Ty's 2026 - 2027 NCAA Men's College Basketball Preview

Wrapping up my preseason basketball previews, today I have my men's NCAA basketball preview and prediction.

I do want to say at the top that college sports have become kind of wild. It is very hard to know who is playing where, there's constant coaching turnover, there is no loyalty anymore and each top team seems to have new players every year. Take Michigan last season, my favorite team. They had four new starters last season, all from the portal. I was stoked to see how well they played and how quickly they meshed, but it still took me a minute to figure out who was who. Even their returning starter, Nimari Burnett, transferred in two years ago. This is modern college sports. I am all for NIL and the like, but there have got to be rules and restrictions in place. Players leave every season. Coaches are becoming more and more frustrated. With all the turnover it is hard to know who to pick before the season starts. Also, with all of the turnover, Michigan, the defending champs, are the preseason. number 16 team. That means the people who vote on the polls have the team that just ran ramshackle through the tournament as the 16th best team in men's college basketball. I am finding it harder and harder each year to find another team to root for when Michigan isn't playing because I have no idea who some of these are on the top teams. So that means my preview is going to be pretty much off the cuff, and short and to the point. I'll do the power 4 conference winners, then a few surprise teams. I'll also pick the Final Four, the title game and the player of the year.

Let's start with the ACC. This is going to be Duke's conference yet again. Sure, Cam Boozer is gone along with some other stud players, but they brought in a top five recruiting class, and they secured one of the best players in the portal, Johnathan Blackwell. The only problem with Duke is they cannot seem to figure it out at the right time. Last year they were probably the best team in the country, but Bradyn Mullins decided to rip out their hearts. Jon Scheyer is a fine enough coach, but he is not Coach K, and that will haunt him until he can win it all. Miami, Louisville and Virginia will challenge, and UNC should be in the mix even though they have a new coaching staff. Louisville also secured a great transfer in Flory Bidunga. Miami put themselves back in the conversation last year and Virginia is always good. But Duke should win the ACC, and it should probably be a pretty easy conference title.

Onto the Big 12. I don't know how I pick anyone but Kansas. They have the projected number one pick coming in in Tyron Stokes. They also got some solid portal players, namely Trey Kaufman-Renn. KU is finally out from Hunter Dickinson and Daryn Peterson's thumb, and I bet they will thrive this season. Texas Tech is still very good and should be a problem. Texas is a very talented team that will be right at the top of the conference all season long. Iowa State needs to replace some dudes, but they have one of the better young coaches in the game and they will produce. BYU will also pose a minor threat, but without Dybansta they will struggle a bit. Also, I cannot forget Houston. They have the best defense in the country, they don't rebuild, they reload and Kelvin Sampson is one of the best to ever coach men's college basketball. Houston will be KU's biggest threat, but I believe that Stokes will put them over the top.

Onto the SEC. The SEC has the preseason number 1 team in Florida. Florida is going to be very, very good this year. I think not lasting as long as they hoped in the tourney last season will have them play with a bit more urgency. They want to get back to the mountaintop like they were two years ago. Kentucky got some really good portal players, but I have to see their coaching staff make it all work. The staff is what is holding that team back, but they have some very talented players this season. Tennessee got Juke Harris, and he will be the scoring machine they need. He will fill up the stat sheet and he will put himself into the lottery conversation this season. LSU and Will Wade will find some way to cheat and win way more games than they should. Vanderbilt may not have Harris anymore, but they still have a solid group of players that will make them competitive. Arkansas has a top recruiting class coming in, as John Calipari always does, and they will be a menace. Missouri has, somehow, a great recruiting class and a wonderful portal haul coming in which will make them very competitive. And Alabama has a very good coach, whom I despise, but his teams are always a threat. I'm going to stick with Florida because they have the championship equity and they have a very good roster with plenty of highend talent.

Now for the Big 10. Michigan is the reigning champs and I believe they will be solid once again. They have one of the best backcourts in the country. They will play suffocating defense and will shoot the three at a high clip. They also have a very good portal class coming in. While they may not win the Big 10 this year, they will still be on the higher end and they will still be very good. Michigan State has probably the best player in the conference on their team and they have the refs on their side. I loathe their coach, but that dude knows how to win college basketball games. They got a bunch of their good players to return this season too. MSU will fight for the Big 10 crown. Illinois may be the best team in all of college basketball. They have an incredibly loaded roster. They will shoot the three better than most. They will play good defense too. Illinois is going to be great this season. UCLA is on the rise and should be better this season. USC is led by Alijah Arenas, who will be a first round pick this season. Purdue is always a contender. The Big 10 is top heavy, but that top part is really exciting and really good at basketball. I'm going to go with Illinois to win the Big 10 this year. They had a nice run to the Final Four last season, and I bet they build on that this year.

As for some other powers not in a power 4 conference, UConn is going to be back with a vengeance. Last season's run to the title game was kind of fluky, and now they're even better. They also have the best coach in all of men's college basketball. St John's is back and powerful. They have a very good portal haul as well. They have to replace some key guys, but they should do that just fine. And Gonzaga will always be in the mix. They are no longer a Cinderella team. They are a power and they will be a threat as usual.

As far as a few surprise teams, I'll go with SLU, Marquette and Nevada. Nevada is the newest version of San Diego State. SLU made a run to round two last season, and they have Robbie Avila back it seems. And Marquette is coached by Shaka Smart, who finds a way to squeeze the best out of his players.

As for the Final Four, I'll go with Duke, Florida, Illinois and UConn. The title game will have Illinois playing Florida and I'm going to go with Illinois to win it all, with Stojakovic's kid winning the MOP. As for player of the year, I'll go with Tyron Stokes. He is going to prove all season long why he is the projected number 1 overall pick in the next NBA draft.

Okay there you have it, all of my preseason basketball previews and predictions. Enjoy the season everyone. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Preview: Postseason and Awards

Finishing off my NBA preview, today I have some playoff predictions and awards predictions. Tomorrow I will do a men's NCAA basketball preview to wrap up all of my basketball writing for a little bit. For my playoff predictions I will do the four play-in teams from each conference, then finish out the playoffs until I get to each conference winner. Then it will be the awards.

I'll start with the East.

From 7 to 10 in the East I have the Pacers, Hawks, Magic and Wizards. That would mean that the Pacers would face the Wizards in the 7-10 matchup, and the Hawks facing the Magic. The Pacers will make easy work with the Wiz. The Pacers are better, and pretty much whole again. The Hawks and Magic game is a little tougher for me to pick. I'm going to go with the Magic because I believe that they play defense just a bit better, and that will be enough to get them the win here. So that means the Pacers will wrap up the 7 seed, and I'm going to go with the Magic to secure the 8th seed once again.

As for 1-6 in the East, in order I have the Knicks, Celtics, 76ers, Raptors, Cavs and Pistons. That means I don't have the Hornets or the Heat in the playoffs. Those were two tough cuts for me, but here we are. And with the way the Heat have started the season, it looks like it may take a lot longer to work it out with Giannis. As for the 1-8 matchup I have the Knicks playing the Magic. The Magic may take a few games from the Knicks, but in the long run the Knicks have a far superior offense and they will find a way to score, probably at will, when they need to. Knicks win in six. My 2-7 matchup in the East has the Celtics facing the Pacers. I am going to go with the upset here and pick the Pacers to win in seven games. The Pacers have this certain clutch gene, and they seem to activate it when they need to, especially in the playoffs. I also think Tyrese Haliburton will outplay Jayson Tatum, and the unwillingness the Celtics have for attacking the rim will be their undoing. My 3-6 matchup features the 76ers facing the Pistons. The 76ers are more experienced, a better team and have better experience in the playoffs. They also have LeBron James, and he will want to prove that he can win with a new team. It will be close for the first couple of games, but in the long run the 76ers will wear the Pistons down and win the series in six games. Finally, the 4-5 matchup has the Raptors facing the Cavs. This time the Raptors will win. Kawhi will play enough to make a difference, and the leap that Scottie Barnes showed last season will be even bigger this year. He will show himself to be the best player in this series. The Raptors will win in six games.

The second round will see the Knicks facing the Raptors and the Pacers going up against the 76ers. These two series should be pretty exciting and fun to watch. I would love to see the Knicks make another run to the East Finals, but I think they will be too tired and worn out from the season and being the reigning champs will take its toll. We will have another new champ for the ninth straight year. Scottie Barnes will continue his ascent, and the Raptors will beat the Knicks in seven games. As for the Pacers and 76ers, I'm going against my best thoughts and picking the 76ers. I don't know how healthy they may be at this point of the season, but I'm going to imagine most of the important players will be good, probably not Embiid, and they will outlast the Pacers in seven games. LeBron James will remind everyone about his dominance in the Eastern Conference.

That means the East Finals will feature the Raptors and 76ers. I'm going to go with the Raptors. Again, I'm all in on Scottie Barnes, and I think this is the season he announces himself as a top 10 player in the NBA. The Raptors will represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Onto the West.

My 7-10 teams in the West are, in order, Denver, Portland, Phoenix and Dallas. The 7-10 game will be a pretty easy win for the Nuggets. Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving will make it close for a half, but then the Nuggets will take over and not look back. The 8-9 game will be pretty high scoring, but I'm going to go with the Trailblazers because I think Damian Lillard will be so happy to be playing playoff basketball, and he may score at will, especially with the game being played in Portland. The Nuggets will be the 7 seed, and the Trailblazers will eventually secure the 8 seed.

As for the top 6 in the West I have, in order, OKC, San Antonio, Houston, Minnesota, Lakers and the Jazz. The sixth seed was tough for me, but I think the Jazz will surprise some this year. So, the 1-8 matchup will be a walk through for the Thunder. Sure, the Trailblazers may take a game, they took one from the Spurs last season, but the Thunder will have no real trouble with them. SGA will score at will, and the Thunder big men will feast on the Trailblazers smaller guards in pick and roll mismatches. The 2-7 series, between the Spurs and Nuggets, will be yet another coming out party for Wemby. All of the media members who love Nikola Jokic so much will see him get abused on offense by Wemby. And Jokic won't be able to do all the things he used to when the Nuggets have the ball because Wemby will haunt him. Also, the Spurs guards will feast on the horrific defense that the Nuggets backcourt "plays". I'll take the Spurs in five games. The 3-6 series features the Rockets facing the Jazz. The Jazz will have this nice run to the 6 seed, and then the Rockets will dispose of them in an easy four games. This series may be the most lopsided one in all of round one. And in the 4-5 have the Timberwolves playing the Lakers. The Timberwolves backcourt is going to abuse the Lakers backcourt. LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards are going to do whatever they want against Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. And Rudy Gobert will completely neutralize Walker Kessler. I have the T'Wolves winning in five.

So that leaves me with the Thunder playing the Timberwolves and the Spurs facing the Rockets in round 2. I hate to say it, but I do believe we will have another Spurs-Thunder series in the West Finals. The Thunder are going to be able to stop the T'Wolves backcourt, and Gobert is not going to be able to deal with all the bigs the Thunder will throw at them. The Rockets and Spurs should be a pretty good series, but again, Wemby is going to dominate Sengun and the other Rockets big men. VanVleet may be a little too old to keep up with the Spurs backcourt, and while KD can still score at will, he is going to have a tough time matching up with Stephon Castle and Devin Vassell. I think the Rockets will get a few games off the Spurs, but I have the Spurs winning in six.

So we have the aforementioned West Finals rematch. But I think the Thunder will prevail this time. They have a bad taste in their mouth from last season, and in that game seven SGA figured out how to get his points against this defense. I think it will go the full seven again, but this time the Thunder will find a way to win. The Thunder will represent the West in the Finals.

So, that means I have the Raptors facing the Thunder in the 2026-27 NBA Finals. And while this series will be a blast to watch, I think the Thunder will reclaim the throne and win it all in seven games. Scottie Barnes will make this a true series, but I don't think Kawhi will be 100 percent, and while Collin Murray-Boyles is an up and comer, the Thunder big men will be able to neutralize him. And Scottie Barnes can only do so much. SGA will be the Finals MVP again, and the Thunder will be back on top again.

Now onto awards.

I'll start with Rookie of the Year. I'm going to go with Cam Boozer. I have so much faith in him to be awesome right off the bat. I think the Grizzlies will be better than expected, and that will be because of Boozer. Sixth Man of the Year will be Alex Caruso. The Thunder will use him as the first bench guy all season, and Caruso will do all the things he does well enough to get him the award. Defensive Player of the Year will be Wemby. All he has to do is play enough games, and this award is going to go to him. He is a one man wrecking crew on that side of the ball, and he has proven he can guard all five positions. Coach of the Year will be Darko Rajakovic. Toronto is going to be really good this season, Rajakovic proved he could coach last season, and with their big jump incoming, I think the award voters will give him the trophy this season. Finally, MVP is going to be Wemby. This is the season that Wemby continues to prove how dominant he can be on both ends of the floor, and as long as he hits the 65 game threshold, he is going to be taking home a ton of hardware this season.

That's it for my NBA preseason stuff. Come back tomorrow for my men's college basketball preview. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Preview: Spurs, Knicks, Thunder

Welcome to the final day of my preseason NBA countdown. This is it, my top three teams going into the season. After some injury news the other night I thought I might make some changes, but after looking into it, this is still the way I see these three teams going into the year. And I know that two of these teams have started slower than most would like, but it is only three games into the year, and I'm almost certain they will figure it all out soon. Let's get to it.

At number 3 I have the San Antonio Spurs. I fully thought they were going to win the Finals last year. After they beat the Thunder it felt like a done deal to me. But my number 2 team proved me wrong. The Spurs have who I believe to be the best current player in the NBA in Victor Webanyama. He can pretty much do it all. I still feel like he drifts out to the three point line a bit too much, but he is still very young and seems to figure out something new to add to his game and become even more dominant. Wemby is a true freak of an athlete, and he is so much fun to watch play basketball. Stephon Castle may be my favorite young player to watch. Sure, he needs to figure the turnover issue out, but he is a beast going to the rim and he plays super hard on both ends of the floor. Devin Vassell got way better last season and has become a very solid offensive player. He also loves to attack the basket, but his jump shot is coming along quite nicely. Dylan Harper is amazing. He seems like a veteran guard, but this is only his second season. There were moments in the Finals that he was the Spurs best and most reliable player. I also love his attitude and his trash talking is up there with some of the best. Keldon Johnson is coming off a sixth man of the year win, and he has become the best bench player in the league. He does it all, and he does it all very well. The guy loves to feast on second units. Luke Kornet is one of the better backup big men in the league. I wish he wouldn't have griped about the Magic City stuff last season, and he was played off the floor during the Finals. But as a regular season backup, he's as solid as they come. Carter Bryant is starting to assert himself more and he is going to have to see the floor more and more. He is becoming too good to keep on the bench. Harrison Barnes is a perfect vet who can still shoot the three ball. Julian Champangie has turned himself into a reliable 3 and d guy. He might have to start as the season continues because they need his shot. De'Aaron Fox may be a trade asset, but while they have him he is a great fast break starter and he can slash and get to the hoop when he isn't running the offense. And the Tarris Reed pick was classic Spurs. They got another big man, who's a bit more old school, who will only get better the longer he is on the team. The Spurs are young and ferocious. They are coming, and if they can keep this core together for the most part, they will be a problem for a long time in the West.

At 2 I have the defending champs, the New York Knicks. I saw that they are doing typical Knicks stuff, what with the rings and starting slow, but this team is way too good to stay down for too long. Jalen Brunson is a top three player in the league. He is a true offensive killer. He runs this offense to perfection. He gets his three off, but can also get into the lane and hit his floater. He is a bit of a ball stopper, but I believe that that is the way this offense wants to run. Brunson rules. Mikail Bridges is one of the better 3 and d guys in the league. He is always on the court too. He is a true ironman. I don't understand the hate he gets either. He is a very, very good NBA player. Karl Anthony-Towns deserves a new contract with this team. He more than proved his worth to them in the playoffs, and the fact that he is a very good defender is icing on the cake. OG Anunoby is probably the second best player on this team. He does it all for the Knicks. He can guard all five positions, he has become a very good and reliable offensive player and he has a motor that never stops. Josh Hart is one of my favorite players. He is the vet that does all the dirty work for this team, and sometimes he goes on these wild heaters where he cannot miss a three pointer. I do think swapping Mitchell Robinson for Andre Drummond is going to be an issue. Drummond used to be a decent big man, but his production has dropped the past few seasons. He isn't the rebounder he used to be either. And having to take a chance on James Wiseman as another backup big is very risky. Jose Alvarado is more than just a viral stealer of the basketball. His shot has come along, he is a key piece to this team and he fits like a glove. Jordan Clarkson's minutes come and go, but when he gets on the floor, he is liable to go off and score tons of points. Mile McBride needs more minutes. He may not be long for this team because he is too good to not play 20 plus minutes a night. The Knicks have a great system, and they are too good to be down for too long. They are also coming off a championship run, so they may be a little tired to start the season, but that won't last too long. The Knicks are the favorites in the East, and they might be the favorites to repeat this year.

Finally, at number 1 I have the Oklahoma City Thunder. I know, Jalen Williams and Cason Walace are out for the year and that stinks. J-Dub is a key cog to this team. They needed him last year and it showed. His injury was horrendous to watch too. Wallace was becoming a great defensive player and he just got paid. His presence off the bench was undeniable. They will miss him. But the Thunder still have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He is a two time MVP and one of the best offensive players in the NBA. He is shifty and crafty. I never bought into the foul baiting stuff. He is a wizard with the ball and may be in line for a third MVP. Chet Holmgren is a solid big man, but he is soft as Charmin and kind of disappears when he has to face Wemby. He can play against everyone else, but Wemby has his number. Alex Caruso is a great defensive player and his three has gotten so much better. Caruso is one of the better bench players in the league. Isaiah Hartenstein has a great floater, he is a nice menacing figure on the team and he plays hard defense when on the floor. The Thunder look like they may have found another gem in the draft in Aday Mara. He has looked very good to start the year and he fits this team to perfection. Jared McCain has found himself with this team. He is such a good bench scorer and he is a great backup to SGA. Jaylin Williams really showed out last season and he seems like a better fit next to Hartenstein for the most part when the Thunder need rebounding and defense. Kenrich Williams can score and he has the look of being the new Lu Dort on this team. Ajay Mitchell is a solid backup guard who will get more and more minutes with the injuries the Thunder are now dealing with for the rest of the year. Not having Wallace or J-Dub will hurt, but the Thunder won without them last year, moreso J-Dub than Wallace, and it happened early enough in the season that they will have time to figure it all out. It is going to be tougher for them to win it all without these guys, but I still think they're the favorites and I may still pick them to win it all this year.

That's it for my countdown. Come back tomorrow for my playoff and awards predictions for the season. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's NBA Preview: 76ers, Pistons, Celtics

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. We are to my final six. That means today you get three teams, tomorrow the final three and then on Wednesday I will do my predictions. That means Thursday will be my men's NCAA basketball preview and predictions. We are getting to the end of my preseason NBA stuff, and I am stoked that the season has started.

At 6 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers changed their team around quite a bit, but this time I think it is for the better. They added LeBron James. He is one of the best to ever do it. He brings everything to this team that they may need, and maybe even some stuff they don't. Sure, the helicopter and the outside stuff may be annoying for a bit, but what he helps this team with cannot be understated. He is an exceptional passer. He can play multiple positions. He can score if needed. He still has the ability to run and dunk when he needs to. LeBron is awesome, he chose this team and he will only help them be better when he is on the court. They also traded for Jaylen Brown. This is a massive upgrade over Paul George. Brown plays like George, but he is younger and even more violent and plays better defense. Brown is also going to be out to prove how good he is, and that the Celtics were wrong to get rid of him for very little. Joel Embiid is still here. He is far often too hurt nowadays. But when he is on the floor he is a space eater in the best way possible. He also has a great elbow jumper and he has always been a very good defender. He seems to be a little more locked in this season as well. But he has got to stay on the court for this to all work out. Tyrese Maxey is awesome. He is already a top 20 player in the NBA. He can score at will when needed. He is also a capable defender. Maxey should be the focal point of this team, especially on offense. He is the best young guy they have, and this team should go how Maxey goes. VJ Edgecombe is already an awesome slasher and runner. He loves to get up and down the court. He wants to dunk on everyone's head. He is quick and eager and will get the best looks of his life playing for this team. They went out and got Dean Wade to play defense and shoot threes, and they also acquired Anfernee Simons to be the microwave scorer off the bench. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the classic vet that LeBron likes that the team signed to appease him. KCP can also still score a bit. Labaron Philon Jr was a nice draft pick. Adem Bona is going to have to be the backup center now too, with Hukporti getting hurt. The 76ers fully revamped their team. They got LeBron and LeBron is almost always in the playoffs. There's going to be expectations, but if the 76ers can stay healthy-ish, which is a humongous if, this team can make some serious noise in the East this season.

At 5 I have the Detroit Pistons. I don't get the offseason hate with this team. They won 60 games last season, and while they may not win that many games, I fully expect them to be in the mid to low 50's range this season. Cade Cunningham is awesome. He is the new generation's star point guard. He can get to the rim at will, he is an excellent passer, he plays hard on defense and his shot is coming along quite nicely. Cunningham is living up to the hype so far. Jalen Duren finally signed an extension this offseason, and he looked pretty damn good until he got hurt last night. He is already a great rim runner, pick and roll partner and rebounder, and it looks like he has been working on his jump shot this offseason. He needs to perform way better in the playoffs, but he is a regular season stud. Ausar Thompson is a hellacious defender and he is key to this team's success. He is not a very good shooter, but maybe his best asset in the NBA will be his awesome defense. Ron Holland cannot find real minutes. It felt like a reach when they took him fifth overall a few years ago, and maybe they will trade him this year. Daniss Jenkins is a very good backup point guard and he had some really nice moments in the playoffs last year. Kevin Huerter and Duncan Robinson are only here to make threes. Robinson is a slightly better defender, not by much, but their jobs are to hit the three ball. Paul Reed is a decent backup big. I like that they added John Collins and Isaiah Joe this offseason. Collins is a solid rim runner and Joe can shoot and defend. The Pistons are in a good spot, especially since they re upped with Duren. I think they need to be better in the playoffs, but for right now the Pistons are a very good regular season team with a top tier point guard.

The final team for the day, at number 4 I have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics traded away a core piece to their team this offseason in Jaylen Brown, but they have added key players and they get Jayson Tatum back fully healthy this season. I know he had a less than stellar opening night, but he has found his scoring niche the past two games and he looks to be almost all the way back. I want to see him succeed because he is from Saint Louis. He has always been a great shot creator and shooter, and with his knee seemingly one hundred percent, I think he will get back to himself sooner rather than later this season. Paul George is here in place of Jaylen Brown, and that does not excite me much at all. But George has looked decent in the first 3 games, his shot looks okay and he is trying hard on defense. While I think they will sorely miss Brown, George will be fine for a bit in his place. Payton Pritchard is a three point shooting machine. He doesn't do much else, but he is key to how they play and run their offense. Derrick White is still a solid playing, but his shot really fell off last season. He needs that back to be the true three and d guy they traded for a few seasons back. Luka Garza and Neemias Queta form an okay 1-2 punch in the front court, but they both kind of got played off the court in the playoffs last season. So, to cover up this issue, the Celtics went out and signed Mitchell Robinson. Robinson is one of the best offensive rebounders in the league, he is a great pick and roll player that can rim run and he plays his butt off when he is on the floor. Mike Conley is a nice vet to have. They wouldn't trade Hugo Gonzalez for Giannis, so I guess they think very highly of him in the front office. And I think they will be happy with their draft pick from this season, Chris Cenac Jr. The Celtics are a very good team that is getting their best overall player back fully healthy this season. They will win a ton of games and be a pain in the playoffs, as per usual.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the top three teams in my opinion in the NBA. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Tys 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Rockets

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. So far the Thunder look very, very good. The 76ers are finding ways to win games early on this season, I don't know how long that will last. And will the Cavs ever figure it out? Time will tell.

Coming in at 9 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. Man did Anthony Edwards look very, very good the other night. When he brings that type of energy and killer mentality, he could easily force his way into the MVP conversation this season. He looked every bit the star he can easily become. He was ferocious attacking the rim. He was hitting his jump shots. He was smack talking his opponents. Anthony Edwards is probably my favorite young player in the NBA, and I love it when he plays like he did the other night. Sure, LaMelo Ball traveled on that one shot, but he and Edwards looked really good together. I know it is just one game, but they have a nice camaraderie and if they can do that most nights, this backcourt is going to be tough to defend. The real test for Ball will be when the T'Wolves have to play important games later in the season. Ball has never really played on a team with expectations late in the year. That will change this season. Rudy Gobert still seems to have most of the defense that made him a good NBA player. He has never been a true offensive threat, but he can protect the rim and grab rebounds all day. He has also gotten better at covering switches and staying with some guards on the perimeter. Jaden McDaniels got a one year deal. It feels like a prove it deal. But he proved it last season in the playoffs and he came out of the gates firing this season. He has gotten better each season, he backs up his talk and his offensive game is coming along very nicely. Ayo Dosunmu was a great addition last season, and he got paid this offseason. He brings a great spark off the bench. He loves to get up and down the floor. He wants to run and run and run. He is such a nice, important bench player for this team to have, and he can start on very short notice. Joan Beringer is going to get way more minutes and way more playing time. He needs to prove that he has earned that time. There will be moments of frustration, but if he can show a little something, he will have a definite future with this team. Terrance Shannon Jr is due for a bigger role, and he looked okay at times last season. He struggles defensively, but if he can provide an offensive spark off the bench that would be nice for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVencenzio will most likely not be back this year, and they will miss him. And I wonder if Bones Hyland is simply out of the rotation at this point. The Timberwolves are experimenting with an interesting backcourt this year. I hope it works out for them because I am a big time Anthony Edwards fan. They're also clearly going for it all with the moves they made this offseason. But if they can replicate what happened the other night with some regularity, this team is going to be very, very good this year.

At number 8 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. I already mentioned them at the top, and the lead they blew, but that is just one game. The Cavs are a proven regular season wins machine. Donovan Mitchell got a big time raise this offseason and the Cavs made it pretty clear that he is their guy. Mitchell is a great offensive player and he is one of the better shot creators in the NBA. He has never been much of a defender, but I think that is because he is this team's offense. Evan Mobley is good, but he is not yet great. He hasn't really gotten much of a jump shot, the playoff lights may be a little too bright for him and he isn't as tough around the rim as one would hope. But he is a highly skilled big man and he, while being a little soft, is still a very good rim protector. James Harden is still very productive. He is like an older version of Luka Doncic. He only cares about one end of the floor and plays a boring brand, for me, of basketball. But he is still productive and still one of the better passers, especially lob passes, in basketball. Jarrett Allen is solid, but the lights are even brighter for him than Mobley in the playoffs. He kind of shrivels when the games start to matter most. That being said, Allen is still a decent enough big man that can still rebound at a high rate. Jaylon Tyson is going to have a much bigger role this season, and he came on strong last year. He proved himself worthy of more playing time. I love that they went out and got Payton Watson. He brings perimeter defense, his shot is better, he is kind of a great fit for this team. He is going to get many more opportunities here than in Denver as well. Same Merrill doesn't move me much. Thomas Bryant is old. Mario Hezjona is a bust. The bench is what scares me most with this team. They have a great starting 5, but that bench is very worrisome. They made it to the East Finals last year, but it was a struggle to get there. That may be the ceiling for this team, but maybe they can make a breakthrough this year.

The final team for the week, at number 7 I have the Houston Rockets. The Rockets got ousted from the playoffs with little fanfare last year, but this team is now whole. I bet that will change their offense too. Fred VanVleet is a very good point guard, and the Rockets missed him very much last year. He facilitates this offense and he is the steady hand this team needs. Kevin Durant is still here, for now, and he is as productive as ever. He can still score at will, create his own shot and find time to fight trolls online. KD is an all time great, but I worry about him possibly wanting to change teams mid season. Tari Eason got himself kicked out of the first game the other night because he shoved a dude to the ground. He is the enforcer that this team needs. He is their James Johnson. Jabari Smith looked very, very good the other night. He was scoring and moving like I have not seen him move before. This may be him entering his prime, and if that is true, this team now has two excellent scoring creators. Amen Thompson got paid, and is one of the best defensive players in all of basketball. He can also handle and distribute pretty well at his size. He cannot shoot a jumper all that well, but he more than makes up for it defensively. Steven Adams is very important to this team's rebounding. When he is on the floor he is an offensive rebounding machine. He is also super strong. Clint Capela still has moments of his excellent rim running ability. And we will have to see if Reed Sheppard was a bust or not this season. Getting VanVleet back is really going to help this team out way more than any of us may think. And KD is still one of the best offensive players ever, who fits in with every team he has played on to this point. The Rockets may be being slept on a bit too much coming into this season. If they can figure out a more coherent offense, which I think they will with VanVleet, the Rockets could push for a top three seed in the West.

That's it for this week. Come back next week for the top six teams and some predictions. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Raptors, Lakers, Nuggets

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. Again, I fully understand the NBA has already started. Almost every team has played one game already, and that is only going to ramp up more and more as October comes and goes. But I still have twelve teams to countdown, and I plan on finishing that. Let's get back to it.

At number 12 I have the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors made a nice push last season, played Cleveland hard in round one and they traded for Kawhi Leonard this offseason. Sure, Leonard comes with baggage, but that is off the court, and to be honest, the whole Aspiration thing means nothing to me. He got some extra money and he paid his fine. In my opinion, Aspiration news is old news to me at this point. Leonard, when he plays, is still one of the better players in the NBA. He is still a top notch defender, he can still create his own shot and he is still as lethal as ever. He fits this team perfectly and is purely additive. I love his fit with the Raptors. Scottie Barnes is emerging as a superstar in the NBA. He took his game to a whole new level in the playoffs last season, and he has only gotten better each year in the league. He is a tenacious defender, can guard multiple positions and is becoming a two level scorer. RJ Barrett may get traded at some point, but while he is still on this roster he has found a nice role. He is a solid outside shooter, he can play a little defense and he is playing in his home country. Collin Murray-Boyles is starting to show the team why he should be a starter. He is a good rim runner, can play defense and he will beat the hell out of you on the glass. Immanuel Quickley has always been able to shoot the ball, but he cannot stay healthy all that long, and if he wants real playing with this team he will have to buy in defensively. Jakob Poeltl is still the starting center, but CMB is coming for that job, and Poeltl feels more like a placeholder until CMB is fully ready to take over. And every team that has Kyle Anderson on their roster finds ways to win multiple games and make deep-ish playoff runs. The Raptors are a good basketball team that was made infinitely better when the Kawhi Leonard trade fully went through. They will be a problem in the East, and it wouldn't shock me if they made a push to the East Finals, and maybe even the NBA Finals.

At 11 I have the Los Angeles Lakers. Look, I despise this team. I always have and I always will. They are the evil empire in the NBA. And I hate that they seemingly pushed LeBron James out the door. He brought this team a title. He is the second best player ever. And the Lakers pushed him away for Luka Doncic. Doncic is a great offensive basketball player. I may hate the way he plays basketball, but he can score and find the open player for easy shots. He also thrives off of people doubting him or talking trash to him. But he is an absolute zero on defense. He doesn't try, he hurts his team's defense and he has zero interest in even learning how to play on that end of the floor. He also whines and moans at the refs so much that it completely takes me out of the game I'm watching. He is a narcissist and plays a dull style of basketball for me. Austin Reaves would be Gordon Hayward if he were on any other team. He wouldn't get the looks he gets now and the media would only talk of him in passing. But since he is on the Lakers people seem to think he is a fringe all star. Again, he is a very good offensive basketball player, but he has no interest or clue on how to buy in defensively. Walker Kessler was their big offseason acquisition, but he has not played one meaningful minute of NBA basketball, and he is coming off of injury. He may be the Lakers best defensive player, but until he does it with some consistency, I don't buy him as some humongous addition to this team. The other additions are interesting to me. Collin Sexton is a microwave off the bench, but he doesn't play defense. Jake LaRavia is a non factor on either end to me. Matisse Thybulle is an interesting pick, who does play defense, but he needs to hit open shots more often. Mamu is going to be taking on too big of a role in my opinion. And Kevon Looney's best days are way, way behind him. But the Lakers have the refs and ESPN in their corner. They also have media members on their side, so they will win enough games to be in the top 6 of the West. As much as I loathe this team, they will win regular season games at a nice rate.

The final team for the day, another team I don't really care for, at 10 I have the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is another offensive wonder that the media loves, whom I don't care for. Again, much like Doncic, Jokic has zero interest in playing defense. A basketball court has two ends, and Jokic doesn't even care about one end of the floor, which is a shame because his size alone could deter people. But he will make a few fancy passes here and there, and make a few buzzer beater threes, and the media will go nuts over it and call him the best to ever play the game. Jamal Murray is fine, but he has never put together a season like he had when the Nuggets won the title. He is a great pick and roll guy with Jokic, but much like his counterpart, he doesn't care about defense either, and he gets abused on that end of the floor. I think Aaron Gordon is a very good player, and fits very well with this team, but he is almost always hurt, and when he tries to play now, you can tell he is in a good deal of pain. Christian Braun has not lived up to the contract he signed a few years back. His defense has regressed and he is not the shooter he hoped to become. Cam Johnson is a good three point shooter, and he came on strong at the end of last season, but like a lot of the guys on this roster, defense is a nonstarter for him. They signed DeMar DeRpzan this offseason, who i've always been a fan of, and while he will feast on second units, he has never, ever been a defensive minded player. DaRon Holmes III got injured during his rookie year, and never really found much of a place with this team last season. Tyus Jones is an okay backup point guard. And Julian Strawther is going to have to take on a much bigger role now that some of their other key bench guys are gone. The Nuggets will have an explosive and high scoring offense, which will work great against the lower tier NBA teams. But when they have to play real teams, teams that can take advantage of their lack of defense, they will struggle. They will still win enough in the regular season to be a playoff team, but the playoffs will more than likely explore their horrendous defense yet again.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for my next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Pacers, Heat, Hawks

Welcome back to my preseason NBA countdown. I know the season started last night, and some of the games were fun to watch. The 76ers looked good, the Celtics blew a humongous lead, the Pistons made a nice push to win and the Spurs and Thunder are going to be at each other's throats for a long while now, which makes the NBA even more fun. Anyway, let's get back to the countdown.

At 15 I have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are not higher because so much is unknown with this roster. Tyrese Haliburton looked really good in preseason, I just want to see it in the regular season. Haliburton is the straw that stirs this team's offense. He is so good at pushing the ball up and down the floor. He can find the open guy anywhere. He is one of the best clutch  shooters in all of basketball. He's coming back off a really bad injury, and that leaves me with a bit of worry in his case. Ivica Zubac is a very good center. He is big and strong and a solid rim protector. He is good at finishing around the rim and is capable of being a solid rim runner. But he doesn't bring any three point shooting, and that was the best thing Myles Turner gave this offense. Turner could spread the floor. Zubac doesn't, but he does add toughness, which could be nice for this team. I have loved seeing Aaron Nesmith find himself with the Pacers. He is a shooter capable of going off for 30 on any given night. He is also a very good perimeter defender and he plays his tail off. He is wildly inconsistent as a shooter, and that's the problem. He had more responsibility last season, and it did not go great. TJ McConnell has taken a big step back as well. Pascal Siakim may be the second best player on this team. He is very, very good at basketball. He almost made the all star team last season. He showed what he could do with a bigger workload, and he has turned himself into a reliable and productive player. He is great. Obi Toppin is a nice backup big, and he plays so much better when Haliburton is on the floor with him. He struggled last season, but with Haliburton back, I expect Toppin to find his game once again. Jarace Walker hasn't panned out great yet, but he is due for a much bigger role this season, and maybe he finally shows something that gives him more playing time. Jay Huff will provide a decent spark off the bench. Andrew Nembhard gets to return to being a backup, which he is best suited for, and he should be much better than he was last season. And I will never count out a team coached by Rick Carlisle. He is one of the best coaches to ever step foot on a basketball court. The Pacers have the key guys back to make a run, I just want to see them to sustain it for a few months before I fully buy in on this team once again.

At number 14 I have the Miami Heat. I don't get all the clutching of pearls that this team has gotten from other media members. The Heat are coached by the best coach in the game right now, Erik Spoelstra, and he has found multiple ways to win with multiple different players. Also, they have Giannis Antentekoumpo, who is healthy. A healthy Giannis will make all the difference in the world. He is a one man wrecking crew, and he looks energized now that he is playing for a team that has some playoff hopes and expectations. People claiming he may be done are off base in my opinion. Giannis may have a revenge/redemption type season in year one with the Heat. Bam Adebayo is still one of the best defensive players in the league, and he has found a bit of a scoring touch. Adebayo scored 81 in a game last year. He has added a jump shot. He gets to the free throw line. Adebayo may be underrated amongst bigs in the NBA at this point. Davion Mitchell has always been a great perimeter defender, and now he has the semblance of a jump shot. It seems like he just had to get out of Sacramento to find himself in the NBA. They went out and signed Tim Hardaway Jr and Klay Thompson to get some outside shooting on this team. Tim Hardaway Jr was a steal in my opinion, and while Thompson is older, he can still shoot the rock. Simone Fontecchio is a decent backup point guard. Andrew Wiggins has become a totally solid role player and knows what he can and cannot do on the floor. I like that they got Bobby Portis to come along with Giannis. Portis is going to add toughness, and he feels like a prototypical late in career Heat player. I think the Heat are going to be a pretty solid team this season. I think Giannis is feeling better than he has in some time now, and I think he will play a lot this year. If that happens, the Heat will win 50 games and could be a top 6 team in the East.

The final team for the day, at 13 I have the Atlanta Hawks. I think what the Hawks did late last season was no fluke. They kind of found themselves, and I think they will take that into this season and be ready to rock. Jalen Johnson is a star. He has all the tools to be very successful in the NBA. He has all star capabilities, he is a great defender, he just needs to work on his jumper to take the full leap. Dyson Daniels is a great defender and can get to the rim. He has been a revelation since coming over to this team. Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a great playoffs, and I think he will only build on that success more this season. It took him a little bit longer than some wanted, but when he figured out how this team played, he started to excel on the court. CJ McCollum is the best veteran guard in the league possibly. He can go on a heater at any moment, he has become a decent passer and even his defense has gotten a tiny bit better. He is so good at keeping this team in games. They brought over Lu Dort, and he will only make this defense that much better. Dort may not be much of a scorer anymore, but the dude can still play high level defense. Dorian Finney-Smith may never be the guy he was with the Mavs, but if he can find a bit of that player from Dallas, he may be a nice bench addition for this team. Onyeka Okongwu has become a decent modern big and he can even stretch the defense a bit. His jumper has gotten better each season. I also really like what they did in the draft with Kingston Flemings and Zuby Ejiofor. Flemings is a bulldog on defense and he showed some nice scoring at Houston last season. Adn Ejiofor has a body built for the NBA and he is older, which means he may be able to step into a bigger role than most other rookies can in their first season. The Hawks found something last season, and stuff like that doesn't just go away. I think they build on that and become a viable threat in the East this season.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 -2027 NBA Preview: Suns, Magic, Trailblazers

Welcome back to my NBA preseason countdown. I took a day off to write about one of the better movies I have seen in quite some time yesterday, but with the season officially tipping off in about an hour, let's get back to the countdown. We are at the point in my countdown where the teams from here on out are who I think will be, at the very least, in the play-in tournament. Let's get it started.

At number 18 I have the Phoenix Suns. This team surprised a bunch of people last year, myself included, and I think they may be one of the harder playing teams in the league. They come at you hard and will not stop. They're a pain to play against. Devin Booker is a superstar. He is a legit scoring threat from every level. He has even gotten better defensively. He may be a little upset that the Suns may have made it as far as they can with him as one of the star players, but he did sign a humongous extension last year, so he is with the Suns for the long haul. Like him or hate him, I personally despise him and was stoked when the Grizzlies finally traded him, Dillon Brooks is an important player on this team. He is their best defender, he found some more offensive last season and he continues to talk trash, regardless if anyone is even listening to him anymore. Jalen Green is still explosive, but he may only be that for the rest of his career. He just hasn't seemed to fully figure the NBA out just yet. Sure, he can pop off for 30 on any given night, but he is more apt to struggle shooting the ball and get benched in the playoffs. Collin Gillespie is a fine backup point guard, but some media members seem to think he should start for this team. I don't buy that for one second. He is so much better coming off the bench. They traded for Miles Bridges, which confused me a bit. Sure, he is a solid rim runner, and can still jump out of the gym, but he has off-court stuff to deal with, and his game has regressed a bit the past few years. They just gave Oso Ighodaro a nice extension, but he has to be better on offense. His shot is still a little funky, but I did read that he is working with a shooting coach. They signed Luke Kennard this offseason, and he will bring some added scoring from the outside to a team that needs more of that. I'm excited to see Khaman Malauch in year two. He looks to be a solid modern big man, and I want to see how much he has improved. The Suns are a solid team. Like I said, they play hard every night and they win with their defense. I also truly enjoy watching Devin Booker play basketball as well.

At number 17 I have the Orlando Magic. The Magic are in a kind of limbo right now. They have a very good roster on paper, but they can never stay healthy enough to make any real noise. Defense also used to be their calling card, but they regressed a bit in that area last season. And their offense has never been very good. Paolo Banchero is a good basketball player. He has gotten a little better in every aspect of the game each season, and he has proven his worth in the playoffs. He needs to stay healthy. Franz Wagner can never stay healthy. But when he is on the floor he may be the Magic's best overall player. He is their true jack of all trades. He just cannot ever play more than 50 games a year it seems. Jalen Suggs is one of the best perimeter defensive players in the whole league, but that is all he does. And, like almost everyone else on this team, he can barely play 30 games a year. Anthony Black has been a revelation, but he didn't get a contract extension, and he may not be long for this team. Desmond Bane is the model of consistency, and he stays on the floor. He is a great shooter, plays super hard defensively and you can count on him to be on that court for pretty much every game. Wendell Carter Jr is a very solid center. He won't wow you all that much, but he will produce and provide. Jevon Carter is a hard playing vet. I don't know what Nikola Vucivic will provide, but maybe he will play better since he is back where it all started for him. The Magic have the makings of a top 6 seed, but injuries constantly derail this team. I would have them much higher if I could count on health.

The final team for the day, at number 16 I have the Portland Trailblazers. This team made some changes, but I don't think the outcome will be totally different. Damian Lillard is back and it is so cool to see him in a Blazers uniform again. And he will bring a nice dose of outside shooting to a team desperately in need of that. Ja Morant is now here. This feels like a low risk, high reward trade for them. Morant was unhappy in Memphis, they traded him and he has a new home now. Maybe this will energize him, but he has kind of fallen off since all the gun stuff popped off. Jrue Holiday is probably their best true point guard. He plays that position so well and he is one of their better defenders. Donovan Clingan is coming into his own in the NBA. He has fully bought in on defense and his offensive game is coming along. Denji Avidija is a great offensive player. He will have the ball in his hands a little less, but that may help his shooting percentage from the three, and he will find some great cutting lanes with Holiday, Morant and Lillard passing him the ball. Toumani Camara is a great all around player. I have become a humongous fan of his the past two years. He is really good. Scoot Henderson has gotten just a little better each season. His three is even coming along just a little bit. He may not be a fan of it, but coming off the bench has been great for his progress in the NBA. Robert Williams III is a good backup big who provides some solid offense and really good defense off the bench. And maybe all the Yang Hansen talk from last offseason will show up this season. Portland has a decent enough team to make a push this season. Hell, they even took a game off the Spurs in round one of the playoffs last year. But this team construction is funky. I want to see them play a few games during the season before I fully buy in to them being a playoff team.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Wizards, Jazz, Mavericks

Welcome to day four of my NBA countdown. We are officially in play-in territory. The three teams today, given health and a little bit of luck, could very well see themselves, at the very least, competing for the 7 or 8 seed in their respective conferences.

At 21 I have the Washington Wizards. The Wizards have been moribound as a franchise for some time now. But boy oh boy did they make some moves last season, and they picked the right guy first overall in the most recent draft. I am an AJ Dybansta fan. This kid is going to be good, and it may happen right away. He has all the tools to lead this team for the foreseeable future. He can score, his jump shot looks better, he is going to become a solid defender and he seems to love playing basketball. I was stoked when they took him because he was the right choice. Dybansta has star written all over him. The Wizards did give Trae Young far too much money, and that contract will be tough to move if they end up wanting to move him, but he is still a good point guard. He can get the ball in your hands at the perfect release point on some of his passes. He may fire up too many threes, but when he is on, he can light up the scoreboard. He is a zero on defense, but the guy can score and distribute the ball. I don't know if Anthony Davis is long for this team, but he will have to show the other NBA teams that he is still a viable player, so however long they have him, he needs to play well. He is a former all NBA guy, and while he may not return that form, Davis is still a decent modern big man in the league. Bilal Couliboly is an okay enough player, but his defense has not translated to the NBA just yet. I like Bub Carrington, and he showed a few things last season, but that may have been hollow due to how bad they were last year. Deandre Ayton is here, and he is another big body that they can throw out there. He just doesn't play as big as he is in real life. Tre Johnson is decent, and can score, but again, we don;t know if that was all hollow due to how awful this team was at the end of the season. Khris Middelton is too old now and too hurt. He got his ring with the Bucks, and ever since then he has been either hurt or traded. Alex Sarr is the best defender on this team, he is a good rim runner and he has gotten so much better since his rookie year. I wouldn't be shocked if he takes a big leap this year. The Wizards have an odd roster construct, but if it hits they could find themselves fighting for a playoff spot all season long. I don't believe they're a top six team in the East, far from it, but they have the potential to be in that 8-9 conversation if they click and stay relatively healthy all season.

At 20 I have the Utah Jazz. The time is not for this team to play full games and try to win. They have a roster that makes sense and they have a coach that is too good to keep playing awful lineups in the fourth quarter so they can tank for draft position. I do think Lauri Markanen is a bit overrated, but he is still a good basketball player. I believe he is more of a type of potential on a good team player, but that is neither here nor there. He is the focal point of this team and they will go as he goes offensively. I like the Jaren Jackson Jr trade. He may not be the defender he was a few years ago, and his shot comes and goes, but he is still a good player and he brings more height and rim protection to this team. Ace Bailey had a much better rookie season than I anticipated he would. He's a willing cutter to the rim and his shot is coming along. He should maybe start on this team, but he will feast coming off the bench on second units. Daryn Peterson has all of the potential in the world. He is such a good basketball player. There were real conversations on if he should have been the number one overall pick. But he did look disinterested at times at Kansas last season, and if he starts slow, who is to say that won't happen again. Isaiah Collier is already a proven scorer, but last year he looked like a more willing passer, and that will only help him stick around longer. If you listen to the Zach Lowe's of the world you may think Kyle Filipowski is a viable center, but I think he is wildly overrated by certain media members. Jaxson Hayes is a better backup big man option. Keyonte George is about to take a leap. The Jazz have a good team in place here. They have a good coach. I don't like saying that because I have never liked the Jazz, but this team could be good. They just need to play full games at full strength and see if they can make a real push at not just the play-in, but a top six spot in the West this season.

The final team for the day, at 19 I have the Dallas Mavericks. This team has pretty much fully remade themselves in the two years since the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade. Some familiar faces are still around, but they have new guys and a fully new coaching staff. I think Dusty May was a home run hire. I'm already a fan of his, he returned Michigan basketball to glory, so I will always root for him. He has a great young player in Cooper Flagg. Flagg is one of the faces of the future in the NBA, right along with Wemby and Dylan Harper and SGA. Flagg is a great do it all offensive player. He needs to buy in more defensively, but the offensive bag he already has is pretty impressive. Kyrie Irving is back, coming off a torn ACL, and he has looked like himself in the preseason. I don't know if he will stick around with the Mavs all season, but while he is there, if he can continue at this current pace, he and Flagg are going to be a dynamic duo for this team. Dereck Lively is still hurt, and I fear for him that he has already played his best basketball during his rookie year. The guy simply cannot stay on the floor. I wonder how long PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford will be on this team. Washington can shoot the corner three and is a solid rebounder, but he may want to be playing deeper in the playoffs. Gafford is a solid rim runner, and Irving will be able to feed him the ball, but he has got to stay healthy. They acquired Zaccahrie Risaccher, a former number 1 overall pick, but who knows what he is going to bring to this team. He has never been fully effective since entering the league. I am a humongous morez Johnson Jr guy for obvious reasons. But he knows how Dusty May wants to play and he has a never ending motor. He is also a great rebounder. I think he will see his minutes increase exponentially during the season. Naji Marshall is a solid backup point guard. I think they got a great bench scorer and stretch big in Santi Aldama. The Mavericks have some dudes and they have a lethal duo in Flagg and Irving. I think the Mavericks could have a nice bump in wins, especially if this team plays the way May wants them to earlier than expected. I think the Mavs are coming, and this season will bethem announcing themselves as a future perennial playoff team.

That's it for the week. Come back next week for more of the preseason NBA countdown. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Clippers, Hornets, Warriors

Welcome to day three of my NBA preseason countdown. We are inching closer to the play-in teams, and who knows, maybe these teams today will surprise and make a push to the play-in. We shall see.

Coming in at number 24 I have the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers future is very much in doubt. They are going to have to scrape the bottom of the barrell to fill out their roster, and with no draft picks, that will make it all that much harder on them. But right now they have some dudes that can play, and they will be a frustrating team to play on a night to night basis. This is now Darius Garland's team. He is the engine that runs this offense and he will be asked to do whatever he can to lead this team. Garland is a solid player, but he does not stay on the floor enough to be a franchise leader. He just gets hurt far too often. He is great offensively, but he is also a non factor on defense. Garland will get every opportunity to prove he can lead this team this season. Keaton Wagler was a nice draft pick, but he has a long, long way to go. He has a lot of stuff he needs to figure out before he becomes a viable NBA player. But the dude can shoot the rock. He will score this season. But he will not bring much else to this team during his rookie season. And he is going to get abused on the defensive end of the floor. Then we have the rest of this roster. It is filled with guys that are past their prime, never met their prime or are just a steady presence. Rui Hachimura revived his career with the Lakers, but now he is going to be asked to do that again in a starting role with a roster not near what he had with the Lakers. But the guy can shoot the three. Bradley Beal is way past his prime and he has never been the same since leaving Washington. Derrick Jone Jr was always an explosive player who could kind of shoot the three, but both of those have decreased over the past couple years. Brook Lopez used to be a defensive stopper and clutch three point shooter. Now he misses tons of games and is only getting older and older. Gradey Dick has never figured it out, Brandon Ingram is hurt, so is Max Strus and Cam Christie was just waived. This team has some dudes that can do some things, but the days of being at or above .500 look to be over for a bit with the Clippers. They screwed themselves with the whole Kawhi Leonard situation, and they are a long way off from being formidable again. But Wagler and Garland will be fun to watch, and I have always rooted for Rui Hachimura. The Clippers may not be very good, and that may last for about five or six seasons now.

At number 23 I have the Charlotte Hornets. This team came on like a wave during the second half of last season. They surprised a ton of people last year, but this team has changed a ton since all of that popped off. LaMelo Ball is gone. He was not long for this team anyway, but they kind of traded him out of nowhere. This is a big bet on a few of their young guys. Kon Kneuppel made me look foolish when I named him as a prospect I wasn't high on last year. He can really shoot the three and he plays hard every night. But I feel like he got exposed in the play-in game last year, and with more responsibility I don't see how he replicates what he did during his rookie season. This season will be interesting for Kneuppel. Brandon Miller has all the tools to be an all star. The kid is big and strong, can shoot and has become a solid rebounder. He can also run the break and looks good in transition. His problem, he gets hurt a ton. He is going to be taking on a bigger role now, and they need him on the floor if they want to be successful in the near future. Coby White is a fun player to watch, but he is now the lead guard on this team and he will be running the show. He has never really had to do this in his career, so it will be something to watch as the season goes on. Grayson Allen has come over to this team, but I feel like he is an overrated shooter. He doesn't do anything else to help a team, and his antics on the court are tiresome. Naz Reid is finally going to start, and I think he is going to be great. I do like that he has a shot to start and I think he is going to have a very, very good season. I fully believe that he is the best overall player on this current roster. Liam McNeely spent more time in the G League than in the pros last season. Tidjane Salaun is still very raw. Moussa Diabate has a motor that never stops and is a great rebounder, but he is undersized. Ryan Kalkbrenner barely saw the court when they went on their run last year. Dennis Schroeder is here because I feel like he is going to play for every NBA team at some point. I'm not very high on Hanes Steinbach. I feel like the Hornet struck lightning in a bottle last year, was exposed in the play-in and then decided to go in a totally different direction. They have a ton to figure out before they become a real playoff threat.

The final team for the day, coming in at 22 I have the Golden State Warriors. This is just not the same team that it was four years ago when they last won a title. Steph Curry is still there, he is still the greatest shooter of all time and he will play his heart out anytime he is on the floor. But he is not on the floor as much as you would like if you were a fan of the team. He is only getting older as well. Draymond Green is still on the team and he is still a menace defensively. But people are used to his antics and he doesn't affect the game like he used to. He is also far more concerned with his podcast it seems. Al Horford is 40. Age always wins out in the end. That's a fact. Kristaps Porzingis has not been at camp. Steve Kerr doesn't even know what is going on with him. Jimmy Butler tore his ACL last season. So did Moses Moody. I love Yaxel Lendeborg, but he is going to be asked to do way, way too much during his rookie year. Gary Payton II is a great defender, but he is too often injured. They gave an unproven Brandin Podziemski 110 million dollars, which is wild to me. The Warriors are not the dynasty they used to be. I kind of thought they were going to blow it all up after last season. But it looks like they are going to try for one final run with some of their original guys that started all their recent winning. I don't think it is going to go as well as they hope, but maybe they will prove me wrong, and make a run to the playoffs. We shall see.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026 - 2027 NBA Preview: Nets, Pelicans, Grizzlies

Welcome to day two of my preseason NBA countdown. We are still in the dregs of teams, but one team I will be talking about today looks to have a brighter future than others this low on the list, and I just happen to root for that team. More on them later.

Coming in at number 27 I have the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets can't get out of their own way it seems. They struck gold a few years back when they signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, and were able to trade for James Harden. But injuries and the pandemic slowed that team down. They got Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett when they were too old. Vince Carter was too young to bring them a title when he was there. Deron Williams didn't turn out to be the franchise player they hoped. It seems like miss after miss with this team. And now they have a bunch of unproven young guys that are turnover machines. Michael Porter Jr proved he was a solid scorer last season. He can fill it up. But he doesn't play defense and is not a team leader. He is much more suited to be a 3rd or 4th starter on a title team, which he was in Denver. Egor Demin looks to be a very good three point shooter, but he has not been able to stay on the floor in his first two years. Danny Wolf is an intriguing passing big man, but his shot has not come along just yet, and he is a turnover machine. They drafted Mikel Brown Jr, which some writers seem to like, but I am not very high on at the moment. Noah Clowney Jr will be taking over for Nic Claxton, but he is not the rim protector, nor the rim runner that Claxton was for this team. Terance Mann was once deemed untradeable because of his value to the Clippers a few years back, but now he struggles to get real minutes on this team. Day'Ron Sharpe is a solid enough big, albeit undersized. He would be much better in a bench role, but I believe he is a starter on this team. And Julius Randle is here now because why not. The Nets have an odd collection of players. They don't seem to mesh very well looking at this roster on paper. It wouldn't surprise me either if Michael Porter Jr and Julius Ranlde are playing elsewhere by the end of this season. Jordi Fernandez is a good coach, he just needs a better roster. Until that happens, the Nets are going to be running in the mud. They are no more than a turnover machine that would be lucky to win 20 to 25 games this season.

Speaking of an odd roster construction, at number 26 I have the New Orleans Pelicans. I like players on this team. I think they have talented guys. They have some dudes that are highlight reel players. But the team just doesn't make sense. I'm over hearing about how Zion Williamson is in shape and he is going to become the all NBA player we all hoped he would. He played a good amount of games last season, but it all felt hollow to me. He is explosive and can be dominant, but he just doesn't seem to have the desire to be the star he could have been in his career. He can still dunk the hell out of the ball. Dejounte Murray is a good, calming point guard, but he has never been the same since he was with the Spurs, and he is always injured. I love watching him play, but that doesn't happen all that often. Trey Murphy III is the prototypical 3 and D player, but he is not long for this team. Some contending team is going to make an offer for him this season, and I would hope the Pelicans would take it. I've always enjoyed Saadiq Bey, but he is not very capable unless he has the ball in his hands, and that will be tough for him if the starters are healthy this season. Jordan Poole, who I will always root for, is borderline unplayable at this point in his career. They signed Ben Mathurin, but he is another dude that is not worth much unless he is attacking the rim, which will be tough on this team. I am a Derik Queen guy, but even by his own admission he needs to be in better shape and work harder on his game. Jeremiah Fears seems like a capable player, he just needs minutes. Like I said, this team has players that I enjoy, but they don't mesh and work well as a unit. It wouldn't be surprising if, along with Trey Murphy, they move some other guys and start to build this team around Fears and Queen. I think Zion's time with this team is up, and Murray is going to want to play on a winning team. The Pelicans will score in bunches, but they will also give up tons and tons of points defensively.

The final team for the day, the team that I think has a nice future lined up, at number 25 I have the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies finally blew it all up. The time had come. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr were traded last season. They finally got off of Ja Morant. They let Santi Aldama and John Konchar walk. The team that I started rooting for is pretty much all gone. And I'm stoked for what they are building right now. I love that they were able to draft Cam Boozer. I hoped that was who they would get, he "fell" to them and they wasted no time in picking him. He has the look of a perennial all star and the face of this franchise. They need to build around him now. I am a Zach Edey fan, he just needs to stay on the court. When he is out there this defense is so much better and he is a great rim protector. I just need him to stay on the damn court. I think Cedric Coward is a star in the making. He had a very good rookie year and I see him only getting better from here on out. Ty Jerome was a good signing, and if he can stay on the floor this season, the Grizzlies will have a competent starting point guard. I also like Scotty Pippen Jr as his backup, but he may be in line for more minutes, and I don't know if the Grizzlies can provide him with that right now. GG Jackson is so much fun to watch shoot, but he doesn't do much else and I don't know if he will get any real time with this team. I loved the Karim Lopez pick. He is tailored made to be a defensive stopper, and the fact that he was a pro in New Zealand means he is used to playing against adults. And bringing Isaiah Stewart over made me jump for joy. He is the exact type of veteran I want to have on a team this young. The Grizzlies are going to be a solid playoff team within two years, but I think they actually have a shot to push for the play-in tournament this year. Maybe I'm too high on them, but damn it is hard not to be excited by what they have done this offseason.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ty's 2026-2027 NBA Preview: Kings, Bucks, Bulls

For the next ten days I will be counting down the NBA teams from last to best, in my personal opinion. I'll tell you why I have each team where I have them, what I expect from them and how I see their season playing out. I'll dive a little deep into each team given that I'm only doing three a day. I love the NBA, the season is right around the corner and I look forward to watching these teams play this season. Let's get to it.

At number 30 I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings continue to be the Kings. They just cannot seem to get it right. They traded away De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton, both of whom have just played in the Finals. They are looking to offload Domantas Sabonis, so that means he will probably play in the Finals this season. Sabonis is a solid enough player, but he is not often injured and his trade value has dropped pretty significantly. I don't know what they could honestly get for him at this point. They may be able to find a bench guy and a late first round pick, but that seems almost too high. Sabonis is still a good passer, and can score, but it feels like he is past his prime. Darius Acuff is going to score and score in bunches. But he is going to be inefficient. He is a rookie, he will hit a wall. But he will also get the keys to the offense and he will get to shoot the ball to his heart's content. Keegan Murray has never reached the heights he did as a rookie. He has playoff experience, he can score the ball, but he is coming off an injury, and his contract looks to be an anchor around the front office's neck. He still has potential, but time is running out. Zach Lavine has decent career stats, but they feel so hollow. I don't know that he has ever played a truly important game in the NBA. And his explosiveness is pretty much gone. Father time has caught up to him unfortunately. He doesn't play much defense either, but no one on the Kings is all that committed to playing defense. They're taking a shot on De'Andre Hunter, and while I thought he was going to be a good pro, his game has not translated to the NBA. He is just a step slow, and his shot has not come along all that well. Precious Achiuwa is still in the league and he is still getting minutes with this team. Ben Simmons is back in the NBA, and he has looked solid in preseason. Will that translate to when the games matter? Who knows. But he is going to get a real shot at proving he still belongs in the NBA. Malik Monk is a scoring machine, but he does not bring anything else to this squad. He would be much better off being a bench guy on a true contender right now. Efird Payton is here, because why not I guess. Payton can do little things, but not enough to make a true impact on the floor. I don't think Alex Karaban is long for the NBA, Maxime Raynaud is hurt and will miss the start of the season and they're going to give Leaky black a chance. The Kings are going to be bad this year. I would be shocked if they win 20 games. The offense is going to look very rough, and the defense will be even worse. The Kings give up on players way too soon and it seems to bite them in the butt. I wish they were as good as they were in the late 90's and early 2000's, but here we are. The Kings are a mess.

At 29 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks pulled the plug on Giannis, which was the right thing to do. He needed some fresh scenery, and the Bucks needed a rebuild. They got some dudes in the trade, but they're a few years away from being a few years away. Thanks for that saying Fran Friscilla. Ke'el Ware was the prize of the trade. The Bucks were very aggressive in asking the Heat for them, and they gave in and included him in the deal. Ware is a very raw player, but he has loads of talent and potential. He can protect the rim and throw it down, he just needs to do the rest now. He will get every opurtunity in Milwaukee. I do not think Tyler Herro will stick around. He is too needy, too risky and not as great as he may think he is at basketball. I love the Brayden Burries pick. He could be a very good, jack of all trades player in the future. But he is a rookie and he needs time and minutes. I am not a Nate Ament guy, but the Bucks traded up to draft him and I think they have expectations for him during his rookie year. He needs to bulk up, but the talent is there. AJ Green had a decent year last season, and I wouldn't be shocked if he continued to get a little better this season with more playing time. Jaime Jacquez Jr is very well suited for a bench role, but he will be starting on this team, and that may be too much of a load for him to take on right now. Caris Levert is now on the team, and while he can score, he is on the back half of his career, and he is not great on defense. Kyle Kuzma is somehow still in the NBA and still getting real minutes on this team. Kevin Porter Jr is a good scorer, but he is also a hothead that cannot produce without the ball in his hands. Kam Jones will get a shot to make the team, and I would be stunned if Myles Turner is still on this team by the all star break. The Bucks had to do something big and they did just that. It will set the team back a few seasons, but they also got some solid young players in the trade and those dudes will get a shot to prove themselves this season.

The final team for the day, at number 28 I have the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls will be kind of fun to watch, but they will not win a ton of games. Caleb Wilson is going to be awesome. He has all the skills to be an all star. He is explosive to the rim, has an okay jumper and can rebound the ball and start the fast break. His three point shot should only get better during his rookie season. I am going to really like watching him play basketball. Josh Giddey is average, and that is just fine. He can't shoot the three, but he can attack the rim. He can guard perimeter guys a bit, but gets crushed by everyone else. He is a solid passer, but not elite. Matas Buzelis needs to pop now. This is year three and the idea of waiting on his potential needs to stop now. He needs to show that he is ready to be a full time starter in the NBA this year. Zach Collins has never found a spot to stick around in the NBA. I felt like he was drafted too high, and now that is showing. He is, at best, a backup big. I'd be shocked if Norm Powell is still on the team past December. I don't know why he signed with the Bulls, but he is there now and he will get every shot he wants. The Cavs moved Isaac Okoro over last season, and that seems like the right move by them. Okoro did play better after the trade, but he has not lived up to his potential as of yet. Patrick Williams hasn't figured it out. Buddy Hield seems like a placeholder. Tre Jones is a good backup point guard. And who knows what Noa Essengue can provide this team. The sheer fact that they have Caleb Wilson makes this team fun. But fun and winning games is not one and the same. The Bulls will struggle, but Caleb Wilson will be a blast to watch.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next three teams. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

For Me It’s Brewers or Bust

Now that the MLB playoffs are getting to the championship series, I have decided which team I will be rooting for the rest of the way.

The Yankees are out, so there goes my pick in honor of my late uncle. I really picked them simply based on a want, not necessarily because I thought they would win it all. I have always been a fan of the Braves, but they ran into the buzzsaw that is the Dodgers. I used to like the Padres as a kid. I was always a Tony Gwynn fan growing up. But they were knocked out the other night, and I'm not a very big fan of the current Padres team. The White Sox still have a chance, and if they win, like RD said, I will convert to catholicism. But that doesn't mean I am rooting for them. Sure, they have the pope on their side, and that would rule if they won, but I'm still not going to root for them either. The team I'm all in for the rest of the playoffs is the Brewers.

This is another pick for the family, but it is for my dad. I would love to see the Brewers take it all from here on out. They ousted the Padres the other night. They had the best record in all of baseball this season. They're a small market team. They have a great lineup and one of the better pitching staffs in all of baseball. I like the team name. I like that they have a big slide in their stadium. Their old school hats, the royal blue with the yellow Brewers symbol, are iconic. I was always a Robin Yount fan as a kid, and dug Paul Molitor. One of my favorite moments as a baseball fan was when the Brewers acquired CC Sabathia for half a season and he went on to dominate. I believe he was close to winning the NL Cy Young that season, and he only played half the year with the Brewers.

I also like this current lineup. Jackson Churrio is one of the best young hitters in the game. Christian Yelich is the model of consistency. Jacob Misorowski is most likely going to win the NL Cy Young this season. The Brewers are an easy team to root for and it was almost too easy a choice for me to pick them now that the Braves are out.

Sure, like I said, this pick has a little something to do with my dad, but I also want them to just beat the Dodgers. I get it, the Dodgers have the most money and they can buy whoever they want. They get all the players they desire. When Tarik Skubal went on the trade market this season it was a foregone conclusion he would join the Dodgers. They have a lineup filled with dudes who started their careers elsewhere. I am a big time Mookie Betts fan, he started in Boston. Shohei Ohtani is an amazing player who started his career with the other LA team. Freddie Freeman was in Atlanta before joining them. Their entire starting pitching staff all got their starts elsewhere. I think the only player that is from their farm system, who truly helps the team, is Will Smith. And while he is awesome, it's kind of wild that the Dodgers have simply bought the best team in baseball. My son and I were talking about the playoffs this morning, and when he asked me who I thought was going to win it all, I didn't hesitate to pick the Dodgers. When he asked why I got that answer so quickly, I told him the current Dodgers remind me of the Golden State Warriors when they had Kevin Durant. The NBA regular season was pointless because we all knew who was going to win it all. The only thing that stopped that team was a rash of injuries to their star players. The Dodgers haven't had to deal with that. And I fully understand that this is totally within the rules of modern baseball to do what the Dodgers are doing. If I was a fan, I'd be stoked by what they are doing. And the players still have to prove it on the field, which they are doing. But the Dodgers are not underdogs. They are, as they should be, the prohibitive favorites. And if they do win, I fully believe that the strike will happen after this season until a salary cap is introduced.

So for this, and many other reasons, is why I'm rooting for the Brewers. It would be rad to see them win. It was so cool when the Bucks won the title a few years ago. I was stoked when the Blue Jays almost won it all last year. I like when these mid market teams build a contender and the vision of championships comes to light. So I'm all in for the Brewers.

I'm going to tune into playoff games to root for them. I am very hopeful that they can knock off the Dodgers, and then win it all in the Series. From here on out it is all about the Brew Crew when it comes to baseball for me. 

Ty 

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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What is Going on with Michigan Football?

Next week I'm going to do an NBA countdown much like my NFL countdown. So that means this week will be filled with mainly pop culture stuff, except for today. I'm going to talk about sports today because my son and I just returned home from his first live viewing experience of a Michigan Wolverines football game.

I've been to many games in my lifetime. He had only ever been to a University of Missouri college football game before this weekend. Over the years he has become a Michigan Wolverines fan, the timing worked out perfectly and we have family in Minnesota, so it was a win all around. And then we went to the game.

I have issues with what we all watched on Saturday. Look, I'm never optimistic going into Michigan games. I always expect the worst, so if it does happen, I don't feel as disappointed as I would if I were optimistic. I cannot sit still when I watch them play, they frustrate me to no end and it is becoming harder and harder for me to feel like this when the game is on. But I figured it being my son's first live game that they would bring it. Something in me just said, okay, he's here and he is going to see this team show out.

The offense had other ideas I suppose. The defense this season has been very, very good. They have played their hearts out. I know that the Iowa game they had some massive brain farts, but outside of that, this defense is constantly put in terrible situations, and they usually come out of it with little to no repercussions. The defense is playing up to expectations and I have had a blast watching them perform all season long. They're doing their part. But this offense is abysmal. They just don't seem to have it.

In their three wins this year they needed a phantom second added to the game clock, they scored 17 points against an Oklahoma team that is as bad as this Michigan team and they waited until the second half before they trounced UTEP. I thought that maybe they had something figured out last week during the Iowa game. That was the best I have seen Bryce Underwood play in his career. The o line protected him. The run game was as effective as they had been all year. Andrew Marsh and JJ Buchannan were productive. Sure, they had some miscues and screwed some stuff up in the red zone, but the offense looked better than I had seen it look in almost two years. And then we had to watch it all implode this past Saturday. I will give credit to Minnesota's defense. They played a great game. They wanted it way more than Michigan, and they showed up and showed out. But the play calling and execution were horrendous by Michigan's offense.

I liked the Jason Beck hire when it happened in the offseason, but he needs to realize that Michigan is a Big 10 team, not a Big 12 team. The guys they have at running back are downhill runners, not sideline to sideline guys. They like to batter and bruise opponents, not finesse them. Bryce Underwood may be the only offensive player who can run to the outside to gain yardage, but he looks timid and scared back there right now. Beck has got to tailor his offense to his players, not tailor the players to his offense. He needs to adjust until Michigan recruits the type of offensive athletes he wants to coach. Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter want to hit you, not run away from you. The o line has been dreadful, which is very uncommon for Michigan. They looked confused on protections. They are not fast enough to zone block and outside run block. The play action game takes so long, and these o lineman are struggling to keep up with that protection. Sure, they have some injured guys, but this is Michigan. They have three and four star guys ready to step up and step in. This o line has to improve drastically. I don't really have many qualms about the wideouts and tight ends. I wish they used the tight ends more, but that is neither here nor there. Buchannan and Marsh have been productive. Marsh needs to stop muffing punts, but when he is running routes, he looks great. Buchannan has been a revelation to me. That kid's a star. He and Marsh should be one of the better wideout duos in the country.

And then we have Bryce Underwood. I was all in on this kid. I thought Michigan had finally gotten their star QB. I thought he was going to be Michigan's version of Cam Newton. I couldn't wait to watch this kid put on the winged helmet and dominate. He has not lived up to the hype unfortunately. He was put in an impossible situation last season. Sherrone Moore was too busy trying to hook up with randoms, he had no QB coach and he wasn't going to be held accountable. Michigan was paying him lots of money and he was going to be the starter no matter what. Then all the offseason stuff happened with Moore, and Michigan brought in Kyle Whittingham. He is no nonsense and he was going to make it work with Underwood. He got him a coach. He has made him work. He has been holding him accountable. He and Beck were going to let him use his legs. But it feels like for every step Underwood takes forward, the very next week he takes three steps back. He looks confused and scared on Saturday. Minnesota pressured him all game, and he fell apart. His first interception was thrown into double coverage, but it was on him because he looked at no one other than Buchannan. If he had just looked up, he did have time on this particular play, Andrew Marsh was streaking downfield with no Gopher within 10 yards of him. It would have been an easy touchdown. On his second pick, he was rushed, he never moved in the pocket and his arm was hit, causing the ball to flutter in the air. Michigan still had a chance to win with under a minute in the fourth quarter and two timeouts, and Underwood decided on fourth down to sail a ball over Buchannan's head when he had two guys wide open in the middle of the field for an easy first down. He also kept trying to push the ball to Marsh on the sideline into double and sometimes triple coverage. I get that he is only 19, but this is his second season as the full time starter, and he continues to revert to the mistakes he was making as a freshman. I understand that he was so much better than everyone else in high school, but that quite frankly isn't the case anymore. He needs some massive changes made to his game.

I have been sitting on this feeling ever since we left the stadium Saturday afternoon. I think there need to be some changes. I don't want them to fire anyone or start Tommy Carr just yet. But Underwood needs to be put under a massive microscope. He should start their next game, in two weeks, against Penn State. But if he starts to melt and wither, Michigan shouldn't hesitate to just see what they have in Tommy Carr. I also want to see the backs run a more bruising style. I'm over this finesse nonsense. I am a fan of Jordan Marshall because he runs dudes over. I want to see Savion Hiter get loose and bust some big runs. I want to see this o line play mean and hungry and pissed off. I want to see some fire from Kyle Whittingham. I adored this hire when it happened, but he does look like he has one foot out the door already. He looks like he'd rather be on a beach right now than coaching football. I want to see some angst and energy from Michigan. I want to see passion and I want them to look like they care. This season is on the brink. The playoff is out of the question. Hell, I don't know that they even get to bowl eligibility with this schedule. And if that is the case, some massive stuff will change. But maybe that would be best for all parties. If Underwood doesn't develop further, maybe it is best if they both move on from one another. Maybe Jason Beck needs to be looked at under the same microscope as Underwood. Maybe this o line needs a massive overhaul. Maybe Kyle Whittingham needs to be on the hot seat already. Something has to give.

I'm interested to see how they come out of the bye week this week, into their game in two weeks. That will tell me a lot. But right now it is frustrating to watch such a talented roster give you nothing offensively to get excited about. Time will tell. But, always and forever my fandom will never waver. Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on Joey Porter Jr Going to the Cowboys

Joey Porter Jr was traded to the Cowboys last night. Let’s discuss.

It looked like he was going to be out of Pittsburgh sooner rather than later, and the Steelers bit the bullet and traded him away. He was clearly unhappy with his current contract. He wanted a new one. The Steelers weren't too willing to give him what he wanted, and then he decided he was going to sit out practices and games. The Steelers wouldn't budge, so he all but asked out of there. I thought that the Steelers were going to call his bluff, and wait it out. I figured they would talk to him about how he needed to play to get a new contract, that he would have to show the other teams he still had it and that he would eventually suit up this year.

I also had no idea who they would trade him to, if that was going to be the case. To be honest, I wanted him to go to the Packers,but I want any big time player to go to Green Bay. I thought maybe the Vikings would go after him, but their defense is already really good, and the secondary seems just fine. I figured maybe the Lions would try and trade for him just because they seem all in on this season. But maybe they couldn't afford what the Steelers wanted. Or maybe even the Ravens would try to snag him just to make their defense better where they need to be better. But none of that happened.

Joey Porter Jr is now a Cowboy. The Cowboys currently sit at 1-2, but there's a ton of season left. And they need help defensively. The Cowboys can score. They have proven that in every game so far. But they cannot stop the pass. Like at all. They are kind of abysmal in the secondary. Caleb Downs has all the potential in the world, and he was making plays last week, but he is still a rookie and there is still going to be a learning curve for him. Their d line looks solid, especially after trading for Rashan Gary in the offseason. And they look like they may have found their mike linebacker of the future in third round pick Jaishawn Barham. But that secondary, outside of Downs, is not very good. Joey Porter Jr immediately makes them that much better.

Cornerback is one position that can truly make a massive difference. If you get a player of Porter Jr's caliber, one side of the field is pretty much off limits. We have seen players like this before. Charles Woodson did it in Oakland and Green Bay. Darelle Revis' nickname was "Revis Island". That meant he was putting receivers on an island, and qb's barely ever threw his way. Stephon Gilmore held this role for a few seasons in New England. It is a proven fact that, if you have a lockdown corner, you can win a ton of games and make a deep playoff run. Will Porter Jr do this in Dallas? Time will tell. But he has the potential to make the secondary there go from not so great to pretty damn intimidating. Porter Jr is good in coverage and can tackle guys if they do catch a pass on him. He has all the tools one team could want in a number one cornerback. There is a reason why the holdout from him was covered everywhere in the media. When a player is as good as he is, the media will talk about it endlessly until a deal is done, or the player is traded. And when the trade happened last night, my sports media started to blow up, saying similar stuff to what I'm saying right now.

I do not like the Cowboys. Not at all. But they are clearly trying to go all in and win this season. Maybe they feel like this is the last real chance with Dak at QB. They also have two of the best wideouts in all of football. The o line is okay, but not as good as they used to be. They do need to find a running back that they can rely on. Their run game should be an area of concern. But the defensive secondary is what is holding them back. Their opponents have been able to move the ball through the air on them at will so far this year. Lamar Jackson just carved them the hell up. It was glorious to watch to be honest with you. But now that they are adding Joey Porter Jr to this secondary, that is most likely going to change. The Cowboys defense just got immediately better overnight with the addition of one player. Look, I loathe Jerry Jones, but he made a deal here to make this team better. I don't like to say it, but this move makes the Cowboys are legit playoff threat, and if he shows any of his ability from last season, this Cowboys secondary is going to be infinitely better.

We will see. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the 2026 MLB Postseason

The MLB playoffs are set, and I'm here with some predictions. Now, before I get started, take these predictions with a big old grain of salt. I believe that I picked the Mariners to be in the World Series before this season started. I thought the NL Central was going to be a rough and rugged division. I figured the Red Sox were cooked. I didn't even know that the White Sox were going to be this good. I was wrong on a lot of my picks. But with the teams set, and doing a little research, I think I have a solid guess on who is going to win it all this year.

I'll start with the AL.

The Tampa Bay Rays are the 1 seed, who saw that coming, and the Guardians, like clockwork, are the 2 seed. The Astors, with a record of 81-81, are the 3 seed, and they face the 6 seed White Sox in round one. I'm going to pick the White Sox here. They have some kind of mojo working with their team right now, and the Astros might be the worst team in the playoffs. I don't believe in them nearly as much as I do the White Sox. The 4-5 is an inter divisional matchup between the Red Sox and Yankees. I'd love to pick the Red Sox here. They have been on a really good run for a long while now. But the Yankees have the better lineup, and I think they have better pitching at the top of their rotation. The Red Sox may also see their luck run out when they have to face the Yankees playoff lineup. I also want the Yankees to win in honor of my late uncle. So that means I have the White Sox facing the Rays and the Yankees facing the Guardians. I'd love to pick the White Sox to win again, but the Rays are consistent. They have found ways to win tons of games this season, and I feel like that success will follow them to the playoffs. I wish they'd have more fans watching, but that is not the case with this team. But they are damn good up and down the lineup, and their pitching staff is solid. As for the Yankees and Guardians, we have seen this matchup too many times before, and the Yankees always find a way to beat them. The Guardians match up nicely with them, but the Yankees are a better and deeper team. They have a lineup that can hit the Guardians' staff and the Yankees top[ line pitching talent will win out. So that leaves me another inter division matchup featuring the Rays and Yankees in the ALCS. I do think this will go the full 7 games, and it will be hard fought. These teams both know each other very well and know what it takes to win. But in the end I'm rolling with the Yankees. Again, I don't ever root for them, but my uncle was a humongous fan, he passed away, and I want to see them win in his honor. They also have the playoff experience and they have a better lineup. I have the Yankees representing the AL in the World Series.

Onto the NL.

The Brewers, who may be the best regular season baseball team ever, are the 1 seed and the best team money can buy, the Dodgers, are the 2 seed. The 3-6 matchup may be the best first round series, featuring the Braves and Phillies. The Braves have been a nice surprise this year. It looked like they might have had to wait another year to be back in this position due to injuries, but here they are now. They are very good. They can mash and they have a good pitching staff. The Phillies have one of the best lineups in all of baseball. They can kind of do it all when needed. They also have an almost equal pitching staff to the Braves. But it is not quite up to how good the Braves staff is overall. For that one reason I'm going with the Braves here, but it will be a fun and hard fought series. The 4-5 gives us the Padres and Cubs. The Padres have become a perennial playoff team. They can really hit the ball really well. But the Cubs have a legit starting pitching staff, they have the NL MVP and they have a lineup that is just as good on paper as it is at the plate. I think the Cubs can do some really nice things during these playoffs. They might sweep the Padres in this round. So that gives me the Braves facing the Dodgers and the Brewers facing the Cubs in round 2. I would love to see the Brewers win this series. It would be so nice to see their regular season success turn into postseason success. But they seem to always blow it in the playoffs and get beat in magnificent fashion. I believe the Cubs will dispose of them, and they may do it in another sweep. As for the Braves and Dodgers, I mean come on, it is the Dodgers all the way here. Again, they're the best team money can buy. They have everything any MLB team could want. And now they don't even have to pitch Shoehei Ohtani. He can just hit, and the dude has proven time and again that he can mash the ball. I will be rooting for the Braves, hard. But the Dodgers are going to oust them in this round and give us the best matchup in the playoffs. The Cubs and Dodgers may be the de facto World Series. I think they are the two best teams in baseball. But the Dodgers are the better team. Again, they have it all. They are too good to be beaten. The Cubs will take them to the brink, but the Dodgers will pull out another game 7 win. The Dodgers will be, once again, the NL champs.

So that means I have the most boring World Series one could think of, the year before a strike most likely, with the Yankees facing the Dodgers. It makes sense because they're the two best teams in their leagues, so it only makes sense that they're going to face each other in the World Series. But this time I'm not picking the Dodgers. I think we saw that they could be beaten last year, and I think the Yankees actually do it this year. Again, this is most likely due to my uncle, but I'm rolling with the Yankees to win it all this season, and go into the strike with the most recent World Series ring. And Aaron Judge will be the MVP.

There you have it, my MLB postseason preview and predictions. Enjoy the playoffs. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Is it Time for Marvin Harrison Jr and JJ McCarthy to Find New Teams?

There have been some rumors about two former top 10 picks in recent NFL drafts that they're both on the trade block. I want to talk just a little bit about this today. I'll give each a few paragraphs and where I think they may end up.

The first player is Marvin Harrison Jr. I was as high on him as I have ever been about any prospect in his draft class. He looked like he had everything a team could ever want in a number 1 wideout. He dominated in college. He is big, fast and strong. He ran great routes and has excellent hands. He was my top overall prospect in his class and I just assumed he would be a top 15 wide receiver in only his second season. That has not happened to this point. Harrison Jr has struggled with drops and getting open. Lately people have been calling him out on a supposed lack of effort. He got hurt here and there as a rookie and all the success he had in college has simply not translated to the pros just yet. Now, I think it is way too early to give up on him. Again, he has loads and loads of talent and potential. I do think he has had the unfortunate job of being on the Arizona Cardinals. No disrespect to the Cardinals. I have always been a slight fan of this team. I like the uniforms, I used to adore Larry Centers and I think they're just a fun team to root for. But they have not had the best of luck at the quarterback position. During Harrison's rookie year he seemed set with Kyler Murray. Murray then, almost immediately, got hurt and missed most of the season. Harrison and Murray simply didn't get the time to mesh and develop a comfort with one another. Jacoby Brissett came in to play QB, and while I like his vibe and how he carries himself, he just isn't the best QB in the world. He can do some things that will make you wonder if he has it all figured out, and then he will do some things that will frustrate the hell out of you. Brissett, for all of his foibles and good things he does, he has been a career backup, for the most part, and it seems like a fitting spot for him. He is a decent gunslinger when he needs to be, but he is not a Super Bowl winning QB. I hope he proves me wrong in the long run, but that is how I see it now. And Harrison has zero comfortability with Brissett. Those two cannot get it right at all. Harrison is either dropping passes or the ball is sailing over his head. His effort does look to be waning. He seems to be all out on the Cardinals. He looks like he wants to be anywhere else but in Arizona.

The other player on this list is JJ McCarthy. You all know that McCarthy has a special place for me. He was the QB of the last Michigan team to win the title. He is an important Wolverine to me, That being said, he was not the main reason that team won the title in 2023. That Michigan team was built on running the ball and defense. Jim Harbaugh never asked, nor needed McCarthy to win games for him. McCarthy would make plays occasionally when called upon, but it was never that often that he was needed to do such things. So, when the Vikings took him ninth overall two seasons ago, I was kind of stunned. But I thought that maybe Kevin O'Connell would work his magic and make him a NFL caliber QB. That has not happened, and it seems like it may never happen. McCarthy just doesn't seem to have it. I could kind of tell from his first game he started last year. He looked timid and not confident. He needed to have a miracle second half, mostly running the ball, just to win that game. And then he just kind of came and went. He would make a few plays here and there, but it seemed like his confidence and his ability seemed to turn off. He would get hurt during last season, and then the Vikings brought in Kyler Murray. Murray would eventually win the starting job during the offseason, and things looked like they may be coming to a close for McCarthy with the Vikings. This was made even more clear to me when the Vikings put him third on the depth chart to start the season. McCarthy was not only passed by Murray, but the Vikings seemed to feel that Carson Wentz was a better backup. JJ McCarthy will always have a place for me as a Wolverine, but the Vikings have clearly moved on.

So, where does this leave Marvin Harrison Jr and JJ McCarthy now? NFL trades don't happen all the time, and in season trades feel more rare than ever nowadays. But these two dudes seem on their way to new teams sooner rather than later. For me it is easier to see where McCarthy will end up. With Jaxson Dart going down with a season ending injury, and Jameis Winston needing a new backup QB, I think the Giants could get McCarthy and get him for cheap. He may only cost them a late round draft pick. They won't need to give up players or picks any higher than the fifth round. I think the Giants would fit him well too. They don't seem to be going anywhere this year, he can play under a great coach in John Harbaugh and he can let it sling if Winston gets hurt. Maybe a change of scenery to New York city would do McCarthy some good.

As for Harrison Jr, this one is a little tougher for me. He is too good a player to languish on a bad team in Arizona. But, maybe this is the best he is ever going to be in the NFL. Maybe he is not a number one wideout. Maybe he can become more of a gadget receiver or a second or third wideout on a contender. Maybe he needs to take a step down to get himself back to the dominant force he was in college. So maybe he could end up with a team that has a solid number 1, but they need another threat. I would love to see him in Green Bay with Christian Watson. Watson has made it clear he is ready to be the Packers top wideout. So, if they were able to bring in Harrison Jr, that could loosen things up for Watson on the other side of the field and Harrison Jr would get more open looks and have a better QB throwing him the ball in Jordan Love. I'm sure the Bears would take a look. If they could find a way to land Harrison Jr, and keep Rome Odunze and Luther Burden III, the Bears could have one of the best, and youngest, wide receiver corps in the NFL. I wonder if the Broncos would try and snatch him up. Jaylen Waddle is proven. He is also shifty and fast. Harrison Jr would be a nice compliment next to Waddle. I would also like to see the Ravens go after him. If they could get him he would instantly love having Lamar Jackson throw him the ball, he could play next to Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers and the Ravens would have a legit wide receiver room for, quite possibly, the first time in Jackson's career. I feel like the options for Harrison Jr are more abundant than McCarthy, but I'd love to see him end up on the Ravens.

Time will tell of either of them gets traded, but if they do, these are the places I'd like to see them end up. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Lonzo Ball Hype is Over. Is His Career Also Over?

It was reported earlier today, and then refuted by the player himself, that Lonzo Ball was possibly retiring. Now, this was a report I saw on Bleacher Report. He then refuted it, also saw this on Bleacher Report, and said he was "just waiting for a call". Either way, I think retirement may be his best option at this point.

Lonzo Ball came into the league seven years ago with loads of potential. He was a top five pick. He was going to stay home with the Lakers. He was going to be part of them climbing out of the hole that Kobe Bryant left after his retirement. He and Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac, Alex Caruso, they were all in this core that was going to make the Lakers legit again. Ball thrived in Summer League. He was the MVP during his rookie season in fact, at Summer League. But that didn't really translate to much winning for the Lakers during Ball's rookie season. The Lakers just weren't a very good team during his two year tenure. Ball did make second team all rookie, but Kyle Kuzma had surpassed him and was a first team all rookie. His second season wasn't much better, which ended after 50 games due to surgery.

Then LeBron James joined the Lakers and the front office decided they needed to make some changes. Ball, along with some other players and picks, namely Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram, were traded to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis. That worked out really well for the Lakers. They have the 2020 championship banner hanging in their stadium. As for Ball, all the potential he had was starting to feel wasted in New Orleans. He had his moments, again, the dude can ball. But he never really found much of a groove in New Orleans, again getting passed by a teammate, Brandon Ingram. He did have a solid season during the 20-21 year. He was molded into a three and d player, and that seemed to best suit his skills at that point. He was never the best point guard, so taking him off the ball seemed like an easy option. He parlayed that into a deal with the Chicago Bulls.

During his first season he almost immediately got hurt. He would eventually need surgery and be ruled out for that whole season. He then missed the next season getting his previous surgery and some clean up work. He never felt too comfortable when he tried to return that season, which pushed him to get his previous work checked out, and that led to the extra procedures. He would eventually return to the Bulls lineup in 2022, but he never really found any of the success he had with the Lakers or the Pelicans. While with the Bulls he played only 35 total games. He never really looked like himself again. He had to put up videos to prove to some media members that he was trying to get back to playing basketball. That's never a good sign in a player's career. He ended up with the Cavs last year, saw time in about 35 games and was eventually traded to the Jazz, who waived him immediately.

Now we have this announcement and rebuttal and no one really knows what's next for Ball. Ball was a highly sought after recruit who was a one and done player at UCLA., He was good enough to be the second overall pick in his draft class, but that never translated to much success in the pros. Most people will most likely remember his father's rants more than anything Ball did in the NBA. He has been surpassed as a pro by his brother, LaMelo, by a mile. LaMelo is a big time guard who has a shot to finally play some meaningful playoff games in Minnesota. Lonzo never really had that opportunity. He also never gave himself that opportunity. It can most likely be linked to all the injuries, but I also think he never lived up to the hype and potential. Ball had his most success as a three and d player, but that didn't fit the image that he and his father created. Ball wanted to be the focal point of a contending team. But he didn't have that skill set. If he had accepted the role of a fifth starter, who could make open shots and shut down opposing guards, he may still be on an NBA team right now.

I liked watching Ball play as a rookie, but those days are long, long gone now. If he does retire, his career will be one I remember of unfulfilled potential. He had all the gifts in the world to succeed, but he was derailed by hype and injuries. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Ben Simmons is Back

Ben Simmons is back in the NBA. Let’s discuss.

This felt like it was going to happen soon anyway. He was out of the league for a year, but he started posting workout videos, and his usual look at how good my jumbo shot is now type of stuff on social media. I didn't know where he was going to sign, but it felt like it was coming. He ended up with the Kings. And this feels like the right spot for him.

I heard that he may sign back up with the Clippers. That wouldn't have made much sense considering all of the heat they have going on right now. He wouldn't have been able to really show off for the other 29 teams in the NBA if he signed there. They also have Darius Garland and others who need the ball in their hands to be effective. Some people said the Lakers. That makes zero sense. He plays way too slow for what they're doing, he wouldn't help out the offense much, and it looks like this Lakers roster is very disinterested in playing any defense, which may be Simmons best attribute at this point. There was no way he was going back to Philly. It ended so poorly there, and they are clearly going in a different direction, signing LeBron James and all.

There were a few teams where I thought it could work other than Sacramento. The Wizards popped into my brain because, why not? They have such a weird roster, full of random dudes, so why not add Simmons into that mix? He could help Alex Sarr on the defensive end, and maybe take a little ball handling off of Trae Young's plate. He could use a break. Charlotte seemed like maybe due to them trading away LaMelo Ball. I feel like he could set up Kon Knueppel for threes and throw lobs to Brandon Miller. But they have Coby White for that, and Coby White is a far superior shooter to Simmons. I also looked at Cleveland, just for a flyer. He could run the second unit, replace some of the defense Dean Wade left when he signed with Philly and they could even put Simmons, Mobley and Jarrett Allen out there for a monstrous defensive front court. But they would have to give him very little money, and I don't know if Simmons would've accepted that.

I'm sure there's others that did their due diligence on Simmons, but the Kings make the most sense to me because of the state of the franchise. The Kings are going nowhere fast right now. They have let a bunch of good players go for next to nothing, they have missed more than they hit in the draft and they are in the space to take a chance on a guy, just to see what he has left, and if he shows anything, they can flip him for younger players or more cracks at the draft. Darius Acuff is going to get to run the show in Sacramento. They took him in the lottery for the sole purpose to let him score and score as much as he can. Acuff is not going to be asked to pass the ball much or play much defense. They want him to score and put up shots. I would be shocked if Domantas Sabonis is still on this team by the All Star break. He wants out, they want to trade him and I bet he will get his wish. Zach Lavine is untradeable and his best days are behind him. The Kings are giving what seems to be De'Andre Hunter's last shot in the NBA. I thought he was going to be a decent NBA player, but it just hasn't translated to the league. Alex Karaban looks slow and unplayable on the defensive end of the floor. Malik Monk can score, and has seemed to find a home in Sacramento. But he is only getting older, and I have to imagine that at some point in his career he wants to play in meaningful games late into the playoffs. They may still have something in Keegan Murray and Maxine Raynaud. But that is it. So why not take a shot on Simmons? If he can find some version of himself when he was making all NBA teams and winning rookie of the year in Philly, that would be a humongous win for Simmons and the Kings. If he can handle the ball a bit, find Acuff and Murray open for threes or throw a few lobs to Precious Achiuwa and Raynuad, that would be great. If he can step up on the defensive side of the ball and show any kind of true defensive pressure, maybe a contending team will give him a spot.

I know this is a lot of maybes and a lot of stuff he will have to show scouts, but it could happen. I don't think it will though. I think Simmons may have a few decent games here and there, but nothing will really stand out. I think that when he gets back on the floor, his shot will be nonexistent. I think he will be scared to shoot free throws. But I will be watching Simmons and kind of rooting for him. This is a former number 1 overall draft pick who fell off the face of the universe. I'm glad he's back, but he has a ton to prove. Maybe Sacramento is the exact place he should be right now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

This Michigan Win Does Not Feel Good

I am here today to discuss what happened in the Western Michigan-Michigan football game on Saturday night. I've been sitting with this game in my head ever since it ended.

Right away, I don't know what the rules say, I did not read the particular rule for the 1 second being left on the clock, I have no idea how there was any time left, but a win is a win. Do I think there was a second left? Do I think Michigan deserved a chance to win at the end? No. I thought the time had expired and I even went about my evening thinking about how this loss was going to affect the football program for the rest of the season. And then the refs put a second back on the clock, Underwood made his only decent pass of the night and JJ Buchannan came down with the ball amongst a crowd of players. The final score ended up being 13-12, instead of the 12-7 I figured it was going to be.

A lot of stuff can be said about this. Maybe Western Michigan should have batted the ball down. Maybe they needed everyone in the secondary. Maybe Michigan should have just blown the doors off of them. Maybe Michigan's defense was tired and that is why they couldn't get off the field in the third quarter. Maybe this appeal from the MAC will give Western Michigan a much deserved win. In the end, where we sit today, September 8th, Western Michigan is 0-1 and Michigan is 1-0. And I have so many, many issues and more worries about this team, the Wolverines, moving forward this season.

First off, the defense is solid. I don't have many issues. I was frustrated that they couldn't get off the field in the third quarter. And then my dad said to me that he was certain they were tired because they had been playing more than 70 percent of the game. I thought the d line did an okay job rushing the passer and stopping the run. Western Michigan didn't have too many explosive plays, even though that is not the type of offense they run. I thought the defense did bite on too many play action plays and that the secondary was playing way too far off of Western Michigan's wideouts. But, when you only give up 12 points, with zero touchdowns scored, I think the defense did their job.

This Wolverine offense though, boy oh boy does it look pretty bad. I don't really know what I expected, especially with an entirely new offensive staff for the most part, but this was not what I wanted to see. This was an offense that was anemic, timid, couldn't establish the line of scrimmage, made poor choices and got far too many penalties. They looked frightened and very under prepared. The majority of the blame goes to the coaches, but the players bear some of the brunt as well. I had, and maybe still have a little, hope for Bryce Underwood, but he looked like he took a massive stepback. He made poor decision after poor decision. There was a moment late in the game where he could have easily ran for a first down on third down, but instead he decided to throw the ball to a wideout being covered by four players. He threw a horrendous interception late in the first half that set up a field goal for Western Michigan. He fumbled the ball running late in the fourth quarter when Michigan was down one point. He made poor throws most of the night, and I take zero stock in the fact that he made one nice throw all night long. The running game, which is supposed to be the bread and butter, looked rough. Jordan Marshall looked timid and tried to jump cut far too often. Last season he would run a dude over if they were in his way. Saturday night he looked like he was more interested in juking someone. Savion Hiter didn't get a decent block all night, and when he would get going, he looked like a freshman, taking bad cuts or being taken down with ease by one tackler. Bryson Kuzdal got two carries all night, and while he had the best run of any of the backs, it was called back due to an unnecessary holding penalty. The receivers couldn't get much separation, they looked slow out of the gates and Andrew Marsh, who I adore, made some uncommon mistakes by simply just taking his eyes off the ball. And the o line was not good at all. They couldn't establish themselves all night long. They struggled to open running lanes and protect the QB.  The o line looked as bad as I have seen them play in a long, long time.

And the coaching staff really struggled. I had much higher hopes for this staff. I praised them as the saviors. They are supposed to turn this program back into a national power. They shouldn't need the refs to bail them out.

I don't know what is going to come from this game and from this team all year, but my expectations have drastically fallen off. Oklahoma is going to crush them this weekend. I said during my college football preview that I felt like Michigan's ceiling was 10 wins and the floor was 7. I'm struggling to find 6 wins with this squad now. They have one of the harder schedules in all of college football, and if the offense is going to be this bad all year, they may not win 4 games.

I'm going to root for Michigan like I always do. My fandom will never die for this football team. I love them. But I feel like we are going to be in for a long, long season, and maybe there will be some massive changes next year if this isn't figured out. Props to Western Michigan for how well prepared they were on Saturday night, and for how well they played. And I'm more nervous than usual for Michigan moving forward. This has the feeling of a tough and long season for the Wolverines. But, as always, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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