familiar environment to not have fans in the stadium.
Sure, you might not get that extra injection of energy. But has that seemed to be the case from what you've seen with MLB players? That they're comfortable with nobody in the stands in that kind of way because most of the time they're hitting BP with nobody really around anyway?
Yeah, I think that, I mean, look, I think totally understand what Roddy's saying there. And I think I completely agree in the fact that guys are used to doing the majority of stuff without the fans. Baseball may be a little different because you're playing 162 games, you know, with the fans there. I think when it's really going to show and I think it'll be tough for some of these guys is when the playoffs happen. Because, you know, I've got a chance three times to go to the playoffs.
And when you talk about that, that's where the energy and the electricity and just the feel of it, to me, really comes into play. And so I think that's going to be the tough part is when those guys go out there for the playoffs and no one's there. I think that's when it'll feel a little bit, you know, different compared to a regular season game. Jeff Frank Core of Fox Sports Southeast Atlanta Braves television broadcast is with us, former Brave himself among some other stops with other teams and a long MLB career. Today is Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball.
I'm curious as to your thoughts of what that meant to you throughout your career. I mean, it's the one day in a season in which you hand in your jersey and you get one back that's got number 42 on it, just like everybody else. And I'm sure you can speak for some teammates that it means a lot to them from your playing days as well. But just what were your thoughts on Jackie Robinson Day every year?
It was probably my favorite day of the year. And the fact that, look, I know that for a lot of my African-American teammates and guys that played, to put that on was just one of the greatest honors they could do. But I think people forget that in baseball, I feel like we're such a fraternity. And there's so many people from every, you know, race and background for baseball that get thrown in a clubhouse together. And he was a guy that just transcended the sport. I mean, I don't think people really understand until you really go dig and read the things he had to go through to play every day. And then not just play, but put up the numbers that he did and be so impactful.
And so, you know, I think it's one of those things that every year to be able to do that is something that's so special. And look, you know, as a guy of faith, you know, that Jackie Robinson night falls tonight with everything that's gone on the last two days and, you know, basketball. But, you know, it hit baseball. And a lot of some of that stuff never really does hit baseball. It hit baseball hard this time.
And I think it's fitting that tonight we get to celebrate the legacy of him, but the way he paved the road for so many players that came after him. That's really well said by Jeff Francore, who's with us here on the drive. Our producer, Robert, explained a story in which I texted him earlier today and let him know that you were going to be on.
And he responded to me, Jeff, with, my mom is going to freak out. I don't know if I really have a question, but what does it mean to you that because you were in Atlanta Braves, and look, you grew up in that area. You know the team to be sort of the team of the Southeast.
We don't have a Major League Baseball team here in North Carolina. And I know for a fact, a lot of our audience, big Braves fans, who I'm sure appreciate you dropping by on the show today. What is it like to know that as a former Braves great, you've got that kind of reach and it goes that far outside of the city of Atlanta even? Well, I think it's cool because the Braves are the team of the South. And I mean, this is kind of, you know, every year I love the weekends here of people that drive from Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, all the way down for the weekend to watch the Braves.
And they do it every year. And it's so funny because I always said with, you know, us being on TBS all those years until, you know, obviously it ended and the regional network started. It's so funny because I always said you could go into nursing homes and visit. And the grandmas in nursing homes were our biggest fans.
I felt like they never missed a game. And they could talk baseball probably better than we could. And it's still so cool because there are a lot of, you know, people like that that are, you know, just huge fans.
I think that's what makes it great with the Braves because it really is kind of like a team of the South and people rally around that. Jeff, you played for maybe the most expressive manager at times. I think he kept his cool otherwise. But maybe the most expressive manager in the history of baseball. And given, again, that we have a lot of Braves fans in our audience, they know, of course, I'm talking about Bobby Cox. He was ejected 161 times in his career, nearly a full regular season, not to mention almost three 2020 seasons with the 60-game schedule. What was the most expressive you ever saw, Bobby Cox?
Oh, man, that's a loaded question. I mean, I don't think I can say some of these stories on air. But, you know, the best thing about Bobby, man, it was so funny because I think I got tossed four or five times in Atlanta Braves. And I think every time but one, Bobby came out and got tossed right after me. And I always said that he always had the players back, but it was so funny because I felt like for so long Bobby had gotten thrown out so much that it was like he said one word and the umpire would toss him.
I actually felt bad because the guy to the point was like he couldn't even come out to plead his case because if he did, that umpire had that right hand so ready to throw him out of the game. And I always thought that was fitting with Bobby because of just who he was, you know, and what he stood for. I mean, he really was one of a kind. And that's got to make you feel good, too, as a player, though, because, yeah, he gets ejected a lot and he does as a general practice, you need to have guys backs. Right. But did it make you feel a little bit better for arguing a call if he came out and had the same same same issue?
Oh, absolutely. And he was the ultimate people like Bobby was the ultimate competitor. He really was. I mean, the guy had his spikes on at eleven in the afternoon getting ready for for a game, you know, at seven o'clock.
And but Bobby is also a guy that knew when you needed a good a good, you know, compliment slash push, whatever it was. I remember I had a horrible game one night in Florida and it was so bad after the game. I left a lot of people on base, sat my head down and I'll never forget. He comes in the next day or that night after game.
So you better get yourself ready tomorrow. And, you know, sure enough, you're back in the lineup, hitting fifth the next day. And I think I got two or three hits and a couple RBI. It was just Bobby knew how tough the game of baseball was. And, you know, as a broadcaster now after playing for 12 and a half years, the first thing that's written on my scorebook, so I see it every day, is don't ever forget how hard the game is. Because as of when you start watching from far away and on TV, you get how did he miss that pitch?
Why did he throw that? You know, but you always forget that baseball is the ultimate mental game. And you have to let stuff go every day, a bat to a bat, pitch by pitch. And Bobby was so good at knowing when to kick you in the butt, but also when to tell you, hey, you got to get it going.
That's really good stuff. Jeff Frank Core of the Atlanta Braves TV crew is with us. Last thing for you as we send you off to do a very unconventional road game in this 2020 schedule as the Braves are in Philadelphia tonight. Walk us through, somebody who might watch these games on TV, what it's like for you and Chip. Because you guys, best to my knowledge, you're at Truist Park calling these games off of monitors, right? We are in the home, the visitor's booth at Truist Park, and the park is pitch black when we call the game. And I'm watching the same monitor as you. I might as well be watching it in my basement with a cocktail calling the game.
Honestly, it's what it comes down to. But, you know, I think it's like anything I remember after the first game. I called my wife on the way home. This stinks. You know, I hate doing this. And on average, she said, if I remember right, about a month ago, all you were saying is how you'd give anything to work. And, you know, I'm like, yep, you're right. So I think at the same time, we're just so happy to be calling games to have baseball going on. And so I think you kind of have to check yourself sometimes and kind of remember that.
Yeah, that's great perspective. We can certainly relate here in the world of sports radio as well. Well, Jeff, we'll let you get to it.
It's the Braves at the Phillies, Fox Sports Southeast. We'll have it with Jeff and Chip Kerry on the call. Frenchie, can't thank you enough, man. Have a good one. Hey, anytime, guys.
Look forward. Thanks. That's Jeff Francore, former Atlanta Braves, along with other teams in a 12-and-a-half-year Major League Baseball stint. Frenchie now the TV analyst for the Atlanta Braves on Fox Sports Southeast if you so happen to get those games and watch them with regularity. I think he and Chip are great.
He's relatively new to the analyst role but does a phenomenal job with it. So our thanks to him for popping in and certainly made Robert's Mother's Day. Oh, my God. She's already texted me telling how great it was. She loved the Bobby Cox stuff.
Nice. She gave that a 10 out of 10. It made her happy. It made me happy. Excellent. Relay my thanks and I'll go ahead because we're past time to do so, help you out in return and get us to a break.
But on the other side, comparing, right? Something that rhymes with my name. We're going to do that.
No blaring, thankfully. Comparing with me, Darren, next on the drive. Hit it.
Let's begin. It's on. The Drive with Josh Graham on Sports Hub Triad. Back on the drive.
Darren Vaught with you. No Josh Graham today. He's at the beach hiding under a pier. That's according to his Snapchat as interpreted by producer Robert Walsh. Don't throw me under the bus. He's under the pier. I don't care.
I don't give a damn what Snapchat says. Confirmed. Confirmed.
Josh Graham is hiding under the pier from the vicious ultraviolet thrashing that he otherwise would get. The NBA bubble will be back in action tomorrow as the NBA playoffs resume. We saw the announcement of the modified resumed schedule a bit earlier. Tomorrow, Orlando, Milwaukee, OKC, Houston, Portland, and the LA Lakers all playing game fives. Games five?
Game fives? Anyways, Brian Geisinger is going to join us to discuss. And BG now joins us of the ACC Sports Journal, accsports.com, Sports Channel 8. Which if you occasionally get over to our friends in the triangle, 99.9 the fan, their sports radio show is coming back next week. Very excited about that. If you're a Charlotte Hornets fan of the Blue Wire podcast network, BG is a co-host on the Buzz Beat podcast.
It's an essential if you are a Hornets fan. So I encourage you to go check that out. BG, what's up? How are you?
I'm hanging in, Darren. How about yourself? I'm doing well. Doing well.
Like getting through a three hour radio show here when the world around us is a bit awry. But we get basketball back tomorrow. And for what it's worth, I think it's in a situation where we're getting the best of both worlds. As NBA players, I think are ultimately going to be able to enact some things that they want and get what they look to get out of sitting out the past couple of days. In return for finishing out these playoffs and making sure the owners can make good on some TV money and things like that. What was your just overall read on the situation?
Because we don't even just want to dig into the nitty gritty basketball with you, BG. You're a worldly person. I think you would have good perspective on this. Yeah, I mean, it just like I mean, a lot of thoughts and it's tough to squeeze all of them into just one radio hit. But like, I mean, first and foremost, like I'm I will always be supportive of some of an organized labor group that is using the leverage that they have to demand not just, you know, stuff in their own workplace, but justice. I find that to be an incredibly powerful thing and a really impressive thing for the NBA to and then for the NBA players to be able to do this in the middle of the playoffs in a bubble amidst the pandemic. I think it's it's been it's been kind of incredible to see just how even though these guys are so drained in fatigue, both mentally, physically, psychologically, not just from the playoffs, not just from the last six months of pandemic, but for some guys, you know, a lifetime of social inequity. And for those guys to, you know, just sort of rally in demand.
And look, if you want to criticize the list of what they were going for is not enough, or if you come from the flips, I mean, like, whatever. They've got some changes that they're bringing to the table, you know, all arenas now that are owned by teams, you know, those are going to become polling places. That's big, that's not nothing. NBA owners had already committed to $300 million to social causes over the next 10 years.
I mean, like, let's see that number get higher, double it, triple it. And I think there's even more that they can do. Like, I think this can be just the start of something. So I'm certainly proud of both NBA and WNBA players for a pretty powerful, organized move led by the Bucks. And look, I guess there was like a little bit of pushback from how Milwaukee went about triggering this thing earlier this week.
But like, look, sometimes you need to just act as opposed to just thinking. And I'm with like, I'm with Jalen Brown, like, I don't think the Bucks have to apologize to anybody for what they did. And I salute them and the rest of the league, sort of like trying to like coalesce around this movement and push forward with a variety of new initiatives. So, yes, looking forward to having the basketball, even if my sort of like head and heart aren't in it quite as much as they probably were even after, you know, like a week ago, basically.
I'm with you. Props to the Bucks. And they've even gotten, what, an emergency hearing in Wisconsin to address what's been going on in Kenosha and Jacob Blake and all that sort of thing. So it's it's I said earlier in the show, it's it's it would be crazy to say a couple of days off was was just that in a vacuum. So I think they've they've they've gone about it the right way to the best of their ability as individuals trying to to reverse this societal trend, which can be overwhelming to an individual, which is the cause of of players saying that they've been depressed.
And that sort of thing within the bubble. So hopefully my hope is, BG, as we resume games, it has given them a little bit of peace of mind and they can they can freely play and express themselves in the way that basketball has always allowed them to do as we move on. We've got three game fives tomorrow, Orlando, Milwaukee, OKC, Houston, Portland and the Lakers, and then some game sixes on Sunday as well.
What are you looking for? What's the what's the main thing that interests you in those remaining five matchups that are yet to settle the outcomes there? Because we've got Boston and Toronto game one starting on Sunday, sort of a step ahead.
Yeah, well, I mean, I think there are two really compelling series. If you're just thinking about on court stuff, there's two really compelling series still in the Western Conference. Houston, Oklahoma City knotted up at two two in Denver, Utah, with Utah having a one game edge there. But yeah, with Oklahoma City, you know, after it looked like they were sort of in trouble against Houston, the Rockets really posed a bunch of different matchup concerns for them. You know, Chris Paul and Dennis Schroeder and Shaquille Alexander, they just pulled a bank heist the last two games with some incredible shot making and playmaking from all three of those those really, really uber talented guards.
And now they have the series knotted back up at two two. But Russell Westbrook is supposed to be playing game five tomorrow. So the minutes without James Harden on the court for Houston have been very bad in the series. They've been just a big loss for the Rockets as Oklahoma City has sort of like tried to really load up in those minutes. So having Westbrook a stagger around Harden, that certainly helps. But also when Oklahoma City has one of its centers, true centers on the court, Steven Adams and Erland DeWell, how do they match up with Russell Westbrook? You know, do we see one of the fives guard Russell Westbrook? Do you see one of the centers stay on one of the Houston shooters like we've seen for the first couple of games? How does the Thunder look to match up against, you know, the ultimate go-go spread offense in the NBA? And then the Denver Utah series is just like it's ridiculous what Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray are doing, just absolutely carving up both opposing defenses, high ball screens and just floating in to pull up threes from 20 plus, you know, 25 plus feet out.
So there's just the offense has been so good and so much fun to watch in that series. I would say Clippers Dallas, but it's looking unlikely that we're going to see Luca, pardon me, not Luca Doncic, but unlikely to see Kristaps Porzingis. So if I were focusing on just the remaining round one game, OKC Houston, super fun, interesting tomorrow at 6.30. Then the nightcap Sunday Denver in Utah. And then, I mean, game one on Sunday between Boston Toronto, that is going to be an incredible series, even though both those teams are missing some guys. I mean, arguably, you know, those two teams are competing to be the fourth best team in the world right now, I would say. Also the two L.A. teams in the Bucks.
So really some interesting games to sort of look out. I mean, Milwaukee is basically done against Orlando here, same with the Lakers against Portland. B. Geis underscore bird is his handle on Twitter. Brian Geisinger is with us.
Robert Walsh on the other side of the glass. BG was referring to the potential, I'll say, because it's not definite Milwaukee, Miami matchup and salivating at the Giannis BAM at a bio matchup or or what would be at times they would be matched up with one another. Is that the most intriguing thing about that again?
Potential series probable series in your eyes? Yeah, I think out of bio is one of the no one on earth is equipped to guard Giannis. But then it's like one of the five or six guys that sort of like best suited to do the job right, even though it's it certainly requires a team effort requires you, you know, every defensive possession just, you know, shelling off and forming a wall. But what out of bio can do both offensively I think it's sort of interesting as well, not just how he defends Giannis, but with him playing five so much now, way more so now in the playoffs and since they got to the bubble that he did sort of before the pandemic. Um, you know, what does that does that what does that force Milwaukee to do it all how do they have to adjust to play Giannis at the five more, you take Brooke Lopez off the quarter, or maybe play Marvin Williams at the five, a little bit more to get a little more shooting defensive versatility out there. The butthole thing is that they like to wall off the pain without a bias ability to play make and pass and run triple handoff game. It's me see how they sort of like how coach but you know sort of like rearranges his big man minutes. My hope would be that we see as much Giannis first band as we possibly could to have the young stars of the game. But, but, but Milwaukee is also can be sort of rigid when he seems he's going to want locals out there to protect the room as much as possible Miami's all of their three point bombers, I don't know, it creates an interesting contrast of off of the style with the heat and personnel with what the bucks have and what they're best at stopping.
Really good stuff. BG, one last question I'm going to encourage people to get a go follow you on Twitter at B guys underscore bird he watches more basketball and like tweets and and is thinking, very, very in depth about the basketball he watches it's such a high rate So you put the videos out you analyze what's going on it's really good stuff. And then, if you're a Charlotte Hornets fan for sure. Subscribe to the BuzzFeed podcast BG is a co host.
I'm curious your thoughts and you can keep it as short as you want. Hornets get the number three pick your instincts, right now, who would you prefer they get, and who do you think is most likely they get. Yeah, so, look, I'll buy my big board server goes this way 123, which is what mellow ball one a killing Hayes one be Anthony Edwards.
Three. I think if Charlotte ends up with any of those guys. I think you can be pretty pretty excited about that and they should like in theory, they should be able to draft one of these guys.
Good chance. You know, Anthony Edwards out of Georgia makes a lot of sense in terms of like position with Minnesota, which has been one overall pick, but you got to remember the Timberwolves front office. A lot of former Houston Rockets disciples, so you've got a lot of guys that want to go pace in space. Play fast play purpose shoot three familiar mellow ball, even if he doesn't put a line up with these a little Russell as well there in terms of the style of play, he makes a little more sense with what they're trying to build in terms of offensive culture there. But let's just say Edwards and ball are off the board one two in some order, the Charlotte Hornets are picking third.
I think they should go killing Hayes. I mean, I know a lot of people have James Wiseman, the big guy out of Memphis mocked to them, but I'll just, I'll try to keep this brief but like, I'm not sure how you can watch what's happening in the bubble and see, and just really the trends of the last, I don't know, six, seven years of NBA basketball of seeing centers played off the court in leverage minutes of postseason games. And then think, well, the best way, the most valuable way for us to use this top five pick, this top three pick is to get a center that has shaky pick and roll defensive skills, can't stretch the court and can't like pass on the short goal. These are like the James Wiseman is the baseline for the skills that are going to make him a good NBA solid rotation NBA player for a long time at a minimum. But even if he's hit the sort of like median outcomes, you're still he's still going to turn into a liability in the most important minutes on the basketball court. So I would look for a guard like Killian Hayes that can really pass out of a pick and roll has a step back game. One of the best, I mean, outside of LaMelo ball, maybe the second best passer in the draft, he's certainly in the conversation for that. And he's a legit two way player that can guard on the ball, good team defender too. So that's where I would go if I were the Hornets at three.
But I, you know, look, the size and the athleticism of Wiseman I know is tantalizing. But no, I would go, I would go Killian Hayes at a pick three for the Hornets. I think that's great stuff, because I certainly see your point.
And Hayes is the type of guy that you cannot have too many of in the NBA and today to your point. So all right, man. Well, I'm late getting to this break and in typical fill in fashion. So I'm going to let you go. Appreciate your time.
I know you and I will catch up later, but thanks for doing this. Yep. Talk to y'all. That's BG Brian Geisinger at BG Geis underscore bird of ACC Sports Journal and accsports.com.
Also Sports Channel eight and the BuzzFeed podcast. Let's bring it full circle on the other side. Rhinestone cowboy and we're going to take it to the house. Maybe we'll have time. I don't know what we've got time for. Robert, you'll figure it out during the break.
Whisper: medium.en / 2023-05-17 02:07:46 / 2023-05-17 02:25:59 / 18