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00:00Go New York! Go New York! Go New York! Go New York!
00:04Walter, you would think that I'm in New York right now instead of Philadelphia.
00:09This is absolutely not the way that fans were hoping to end the Sixers' season.
00:14You can see that I am surrounded by this fan right now.
00:18Second-inches with some of the Sixers fans I doubt have to say.
00:23Oh, Southlakem, Fire-Nick Nurse, everybody go on, go on, go on.
00:26Like Kyle Lowry coach.
00:27I love Joel and I hope he stays. I love the whole team.
00:31They did amazing, but it's just heartbreaking. It really is.
00:36Another day, another celebrity Knicks fan here on Shine Time.
00:41Joining us right now, ESPN superstar.
00:44You'll see him tomorrow night at 8 p.m. on ESPN's NFL schedule release show.
00:49He is the critically acclaimed host of the Schrager Hour.
00:52Diehard Knicks fan, my guy, the great Peter Schrager.
00:56Peter, how are ya?
00:58Let's go! I'm doing amazing, Adam.
01:01Thanks for having me on. My debut on Shine Time.
01:03I gotta tell ya, listen, I am so excited, so excited to have you on the show.
01:07And we are both diehard Knicks fans.
01:09We've been talking Knicks forever, during the lean years.
01:12I've known you for 30 years, Peter.
01:14I've never seen anything quite like this team.
01:17Your opinion, what makes this Knicks team, this run, so amazing, so fun?
01:22And what makes Jalen Brunson the ideal New York City superstar?
01:26Okay, you and I grew up in loving the Knicks in the late 80s, early 90s, and then on.
01:33And I think those 92, 93, 94 teams were so special because of the grit and because of the way
01:39they played together.
01:40And they kinda symbolized whatever your version of New York was.
01:43So, when you had a Greg Anthony getting in the face of Kevin Johnson and all the stuff that they
01:49used to have back then,
01:50but then also Mason and Oakley and Charles Smith, and then you go to the Anthony Bonners and all these
01:55guys that just pitched in.
01:57But, like, Derek Harper and Doc Rivers, like, they didn't take any crap from anybody.
02:01And, of course, Starks and Ewing.
02:03So, this team here feels like it has a bit of that.
02:06There's a fabric of New York where, okay, Hart isn't gonna take anything from anyone.
02:11Mitchell Robinson's not gonna take anything from anyone.
02:13And then you add in, like, Alvarado off the bench and Deuce, and there's a real connection to the city,
02:17but also the way they play in that they're not necessarily tough guys, but they don't take crap from anyone.
02:25I'm obsessed with that. I love an Anthony Bonner reference.
02:27I mean, that's about as great as it gets.
02:29We got him from the Sacramento Kings, I wanna say.
02:32Yes! 100%, without question.
02:35You might have traded Pete Chilcutt for him, which is okay, and that's fine.
02:40Shrek, the minimum expectation for me, NBA Finals, and it's going to happen.
02:45And I truly think, and I'm not getting greedy here, because I'm watching them play,
02:50I think the Knicks can compete with OKC.
02:52Now, we've both never seen a Knicks championship.
02:56Is this gonna be the year?
02:58It feels like it. There's no team playing better.
03:01Now, you could tell me the Thunder haven't lost yet,
03:03and they are, you know, champions, and I respect them, obviously.
03:07But I put them in the same conversation right now, the way they are playing.
03:11The Knicks are blowing out opponents, and they did it against the Hawks a couple times.
03:15Then, obviously, these four games against the Philadelphia 76ers were unlike any series I've ever watched as a Knicks fan,
03:21where there was no feeling of stress or pressure after the start of game three when they were like,
03:27all right, we're just gonna take over this game.
03:28The Mitchell Robinson dunk on Embiid basically was like, all right, take your foot off the gas.
03:33Enjoy the Mother's Day weekend. You don't have any stress about anything.
03:36Adam, I respect the heck out of the Thunder.
03:38And what they did this year without their second best player on the court for much of the season was
03:42mastery.
03:43But I also think this Knicks team can compete, and we've beaten them before, and why not? Let's do it
03:47again.
03:48NFL schedule release tomorrow. I'm a schedule release wonk just like you.
03:52I mean, to me, NFL execs, when you think about Mike North and Ani Bose and Hans Schroeder,
03:58that's my version of the big three. That's right. That's my big three, your big three, our big three.
04:04What makes this, because the fans love it, such an awesome event?
04:08And what are you looking forward to, and what do you look for on schedule release night?
04:12Well, I think there's two things at play here.
04:13I think there's a sarcastic response, and the cynic will say, like, oh, the schedule release.
04:18Like, what do you mean? We're not the ones making it into something.
04:21The broadcast partners are. The networks are.
04:24Because when you and I grew up, you go to a Disney upfront, it was, here's Grey's Anatomy, here's Wisteria
04:30Lane, here's...
04:31Now it's like, we've got Dancing with the Stars, and we've got sports, and let's talk about the Savannah Bananas,
04:37and let's talk about the schedule, because we're about to announce something.
04:40All of these teams, they can only do what they can do.
04:43It's the networks and the broadcast partners, the Netflix, the Amazon, who are like,
04:48we're going to bring out Shabuzi and Andrew Whitworth, and we're going to sing and dance for you.
04:52It used to be, you know, here's Will and Grace, or here's Frazier.
04:56Well, that doesn't exist anymore. You know, it's football.
04:59So, it's become bigger than ever. And I personally love it, because I love to do the math of it,
05:04and see why this team was scheduled here, and what the NFL thinks.
05:07Like, the fact that the Bengals, or the team they sent to Madrid, is very interesting to me.
05:14It means that Burrow has a little bit of some international appeal, and Burrow has a little bit of flavor,
05:20because they could have sent four other teams to Madrid to play the Falcons.
05:23They chose the Bengals, the Cincinnati Bengals, where for us, growing up in the Achilles-Smith-Kajana-Carter years,
05:29you would never think you would ever put them in a showcase game.
05:31They were picked to go represent America in the NFL in a game that's being played in the same stadium
05:37as Real Madrid.
05:38That's the kind of stuff that I absolutely love.
05:40100%. I think the Bengals have real Super Bowl potential this year, and Burrow has swagger.
05:45Chase and Higgins, the whole thing, love Sexy Dexy, that deal.
05:48So, we're on the same page here, what the Bengals represent.
05:51ESPN starts the Monday Night Football Slay with the Chiefs and the Broncos.
05:55Look, I think the team to beat in the AFC West, the Chargers.
05:58I'm kind of obsessed with the Raiders' offseason.
06:01AFC West is a banger this year. What's your read on the division?
06:05Yeah, I think that the Chargers come in with a healthy offensive line,
06:09so immediately you think, all right, well, they were awesome when they had Alton Slater,
06:14and then they were terrible when they didn't have them.
06:16But to me, all eyes are on Kansas City.
06:19I know Denver was a fun story, and they had those miracle wins,
06:21and they made that little run in the playoffs, and I'm not saying little in a demeaning way,
06:24but here's Kansas City beaten down on the mat, and yet they came back.
06:31Kelsey's back. Mahomes is coming back from this injury. Stone Cold Jones is back.
06:36And they went four for four, first four picks, defensive players in the draft.
06:41They lost a lot this offseason, but I am fascinated with the fact that they're all rallying around each other,
06:47and they're like, no, no, no, no, this era's not done yet.
06:49Let's try to do this one more time.
06:51So the Chiefs, to me, are the team I'm watching, and as much as we always want to anoint the
06:56next team,
06:56the Broncos actually did it last year. They won the division and they swept the Chiefs.
07:00I'm still waiting for the Chargers to actually do it.
07:03I'd love to see the Bears, Schrag, start the season in Seattle against the Champs.
07:07I think, right, doesn't it feel like that'll be the pick?
07:09That has to be, right?
07:11Or the Patriots. It's one of the two.
07:13I don't want to see the rematch for a variety of reasons.
07:17To me, the Bears, that's a team that has Paul Gravitas, Big Marked, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson,
07:26a lot of pop, a lot of sizzle.
07:27That, to me, is the matchup.
07:29You're at the New York Post.
07:31You don't think Mike Vrabel walking through the tunnel in week one is going to cause a little bit of
07:35stir?
07:36That's true.
07:37I mean, in terms of the back page, that'd be unbelievable, Schrag.
07:41Let's be honest here.
07:44The truth of the matter is, Seattle doesn't necessarily have the glitz and the glamour of what we're used to,
07:49but they were so dominant in that playoff run in the Super Bowl.
07:52And then you bring in Chicago with Caleb Williams.
07:54I would love to see that being the opening game.
07:56I think Caleb's got a real shot at MVP, and the Bears have a real shot at representing the NFC
08:00in the playoffs through the Super Bowl.
08:02And I think they have the hardest schedule.
08:03I was looking at, like, based on last year's stuff.
08:06I don't think that should be a problem.
08:07I think this team is legit, and they showed us last year.
08:09Totally agree.
08:10Now, Seattle's defending a title, but I still think the Rams are the team to beat in the West and
08:15the NFC.
08:16I thought the Rams' offseason was both amazing and wild.
08:20I talked to Sean McVay on my Sirius XM radio show.
08:23I appreciate it.
08:24I love McVay.
08:25I love the conversation.
08:26And he loves this team.
08:28And you know how to speak, McVay.
08:30What's your take on the Rams?
08:31Yeah.
08:32His whole thing is above the neck.
08:34Above the neck.
08:35Meaning, like, mentally, where are they?
08:36And they are all in a good place.
08:38They bring everyone, basically, back.
08:40And they add Trent McDuffie.
08:42We made the point.
08:43If they had traded the 13th pick for McDuffie and then drafted Ty Simpson at 29, I think everyone would
08:48say, that's an A plus draft.
08:49Well, they flipped it.
08:50They traded the 29th for McDuffie and then they reached on Simpson, to be honest.
08:55The only thing I would say with the Rams is that this is kind of an unnecessary move if you're
09:02looking for everyone to be kumbaya.
09:03And there might be some landmines along the way with drafting Ty Simpson in that quarterback's room, especially if they
09:10feel like one of these other receivers or tight ends is having an outstanding season.
09:14Or if Stafford feels like he's not getting what he wants from that wide receiver's room and there could have
09:18been someone else and Simpson sitting on ice.
09:21I will note this, though, and I will tell you this until the start of the season.
09:25I know Les Snead very well.
09:26You know Les Snead very well.
09:27I know McVay very well.
09:29They're not done.
09:31There might be another move down the road.
09:34And I don't know what that move might be.
09:35It might be something small.
09:36It might be something massive.
09:37It might be whatever.
09:37But these guys don't sleep at night thinking, all right, our roster is set in stone.
09:41So anyone saying, well, they didn't get the big player or they didn't make the big move.
09:45They took Simpson.
09:46This is a fluid thing.
09:47They don't look at roster as free agency and draft.
09:50They look at it as a 12 month of the year, 365 day thing.
09:54So I would be shocked if this is the roster that takes the field week one when they open the
09:59season.
09:59Triggs, the Giants start the season in prime time at home against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
10:04I think the Giants are going to be a really strong team this year.
10:08Eight to ten wins.
10:09I love John Harbaugh.
10:11What are your expectations?
10:12I think maybe more.
10:15Wow.
10:16I love that.
10:17I think this might be an 11 or 12 win team.
10:19I really do.
10:20I, I think the Jimmy's and Joe's are there.
10:23I think the players are, they have a very good roster and early returns on the Harbaugh, which by the
10:30way, I was a little bit.
10:32Okay.
10:32Let's see how this all plays out based on the hiring process.
10:36And he's coming away.
10:37We gotta wait.
10:38And what's going on with Shane and that, but he's on board.
10:41And in that offensive room, you've got Matt Nagy, Greg Roman, Brian Callahan, three really talented play callers and two
10:50of them, former head coaches.
10:51And then Harbaugh is like just the ultimate adult in the room.
10:54And the way he handled the Malik neighbors podcast appearance during the draft, I thought was a master class on
11:01leadership to 2026 and dealing with this new generation.
11:04And he put his arm around neighbors that I love him.
11:06I love the fact that he cares.
11:07I love it.
11:07And we just got to talk about how we want to express this.
11:11Um, I'm not trying to go overboard because it's, it's we're in our market, but it has been some dark
11:15years for the New York football teams.
11:17And I don't think double digit wins is crazy for the New York Giants.
11:20I'm with you completely.
11:21And I love the Cowboys this year and that's who the Giants are playing to start the season on Sunday
11:26Night Football.
11:27Smart plan.
11:28Excellent team.
11:29Schrags.
11:30I don't think this is may hyperbole.
11:32When I say Dallas, NFC East winner, Dallas playing on championship Sunday, Dallas, true Super Bowl contender.
11:39Do you want to slow me down in any way, shape or form?
11:41No, you and I are in the same boat.
11:42And I went on first take on ESPN a couple of weeks ago or last week.
11:45And I said Super Bowl contender and Stephen A. Smith laughed in my face, but I mean it.
11:49I, I think they checked the box.
11:51And every need that they, they, they went out and sought after in this off season.
11:55And it's all on defense and let's figure it out.
11:58Now, George Pickens is the great variable.
11:59We'll see what happens.
12:00And we'll talk plenty about it all off season as we do.
12:03But Adam, I look at that defense and where it was week one a year ago.
12:08And then to start this season and all of a sudden you've got Quinnen Williams and Rashawn Gary and Caleb
12:13Downs and Malachi Lawrence.
12:15And you add in all the different additions that they did through the draft and free agency.
12:19And it's a better defense.
12:20More importantly, Christian Parker, their new defensive coordinator, is an absolute stud.
12:25I've gotten to know him.
12:25I think he's a future head coach.
12:27And when I say future, I don't mean 10 years down the line.
12:30I mean, potentially next year or the year after.
12:32He was a defensive backs coach in Denver, then a D backs coach in Philly.
12:36And he brings that swagger himself.
12:38He's only 34 years old.
12:40But I believe he's going to be a huge difference for that defense where they're gonna have more bite than
12:44they've had in recent years.
12:45I'm totally with you on Christian Parker.
12:47I love that.
12:47All right.
12:47Last one for you, Shregs.
12:49And I'll kind of whisper this.
12:50Yeah.
12:50I love the Jets offseason.
12:52I thought it was smart in every way.
12:54I think the offense is set up for a quarterback in 2027.
12:58I like Gino for this year.
13:01Where are you on the Jets?
13:03Do you think they're, and I'm not saying playoffs, six wins max.
13:06We'll find out about Aaron Glenn.
13:07What's your take on the Jets?
13:09I guess it's kind of anti what I do for a living.
13:14And saying that the biggest win for the Jets this offseason was that we didn't know what the heck the
13:18Jets were gonna do this offseason.
13:19Like, it felt like Mugi operated in a cloud of secrecy and silence.
13:25And nothing from that facility left that facility, which this is sometimes just media garble, whatever.
13:33But in years past, you'd get stories, you'd get leaks, you'd get weird things, and then it would turn out
13:39to be true.
13:41This year, David Bailey was the pick.
13:43Right up until the selection, Arvel Reese was the favorite in Vegas to be selected.
13:48This year, everyone said Brees Hall is gonna be upset, be disgruntled, and he's gonna play on the tag, whatever.
13:54He signs a massive extension on a Friday at 2 o'clock when no one was really expecting it.
13:59I like the Jets roster.
14:02Obviously, it's young.
14:03I do think Geno Smith will be better than he was a year ago.
14:07I just wonder if it's enough good football and signs of it where this morose and this mirth that follows
14:15this team is kind of lifted.
14:17And then next year, there's this great excitement around the draft.
14:20Peter, you're the best.
14:21I'll be watching you on ESPN tomorrow night.
14:23Happy schedule release to you and yours, my friend.
14:25You are the best, Adam.
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