00:00Our next guest knows a lot about SeaWorld.
00:03He knows a lot about Geauga Lake.
00:05This is a man born and bred in Northeast Ohio.
00:09Might live in Jersey, still very Ohio on the NBC Sports train.
00:14The man's a superstar on the Make It Right.
00:15Call Kyle Wright Hotline.
00:16The great John Fanta joins us now.
00:18We'll talk a little Geauga Lake and a little bit of Cleveland Cavaliers.
00:21John, welcome to the show.
00:23Geauga Lake, Wild Water Kingdom.
00:24Great to be with you guys.
00:26Now, we did have the conversation.
00:28You were either SeaWorld or you were Geauga Lake.
00:31Can you confirm what the call screen says, that you were a Geauga Lake guy?
00:36Well, I was because of my age.
00:38You know, for me, Geauga Lake, I can faintly remember a visit to SeaWorld.
00:45I was born in 95, and that closed right around 2000.
00:51So, Geauga Lake, I can remember 06, 07, 08, going over to Geauga Lake.
00:57And then, when they, you know, had the water park with it, Wild Water Kingdom, I can remember the family
01:03us all going over there and having a grand old time.
01:06Lost generation.
01:08Yeah, because, John, I mean, you seem like you'd be a big whale guy if it was still around.
01:12Absolutely.
01:13I love me some whales.
01:16That's all I wanted to hear.
01:18No follow-ups.
01:19No notes.
01:20I really do.
01:21Perfect, perfect description, John.
01:23What?
01:23Well, I miss that it's not around.
01:25I mean, SeaWorld is an institution.
01:27I know there was a documentary, and I know a couple of, you know, I know there was a tragedy
01:31involved there.
01:32But, like, yeah, it's, I'm a big, I wish SeaWorld was still around, because I would definitely be there.
01:39What a way to yada, yada, yada.
01:42Real tragedy.
01:44I know there was a documentary about it, and, you know, some whales died, but come on.
01:51Yeah, they drafted Dylan Gabriel.
01:53He's still on the team, but it's all good.
01:55All right.
01:56Let's get to the Cavaliers here.
01:58Is the Cavs-Raptors series over?
02:01Yes, yes, it's over, and the Cavaliers are going to win this series.
02:07If it goes five games, that's great.
02:11Maybe Toronto gets one.
02:12Maybe they get one on Sunday.
02:14But the Cavaliers can sweep this series.
02:16They can.
02:18The Cavaliers, with James Harden in the mix, this is a different team.
02:26They're a better team.
02:27They're a more dynamic team.
02:29It's why you made the trade.
02:31There is no question that they are closer to a championship as they are currently constructed now than they were
02:39prior to the trade deadline, and even when they were fully healthy, in my humble opinion, last spring.
02:48Harden lifts the pressure off of Mitchell having to be a scorer and a playmaker.
02:54Evan Mobley is the best version of himself because he's playing his natural role.
03:00And the supporting cast wasn't even great last night.
03:03Dean Wade was very good defensively.
03:05He took away Brandon Ingram, and that's a big key to the Cavs in general is what are they getting
03:10from Dean Wade?
03:12What are they getting from Max Struess and Sam Merrill?
03:14And Struess delivered in game one.
03:16I'm waiting for Merrill.
03:17It would be nice on the road for him to hit some early shots when he does get into the
03:22action.
03:23But to me, the Cavs are a more potent, dangerous team.
03:27The playoffs is about, for me, the playoffs is about how many different ways can you score.
03:33And because there's going to be good defense, it's the playoffs.
03:36The Cavs have more ways of scoring and making plays for each other.
03:40They have the best three players in this series with the Raptors, and it shows.
03:45They are the far superior team to Toronto, and they should win this series in no more than five games.
03:50Yeah, what's interesting is the Raptors won the rebounding battle.
03:52They won the points in the paint battle.
03:54Barnes was good.
03:54R.J. Barrett was good.
03:56They got a lot of contributions from their bench.
03:58And it's like, well, hold on.
03:59What happened that didn't go well for the Raptors?
04:02The only thing you point to is Ingram, really.
04:04And they still didn't have much of a chance here, John.
04:07It's a superstar-driven league, as we all know.
04:10You've got to have those top-flight guys.
04:14And the Cavaliers have two of the best bucket-getting guards in the NBA.
04:18Hey, you can say that, okay, you know, and now anything less than the Eastern Conference Finals is a failure.
04:26I mean, let's call it what it is.
04:28Look at the East right now.
04:30Look at the fact that the East is even more wide open than I think we thought going into the
04:35playoffs.
04:35I think some people were like, yeah, you know, it's Boston or New York, the people outside of Cleveland.
04:41And even Cavs fans were doubting things.
04:43But if you're a Cavs fan, and the three of us all are, I think if you disagree, I'd like
04:51to hear it.
04:52But my thing is I feel better about this team and their chances than I did a week ago because
04:59I've seen two playoff games.
05:00I've also seen the New York Knicks choke away a game to Atlanta.
05:04They had no business choking.
05:06Their offense down the stretch was really rough.
05:10And Atlanta bodied them.
05:12They bullied them late.
05:13They got stops.
05:14They got in their grill.
05:16And they said, we can make this a long series.
05:18The Detroit Pistons can't score.
05:20Like, the playoffs are about how many different ways you can score.
05:23Beyond Kay Cunningham, they can't score.
05:25So I don't know how that series ends up.
05:27I think Detroit could still win it.
05:29Fine.
05:30The Cavaliers are a better, more potent team than either the Pistons or the Orlando Magic.
05:35Anything less than making the ECF.
05:37And I think it's going to be an Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
05:40And it's going to be Tatum, Brown, and Pritchard.
05:43And their three-point shot making against the Cavaliers who can score in their own way.
05:47Who's going to be tougher?
05:47Who's going to be better defensively?
05:49A lot of people pick the Celtics.
05:50The Cavs are right there.
05:52And now is their chance to gain traction and, guys, gain rest.
05:57They could have a significant rest advantage in these playoffs.
06:03John, looking to the physicality of the Cavs, the Toronto coach last night complained that the Cavs' physicality and yet
06:12Brandon Ingram only got one free throw shot or I think it was one foul against him.
06:18Are you buying into the newfound physicality or do you need to see it against a team with maybe a
06:24more physical rep like a Detroit or Orlando in a hypothetical second-round matchup?
06:29Yeah, I need to see it against one of those two teams, guys.
06:33I'm not ready to subscribe to Darko Ryakovich complaining about officiating where the Cavs have been physical.
06:41But the Raptors, like here's what I would say back to the coach.
06:45There were sequences last night in that game where Toronto was missing some wide-open shots.
06:51And there's a reason why some of those guys are open.
06:54Toronto's a bottom-10 shooting team in the league.
06:56Like, you could talk about physicality, and the Cavs, I do think the Cavs have been solid defensively.
07:04I really give a lot of credit to Wade because Dean Wade's playing 28 minutes.
07:08He had three shot attempts last night.
07:10But I'm not ready to sit here and say the Cavs are world beaters or they're the bad boys.
07:15Jared Allen had three rebounds last night.
07:17Now, the team was a plus-18 when he was on the floor.
07:20So, look, that's the plus-minus is something I look at.
07:24And as much as I would have – I'd like to see Jared still do more.
07:27He's still leaving things out there that I want to see him be better at.
07:31They still were a plus-18.
07:34I'm encouraged, but I need to see – because Orlando's got Paolo Bancaro and Des Bain and Wagner.
07:41They come at you with versatility and physicality.
07:45And Detroit, that's the name of their game.
07:47They want to muck it up.
07:48The Cavs are going to have to show it against one of those teams for me to subscribe to that.
07:52What I thought was interesting is anytime they try to do any late doubles on Harden or Donovan,
07:57the answer from the Cavs was just to throw it to Mobley in the paint.
08:01It sounds like such an easy and simple recipe, but when you see it executed,
08:06it just seems like something that's sustainable and something that will carry Evan Mobley through this playoffs.
08:11So, are you buying the idea that we'll have a more consistent Evan Mobley
08:14based off of what we've seen through the first two games?
08:18With Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley, there were times when Evan Mobley was the number two.
08:26Evan Mobley on a team that's going to make a deep run is best as number three in terms of
08:32the scoring offensive piece.
08:33And you have to have a number one and a number two who understand how to get him the ball,
08:40how to get him the basketball.
08:43James Harden, he did have five turnovers last night, but he also had five steals, which that's been encouraging.
08:51And he has done a very nice job of getting others involved.
08:57At times has he made a sloppy pass, sloppy mistake, yes.
09:00But I've liked his blend.
09:02I've liked his balance of knowing when to go and take that shot and knowing when to distribute.
09:08And the Cavs, when they've had their five that are on the floor right now for them at the start
09:16of games,
09:17Mitchell, Harden, Mobley, Allen, and Wayne, their offensive rating's gone up to about 120.
09:24And that's illustrative of what we're watching here and what your question is,
09:29which is I love that formula.
09:33I think Evan is comfortable there.
09:36You know, I like the fact that last night he was able to make a three along the way.
09:41When that went in, I remember thinking to myself, like, God, this guy's more comfortable with this collection of people
09:49on the floor.
09:50And, you know, we sometimes forget that the guy is still, you know, he's not even 25 years of age
09:59yet.
09:59So, you know, we've expected a lot from him.
10:02He's been asked to do a lot.
10:03But he understands what he's good at right now.
10:07And because Harden is a distributor, I think it's, again, it's taking some pressure off of Mitchell.
10:14But it's also taking pressure off Mobley.
10:17Mobley is best as the third wheel on a team that's going to make a deep run today.
10:22And instead of us trying to figure out, is it Garland?
10:27Is it Mobley?
10:28Can Garland and Mitchell impact the game when they don't, when the other doesn't have the ball?
10:33Well, Harden is showing I can give up the ball and impact the game.
10:37Because when I give up the ball, it's because I'm reading the defense and I'm making the right read.
10:44John, 24 games into the Guardians season.
10:47I do want to get to the Browns draft in a moment here.
10:49But I'm just curious what stood out to you from the Guardians about one-eighth of the way through the
10:54baseball season.
10:56I'm concerned about Kyle Manzardo.
10:59And I'm concerned about Stephen Kwan.
11:01The offense here is starting to show signs of fragility.
11:08So I'll start with the bad news.
11:11You know, you look right now, and Chase DeLaure is still making good contact.
11:16But, like, he's had a couple of games in a row where he's looked more human.
11:21And things haven't been as hot as they were at the start of the season.
11:25You know, the other thing is Bo Naylor.
11:27I mean, what happened to him?
11:29This guy, by the end of last year, was hitting the baseball well.
11:32Right now, he's hitting the buck 43.
11:34So they've got some concerns offensively.
11:38You know, I know Slade DeCone has gotten off to a rough start.
11:42He had some hiccups at times last year when he arrived to Cleveland.
11:48And then he worked through it and ended up being all right.
11:50Like, you know, a lot of people are like, well, he's unstartable.
11:53There are several MLB teams right now.
11:55They have three startable pitchers, and they have two in their rotation that are not getting it done.
11:59And they're finding ways to still win games.
12:02You know, it is April.
12:04The team has been – I've seen more good than bad, and that's indicative in their 13-11 record.
12:11I worry about the lineup going into a rut and showing some pitfall areas.
12:17And the biggest concern is still the bullpen.
12:21You know, you're seeing the after effects and symptoms now, full-on display of what happens when you, you know,
12:27when you lose your closer way prematurely to what anyone ever had on their bingo card.
12:31Now you walk into this season, it just feels like the puzzle pieces haven't fit in that bullpen.
12:36Now they've got some guys – they have some reinforcements coming, and Parker Messick – Parker Messick's been the MVP.
12:42He – not just because of his last start, because of each start.
12:45He's been absolutely phenomenal.
12:46They need a get-right start from him.
12:48And, you know, when you consider the fact that this ball club started their season in Seattle,
12:53then it's Chavez Ravine, then they played the Cubs, they've also played the Atlanta Braves.
12:58If they're 14-11 through their first 25 games, I think you sit here and you say,
13:02you know what, that's a solid start to the season, and they're in a good enough place.
13:06Some mild concerns, but I expect this ball club to be very much in the American League Central race,
13:13and I've already committed to the fact that I think that they will win another Central crown.
13:17I do think they have enough, but I've got to see Kyle Manzardo have some better at-bats, guys.
13:21He has got to be better at the dish.
13:24All right, John, let's lock it in.
13:26Pick number six, pick number 24, what do we feel?
13:31Yeah, I think for the Browns, if Maui Noah's on the board, which I don't know if he will be,
13:38and, you know, it's looking like there's a chance that he's not, you know, I think Caden Proctor,
13:46they're going to come out, I guarantee you, they're coming out in this first round with an offensive lineman.
13:51If they could trade this number six pick, I think they absolutely would 100%.
13:55But I think the Cardinals have the more valuable pick to trade,
13:59and I don't think there's going to be more than one trade in the top six.
14:02I think Arizona badly wants to collect assets and wants to get creative in this draft.
14:09So I think the guarantee is that the Browns are going to come out with an offensive lineman.
14:12They know they need a tackle.
14:13You know, they gave up the most pressures in the National Football League last year.
14:17It was a disaster.
14:18Monroe Freeling, to me, you know, is somebody that I'm interested to see if he gets selected by the Browns.
14:27I think that that's certainly an option.
14:29But I think they're going to come out with an offensive lineman.
14:31I don't think, I'll predict this right now, I don't think it goes like the chalk that everybody's got.
14:37Like, Andrew Barry's just going to go offensive lineman, and then he's going to go with a wide receiver.
14:43I think, by the way, Spencer Feneau is the other name that I think could go to the Cleveland Browns
14:48later this week.
14:50In fact, if I were to lock in a name, it actually would be him for this offensive lineman pick.
14:56But I think deeper in the first round, I don't know if Barry goes receiver like everyone, you know, wants
15:02him to and thinks that he will.
15:04I wouldn't be surprised if he goes with best available.
15:07He's even alluded to it that, you know, you can find a receiver in the second round.
15:11I could see that on night two for the Browns.
15:14But I think they're going to stay at six, and I think they're drafting one of these offensive tackles.
15:20John, great stuff as always, buddy.
15:22Obviously, we are knee-deep in NFL draft, knee-deep in the NBA playoffs.
15:27Can't wait to talk to you next week and see what's changed.
15:30I appreciate it, and I'll make the final prediction that I'll leave you with.
15:33The Cleveland Browns will draft a quarterback in this draft.
15:37All right, John, we appreciate you there.
15:39John Fanta, NBC Sports, and the Make It Right call Kyle Wright Hotline.
15:43Wait, what do we didn't want to know which quarterback?
15:45No, it doesn't matter.
15:47Do you think he's got a name?
15:48Yeah, I think he's got a name.
15:49Yeah, I think he's setting it up.
15:51John, we're going to bring you right back.
15:52I think he wants to give out a name.
15:53Give me the name.
15:54Wow.
15:55I have a gut feeling the Browns are going to draft Carson Beck.
15:59I told you he had a name.
16:00I love that surprise.
16:01Like, wow, I didn't see this coming.
16:03John had a name.
16:04Carson Beck's the name.
16:05How strong of a take is it they're going to take a quarterback this week?
16:08Not that strong of a take.
Comments