For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At SpryEvent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more.
Thrive and where money means more. Connect with us at ThriveInt.com. Most protein drinks ask you to choose between results and taste. Bucked up decided that's a ridiculous trade-off. Bucked up makes lightly carbonated protein drinks, 25 grams of protein per can, clear protein, not milky or thick, and they taste so good that 25 grams of protein almost feels like a bonus.
Bucked up is so confident you'll love their drinks. They're giving away an island vacation just to prove it. That's the kind of brand this is. No purchase necessary. Giveaway ends May 30th.
Enter and find your closest Bucked Up at buckedupenergy.com. Grab a bucked up and feel like a million bucks. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show?
You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show. We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime.
But here's the best part: our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich eisen show and you'll never miss a moment.
Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Chris Webble, do you want to take a swing at the Jaden McDaniels scoring with 1.3 seconds left and Jokic having an issue? There's no more protocol. You don't want a guy to score at the last second because they're up, then win the game.
The Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show. NFL Network Insider Tom Pellisero. Eagles GM Howie Roseman. Coming up.
ESPN senior NBA writer Brian Wintorsk. And now, it's Rich Eisen.
Alright, everybody, hour number three: the Rich His and Show on the Air, Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, as well as SiriusXM Channel 80. Already had a great chat. Or three on this program. Tom Pellicero, hour one. Howie Roseman, the EVP and GM of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Alan Shipnuck talking about the The Live Tour in Flux, to say the least. If you missed any of it, there's our Disney Plus page, there's our YouTube channel, there's also a way to listen to us. All three hours through our podcast. He's our favorite to talk basketball with. Always love our chats and Also You know, we always say, Where in the world is Brian Winhorse?
We know where he is, we just don't know which backdrop he has chosen. Brian Winhorse, what backdrop do we have for us to do? Do you recognize this place? It's appropriate for I've chosen it for appropriate reasons. This is Boston, Massachusetts.
I have no idea when this photo is from.
So, yes, I am not in Boston, but why not have the backdrop of Game 7 tomorrow? Or the only Game 7 we know of at present of our conversation. Correct. Yes.
Now, why is there a Game 7 in this series? Man. You know, here's the thing. Like, sometimes you see, when you see an underdog win at home, sometimes you see a player, you know, just get super hot and hit a bunch of threes. That seems to be the modern way to go.
Or a team just gets, you know, I always figure no matter who you are, there's going to be at least one game in a series where you're not going to miss, where you just, with the offense, it's really hot. That did not happen for Philly last night. They did not shoot the ball super well. They just played. Better fundamental basketball than the Celtics.
And so When the Celtics miss three-pointers, Rich, they are a shell of themselves. And it's not becoming of a champion. And it's not the way they play during the regular season. Certainly. When they made their threes, they were unbeatable, and when they missed them, they were more of a 500 team.
But they. We were very good at winning on the margins. They were very good at offensive rebounding. They were very good at just the general possession game. That didn't happen these last couple games.
Boston didn't play cleanly. And one thing that happened last night: okay, they missed their threes. That's job one when you're going to try to beat Boston. The second thing is, this is like a bad habit that Brown and Tatum have for all the positive attributes that they have. They have a real bad habit, which is.
They try to get into mismatch games. You set a pick for me. I get your smaller defender. And then I try to play him one-on-one. And I'm going to show you how I can beat him one-on-one.
They were doing that all. Game long. And that's no good. Like occasionally it's good, but um You know, it's funny. They brought in.
I don't know if you probably weren't watching anymore. Nobody was because the Minnesota game was on. But Joe Missoula waved the white flag in this game early in the fourth quarter. It was like 23, 25 points. He was thinking about game seven.
He pulled out all the starters after a timeout a few minutes, maybe like a minute, two minutes into the fourth quarter. He brought in the bench, and the bench immediately went on an 11-0 run.
Now, maybe that's because Philly let their guard down. That's probably a part of it. But Philly's starters were still in. But what happened was Boston's guys started moving the ball. Their bench came in and they started running the Celtics offense, and it immediately generated a bunch of open shots.
And in all honesty, That might not be a bad idea for Joe Mazzullah to show the Celtics as they get ready. This game tomorrow, like, hey, remember, this is how we play offense. We don't just have to play isolation basketball. On the other end, Joel Embiid, they've gone to the MVP Embiid. You know, when Embiid won the MVP a couple years ago, Yes, it was largely because of health, but he played with James Harden.
And James Hardin, throughout his career, has always done a great job of getting the big men in position. And during that season, yeah, Embiid made a lot of outside shots, but they would throw the ball to him Harden would get in there and throw the ball to Embiid a lot. He'd get him down on the post and throw the ball to him, and the Sixers would play inside out. That's what's happened these last couple games. They've gone old school basketball.
Thrown the ball into him, beat and played inside out. He's got 16 assists the last two games. Like Like, you don't only have to just shoot threes from the outside. You can generate outside shots by going inside out, you know, the way they did it for decades.
So, all of these things. Or You know, momentum things that are happening in this series.
So, if you call what Joe Missoula did at the outset of the fourth quarter waving the white flag, what do you call what the Atlanta Hawks did in the middle of the first quarter? Unconditional surrender. To be honest with you, I mean. Real talk here, there's two games going on at the same time. And I'm watching the Philly Boston game, and I think it was 11 to 9.
The hawks I switched over. And Uh Mm-hmm. With him like twelve or fifteen minutes real time was like thirty-five to 17 or something, or I mean, maybe even 35 to 12. Yeah. That's not an exaggeration either.
You're not just being hyperbolic. Honestly, I didn't even see it. It happened so fast and so grand, I didn't even see it. And so I've since talked to people who were there and studied it a little bit.
So, first off, I just want to say that I've been saying on TV today, we'll see. I'm testing this out. You can give me the pass.
So, you know what a gentleman sweep is? It's a five-gamer. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, the favorite team wins in five, but loses a game, and it's sort of like, yeah, we just threw you a bone because, you know, we're good guys.
I'm calling this the courtesy six. Oh, okay. Oh, yes, no. TJ, what do we think? What do you think, TJ?
He's asking you specifically, the Curtis. The Curtis C6 because they had two games where they won by one point. Right. Yeah. That's true.
Two coin-flip games. It's not great. Yeah, I can see.
Okay, we could punch it all. We could punch it all. No, no, no. TJ, put it in a chat GPT and see if they can. No, we don't use AI around here.
By the way, unless it's Alan Iverson. That's the only way we use AI around Magic Johnson. Unconditional surrender was the B-side, the careless whisperer. I like that. Look at you.
But we digress. Curtis, you put this in the hands of RES Consulting. We'll punch it up for you.
Okay. All right. But I mean, obviously, the Knicks now the only Eastern Conference team at present. Having already moved on to the second round. Crazy.
And is this. Finally, the Mike Brown way of operating a buck 40 while playing the defense, you know, that buck 40 is going to get it done. You know what I mean? I'm just saying, like, you know, I'm still looking for the way it's different from Tom Thibodeau. They never scored a buck 40, though.
Like, is this it? Like, are we seeing the Knicks cresting, do you think, in a way that we didn't see last year at all?
So, I mean, what I'm saying is in these six games, I know Atlanta got them a couple of times, and I don't want to de-emphasize that Atlanta played well in the clutch in those games. It was unusual that that happened because the Knicks actually were a good clutch team during the regular season. You know, I don't know where their final numbers were. Um so don't hold me to this, but I think they finished Top eight-ish in both offense, defense, and top five in clutch play. That's the resume of a real contender.
And they had this stretch around the All-Star break where they went two and nine in 11 games. And look, they had to own that. It's not like it happened on accident. But that stretch outside of that stretch, They were really good.
Now, they very often won unimpressively. That was sort of the thing that happened a lot with the Knicks. But their dashboard, the numbers under the hood. were really good. Like people would complain about them and I'd be like, You know, they got the fourth best defense in the league.
I know they may have not looked so good the last couple games, but a lot of complaints about the Knicks.
So, and a lot of complaints about Mike Brown.
So, let me say this about Mike Brown.
Something interesting happened in this series that I did not foresee. Carl Towns' career average in assists, I believe, is three a game. I think he averaged three a game this year. He had played somewhere in the neighborhood of 50. To 60 playoff games coming into this series.
You know, it's not uh You know, Bill Russell, but it's us, it's a real sample. He had had over four assists. Two times in those 50-whatever games because he's not a ball handler, all right? He's a finisher. In the last three games, He has 26 assists.
Wow. 26.
Now, how did that happen? Mike Brown. On his resume, and he's been around a long time, and there's, you know, there's scars on there, no doubt. He spent years in Golden State. I think he was an assistant on that bench for four or five years, won at least one ring, might have won two, won a ring with Greg Popovich on the bench in San Antonio, too.
But one of the things that the Warriors did really well was run their offense through Draymond Green at times. And I'm not trying to say that Carl Towns is as adept as a pastor as Draymond Green.
However, Some of the sets that they just installed in the middle of this series. I mean, for all I know, they've been secretly working on it in practice for four months. But all of a sudden, in the middle of this series, they started making Carl Towns a point center. And it really changed the dynamic of their offense. And now you had, before it was like, would Brunson please give the ball to Carl Towns?
I know that Brunson is very good, but how is Carl Towns averaged like 25 Ten and like eight or six seven in this series. and shot like 60%. And in the second half of the series, when the Knicks really got going the last three games, he was acting as a point center. That was Mike Brown who put it in. He went back to Draymond Green.
Plays and put it in now. Will it will that work in the next round if they're playing Boston or Philly, I don't know, but I'm saying I'm watching the Knicks. Already have an impressive Resume, in my opinion. It's not perfect and they're not perfect. All of a sudden, showing a whole new card to play in the middle of the playoffs.
And if Philly wins tomorrow, and Boston is appropriately favored, but I don't know. But if Boston wins, The Knicks were 3-1 against the Celtics this year in the regular season, and obviously they beat them in the playoffs last year. And if they play Philly, who in some ways is a tougher matchup. Not that tougher, but different. They get home court in that series.
So You know, the easiest way to make yourself look like an idiot is to make an assumption in the middle of the NBA playoffs. But I would say that the Knicks have to be sitting there today looking at the hand in front of them going, This isn't the worst thing in the world. It's possible they're the top seed in the East in the second round. I mean, and why doesn't the NBA reseed like the NFL playoffs? No good excuse.
No good excuse. Because their schedules are fluid. I mean, you know the days, but they're changing the times 36 hours before the games. Um Especially a league that is so. You know, interested in getting certain matchups.
Right. Maximizing matchups. I don't have. There may be a reason out there that I don't know.
Okay. But I don't know it. All right. What's the post? Brian Winhorse here on the Rich Isen Show.
What's the post-mortem in Denver this morning?
So I think the victory that that Minnesota had yesterday Was the most impressive first-round victory since the We Believe Warriors. Wow. If you go back 2007, and the reason I compare it, it's, you know.
Now, the Warriors are at the tail end of a dynasty. They've won four championships since then. But at the time, the Warriors hadn't won anything in 25 years.
Okay, and that series Even though, do you even remember? I mean, it's more my job than yours. Does anybody there remember what happened in the next round with the Warriors? Anybody? Bueller?
They lost to the Jazz in, I think, in six. It doesn't matter because that was. An iconic moment that will all you go to any Warriors fan, I don't care if they've got replica four rings on from their rings, and you say, Hey, We believe. Their eyes will get misty.
Okay. That happened yesterday in. in Minnesota. On the other side of it, Dirk Nowitzki went to Germany, turned off his phone, and went into the mountains for 15 days and didn't talk to anybody and grew a beard because he was so dramatically affected by that horrible loss and how much of a disappointment that was. You remember he had won the MVP.
He had to take his MVP award. like two days after he just having one of the being upset in you know him embarrassing fashion The nuggets weren't as good as that. You know, that was a 67-win Mavericks team. But my point is: the galvanizing nature and the outrageous nature of that victory, considering that the Mavericks or that the Wolves had so many injuries, including another injury that popped up last night, their salvation guard, Io Desumu. ruled out near game time with a with a leg leg injury.
So Denver is facing really an egg dripping off their chin situation here. Inexcusable to lose that series. Inexcusable to get outplayed the way they got outplayed yesterday. I kept saying to myself as I was watching it, Rich, I mean, Denver's gonna win this, right? Like, I mean, at some point, they're gonna w like this, this cannot stand.
And it was amazing. You know, there were all these timeouts in the fourth quarter. Long story short, they ended up calling, the Wolves ended up calling five timeouts in the fourth quarter. Don't ask. They're playing Prince.
They're playing Rocky. The fans are just falling out of the stands. Like, it's, you know, it was like it was the franchise has won next to nothing. It's kind of a legendary moment in that franchise's history. Anyway, Denver is now faced with the reality that they won the championship four years ago.
And in this four-year run, the four years that Jokic has given this team. to have One final, frankly. won conference finals they haven't been back to the conference finals That is frankly unacceptable. They have already fired a successful coach. They have already fired a successful GM.
They have traded away a bunch of their draft picks. And And they are farther away now than they were. four years ago.
Now the West is obviously very, very competitive. The Thunder were a force last year. They lost to him in seven. Like, I don't. I'm not going to say, boy, what a failed season.
But this, that they got one conference finals out of this four years. That is no good. And then the second thing is: number one, Jokic has a contract extension decision this summer. I assume he's going to sign it. He said last night, I want to be a nugget.
He has the opportunity to do that.
Okay. The second thing is, this is an organization and an ownership. You know, I believe you're sitting in Stan Cronke land over there in LA. Uh Sam Cronke, he's a disciple of Sam Walton. He married Sam Walton's daughter.
And he runs his teams with incredible discipline when it comes to spending. And by the way, in the last decade, I have watched Stan Cronke hoist a Stanley Cup, I've watched him hoist a Lombardia trophy, and I've watched him hoist an O'Brien trophy. And his football team, proper football, might win a Premier League title in the next couple of weeks. You cannot, oh, and you know, and he's probably won the lacrosse league. I don't follow that, but I know he owns one of those.
Yes.
Um He doesn't care what you think about it. He has a certain way that he's going to do business, and that business is not operating gigantically in the red.
Well, this team this year. Was right up against the luxury tax. They made moves at the deadline and before the season to reduce their salary. And I don't see how they're keeping this team together because they're going to get very, very expensive. And so they are now faced with having to probably cut their payroll.
And get better. That's not a good combination. And they're going to do that when they present this contract to Nikolai Jokic.
So Probably he signs it. He's been the most low-maintenance superstar of the last generation. Certainly the lowest maintenance multi-time MVP. He asked the Bucs about their multi-time MVP and his maintenance level. He's a dream superstar.
Um but His performance and their performance was unacceptable, and I don't know. It's going to be hard to get better. Before I let you go, Brian Winhorst again, Brian Winhorst in the Hoop Collective podcast. Check it out. and Brian all over the ESPN family of networks.
Um so you got Luca in street clothes. You got Durant in street clothes. You got Anthony Edwards. Uh out as well. What's the injury update on Edwards for the next round?
And who would come back? for round two, do you think, uh out of the Rockets and Lakers, whoever By the way, in a couple of hours, the the Celtics are going to put out their injury report for tomorrow. Let's make sure before we have anything that Jason Tatum isn't on that because he didn't play the last 15 not now Missoula pulled the plug right So I don't you know, they said he was available to go back in the game, but he was. Robin his The calf. Oh, yeah, that's bad.
And I don't need to say anything.
Now, he said he was fine, but I just. Yeah, I know. Maybe he is. Let's just see the injury report. I know.
Okay. Yeah. I don't think Luca is not going to be ready for the start of the second round, and Edwards is not going to be ready for the start of the second round. They're not doing ramp-up activity. I mean, Edwards is in recovery mode.
He's not even in ramp-up mode. Ant has shown, has bounced back from injuries before in a way that is almost superhuman.
So I'm not going to speculate there. I would just say that the injury that he has is an injury that. for most people would hold them out of this round. Not saying he's going to miss this round, but That hyperextension plus bone bruise is guys who've had this injury before you're looking at Multiple, multiple weeks. Wow.
This is not a good situation. That's why yesterday was the Wolves Super Bowl, and they played accordingly. And no matter what happens against the Spurs, if they get wiped out and lose in four. It will not diminish their accomplishment for this season. Luca has not, to my knowledge, begun contact basketball yet.
You know, typically in the NBA, you come back from an injury, you have a ramp-up period. He hasn't played in a month. You have to get conditioning back. You're looking at having to play three on three, then having to play five on five. That has not happened yet.
So, you will not see Luca out there if the Lakers get another win. You will not see him out there in a game one. The second round is less time off. It's every other day.
So it is pretty ironclad. You have seven games, you have seven off days, it's 14 days. It will start on a day and it will end 14 days later or 15, depending.
So Two weeks from now, Luca might be there. But the Lakers are going to have to. That's why I'm really in tonight's game six for the Lakers and going forward. Austin Reeves. This summer, Austin Reeves is going to ask the Lakers, and he's earned it, but he's going to ask for one of the largest contracts in the history of the Lakers organization.
Um and he's he's been terrific for them. But this is when he's got to Verify that. You know, you make yourself indispensable by being indispensable. And I know he came back the other night after four weeks off. I'm not, I wasn't expecting him to go, you know, nine of 10, but he goes four of 16.
He had 20. Two points because he got to the line. It wasn't a terrible game, but the Lakers need scoring. And so whether it's In the next two games, one or two games against Houston or in the next round against Oklahoma City, the only chance they got is if he they can get some scoring, and it can't come from LeBron, just from LeBron. They've got to get it from Reeves, and it's in really starting tonight would be a good up would be a good way to do it.
All right, before I let you go, the uh usual Rich Eisen show. I guess accommodation if you're up for it. Where you, I ask you to make a prediction. If it's right, we replay it. If it's off, this never happened.
Um how many game sevens this weekend? We already have one. How many we got here? Yeah, I think there's going to be three. I think two of the three tonight.
Yeah, and I'm going to say that. Nobody has ever, I mean, I meet getting me to have somebody at ESPN talk about the Cavs Raptors series is like it's actually a fascinating series. Yeah, it's a fascinating series. And I will tell you that Brandon Ingram looks like he's going to be out tonight for the Raptors. He's doubtful.
And Emmanuel Quickley is out.
So they're missing two starters. The Cavs should win tonight by. An easy margin.
Okay. But the Cavs have done nothing in this series easy. The Cavs have. the most beautiful opening happening to them. And Orlando needs one win in two games to Get the to advance, and the Cavs, if they won, would get home court in the second round as the four seed.
Hello, that's happened about five times ever in history. And the Magic have lost Franz Wagner, one of their best players, to a calf injury that I don't think he's going to bounce back from immediately. The Cavs are sitting there holding a glorious opportunity, and they've played C basketball for the last three or four games.
So Uh they better Take advantage of what's being offered to them tonight. But I digress. Cade Cunningham come off a 45-point game. What if he goes for 40 again tonight in Orlando? Got it.
Like, so I'm going to say two of these three.
Okay. And we'll see three games. And again, just to go full circle here, that's why the NBA should reseed, right? I mean, like the Celtics and the Knicks should be the one getting an eighth seed. Not the four seed, just because the bracket is the bracket.
Maybe we'll find out the answer at some point. Brian, thanks for the time, man. Really good. Thanks for a great weekend. Thanks for the backdrop.
Appreciate it. That's the Brian Roynor's bringing it right here on the right. Sixers and seven. That's entirely possible. I didn't think it was.
Certainly if Tatum shows up on that injury report, keep an eye out for that. What's more likely Friday when we come back on the Rich Eisen show? But now that the draft is in the books, teams are focused on developing future franchise players, fresh starts, and fine-tuning their final rosters. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows Indoors is a choice you can trust with the experts who find who help find the right products for your needs and install them with care at your disposal. Discover why Pella Windows Indoors is a trusted choice for homeowners everywhere.
Visit pella.com/slash Eizen today. That's Pella.com/slash Eizen. Make life brighter with Pella Windows. And doors. What's more likely Friday when we come back on?
Oh, yeah, it's Friday. Mummy. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Rich Eisen here. Take a second and look at your city's calendar.
Everywhere I go, there's always something coming up. Games, concerts, conventions, tournaments, the kind of events that bring people in from all over. And when that happens, you can feel it. More energy, more fans, and a whole lot more people looking for a place to stay.
So here's something to think about. If your city has that kind of buzz, if big events are on the way, listing your space on Airbnb could be a great opportunity. If you're already planning to be out of town or you've got a trip coming up, Why not make your place work for you while you're gone? You've got the space and you're not using it. It could be earning you some extra cash.
I know when I travel for these big events, I'm not just looking for a place to crash. I want something comfortable and safe, a place that allows me to experience the city like a local. And that's exactly what you can do by offering to list your space. No big lifestyle change, no long term commitment, just making smart use of the space you already have.
So the next time your city draws a crowd, think about listing your space on Airbnb. Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how much at airbnb.com slash host. For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves.
Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrive Ent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. ThriveEnt, where money means more. Connect with us at ThriveInt.com.
Rich Eisen here. PayPal is now the official peer-to-peer payments sponsor of the NFL, which means all the money moments that fandom creates, whether splitting tailgate costs or chipping in on tickets and game day food between friends, are covered. Wherever the game is played or watched, PayPal moves with fans. You can send money through text, email, or directly to your friends with eligible accounts on Venmo. Just download the PayPal app and share all the moments that matter.
Account with PayPal is required, not available in all regions where PayPal operates. The Rich Eisen Show is on the air here on Disney Plus and our radio stations coast to coast on ESPN Radio. It's time for what's more likely presented by Pello Windows and Doors. Hit it. Boom.
What? What's more likely? Never say never, but never. All right. Christopher Brockman, what do we have over there?
Gentlemen, great to see you. It's Friday. Appreciate you saying that. Hey, how are you? Hey, what's up, Chris?
We were talking to these guys in charge the last few days. We talked to Chris Ballard and Kyle Shanahan. How about the more likely star coming back from an Achilles tear to play week one? Daniel Jones or George Kittle. Oh, I'll go Daniel Jones.
He blew out his Achilles. You know, like a month earlier, yeah, yeah, like a month.
Well, you really give me an easy one to start this one, laying it up, yeah. Just to I imagine the guy that blew out his Achilles sooner has a better chance to return. Earlier. Than one would expect. Doesn't seem like it was that long ago, that's all.
I mean, George, I put nothing past George Payne. I've been in week one. I'll go Daniel Jones. All right. What else you got over there?
How about this? We talked to these head coaches yesterday. Who's more likely to win their division this year? The 49ers or the Commanders? I'll go 49ers.
They almost won it last year. Commanders were very far from winning it last year. Plus TJ's Cowboys are going to win the division, right? Naturally. Oh, all I heard about is how great the Rams are.
Are you I'll flip it on you. Which one would you choose? I think I would take the commanders. Why would you say that? Just to be opposite to you because you don't mean it.
Easier division. Come on. You don't think it's an easier division? No.
Okay. No, nothing's easy. We got the most Super Bowl championships.
So the eventual Super Bowl champions. Go into the house of the 49ers on a night the 49ers could be the one seat in the NFC. They don't do it. Seattle then sees San Francisco again, blows him out to host an NFC championship game against the Rams that was essentially the de facto Super Bowl that the Rams could have won. And this guy is saying the NFC East With the Eagles one and done by that San Francisco team.
And then has no one else make the playoffs and have Two teams in the division. How many? Pick. I said two teams in the division. pick three times in the top ten.
Yeah, that means we're going to be able to do that. And then the other team in the division that didn't make the playoffs moves up from 12 to 11 to choose. That division's better than the NFC West. Did I get that? Did I get all of that right?
Top two odds for the Super Bowl are the Rams and Seahawks. The next NFC East team is 10th. The top, how many odds? Top two. The top two odds.
I said, okay, we're going to stop to it. I don't think. We're probably not. Come on, man. I know you got your cowboy flag.
Well, look, how many times going back to the Super Bowl is hard, right? Hard.
Okay, so are the Seahawks going to become champions again, Champ? How about this? They probably won't. Let me handle this for you, sir. Yes.
More likely team to win the NFC is this year. Cowboys are commanders. Commanders.
Okay. See, now he's being unserious.
Now he's being unserious. Aye. I'll do what you do, Rich Eisen. What about the giants? You give me an option that's not one of the options.
Okay. Ar but I don't sound like that though. Hmm. Do I not? Serious people.
How about this one? We're talking a lot about the Rams and the Ty Simpson pick. Is it more likely we have an overreaction Monday topic this year of? Ram should start Simpson. Or Stafford is an MVP final.
Oh, Ram should start Simpson is an absurdity. An absolute absurdity. You absolutely cannot say that.
Now, you're saying, now, there's two ways in which. That's an Overreaction Monday subject. matter, okay? Is that Stafford plays so poorly. I gotta see what the rookie looks like.
or Stafford gets hurt. Simpson comes in and plays so well. that we get the whole Cooper Rush. should be the quarterback over Dak Prescott in Annity one more time. Real conversation at the time.
Okay. Because also, Jerry's like, this is the best decision, this is the best problem to have. That he put it in that way like it's a problem to have Meaning that Cooper Rush might Hat might possibly Possibly. Knocked Dak out of the starter's job because of how well he is playing as a back. Rewind a year ago.
Get out of here. Actual questions about Stafford maybe not even playing week one after sitting out the entire preseason.
Okay. 38-year-old guy. You encourage this. I'm just saying. How do I encourage this?
You encourage this. How do I encourage you? You just do. I don't know how, but you. Onward, Chris.
No, I need an answer, Paul. Stafford is an MVP finalist far more likely than the other way around. No chance.
Okay. No chance that Stafford's an MVP finalist next year? I would not bet on that. Absolutely not. But you'd bet on the other one.
Yeah. Okay. Well, I'm in charge of the public.
Well, he's tripling and quadrupling. I'm in charge of writing the topics.
Okay. This is segment. And that's how I'm enabling. Yeah. Give him carte blanche to say stuff like that.
And if people at home are confused or getting mad at Chris, they don't understand. He doesn't care. They don't understand. I actually don't care. I love talking to people in the comments.
Uh, here we go. I thought you didn't read the comments. Let's talk a little hoops. Uh, two. Surprising results to say the least last night, with the Wolves eliminating the Nugs and the Knicks winning by $110 billion.
Which more likely of those two teams are the more likely to make the finals? The Wolves or the Knicks? We just heard um Um Windhorse say they might get swept by the spurs. The Knicks aren't playing this. To use the parlance, by the Spurs, excuse me, excuse me, to use the parlance of a particular native New Yorker.
who once upon a time went to your neck of the woods. Are the Spurs walking through that door in the Eastern Conference? No.
Is anybody remotely close to the Spurs, the two-seed in the West, walking through that door? The Spurs are a young team with not a lot of playoff experience.
Okay, the Wolves have made back-to-back West finals.
Now, the Pistons would be a problem for the Knicks because the Knicks, as we all know, are. Had problems with the pistons this year.
So A Knicks fans should be rooting hard for the Orlando Magic without Franz Wagner to advance. Indeed. Even though they'd be playing the Cavs first instead of the winner of. you know, instead of the uh Nick's Celtics. Um Survivors, and the Knicks have already moved through.
I'd go Knicks over the Timbles, absolutely. At the Eastern Conference, the Knicks could wind up being the top seed. By Sunday night they could be the top seed. They could be the top seed by Saturday night. In the Eastern Conference.
remaining.
So, what else, Chris? Uh, how about this one? Uh, is it more likely the Sixers upset the C's in game seven or that was for you, TJ, since you think I'm enabling him?
Well, the Rockets force game seven. Oh. Oh, Chris, this is a really good, juicy one because this is right on that line. Both could really happen. Very much so.
I know.
And this is where you're forcing me to choose one or the other. Oh, I'll just go with the home team. I'll. I'll I'll say the Rockets forcing game seven is more likely. Because I want it for TJ so much, and I can't have so many good things in my life right now.
Rockets favored tonight. You guys believe that? Are they really? Really? Without no Durant?
Yeah, three and change. Um Okay. I used to act like I didn't know what that means. Oh, you know what it means.
Now I know what it means now. In my second month of not being an NFL. Oh, you just picked it up that quick, right? Yeah, you picked up that. You just quick learner.
You read a book when it was for dummies. I said I have two degrees. Chew. Not getting old. About to get three.
You'll never be old.
Well, when you become Dr. Eisen, though, dog. Oh, I will be impossible. I'll walk around in a lab coat. All right, we got three more.
Go walk into rooms like Penta. You know what I mean? Not two, like three more. More likely to demand a trade this offseason. George Pickens or the freshly eliminated Connor McDavid.
Ooh. I don't think McDavid's going to demand a trade. Do you? Man, there are. I saw him last night.
He said, we've been an average team all year long. And what do you say? An average team with high expectations, you're going to be disappointed. Pat and company. That's as close to a trade demand he might get.
Pat and them are trying to stir up McDavid to Pittsburgh to join up forcing the process. I mean, good luck to him with that. Hey, excuse me. Yes.
You tell me, let me ask you, sir, since you're the local hockey Maven, has there ever been An absolute superstar in Edmonton who came to Los Angeles to play. I believe that would be Wayne Gritzki. Oh. The great one. Has that ever happened?
Yes, it has.
Okay. But then there's Sydney Crosby in. I don't know. I'll ask Coskins in my ear. Do you think McDavid will really demand a trade from Edmonton?
I don't know, demand. I think Pickens seems to be the more publicly demanding guy. Although he's got a new agent who might be like, let's tamp that down. We'll get it done behind the scenes. You want to get done?
Let's do this behind the scenes. McDavid and Crosby, though. Oh, yeah, that's the thing. How about this one, though? How about this one?
The issue is: if McDavid gets, you know, puts it out there. Everyone's going to be falling over themselves. The entire league will fall over themselves. Yeah, sure. Not that that won't happen with George Pickens.
I'm sure Connor watches craft. That's not the question. I'll go Pickens over to David. All right, two more. Two more.
Nice. Is it more likely that both the Yankees and Dodgers don't win their divisions or the Red Sox and Mets make the playoffs?
Well, let me tell you what I'm saying. No, no, no, no. This is one of those Brockman false choices. No, it's not. To make me say that you guys are making the playoffs.
This involves everyone in the room. No, no, no. It involves everyone in the room. What's more likely that the Dodgers and the Mets win their divisions or you guys don't make the playoffs? How about that?
No, there's no how about that. This is the topic. The Yankees and Dodgers are winning their divisions. I don't know about that, though. Actually, I'll put it the other way: they're only a half game up on the division.
It's more likely that both the Yankees and Dodgers don't win their divisions because it might be like the Yankees finally caught by the Rays. You know, in the same way that the Blue Jays caught him last year, despite a hot start. That wasn't hard to answer, was it? I'll do that. But you guys are not making the playoffs.
Neither of you are. And that's a tough thing to swallow right now and May 2020. 130 games left, Rick. I'll basically go full shack on Kobe on y'all right now. Oh, good.
That's just how it tastes. That's wrong. That's what I'm asking. We are at that presence on May Day. We are betting.
On Dusty May Day. You can do it out me. You are going to rue those words, Rich Eyes. What's more likely? I will or I won't.
They cut it off.
Now I can't make them. What's one more? Last one. On this date in 1939, Batman first appeared in comic. Oh, let's more likely to be your favorite Batman.
Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, or the great Adam West? Oh, this is tough, man. This is almost impossible. I love Michael Keith. But Christian Bale was terrific, his Batman.
I mean, Adam West started it off. Come on. Without him doing this.
Okay. Remember this? I mean, Christian Bale was the best battle. I mean, come on. Adam West, Adam West was like.
Pow, boom, bam! I'm aware of that. Climbing up the side of a building, Chris Bob Kilmer kicked crusade. Oh, you know what? With all due respect to Wade Val.
But Christian Bale's my favorite actor. Christian Bale is amazing. Good stuff, Christopher. Thank you. What's more likely is brought to you by Pella Windows and Doors.
When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors always have the winning game plan. That's why your neighbors trust them. Visit pella.com/slash Eisen. Phone calls and the best white flag a Big Ten fan can get. Oh, it's delicious.
That's next. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Oh, oh, oh. O'Reilly! Check engine, ABS, or maintenance light on?
Take the guesswork out of your warning lights with O'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASE-certified master technicians. And if you need help, we can recommend a shop for you. Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today. Oh, oh, oh!
Alrighty. Auto parts. In a world in need of a hero, one man rises to the challenge in style. He is just driving the kids to soccer practice. Make every day feel epic in an all-new Hyundai Palisade hybrid with up to an EPA estimated 619 miles of range on select trims, advanced tech, and class-leading interior space.
Because when you're hauling kids, gear, snacks, and backpacks, space matters. And so does comfort. Just make sure they keep their cleats off the seats. Visit HyundaiUSA.com or call 562-314-4603 for details. Back on the Rich Eisen Show.
Oh, I weirdly thought that was the end of it. Running a small business means every hire matters, a bad hire. Costs time and money, but the right one, well, that helps your business grow. The challenge is finding that Perfect person without sorting through resumes. And that's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in.
It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash Eisen. Terms and conditions apply.
Listen, you know I'm loving this world in which the Big Ten wins college. Football natties. You can make some. I'm loving it. I'm absolutely loving it.
Three in a row. My institution of higher learning. It's pencil. Ohio State continued it. Even after losing to Michigan.
And then Indiana.
Okay. Sixteen and oh, man. Sixteen and old. That's three in a row. And I'm just wondering.
How does all this sit? In the part of the country From which College Football media bias. Runs thick. The Southeast. There's an East Coast bias when it comes to overall sports coverage, but when it comes to college football, it's a Southeast.
Bias. That's where Paul Feinbaum sits. This is where all the SEC fans say it just means more. How does this all... Sit.
In SEC country. Last SEC head coach to win a national championship. Right? Kirby? That's right.
Nice. He was at a golf tournament on a podcast called The Next Round.
Okay. And he was asked, you know, where did all this Big Ten success come from? I just think they have a more competitive conference, like the top of their conference. There's more good teams. It used to be, Hobbes State was good.
Michigan was really good. Harmon had a great team. Indiana's good.
Now they got Oregon. They got to draw. They have an ability to attract good players.
Now, NIL has a factor, too, for sure. But so does Miami.
So does Florida. People have money. More people have money.
So I think the talent is spread out thin. Where before in the SEC, it was a magnet to talent. The disparity was so great that it was like you couldn't mess it up. You'd win regardless. And now it's like, okay, it's more even.
It's just been three in a row. I have so much respect for them. I'm like, are they better coaches than us? And that's what all our coaches say. I think Joel Klatt says that.
I mean, people have said that. I don't think that's the case. Because I don't think they're taking less talent in theory and doing more with it.
Now, the other theory is, and this is what nobody likes to hear, is it's a lot of SEC coaches say this in my meetings. They say, they don't have the grind we do. There's no way they play three of their nine games or hard. Their bottom four games. Are not our bottom four games.
I'm going to play at Startville and Vanderbilt's in my bottom four, and I'm holding on to my butt to be able to play at noon on Saturday at Startville and play a good team who beat Arizona State, who goes and plays these other teams.
So there is a theory that we're beating each other up, and it's like the intensity, and it wears you down. Mm. Beating each other up. I have no idea what he said.
Well, he was waving a white flag, so it's tough to. Waving a white flag. Yeah, waving a white flag. That's what you got from that? That's what I got from it.
Of course. It's over. What is over? The SEC dominance is over. And NIL has something to do with it too, because now everybody's paying people.
In public.
Okay. Okay. I bet the SEC wins the natty next year.
Okay. All right. Yeah. No, you're the king of like Indiana's one and done. They're the flash and the pet.
They're the one-hit wonders. It's that thing you do, it's just football. Yeah, for sure. I I mean I'm not backing down from that.
Okay. They're the wonders, the own-eaters of football. Don't sing it.
Okay. No.
It's all good, young squire. You sit back and you watch. There's Kirby Smart. Oh, oh, you watch Penn State. Yeah, it's so tough to beat Diego Pavia.
Oh, poor Georgia. The guy was a Heisman finalist. Understood. These guys, yeah, one and done. Who are these Indiana Hoosiers?
We'll be wondering if they're any good next year.
So SEC wins next year. Yeah, for sure. Okay. Oh, this is delicious. Very good.
It's just again. I mean, it ain't going to be your son. It was tough to understand him with waving the plant. I mean, the planting the white flag. Oh, that's interesting that that's the way you took it.
That's the way I took it. Did you get that memo? I got it. What a great way to wrap up this show. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
