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00:00The Garrett trade puts the Rams miles ahead of the competition. We go live to LA. The A.J. Brown
00:10to New England trade happened yesterday as we predicted and it shifts the season for both the
00:16Patriots and the Eagles. And we are one day away from Knicks, Spurs, Game 1 of the NBA Finals in
00:24San Antonio. We are the most important player for you in this series. Shine time starts right now.
00:37Ah yes, the biggest blockbuster trade and the biggest surprise of the NFL offseason
00:43went down yesterday with the Rams getting the two-time defensive player of the year,
00:49the single-season sack king, Miles Garrett. Unbelievable for Jared Verse, a first-rounder,
00:59a second-rounder, and a third-rounder. This is vintage LA Rams. The LA Rams on June 1st,
01:102026 won the Super Bowl that will be played on Valentine's Day in 2027.
01:18The LA Rams were already the Super Bowl favorites. The LA Rams are absolutely miles and miles and miles
01:26ahead of the competition after getting Miles Garrett. Miles Garrett is the best defensive player in the
01:32NFL. You can make a very strong and intelligent case that if you were doing a ranking right now
01:40as we speak of best players in the NFL, regardless of position, Miles Garrett is the single best player
01:48in the entire league. Look at this resume. We are talking about a ball player who, if he doesn't play
01:55another down, is already a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Seven-time All-Pro. Two-time NFL defensive
02:03player of the year. He set the single-season sack record just last season. And I love that last
02:09note. Most consecutive seasons with 12 or more sacks, this guy is an absolute machine. And think
02:15about it. He did all that for Cleveland, a Browns team that was trailing consistently in games. Now,
02:24Miles Garrett, the ability to pin his ears back and rush the quarterback with a lead playing for the
02:31Rams? This is dreamy. And this is Les Snead personified. When it's F them picks, and for
02:37the sake of conversation, F Jared Verse. I feel bad saying that. I think Jared Verse is a good,
02:43solid, young ball player. But he's obviously expendable. Les Snead, this is what he does.
02:49The Rams organization, in my opinion, we look at Stan Kroenke, the owner, Sean McVay, the coach,
02:55Les Snead, Kevin Demoff. I would make the case this is the best organization
03:00in the big four of professional sports in North America. This organization understands
03:06you have to be dominant. You have to be relevant in the L.A. market. You have to give your
03:12fans
03:12in Los Angeles, California, fighting for the sports and entertainment dollar,
03:17the ability to believe that you have a chance to win the Super Bowl realistically
03:22year after year. And I firmly believe that adding someone like Miles Garrett makes the Rams the
03:29inevitable Super Bowl champs. I think that when you look at this offseason for Los Angeles,
03:34all the players they acquired, starting with the McDuffie acquisition, which I was absolutely
03:40mesmerized by. This is how you become a sensational, difference-making ball club. Look, think about
03:50Championship Sunday last year. Jackson, Smith, and Jigba still running. See a problem, fix a problem.
03:58Here's Trent McDuffie, one of the three best quarters in the entire league. They're bringing Watson as well.
04:03The Miles Garrett trade on the 1st of June, absolutely incredible. You look at the roster,
04:10you have Matthew Stafford, who is the MVP. You bring in someone like Devontae Adams a couple of years ago
04:19now, and you look at Adams, this will be his second season in the offense, and he's outstanding.
04:24You have Puka Nakua, who's one of the handful of best wide receivers. You have a really strong
04:30offensive line. You have three tight ends that Sean McVeigh loves. I had him on my Sirius XM radio show.
04:36He's raving about the tight end room. I mean, you have arguably, outside of Cincinnati, the number one
04:44wide receiver combo in the league. Sean McVeigh is one of the best in the business. He's carved out a
04:49Hall of Fame career. You take a look at the young studs on the defensive line, and Sean McVeigh knows
04:55how to keep his team motivated and make sure they don't take the cheese and be in the favorite
05:00in Vegas. This is just soul sucking if you're a fan of the 49ers or the Seattle Seahawks. It's
05:07demoralizing if you root for anybody else. And this really makes you appreciate and understands
05:13why this organization, the best in North American sports, picked Ty Simpson in the first round. And
05:21again, I would have picked Makai Lemon. I'm on record saying it. But now you can see the method
05:27to the madness here with regards to Ty Simpson, because the Rams are going to be excellent this
05:34year, Super Bowl favorite. And Matthew Stafford, who I love, and has plenty of gas left in the
05:39tank, and he's a Hall of Famer, just won the MVP. And that combination with Nakua and Adams is
05:43unbelievable. But, you know, it was just last August where Matthew Stafford had a back injury.
05:48And if the Rams are drafting consistently at the bottom of the draft, now they have not
05:53only insurance if something happens to Stafford, but the eventual heir apparent and replacement.
05:59And if you're drafting at the bottom, it's very difficult to find that guy. You don't believe
06:04me? Go ask the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are still trying to find their quarterback of the future
06:09after Ben Roethlisberger. So if I told you before the offseason that you were going to see the L.A.
06:16ramps, that they were going to get the best defensive player in the sport, they were going to find the
06:22ability to get a top three corner and depth at the quarterback position and find a way to somehow
06:30get their future franchise quarterback. I mean, this, this is absolutely unbelievable. So I think
06:36this is just sensational and we might have even more because of this. And normally when I see Aaron
06:46Donald's working out, I sit here and I say, no, there's no way Aaron Donald's coming back.
06:53There's no way that could happen. But I've heard enough in terms of the whispers and the whispers are
07:01in unison where they're so loud, it starts to feel like a shout. And here's the deal when it comes
07:09to
07:09Aaron Donald. I just think, and I've made this case, Aaron Donald didn't have to retire, right?
07:16Aaron Donald retired because he wanted to leave on his terms. I don't believe that he was actually
07:21fully done, young family at the time. And I think that he did it for the right reasons.
07:27I've made the goat case for Aaron Donald's that he's the best defensive player in the history of
07:33the national football league. And you know, you could argue Lawrence Taylor among others, obviously,
07:39but I really think it's Aaron Donald. If he comes back and he's playing on the same defensive line
07:47as miles Garrett, and he could win another Superbowl. And the last time there was an LA Superbowl,
07:54you saw the Rams go all in and get Matthew Stafford. Now they go all in and get Miles
07:59Garrett. Maybe Aaron Donald comes back. Man, this is, if you're a Rams fan, why you love sports.
08:07This team is unbelievable. This organization is unbelievable. And we could fight in terms of
08:12best organization in sports. Frankly, I think the team and the organization and the big four North
08:19American sports that would have the biggest argument would be the Dodgers. Let's be clear
08:23about that. They're both in the same city and both in Southern California. You know, frankly,
08:27I think it's more difficult in football to do what the Rams are doing. Compare and contrast to the
08:32Dodgers. I would put the Dodgers number two on my hypothetical list. This is unbelievable. The fact
08:38that the Rams shocked the world. And on June 1st, won the Superbowl by trading for Miles Garrett,
08:45and they have the right coach to keep the train on the tracks in terms of the mentality. Man,
08:50if you're a Rams fan, this is Christmas in June. Joining me right now to help break down how this
08:57trade came together and what it means for the Rams. We're going to host the Superbowl,
09:01of course, in their home stadium on Valentine's Day in 2027. California post lead Rams reporter,
09:08NFL columnist, my guy, Vincent Bonsignore. Vin, welcome back to the show, my friend. How are you?
09:15I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. And I have a feeling that there's going to be a lot of
09:18hearts
09:19afluttered come Valentine's Day next February in Los Angeles for the Superbowl. So a long way to go
09:26before then. But I think the Rams made some moves this offseason that absolutely puts them in the
09:32driver's seat. Absolutely. Let's hit on it because I don't think it's hyperbole to say this is one of
09:39the biggest blockbusters in NFL history. The best team in the NFL just traded for the best defensive
09:45player in the league and maybe pound for pound, Vin, the best player in the NFL. Take us through how
09:53this deal got done. Well, you know, Sean McVay kind of hinted at something along these lines when
09:59I had a conversation with him at the NFL owners meetings. And the one thing that he stressed to
10:03me was that what he felt the difference between the Rams and the Seahawks last year were defensive
10:09closers. He just didn't have the type of closers that you need. And I obviously you get a little
10:15bit spoiled having a front row seat watching Aaron Donald for all those years. Closing games,
10:20the NFC championship game, the Super Bowl, other games as well. His closer offensively,
10:25obviously, is Matthew Stafford. But he felt that he lacked defensive closers. So I kind of had an
10:31inkling that they were going to that they made that a priority and they were going to do what they
10:35could to go get a player of that ilk. And there's nobody better, quite honestly, than than than
10:40Miles Garrett. He's the ultimate closer. You know, he's going to make plays throughout the course of
10:45the game that can tilt the field in the Rams directions. But when it when it gets right down to
10:49it,
10:49those critical plays that they weren't able to make to get the Seahawks off the field and that
10:54late season loss that they had, and then obviously in the NFC championship game. Now they feel like
10:58they they don't like not not just one Miles Garrett, but Chuck McDuffie as well, making plays on the back
11:03end and that alongside everything else that they have on their defense, which is oh, by the way,
11:08pretty darn good in and of itself, will will create that kind of closer mentality that that he felt
11:14that John McVeigh felt they lacked last year. McDuffie is a prime example of see a problem,
11:20fix a problem. Garrett to me, Vin is is fantasy land. I mean, it's it's unbelievable. Now we could
11:28talk about, you know, the restructuring of his deal. We could talk about how aggressive less need is
11:33constantly calling the Browns and making it the priority to get that ultimate closer. As you said,
11:40when did the Rams or the people you've talked to inside that organization, when did they feel
11:45confident that they could make this kind of deal? And were they reluctant to give up someone like
11:51verse who I know Sean McVeigh really likes? Yeah, I mean, reluctant in the sense you don't want to do
11:58it. But obviously to get a guy like Miles Garrett, it was it was something that they knew that they
12:03were going to have to do a player that good. And obviously, you know, he plays his position. So it
12:08works
12:08from the Cleveland Browns perspective, and really from the from the Rams perspective. I don't know
12:12that there was always or when it came about where they were completely confident that this was going
12:18to happen. But it's interesting a couple of things that you said that I that I completely agree with
12:22number number one, the Ty Simpson part of this was huge. You know, the Rams think about what it took
12:29the Rams to trade up to go get Jared Goff, multiple first round picks, second round picks, you know,
12:35they gave up future drafts, basically, or the top of future drafts. And think about what it took to go
12:40get Matthew Stafford, multiple first round picks, hundreds of millions of dollars, plus Jared Goff,
12:45in Ty Simpson, who they evaluated and felt like is a capable replacement and a guy that they could
12:51build championship teams around getting getting him at number 13, that allowed them to use all the
12:57other assets for other areas in the in the on the roster, rather than saving them to potentially have
13:02to trade back up in the first round to go get the next Jared Goff, or go trade for the
13:07next Matthew
13:08Stafford. So they got that part of it solved, which freed up all those assets that you just saw them
13:13give up to go get the best defensive player on the planet. And the other part of that is,
13:17you mentioned the restructure of Miles Garrett's contract. So he's owed $99 million over the next
13:22three years. That's about $33 million a year. From the Rams perspective, that's a bit of a bargain
13:27when you consider Mike Parsons is going to make $120 million over that same time period.
13:32And they also understood the type of player that Jared Burst is where the market's going at that
13:37position, that $40 million a year is coming down the pike for a guy like for him. So you know,
13:46they ended up not that they saved money necessarily, but they were able to get Miles Garrett at a relative
13:52bargain compared to Micah Parsons and compared to what it's going to cost somebody, whether it's the
13:57Browns or somebody else to sign Jared Burst. I think that is brilliant take. And I think you're
14:02100% spot on. And, you know, I look at this and, you know, the Rams made the Super Bowl
14:08favorite and
14:08they were before the deal, Vin. You know, that division is tough. And I think it's important
14:13here, right? Because there's going to be, and we saw this last year. I mean, the Rams, you know,
14:17started out on the road when they blew those games during the regular season. They started the
14:22postseason in Carolina. That mattered. You look at what happened on championship Sunday,
14:26playing in Seattle. That mattered. So I'm not going to hold you to this because third place
14:31is a tough one. But how do you stockpile right now, one, two, and three in the NFC West? Because
14:39boy, if I'm a 49ers fan, this is a crushing blow when I see Miles Garrett going to the LA
14:47Rams.
14:48Yeah, I mean, both for the 49ers and Seattle to have to face him twice a year. Now that's,
14:53that's, that's bone crushing. As you said, you know, I just wrote a column about the San Francisco
14:5749ers who this time last year were facing a rebuild and there weren't a whole lot of people
15:02talking about the playoffs or Super Bowls in San Francisco. It was almost a reset in a lot of
15:07ways. Well, they feel they're way ahead of the schedule, winning 12 games, despite losing 17 players
15:12to free agency trades, you know, having to reluctantly release some guys in contract moves.
15:17And then on top of that, all the injuries that they suffered, their quarterback was limited to
15:21basically half of a season. Nick Bosa missed all of the season. Fred Warner, George Kittle missed a
15:26lot of games. So they feel like they, that, that, that window that everyone thought was going to get
15:31shut last year for a little bit is, is back wide open. The Seattle Seahawks to me lost players that,
15:38that are, were pretty big parts of their, of their whole deal. And, you know, I, I think
15:44someday there's going to be a movie about Sam Darnold and the resurgence that he had in his
15:48career. But I like probably a lot of people always figure that it just feels like the other shoes
15:54sometimes might, might fall. So I got to see it again with Sam Darnold. I'm not taking anything
15:59away from him. I think it's a fabulous story and I would not be surprised if he, if he had
16:02an even
16:03better year next year. But if I were to sit here today after what the Rams did and, and where
16:10this
16:1049ers getting back healthy, getting Nick Bosa back, getting, you know, their quarterback back
16:15for a full season, I feel that's the one and two as, as crazy as that might be to say,
16:20considering
16:21we're talking about the defending Superbowl champions in the Seattle Seahawks, but this is
16:24such a vicious division that it's not, you know, it's, it's not out of the realm that your Superbowl
16:30champion is going to be the third place team in the, in the NFC West and not be a bad
16:35team by any
16:36stretch of the imagination. Here's the other part of it. All three teams can be better, but their
16:42records might not be the same simply because they have to play a such difficult schedules in their
16:47own division. But also if you look at the Ram schedule, it's pretty, it's pretty daunting,
16:52especially post their, their, their bi-week, which is later on in the season. So these teams might
16:57be better. It might not show it necessarily in the, in the record, but it's all about the
17:00playoffs for all three of them. A hundred percent. And I agree with you. And again,
17:04we'll lock in our picks after Labor Day. We still have time, but I'm with you and how we're going
17:07to stack the, the top of the NFC West. Vin, final one for you. What are you hearing with regards
17:14to
17:14Aaron Donald? Is there a chance he says, you know what? I want back in and he comes out of
17:21retirement
17:22and rejoins the ramps. Man, that would be fantasy land without question. I, I'm probably leaning toward
17:30no. Um, and it was a firm no for me all the way up until obviously yesterday, because now I'm
17:35wondering, does that make him rethink it a little bit? I know he's really happy in retirement. And
17:39the thing about Aaron Donald, um, is that he was such a grinder and it, I mean, what he had
17:46to put
17:47into it to get out what he ended up getting out of himself was an incredible amount of dedication,
17:52work ethic, uh, all of that. I don't know if he wants to necessarily revisit this, that, uh, because he
17:58knows and I know him and I know he's going to have to maybe even increase that just to make
18:02up for the
18:03lost time and to get back where he was. That's a lot of hard work and not that he's not
18:07up for it
18:08necessarily, but doesn't really want to go through that. Uh, however, I have to say there's, it is a
18:13little bit of a glimmer of me that, that says now that they do have Miles Garrett, boy, does that,
18:19does that light the fire a little bit for him to say, Hey, you know what? I know it's going
18:22to be
18:22tough. I know it's going to be a life changing type of a thing again, and have to get back
18:26into that
18:27hardcore routine that, that, that he, you know, lives by, but maybe that is enough of a motivation
18:32to, uh, to, to do just that. And that would be just spectacular for the Rams, obviously.
18:36Then you're the best. We appreciate the time. As always, we will keep reading you, of course,
18:41in the California post and we'll do it again real soon. Thank you. And have a great show. You're
18:45the best. Yeah, I appreciate it. Vincent Bonsignore, absolutely outstanding. Now the Rams were not the
18:50only team with a massive trade. When you take a look at what transpired with the New England Patriots,
18:56completing their long awaited deal with the Philadelphia Eagles for A.J. Brown. In return,
19:06Philadelphia gets a 2028 first rounder and a 2027 fifth rounder. So we've been talking about this
19:17as you see A.J. Brown walking in early this morning to Patriots and their team facility and he practiced
19:24today with the New England Patriots. And listen, we've been talking about this for months, right?
19:30Literally since we launched Shine Time, we have told you since March that A.J. Brown was getting traded
19:36on June 1st when the Eagles can, you know, ultimately structure the dead cap money half now, half down the
19:45road
19:45that this deal would be done. Had Howie Roseman, the outstanding general manager for the Philadelphia Eagles
19:50and my Sirius XM radio show after the draft. And he painted the picture and explained it why they would
19:57make
19:57this trade when they would do it without mentioning A.J. Brown's name. So this was obvious. This was inevitable.
20:04But now that it's done, it kind of impacts these teams greatly. First and foremost,
20:11if you're a fan of the New England Patriots, this is everything. A.J. Brown is absolutely perfect.
20:17Today, speaking to the press, Josh McDaniels compared him to grunk. Think about that for a second.
20:25In terms of how big he is, in terms of how reliable he is, of all people on the planet,
20:32football players that he could have compared him to, Rob Gronkowski. I'm sure that is going to resonate
20:39greatly with the fans in New England. The biggest winner is Drake May, without question. Honestly,
20:46Drake May needed this. The receiving core was, I know they got Romeo Dobbs. This was not a legit
20:51wide receiver core in any way, shape, or form. You know, now we could start talking about a group
20:57where, you know, Kyle Williams is young, and he could get even better, and he could stretch the field,
21:02and, you know, obviously you have Booty, who's a nice, young, wide receiver. And you get someone
21:08like A.J. Brown, who's tough, he's physical, and he played for Mike Vrabel in Tennessee. Remember,
21:15Mike Vrabel never wanted to trade him, and they had a great mutual respect and relationship.
21:21You had Mike Vrabel on Pat McAfee's outstanding show a week, two weeks before the out-of-nowhere
21:27trade, and John Robinson, the GM who made the trade, he got fired. He'll never be an executive,
21:32a lead executive in the NFL ever again. I mean, A.J. Brown is a dog. He's a winner. He's
21:37unbelievable.
21:37He's a guy you want on your favorite team. So for the Patriots, a team that I did not have
21:44making
21:44the playoffs, I still think that they'll start the season. We look at the schedule 0-4 to start the
21:49campaign. This changes the math, because A.J. Brown, and he shows up early today, he's on the
21:56practice field. A.J. Brown is going to be phenomenal this year. Like, draft him in fantasy. You know,
22:02when you look at three of his four seasons in Philadelphia, he was first or second team,
22:07all pro. He won a Super Bowl. This is the kind of winner that takes New England's offense
22:13to a different level. He's terrific. He's tremendous. What a gift for the New England
22:19Patriots. And look, the first rounder that they give up, it's not in 2027. It's in 2028.
22:25Now, from a Philly perspective, it's interesting. First of all, you knew this was happening,
22:31right? You knew that A.J. Brown was gone. We've talked about it at length here on Shine Time.
22:35And we knew it because we knew it. We also knew it because we saw it. Philadelphia replaced them
22:42all offseason. We've talked about this at length, right? I mean, they bring in Hollywood Brown.
22:48They bring in Dontavian Wicks. They drafted, they traded up for Makai Lemon. So this, to me,
22:55is pretty terrific and pretty tremendous here from a Philadelphia Eagle perspective,
22:59because they're not better, but they had to trade A.J. Brown because the relationship between A.J.
23:07Brown and Jalen Hurts absolutely fell off. And over the last two years, it was evident.
23:14And it was beyond repair. The four years that A.J. Brown was there, put up big numbers, won a
23:19Super Bowl.
23:20The Eagles obviously won that trade with Tennessee. But this situation became one where someone had to go.
23:30And for now, it was Brown. If it doesn't improve on offense this year, next year, it'll be Jalen Hurts.
23:38And you remember the Jeremy Fowler piece? We talked about it on Shine Time,
23:42where you had a lot of unnamed players talking about Jalen Hurts and, you know,
23:48how he could be difficult to work with and, you know, things that he would change.
23:52And he was kind of stubborn. And our friend from NBC, Chris Sims, has done a deep dive on this.
23:58And look, Jalen Hurts, we could talk about third downs and the conversion rate being down.
24:04We could talk about how reluctant he is thrown over the middle.
24:07This absolutely can be the last year for Jalen Hurts in Philly.
24:12And when I say that, I don't want to sound like I forgot who Jalen Hurts is and what he's
24:17accomplished.
24:18Jalen Hurts has been to the Super Bowl twice, won a championship.
24:22And in the Super Bowl that the Eagles did not win, he was as great or better than Patrick Mahomes
24:29when Kansas City beat them the first time Kansas City and Philadelphia played.
24:33So now, with Sean Mannion taking over as the offensive coordinator,
24:38it's the first time that he has called place, right?
24:41And you had offensive coordinators turning down Philadelphia left and right.
24:48And even someone like Brian Dayball, he picked Cam Ward and Tennessee.
24:55Think about that.
24:56As opposed to going with the Philadelphia Eagles.
24:59Mike McDaniel picks Justin Herbert and the Chargers, as opposed to going with the Philadelphia Eagles.
25:06So, clearly, there's some element of truth.
25:09And remember, the 2027 quarterback draft is going to be off the charts, right?
25:15So now, with that extra first-round pick, albeit in 2028, that's ammunition.
25:19You can take that pick and you can use it in a trade, hypothetically.
25:23I do not believe, and we'll do this later on in the spring and the summertime here on Shine Time,
25:31I do not believe Jalen Hurts enters 2026 as a top-10 quarterback.
25:36I don't even think it's up for debate if you've watched him over the last couple of years.
25:40And I'm not forgetting about what happened when he won the Super Bowl.
25:44He always deserves credit for it.
25:46But because A.J. Brown had to go because they didn't get along,
25:50and obviously there was some kind of gap in golf that could not ultimately be contained,
25:57they had to make this trade.
25:59And that's why Howie Roseman brilliantly replaced him.
26:01But I'm telling you right now, I don't think the Eagles win the division.
26:05I think this is Dallas' division.
26:07I think you see this deal if you're a Washington fan or a Giants fan,
26:11and you're saying, there's an opportunity here.
26:14Howie Roseman's amazing, and he did a great job understanding
26:17that he had to make this trade for the sake of the ball club, right?
26:21I mean, he had to make a choice.
26:22You stay with Jalen Hurts for now.
26:23The contract says that you have to stay with Jalen Hurts for now.
26:27Howie did a great job understanding I have to get rid of A.J. Brown this year, right now,
26:34because we already won the trade.
26:36Now we've got to move on.
26:38But I'm telling you, when the Eagles don't win the division,
26:42this could easily be the final year for Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
26:47He always has a soft spot in the hearts and the minds here of the Philadelphia Eagles fans,
26:51but I think this is now officially all on Jalen Hurts,
26:56and I don't think that is the best-case scenario for the amazing fans in Philly.
27:02The NBA Finals tip off tomorrow,
27:05and a lot has changed since the Spurs and the Knicks last met in the championship round.
27:13As usual, plenty of familiar faces at the Garden for a big playoff game.
27:18Evander Holyfield, who must not be in training.
27:20Earlier I saw him wolf down two hot dogs.
27:22Ben Stiller, James Caan,
27:26JFK Jr.
27:30And upstairs, Tiger Woods.
27:33Two Saturday Night Live alums who've gone on to movie stardom.
27:37Adam Sandler and Billy Crystal.
27:40And Woody Allen.
27:43Spike says fourth quarter.
27:45We're coming back.
27:46Man, that is unbelievable stuff right there.
27:49I mean, that's throwback to Bob Costas talking over the celebrities.
27:54Ben Stiller!
27:54He was a stolen monster fan.
27:56Anyone who rips my guy, Ben Stiller, is not paying attention.
28:00Some of the famous faces courtside have changed,
28:02and a lot of the world has changed.
28:04But, you know, take a look at what transpired back then.
28:08Obviously, you have Pop, you have the Spurs,
28:10and they were able to capture their first title over Jeff Van Gundy's Knicks.
28:16And the world is absolutely different.
28:18I mean, you know, there was no iPhone.
28:21I was still going to Blockbuster.
28:22Be kind.
28:23Rewind.
28:24Hit me, baby, one more time.
28:25I mean, I can give you all the lyrics to that one.
28:28I mean, let's be honest.
28:29And Jalen Brunson is watching his dad, Rick Brunson,
28:32play for the 1999 Knicks.
28:35Also, Patrick Ewing wasn't healthy.
28:38And the Knicks were an eight seed.
28:42So, look at this.
28:43I mean, look at the difference in the starting lineup.
28:46And you've got to remember,
28:48Allen Houston hit the shot against Miami.
28:50Sprewell was tremendous.
28:52I love, LJ loved Charlie Ward.
28:55I mean, Dudley was starting.
28:56Chris Dudley was starting for my Knicks.
28:58I mean, the Knicks team in 99,
29:01and it's applicable to say,
29:02okay, Knicks are going to party like it's 1999.
29:07I don't like that.
29:08For the sake of this conversation,
29:11for ultimately at the end of the day,
29:13the Knicks winning a championship
29:15and they're going to,
29:17I was so into that team, right?
29:20But they had no shot going up against
29:22Duncan and Robinson
29:24and Sean Elliott
29:26and Mario Ellie
29:28and Avery Johnson.
29:30I mean, it wasn't even a matchup.
29:32So, look, it's a nice conversation.
29:35And obviously,
29:36you go back to the last time
29:38the Knicks were in the finals,
29:39but you could find
29:40very few similarities here
29:42when it comes to,
29:43you know, the feel
29:44of that series versus this one.
29:47And I just love seeing,
29:48obviously,
29:49Duncan
29:49and seeing Robinson together.
29:52And, you know,
29:53those towers together
29:55were unbelievable.
29:56And, you know,
29:57they were just so incredible.
29:59And Pop, to me,
29:59I will always argue this,
30:01Greg Popovich
30:02is the single best coach
30:03in the history
30:05of the NBA.
30:07And winning a championship
30:08that year
30:09and then all the championships
30:10he won after that
30:11and all the wins
30:12he was able to stockpile.
30:14Look at this footage.
30:15I mean, all the scores
30:16were low back in 1999.
30:19Man, brings back memories.
30:22I graduated college in 1999.
30:26Totally different universe
30:28in 1999.
30:29There was no such thing
30:31as an iPhone.
30:32There was no social media
30:33in 1999.
30:35So, the Spurs were able
30:37to win that one.
30:38And I don't even look at that
30:39as, oh, the Knicks
30:40had a real shot
30:41to ultimately win
30:42a championship.
30:44They were in the finals.
30:45Last time the Knicks
30:46had a real shot
30:47was 94, obviously,
30:48against Houston.
30:49So, that's what I'm looking at
30:51when I take a look
30:52at the Knicks
30:53and I look at the Spurs
30:54back in 1999.
30:5599 was a special year
30:56of my life, man.
30:57It was fun.
30:58In terms of my first job
31:00out of school,
31:01graduating college,
31:02all the fun you have
31:03in your senior year.
31:04Knicks make this
31:05surprising run.
31:06Remember, that was a year
31:07of a work stoppage
31:08in the NBA.
31:09So, it's always fun
31:11to reminisce,
31:12but that series
31:13was over the second
31:14it was scheduled.
31:15So, the Garden
31:16this time around
31:17is going to be
31:18totally different.
31:19The ambiance,
31:20the expectation,
31:21and I can't wait for it.
31:22And the man that I believe
31:23to be the key matchup
31:24for the NBA Finals
31:27was asked about it
31:28this week.
31:30Did you want to know
31:31if I knew the script?
31:33Basically.
31:34How was the whole circle
31:35nature of it?
31:36How was that special?
31:37Was that for you?
31:38Well, let me tell you
31:39something.
31:39I didn't know that
31:40was going to come back
31:41to be a photo
31:43that we all remember.
31:44But, I just remember
31:45in that moment,
31:46I just, you know,
31:47I grew up a Knicks fan.
31:49And, to be, you know,
31:52my first game as a Knick
31:53officially after a wild
31:55training camp that I
31:56didn't get to have.
31:57And, really meeting
31:59my teammates for the
31:59first time at Charlotte
32:01for that preseason game.
32:02It was, it was really,
32:05it was a special moment
32:06for me and my family.
32:07I remember my father
32:08was there.
32:09My wife was there.
32:10And, and just,
32:12it was one of those
32:13moments, you know,
32:13I grew up as a kid
32:14and she understood
32:15how I cheered for the
32:16Knicks when I was younger.
32:18It's kind of something
32:18we talk about on the
32:19first dates, stuff like
32:20that.
32:21And, she knew it was
32:23special to me.
32:24And, I just got, you
32:26know, I found that
32:27shirt in my first days
32:29of actually being on the
32:30team.
32:31And, I found it in
32:31Charleston, funny enough,
32:33while they were
32:33practicing, I was out
32:35vintage shopping in the
32:36city.
32:37And, I found the shirt.
32:38And, funny enough, I wore
32:39that shirt for the first
32:40game.
32:40And, here we are,
32:41looking back at that
32:42shirt as a home.
32:43I mean, you know.
32:44I mean, that's
32:45unbelievable stuff.
32:46And, Cat obviously grew
32:47up as a Knicks fan.
32:48And, the fact that he
32:49showed up wearing that
32:5199 final shirt with the
32:53Spurs and the Knicks, I
32:54mean, unbelievable stuff.
32:56And, I think Carl Anthony
32:59Towns is the most important
33:01player in this series.
33:02And, here's why.
33:04I think that Cat's, the
33:06offense going through him,
33:08and becoming that point
33:09center, starting with game
33:11four in the Atlanta series,
33:13that's when everything took
33:15off.
33:16This is why the New York
33:17Knicks have won 11 straight
33:19games going into these NBA
33:22finals.
33:23And, we've said it out loud
33:24before, in terms of the
33:25point per game differential,
33:26being the best in the history
33:28of the NBA playoffs, going
33:30into the NBA finals, ahead
33:31of the 2017 Golden State
33:33Warriors, ahead of the 2001
33:35Lakers.
33:36And, it all starts here with
33:39Carl Anthony Towns.
33:40And, I firmly believe that
33:43Cat is the most important
33:45player in these finals, for
33:47so many different reasons.
33:48Number one, offense goes
33:50through him.
33:50Number two, if Cat hits from
33:53the outside, and draws Wemby
33:56out from down low on defense,
33:58and gets him away from the
34:00rim, where he's not blocking
34:02shots and altering shots, that's
34:04everything.
34:05Because then, that'll create
34:07more space for O.J.
34:08and Anobi and Mikkel Bridges, and
34:10most especially Jalen Brunson,
34:12to do their thing.
34:13And, obviously, when it comes
34:15to Cat, and it's multifaceted
34:18and layered here, you know,
34:20Carl Anthony Towns has been
34:21terrific this postseason.
34:23The numbers back it up, right?
34:25And, you look at the points
34:26per game, they're down with a
34:27point and a purpose.
34:28But, the field goal percentage
34:30is up.
34:31And, the three-point percentage
34:32is up, and the assists per game
34:34are doubled, and that's huge.
34:37Also, as important as anything,
34:41we haven't seen those mind-numbing
34:42fouls from Cat, and that's huge,
34:46especially early.
34:47So, Carl Anthony Towns,
34:49making sure that he hits from
34:51the outside, makes Wemby not be
34:55someone who can just camp out
34:57underneath the basket on defense,
34:59and that changes everything.
35:01Also, if Cat hits, and he has,
35:03from the outside, it really gets
35:05everyone going on the team
35:07confidence-wise.
35:08The way he distributes from
35:10the three-point arc and from
35:11the high post, that's been huge
35:14for the Knicks as well, and has
35:16changed everything for everybody
35:18in this Knicks organization.
35:20And, we're talking Mike Brown,
35:22we're talking Jalen Brunson, and
35:24you want that balance with Cat.
35:26Remember the interview we did
35:28with Tracy McGrady, where he
35:30destroyed Cat, and it was worth
35:33it in terms of how he doesn't
35:35always bring his A-game, or his
35:37A-efforts?
35:38We haven't talked about that
35:40during this postseason.
35:41We haven't talked about bad
35:43fouls.
35:43So, and Cat's been able to hit
35:45from the outside while still
35:47staying aggressive.
35:48Sometimes, it would drive you
35:50nuts as a Knicks fan, go back
35:51to the regular season, where Cat
35:53would just hang on the perimeter
35:55without a point and a purpose.
35:57That can't happen.
35:59We haven't seen that since early
36:01in the Atlanta series.
36:03And, by the way, in a related
36:04story, the Knicks haven't lost
36:05since.
36:06So, Cat hitting from the outside,
36:09distributing and being that
36:11point center, drawing Wemby
36:13outside on the perimeter,
36:16staying out of foul trouble.
36:17We can also factor in the
36:20ambiguity or the unknown when it
36:22comes to Mitchell Robinson.
36:23Mitch is going to fight to play.
36:26There's no question in my mind.
36:28Is he going to exacerbate the
36:29injury?
36:30Can he play with a broken pinky?
36:32We will find out.
36:33I'm actually concerned that he
36:35will play game one, but he's
36:37going to get hurt or re-aggravated
36:39and won't be able to play at some
36:40point the rest of the series.
36:42So, we all know the best player
36:44on the floor, talent-wise, is
36:47going to be Wemby in this series.
36:48The player that I want on my team
36:50more than anyone else is always
36:51going to be Jalen Brunson.
36:53But, when you take a look at it
36:55from the perspective of most
36:56important player, without
36:58question, it's Carl Anthony
37:00Towns.
37:00Now, I reference Brunson, and he
37:02is the best player on the Knicks.
37:04And I wouldn't trade Jalen
37:06Brunson for anyone or anything.
37:08The course of the franchise has
37:10shifted dramatically since his
37:12arrival.
37:13I talked to the Goats, Charles
37:15Barkley, about this on my Sirius
37:18XM radio show yesterday.
37:20I said this, I think, two years
37:23ago, maybe three, when Jalen got
37:25the Knicks, made the Knicks
37:26irrelevant again.
37:28And Kenny and Shaq gave me a hard
37:30time, because they started
37:31throwing out LeBron and KD and
37:33things like that.
37:34I says, this right here, when the
37:37Knicks got Jalen, and listen, we're
37:39all shocked how great he has
37:40become.
37:41Let's don't act like we thought
37:42he was going to be what he is.
37:45We said, like, that's a good
37:46signing by the Knicks.
37:47But what I said, I think it was
37:49three years ago, when they had
37:51their first run with Jalen, I
37:52said, this might be the greatest
37:55free agent signing in the NBA
37:57history.
37:58And they're like, what about
37:59LeBron and KD?
38:00I said, well, that's a little
38:01different.
38:01Those guys, we knew they were
38:03going to be all-timers.
38:05But what Jalen has accomplished in
38:07New York, I'm not trying to be
38:10over-exaggerated.
38:11I think Jalen, what he has bought
38:13to the Knicks, it might be the
38:16greatest free agent signing.
38:18Because nobody, nobody, hey, you
38:21can ask the guys who run the
38:23Knicks.
38:23They did not expect Jalen to be
38:25this great.
38:26And let me tell you something.
38:28If they told you they thought Jalen
38:30was going to be this great, they're
38:31full of it.
38:32Because what he has turned the
38:34Knicks into is must-see.
38:36I think the year he won, like,
38:39clutch player of the year is when I
38:40said that.
38:41But what he has done for the New
38:44York Knicks, and you can, like I
38:46said, you factor in what he single-handedly
38:48did in game one when they were down
38:5022.
38:51It's been, it's been seriously, I'm not
38:53even joking, probably the greatest
38:55free agent signing in NBA history.
38:57I'm obsessed with Charles, and I
39:00want you to take a look at this in
39:02terms of what Jalen Brunson has
39:05brought to the table as a Broadway
39:08star.
39:08Because this backs up everything that
39:11Charles Barkley said.
39:13Playoff wins, just feast your eyes on
39:15this, right?
39:16Playoff wins for the Knicks from 2002
39:19to 2022.
39:21Eight.
39:22Playoff wins since the Brunson
39:24arrival, 35.
39:27Just look at that.
39:29Sometimes stats can be deceiving,
39:31sometimes they lie.
39:33This tells you everything you need
39:35to know.
39:35And it's important to note here,
39:37the Knicks were a clown show.
39:40The Knicks, it was sheer buffoonery.
39:42The Knicks were an embarrassment.
39:44The Knicks were irrelevant.
39:46I think that people forgot how much
39:48they hate the Knicks or hate New
39:49York, NBA fans, because no one
39:53cared because the Knicks were a joke.
39:56Jalen Brunson changed the franchise.
40:00So that statistical category that
40:03we just showed in terms of the
40:04playoff wins, in addition to the
40:06field, the points, the assists,
40:10the wins, that all matters here in
40:13terms of Charles Barkley's argument.
40:15Now, I'm going to give my response.
40:17I'm going to give my top five, five
40:20through one, on the best free agent
40:22pickups in my lifetime in the NBA.
40:26Let's break it down.
40:28Number five on my list, LeBron to the
40:32Cavs.
40:32And you have to remember, that was the
40:34Sports Illustrated article, and he
40:37announced it.
40:37I'm coming home.
40:38LeBron delivered Cleveland its first
40:41professional championship, the kid
40:43from Akron.
40:44It was an unbelievable job by LeBron.
40:47It was emotional.
40:49Kyrie hit the shot.
40:50Kevin Love was outstanding.
40:51This team, to me, was likable.
40:54You know, give Ty Lue a ton of credit.
40:56LeBron had a promise to deliver a
40:58championship.
40:59He had to go from Cleveland to Miami,
41:02to Cleveland to deliver it.
41:04But this, in terms of a free agent
41:06signing, was absolutely phenomenal.
41:09Number four on my list, LeBron going
41:12to Miami.
41:14And I think sometimes this gets lost
41:17in the shuffle sometimes because
41:19LeBron had that dopey dance-off.
41:22And remember after he signed, and the
41:24whole decision, and Jim Gray, and it
41:27took forever, and I'm going to take
41:28my talents to South Beach.
41:30Not one, not two, not three, not four.
41:32And that's when I think the court of
41:34public opinion for a lot of people
41:35shifted on LeBron, went from great
41:37story, great kid, he's en route to
41:39being a superstar, to I can't stand
41:41this guy.
41:42I will always defend LeBron on what he
41:44did in Miami.
41:45He was there for four years, made the
41:46NBA Finals all four years, and won two
41:49championships.
41:49So that, to me, is number four on my
41:53list when it comes to best free agent
41:56signing of my lifetime in the NBA.
41:58Number three is Jalen Brunson.
42:02I don't agree with Chuck, at least
42:04right now, but I'm even going to
42:06assume when I put Jalen Brunson number
42:08three, because I'm picking the Knicks
42:10to win a championship, I'm going to
42:13assume the Knicks win just for the
42:14sake of this list and this
42:15conversation.
42:16Jalen Brunson, and there were people
42:18in the media, talking heads like me,
42:21who hated the signing.
42:22I will tell you exactly what I said at
42:24the time.
42:25I thought the money was a little
42:27crazy.
42:28I thought I loved Jalen Brunson in
42:30Dallas, loved him in Villanova.
42:32He wanted to be in New York.
42:34He obviously grew up with Knicks ties,
42:36you know, playing in Dallas.
42:38You're on center stage playing in
42:40Villanova, on center stage.
42:42But I thought they needed another
42:43player, too.
42:44I thought the money was a lot.
42:46And you've got to remember, this is on
42:47the heels of Mark Cuban famously not
42:49giving him the money.
42:50Brunson was pissed.
42:52So, what Brunson has done, becoming a
42:56clone of Derek Jeter, the only thing
42:57missing in that comparison is that
42:59championship, I put Jalen Brunson, I
43:02mean this as the ultimate compliment,
43:04third on the list.
43:06Because Kevin Durant's number two.
43:09And I think people forget about
43:11Durant or don't give Durant the
43:13credit, because at the end of the
43:15day, people like to just bang on
43:17Kevin Durant.
43:18Like to rip on Kevin Durant to
43:20terms of, okay, Kevin Durant, you
43:22know, joined a great team, and
43:24Kevin Durant, at the end of the
43:26day, this was one where, all right,
43:30you know, this was Steph's team.
43:32That's, that's not it.
43:34Kevin Durant, and he had the whole,
43:36if you remember, you know, everyone
43:38had to visit him in the Hamptons,
43:39the whole big summer of Durant.
43:42I always wanted him to stay in OKC.
43:44I thought that that team would have
43:46been great, they would have won with
43:47Russ.
43:48Didn't happen.
43:48He wanted to win a championship,
43:51right?
43:51And he was, and I'll always argue
43:54this, the best player when he was on
43:59these Warriors teams.
44:00Not, not Steph, not Clay, not Draymond,
44:04who's going to the Hall of Fame.
44:05Steve Kerr, I think is the top five
44:08coach in the history of the sport.
44:09Kevin Durant was not a hood ornament
44:12on those teams.
44:13He was the best player.
44:15He was the finals MVP twice.
44:17Not Steph, Kevin Durant.
44:19So I will absolutely put Durant number
44:23two on my list.
44:24And, you know, with LeBron being lower
44:26on the list, right, for the Miami Heat
44:28and the Cleveland Cavaliers, you know,
44:30obviously he brought, obviously,
44:33Bosh with him.
44:34Wade was already there.
44:35So that's why I have Brunson as opposed
44:38to LeBron James higher on the list.
44:40But number one will always and forever
44:43be Shaquille O'Neal.
44:44And it's important to jog the mental
44:47Rolodex on what Shaq was in Orlando.
44:52And he was larger than life.
44:54And he was an icon.
44:55He's doing Shazam.
44:56And he was Hollywood.
44:57And he's breaking backboards and everything
45:00that goes into the mix.
45:01Like, that was one of those off-season moves
45:03where I remember where I was when Shaq signed
45:07with the L.A. Lakers.
45:08That was the late, great Jerry West getting that done.
45:11Just unbelievable stuff.
45:13So, and of course, Shaq won all those championships.
45:16And Shaq and Kobe were amazing.
45:18And Shaq was a rock star and a legend in Los Angeles.
45:23So I love the way my guy Charles Barkley,
45:26who's the greatest analyst on TV
45:29in the history of sports television,
45:31I love the love that he shows my guy Jalen Brunson.
45:34Brunson turning the Knicks around.
45:37That's why I put Brunson ahead of any of the LeBron stops.
45:41Not on my top five, the Lakers.
45:43I do not have the Lakers and LeBron going to the Lakers.
45:48I don't even have that in my top five.
45:50Brunson is absolutely ahead of LeBron
45:52in all of his free agent stops.
45:55Miami, Cleveland, Los Angeles.
45:58And that's because of the impact on a team that was dreadful.
46:01And also, he was acting alone.
46:04I mean, now you have a team around him, but it all,
46:07when they make the Bridges deal
46:09and give him five first-round picks,
46:10it's because of Jalen Brunson.
46:12When they bring in Carl Anthony Towns,
46:13it's because of Jalen Brunson.
46:15When you bring in someone like O'Jana Noby
46:17or Brunson's literal podcast partner
46:20and best friend Josh Hart,
46:22it's because of the impact of Brunson.
46:24So, I am obsessed with this
46:26when it comes to Jalen Brunson
46:28and where he is on this list.
46:31Let's talk Hall of Fame.
46:34How about Jacob deGrom?
46:36On Monday nights,
46:38got his 100th career win.
46:43Also yesterday,
46:45it was reported
46:46that Russell Wilson
46:48is finalizing a deal
46:50to become an analyst for CBS,
46:53essentially putting an end,
46:55unofficially,
46:56to his NFL career.
46:58So, which guy has the better case
47:01for the Hall of Fame?
47:02Jacob deGrom
47:03or Russell Wilson?
47:06I don't even think this is close.
47:09The answer is Jacob deGrom.
47:11And Jacob deGrom
47:12had a period of time
47:14where he was,
47:16without question,
47:17the best pitcher
47:18in Major League Baseball.
47:20Jacob deGrom had a stretch
47:22from 2016 through 2021
47:26where every fifth day,
47:28you didn't have to be a Mets fan.
47:30I'm not a Mets fan.
47:31You needed to stop
47:33what you were doing
47:34and see the show.
47:36A couple of Cy Youngs,
47:38obviously a strikeout-to-walk ratio
47:41that was unbelievable.
47:43See if you can remember
47:44what he did
47:45during the COVID season.
47:47Nobody can touch him.
47:49Look at the whip.
47:50Look at the strikeouts.
47:52Look at the walks.
47:54And I always forever
47:56made the case that,
47:58you know, in the NFL,
47:59Terrell Davis,
48:00who eventually got
48:01into the Hall of Fame,
48:02you know, shorter career,
48:03sheer domination,
48:04should have been in
48:05on the first ballot.
48:06You know, wins are different
48:07now in Major League Baseball.
48:09I wish it wasn't the case,
48:10but that's just how it is.
48:12I think, without question,
48:15Jacob deGrom is a Hall of Famer.
48:17Remember, he was not getting
48:19run support forever for the Mets.
48:21He did win a championship
48:24and helped change the complexion
48:26of the Texas Rangers.
48:27He wasn't healthy when they won,
48:29but that mattered when he signed there
48:32and Seager and Simeon
48:34and all those guys were together
48:35and that helped change
48:37the entire complexion here
48:39with regards to the Texas Rangers
48:41and he's responsible for that.
48:43And last year he was great
48:45and this year he's been great.
48:47So that adds to it,
48:48which also, to me, hurts Russell Wilson.
48:53Russell Wilson is not a Hall of Famer.
48:55There was a great case for Russ
48:58as a Hall of Famer in Seattle.
49:00The last four years,
49:02Russell Wilson has played himself
49:04out of the Hall of Fame.
49:05Two years in Denver
49:07where Sean Payton had to throw him
49:09out at the Yanks
49:09and couldn't stand the sight of him.
49:11A lost season in Pittsburgh
49:14and obviously no good
49:17with the New York football giants.
49:19You look at the Seattle Seahawks
49:21and Russ has a championship.
49:23Also, we know what happened
49:25with the interception of Malcolm Butler
49:27and it should have been another championship,
49:29but he threw that pick.
49:30Let's be crystal clear about that.
49:32And that was a terrible job by Pete Carroll.
49:34But if you start going through,
49:36and this is important here
49:37when you talk Hall of Fame,
49:39Pete Carroll to me,
49:40Hall of Fame coach,
49:41at least if you combine,
49:43you know,
49:43it's not apples to apples,
49:44but college and the pros.
49:46The Legion of Boom,
49:48obviously important as anything
49:50on those Seahawks teams.
49:51Bobby Wagner,
49:52I firmly believe,
49:53should be in the Hall of Fame.
49:54We can look at Marshawn Lynch.
49:56We can take a look at the offensive line.
49:57And Russ was great.
49:59But also,
50:00if you stack up Russell Wilson
50:02to other quarterbacks in that era,
50:05look,
50:07never got an MVP vote,
50:08never in the mix
50:10other than one year
50:11or even a consideration
50:12for the MVP.
50:15He was a great player in Seattle.
50:17I will only and always use that word.
50:20But how would he compare
50:22Hall of Fame-wise
50:23to, I don't know,
50:24the guy he's replacing,
50:26according to reports,
50:27in the CBS studio,
50:28Matt Ryan.
50:29Matt Ryan was a more dominant
50:31and a better player,
50:32and I've made the case
50:33for Matt Ryan
50:34to go into the Hall of Fame.
50:36How would he compare,
50:38in terms of domination,
50:40to Cam Newton?
50:42And I don't think Cam Newton
50:43is close to the Hall of Fame.
50:46How would he compare
50:48to someone in his era
50:49to Matthew Stafford?
50:51Matthew Stafford
50:52is a lock
50:53for the Hall of Fame.
50:55And frankly,
50:55Stafford in Detroit
50:56was more dominant,
50:58even on a bad team,
51:00than Russell Wilson was
51:01when he was playing
51:02for the Seattle Seahawks.
51:04Not to mention, obviously,
51:05the comparison
51:06with guys like Drew Brees,
51:08and we could start talking,
51:10Phillip Rivers was better.
51:12I don't think Eli Manning
51:14is a surefire Hall of Famer.
51:16He has two reasons
51:17why he should be
51:18in the Hall of Fame.
51:18The two years he won the Super Bowl,
51:19the two Super Bowl runs.
51:20Everything else is not.
51:22Eli has a better
51:23Hall of Fame case,
51:24in my opinion,
51:25than Russell Wilson.
51:27Simple as that.
51:28Ben Roethlisberger,
51:29more dominant,
51:30not to mention, obviously,
51:31Peyton Manning
51:32and Tom Brady,
51:33and we can go on
51:34and on and on.
51:35So, I thought Russ was close
51:37for a long period of time.
51:38I do not believe
51:40that he is a Hall of Famer,
51:41which leads me back
51:43to DeGrom.
51:44I know for a lot of Mets fans,
51:46they don't like the way he left.
51:48They didn't like
51:49the injury quotient.
51:50I just need you to remember
51:52how you felt.
51:54And I actually think,
51:55and I know the Hall of Fame
51:56in baseball could be,
51:57you know,
51:58where you're a prisoner
51:59and you're a prisoner
52:00of numbers.
52:01The numbers are great
52:02for DeGrom.
52:03It's also the feel.
52:05When you start talking
52:06about the last 15 years
52:08in baseball,
52:09there's no one you felt
52:10better about on the bump.
52:12Look,
52:12I think Felix Hernandez
52:14is a Hall of Famer
52:15and DeGrom better than he was,
52:17in my opinion.
52:18I think Jacob DeGrom,
52:20as phenomenal as it gets,
52:22albeit injured,
52:23I understand that.
52:24He's going to end up
52:26with, you know,
52:26the low 100s
52:27in terms of his win total.
52:29But absolutely,
52:30Jacob DeGrom
52:31should be in the
52:32Baseball Hall of Fame.
52:33But wait,
52:33there's more.
52:53How about it?
52:54Our guy Eric Corgi
52:56picking the Golden Knights
52:57in six to win
52:59the Stanley Cup.
53:00Now,
53:00I don't like going
53:01against my guy,
53:02my dog,
53:04Eric Corgi,
53:05but I'm going to.
53:06I'm taking the
53:07Carolina Hurricanes
53:09in seven.
53:10By the way,
53:11I think the Hurricanes
53:12getting over that hump
53:13and not having to face
53:15Florida after what
53:16Florida did to them
53:17the last couple years
53:18in the Eastern Conference
53:19Finals,
53:20the way they absolutely
53:21just ran through
53:22the first couple of rounds,
53:23sweep,
53:24sweep.
53:25They just got rid
53:26of Montreal
53:27in five.
53:28That was incredible.
53:30Vegas is going
53:31to be tough,
53:31but Rod Brindamore's
53:32team is amazing.
53:33Seth Jarvis,
53:34to me,
53:34is outstanding.
53:35You know,
53:36I think that Miller,
53:37the former Ranger,
53:38who,
53:38let's be honest,
53:39I thought the Blue Shirts
53:40just haphazardly
53:41kicked out of town,
53:42and I blame
53:43Condrey Miller
53:44for everything.
53:45That's,
53:46I mean,
53:46you heard what
53:47Wayne Gretzky said,
53:48called him the best
53:49defensive player
53:50in the sport.
53:50You can make the case
53:51that Miller is currently
53:52the best player
53:53on the Carolina Hurricanes.
53:55I'm rooting for him.
53:56I thought he got wronged
53:58by the Blue Shirts.
53:59Now,
54:00you look at it
54:00from a Vegas perspective,
54:02I love Torts.
54:03You know,
54:03obviously Mitch Marner.
54:04He was a scapegoat
54:06for Toronto,
54:07and that was tough to take.
54:10Obviously,
54:10we've seen some of this
54:11core win before
54:13with Eichel.
54:14I think it's going to be
54:15an epic series.
54:15I'm taking Carolina
54:16in seven.
54:17I think it's their time
54:18to shine.
54:18And how great would that be
54:20for championship sports
54:21in June
54:22if we get
54:23a Stanley Cup final game,
54:25NBA final game,
54:27night after night
54:28after night.
54:29And if my picks
54:29ultimately hits,
54:30we're going to have that
54:31for the next few weeks,
54:33which is going to be amazing.
54:34I'm going Carolina
54:35in seven
54:36and the Knicks
54:37in seven.
54:38That's the show.
54:39If you missed any portion
54:40of the program,
54:41just do what I do.
54:42Go to our YouTube page
54:43and watch it over
54:44and over and over again.
54:46New York Post Sports
54:47YouTube page,
54:47California Post Sports
54:48YouTube page.
54:49Search Shine Time.
54:51We'll see you tomorrow
54:52on Shine Time.
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