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SportsTranscript
00:00We head out to the Make It Right, Call Kyle Wright Hotline, and welcome on.
00:03He's Cleveland's own NBC sports legend, the great John Fanta joins us now.
00:08What's up, buddy?
00:09Wow, that is quite the kind introduction.
00:13I appreciate it, Dr. Wilson.
00:15I'm feeling good about this already.
00:17And Brooklyn Rokio through the right side, the Guardians walk it off.
00:21That was a very fun win.
00:24Let's go 12 games in.
00:26Give us your best early overreaction to the Guardians.
00:29Uh, best early overreaction.
00:33I think Parker Messick will be a top three breakout pitcher in the sport.
00:38There, there you go.
00:40Okay, wait, wait, did you just say top three pitcher in the sport?
00:42No, no, no, breakout, breakout.
00:44Like when people talk about, like by the, by season's end, uh, you know, by September,
00:51baseball people will be talking about how big time Messick's rise is for the, the team
00:58and is for Cleveland.
00:59And we will be debating in a playoff series who should be starting game one.
01:03I think ESPN, one of their, uh, preseason projections was that Parker Messick would
01:07make the all-star game.
01:09There you go.
01:09There I'll follow it there.
01:11I didn't even read that, but there, there's my prediction.
01:13Parker Messick makes the all-star game.
01:14All right, so Fano, Fano likes Parker Messick more than Slade Ziccone.
01:17I never thought I'd see the day.
01:18Well, it's why the Guardians will win the division, uh, in my opinion, and, uh, will
01:24ultimately grind out another title in the American League Central because that's who
01:29they are.
01:30They, they grind out wins.
01:31They put up quality at-bats, uh, I, you know, line up, there's some things that, that I
01:38want to, I want to see certain guys be a little bit better than they've been thus far.
01:42Um, you know, we haven't seen much from, from Jay Ram yet.
01:45He'll, he'll get it cooking.
01:46So look, um, but fun to see Juan Brito.
01:50That, that was, that was really fun to see today.
01:53Him have a two-hit game, uh, I love, and, and look, it's going to be another good summer
01:57in Cleveland, and it normally is with this team, big picture, you want to talk about
02:02money and all that, uh, I'll, I'll tell you this much.
02:04I, I do think, um, the ownership thing within the next couple of years with David Blitzer
02:09is going to get interesting and, and allow for, for us to maybe have some happier days
02:13in terms of off-season acquisitions.
02:15I, I believe that to be true down the road.
02:18All right, John, let's get to what happened last night.
02:20Michigan, two years into the dusty May era in Ann Arbor, uh, when their first national
02:26championship since Glenn Rice was having his fun up in Alaska, I will ask you, why was
02:33Michigan the team to win the Natty this year?
02:36They were gigantic.
02:37They're one of the biggest college teams I've ever seen, and their size mattered in every
02:42single way.
02:43They disrupted UConn's offense.
02:45UConn runs so many great off-ball motions, and UConn wasn't able to execute those last night
02:50because Michigan was standing there.
02:52There, there were times in that game where there's two or three Michigan guys around
02:56a UConn player with the ball, and when they're, when they're trying to figure out who they're
03:00going to pass it to, you've got to watch because it can get deflected.
03:03Adai Mara and Morez Johnson were the perfect combination down low.
03:06They funneled things defensively for you to, when you did take it to the rim, you couldn't
03:11just put up a shot.
03:12It would either get blocked, or you'd have to think twice about doing it.
03:15And you couple that with Michigan turned the water off of UConn's three-point shooting
03:20in the second half.
03:21UConn had hit five threes in the first half.
03:23It allowed them to, to really have a chance in the game, but this was a gritty grind of
03:29a performance.
03:30It was not a pretty game.
03:31It was not a work of art.
03:32It wasn't the best product for college basketball, but it was the best team winning the national
03:37championship.
03:37That doesn't always happen in the NCAA tournament.
03:40Michigan, no matter how much Buckeye fans hate to hear this, they deserve to win it.
03:44And their point guard, Elliot Cadeau, came from North Carolina.
03:46What a difference the year makes.
03:47He goes from Carolina.
03:48People think he's a big part of the reason why Hubert Davis wasn't having success.
03:52A year later, Cadeau is the most outstanding player at the Final Four.
03:56Hubert Davis is unemployed, and Michael Malone's the top three highest-paid coach in college
04:00basketball.
04:01Yeah, in fact, that's kind of why I gave May so much credit.
04:04I didn't like people that were calling it an NIL title last night, because from now
04:08down to that story, when Johnson transferred from Illinois, Underwood had basically buried him.
04:14When Lenderborg came from UAB, like, you have to have actual, like, there's some scouting
04:18that happened.
04:19There's some real, like, I can turn this guy around.
04:21I can get this right.
04:22It wasn't just, let's throw money at the problem.
04:24You can't just buy a championship.
04:27You can't.
04:29Ask Mark Pope how that worked out at Kentucky.
04:32Right?
04:33Bill Self's had plenty of money here in the new rev share era, and has not been able to,
04:38Darren Peterson was playing one day and not playing the next.
04:41It's very hard to win a championship.
04:44Now, you could twist this back and say, Dusty May didn't in two years.
04:48He made it look awfully easy.
04:50Dusty May and Kurt Cignetti put, they put pressure on other athletic departments.
04:55They put severe pressure.
04:57And it's a really good thing that Orion Day has his title at Ohio State, because we all
05:02know what that will look like.
05:03But look, we talked about it in March, about how an Ohio State basketball, like, if I'm a
05:08Buckeye fan, yeah, I wake up today and say, why can't that be us?
05:12It's not just writing a blank check.
05:14You got to have at least $10 million for your college basketball budget.
05:18You do.
05:18You do.
05:19Because the top players are going for $2.5 to $3 million, sometimes $3.5 million, and
05:25you need two of those guys.
05:26And then you can fill out your roster if you're going to be economical about it.
05:30But, Dusty, these pieces fit, JP.
05:33It's not like Yaxel Lendeborg came from a blue blood.
05:36He came from UAB.
05:37He came from UAB.
05:39Moretz Johnson barely played last year at full strength.
05:42Dai Mara had a totally different role playing for Mick Cronin.
05:46And if you watched a Dai Mara in October, you would have thought, this guy is not very
05:49good.
05:50He learned.
05:51He developed as a player.
05:52It's more than just a blank check.
05:55All right, John.
05:57Speaking of more than just a blank check, Ohio State fans vividly remembering that Dusty
06:03May was one of the finalists for the job that went to Diebler two years ago.
06:07I will ask you the obvious question here.
06:10If Ohio State had hired Dusty May two years ago, would they be the team that cut down the
06:15Nets last night?
06:17I don't see why they wouldn't be in the mix to do it.
06:20I mean, you need certain things to go your way.
06:22You've got to stay fully healthy.
06:23But he'd have them in the mix.
06:25And that's all you can ask for in the tournament.
06:27You know, Michigan, they had a terrible offensive first half last night.
06:31And things could have gone sideways.
06:33Lendeborg, you could just tell guys watching Lendeborg play last night, he was hurt.
06:36I mean, he was so far from his normal self.
06:39But yes, if you nail the hire in this sport, the coaches are the bridge to everything.
06:45They're the bridge to the fans, especially in college basketball.
06:49Because college basketball, for the casual fan, the majority of them don't start tuning
06:55in until March.
06:57There are several others who start in mid-February or late January at earliest.
07:02But it's not.
07:03I cover it year-round.
07:04But I understand the reality of the situation.
07:07The one thing that you relate to is the coach.
07:09The coach is the CEO, the GM.
07:11They develop the players.
07:14It's a big reason why I think Michael Malone just took the Carolina job.
07:17You know why?
07:18He and Calvin Booth hated each other in Denver.
07:20He couldn't be the GM.
07:22He wishes he could have controlled more personnel, and he didn't.
07:25At Carolina, he gets to control everything, for better or worse.
07:29If Ohio State hires Dusty May, Dusty May clearly knows what he's doing.
07:34And Dusty May and the Buckeyes could have been national champions last night.
07:38All right, John.
07:39It seems like anyone that wants, and myself included, I think you agreed last week,
07:43the idea of like, all right, you want to be the four seed, you don't want to be the three
07:45seed.
07:46Take on the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals instead of the second round.
07:49Cavs have responded by winning nine out of their last 11.
07:52And they don't seem to be taking the advice, John.
07:55I don't know.
07:56I don't know.
07:56What do you think they do tomorrow night?
07:58Do you think they, and the list has come out.
08:00Donovan's listed as doubtful.
08:02He's not listed as out.
08:03He's doubtful in this game.
08:04What do you think they do?
08:05Do they rest the players, or do they continue to just go full steam ahead?
08:09I think you're going to see some rest tomorrow night.
08:12I think you're going to see some maneuverability tomorrow night.
08:15Why would I give my full deck of cards to Atlanta at this stage of the season when it's very
08:21likely that I play them?
08:23But, you know, I just don't, I think it benefits you both from the standpoint of playing the Pistons.
08:31Now, I'll tell you this much.
08:32I don't know how much you watched last night.
08:34I thought early on, I'm like, well, they're trying.
08:37But Memphis is so bad.
08:38I mean, they are terrible.
08:42To give up 142 points to that Cavs team, you know, I mean, I don't know about you guys.
08:49But I'm watching that game, and I'm thinking, not the best of looks for the National Basketball Association.
08:54Having said this, the Cavaliers should not be doing much to try to win tomorrow night's game,
09:00nor should they give Atlanta a great defensive team.
09:03Like, Atlanta's been as good as any team in the league on the defensive end of the four since the
09:08All-Star break.
09:09They've been phenomenal because they're lengthy and versatile.
09:13You don't want to give your offensive formula.
09:14So I expect the Cavaliers these next two games to take it easier.
09:20Now, what will Atlanta do?
09:22Look, that's the other question here.
09:24But Atlanta still has to seal this up.
09:26They should.
09:27They're game and a half up for the five spot on the Toronto Raptors.
09:32The Raptors, they've got a hard finish with Miami, who's still got stuff to play for.
09:39And then they've got Miami twice and then a visit to New York.
09:42So the fact is, like, I don't expect much from either team tomorrow.
09:46I think it's still very likely that they're seeing each other in the first round.
09:50But, you know, I think for the Cavs, like, I would be surprised if they're not in that four or
09:58five.
09:58And then they've got to put their money where their mouth is.
10:03Like, they have to break through because there's doubters.
10:08I think there's going to be people doubting them going into a series with the Hawks.
10:12Time to prove something here.
10:14It's now or never for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
10:17John, assuming that the Cavs and the Celtics meet up at some point in the playoffs, out of, like, 100%,
10:24what percent chance do you give the Cavs beating Boston in a seven-game series?
10:30I'll go 30%.
10:33I went 46%.
10:34I think that means I'm a better Cavs fan than you.
10:37I went 40%, Fanta.
10:38So Nick is the rah-rah Cavs fan right now.
10:41Can't stop his optimism.
10:42I would say 30% to 40%, but I committed to 30%.
10:48That doesn't sound like you committed to 30, buddy.
10:52No, you know, I'll go 35% as my final number if you'll allow me to do that, if you'll
10:58allow me to raise it by five points.
11:01But you're a better Cavs fan than I.
11:03Here's the thing about the Cavs.
11:05Here's the thing about the Cavs.
11:07Can they be the enforcer?
11:10I think I've come on your show three straight years and said, can they be the enforcer in the playoffs?
11:16And they have not been.
11:17They've been pushed around.
11:19They've been – the opponent has dictated what happens.
11:23And they just – their perimeter guys have gotten pushed out by other guards who are defending them.
11:31It's really – everybody always thinks when I say physicality and stuff, they think I'm talking about defense.
11:37I'm talking about the Cavaliers' ability to function offensively, run their stuff, and get clean looks.
11:43And as time went on last postseason, it became predictable.
11:47You would think – you would think if you have two players, the caliber of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden,
11:54that your offense will be able to hum throughout stretches.
11:58Here's the one thing about Boston.
12:01Boston's front court's not really going to expose you.
12:04It's not.
12:05Boston is drive and kick nation.
12:08They want high-volume threes, transition, eight seconds or less, and we're going to make you pay because you're not
12:16getting back.
12:16That could be hard on a James Harden.
12:18But the one thing is, like, Detroit is grimy defense, but they struggle to score at times.
12:25Boston wants – they want to get up and down.
12:28And so the Cavaliers, they don't match up terribly with Boston.
12:34I actually think the Knicks, when the Knicks are at their best, that could cause some concern for the Cavaliers
12:40from a matchup standpoint.
12:41Because I think the Knicks have a lot of answers for what the Cavs do.
12:45But the Cavs don't match up terribly with the Celtics.
12:47Honestly, they don't match up terribly with anybody.
12:50They have two elite scorers.
12:52They have a great defensive player in Evan Mobley.
12:55And they've got a supporting cast that could be better than it's been in the past.
12:59But they've got to show up.
13:01This is validation time for Cleveland.
13:05All right.
13:06So this brings us to a question that's been a bit of a Donnybrook in the station between JP and
13:11I, the mornings and I.
13:13Do you see a difference if it's going to end the same way with the Celtics?
13:18Do you see a difference between losing to the Celtics in the second round or losing to the Celtics in
13:23the third round?
13:25Well, they would have made the conference finals.
13:27And Donovan Mitchell has never done that in his career.
13:29And for the Cavaliers making the Eastern Conference Finals would be big for them.
13:37So I'm going to say that I do think it's a slight difference because they'd be able to be one
13:47of the last two in this conference standing.
13:49And you couldn't say that about these past couple of teams.
13:52You couldn't even say they were that close to that.
13:55Is it the same end result?
13:56Well, yes, I understand that they're not NBA champions.
14:01But to me, Nick and JP, are they going to be – so if it's the Celtics in the second
14:09round versus the Celtics in the conference finals,
14:13if it's the Celtics in the conference finals, that would mean they're beating the Pistons in the semis, correct?
14:20Yes.
14:20Yes.
14:21So my thing is the Cavaliers would be taking a positive step by winning a series that I think they're
14:27going to be – albeit short,
14:30but the Cavs in the playoffs, they have not been able to win series as a favorite at times,
14:35nor alone when they don't have home court and they've been an underdog.
14:40Would I take them in a series over Detroit?
14:42Yeah, but in six or seven games.
14:45And so for me, they have not done that.
14:48This organization hasn't taken that step where they won a playoff series that a lot of people didn't think they
14:54would.
14:54So for me, it is a step.
14:57I'm not saying it's a gigantic step, but there's a difference between that and nothing, and it meaning absolutely nothing.
15:04I'm guessing Wilson disagrees with this.
15:06Yeah, you're right.
15:07Yeah.
15:07Yeah, I'm guessing losing to Boston in the second round and losing in the third round are the same thing
15:13because the other teams that you will have beaten, like nobody came into this season thinking,
15:19man, I hope we can just get past Detroit in the playoffs.
15:23No, they came in thinking you want to be NBA champions.
15:26Yeah.
15:27So it does sound like a fair amount of people, fear-based thinking, are lowering their expectations to protect their
15:33feelings.
15:34They shouldn't be doing that.
15:35They shouldn't be doing that.
15:37But I think that for me, I'm a little – I come at it from a different angle of I've
15:45not seen D-Mitch,
15:46and I haven't – you have not been one of the last two standing in your conference.
15:51And if this team's not there in the conference finals, this season is an all-out failure.
15:58It is.
15:58It's an all-out failure.
15:59Whereas for me, if you show up to the conference finals now, there's layers to that too.
16:05If they show up to the conference finals and they get swept and they're non-competitive, then yeah, to me
16:09it falls in the same.
16:10It actually falls in the same.
16:12But if they give Boston a hell of a series and they just come up short, that's great basketball at
16:17that point.
16:17You're one of the last four standing in the NBA.
16:19You look at your roster, you say, which supporting cast members, what can we build on?
16:23Did Jalen Tyson have a great postseason?
16:26What did Dennis Schroeder give us?
16:28What did some of those – what did Max Struis give us?
16:30Like, there's layers to a series like that, but for me, getting to the conference finals is something that this
16:38group has yet to show that they can do.
16:41All right, John.
16:42I'm 95% sure this was a great – you know what?
16:46I'm changing it.
16:47100% sure this is a great interview.
16:50We appreciate you, buddy.
16:51Thank you, John.
16:52Appreciate you guys.
16:53Happy Sanders versus Watson season.
16:55Oh, we didn't even get a chance to ask John about Sanders versus Watson.
16:59Oh, no, we'll never have another opportunity.
17:01Like next week.
17:02I'm going to lead it off next week, John, just for you.
17:05NBC Sports' very own, Cleveland's very own, John Fanta on the Make It Right Call, Kyle Wright Hotline.
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