Celtics A Lock To Win Game 5? (Hour 1)

Live from the police show yet not overly ostentatious studios of CBS Sports Radio here in beautiful Centennial, Colorado, this is a Thursday edition of the Zach Gelb show across all the great local CBS Sports Radio affiliates, Sirius XM, channel 158, and that free Odyssey app. 855-212-4CBS number to jump on in. 855-212-4227. You can always get at me on Instagram.

Where I'm straight flexin' or via the good ol' cesspool of Twitter, at Zach Gelb. That's Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. Coming up 20 minutes from now, how about this treat that we have for you today. Last night, the Florida Panthers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final as they did sweep the Carolina Hurricanes. The Panthers have the fewest points out of any team that qualified for the playoffs this past season, and now they're four wins away from Hoistin' Lord Stanley's Cup. And joining us will be the owner of the Easter Conference champion, Florida Panthers, Vinny Viola, coming up 20 minutes from now.

So really looking forward to that conversation. And we'll congratulate the Florida Panthers right out of the gate. And also, I think some congratulations are in order to our morning show on CBS Sports Radio, the DA show, as I have to congratulate DA and his wife, as they had a baby boy. And also, I found out today by listening to our morning show, that Pete the Body Baladi and his beautiful bride did give birth to their second child, this time a bouncing baby girl. So how about this, as Hot Take Kiki is producing the extravaganza back in our New York City studios. Hit the sounder. I don't know about that Hot Take Kiki.

How about this, Hickey? Babies left and right here on CBS Sports Radio with DA and also Pete the Body Baladi. Just wanted to give them a congratulations right out of the gate. And to add to the party, Marco Baladi as well. Three babies in 24 hours. Whoa, whoa. I knew Marco's wife was right around the corner and popping out child number three.

I was not made aware that Marco Baladi's wife gave birth. Was that this morning? Yesterday morning. Yesterday morning. Wow.

Yesterday morning. So three CBS Sports Radio babies in 24 hours. How about that? So coming up in about what, 25 years, Hickey will be producing DA's son, Pete the Body Baladi's daughter. And what did Marco have? Do we know?

A son named Matthew. Oh, for Matthew Kachuk, was that for? I think so. That was the omen last night. And then maybe we will have Matthew Baladi doing the updates as well. So you could be working with a whole new cast of characters coming up in about 20, 25 years, Hickey. I wonder if they called each other the night before and said, hey, tonight's the night, fellas.

Let's make it happen. That's crazy. I think DA, I could be wrong in this, but I think DA and his wife, who they refer to as the Bourbon Belle. I don't actually know DA's wife's name. I think they gave birth two days ago. And DA, because it was weird, we got an alert late that DA was out the entire week. And someone told me, oh, it was just a scheduling mess up.

He was supposed to be out this week and someone thought it was for next week, but I guess they were keeping it under wraps. It was pretty cool. They had Iron Eagle, friend to show and friend to CBS Sports Radio, announce the birth of DA's son.

So that's pretty neat. I believe AJ is the baby's name. So baby's left and right here on CBS Sports Radio. Hickey, I guess that puts a lot of pressure on you and I because people are going to start looking at us next. You better start popping out some kids soon. No, let's deflect that attention. Sean is due for a third kid.

We can point the finger elsewhere. You already put in baby number three in the Mraz household? Better him than me at this point. We don't know if Hickey has any kids that he even knows that he has right now.

That could also be a possibility too. What kind of guy do you think I am? I don't know. DA calls you the bad boy of CBS Sports Radio. I know you as a hot take artist and you have the Hickey hex and you place that on a bunch of people and these videos that you've been releasing, which have been in the shower.

The segment's called Shower No Cap, where you're basically standing there in the nude and we could see about chest, well, a few chest hairs that you have up and you're putting out these videos. I think you're really laying into that bad boy persona, so it wouldn't surprise me if you had a few baby Hickeys floating around out there somewhere. No, no. If that was the case, I'd be there.

I'd be supportive. I don't know. I think your character has been called into question. Also, I think my persona on the radio and my persona in real life I'll say is different.

Really? I'm not a bad boy in real life. I would love to be. Trust me.

I'm just too scared. I'm sorry that that never works when you have a persona on the air and then you're totally different away from the radio. I think you should just be authentically who you are, but you're putting out these videos left and right. And I heard Mraz earlier this morning referred to you as a sex icon and a sex symbol.

So that's why I didn't think it was that much of a crazy idea to assume that maybe you do have a kid or two that I'm not made aware of. Wow. Nice words.

E.J. said the same thing as well. So good to know that people at CBS Sports Radio view yours truly highly. OK, maybe maybe I should maybe I should start taking this bad boy persona out to the streets now.

You know, leave the hot takes or just move the hot takes, not just the sports. Yeah, I don't know how well you would fare on the on the streets, if I'm being honest. Oh, not well. See, I know myself well.

I would not do well. You got to have some more confidence there, Hickey. Like, fight back a little bit. Tell me to go. Shut up. Go pound sand a little bit. Go pound sand. All right. Go go pound some mountains where you are in Colorado. Go pound some mountains.

That's what someone says. I'm actually very nervous today because there is hail in the forecast and we don't have a CBS Sports Radio in Centennial. Like we do have affiliates, but I'm doing the show from my sister and brother in law's house. So I'm sitting here and been hanging out with my niece as well, Raquel. So that's been a whole lot of fun.

Some good family bonding time as well. And Uncle Zach is earning some brownie points. But I'm looking at the forecast here. Yesterday during the entire show, it said rain was coming.

It rained about the first 20 minutes right before we got on the air and then it stopped. It looked like there was going to be some wicked thunderstorms today in the weather forecast. And it's very cloudy and dark outside right now.

Remember where I am. It's 406 p.m. Mountain Time and they're expecting hail. And I'm sitting right in front of one, two, three, four glass windows. So if all of a sudden if you start to just hear some hail and you hear something in the background, that's what's going on.

Well, as long as how's not going through the window, knocking the power out, I think we'll be OK. Yeah, I think we'll be fine. I'm actually optimistic. Watch the next thing you know will be the hot take. Hickey show for the next three hours and 40 minutes raining sports golf ball sized hail all across Denver. We do not want that. Hickey will get on the air and he'll just be raining hot takes.

All righty. All eyes are on the Boston Celtics tonight. Well, you look around the landscape of the NBA and the NHL right now. You know, the Florida Panthers are through as they just swept the Carolina Hurricanes out of the Easter conference playoffs. And the Panthers are off to the Stanley Cup final.

Once again, Vinnie Viola is going to join us coming up in about 10 minutes or so. And you look at the other side, we'll see if that's going to conclude with Vegas being up 3-0 on the Dallas Stars. But in the NBA, I did come out here to Denver as I was expecting to go to Game five of the Western Conference Finals. That series was over in four games. I'm actually rooting for the Boston Celtics tonight. I don't give a rat's ass if Boston wins the series or not.

But now this being at 3-1, I would like to at least get this back to Miami for a Game six. And it's impossible to say that you're really, really, really super duper confident in the Boston Celtics tonight, because they dropped the first two games of this series on their home court. They've been up and down all throughout the postseason in the first round. They did not play well and they let that series up against the Hawks go longer than it needed to be. At one point, they were down 3-2, getting embarrassed in Game five of the second round on their home court. And they found a way for Jason Tatum to come alive in Game six in the fourth quarter.

And then we all know about the 51 point performance, the most points in the history of a Game seven in NBA history that Tatum did put up on Mother's Day and that Mother's Day massacre up against the Philadelphia 76ers. And you would think maybe finding a way to survive that series would start to shift momentum in their favor. And nothing against Miami. We all know the grittiness and the toughness of this Miami Heat team and the absolute killer they have on their team and Jimmy Butler.

But it was the complete antithesis. It was almost like they were caught up in the celebration of that Game seven. And they just did not show what the Boston Celtics are capable of in the first three games.

And I expected that team to lie down and quit and go down in four games. They were able to make their threes for some turnovers and the three ball is all key for the Boston Celtics. Now, with this going back to Boston for a Game five, once again, I can't say this confidently, but I do expect tonight or I'll say I will pick the Boston Celtics to win the game tonight. And I think Vegas does as well believe that Boston is going to win because they made this spread an eight point spread. Now, I know Vegas has been some could say being disrespectful to Miami all throughout the series. But that line this late in the series with Miami having a three one advantage. I don't care if Boston is home or not. And they do have a home game tonight at TD Garden, you would think. And the and the regular person would look at that just like how I did and go, oh, there's no way like Boston could win, but they're going to win by nine points.

That's inconceivable to me. But that's usually what Vegas tries to make you do. Put your money on Miami plus the eight points. And then the next thing you know, Boston blows out the Miami Heat.

So if I was a betting man, I had to place a bet on that spread tonight. I would actually lay the points with the Boston Celtics and go opposite of what Vegas wants you to do. And you also have the news today that Gabe Vincent, with the ankle injury that he suffered in Game four, he is out for tonight. And that's seventeen point five points per game in this series up against the Boston Celtics at the Miami Heat are going to have to replace.

Now, they have a deep team. We know that they have overcome injuries and you have Lowry coming off the bench. You know, Tyler Hero, it's not even optimistic if they make the NBA finals that he's going to be able to be back in time.

And there was a thought when he did go down that he would be back for the NBA finals if they were there. But this is lining up to me where I would think that Boston's not going to lose all three games at home. If they do, then Miami, you definitely deserve this. And you're going right to the NBA finals to go up against a very tough and exciting Denver Nuggets team.

I know some of my confidants in the media will call them boring and just a bunch of jackasses and jerks. You don't even know what the heck you're talking about. But I will say that Miami is going to win this series. I think they're going to win it in six. But I'm hoping as a sports fan that we get this to a game six. Because so far, Hickey, as I said, in the Stanley Cup, when you look at the Easter conference finals, the Panthers are already through in four games. Vegas could be through in four games as well as they're up 3-0 up against the Dallas Stars. We know Denver did sweep the Lakers out of the third round to get to the NBA finals.

I'm just hoping Boston gives you a good effort tonight and wins the game. Because I would like to see at least one of these series actually start. Not that these other series have been bad.

Like, look at the Panthers. It's been crazy how close those games have been. The Lakers gave you a fun game four to watch.

Game one was good as well. But I would like to see a lengthier series. And this is my only hope with the three out of the four series that we had going on in hockey and basketball currently. The only one that you really have hope because I don't think you're going to see the Stars come on back is this Miami and Celtics series. And I will pick the Celtics.

Maybe that's more a little bit out of my wants. I will pick the Celtics and I have a desire to see them go back to Miami. So that's what I think is going to play on out tonight. I do think the Heat win tonight.

Underdogs won every game in this series so far. I think it continues. Even without Gabe Vincent?

Yes. That doesn't change your line of thinking because I know you were confident with that yesterday. The Gabe Vincent news doesn't make you safe for a second. Maybe he could have played if they needed him to play. So maybe that goes into the mentality of the Miami Heat in this one. I just think Jay Butler, he's one of those guys where I will trust in him to just take over this game and finish it. Finish it right now.

Let me ask you this. If the Miami Heat lose tonight, when do you go to pick Boston to win this series? Because from the start, and I'll give you credit, and I know we got to get to a break to get to Vinny Viola. You said that you thought Miami was going to win this series in six. So is there any way or any point in this series that you will go, okay, I'm going to shift and then pick Boston to win this series? I got to see how Saturday's game goes if they lose tonight. And then if they go back to Miami and lose that game, I would maybe shift my thinking and then go into game seven in Boston.

Because that is where the Celtics, to their credit, have been very good in game sevens at home. They win, so that could shift it. But at least for tonight, if they go back to Miami, I'll still pick the Heat in game six. So earliest will be game seven. And I do think the overall sentiment right now is most people expect Boston to win tonight. And then I would assume that there's some pressure on Miami to finally close out in game six.

But I think people would be confident. And then if it does get back to game seven like Hickey's talking about, then I do believe you see people doing a 180 where they start to buy back in on the Boston Celtics. Alrighty, this is Zach Gelb's show on CBS Sports Radio. The owner of the Easter Conference champion Florida Panthers, Vinny Viola, joins us next.

You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. Let's go out to the guest line right now. Welcome in the owner of the Easter Conference champion Florida Panthers. And that, of course, is Vinny Viola.

Vinny, I would ask you how you're doing, but I think I know the answer to that. So I'll just say congratulations. Thanks so much for doing this. Thanks, Zach. Thanks for having me and allowing me an opportunity to just love on the Panthers nation. You know, the Panthers fans are just, they really, really are the best fans in sports because they stuck with a franchise, quite frankly, that, you know, we haven't delivered and they've delivered for us continually.

And finally, maybe we're getting ready to deliver back completely, you know. I don't know how much sleep you got last night, but when you woke up this morning and you know you're going to the Stanley Cup final, just what goes through your mind? Well, first of all, it's overwhelming. Second of all, for any sports fan, it's the feeling like when your best team wins a game that you didn't think they were going to win, right? No one expected us to be here. And it just lifts your spirits in a way that you really, you know, I've been calling, you know, I called Bill Zito.

I called Matt Caldwell, coach, and I basically asked him the same question. And my sons, who were very involved in the team, I said, has it hit you yet? Has it hit you that we have the privilege to compete for the Lord Stanley's Cup? That's pretty crazy stuff when you think about it. Has it hit you yet?

No. I'm still processing it. I mean, truly, I'm still processing it. It's a transcendent sort of event, right? It's existential. Like I had all of my grandchildren, except for basically the two infants and my sons in the suite, and as soon as Matthew scored, I'm like, OK, we're going down.

I don't care about the convention or what is appropriate. I want my grandchildren to see this. And I went down as the game ended and I hoisted my oldest grandson, whose name is Vincent Grant.

He's seven years old. I hoisted him on the boards. I wanted him to see what exhilaration and excellent actually I wanted him to experience it firsthand, because the lesson to him is this is what happens when you selflessly commit to a team effort. That's that's what you watched yesterday. You really watched 20 some more guys completely destroy their ego, submit their ego and their, quite frankly, their physical well-being to the purpose of the team, the unit, the mission. So that's that's kind of so it hasn't hit me.

But that's how that's how I'm processing it. I understand what you just said about the team success and how selfless this team is. But how do you further explain Vinny Viola, the owner of the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers, who are off to the Stanley Cup final? This group had to wait all the way up until the end of the regular season to get into the playoffs. You guys had the fewest points out of any team to make the postseason this year.

And now you're four wins away from hosting the cup. You're there each and every day. You're around this team. You know the leadership in this organization. Just how do you further explain the success?

I'm going to explain it to you right now. It's built on will. W, I, L, L. That's empowered by trust. So the organization at some point, because of the leadership of Billy Zito and Paul Maurice, principally, Roberto Luongo is right central to that. Matt Caldwell, they all we all looked at each other. Not we, not me as part of that group. They all looked at each other and said, OK, we surrender.

This is not about any individual. We're going to create a culture where there's a singular purpose, victory, a singular purpose. And whatever I have to do, whatever I have to surrender around my ego, around my desires, I'm going to do that. And I and I don't want the interview to continue much longer before I mentioned the fact that, you know, every organization, especially in hockey, I think needs a dynamic, charismatic, fearless, courageous leader. And Matthew Tkachuk is that for us? I mean, even Barkie said it last night.

He's like, I met him and I felt like I knew him for 10 years. And there was no no competition between those two guys, because Barkie is also a fearless, completely virtuous, sacrificial leader. So we have a lot of a lot of people on this team, a lot of players and staff that they're like, it's not about us.

Like, let's go next. You talk about the dominance and the leadership, Vinny Viola, Matthew Tkachuk. That was evident in this past series, the two game winners in the first two overtime games. We all remember the marathon of Game one that went right down to the end of the fourth overtime.

And last night, it was so fitting. You guys bringing him in last summer that he puts you guys in the cup final with that goal with under five seconds to go on the man advantage. You look at what he's been able to accomplish this year and what he's meant to this team. You look back maybe at that trade. What do you remember the emotions in that July day when you made the trade? Because you let go of Huberto going back to to Calgary as a part of your organization for for over a decade. Well, first of all, Theresa and my wife and I view these players as family members. You know, get get get a little get a little bit, you know, I'll say emotional here, like nephews, like sons.

And we know them and we know their families. So to be faced with decision to let, you know, Jonathan and McKinsey go on a trade that was gut wrenching. It wasn't like it didn't take her and I a second, an hour. You know, it was a good part of a day because Bill presented us to trade. It was a brilliant trade from all of the clinical sort of statistical hockey.

Hockey extractions. But it was very, very hard for us because Mackenzie, we had a super special relationship. And Jonathan also from like the day we bought the team. I mean, we know these people, we know their families. So that day when Bill presenters presented us the trade, we knew we had to do the trade.

And for reasons that are really statistical and not, you know, sort of not emotionally driven. But it took us a while to imagine the place without Jonathan and Mackenzie being there. Having said that, once we said, Bill, do it, we knew we were getting a generational player. Matt Matthew is a generational athlete. Matthew is going to be agent. I'm going to predict this no matter what happens going forward. He's going to be the change agent for how people view hockey worldwide. Because he plays the game at a level, quite frankly, that is highly, highly intelligent. But I'm going to use a strong word here.

He makes hockey cool. Like, you don't get that puck right at the goal line and read the dynamics of the four people around you, all of them, all of them, hurricanes, and just take that puck back on your blade. Take a step.

Look again. Take a second step. Go around and fire into an upper corner of what was an empty net by the time he made his move. Those moves are just not made. You know that, Zach. You're a hockey fan.

99 out of 100 guys, what would they have done? It's just incredible. It really is. And also Vinny Viola, he has personality, too.

The first overtime winner skated right off the ice was just awesome. Listen, he's a spunky guy. He's a spunky guy. In the neighborhood that I grew up in, we would call him a spunky guy. He's got that little bit of swagger.

We called it spunk back in the old days before swagger was used. And at the same time, he's a gentle man. He's a family man. He's respectful of the sport, deeply respectful of the sport.

By the way, I have to say this. You look at what you and I would call horse collared by Brent Burns at the end of the second period. That cheap shot when he groined him.

And he just took his lumps, skated off. That's the spirit that, quite frankly, makes the sport so great. And that's not a criticism of Brent Burns. He's a Hall of Fame player. That was a very important point in the game. It also helps, too, when you have a goaltender, the way that Bobrovsky's playing, because he is a brick wall back there.

He's been sensational. Bob's a Hall of Famer, but he's a Hall of Fame human being. He transcends sports. You have to be around him to really witness the epitome of personal discipline and a context about how, at the end of the day, and Bob invokes God all the time, that we're a reflection of God's grace.

We all are. And he keeps that front and center in the way he lives his life, the way he treats his daughter, his wife. He's a special guy. I had to see the guys after the game last night. I said, Bob, of everything that's gone on, I'm so happy that this season is happening for you right now. Vinny Viola, before we let you run, a few more with the owner of the Easter Conference champion Florida Panthers on the day after his team punches their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.

When you have a tough moment, and maybe an embarrassing moment, you wonder how people respond. And the heart of a champion responds by running it back and advancing further. That's what your team has done in the last year, because last year you guys had the most points in the league, president trophy winner, and then you go out in the second round getting swept. And this year, now doing it a completely different way, you're in the Stanley Cup Final. How much did last year really pave the way for the success that you guys are having right now?

I don't think it actually had as big an impact, quite frankly, as the culture change. Four or five guys from last year's team aren't here. We really started, Billy really built this, this is just a genius sort of iteration by Bill Zito. And that's not a comment on last year's staff or coaches. Those guys are just superstars, starting with Andrew Burnett. But no, what people don't understand is that we basically made a choice to radically radically change direction. And quite frankly, best organizations are open to radical honesty, you know, just like brutal honesty about where they are.

And that's where the tough decisions come in. Down 3-1 against Boston, what would you have told me, especially knowing that juggernaut that the Bruins had this year historically, most points, most wins. If I would have told you your team would come on back, win that series, and then advance two more rounds after that to get to the Cup Final, what would you have told me down 3-1 to Boston? I would have said, Zach, I want some of whatever you're drinking.

I want to know your diet. I want to know your habits because if you're getting that vibe, I want that vibe. I mean, I was hopeful. Was I confident? Let's just say I was probably realistic as a sports fan.

But I will tell you this, when Carter Fahey closed the space below the goal line and took that puck even before the shot by Matthew, I watched just too many hockey games since 1963. You have these prescient moments as a fan. You know it's coming.

Something good is going to happen here. Before we let you run, I know you started this conversation talking about the fans, so I want to end it with the fans. FAL Live Arena, what has that atmosphere been like so far?

I've been able to see it on TV. I'm trying to get down there for a Stanley Cup Final game, but when you guys get in that home playoff atmosphere for a Stanley Cup Final game, what can people expect if they haven't been paying attention to those Florida Panthers fans? It's a really cool vibe. I will tell you right now, it's the most multicultural, diverse fan base of any hockey team, period. I will tell you that flat out. You've got to come down and feel it and see it.

It's just got a cool vibe. The fans, it's very special because the franchise really has had a tough go of it. So the fans, and especially the devout hockey fans, they appreciate the magnitude of what's happening. But the casual hockey fans, they've never been to a party as good as this. Think about Zach, how many overtime victories.

Matthew scores that goal with 4.3 and they added a tenth of a second onto it. It's funny, somebody called me up, one of my buddies that I went to West Point where he said, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12-year-old kids, that their life will be formed and influenced by the experience of this postseason. And I hadn't thought about that, but I was that kid, 1962, rooting for the Yankees against San Francisco in Game 7. I was six years old.

My dad had it on the radio. How about that? And we'll see if you guys go get four more wins.

If you do, that party's just going to continue and it would be great to see. Vinny Viola, so happy for you. Really do appreciate you doing this today and once again, congratulations. God bless you, Zach.

Let's go Panthers. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show. Alrighty, this is The Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. Hey, you could crank that up, actually. I'm a rocker by Bruce Springsteen. Oh, I love this.

Nice job. A little Thursday edition of Bruce Springsteen right here on CBS Sports Radio. I felt like I was hosting on the E Street Radio channel for a second on Sirius XM. But real quickly, I saw that Aaron Rodgers talked the other day. I believe this was to Adam Schein. And he said now Rodgers being the quarterback of the New York Jets, and I'm assuming Rodgers living in the New Jersey area because the Jets do play in New Jersey and that's where their training facility is.

I'm sure he got a home or some sort of complex out there, compound out there. And Aaron Rodgers was saying he's a big fan of Bruce Springsteen. He also likes Bon Jovi as well. He knew how to play to the crowd because he says he's a big fan of the show Jersey Shore and actually back in the day went to a Pauly D concert, fist pumping everywhere when he used to go to Las Vegas. And then Aaron Rodgers blew up the entire situation.

He was playing all the tunes, playing all the hits, was being perfect, Tiki. Did you see the TV show that Aaron Rodgers did not ever see? Did you hear this? No!

Oh my goodness gracious. So you saw Jersey Shore and now your hands are up in the air of a show you didn't see. As much as I am a humongous Jersey Shore fan with Snooki and Deena and JWoww, Sammy Sweetheart coming back, Vinny Guadagnino, you got Mike The Situation with the Chicken Tendies and DJ Pauly D and Ronnie, as much as I am a humongous sycophant for Jersey Shore and still watch their Family Vacation show to this day that they keep on pumping out new episodes left and right, and I actually was talking to Mike The Situation yesterday about the Rodgers stuff because he's been on the show before and we were going back and forth in the DMs of Twitter, there is a legendary, and I mean legendary show, that is not even anywhere close to where Jersey Shore is and I think the world of Jersey Shore that Aaron Rodgers has never seen.

Does that basically give it away for you or no? You're still clueless. And with the New York area in mind, I'm going to guess Sopranos he's never seen.

Wow, really tough guess that you had to do right there. How have you never seen Sopranos? If you're Aaron Rodgers, and he was saying, I guess when it was coming on out or when he first was able, when he started watching a bunch of TV shows, whether it was in the moment or whether it was years and years later, he's kind of a one show at a time type of guy, so I think he said that he was watching more Entourage back then, which is a tremendous show as well and I love me some Entourage, but I've never seen a greater TV show than The Sopranos and he's never seen it.

Now, he said that he would eventually watch it. Now, I don't know what the heck he's been waiting for and he's not against it, but he just personally has never seen The Sopranos. And that is a part of me that all these years later, it's tough to call his football career into question, but if he was a draft prospect hickey and we were getting ready, maybe the Jets had the number one overall pick and we were getting ready to break down Aaron Rodgers and you look at the scouting report, that would be a major red flag. I don't think I could draft someone that is a quarterback that is hyping up New Jersey, hyping up the New York area and he's playing all the hits, Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and you get to Jersey Shore and then you go, oh yeah, I've never seen Sopranos.

That's a major turn off for me. Wow, so off the draft board. Yeah, and the Jets aren't winning a Super Bowl this year because Rodgers has never seen Tony Soprano with The Sopranos. It's a terrible job that he's never watched the excellence in that show by James Gandolfini.

It's an egregious job by Aaron Rodgers and it's embarrassing that he admitted it publicly. Do you think now Tony Soprano is going to put the hex on the Jets and at least on Aaron Rodgers, kind of like the curse of the billy goat, won't win a Super Bowl under Aaron Rodgers' reign? I know that you're trying to shift the hex onus off of yourself because you just mush teams left and right, but James Gandolfini is no longer living. I know, but from the grave, you can throw curses down. I think that's really where it starts, right? I mean, no one living is going to put a curse or a hex on a team and have it work.

Okay, I dropped the hex word. No one's going to put a curse on a team and have it work unless you are an animal. And so I wonder now, unfortunately, that he has passed, that yes, that he could, you know, from heaven, kind of poof down and kind of put a little no Super Bowl here for Aaron Rodgers with the Jets. Do you think God was able to separate James Gandolfini, the person who was a tremendous human being, to the character that he played on television when they were making the call to send him up or down once his time unfortunately did come?

I would hope so. Because I feel like the character of Tony Soprano, right, needs to go into the, you know, way past the ground. But I feel like the person of James Gandolfini needs to rise all the way up to the top, especially when you hear the people that played, right, AJ and Meadow in the show, how he would always kind of look out for them and make sure that they had everything when they were filming The Sopranos and that was just like one or two of the great things that James Gandolfini did. So I wonder how that works.

Like, do they send the character down to hell and then do they send the person that plays the character that happened to be a really good dude up to heaven? I'm sure Tony Soprano got the message. Dress warm, buddy. Or dress light. It's going to be warm where you're going.

Hey, real quickly, let me ask you a question. And I have my answer on this, but I haven't heard much people talk about this because a lot of the attention and focus is all on the Boston Celtics tonight. Can they find the way to get this series back to Miami? Let's just say Miami wins tonight or entering the game tonight. Do you view this at all as a legacy game for Jimmy Butler, who's already been to a finals before?

But if he's able to get back to another one, it just continues to improve, improve his stock. Eric Spulcher's already won two championships, but both of them, when he was a head coach, didn't really get a lot of credit because it was with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And we didn't really appreciate what Eric Spulcher did for the Big Three just because of the star presence and the star power that they had in the Miami Heat. In any way, do you at all view this to quickly wrap this up in dominant fashion, win this series in five games, without Tyler Herro, now without Gabe Vincent?

You don't have a great team on paper. If they're able to quickly run through the Eastern Conference and take out the Celtics, they already took out the Bucks prior, and they're able to take down Boston in five games, do you view this going into the game tonight as a legacy game for either Eric Spulcher or Jimmy Butler? No, I think legacy games or legacies are made with championships. So if they win five more games and win a title, then I think it's a totally different conversation. Then it's a legacy moment opportunity. But I just don't think getting to the finals could be a legacy moment for Spulcher, Butler.

They've also done it before. They've got to win it. You're 100% right.

And I'm in 110% agreement with you. If they never got to a finals before, you know, for Spulcher without LeBron and for Jimmy Butler in Miami, then I do view this as a legacy game tonight. Because what happened a few years ago, when people finally started to call Jimmy Butler great, and they really started to appreciate the greatness of Eric Spulcher as well. But when you already go there one time before, you then got to go find a way to get there again and finish the job which they couldn't do a few years ago where they lost to Los Angeles Lakers and get the job done and hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. And we'll see if Miami can get one step closer and join the Florida party of FAU and Miami and also the Florida Panthers and get to the finals coming up later tonight. I'm Matt Kelp, CBS Sports Radio.