00:00And she joins us every single Wednesday at 3.20.
00:04She joins us now, Cleveland.com's Ashley Bastock.
00:07Not just on the Browns, covering some Cavs here recently as well.
00:10Ashley, welcome to the show.
00:12Thanks for having me, guys.
00:13And you're right, we can talk about both teams this week.
00:17So plenty to go over, I'm sure.
00:19We might even be able to keep it on the rails this segment.
00:23Oh, why would you do that?
00:24You know that when you say these things, Ashley...
00:27I have to thank you.
00:28So there's something...
00:29I have to, I have to bait you.
00:31No, no, the...
00:33We do...
00:34No, no, you don't.
00:36It's just a standard no, I guess.
00:37Yeah, I said no a lot there.
00:39You did a lot.
00:40Let's actually start with the Cavs, because I know you've been covering these last couple
00:43games here.
00:44Actually, I'm going to start here.
00:472-2, tonight's game five.
00:49Just a prediction.
00:50Who do you think will win the series?
00:55Can you hear the unsureness in my voice right now?
01:00Because it's so difficult for me to bet on this Cavs team until they win a road game.
01:08Like, that's what's making this so hard, is the fact that they haven't won a road game yet.
01:14And right now, it is best of three, with two of those three games in Detroit.
01:21I would make the argument that right now, I don't know, but I would have an answer after game five
01:28tonight.
01:28I do kind of think whoever wins game five and goes up 3-2, that that team is going to
01:36come out on top.
01:37Like, I just think it would favor the Pistons in the sense that they do have that game seven home
01:43game
01:43they could rely on, even if they would lose in Cleveland.
01:46But the Cavs, if they pull it out and win tonight, then you're coming back home,
01:51which they, to me, in this series have looked like a different team at home.
01:55And I would argue the Pistons have looked like a different team in Cleveland
01:58than they looked like in the first two games in Detroit.
01:59So I really am leaning towards it's going to come down to who wins tonight.
02:05Not a good enough answer.
02:06Yeah, I'm actually going to wait until seeing who actually wins,
02:10and then I'll be able to tell you who I think is going to win, Ashley.
02:12Oh, brother.
02:14You guys, you don't have any room for nuances on here.
02:19Well, there's not nuance attached to what's going to play out.
02:23I mean, that's not.
02:25By the way, the funniest part of this, Ashley, is Jonathan is the king of let's let this play out.
02:31All the time.
02:32I know.
02:33And who do you all think is going to win?
02:35You tell me who you think is going to win tonight.
02:36I think the Cavs are going to win tonight.
02:39I think the Cavs are going to win tonight.
02:41Yeah, I think the Cavs are going to win.
02:41JP is planting his flag and the Cavs are going to win.
02:44But, I mean, I'm serious.
02:45Like, I can't say, yes, for sure, the Cavs are going to for sure win this series.
02:49We're talking about a team that has not won a road game yet in the postseason.
02:53But, I like that you stay with this.
02:57You know, because, like, you could just be an easy homer with this.
03:00You could just say Cavs and then just be like, well, basketball credibility is shot, but I got football.
03:07I know.
03:08I'd always have my Browns writing to fall back on.
03:10But, no, I mean, I do.
03:11I genuinely believe that the Cavs have made it very difficult on themselves by not winning a road game yet.
03:17Right?
03:18Like, that, to me, there's that old adage about the playoff series doesn't start until someone wins a road game.
03:24And I guess by that standard, you could say their first-round series against the Raptors never started because no
03:29one won a road game.
03:31So, we're still waiting.
03:32We're still waiting for both of these teams here for this series to actually start.
03:37That's kind of how I feel about it.
03:38Ashley, after Game 4, Donovan Mitchell shouted out a local breakfast joint.
03:44So, actually, I want to hear if you agree or disagree with this because this is a fundamental core principle
03:49of Nick Wilson being Nick Wilson.
03:51Finding an incredible local breakfast joint or brunch joint, I will accept either, is a staple of quality adulthood.
04:02A staple of quality adulthood?
04:04I would go yes because, like, a good breakfast place is probably my favorite type of restaurant.
04:09Like, breakfast might be my favorite meal, guys.
04:11Like, I love a good breakfast.
04:14So, I think if you can find the right place that has what you want, that has, like, a really
04:18good breakfast burrito, maybe some really good pancakes.
04:22I don't know.
04:23Those are typically what I go for.
04:24I think that's a staple of adulthood.
04:26I was worried you were going to say avocado toast and I was going to lose all.
04:29We bonded so well over this and I was like, you know, maybe if they have some rice cakes and
04:35then we would just spend the call would have been over.
04:38Well, I do love some avocado toast as well, but I got to, you know, you got to, like, zhuzh
04:44it up a little bit.
04:45You got to put an over-easy egg on there.
04:49You got to get some good toppings.
04:51You got to get some feta cheese.
04:52Like, there are ways to zhuzh it up, I think.
04:54You know what's slept on?
04:55I can make you a good avocado toast, Nick Wilson.
04:58I could change your mind on this.
04:59Ashley, you know what's slept on?
05:01I love an acai bowl these days.
05:05Oh, you know what?
05:06I think it's too much like a smoothie in a bowl.
05:08That's kind of what I love about it.
05:09That's kind of, you call that a bug, I call that a feature.
05:13Yeah, we're just on opposite ends of the spectrum on that one.
05:17Here's the problem with avocado toast.
05:19Avocado.
05:20What's wrong with avocado?
05:22It's like banana without the flavor.
05:24That's an insane take.
05:25No, it's got the texture of banana without the actual flavor of banana.
05:30Do you like guac at all or no?
05:32No, I will not guac it out.
05:33You're out on guac, too?
05:34I'm out on guac.
05:35I'd actually prefer just a raw avocado chopped up over guac.
05:40You're just swinging bad takes at me.
05:43Consistent takes, I would say.
05:45All right, Ashley.
05:48We're going to discuss food later.
05:50Yeah, who's the most intriguing quarterback in the Browns quarterback room right now for you?
05:56What are we defining intriguing as?
05:58Intriguing?
05:59I don't really.
05:59Do you want me to lose definition?
06:01Yeah.
06:02All right.
06:02I know you want to be Miss Nuance here.
06:04Should we pull up the dictionary.com?
06:06Would I have to define intriguing?
06:10It's a problem.
06:11You can't ask me a question and not, like, know what you're asking me.
06:16Fair.
06:16I've got to know what are we looking for.
06:18Okay.
06:19So here's what I'm going to say.
06:21Rephrase it.
06:22Jeff, rephrase it.
06:25Who's in command of this interview?
06:28I know.
06:29I hope your editor's some pain in the ass for you this week.
06:33Rephrase it.
06:34Oh, rephrase it, Nick.
06:35Damn it.
06:36Rephrase it.
06:36All right.
06:37Rephrase it.
06:38Which quarterback in the Browns quarterback room do you find the most intriguing?
06:43Let's just reword it.
06:44Intriguing.
06:44An adjective describing something that arouses deep interest.
06:47Slightly intrigued.
06:49Which quarterback do I find the most intriguing right now?
06:55I guess for me, I would have to stick with Shador Sanders just because here's the element.
07:04We still have only seen him make seven starts.
07:07It's not a ton, right?
07:08And obviously, he is still one of the youngest guys in that room.
07:12And he's the one closest to the starting job, we can assume from everything we've been told and seen this
07:20offseason.
07:21So, that being said, I think Talon Green, I left rookie minicamp being obviously really interested in his size and
07:29how he can move and the physical traits and all of that.
07:32But there is still the developmental angle with him.
07:36And, you know, I think you don't, in this instance, expect a sixth-round rookie to be your starting quarterback
07:41day one.
07:43So, I think Shador still has that intrigue to me.
07:46Like, I want to see more of the positive that we saw last year.
07:51But I want to see it in this Todd Munkin offense that I think is going to be better suited
07:55for him.
07:56And that, to me, is the unknown that still exists with Shador is what makes him intriguing coupled with the
08:03fact that, hey, he is so close to this starting job still.
08:07Asher, I remember last year, people left the early parts with Schwestinger being like, okay, he just looks like an
08:12NFL player.
08:13There's just nothing to debate there.
08:15He just looks awesome.
08:15And it was very obvious early.
08:17Was there anybody that looked very obvious early on that they look like they belong in the NFL from what
08:22you saw?
08:24I think the two that I felt really passed that basic sort of eyeball test that, yeah, Carson was the
08:31guy who passed it last year, were Denzel Boston and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.
08:38Like, I mean, when you see McNeil-Warren, first of all, both these guys are like 6'4", right?
08:42I think McNeil-Warren, I think McNeil-Warren, closer to 6'3", but they're the biggest guys out there.
08:48I mean, prototypical size for him at safety.
08:51Boston, I left wondering if, like, how much in terms of their lifting plans for him, like, how much weight
08:59they might potentially want him to add,
09:01because it looks like he has room on his frame to add some more weight and really be that big
09:07sort of red zone target that I think the Browns just have been lacking in their receiver room over the
09:13last few years.
09:14And, you know, McNeil-Warren, I love the versatility that I think we saw.
09:18I mean, I would think that we're going to see a lot more three-safety looks in this defense.
09:23And he, to me, looks like a guy that is going to be able to step in, be disruptive.
09:30And I thought Denzel Boston had – I was only at the Friday practice.
09:33I thought he did some really great things, looked consistent, looked the part.
09:38So that's one guy on each side of the ball for me.
09:40All right, schedule-wise, we did find out no international games for the Browns this year.
09:46Is there a matchup you'd most like to see week one for the Browns?
09:52Is there a matchup I would most like to see week one for the Browns?
09:59I don't have the non-division opponent list in front of me.
10:02Can you guys rattle any off for me here?
10:05Uh, Falcons, Buccaneers, Saints, Jets, Colts, Giants?
10:14I got six off the top of my head.
10:16They do get Jets to catch.
10:17Yeah.
10:18So, I mean, given the storylines, I guess the most intriguing week one would be the Falcons
10:25and Kevin Stefanski, and then I would follow that up with the Bucs and Baker Mayfield.
10:32Like, those to me feel like – you think about week one and the possibility of storylines.
10:38I think the league always leans very heavily into that.
10:41I think back a couple years ago when the Browns hosted the Cowboys in week one,
10:45there was a lot of talk around that game.
10:47Tom Brady was calling his first game.
10:49That's what I like to see out of my week one game.
10:52So, I would say the Falcons for the Bucs right now would be my top choice for that week one
11:01slate.
11:01Yeah, I love the drama attached to that.
11:03Nick was making the case yesterday, though, that he wants, like, the Jets or someone like that.
11:07I mean, an easy one.
11:08Basically a layup for the early part of a Todd Munkin era.
11:11Be careful what you wish for.
11:13Be careful what you wish for, Nick Wilson, because we thought the Jets were going to be easy in 2025,
11:18and then the Browns gave up two special teams touchdowns.
11:21So, be careful what you wish for in that regard is my answer.
11:25They couldn't possibly do that twice in a row.
11:29Not the Browns.
11:30We are talking about the Cleveland Browns.
11:32Also, Dustin DC saying no avocado or guac.
11:38He's saying that I'm definitely not in the Jush It Up club.
11:41Yeah, that is part of the Jush It Up club for sure.
11:44I think she's saying Jush It Up.
11:46You said Jush It Up?
11:48No, no, no.
11:49No.
11:51Go ahead, Ashley.
11:52Jush.
11:52Jush?
11:53Jush It Up.
11:54You know, yeah.
11:55What in the blue hell does Jush mean?
11:58Like, you know, add some extra stuff to it that I think I could get you to like avocado.
12:04But this was...
12:04Jush It Up a little bit.
12:05This was before I knew...
12:07Yeah, this was before I knew you don't even like guacamole.
12:09So, I think I might be out on helping you.
12:11I don't...
12:12I don't know if I can...
12:13If I got anything for you, Nick.
12:15You might just not like avocado toast.
12:17And I'm going to have to live with that.
12:18You're saying it different than she is.
12:20Jush.
12:20No.
12:21No.
12:22Jush It Up a little bit.
12:23Jush It Up.
12:37Just nitpicking it a little bit.
12:38Well, now you see now...
12:39That sounds different.
12:40That's what happened when I got married.
12:44We're having fun.
12:48Ashley.
12:49Many people have said that they are...
12:55There's no way we're getting this thing.
12:58No.
12:58No.
13:03Can you zhush up this interview at all?
13:06He said no.
13:09Are you guys okay?
13:12We might have taken edibles or something.
13:13I'm not sure.
13:14I don't know.
13:15What did you put in this drink?
13:19All right.
13:19What's the difference in terms of your expectations?
13:22The Browns widely seen as having a top five easiest schedule.
13:26How much of a difference when you make your win predictions, your win projections, is it
13:32if you have the top five easiest schedule in the NFL versus top five hardest schedule
13:37in the NFL?
13:39I mean, I think the terms of...
13:43Or in terms of how easy your schedule is, it plays a lot into my win projection.
13:49And I've talked about this before.
13:52I think about the first six games last year when you had your three division opponents,
13:57you had three NFC North opponents that were all coming off a really good season, and you
14:03had an international game all within those six games, right?
14:06Like, it proved to be a huge factor.
14:10So I think sometimes we can get caught up in the schedule game, but I think I look at this
14:14schedule, right?
14:15And my colleague Mary Kay Cabot put up a story yesterday kind of looking at all of these
14:20things in terms of how easy the schedules are across the league and where the Browns rank.
14:26I also think it's interesting that I believe they're traveling the second fewest air miles
14:32this season in the NFL.
14:34Like, those things always play a big factor to me.
14:37I think people don't account for them enough, actually.
14:39And historically, in the last, like, five years, the Browns really have not been able to win
14:45on the West Coast.
14:47So the fact that they don't have to go there, they don't have to go overseas, like, I think
14:52they're definitely going to get maybe a handful, two or three more wins for me than I would
14:59otherwise if they had those other things working against them.
15:02So, I mean, I definitely think it matters, and in their case, maybe two or three more
15:08projected wins for me.
15:11Ashley, strong stuff.
15:12Many people on social media are saying this interview was all your fault because you challenged
15:17us to the beginning, and then we wilted from it.
15:20So way to zhuzh up the interview here, but we appreciate you.
15:25Guys, this is why I'm a reporter.
15:27You got to push back a little bit and ask some hard questions.
15:30And I asked you a hard question, Nick Bolton.
15:33There you go.
15:33You asked me to define what a treating is.
15:36That's an impossible question.
15:37I'm not Google yet.
15:41Ashley, be good.
15:42Sorry, Nick.
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