Sports On Tap
Sports On Tap
Episode 203 - HAIL!!!
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Episode 203 was first on Tappy Troit. Alongside Joe Waddell. I'm Chris Scott. Joe, how are you? I'm alright, man. How about you? Well, probably the same as you.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Overwhelmed, I feel like, but getting through it.
SPEAKER_01It's overwhelmed, run down. You know. Yeah. It's that it's that chance the up and down weather is fucking killing my sinuses, dude. I I've been it's been nasty.
SPEAKER_00I think it's been killing a lot of people's uh sinuses because I know at work last week we had a bunch of people out sick. It felt like a different person every day was out sick.
SPEAKER_01I have felt like a different person every day for the past week. Right.
SPEAKER_00Uh I know a lady friend, she was out sick today. Uh she had like a hundred, I think a hundred degree fever, so she was uh definitely yeah, it's it's just this weather just needs to pick a lane and you know go with it, man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it'd be nice, it'd be nice.
SPEAKER_00Like one day, you know, this past weekend it was what 70 degrees. Like opening day it was like 70 degrees, and the next day it was like freezing.
SPEAKER_0130.
SPEAKER_00It's like what the fuck are we doing here? Now speaking of that, opening day, uh I obviously I go every year. Yes. And I know we had this conversation last year when I went, and I I basically shit all over it because it's probably the worst opening day experience I've ever had this last year. It was this year? No, last year. Oh, last year, last year. It was an absolute nightmare getting in there. They were incredibly disorganized. Uh they had, you know, not enough constantly open, bathrooms, etc. It was just an awful look, and it was cold, and people there were just being assholes, and it was just an overall terrible experience to the point where I seriously questioned if I was gonna go again this year. But I didn't know that.
SPEAKER_01You didn't tell me that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I I seriously thought about just saying, you know what, I'm fucking done. This is it's just not worth it because it's you get just too many people down there are just down there just to be fucking idiots, like flat out, you know. Yeah. So I went, obviously, I did go this year, uh, kind of kind of expecting the same as last year. Especially honestly, I probably thought it was gonna be a little bit worse, specifically because it was an actual nice day. Like it was gorgeous outside. So I thought it was gonna be probably worse than last year. I was incredibly wrong. It was outstanding this year. Like everything went smooth. Like we we pre-gamed uh at the place we normally go, we go to the film or that was awesome. Always that that part has never been not great. Every time I've got every time I've done it, which is I think the past four years, it's awesome. We got it, we were literally, we got in five minutes. Took us five minutes to get in. That's it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00As of last year, it took us about an hour to get in.
SPEAKER_01To get into the game. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Took us five minutes.
SPEAKER_01I'll be honest with you, an hour last year would have made me not go back this year.
SPEAKER_00That's but that's why I was seriously questioning just not going. Yeah. But this year we literally, five minutes, boom, we were in.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh nobody, nobody was an asshole. They seemed to have their bathroom and concession issues better. I don't know if it was great by any means, but it was better. Um uh obviously there was still lines because it's a shitload of people there. Like that's just there's nothing you can do about that. But when there's when there's big lines because of lack of concessions, that's a problem. Yeah. And they have Yingling there, which is dope. Nice. Uh, obviously, the game turned out well. Um we left around the seventh inning just because we at least wanted to try to somewhat beat traffic home. Right. That that was probably the only part of the day that was not ideal. Uh just because getting an Uber um to come get you was an absolute nightmare. Because obviously, there's there's so many people down there. It was just like, but you know, we finally got one and you know, we made our way back home. And it was right. Overall, it was it was a great day, it really was. Um, it didn't have me questioning whether I wanted to do it anymore. So well, that's that's an upgrade from last year. It is, and again, especially I think because of the weather, it was just that's by far the best weather I've ever been to on an opening day. It's not and it's not even close. Yeah, it was gorgeous.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was uh it was a very, very nice day. Yeah. Um I'll be honest with you, I I don't go anymore for the reason that you stated. People are down there so much just to be stupid. It is, it is kind of and they're down there just to drink and get shit can hammered, and I just don't have a desire to be in my twenties? Yeah, sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_01Now I'm good, man. I unless I'm gonna be going to the game. Yes. And even then, I'm probably not going down and tailgating and hanging out before the game. I'm gonna go down in just enough time to get to the game to avoid all the stupidity and be in the ballpark.
SPEAKER_00I will say though, when like when we pre-game beforehand, just see just people watching.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh, it's outstanding. I'm sure. It is outstanding.
SPEAKER_01I'm sure. I enjoy people watching like out at bars and stuff or like restaurants and stuff where or you know, like we talk about people watching down in in uh was it St. Clair Shores when they have their their their things? Yeah, when the one when they had their their like every other weekend they have like uh the fair there or whatever.
SPEAKER_00That was fun. We need to do that again. That was a lot of fun.
SPEAKER_01So uh it like I enjoy doing that, and people watching there, yeah. I don't man, any more people watching drunk people be drunk people and be stupid.
SPEAKER_00So funny. It it like it's irritating, but it's funny at the same time.
SPEAKER_01I was gonna say it's becoming more irritating and funny for me, which is why I try and avoid it as much as possible. But the people watching had to have been epic.
SPEAKER_00Oh, absolutely. And it is every year. It's of course, and I feel like it's always a certain type of person, you know? Yeah, yeah. It's just like you look and you're like, that checks out that totally, yeah. That that tracks for sure. Yeah, you know. Yep. Um, but so that opening day, uh, and that's that's one of the things Detroit does really well is opening day. Yeah. You know, there's not a lot of cities that do it like that. Like Cincinnati's one of them. They have a they have a great opening day. Uh, I think Pittsburgh does, but other than that, I don't know if a lot of cities do it like Detroit does it.
SPEAKER_01Lady Friend says it was a great day, so happy his mom could come this year.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's I did see your mom in one of the one of the photos. So that would be.
SPEAKER_00She loves going, so I I was happy she could make it this year. That was that's always a lot of fun when she can come. But that's good.
SPEAKER_01And you always take her on Mother's Day, don't you? Yes. Or around.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, whatever. Like the closest game to Mother's Day. Yes, yeah, we'll go. But uh, so let's get into that said baseball team. Uh you know the baseball. First couple weeks of the season, and kind of want to get your your your thoughts so far uh out of what you've kind of seen out of them.
SPEAKER_01Uh inconsistencies. Yeah. I mean, I that's the that that's what I see right now. They they they haven't come out and looked great by any means. And you know, Verlander looked bad in his first start, and now he's down for a little while. Um you know, I I don't know. I I think right now it's it's a little early for me to judge, but they're very inconsistent in the early in what I've seen early. So I that they need to shore that up and get that fixed if they have any shot at doing anything. They're hitting, they they have to have hitting, and that's that was the question mark going in the season that we talked about. It was it was the question mark last year. Um they need guys to actually they need guys to actually pick up the slack of like Javi Baez last year got off to a uh he he he was tearing it up for a while. I I I don't expect that from him. No, I you know I mean like I I I don't I don't expect Torque to be big. But you should have dropped a box.
SPEAKER_00Did you apologize to him?
SPEAKER_01Fuck no. Where is Javi? Um no, I I fuck no. But they're gonna need guys like um you know uh McGonagle. Yeah, and I think he's been off to a an excellent start. He's been off to a very good start. Yes. Um they need guys like him, they need Dingler to to uh you know progress in hitting. They need some of these guys to come around because the guys you got it from last year, I I don't think you're gonna get it from from from guys like that like you did last year. I I don't think you're getting it from Harvey. I don't think you're getting it from you know, I uh you got Riley Green who if if he doesn't hit hit the ball, he strikes out. So like I you got I don't know, man, but I was told he worked on that in the offseason. Yeah, well, you know, and then again, Glaber Torres, Javi Baez, um McKinstree. You had a lot of guys last year that that kind of played above their their level to get that team to where it was going and and where it ended up. Uh you're gonna need that from somebody from some guys this year. Who's it gonna be? Because I I don't I well I don't count on those guys doing it again. I just don't.
SPEAKER_00Uh the way I I've seen it kind of from the outset is I think obviously Scoobyl and Valdez have been as advertised and good. That's awesome. Uh Jack Flaherty basically picked up right where he left off last season, good for a little bit, then has that blow-up inning, and then it's a wrap. Uh Casey Maize, very inconsistent. Sometimes you like the game against Arizona, he looked really good.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And then yesterday he looked like shit. Okay. And then I I can't even count with Vertilander because it's just like, okay, he had one start and then he got hurt, so it's like I mean, his first start wasn't great by any means. But I mean, I don't I don't expect him to be like great at all. I expect him to be solid, and I'm fine with that. Um, that's what a fifth starter should be. And that's what he is at this point. Unless honestly, if they were smart, they'd put him in the bullpen toward the back end. Like as your like eighth inning guy. Him and uh Jansen, like eight-nine. Yeah, I could live with that. That would be nice. Um, as for as for the hitting, it honestly it reminds me exactly of last year. It looks almost the exact same to me. Like, over swinging, terrible approaches at the plate, just not not doing what you need to do to be a successful hitting team.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00It's just it looks the exact same to me. The plate approaches look the exact same. I like how McGonagall has started off his career. Again, we talked about this the last show we did. We don't want to get too high or too low on him, depending on what he does.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you don't. You don't want to get too high or too low. But listen, he's getting some extra base hits. He's got a triple, he's got four doubles, he's got 11 hits. Um, you know, he's batting to 289. Yep. No homers yet, but he knocked in five RBIs.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And um, you know, that's that's good enough for third on the team right now, behind uh Carrie Carpenter and Dylan Dingler. Uh you know, Dingler's batting average isn't isn't great, but he's hit a couple of homers, batting 240. That's that's what they need. They need that. Uh Colt Keith, uh he's batting 387 right now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he's out of out of all of them, he's like he's kind of looked, and they they did a uh they kind of showed how he changed he completely changed his batting stance from last year. And it's actually it's a significant change.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um talking about how he uh how he kind of frees up his hands a little bit more. You could you could kind of see it because like they showed like the side-by-side view of his batting stance last year and what it is this year. Oh yeah, that does make a change for sure, and hopefully that continues. That would be nice. Um, but yeah, he's looked solid so far, but again, like the majority of the especially the guys that you need to be the guys, yeah, they look the exact same to me.
SPEAKER_01Well, and that and that's that's a little bit the problem, right? Is is is the guys that well, Riley Green batting 211 right now, Glaber Torres 206. And you got a lot out of Glaber Torres last year. She did. And again, he's one that I don't count on. You know, Javi Baez batting 200, Carrie Carpenter batting 194. You they don't have anybody batting over 300 other than Colt Keith. Uh McGonagall is the closest at 289. Right. And then you got McKinstry at 263 and Parker Meadows at 259.
SPEAKER_00I I it's again, it's inconsistent, it's early, but it's man, it makes you makes you uh and then you pile that on top of makes you worried. It does, but then you pile that on top of their bullpen, and their bullpen has been borderline atrocious. Like it really has. Right. The amount of walks this bullpen gives up is it's ridiculous. Like flat out it's ridiculous. Like you cannot be you cannot be taken seriously as a contender if your bullpen is giving up the numbers that they're giving up right now, uh especially in the uh walk category. Um that is something that is absolutely going to have to be addressed at some point this season uh before it's too late. Um I know it's obviously it's only the first, you know, third, second, third week of the season, so I don't want to get too bent out of shape about it, but as of right now, it's it's not good, and I honestly can't foresee it getting any better unless something drastically changes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. No, I and and yeah, it's a listen, it's a long season. 162 games is a long season. Yes. I'm not willing to say right this second that anything is gonna fail or anything's gonna succeed, but uh it definitely isn't looking like it looked last year where they they were off to a fiery start.
SPEAKER_00No, maybe they're gonna do the uh reverse this year.
SPEAKER_01Maybe. Um Well the rever well the the getting off to a hot start and then collapsing in March is actually what the wings do.
SPEAKER_00So yeah, we'll get to that in a second. Um thing I I truly don't understand, though, and and people say, well, they played like baseball like this in October. Well, save this for October. Why on earth are we playing baseball games in April in Minnesota and Detroit at night?
SPEAKER_01That's what I don't understand. What the hell are we doing here? I don't under the Tigers having that Sunday night game.
SPEAKER_00Like I like come on!
SPEAKER_01What are we thinking?
SPEAKER_00What are we doing here? Come on. That's absurd. You play it during the day. If you I understand you have to you have to play the games in in cold weather cities like at the beginning of the season. I understand that. Play them during the day. You cannot play these games. Like that game yesterday in Minnesota, there was like ten people there. Like seriously, there was ten people there. That's just absurd. I don't I don't like that.
SPEAKER_01I I think it's I've always had a problem with early season scheduling in Major League Baseball with that though, because for some reason they don't have a like you you have enough teams out west and you you have a you you can play most of the of the games without being in freezing cold weather at night.
SPEAKER_00I mean I get why they I get why they don't do that though, because then it's unfair to the West Coast team.
SPEAKER_01No, no, I I get it. Yeah, but I'm not saying that you have to play every game out west, but you have enough of those games and you have enough indoor stadiums, you have enough you have enough um ability to to to schedule differently so that you're not playing night games or playing really cold weather games early in the season. You can adjust it a little bit. I'm not saying you could avoid it completely. No. But you could do a better job.
SPEAKER_00Can you imagine if if uh the MLB said if you're if you're if you're going to build a new stadium, it has to be at least a retractable roof?
SPEAKER_01No, because I I don't I don't think that's a I don't think that's a big deal. I I I think it's something that probably should be considered. I think it's something that should be considered for NFL teams.
SPEAKER_00Like a roof? Yeah. I'm fine with the outdoor stadiums in football. But uh baseball, it just it's I think it's a little bit different in baseball simply because like pitching the ball and hitting the baseball when it's that cold, yeah, fucking sucks. Oh, yeah. It fucking sucks. Oh yeah. Like flat out. It's terrible. Um I just but I said my biggest issue with this is play the game during the day, man. Yeah, don't play it at night. That's absurd. That's crazy. Again, but they do it in the playoffs. That's the playoffs. It's different. It's the playoffs. That's different. You're right. Speaking of playoffs. Playoffs. Let's talk about your Detroit Red Wings.
SPEAKER_01They're not mine. Uh yeah, they are mine.
SPEAKER_00But uh Hey, my team's not even gonna make the playoffs this year.
SPEAKER_01If I were to neither other wings. If I were to if I were to tell you that the like halfway through the season that the wing I I can't even get my words out. Halfway through the season, the wings just were not gonna make the playoffs at all.
SPEAKER_00December, they were had like a 12-game cushion or 12 game point and cushion.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean, it it's it's but again to tell you that I didn't see this coming, I can't tell you that.
SPEAKER_00I think we'll go back to shows I did. I was like, this team is making the playoffs.
SPEAKER_01I know, and I look legit. And I kept saying, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00No, they finally they finally had the goaltending, they finally had a semblance of a defense. I'm like, okay, they have a good coach. This team is making the playoffs. Something something is wrong in that room. Yes. I don't know if it's clown show Dylan Larkin. I have no idea. Oh, the people the amount of people turn around that guy? Yikes.
SPEAKER_01Well, here's the thing, man. If w I've said it before, uh I've said it all along. Larkin is a very good hockey player. Yes. He is not a captain, he is not a leader. And he's not great. Like everybody can stop saying he's great. He's a very good hockey player. Yes. But he's the hall of very good player. Yes. He's the hall of pretty damn good. Hall of not great.
SPEAKER_00Yes.
SPEAKER_01He just isn't, and he's not a leader. He he's not a leader by any means. It's it's proven with the collapse of that locker room in the past few years, he's not a leader. He's not getting the job done in that aspect. He's not a captain.
SPEAKER_00It's hard to disagree with you on that, especially when you've collapsed the past how many marches? At least three. Like and they the thing is, is they still have an opportunity to make it. It's gonna be difficult, but they have an opportunity to.
SPEAKER_01They do. They're two points out. Yeah. Uh they have, I believe, five games left.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_01Uh, but the teams that are ahead of them are better than them.
SPEAKER_00I see, I I can't necessarily say that they're better, especially uh in the Eastern Conference. I look at the Eastern Conference and I'm kind of like, who's good in this? Who's good in this conference? Is anybody good in this conference? I have no idea. They like the majority of these teams look the exact same to me. Like, there's not one that stands out. I'm like, oh yeah, watch out for this team to go to the Stanley Cup final. I guess Tampa might be the closest one. But even Tampa, I'm just like, that team is incredibly beatable by anybody in this conference.
SPEAKER_01Uh yes.
SPEAKER_00And then you look at you look at the the Western Conference, and you have what Connor McDavid referred to as the pillow fight division, uh the Pacific division, where I I believe the majority of that division, if not all of it, if they were in the East, wouldn't make the playoffs.
SPEAKER_01If you look at the teams that are ahead of them right now, Ottawa.
SPEAKER_00Ottawa! Ottawa? Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Better than the wings. Right?
SPEAKER_00No, I don't think they're better than the wings. I think they do. I think they're the same. I think they're the same team. I legit, I think they are the same team.
SPEAKER_01Close, but one's gonna make the playoffs, the other one isn't.
SPEAKER_00Maybe.
SPEAKER_01Look at the Flyers, okay? The Flyers. Same same points as the Senators. The Flyers are a better team.
SPEAKER_00No, I don't think they are. I I I disagree. I think the Senators are better than the Flyers.
SPEAKER_01Yes. I'm but I'm talking about better than the Wings. The Flyers are a better team than the Wings. No, they're not. They're not.
SPEAKER_00I think the Islanders are too. Now, maybe, simply because which is crazy. They just fired Pat Roy with like five like four games. Which is awesome. I love the chaos of the NHL right now. Teams are firing coaches and GMs with, you know, 110 games left in the season.
SPEAKER_01I love it. The wings play the blue jackets tonight. And they're losing 1-0. And they're losing 1-0. And they're they're tied with points with the Blue Jackets as well, with 88.
SPEAKER_00Now, I'm looking up the rest of the Red Wing schedule. So I obviously the schedule? Yes. So I as we are recording this on Tuesday night, they're playing the Blue Jackets. Then they have the Flyers. Then they have the already eliminated New Jersey Devils. Alright. Then they have Tampa Bay, which I don't know if Tampa Bay is going to be playing for much. They might be playing for first first in the division because Buffalo is right there with them. And then they end at the Florida Panthers, who dude, we honestly could be playing for them right now because they've basically sat everybody from injuries. So they don't exactly have injuries. Incredibly difficult road to get in.
SPEAKER_01No, but they're gonna lose tonight to Columbus. Uh maybe. I mean, I'll be honest with you, I have them losing tonight before the game was even 1-0. But you know what?
SPEAKER_00You're you might be right at that because Columbus just had a players-only meeting after their last game. So, you know how they that tends to get a bump that following game. So maybe. A slight uptick. But but that game, that game against Minnesota. Like you're down 4-1. Which was crazy. I know Minnesota's good, I get that. But Minnesota, you're down 4-1. You come all the way back, you tie the game. And then your most veteran player takes one of the most egregiously dumb fucking penalties. With your season kind of hanging in the balance.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you come come back all the way to have, like you said, one of your veteran. It's gonna be a Hall of Famer. Should be one of your more um skilled and thought, you know.
SPEAKER_00Three times three times Stanley Cup champ.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Gonna be a Hall of Famer. Yeah. And you do that? At like in the dying dying minutes of of the game.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00To put your team shorthanded. Which that team got scored on.
SPEAKER_01Which to again, to me, that's that's one of the reasons why I kind of wrote this team off already. I wrote them off a while ago. I wrote them off earlier. And for me, it's there's there's something definitely wrong with that roster and that locker room. They just do not have any fight, any like again, that you come all the way back in that game, and a guy who should never take that penalty ever takes that penalty.
SPEAKER_00Do you think it's the same thing as like last year that uh uh Iserman didn't do enough with the deadline and they're pissed off about it or whatever?
SPEAKER_01I I can't say that there's not a little bit of that. I think I think some of the guys are pissed off that they're not they're not going for for for more. You know what I mean? As far as not that anybody on that team is gonna talk shit about anybody else on that team, but yeah, they know there's better players that could have been they that that could have been traded for.
SPEAKER_00Well, another another thing I heard uh I don't remember after which game it was. Um I think it was by JT Comper after the after one of the game. He said uh something to the effect of and I'm trying to find it, so I because I don't want to misquote him, but um it just basically it it's almost like looks like he's defeated. He's like after uh one of the games, he's like, it is what it is. It's like wow. Really? That says a lot. Um it is what it is. Like, wow. Maybe if they do make the playoffs, just have that as your playoff mantra. It is what it is.
SPEAKER_01We made the playoffs, it is what it is.
SPEAKER_00Like, I think that's that's crazy.
SPEAKER_01Welcome to the welcome to the Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoffs.
SPEAKER_00It is what it is, it is what it is. And and this is this is kind of what I wanted to find was you talking about that this outside noise that is weighing on the team. I'm sorry. You can't let that happen, you can't let that be a thing. You can't. If you guys and that this tells me right here that this is not a team, this is a club, this is not a team. Yeah, if you're gonna let outside noise affect what you guys do on the ice, that tells me you guys are not together in that locker room. You're not. No. And I I think it's I think it's crazy, crazy. And this is why, even if they do make the playoffs, uh I say five games at most. And we we talk about is is you know, are they gonna fire Steve Eiserman? No. As much as I think he should be gone if they don't make the playoffs, I think he absolutely should be gone. But he's not gonna be. No. And we uh we kind of talked about it in the group chat a little bit, and what we think was gonna happen would be that they'd bump him up to the president of whatever, and install either Sean Horkoff or Chris Straper as the GM. Yeah. Okay, but again, you're still not eliminating the problem here. You're just kicking it down the road a little bit. Um, but yeah, I again, you know how much I like I adore Steve Eiserman, but in this circumstance, he has not gotten the job done. He hasn't. No. And I gave him a pass for a long time because I think he got kind of jobbed a little bit on expediting the rebuild. Which I don't think they should have done, but I don't think he had a choice in the matter. But now it's to the point where you have you have really good young talent, you have one of the best defensemen in the league in Mosaider, you have cap space, you have assets, and you do nothing with them. Nothing. Like you could have made a huge splash any time this season with the assets and and draft capital and salary cap that you have. And you did David Perron, who's like 50, but he's a good locker room guy. That's why what I've been told. And I don't mind the Justin Falk move, but it's not like the Justin Falk move I did like.
SPEAKER_01No, I yeah, but it needed to be something other than that, too. Yes. It couldn't have been like it, it should not have been the only substantial move you made besides getting Peron back for a locker room guy.
SPEAKER_00Now, and then it is and if everything I hear is accurate, and I mean I've heard this from a lot of lot of a lot of people who would know. If you trade if you would have swung a trade for Quinn Hughes, which if you would have given up what Vancouver was asking for, he absolutely would have gone there, and I guarantee he'd re sign too. He would have resigned. He wanted to go to Detroit, he wanted to go to Detroit. And you balked at it for what? For a lottery ticket. That's what you balked at getting one of the best defensemen in the league. You could have paired him up with most cider.
SPEAKER_01But here's and here's the thing that we talk about all the time, too, is for some reason, there's a lot of GMs that look at draft picks like they're just this coveted holy grail that you just hold up and covet, and just it's it's so it's it's it's you're precious, right? You gotta love it and hold it and nurture it and squeeze it. Yes. But when you when you've got a player like that, you know, can we we talk about in the NFL all the time too, right? Talk about with the Bills. Yeah, yeah. They could have gotten uh Jalen Waddell for really not that hefty of a price, but they didn't want to part ways with a draft pick. Yep. When the guy you're getting is better than most anybody else you're gonna draft that draft spot.
SPEAKER_00Well, it's even like the prospect that he didn't want to give up. It's like, is that guy gonna turn out to be better than Quinn Hughes? No. Highly unlikely.
SPEAKER_01Highly unlikely. I was gonna say, I said flat out no. You're right. It's more like highly unlikely. Yeah. Because you can't say flat out no, but it's pretty much a no.
SPEAKER_00So you you so you kept it for what reason? When you could have had him. I mean, I know you you could have drafted him, but you decided not to for whatever reason. Um but again, it's it's it's stuff like that that stacks up against him in his regime here. It's like, uh dude. You know, you're I think your your GM legacy is taking a massive hit.
SPEAKER_01Do I think that some of the moves were were were brought on by ownership? I do think there's a few of them. But with that being said, I think there's plenty of moves that Steve has made without ownership interference, without ownership input, that have flat out, not that they just haven't panned out, they have completely crashed out. Yeah. Like there, there's just there's a lot of those moves. And that wasn't what we were expecting to get bringing him from Tampa.
SPEAKER_00No, no. Um, I again I s I specifically thought that once they got over that quote rebuild phase, then he was gonna say, okay, now I can actually do some stuff. And he hasn't. And I don't understand it. I don't get it. I honestly I don't understand it. What are you waiting for? Like you have a fan base that is just ready to explode because you made the playoffs, and frankly, the NHL is better when the Red Wings are good. It just is. Yeah. I hate to say that.
SPEAKER_01It's true. The NH the NHL itself is is yearning for the wings to make the playoffs again and and and bounce back.
SPEAKER_00And you're just like, eh.
SPEAKER_01Well, and it's gonna be 10. I'm telling you, it's gonna be 10 years this year. This will be the tenth year they didn't make the playoffs. And that's you cannot have that. You can't. No. Well, you know who always makes it?
SPEAKER_00Yes. Jason Stiller from Flagstar Bank. Whether you're buying or selling your home, now's the time to take advantage of having the expertise of three real estate agents for the price of one on your side. Make the right move with the right group, the Joe Wright group. Give Craig Joe Wright, Mike Bush, and Shane Wilson a call today at 248-535-4750 to fulfill all of your real estate needs. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Did I think you were expecting me to throw you off and do the Joe Wright, weren't you?
SPEAKER_00No, I was gonna say whichever one you picked, I was gonna do the opposite one.
SPEAKER_01Gotcha.
SPEAKER_00So, yes, I was kind of waiting, I guess.
SPEAKER_01So wait, so which one did you do?
SPEAKER_00I did the Joe Wright group.
SPEAKER_01Well, I had the Stiltner thing up there for it. I know.
unknownFuck.
SPEAKER_01It just goes to show I didn't pay attention to your read.
SPEAKER_00And then it dawned on you. Like, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_01Well, when you said that it dawned on me, I really wasn't paying attention. I was in my own world over here while you were reading.
SPEAKER_00Nice. Alright, so, anyways, uh Michigan basketball. National champions.
SPEAKER_01Yes. National champions.
SPEAKER_00National champions. Uh I uh I did not stay up for the game last night. I did. I I watched the whole thing. I even stayed up for one shining moment, which is awesome. It's always good. It hits it hits a little bit different when it's your team that wins. Yes. Um it's always been good, except for that one weird year where they decided to go with Jennifer Hudson's version of it, and people lost their fucking mind. And they were like, we can never play this version ever again. Ever. Which is a good thing. Yes, I I concur with that one one million percent. Uh I I liked that game. People said, Oh, it was a boring game. I loved it. I thought it was incredibly physical.
SPEAKER_01So I watched the entire first half. Yeah. Um, and I'm with you. I didn't think it was boring.
SPEAKER_00No, I I I thought it was great. This to me, it looked like somewhat old school basketball.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like too many three-pointers, yes, it's just the game now. But when it when they got to the paint, yeah, like you could actually defend it, not just let them get to the rack and uh okay, it's fine.
SPEAKER_01Well, and and I will say that Michigan uh ended up needing to play the the UConn style of basketball.
SPEAKER_00I think that was because of Yukon.
SPEAKER_01And it was the you Yukon made them play their style of basketball. And and I I I think I counted at least what I saw, because I I actually watched um the second half today. Yeah. Um from what I saw, I I saw about it was about three actual fast breaks that Michigan got where that they actually took were able to take it end to end. That's playing half-court basketball is not really truly their game. They're more of a running team, they're more of a get you get you mismatch, get you in transition. Um every once in a while bounce it back out for the three. Um you know, it's it's it's transition, it's threes, but they played Yukon's style of basketball last night.
SPEAKER_00Because they had to.
SPEAKER_01And they didn't have a choice, but they beat them at their own game. That's what I think is impressive, is that they really did they didn't play their own game to beat him. They played Yukon's game to beat him.
SPEAKER_00And Dan Hurley even said that uh in the first half when they uh interviewed interviewed him during a TV time out. He goes, It's the only way we got a shot. If we play their style, we're not gonna win. Yeah. Like flat out. We gotta make this uh basically a rock fight.
SPEAKER_01Yep. And they and they didn't but uh I was gonna say, but Michigan still I was never really worried about them, at least in the again, I didn't watch the second half until today, but yeah, like first half watching it, I wasn't necessarily worried. I know they were only up, but what are they up by four at half? Uh four or five, yeah. So like even then, I I wasn't necessarily worried. I still felt they had the upper hand, and even though they were playing UConn's game because they kind of had to, they were still the better team. Um so to wake up today and see that they won, yeah, it wasn't I wasn't surprised.
SPEAKER_00I mean, I I look at it this way if Elliot Cadeau doesn't do what he did last night, yeah, I think they get blown out. I really do. That dude was he was outstanding last night. Yeah. He was outstanding last night.
SPEAKER_01And for a guy that well, I mean, listen, let's talk about their five the five transfers in the starting lineup that they had, which is which is a record.
SPEAKER_00Oh, you mean the best best team money could buy? That's every time I see that. That's the rules. Uh yeah, I see that. I'm like, yeah, that's how college sports work now, dude. That's the rules, dude. Do you not realize that? That's that's the rules. Yes. That's the rules.
SPEAKER_01That's and and Cadeaux was actually a cast off. Yeah. Because he couldn't find his shot. He had no confidence. Right. But yet he comes to Michigan and now all of a sudden it's oh, well, it's he's the best money could buy.
SPEAKER_02Right.
SPEAKER_01Well, he couldn't buy a shot before, but he has turned into a hell of a basketball player on Michigan. Yep. After being a cast off.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Well, that was the thing. Like last night, especially because Landenborg was he obviously wasn't right. He wasn't 100%. I look at halftime, he even said that. He goes, I feel terrible. Like I'm weak, I'm not good, you know, etc. Whatever. And I mean, they did they hit what two, three pointers the entire game? Yeah. Two, three pointers the entire game. And that's what I was worried. I'm like, dude, if they don't start hitting at least a couple of these, yeah, that might be good. But credit to Danny Hurley, because he said this, everybody's bitching about the officiating, like, oh, it was all in favor of Michigan, which I don't necessarily agree with, but he said, it's hard to ref that game. We both played so hard. If I could have those three guys ref every game the rest of my career, I would sleep well at night. That's the that's the opposing coach saying that. It's like, okay, okay. Here's another one to all these clowns that say, oh, Michigan got helped by the refs and the refs won the game. Yukon averaged 18 fouls per game, right? They were undersized against Illinois and committed 21 fouls in the final four. Okay. Nobody said anything about that, right? Did you hear anybody saying that Yukon got a free ride to the to the national championship game? No. No? Okay. Uh so they were undersized against Michigan too, and it showed. They were significantly undersized against Michigan. And they committed 22 fouls. So it's not like this was like a one-off thing, guys. This is who Yukon is. Yes. They foul people. They averaged 18 fouls per game. So it's not trying to make it out like this, like this is Michigan won because of the refs. They did.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's Yukon's game. They play a half court game. They they they are okay with fouling. They're okay with giving up some fouls. That's that's the game they play. It is.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, 100%. And that's fine. And that's that's all well and good, but it this is where I think Michigan won the game, is because when they got to the line, they hit them. They made their free throws. Yeah. They made their free throws. Except for those the two we missed like toward the end of the game. And I was just like, Yeah. I was like, come on.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like you're a good free throw shooter. Come on.
SPEAKER_01I'm trying to think if I saw those or not, because I did fast forward through a little bit of the second half when I watched it.
SPEAKER_00It was like, come on, man.
SPEAKER_01What are we doing here? Is this looking at this team? I mean, they they went on an impressive run. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Oh, wait a minute. It's the easiest easiest path to the national championship ever.
SPEAKER_01Uh okay.
SPEAKER_00I hate that shit, man.
SPEAKER_01I hate it. Let me guess. Is it state fans? Of course it is. Um, anyway. Here's the thing I'm not gonna do other than just then. I'm not gonna mention the other team in this state because it has nothing to do with this conversation other than to say the team that bounced them out of the out of the the the tournament was UConn. And Michigan beat them for the championship. Other than that, I'm not gonna say anything because the any Michigan fan and any state fan saying anything to each other today makes no fucking sense. This is not about state. Nope. This is about Michigan. Michigan won. State fan wants to get all butthurt and and claim uh best team money could buy or easiest path to the championship, or whatever you want to say. Enjoy that. If that makes you feel better, do that. It does make them feel better. That's why they do it. But again, they're losers. That's a loser mentality. I agree with you. They're fucking losers. Sorry, I'm in a bad mood anyway, and I just I'm right, though. I've read a little bit about that today, and I'm just like, what the fuck? You are the biggest loser in the world. If a team wins a national championship, and because you're a rival, you're just gonna go, Well, it didn't matter because uh they have the easiest path and they're the best team money could buy. And it's oh, okay. So they played the teams that were in front of them and beat them. Okay. Yep. And not just beat them, beat them handily. Most games. Most of the games were they beat them fucking handily. Yeah. And then that's the way college basketball is played. That's the way college sports is played right now. It's the best team money can buy. Everyone is putting together the best team money can buy. Everybody's putting together the best team that their money can buy. Now, whichever team wins is actually the best team money can buy because they win it all. But every single school is putting together the best team that their money can buy.
SPEAKER_00This is how the shit works now. It's this is how the shit works now.
SPEAKER_01But it's how it worked before, too. Just other just some schools weren't doing it. Right.
SPEAKER_00Now it's legal, yes, and everybody's doing it. But when I see people talking about is this the greatest college basketball team of all time? No, it isn't.
SPEAKER_01No, where would you rank them? Because I agree with you. I hearing that it's the greatest ever, I think it's that's a stretch.
SPEAKER_00I mean, first of all, they had a hell of a run. Oh, they did. I mean, they didn't go undefeated, so it's hard to say that they're the best because they didn't they didn't go undefeated.
SPEAKER_01Right. They lost two games.
SPEAKER_00Lost three games.
SPEAKER_01Three games. Sorry. Yeah, could you right because they lost that last game? I wasn't caught in the last game uh to play. The Big Ten championship.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, the Big Ten tournament, yeah. Yeah. They lost three games. Okay. Now, where they would I mean, this season they were obviously already the best team in the country the entire season, right? Yeah, would you would you agree with that?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there was a couple weeks where people didn't consider them that I would say one week it was Arizona, one week was Duke, you know, whatever. It was but I would say for the most part, yes. They were widely considered them and Arizona were widely considered the two best teams right in college basketball.
SPEAKER_00Uh, where would I rank this team all time? I see, I I don't I don't like doing that because of eras. I don't. Yeah. Um I mean you obviously you got all those UCLA teams, you know, the the Wooden Dynasty, um, those Indiana teams. I think it's the last team to go undefeated in Winno Natty was at one of uh Indiana's teams. So it's incredibly hard to do. Um, and that's why I can't say that Michigan is the greatest of all time. Right. They didn't go undefeated. Right. Um no, I don't think you could say that.
SPEAKER_01I mean I I think this was a very impressive run.
SPEAKER_00It was. It absolutely was.
SPEAKER_01And and that's maybe you don't have to rank it anywhere, but like their regular season, the only thing that would have made this better for them is if they did pull off that game against Purdue in the Big Ten championship game. Yeah, you win. Win the Big Ten, win the Big Ten tournament, then win win the actual tournament.
SPEAKER_00But maybe that's what they needed.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's it's very true. It very well could have been. If you're looking at it, I mean that you know, yeah, they won the game last night by six, but if you're looking at it, they won 18 against Arizona. You know, uh 33 against Texas, which again was arguably the best team in the country. 13 point against uh Alabama. Yeah and then again uh a 23 point win against St. Louis, and of course Howard, they beat him by 21. But you know, the Howard and St. Louis, I lots of teams in that first and second round are playing what people would consider cast offs. Yes. I mean, there's there's sixty-eight fucking teams in this.
SPEAKER_00And it's gonna get worse because they're gonna make it they're gonna make it bigger.
SPEAKER_0168 teams. So the first couple rounds are not are nothing really to write home about for anybody's wins. You I don't think anybody in the first couple games can say anything about their wins, truthfully. But um they were that was a hollow, it was a magical fucking run for that team, man.
SPEAKER_00So I I caught this on on Twitter. I didn't watch it or listen to it because I don't like 'em, but I saw the headline that apparently the studio gangster absolutely ripped ripped Michigan State. Really? Absolutely ripped them. Today? Yeah. Yeah. Really? Yep. He's like, their football program is better than yours, their hockey program is better than yours, their basketball program is better than yours.
SPEAKER_01I saw something. I was just trying to look it up on I saw something on Facebook about 97.1. Maybe that's what I saw. I saw something on Facebook where they they did a topic today. Again, I don't listen to them too much, and I definitely didn't listen to them today.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01But they did a topic that was I can't I couldn't find it, but I'm uh let me let me try to think of what it was. It was would you rather which one is better to you as a Michigan fan? And I think this is their sparty coming out on this show. Which one do you do you like better? The national championship that that you won in football, or that Michigan won in football, even though they cheated, or the the cheat free uh national championship by the basketball team. That was their topic today. I think just to bring up that Michigan cheated in football, they just want to bring that up again. Uh that one kind of soured me. I'm like, that that's one of the things that I read where I was like, really? Today you're just gonna bring that just because that I know I know they I know they pose it as a topic for Michigan fans to be like, well, no, we don't mean any disrespect by this. Then why are you bringing up cheating in the football team? They just won the national championship of basketball, it has nothing to do with it.
SPEAKER_00Because they can't use the basketball thing anymore. Right. Because the only difference between the basketball schools now is one final four appearance. That's it. That's it. They both have two nattys, and Michigan's been in the final four nine times, Michigan State's been in the final four ten. You can't use that argument anymore. It's a wrap.
unknownYep.
SPEAKER_01It's done. So you gotta bring up, well, which one's better to you? The football team who cheated or with the cheating skill or the basketball team who didn't cheat? The football one. That that's what I say. The football one. The football one. Absolutely. You know why? Because football's king. Yep. Did I do I love that Michigan won last night? Absolutely. Did I enjoy watching the first half before I fell asleep into the second half? Yeah. Because I was just not feeling good and tired and I couldn't do it. I fucking loved it. And I wish I could have stayed up for it. I do. I wish I could have stayed up and watched it, but I I watched it today. Um, yeah. The football one's better for me. I don't care whether you say they cheated or not, I don't give a fucking rat's ass. Don't give a shit. They won. They're not taking it away. Nope. You know who else is a winner?
SPEAKER_00I do.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00My man, Jason Stiltner. Uh, if you're a homeowner or looking to be a first-time home buyer, give Jason Stiltner, senior loan officer at Flagstar Bank, a call today at 248-752-3631. Jason has great mortgage programs for first-time home buyers, including down payment assistance options and excellent interest rates. Again, give my guy Jason Stiltner from Flagstart Bank a call today at 248-752-3631 and get the excellent service you deserve. Flagstart Bank, Equal Housing Lender, member FDIC, NMLS number 27546.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_01By the way, I put up the Joe Wright group one for the just for the entire thing. If anybody's watching, uh it's because Chris fucked me up on the first one. It's a joke, so just you know, go with it and enjoy it.
SPEAKER_00Um or don't don't give a shit. So we have that, and then Michigan hockey has a chance to win a national championship this weekend. They do. They got the semifinal game on Thursday night, I believe. Yeah, Thursday. I think so, yes. Um God, can you imagine that if Michigan hockey actually won too? Which I I don't see it. I just I don't think their defense is good enough to do it. But who knows? We'll see.
SPEAKER_01I don't know enough about their hockey team to say, but uh I'm definitely voting for it.
SPEAKER_00They're they're good. I just they have they have too many defensive breakdowns for me. Yeah, that's why I don't I don't see it. But it would be amazing if that if it happened. I like if you're the hockey team, you have to look at what the basketball team did did yesterday and be like, oh now we gotta win. You know? We we gotta win now. Um but we'll see. Yeah, I I I would love to see that. That'd be awesome. And this is, I guess, this is I guess the frustrating part about this. We we hammered Ward manual, and deservedly so. Yeah, right? And I obviously since new stuff has come out about that whole thing, which kind of I don't want to say exonerates Sharon Moore, but it looks a lot better now than it did then when it came out.
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_00Like a lot better. Yeah. Um and he was, oh, you should apologize to the word manual. No, I'm I'm still not gonna do that. No. But no.
SPEAKER_01I mean I guess the calls for his head on a on a silver platter were Yeah, but he's also done enough things for that to be called for anyway.
SPEAKER_00But he also hired a coach that just won a national championship. He hired a coach that won a football national championship, and he might have hired a coach that's good might win a hockey national championship. So you gotta take, you know, you know what is important to you here, you know?
SPEAKER_01Well, I I would like to for I would like for Michigan to be winning these without any scandals at all.
SPEAKER_00Yes, I agree with you.
SPEAKER_01Like that's that's my preference. Can we can we cut down on the bullshit and the scandals? Can we can we do that? Because the championships and the runs in in the tournaments they're nice. They're great.
SPEAKER_00But we'd like to have it done without scandals. It'd be nice if it didn't have like the asterisk by it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, like it'd be but it'd be nice if if we we didn't have to deal with the BS behind the winnings.
SPEAKER_00I'd do 100%. Winning is great. Um but yeah, so it's it's it's I don't know how I don't know how you want to look at it, but uh we'll see.
SPEAKER_01And and I no, I'm not gonna apologize to it. No. Does would I be saying the same thing today as I did before? No. But again, I'm not gonna fucking give an apology. No, that's not how that works. Kiss my ass. Yes. That's that's your apology.
SPEAKER_00Well done. Is there anything else you want to rant on? Because you seem like you're uh you're in the ranting mood.
SPEAKER_01No, I I kind of am, I'm just in a bad mood. I don't feel good. Neither do I, I got a massive headache. Yeah, and and I you know, so it is what it is. But yeah, I'm I'm very angry. I'm angry, Joe, today, just at at anything that strikes me as angry that I should get angry at.
SPEAKER_00That's fine.
SPEAKER_01Um no, I I I don't, but I do want to tell you um where you should go if you're looking for a great spot to go eat or to watch any of the sports, to watch the Wings game games tonight, game tonight, games coming up, going into the playoffs, or maybe the playoffs or the wings. They're fighting for a playoff spot. Go to go to playoffs! Look no further than Tap and Barrel Grill in Shelby Township. They're one of the newest sports bars in Metro Detroit. They're an upscale sports bar. They feature over 40 craft beers on tap, handcrafted cocktails, and a delicious scratch-made food menu.
SPEAKER_00Is that patio open yet?
SPEAKER_01The patio is open. They have an amazing patio, which was voted best in Macomb County by Crane's Detroit Weekly. Uh, they have a comfortable feel and a ton of staff and fine dining food options, which make it a must-visit spot for sports fans and foodies alike. Whether you're watching the big game or just looking for a great meal, Tap and Barrel Grill has you covered. Visit them at 50055 Van Dyke Avenue or go to tap and barrelgrill.com. I gotta get out there for brunch one of these days. I would agree with you.
SPEAKER_00No, we do need to do that. Yes. That does sound like an idea one of these days.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Uh okay. So uh being that I I'm not really feeling well and you got a headache, are are we looking to do anything NFL or we're gonna kind of pass an NFL this week and dive dive in closer as it gets to the draft? Yeah, okay. Yeah, let's do that. All right. Anything else you got then, or this is gonna be a quick and uh succinct show. Yes, listen to the fucking point.
SPEAKER_00I think we did all right with this one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Give us a like, a share, and a follow on our social media like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, and YouTube. You can find all of our podcasts on your favorite podcast provider. As always, check out S Ot D E T.com. Click on shop, buy some stuff. We'd appreciate it. It supports the show. Also, click on our sponsors' logos, give them a like, a share, and a follow while you're there as well. S O T D E T dot com. On behalf of Chris, I'm Joe. We are Sports Ontap Detroit. See you next Tuesday.