Fire Up Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. Detained By ICE

Is uh sports fans, We're back for another episode of Fire Up. This is a fourth of July edition. Happy, Happy fourth everyone. Hopefully everyone's got their food and them they're being safe, they're having fun with it with their friends, their family, and hopefully some of you are joining us for some shenanigans here tonight. Obviously not the normal crew. Scott and Katy will be back someday next week, will be back to back to the normal routines for all of us. But I wanted to get this last one

So first and foremost, brother, how how is your fourth? How was the food? How was the family? My friend?

I mean, the fourth was good.

We kept a real symbole, you know, hot dogs, hamburgers, big beans, chips, you know, I mean, uh, we kept you know, I mean I kept a real symbol because number one, number one two things I know how to do. I know how to grill right, and I know how to get out the way. I don't I don't do too much. But I will say to see y'all people on social media, stop taking pictures of these struggled grilled plates.

If you cannot grill, what are you documenting for?

Why do you gotta like when you say things like, man, look at this plate right here, I'm like, do.

That plate look burnt? Everything on that plate? I don't know the difference.

I don't know if it's a hamburger, a hot dog, a rib or chicken, because it all looks cajun aka burnt.

But we got it, We got it in you know all.

You know, I mean, you know my kids, man, they they simple man, I mean hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, baked mean, something to drink, Thank you God, blessing, good night. And we we we we we'll we'll. I mean my wife will go all in with the potato salad sometimes, you know, with the maca chiefs. But kept it simple, you know what I'm saying. Hot day, it wasn't really no good time to get out there and grill unless you did it in the morning. You know, we caught, we caught,

Sir?

About the same?

Man kept Captain simple and your just me Mom and the and the missus. You know, little little little barbecue chicken wings, you know, little potato salad, you know, burgers talk. You know, the normal, the normal stuff, the simple stuff, the fun stuff. My friend you know got uh you know,

And I don't know if you can hear it, they going crazy.

Oh yeah, oh y oh, yeah, yeah, I hear. I hear the I hear the face seam in the background. You just you just can't hear. It's almost like they trying to out They're trying to out compete each other in my neighborhood. You know, they trying to see who just cause list the police they ain't gonna come over here, because what are they gonna say. I mean, somebody told them somebody to say y'all, y'all living too loud. That

No, it's not.

Okay, Well, yeah, I have a friend, you know, you know, you know, me and my girl known for you know, you know, over twenty years.

Every year he goes right up to the park.

That's like I've been a ride from here, and he sets off, you know, more than a couple of grands worth fire of fireworks.

It goes on for, you know, almost a good half hour.

By the time he's got the he's got the police, uh calls times out perfect.

By the time they get there, everything's.

Yeah, yeah, all right, cool too. A couple of grand of five words, you better shoot them off. You better shoot off every last one of them. That's what's up. That's what's up.

Yeah.

He he doesn't the right way, and you know, he makes sure everyone in the neighborhood know. He gives him a time like listen, like we going out there, like nine fifteen, So make sure you're already, make sure you got your kids up there, because we in, we out, we're going.

And pleasy and pleasy and pleasy, say with a bunch of the Patriots, buddy, But daddy, we get some Now we're going to be a nine the team. Man, my home, we gonnahit. He gonna hook it up. We're gonna we're gonna watch it. And then when I.

Used to, I used to I used to throw them, throw some money and do stuff separately, the kids.

But you're right, man's what's the point of it?

Now he's like he's literally got a got a trove over there. I mean, he makes some of some of these pop up stories tell us so there ain't there ain't no point of it. But uh, I want to get into it. I want to get it, get in the habits of fun. We're gonna get right into right into this one. First and foremost. You know, obviously last weekend was uh Jake Paul's real first fight again against

But you know, yesterday the news broke that he has been detained by Ice.

And you know potentially you know, being processed for time for you know, accusations. At this point in time, it's it's listen, We're in a real weird time. I don't know how. He just has a boxing fight last weekend and all of a sudden, we we we turned around here less than you know, you know, seventy two hours.

Later, and you know, he's being he's being detained by ice.

I have, you know, an issue with this whole thing, Like, I don't know if the accusations are true. Uh, you know, obviously Julier Sage Sharks As Senior had had made a had made a statement this more this morning.

I think he put it out out there on accent.

He was very adamant that his son, you know, is in guilty of the things that he's being accused.

Of, and the whole thing.

All media athletes and light of the events and statements issued by the US Authority CHAVE, the shaz family wishes to express the follow in.

Our family is deeply dis made by the current situation. In these difficult times.

We reaffirm our total and unconditional support for Julio. We fully trusted his innocence and his human integrity, as well as the institutions of justice are both in Mexico and the United States. When we place our hope that the situation will be clarified in cordance with with with the law and the truth.

Julio is, above all a son of father.

Human being who has been facing numerous challenges personal and professional in his life. As a family, we respectfully requests that the due legal process grant him and that the premature judgments that harment his dignity and those who are

The shows man, yeah, it's it's it's unfortunate. I mean, it's who else is our shot? Junior situation is unfortunately talking about that. Actually when they accused him of overstaying his visa, lying on his application, Uh that here's.

His application, all right, so on there like He didn't lie.

There's nothing he lied about he made.

Maybe his visa did expire, and you know, work like there is a there's that definitely a fine line between work visa and and and athletes who who come in our country to to fight professionally and things of that nature.

There are differences in that nature. But he did not do anything.

Wrong on his fighters license. I know a couple of people posting some things up. I literally went over with a fine to co. There's even if he did have a warrant through Mexico, that's not anything that is on his fighter's license. Maybe that that there was something they could rebroke his visa. But how is he having a you know, this big fight that everyone's known for for months and all of a sudden, now where we're gonna

I have an issue with it as well. I mean, he's been he's been here for a long time.

I mean they say he lives in like, you know, in a in like a well to do a neighborhood out there, and you know, out there in Los Angeles, Uh, he's a he's a well known box I mean he's a I mean he's a he's a legacy fighter, and obviously he's gonna I do believe he's gonna get due process. But I do a bit with you, Steve at the time, and it's crazy if you knew about this before the fight and you let him fight and then you arrest him after the fight. It all looks like one big

Know, like I don't listen. I don't let me tell you something.

The word illegals, while a lot of people use it, it's a very derogatory term because everybody's over here supposed to get due process. Julio is gonna get due process. I just don't know if they gave him that, because, like you said, Steven, I got a problem with how everything was done. This there doesn't get more public figure than Julio shopping. It just don't. He's not high now,

You do that, you treat people at some level of human decency.

It's just I mean, his family it's came out and made some statements, but it just it just looks like so much of a like we we live in such a sensationalized world to what now we gotta publicize everything. We are not here and we're talking about the American judicial system. Ice, We're not here to try to make mockeries out of people, to try to embarrass people, to try to fool people. Julio was like, what is this,

Yeah.

I mean, like I said, it's just the way this went down, the timing of it, all that stuff. You know, My thoughts are with you know, you know, you know,

And uh, you know, uh, I firmly believe there's no way.

I don't believe that he has any you know, Mexican cartel tie.

Yeah, yeah, I don't. I don't, I don't, I don't listen.

I don't like that type of reporting because people can throw a word a legend in front of it. Don't use the word alleged to say things you always want to say about somebody, because if it if it proved to be false, like this was a legend, who was your who was your source? Well, I can't give my source was a source shoe. No, it's like, stop doing that. Everybody from Mexico is not a part of the cartel. They've probably been affected by the cartail. They probably been

Yeah, you know, so stop that point.

Yeah, I don't want to get too political with it, just you know, yeah, it's it's it's it's something that that affects, you know, our combat sports athletes, and you know they you know, they don't have enough voices champion for them. But now I'm gonna go the other way. With the results of that past weekend's fight, mister Jake Paul is now being being officially ranked by the w a A w b A as the fourteenth Beth cruiserweight in the world. Another thing I have a problem with, Listen,

Ten when they go in there, they're not fighting for a world title.

They're fight against a young you know, you know, contender or or guy that it's kind of built his name.

So I have a.

Problem that we're only two actual boxers and not a single guy fought at cruiserweighting, not a rank guy, not an upcoming guy at cruiserweight, and now we're ranking this is you know, I had had a disagreement with with another another knucklehead on TikTok. This is why I say

I have a problem with this. I love the the other things that Jake does for this sport.

He is trying to help this help the sport grow in a way where where fighters are not always going going going to have these great avenues. You know, you have promoters that that hold guys in and they have their favorites and things of that nature. What we're gonna see here and in uh less than a week or two, we're gonna see amnus Aroano and and and and Katie Taylor fight for a third time on Netflix.

There's gonna be a bunch of big fights on on there.

What he's doing as a promoter, you we can't take that away from him, and I won't take that away from him. That's something that's something he is exceptional at this.

You can't you can't get me to buy into this.

So I know you're not the greatest combat sports officionado. But I know you never know enough about boxing to know this ain't right. Brother, It's not right.

It's not rifle. It's not right for so many reasons. Number One, in order to be to me, in order to be ranking the w B A w B O. Were you an amateur fight? Did you come up in amateurs? No?

You know how many fights?

You haven't? Amateurs? Too many in the name, right, Jake Paul is taking advantage of the times when he's a social media superstar.

He's a you know, I mean, he's a big time influence.

He's him and his brother, you know what I'm saying, have really really made names for themselves. But you said it though, this ain't no big card. This can get promoted through through through these through the avenues that he's built up, through his celebrity and his fame.

Jake Paul is not finna.

Listen. Remember remember when Jake Paul brother got in there with up Remember when he got in there and fought Floyd Mayweather, who was way past his prime. What happened to him?

Uh huh?

He's out there getting the bears. Mike Tyson.

Mike Tyson almost sixty years old man and all that promotion that Mike Tyson did with him sparring. When Mike Tyson got in the ring, I'm like, what was that a build up for?

What?

I respect what Jake Paul does, But Jake Paul is not, and I mean it's humbly man. He should never be ranged with Canelo fights Crawford, that's a fight. If John Bones Jones want to do UFC, that's a fight, right, That's what I'm because they got known through the sport, not hey. Man, I became a big face, a big name in celebrity, as an influencer.

And now I want to go to the boxing world because I know how.

To put the I got enough money to help with the promotions and all these different things. Jake Paul two reasons why he will never have a be ranked a fighter in his prime. Will not fight Jake Paul because to them, they gonna be like, dude, it's not worth it to me. I'm gonna I'm gonna bear Jake Paul and Jake Listen. Can't Jake Paul fight?

Yeah?

Does that make j Paul a fighter? No, I'm gonna say that again.

Anyone that that's worth their salt that has called the mail you had has seen Rockman Junior's uh uh, you know.

Call him out? You know has seen Rockman.

You know his pop was was a former world champion and and you know, was he the greatest one.

Of all time? Absolutely not.

That's a name in a fight people could respect even more so. We were just talking about him a few weeks ago. Just made his BKFC debut. Tommy Morrison sung Kenzy Morrison. You know when he when he you know, he's I think he only has one loss in his professional boxing career and more than have him or knockouts. He looked at a spitting image of his dad when he was doing batter knuckle last week.

He's been calling Jake out for four years. That's a fight.

I don't care if you sit there and says he doesn't have the numbers.

You're not doing.

You're trying to build your legacy to the point where people want to consider you legit.

Jake. If you're ever, ever.

Ever, ever gonna gonna think that you're you're gonna legitimize what you've done so far. Yes, you're learning on the fly against top level combat sports athletes, but you're not fighting rank guys. Yet, No, you're you cheated your way into a ranking in the in this way in my opinion. But look like I said, the promoter part, you know, he's I think Al Bernstein said it the best.

You know, he thinks of it.

He thinks of Jake Paul sort of how he feels about Clint Eastwood. A blow average actor but an amazing director and producer. He's top noting that in that form, and I think I'll hit hit that one on the head. He hit that one on the head that Jake is a below average fighter, but he is a top not promoter.

No, no, not, Uh, Jake Paul is. Jake Paul is the real life Creed. And I'm talking about the Michael B. Jordan Creed. He's the real life version of it. Like because he's he came out and listen, he came out of nowhere, and we get to hit, We get to hit celebrity. He became, he was a celebrity. Then he chose com bastball. He chose boxing, and his brother tried to do it. Brother got humbled by Floyd Mayweather realized, dude,

Boxing.

Either you do it or you don't do it. And for Jake Paul, he's a slappy look, I'm not taking away his burgers. Are promoting a fight, but that's not a fight that's gonna be respecting nationally because people like, well, dude, people know you because of how you came up in the social media influences internet type thing, but that don't make you a boxer. Will real crucier wats fight you in their prime, No, because they're not gonna get credit for beating you. Only you look good for fighting them.

I mean Spint, I mean Smints.

And and Tank Davis and guys that did it, because they're like, dude, you know how hard it was for us to get there, and that's all we've held for done. We'd never done nothing but boxing. So I respect Jake Paul, like you said, as a promoter, But come on, man, I remember let me tell you. Let me tell you what. I remember when Canelo fought Floyd Mayweather, and you know, and and and every and everybody thinking, oh man, he's with Golden Boy Promotions.

What what? What did what?

The Floyd Mayweather come out and say, he said, how how you gonna tell him to beat me? I beat your boss, Canelo. I've already beat him now this and this is a young Canelo. They was like, hey man, the young gun for the Girl against the Federal where both of them was boxers. One of them was a veteran boxer. What did Floyd Mayweather do? He boxed the hell out of Canelo. He said, I'm stick. I'm not gonna stand here in front of you because if I could call I'm knocked out. Now Canelo is the veteran

Say all the right things to the public.

But if you ask a really said, but it's a gimmick, man, it's a waste of my time. It's a waste of all the years I put in. I can respect what he does, but that don't mean he do what I do. No, no, No. Him getting in the ring don't mean he do what I do. He gets to get in the ring because he's a good promoter. And look at who he's fighting fighting once again, Jake Paul. Bro Now let's talk about who he's and Anderson Ate Nate and just listen, Nate Anderson Silva, right, you listen.

Natural middleweight one hundred and eighty five pounder.

Ron Woodling one hundred seventy pounder, Nate Diaz one hundred seventy pound fighter, bet Asker one hundred seventy pound fighter, Mike Perry, hundred seventy pound fighter.

You see, you see what I'm talking about here?

Yep, yep, yep.

And like I said, like I said.

On this list, tell.

On this list. There I mean, And here's the thing, right, let me tell you what. Jake Paul is smart enough to know I'm gonna take a bunch of knockout artists and combat sports, which is totally a knockout artist in combat sports does not compare to a knockout artist in boxing. It does not compare. Now do we respect both apps? Nate Didas is a knock out artist, and Anderson Silva knock out But but but but Anders and Silver knocked you out in different ways. See were talking about a

Here's the thing, that's what Connor Connors I thought.

I still think what made Honor's special is his reaction in his hand eye coordinations. What made him special, why he had so many knockouts in his career. And yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna we're gonna change gears here and talk about Connor in a second, because did you did you see what do you see what trumping is? Today he announced that for for for next year's Fourth of July festivities, we are going to have a UFC fight at the White House. What so, of course, who's the

Of get himself in in fight shape.

Dana White has kind of already said he loves the idea, would love to bring Connor in for a fight like that. But man, has that ever happened, had a major fight promotion and the President of the United States said, hey, let's do it at the lawn of the White House.

I don't think that's happened since like the early days.

Yeah, emotion, it was just just a you know, two knuckleheads having some fisticuffs.

Yeah, I mean Donald Trump and what you're talking you're talking about a big time promoter. Donald Trump understands. He's treating the UFC like a It's like you're going to the movie to see it, to see a movie. You see coming coming and you know coming in twenty twenty six, fourth of July, UFC, Washington, DC on the White House lawn. Look, two things I think Trump Trump Trump tries to have different type of he would have a different type of legacy because he's not a he's not a politician, he's

Think that that's something.

Maybe maybe you have guys that you've already had on their contracts. I would like to see a bunch of the guys who have been you know, military veterans who have been been in the sport. Guys like Tim Kennedy, Brian Stan comes to mind, other guys like that, you know, Chris Widman, like there, there's a bunch of guys that that I would like to see kind of a come out for a fight like that. But it all depends, you know, uh, you know who they would be going up against.

What kind of fights he's kind of kind of trying to put on. So uh, I think he's he is going to go spectacle a little bit. But uh, I mean, I wouldn't blame him at this point in time.

Like I would, I'd try to pull out all the stops for this one. Like listen, he pulled out all the stops when he did this, when he did the sphere right, and they did, they did a lot of a lot of the guys that were a lot of your Latin fighters or Mexican fighters, they did a lot a lot of.

That is because of the proximity and all that.

I think this one, uh, you know, you you find some guys from the area. One, you find some guys that that are military too, and then you find some guys like along the line of Connor Zilpe that that that that that that's a legitimate you know, international star. I think you do whatever you can them to make

And what what better way to do? What what better way.

To top off the fourth of July for for the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary, but good old combat sports fight on the law and of the White House.

If if Connor mcgreg is gonna be there, Ron de Risey gonna have to find a way to make it appear as a man, the Newond's gonna have to find a way to make they might not fight, but they're gonna have to show their face that because I think what happens with a fight like this, you bring out the legends.

The legends don't got the fight, but they come out.

They come out because it's gonna be I mean, you know it's gonna's I mean, an event like that. It's almost like Donald Trump is putting pressure on future president to say, we understand this about policy, we understand this about you know, uh, different things to help to help the American people.

But what kind of events.

Because because of because a president usually goes to an event that's already set up. They show up to an event the super Bowl, NBA Finals, you know, Game seven, the World Series, you know Game seven, the NHL. He's throwing an event.

Hey man, it's gonna be crazy. That's gonna be crazy.

Yeah, and I think there's gonna listen, if you're a fighter on that on that card, just understand you're gonna have to deal with a lot of vetting. You're gonna have to deal with it. So make sure your your eyes are thought and your teaser crossed. Everything's good, everything's good in your life. And uh, you know you're gonna you're gonna be able to be there. But I agree, you're you know, I think you are going to have a you know, uh the Stars Stars the Star.

Ramp rampage Jackson. Let let him, let him, let him come in, just making sure him. Man what's his name? Uh man, what's the what's the name?

Uh?

White guy? He always was talking trash man.

He didn't win all his fights, but he talks so much trash. Oh yeah, Oh my god. I mean he got to be that he got. I mean Jess from Jets for the commentary, Jets for the commentary.

I'd like to see Daniel Cormier too.

Like I know a lot of people, you know, kind of think of him as a second fiddle to uh to John Jones. But you know, I think Daniel's more his his career is more.

Than than absolutely his rivalry John.

What he does in the wrestling community, what he does for kids and things of that nature. If he's not fighting, I know he's gonna at least be commentating that that event.

You know, Joe Rogan is gonna be there for that, so you already know.

I mean he's gonna be doing He's gonna be doing a Joe Rogan podcast Live Live.

To go in and do his podcast before the election. So I wouldn't be surprised if he gets another sit down. And while he's there at the White House, I think you're gonna have some unique content come out for for that that fourth of July, and I'm excited for it. I'm looking forward to seeing the upcoming announcement our for

He gonna definitely entertain it. He might not be able to do it, but he gonna definitely entertain it, no doubt.

Now I do want to switch gears.

You know, we've been talking a lot of combat sports for this first half hour of the show, but didn't get a chance.

Of talking on on Wednesday, wanted to talk to you about it.

Now, s g A has a arrived. He is now the highest paid player in the NBA, signed a two hundred and eighty five million dollar contract over the next four years.

Uh that's look.

At his Look at his breakdown, right, gets more than Tatum, more than Curry, more than Joel Embiid, more than honest.

I mean, listen, he did TP at two things. He peaked at the repeaked at the right time, winning the regulars seas, the m v P and the finals MVP and I can't even remember whatever MVP he won. The Uh, the he collective bargating as far as like the money that's available in in the National Basketball Association is through the roof and when people start saying, hey, man, why did he really get the money? He's the face of the NBA over Tatum. I'm not saying he's the only face,

Yeah, these guys are these guys are getting it right now.

Man.

It's it's an amazing.

Like everyone like we do complain about it, just because you hear a lot a lot of guys are like, oh well, they need.

To shorten the season down.

They need to do Listen, listen, listen, listen, man, you ain't you ain't short in the season down you know, I just seen the CBA for hockey. They've added two more games, right they this is the CBA for hockey. They just added more games. So, I mean, you guys get paid more than just about any I think the only sport you get paid more is baseball.

And that's just simply because.

They play one hundred They played one hundred and sixty two games in the season, you know, plus what they do in the playoffs. If you know, you're one of those top top teams. So but yeah, we were talking about it before, like we need, we need new stars, new faces in the w A. I believe SGA is only like twenty seven years old. Yeah, it's exactly what you want. You need, you need a guy like this, you need you need, you need that blood, that new blood in there because you know, uh, we ain't.

We ain't gonna see Lebron in there too much longer. We're gonna get to him in in a minute.

But uh, it's a it's a good thing to see not not only him getting his accolades, him getting the you know, being the highest paid paid player in the NBA at this point in time, regardless if you agree with it or not, He's paid his dues over the last handful of years. You know, he's been at the top or or you know, in the in the running for for m VP of the league. So I'm happy for I'm looking forward to it. What are your thoughts on the on the potential remaining free agent. I'm gonna

Ben Zimmons is still available. What do you think we're gonna see this?

This this NBA free agency coming up, because I wanted to get to that before we before we touched on Lebron and what's going on with him right now. But uh, it's an interesting thing, you know, watching what's going on there in Milwaukee, I feel I feel a reboot coming up there. I think I don't think Giannis is gonna stay there, despite the fact that him saying that he wanted to, Yeah.

Yanna is gonna say the right thing because he is that he is a true professional. But I think it's time in Milwaukee is up. I think what they was, what they wanted to get out of him. He more than lived up to what you're talking about. The MVP is in the league, won a championship, has never ever really made a lot of ways, maybe about himself. I mean, but I think sometimes if I know what I know, what I it's not jis wanted to leave.

Is what I can get for him?

Man? What could I get? How many first round picks? How many players can I get? That's gonna be big when they do decide to move on from Damian Lillard. I always thought even when he went to Milwaukee, I mean, it was a good thing without a great thing. When you got when you got a ball dominant guard like him and did it coming off of injury, you know, you know it was gonna be hard for him to stay. Al Horford, I mean, you know, two years removed from a championship with the Celtics.

A guy has been about his rock solids.

You can be good, not great, but Definite still has quality stars left in him. The fact that Ben Simmons is still even in the NBA, it boggles my mind.

Like Ben Simmons, Ben.

Simmons that was number one overall pick out of LSU and an't even make a tournament. Ben Simmons, that that's have been all over making money. Ben Simmons, that will get traded to a team, signed big money to a team, Jen to Taylor team. I don't want to play Philly, Ben Simmons, the nest Ben Simmons.

Look, Oh man, it's an embarrassment. It is an embarrassing.

Twenty twenty one was the last year he was actually a productive basketball player. I heard that that he was asking for more than the veteran league minimum. I don't know if he's gonna get that anywhere. He's robbed, you know, Philly, He's robbed the Nuts, He's robbed the Lakers, He's robbed everybody.

I don't I mean the Ben Simmons experiment.

I'm not under standy what what they hope to get from him at this point, Like, look, I don't want to hear about what he could be. I don't want to hear about, Hey, man, if he can do this, and he can do that, if he can do what play basketball?

Know that we know that for a fact he can play defense.

But I mean that Ben Simon, absolutely, Ben Simmons is gonna have to get and I don't take mental health. Uh, I don't take it lightly. I don't know what's going on from the neck cup with it, but he just ain't any right now. And there ain't a person that feeling want to hear nothing about No Ben Simmons. Don't bring up Ben Simmons to me. I don't want if you aren't Philadelphia seven, Ben Simmons, if I catch him in it, if I catch him at the light, it's

I want to erase that that that that that that time and space and take can we can we run this one back? Because that we made a mistake. I mean, obviously the Sixers have made many mistake through the drafts, through free agency and let this guy stay, letting this guy go. I mean I've already said I feel that I feel that they're probably close to a blow up. I know they're hoping Joel hits that for him when he When Joel is healthy, he's the best.

Basketball player in the NBA.

I know a lot of people might want to argue that I don't know many seven footers that is that smooth from behind the three point line. But but listen, if Joe could get healthy and stay healthy and get give you eighty two games plus a plus a good a good playoff run, the seventy six would have been an NBA championship at some point in time over the last seven years.

But I think.

Tyrese Max he's a great additional piece. I do not think Paul George is somebody they should they should have kept. I wouldn't be we're talking about Gianni's being traded. I wouldn't be surprised to see, uh, Darryl Moory try to see what what what he could what he could leverage to to get him out of there. Maybe maybe do give up a pick next year, maybe give away of Paul George and and maybe an additional additional player.

You know that that's it. That'll be the easiest decision to make. A may listen, we want young what y'all want you? Paul George the first round pick a second round pick in another player, because Paul, I mean, Jannis will take a lot of pressure off. Giannis will play a lot of pressure off with Joel because with Joel getting older, as to look, man, you're gonna have to play closer to the basket. The one thing about Jannis Nis don't Ji don't shoot a lot of threes. Jannis

We'll see how the how, the how the the off season plays out for the NBA.

But we're gonna have to get to this now.

Obviously, we we we've been we've been ragging on King James last few weeks, right and rightfully.

So he's been saying some silly things, but you know, uh, he did sign his tenure.

Fifty two million dollars say saying that he's trying to go after another championship.

I would say this, if you really.

Wanted to wanted to go after a championship with the Lakers, not trying to get get moved to another team, you wouldn't. You wouldn't have signed the player option. You to decline the option and signed a contract that was team friendly, to get some more guys in there to play with you guys to to really push it. Because we've already talked about the West. The West one through ay, there's no wiggle room.

You got.

You got legitimate teams that that from from from one to eight that that that could potentially win a championship. And none of them are the Los Angeles Lakers, you know, even with a Luca Dono's I don't. I don't think they're there. It's not anything against Lebron. I just don't think they have enough pieces a round them. And when you're when you're locking yourself into that that that fifty two million dollar contract, you're not trying to help your team win.

You're still trying to line your pockets.

And and as I said, I wouldn't, I wouldn't be sur as I said last week, you know or Wednesday. Rather, I would not be surprised or fault him for going after another championship, because we we we know what his ultimate goal is, regardless of what his comments on ring culture is or is it. I think that that that is his goal, and I said it last week. I think the writings on the wall, I think that the Lakers are trying to go in a different direction regardless of him signing the player option.

I think he's another guy.

I think the right deal comes across the Lakers table that they would they wouldn't hesitate to move him as long as it gave them a piece, and they just they just signed a center and just date it.

So now I think it's official.

Lebron James has now officially been on the roster with the most number one overall draft picks than any player in NBA history. That that's insane, man, that that that that is insane.

I think if if if he's really serious.

About that, I would I would not I would not have signed the tenure and I would have declined it.

Found some something team.

Friendly to make sure that you have the most guys in.

Your locker room to do to to help you guys win a championship.

This is this what your ultimate goal is at the end of the day, right, so make sure your team could do it. He doesn't need money anymore, so why why sign the fifty two million dollar tenure?

Am I wrong here? Am I reading this wrong?

Ben?

Tell me, brother, No, no, no, I don't think you read it wrong. I think I think I think Lebron wants to win one with Luca. I think Lebron they they they, I mean the Lakers get Deondrey Aiden for I'm a number one overall pick. You know, uh, you know out of Arizona it didn't work out. I was in Phoenix.

Uh.

You talk about Austin Reeves, you talk about ru uh Hakamurura. I think Lebron is saying that. He's saying, Look, dude, I want listen. I won with d Wade, one with Botch, I won with obviously. You know you talk about it went over there with Kyrie, right, Anthony Davis and Dwight Howard the reason why I'm the reason why they got a championship. I want to help Luca win one and then I'm gone because at that point, because Luca is the future, no doubt, no doubt about it. Luca is

They're gonna they're gonna sell tickets. You know they're gonna.

But uh will, I mean, I think this is gonna get me his best shot, not only because you got a center, you gotta you got a superstar, Luca, you got a guy in offsin Reeves.

I mentioned real how you know.

I mean, it's like Lebron just played basketball and more basketball, less talking because now Michael Jordan about to be in the booth. I don't know who booth he gonna be in. How long you're gonna be in there. He can be in any boof you want, any network, he won't. It's Michael Jordan's. He gonna have a and he gonna have a lot to say about Lebron a lot.

So Michael doesn't doesn't know how to sugarcoat anything. He doesn't know politically correct. He just knows facts. And people may say that, you know, his his vision on the game is skewed and things of that nature. And you know he's got skin in the game to run Lebron to Listen, I said it as soon as they an answer, he better, he better retire, and he didn't retire.

So whatever, whatever, whatever Michael says.

At this point in time, people going a good portion more than half of people who watch basketball are gonna get consider that God's word for for lack of a better term, and listen. You know, uh, we do critique everybody, you know, especially when when it comes to the professional athletes. We break everything down. I'll keep setting her saying that he's a generational player. Some people were like, oh, well is it? Is it ironic? And Michael retired the year

He had accomplished everything he could and he knew it didn't matter.

It didn't matter what he did as as a as a you know, as a GM and as a playeruer at the same time that technically it was an owner and player at the same time, not GM. But it's one of those things where it's like, you know, what else can I can I get to this game? Like he's he's played against just about just about everyone we're playing against. He played against Kobe, he played against Iverson, He's played against Shaq. He he played against probably one

You know, we could debate that, but Michael.

Jordan is is always going to be, you know, you know, number one as far as well people concern in in that way just because he's undefeated in championship games.

And he left and the greatest Saint Michael Jordan did. He did a three pat, left to play baseball, came back and did a three pat again, which means we only could imagine could he have could he have one? Could he have won eight straight championship?

Like like the level of competitive Like that's what separates Mike in these conversations when we have you know, is Lebron a goat? I mean, he's he's a top five player of all time, and like I said, you can make arguments for other guys and maybe push him down. And like as I say, like as we talk about all the time, when when I when I do these uh you know these Matt Rushmore is like there's so many different variables that we go into this, Like how do we properly digest all this off. But he he's

Was he always the guy taking the shot?

No, he he was smart enough to know when he had to take the shot and when he.

Had to pass off.

Like like I'm sure to this day, you know, Uh, John Paxson is probably thanking him so many times because he people know his name because Michael passing the ball and he had one of the biggest shots of his life. But that's what made Michael special. Is is that that the little things to know, like to pass it here, to take the shot there.

It's it's what separates him. And you know, it's you know, six to Zeroe championship games.

You know, uh, you know, uh, national championship, didn't didn't lose his chance there, two Olympics, didn't lose his chance there.

Did Lebron went off of his Olympic Olympic chances.

No.

See, this is like I said, this is why there's like there's slight differences. Michael was the ultimate competitor and leader. Lebron may be a competitor, a great competitor, a good leader, wasn't a great leader, and we can have we can have that discussion. I'm not saying that that he isn't a leader and and guys don't look up to him and and things of that and things like that. But it wasn't on Mike's level. And that's why he's on on that that that different tier. That's why that like

Sah no, no, no, that's not that's not even a discussion.

I mean, you're talking about the greatest laker about in.

My opinion, and there's nothing wrong with that. Like we're chasing the this ntainer like he's chasing the unicorn.

At this point in time.

Oh yeah, yeah, it's it's Lebron, Lebron is. We'll never listen, We'll never see another Mic again, We'll never see another Kobe again, We'll never see another Lebron again. Right when you talk about their contributions to the game, well made. Michael Jordan, Michael Jordan is. Two coats used to dominate basketball. You had to you had you had the Lakers with magic. You had you had and then you had you know, the boss, you know, you had the cells it with Bird.

And then he then here comes.

The Dream Team with Carl Malone, with David Robinson, with with Bird with Magic and who's the best player, barn Charge Burr, who the best Michael?

Michael was the best player on that team bar none.

Then then you talk about you talk about what he meant to the national basketball and so it stays, look at what he means the basketball culture, Look at what he means to the shoe culture.

Look at what he means the shoe deals. Exposure.

Mike paid the way for a lot of He done a lot of things for the game that a lot of guys get the benefit from.

The worst thing could have ever happened to Lebron was being compared to Mike.

Just don't do that. Even when Kobe was being compared to Mike. Don't do that because that's a losing argument for anybody. The only person you can't compare to Mike is Kareem Abdul Jabal. That's a conversation. You want to talk about the best. Now you can compare Kareem because Kareem I think he won five or six and Kareem did it in college one three. Mike won one. Mike was the best playing college. Karea was the best playing college.

Three years in the row. They were tried Mike Jersey.

They retired Mike Jersey with Chicago, they retired Kareem Jersey High School. They retired to Jersey but UCLA. They retired to Jersey form Milwaukee. They retired to Jersey with the Likers. All I'm saying is this, the most unstoppable moving basketball is the skyhook. I don't know why guys don't want to do it. Get out your feelings. Man, It's two

Because that's how Mike was.

Mike was.

Michael Jordan used to have movies about himself like come Fly with Me Airtime. It's like, and all you're doing is watching him play basketball. He ain't doing nothing but what he does. I think for Lebron it's the same thing. It's saying. Look, I've never ever cared about goat conversations because, dude, goat is what they tell you. It's not what you tell them. You don't tell people what you were. They

You can't do no more.

But if you don't do it, let you play do the talking don't do a bunch of talking. Even though Draymond Green, you know, he got his own podcast. I'm just saying it's like, hey, man, go out there and do what you do. Man, let you play. Do it for you Lebron James. Man Like, at the end of the day, your criticism is just feedback because you and to him of the conversation too, you just not listen. Somebody said, man, oh man, you one of the greatest ever.

I mean, come on, man, now, we gotta get into that. We were talking at the NBA draft.

A few days ago last week, brother, and the big

I think they made a huge mistake for the for for for for these two reasons. He didn't show up and work out with you before the before the come you know, before before the actual draft. Red flag number one. When you draft him, he don't. He don't show up. He hasn't been there. He hasn't been out there yet. When you start catering to a player who hasn't done anything in the NBA, who you don't know how he's gonna pan out when he does get there, why are

Is the best player is when he was in Georgia. He wasn't.

He wasn't the best player. He wasn't the best player in college basketball. I don't think. I don't think. I don't think. Now he's an incredible scorer. Now he can score the basket, but he's in the NBA. Now, most guys in the NBA can scored buckets, right, I just think that when you give too much leeway, too much grace and credits to a player that ain't even on your team.

He on your team, but he ain't contributed nothing.

You already you already short listen, number one, you got to win that locker room.

You got to win over your teammates. You ain't doing that right now.

And in such a and we listen, we in the n I l entitlement type world right now when the coming certain athletes. The best guard in college basketball in twenty twenty four was Walter Clayton. Look at him at Florida. Look at what he did in the freaking out. Look listen, who we do against you asked? Then against Auburn, then listen, then against you come. Then it against Houston, then against Texas Tech. Anyway, ran the guntlet and the sec All I'm saying is and was at number one seed Ace Bailey.

Why trade for what?

No? No, this is entitlement like you've never seen it. This is spoiled like you've never seen it. Ace better getting behind out there, man. And like I said, if they're gonna make a rough on the man, them players here gonna have to play against in the NBA. Oh they gonna remember is Wait a minute, you're making a microy of what I do because you don't like who pitch you and you the fifth overall pig.

All right, I got you, I got you, I got.

Listen. All I'm saying is I'm glad my sexters didn't take him.

I know, uh, I know when when the things were blowing down to it looked like that we were gonna stay there and draft somebody.

Uh he was initially was on there.

Then as soon as he basically when you talk about he didn't work out, he didn't work out for anybody.

It was.

It wasn't just Utah. He didn't work out for anybody.

And I think that is the that that is the biggest red flag that anyone could ever make. So I mean, is he gonna be a good, a great basketball player? That that's that's to be argued, debated and seen. So yeah, I think Utah has gotta gotta mess on their hands. And yeah, you don't care to to somebody like this. You know, he's not he's he's not you know, a

Like he's not a little Lebron Lebron James. No, he's not that.

So you can't be you can't be doing things along these lines as you're trying to go from being a young man to a young adult as being a professional basketball player.

So yeah, I think Utah's in some trouble.

I would not be surprised to see him dealt to wherever his true destination would What.

Was That's a that's an argument and discussion for another day.

But meaning to get into this, We've been talking a lot of w NBA people have been upset about me and Ben's takes on tick times like they gonna get even more more upset. I don't care what you like, what you don't like. We're gonna talk about about the facts, not feelings. We've already said that on here. You can get in your feelings about whatever you don't feel like. Listen, we give everyone their flowers, but but we keep it real here. So uh and as far as keeping it real,

Talent that you've seen.

And that's no disrespect to you know, the shareff Swoops of the world that's come through you know, you know, the Dawn Stalleys of the world. Like you know we can name off all all these great players I've already came before. That's not to take anything away from them. I'm just talking about league wide. I don't think you've seen this much talent at at a at a out

These are two of the faces of the league at the time.

I still don't think neither one of those two are are a top five player in the league right now. I think there's somebody who is helping the league grow exponentially in a way they've never seen before. I think this draft class is even better than the one we had last year. You know, you know, Sophie Conneyhm's been already putting out there page has been doing her thing like like you're.

Getting a great, a great class of athletes right now.

And I think it would be a monumental mistake to try to do, you know, a player strike, a union strike, however you want a word that, because you feel this offer isn't where you want it to be.

I think as.

Long as you guys are getting you know, a five fifteen percent raise on what where your contracts are currently at.

Then I don't think it is a slap in the face.

You're still doing revenue sharing from the NBA to keep you guys aflute. You're you know, you're you're just in the pricess it of expanding to almost twenty teams at this point in time. You're getting the growth. Don't don't stop the growth. Don't stop the train moving forward, keep it going. Find some common ground. You know, maybe maybe you only sign it to year CBA. You know, maybe you don't you don't go, you know, a five year,

Sign a one year CBA and see come back to the table next year. But don't don't sit there and and and you know, you know.

Cut off your nose despite your faces. As as the saying goes, I think rejecting this one. You know, well, I didn't get the actual numbers on what it was yet, but I want to get your thoughts on this me. And you've already kind of kind of like discuss this. This is a this is a bad idea. This is the route that these players are going.

Yeah, popularity and productivity doesn't really equate, you know, to profitability.

And I think you say the best.

I don't think the wn man has ever been more popular than it is right now. Right, I don't think it's been more eyes than it's ever been. But you got to make money. You take any business that's not making money, most of the time, they're not around anymore. They're given the NBA is making sure that it's given. Uh,

So I do agree.

Sometimes, man, you got to bite the bullet to keep the momentum going because if y'all doing d strike, no one knows. Because here's the thing. If you do gonna strike using to lift the strike, you gotta agree to the CBA. They not gonna those numbers. I can't pour a numbers from something that's not there. If it's not there, I got to give you what we got and thank God for the NBA, or there will be no w n b A. So we are doing our best to try to meet in the middle. In the middle, and

Where's that money's supposed to come from?

Because guess what if we pulling money from here to satisfy there, that mean we're gonna be pulling money from somewhere. So so you might have to go from charter flights and no charter flights.

Again like this, It ain't college where you got bruisters.

Just just throwing money at the university, and the NBA is only gonna throw money at you for so along.

Wow, Wow, while they're.

They're they're waiting for you to patiently turn you know, you know, turn red to black. So we'll we'll see how it develops. Like I said, I hope whoever whoever's in charge of, you know, the players Union, et cetera, it's smart enough to not allow them to walk.

I know.

Uh.

During the offseason, Angel Reeves was basically saying that they should. I think that would be foolhearted and silly. You don't you don't stop the train from moving forward when the train's going as faces as.

It's ever gone at this point in time.

So uh again, we'll we'll see how everything shakes out if they can come to agreement. Like I said, if they're smart, you know that they only signed something for a few years, and and see what the growth is over the next few to see if they do get it, that they do get into the black and they do start to see more growth and things like you're you're gonna be bringing three more teams in over the next

So and don't reedy like.

Roome wasn't gonna watch it wither away after you, after you built all all all of this, this free publicity, this this momentum that you built, you had, you had, you're having some exceptional athletes of all types of background coming into your sport.

Right now.

Don't don't don't don't put don't pull the e brake up and jump off the rails.

Stay the course is kind of kind of where I'm gonna go with this.

So now again, changing gears again, We're gonna we're gonna gonna do something that that slightly put a little smile on Ben's face as Home Run Derby has been announced. It's gonna be down there in Atlanta, and obviously you got you got your your your boy ronan ocoun your junior is one of the three names being already named in the run derby participants.

Who do you think are gonna gonna run out?

You know the next handful of guys that we're gonna see in in the derby? And Howard excited are you for the upcoming All Star game?

Man? The fact that the fact that the fact that we get our do over was supposed to have it here before it got you know, it got shut down.

For different reason.

But here we are. Love fact, listen, love the fact that my brains aren't playing well. But you know roller Cooey Jr. Won the Best Players in Baseball a couple of years from moving here and win the National League MVP. But guys that I want to see in it, the usual suspect Peter Alonzo. He got to enter it. I mean, come on, come, I mean, he gotta do it. I won't see Peter Alonzo in it, aery judge. All you do is hit bombs, right, Come on, get in the thing. Man,

I respect it, and do do.

I even got to say it Atny. Come on, man, come on, man, come on, a Tony jump in it right now. Here's a name. I don't know if he's eligible to do it. And Jack cast me on off the Florida Gators. Now he's with the Royals. I don't know if he's been in the he I don't know if he's been in the majors long enough to do it. He hits the long ball, Steven he listen. He has a problem with bass. He has a problem with two things, pitchers and baseballs. He don't like pitchers, and he don't

I'm telling you, man, we got to get right.

The home Run Derby to me is prestigeons because it ain't like the dun Contest of where the best dunkers won't get it. Lebron never got in it. I don't know why he didn't get in it. You don't got to win it, man, I mean sometime it's just the bragging rights. But yeah, I do, I do. I do home to see Petere Lonzo, Aaron Judge a tiny and Juan Soto jumping that thing and maybe we'll get a surprise.

But come on, man, jump into freaking thing. It ain't gonna hurt.

It's not gonna hurt.

I think it's it's it's slightly become like almost like a Madden Curse type type thing, right, because a lot of these guys, you know that they do the home run Derby and then all of a sudden after the All Star Green there, it's kind of I think why a lot of guys are starting to stay away from it.

But I totally agree with you.

When we're talking about the All Star Game, it's almost the actual game is almost irrelevant.

The only thing that that that the.

Fans want to see, even the players want to see, is who's gonna enter in.

The home Run Derby and who's who's gonna win it.

I am just prayful that that, uh, none of my phillies getting in.

I don't want to see Kyle Schwarber in it. I don't. I don't you know. I think we we We've seen Alec Bowman it last year. Don't want to see him in it this year. He finally got his swing going right.

But I think that's what it is, is is that when you do the home run Derby, it kind of changes the way you're looking at things, changing the way you swing at things and it does affect you moving forward.

And slumps are real in baseball, man, it is real. So uh uh for for for for me saying who who I want to add it? I just don't want to Philly and let Ronald coon you in.

Let let him add another trophy to the trophy case. He got the m v P, he's gotten, he's got himself a world Series title. Let him get talk run Derby Championship.

Now, I mean, listen, he listen. Let's see. I mean, I'm looking here. He's been he's been in. He's been in like he's been a home run derby I think like three times. But he was in it in twenty twenty two when he won the m v P. In twenty twenty three, I thought, people like, look he wanted he won v N L N v P. That's and you know that's the same you're Bryce Harper said.

Twenty four.

He said, no, that's saying you're Bryce Harper said, I think Royland cuen j sucks. But then he came back and said, man, I was just talking. Man, I don't mean that, you know.

My listener, it's it's it's it's we already know what it is it's mental warfare, like of course these guys can't really do like I still think the playoff win. Uh, after he hits the home run and he just points out him, I think that was that was one of those numbers.

It's like all right, all right, all.

Right, Like if it's moments like that is kind of what makes baseball cool.

But uh, I do think we we we uh.

We do need to get get a little bit more star power in there. I'm with you with uh with with the get no tany in there. I think that that would that would be cool. I don't know if he will or won't, but it is the the premiere all must must watch event when when it comes to All Star Game, it's it's the only thing that is saving them in that aspect. And actually I want to go further back more. I want to see see them

Go back to how it was, let them play with their uniforms.

Like how the last time I remember watching the All Star Game was when Randy Johnson buzzed John Cruck and John Craft is like now, but I'm good.

I'm good. He was.

He was swinging defensively after that, Like, we don't have these moments anymore in the All Star Game, and I think it's why I think the home run Derby has taken prestige over the game. Make the game like game important again. I agree, like you can't you can't fake it in baseball. It's not like it's not like the you know, flag football that they've done to the Pro Bowl. Me and You've already talked about how you fix that

We're gonna have some fun times getting to that as we get to it.

But you know, we've been we've been harping on on the position battles and things of that nature. I wanted to get your thoughts on on a couple of different things. We're gonna get to the wide receivers less in a minute, but I wanted to hear who are some of your top five meanest players that just in general, we're not It doesn't have to be this generation.

We could just be talking about all the time.

You can even have your own personalists who are just the meanest guys you've ever played with. And I and I'm gonna do something for you. I'm gonna handicap you. No safeties, oh, no safeties, man?

Oh I got well, I got okay, okay, no, okay, okay, got a bunch of them.

I like that.

I like that. I like that. Okay, So then so here, so my my, my two honorable mentions before I get in the top five, that would be Brian Dawkins and Ronnie LYI that that that's my that's my that's my honorable.

I would put all of them like like my. That's why I took it away from myself, because I would go, Rian Dawkins, Ronnie Live. You know, we can we can throw Ed.

Reed in there, Steve att Order like, we can literally go. We can go with a five, a five for five list of safeties. And that's why I did it to myself too.

So okay, my top five, I'm going from five to one. My number five. When he played a Dominican sue, a Dominagan sue used to scare people to death coming out of Nebraska. Man, Like, listen, his name is a Domagan. I can say it, I cannot spell it. A Dominagan sounds like a dude that don't play games. Man, Like, what his name? His name is a Domagan? Like it did start with the end, yeah, but there was it's too many syllables in the middle. I cannot but a

Ray Lewis scared people.

He was everywhere. I got to tell the play against ray Lewis twice. It was not a good time. My number two, Oh my god, Aaron Donald. Good Lord, Like, where did this dude come from? Where did Aaron Donald come from? Like that's probably the greatest teen year career you're gonna see from stat what with nine time first Team All Pro, two time Defensive Player of the Year, won a Super Bowl free.

And my number one scariest player, I mean surprised to No.

One.

Lawrence Taylor is the scarer He is football player to ever put on pants because he created two positions outside linebacker. Now your left tackle better be nasty good because he's coming. Lawrence Taylor number one, Aaron Donald number two, ray Lewis number three, James Hans at number four, and a Dominicans suone number five, with my honorwa mentions.

Being running lot and Brian Duncan.

I like it.

I like it, brother, So I'm gonna go a little bit different. Obviously, you know you know your your your number five is on my list, right, But I'm gonna start with an Eagle. I'm gonna absolutely start with an Eagle's concrete, Charlie. You know, it's Chuck Mcaneric one of the few guys that that was that was a Pro Bowl or both ways. He was a Pro Bowl linebacker. He was a Pro Pro Bowl offensive lineman. It's it's one of those rare things.

And he was mean. He was nasty.

He talked to you, he talked crap to you, and and there's there's not much you can do to say that one one that no one ever mentions. He wasn't just mean, he was dirty. He was nasty.

Another former Eagle, but that's not where he was remembered for. Mister Bill Romansky. Yes, nasty Bill.

Wow be wild Bell. He was Wow Wow wild be a roman Now he was no more for his time with Denver, in his time with the Raiders.

But he was asked, I won't.

Forgets about he played in San Francisco. Man, he was part of championships team.

He was wild Bill Man that the way, you know. Yeah, wild Bill was nice.

So uh Bruce Smith, Yeah.

I mean the mot the moat two hundred careers said two hundred, come on, two hundred.

Wow.

Now obviously you know Domicans who's my number.

Was?

He was?

I still love the stuff Brady used to uh to talk about him. He's trying to talk him up. He's like talking to me, you ain't my friend, Like we ain't cool. I'm gonna take your head off. Boy, what are you talking about? And he didn't mention them.

I'm going old school tick buckets man.

Yeah, man, yeah, man, I gotta go, but I mean listen, I mean, and guys, we didn't mention man mean Joe Green, I mean his name is mean Deacon Deacon Jones. Oh my god, yeah, I mean like, oh my god, Warren Warren Sap in his horny, Oh my god, I mean you, I mean it was it was the players man, that just you already knew it.

Zach You know that, you know Zach Thomas, Like yeah.

They weren't all like mean as far as like like you know, they they just had this mean the the market.

The market market where the market is where in his heyday he was he was a monster von Miller when he was in his heyday. Like you couldn't block these dudes, man, And yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a bunch. It's a bunch of them.

A bunch of these lists definitely aren't fair.

I told you, I told you that's.

My objective there. You know, we all have our favorites, we all have our ones that we remember. Uh. I was trying to go a little bit different than mine. I knew, I knew we were good. You had a little difference with yours.

So like obviously, like like I said, we literally could do a whole one of safeties.

And and and and another honorable mention, may he recipes Sean Taylor.

Didn't you didn't want to have to deal with that guy at all, John Lynch.

It's a bunch of them, and it's a bunch of safeties, man safety, Earl Earl Thomas cam Chancellor.

I mean, it was a bunch of them.

They would they would knock your soul out your body, and your soul will walk out the stadium, get in the car and drive home.

You have to get an uber Holmes. Right, hold, what are you?

What are your teammates?

Now we're gonna get into it because I came across one of the one of the one of these top ten lists from from these Uh, I think it's like a Yahoo one of these Jahoo writer guys and not a bad list. But again, why why do I keep seeing Ceedee Lamb?

Like?

Listen, he is, he is a name in this league, but I don't think I don't think he belongs in the top five. This is why I like, I have problems with placement with it, but overall not you know, I'm not I'm not gonna tear you know, you know, tear tear this uh, this writer that, this content creator apart for their list. Guess what what we'll do is we'll go back to back right right, So we'll start the top and go and go down.

Let's do it. Let's do it.

So who you feeling? Get your number one? My friend?

I mean, look, my number one is Jamar Chase. For a lot of reasons. Jamar Chase coming out the Triple Crown. He doesn't have any weaknesses to his game. Short short passes, taking for the house, can go deep and go across the middle, care route you up, hat speed, has the hands, has the tenacity.

I got Jamar Chase number one receiver in the league.

Right now, I'm gonna honer out. I have already picked him the number one on the list.

Before it's it's A J. Brown. He's listen, listen.

He he he is is a special guy, both on the field the intangibles as a leader. You know, no, no, he owns the slant. Nobody, no, nobody does the slam for for better and and I don't see a whole lot of people taking it to the house. He's got three different times over the four over the over the past few years he's.

Been in the Philadelphia where he's taking slants to the house. It's not an easy thing to do. Most guys, most guys that you know, you're you're you're you know.

And that being said there, I've seen Jamar Chase turn a curvel route into a touchdown. So he's he's two on my list, like you know, and we do this all the time, you know, Jamar Chase.

And A J.

Brown's you know, one, A one, B. Hell.

You know, we can even make an argument for the next guy would be on my list will be you know, you know one see.

But you know you actually have to give him a ranking here. A J.

Brown is my number one. You know you'd already set him as number as your number one. He's my number two. Is Jamar Chase, Who is your number two on this list?

My number? My number two was A J.

Brown.

I mean I think that a J.

Brown.

But everything for everything you just mentioned, because a J.

Brown, A J. Brown can do. He's the meanest receiver in football. He plays football with an edge on him. He don't like dbs. You don't like the fact that the Tennessee Titans didn't think he would worth twenty mil. Like I work more than that. I want to give me seventeen. I think I think A J. Brown can route you up. He's the number one guy. He can play on the outside, playing the slap blocks. He nasty.

I mean AJ Brown is the plee.

Heackage, Yes, sir, he is. And the guy that was almost the eagle is my number three.

It's justin Jefferson.

He yeah, yeah, there's not much that the guy can't It's unfortunately he's stuck down there in Minnesota. You know, and uh, you know, you don't know what's going on with quarterback. You don't know if if JJ JJ is going to be the real deal down there or if they're going to be in trouble, and and uh, they're one of the toughest divisions in football. You know, I still think you know, you know, Packers, Packers, Vikings, Bears is going to be an interesting the divisions.

I'm forgetting about the lines look at me like being a knuckleheader.

That division is nasty right now. So it's it's always fun. But uh, you know, Justin Jefferson's my number three. Three who's number three?

He's my number three as well, Jessein Jefferson. I mean that dude. His goal is to rout you. His goal is to make you look bad on Sundays. If he can, he can rout you up. He can run any route. I mean he's really listen, man, he said he's a Silkies moved route runnerner really really really like like really really nice at the time for his robes comes in out of his breaks and he want to do your dirty. So yeah, Jesse Jefferson is my number three.

Now my number four, I am gonna go in my division. Scary Terry mcclaurin, man, he doesn't get enough love. He's trying to get his contract situated down down there and uh down there with the commanders.

They better keep him because if not, you're gonna have a very upset young man. And Jaden Daniels because he is.

A top top four, top five wide receiver in the NFL. You can argue on all you women like he. You know, they call him scary, terry or a reason because you know he's got d b DB's dropping a little fall from their pants because they don't know what that guy's gonna do.

He can. He's another one of these guys that he can beat you over the top, he can beat you over.

Underneath, he can run you, he can run circles around you in the middle. He's he's dangerous throughout the route, trade, inside, outside.

He can beat you any way he wants to.

It's all the matter, you know, of howeverything kuys of players out, But he's my number four.

What you got for me?

Ben? My number four? I mean coming out of Detroit the mind Saint Brown. I mean he he's redefining what you can do in the slide because I mean he does everything. I mean, he's obviously not gonna kill you, uh you know down the scene. But you're talking about making money inside the heads, inside the numbers. Every time they need a big play, they ain't going to James, will They going to mine? Say Brown? First team at bro Amna Saint Brown, who knows every single receiver in

Yeah, he's number My number five a mont Saint Brown.

You know, he's he's what keeps Jared Golf in that passing game going.

I know, I know, Uh, they got a pretty good title.

And over there who found himself for was it not ninety four in the top one hundred list this year?

Yeah, definitely, definitely.

Uh he's one of those guys man, as you said, you know, redefining what it says that to kill these guys in the slot.

Uh.

You know, is in you know, arguably the the the second or third best team in the in the NFC over over the last handful of years.

Uh.

You know, he's got a brother in this league too, somewhere. Last I checked, he was in Chicago. I'm not sure if he's still there now, but uh, I mean, you know, the family lineage.

Is strong, and he's he's doing this thing down there in Detroit.

I hope he doesn't do it too well this season because I want my boys to run it back.

But he's my number five. Who you got at five? My friend?

I know he talks a lot of trash. I know, I know every time you talk to him, he don't want to be where he is. I got Tyreek Hill, and I still think Tyreek is the top caliber receiver.

Gets on your.

Nerves with the antics, man like it tops a lot. But when he's at his bank, man, Tyreek, Tyreek nasty man. He can he could.

You're gonna have to play over the top.

You're gonna have to double if you don't want to put it one on one because he's going to get uging for you. So for me my number five, you know, even though I don't like to answer that, I'm gonna go Tyreek Hill my number five.

Yeah, he's he's my number six, he's my number six. He's just he's falling out out of the top five with me, you know.

Uh, you know for some of the stuff.

For as you said, the antics, the tape shows you all all too well. Man, he takes plays off. He's not targeted. He's not happy, you know, unless he unless he's catching ten ten balls a game for for you know, you know, Buck you know, Buck eighty buck ninety two hundred yards.

He's not a happy man.

I don't know if it's you know, a pride thing and ego thing whatever, you know. I think at some point in time, like, you know, he needs to grow up in that sense. And you know, it's hard to try to tell tell a high level athlete of that nature that that, you know, they need to come back down to earth a little bit and be more about the team.

Like he's got all the other accolades.

I mean, he you know, it's it's rough and another thing, like as you're saying, he's not happy where he was, I wouldn't be surprised to see something happened to him wind up in Kansas City again sometime over the next few years. I know the there'd be a hard, hard re engagement with with the Kansas City fans, But I truly think that that.

They all made a mistake. I mean, obviously Kansas City want more won that trade.

Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, most definitely they want They don't want super Bowls without him. I think I think they were they would like to have Tyreek back, but they would want Tyreek to be like, look, man, we want we want you back, man, but we don't want the antics no more. Man. It's all about It's all about Peter Homes, It's all about Andy Reid, it's all about the squad.

Man.

We know since then, you know, got married, had a bunch of kids. Hey, man, just keep it about keep it about football, man, less about the brand, more about the more about.

Canasit now we'll all go at seven.

No, I know, I think I got no. I think I gotta do my number six real quick. I think I did five. My number six is Ceedee Lamb. I got Ceenee Lamb at number six.

I got.

I got c D the slack King, the sly king. He is a slack king. Mama, say Brown will say something about that. But I got Ceedee Lamb as my number six.

Yeah, I don't got him on my list. I'm not listen.

Man. He had a chance last year when Dak wasn't there to be the guy, and what happened.

He disappeared. I have a problem with that.

A lot of these guys on this list. It doesn't matter who the quarterback is. If there's an injury, if the offensive lines mad, they perform regardless. And that's why I don't like. You can call me, you know, I'm an Eagles fan, I'm a hater or whatever. I still respect talent when I see it. I'm not sitting there saying he doesn't have the talent to be on this list. I'm just saying what I've seen from him over the

Is why I refer to him and that that nature. So he you know, non spoiler alert, he's not in my.

Top ten, but I respect it.

I respect it.

My seven is the guy's moved around a little bit. You know, he's been he's been in a couple of places the last few years. Just signed a deal with with with the Los Angeles Rams. Mister Davonte Adams, I think he's gonna do wonders down there. Him and Pooping to it are gonna are gonna take pair up shop and and and uh you know, uh keep the back end of Matt Stafford's career, Uh prosperous.

Hopefully that that offensive line keeps him up right.

And uh, you know, I think that's a that's a scary duo down there in l A. I like Davonta Adams, I like Pooping into it. I think Pooka can can play anywhere, run anywhere. He hurts you in so many different ways. But Davontae Adams.

Is is is a supreme athlete.

He's another one of these guys that can just play you all over the field.

So it's gonna be interesting to see how he plays in the Sean McVay system. So I'm interested to see that, obviously.

As an Eagles fan, terrified terrified of that because you know, you can slow down a Cooper a couple of times, you can, you can you can scheme away and Pooking the two at a time.

Davonte Alla can catch any type of ball. Man.

No, I mean, listen, I'm you know, I like your number seven with that, but I'm gonna go with this team. Man, I got I got Pooka at number seven for everything you just said, I mean, whok is the reason why Cooper Cupp is out of town.

Hooker is a guy.

That sizy kme may only been in the league two years, will catch everything. I mean, not a burner, right, not a burner, but no, just just know how to get up when you need a big play, whether that's going down the scene, running it, you know, running and running in between the numbers, in between the hash. Pooka has jailed extremely well and that Sean McVay system, and he and Matthew Stafford loves him. My number seven, Pooking the coop of everything I said, everything you said, mm hmm.

Now as we're as we're getting into it, number eight, I'm coming back to Philadelphia. Slim Reaper. He is the best number two in football. If AJ Brown wasn't there, he would absolutely be number one. His tape, his catches are ridiculous, one handers, over the over the top, you know, you know, toe tapping on the sideline. He ain't scared to go over over the middle and catch heat. And he's on he's barely one hundred and eighty pounds soaking wet.

So I mean he's got the heart of a lion.

He's got, he's got the re you know, he's won at every level.

I don't know why you.

Don't see him on more of these lists, but that's always subjective. Obviously, thirty two teams, a lot of guys got got got some really good, good wide receivers on there. You could say I'm biased. All you want, look at the man's tape and then come back and tell me I'm wrong.

My number eight is de Vonte Smith.

My number eight is a Vonte Smith as well. I mean, I think he already got over four thousand yards in his career, like almost thirty tendowns over three catches. Devonda Smith. I mean he's the best number two you're gonna see. Every time you need to play, you think you better take away the aja you ain't been taking away De Varonna Smith. He gonna tell your other court, he gonna tell your sacred cornerback up, he gonna tell your slot cornerback up and the safety is all they could do

And my number nine was your one before mister Poopa Natua. You know he ran Cooper Cup out of town. He sent him to send him to Seattle Man. So I mean he plays hurt. He runs the round three amazing, you know. And Sean McVeigh got an actual gym when they picked him up out of the draft. What he's done in his two years in the league, you can't, you can't. He can't shy away from that.

You know.

If he was in the league a little bit longer, maybe you might see him a little bit higher on the list.

But uh, you know, my number nine is pooka. Who do you who do you got a nine? Brother?

My number nine is scared Terry and boy, scary Arry coming now I mean with you, I mean and listen, Jayda Daniel said, I need the number one.

They said, you got Scared Terry mlaar.

I mean I got a Listen another another guy coming out Ohio State, even though he've been in the league a little longer. Now, I just like the way Scared Terry plays football. Listen, he plays, he plays me, he plays nasty. But the guy just knows how to go out there and get it done. Love Scared Terry's game, he's out, he's looking for a new contract. I think he's gonna get it, and I think, uh, I think Jada Day is gonna help get it.

My number nine receive was Scary Terry mcglow.

And my number ten I'm going I'm going oddly on here now. I think you don't get enough love.

Mister d J.

Moore Dan down there in Chicago. You know it was a number one over all picking in twenty twenty four. I think him and h him and him and uh, mister Caleb Williams, the are gonna have a big season. They got they got a good offensive line now now, uh, you know he you know he's been on you know they had a crazy wide receiver room last year. You know with Keenan Allen and all all them. I like the production we're seeing out him. I like, I like how how he plays the game. Well, we'll see see

But we'll see how it all plays that for him. I like DJ Bore.

My number ten is the guy that.

You know, He's a guy that to me, he's been being very productive, you know for a team that nobody's to do a whole lot, but they ahead a schedule. My number ten is Nico College. Like way Nico plays for them, Houston Texas man, Like I know that Tank is a guy that plays well for but he can't stay healthy. Stefan Diggins had a cup of corpet with him. He got hurt. I like the way Nico Collage plays, but Houston man, he is the go to guy when you need it. But if you to Texas a him

Nico, Brandon Ayuk, Mike Evans, and Cedee Lamb are kind of like my my tweeters in that area. But listen, I think DJ ain't getting the love I do. Like Nico, I think I think he's not getting his love there. He was behind Stefan Diggs for the last few years.

Stephan's now down there in New England, so we'll see if his star really shines this year with c J.

Stroud. Don't mind the Nico pick with all that.

Like I said, I just gave you my honorable mentions there that that were my tweeners that that you know you could have swapped out for DJ. You know, Mike Evans has been doing this thing a long time. Yeah, he's he's a special receiver. Brandon Ayu don't get the love that that that he should. Everyone's talking talking about, you know, the contract, the injury he's got brock Purty there.

A Washington commander. So there's a lot of variables with some of these other guys.

And we'll see how the season plays out and and see if we still feel the same way about about this guy and these guys in this list as we uh as we get uh get to the end of the end of the twenty twenty five season. But I think uh, I think, you know, for the most part, we we we were all kind of agreement, agreement with the good oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, oh yeah.

Brian Thomas Jr. Elite nighbors on my honorable mentions. I know they was rookies last year, but they coming. But Ryan Thomas Jr. Being the better of the two, even though my elite nables is nasty up there with the New York.

The better talent, but he's on the worst team.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can agree with that. But hey man, we'll see. You know, I like the I like the listen. I'm always uh, I'm always showing love, you know, uh, you know, you tell my Davonte Adams Mike Evans now the two old best still still finding a way to get it done. I know, Cooper Cup is gonna prove to the world. Man, I'm still in the National the Football League, and I'm gonna try to go and prove myself again. Uh but yeah, I mean I'm looking. But and this is my homer pick. I mean, I know,

So you know, yeah, like, yeah, I think we touched on a little bit of a little bit of everything.

Uh. You know.

One of the one of the last ones I'm going to do is is a topic that that the team typically.

Runs here on there is uh what's going on in your town? Brother? How are you feeling about about about what's going on in Atlanta these days?

Whether it's uh, you know, Braves, Falcons, you know the Hawks? How are you feeling about the things going on in Atlanta right now?

Love the fact that the All Star Game is approaching.

You know, as you mentioned, Ronald con Junior gonna be and now he's gonna be in the home run derby. But the fact that you're gonna have all the biggest stars in the MLB right there at Truest Parking Battery, you know, at Battery Park, Truittville. Uh, if you haven't heard, my, my, my, howks did trade for Porzingis? Porzingis is a hawk now, whether he like it or not, he's a hawk. Uh in my Atlanta Falcons.

Man.

I mean, listen, no news is good news. I mean the fact that Darren Waller got came out of retirement, went to the Dolphins and meant that Kyle pissed to not get traded, uh to the Dolphins. And you know, we're training camp rapidly approaching one. See what these two first round first round defense being pass rush is gonna look like coming in coming, in coming into training camp. But yeah, all think it's good up in the ATM man, just dealing with the heat, dealing with the traffic, dealing

I will take Yeah.

You know, my my phillies are at the top of the NL East right now, so I don't got any get points there.

Obviously.

I do feel that if they make me and me and Pat Pat Combs were talking about it as earlier this week. If they make it through July, they're either still at the top of the of the NL East and or within a few games, I think it's theirs for the taking. Uh me and you both talk about this. We we already know what's gonna happen down to Strep. The Met's gonna met right now. Obviously last year the Phillies fell to the Mets in the playoffs and batsman

I would not like to see Nick Castiano's move.

I think that you know, you know, maybe doesn't have the greatest bat, maybe not the fastest guy or the best glove, but I think what he ASTs the clubhouse Otherwise I.

Wouldn't want to see him move center field is the way to go.

I think there's guys available for the Phillies to be able to do that when the when the trade deadline hits, us in a within the few weeks.

I think they will be busy. I think they will.

You wouldn't be surprised to see somebody like a Sir Anthony Dominguez brought back via trade, as long as they don't trade away any of their big prospects. I don't want to see. I don't want to see Painter traded. I don't want to see Aiden Miller traded. I don't want to see mcabel traded. I do think, I do think there is an outfielder prospect, and I think Rangers Suarez would or take Taywan Walker would probably be one of the odd men outs via via trade.

But that's just my general thoughts on it.

I do feel the Phillies it's it's a make or break here. I already said it here on this network. Man Rob Thomas needs a needs the world title already's done. You know, it's it's a make or break here for him. There's a lot of stuff going on. Obviously we'd already talked about it. The Philadelphia is gonna be one of the expansion teams that gets a w n B.

A team that that's another another big thing.

No no news from the Eagles, which isn't surprising, flying under the radar.

Uh, they're gonna. I think they're gonna do their thing this year.

We'll we'll see, you know, injury, super Bowl, hangover whatever. I don't I don't think that that word is going to be in there cabulary, just because of how the culture of that team is. We we we've beaten that drum so so much over the past few months, and it's gonna ring true. I mean, I don't know if anyone's seen uh uh, some of the media eclips that came out the you know, the comments that came out of Nick Sirianni's mouth about, you know, being a Super Bowl champion.

It was basically like it's like a it's.

Like a perfume, you know, you know, sniff it, don't drink it. It's poisonous, you know. Keep that keep that that sharp mindset. So it's they have what they need. It's up to them, you know, to execute, to continue to improve and and stay stay stay a team, Stay stay the team that that you were at the end of the last season, and I think that that will continue to roll over.

Obviously, it's gonna be much much harder schedule.

They gotta they got a nasty schedule manly that there's you know, not not a single back to back home game, so that there's things they have to overcome. But you know, you want to be tested like that. If you're the world champion, you don't you don't want the easy road. You don't you don't want the roade less travel. You you you.

You want to be you want to have have those obstacles in front of you.

And I think that that they're going to be ready for that when this season comes. We'll see if I'm wrong, if I'm right. Obviously they still have to play the games. You still have to get through it injury free, regardless, if we're talking training camp, preseason, regular season, postseason, whatever. I think it's a it's a fun time to be a Philadelphia fan regardless.

Uh.

You know, obviously, you know a lot of a lot of things are changing with the hockey team too. You know, you got Rick Takin being brown back and as a as a head coach. They just they just you know, had another good draft. The only real question is is

He's free and clear now. So I don't know if that's a road the Flyers want to go down.

Daniel Brier wants to wants to kick tires on that and see what's happened. I know they just signed a free agent goaltender. Goaltenders that you know, the goal. The goal is the backbone of your team, just like you know the center center is in football, just like the defensive defensive tackle is on your defense.

So we'll see how how everything shakes out.

I think at some point in time in the next few years Flyers are going to be a good playoff team.

We'll see how it all plays out.

But that's all on what's going on in my town and uh, you know, uh, you know, fun stuff that we're going over. Anything else you want to touch on before we we we enjoy the rest of.

Our evenings, my friend.

Man, Yeah, man, pleasure being on with you tonight. Like I say, they still they still you can't hear it, but they are still trying to outdo each other with these fireworks. I'm gonna do my best to be able to get some rest at night, or I'm gonna have to go over there and then put on put on the police outfit. I ain't got no sirruns on my coming. Whooo, all right, we get it, Go to bed, Go to bed.

Uh it's only eleven thirty now, so I would have to say that they're still doing this, you know, an hour and a half, two hours from there.

I give you full permission.

To uh to to put put boots and asses and do what you gotta do that to kind of get things the way you need to get to my friend. Other than that, you know, another fun one in the books, you know here here for fire Up tonight. It was a good one fourth of July edition. You know, we had it looks like like you know, you know, sixty five plus members uh watching us tonight. You know, appreciate everyone taking time away from their their fourth of July to show us some love here on the South for

And we're gonna continue to have fun here.

Scott and Canny to be back starting Monday, and we get to have some more fun with our team back as being whole. Other than that, I'm Steve. He's been another episode of Fired Up. We'll see you guys next week. Guys, youre