Where Does Florida State Go From Here?

Florida State fired Willie Taggart earlier this week. I thought this may be coming, just not in the middle of the season.

I'm not a big fan, usually, of a coach being fired during the season. Let them finish it out, then let them go. Also, I do not think Taggart got a fair shot. The fact that boosters raised the money to have him removed, a near record breaking 17 million dollar buyout, shows they wanted him gone. This, I feel, has a lot to do with the on field product, but I think if he had been given one more season, he could have turned this around. Also, I don't think he would have been fired so quickly if he were Jimbo Fisher, who left this team 2 years ago, or Mark Stoops, who has Kentucky playing okay, but not great. I think you all know what I am getting at with these 2 comparisons. I also think Taggart is a solid head coach. He did great things at Western Kentucky, and while he left them ASAP, I feel like he was a perfect fit at Oregon after they let go of Mark Helfrich. I am not concerned for Taggart though. He has that humongous payout, and I would be shocked if he wasn't coaching a division 1 school at the start of the 2020 season. There will be some openings, probably some fairly big time schools, and many of them will jump at the chance to hire Willie Taggart.

As for Florida State, I really don't know where they go from here. As little as 5 or 6 years ago, they were a national title winner. I believe they were the last BCS champs. They then made the initial playoff. Then Jimbo Fisher decides to leave them for Texas A&M, I still don't understand that, and they were left searching. I thought they hit a homerun with Taggart, but clearly, I was wrong.

Some names that have popped up since Taggart was let go are fine. I think Bob Stoops is a solid head coach, and college is a much better fit for any coach than the dumbass XFL. But, Stoops left Oklahoma out of the blue, with so many unanswered questions hanging over him. I was stunned when he left. And, Oklahoma has been better, at least more consistent, since Lincoln Riley took over. Maybe Stoops knew his days were numbered, but still, he left under bizarre circumstances.

Lane Kiffin has said he would be interested in the job, but we have been down this road with Kiffin before. How many more times can he fail up into a job. He was horrible at Tennessee, and left them the moment the USC job was open. He then scorched Earth with that team, and that team's fan base. It was so bad that he was fired in the middle of the night, after a plane ride home. He then went on to Alabama to be an offensive coordinator, and he turned that into the head coaching gig at Florida Atlantic. Sure, he has some fun teams there, and he is a big time JUCO recruiter, but FAU is no better than a 7 or 8 win team. And when he has to play the upper tier, power 5 schools, FAU gets destroyed. I know FSU is in the ACC, but a team like Clemson would relish the fact that they could destroy a Lane Kiffin coached team. I feel like Miami and Manny Diaz would love the challenge. Hell, even the times they play Florida, Dan Mullen would wipe the floor with them.

And then this morning I heard that Deion Sanders has become a viable candidate for the opening. I actually think this would be kind of cool. He went to Florida State. He was there when they were a power. He has clout. He could get into any recruit in the nation's home and wow them. He oozes charisma. He knows the game. But, he has never coached at this high a level before. Yes, he is leading his son's high school team, but that is high school football. College is such a different game, and FSU, that is major division 1 college football. I look at some former players that are coaching now, and it takes time. I love that Michigan basketball has hired Juwan Howard, but I know it will be a few seasons before they are elite. This is his first time. Patrick Ewing has Georgetown potentially as a tournament team this year, but this is year 3 for him. Herm Edwards took over Arizona State, and while they were ranked for a moment this season, that team has fallen back to Earth. They are a 6 win team at best. Sure, that means bowl eligibility, but one of those early December bowl games. I imagine it would be tough for Deion to, one, not get every top flight recruit, and 2, not be that good for a few seasons. He would inherit a team that is light on QB's and receivers. A team that struggles defensively, even against inferior opponents. He would also have to deal with the exact same boosters who raised enough money to buy out Taggart. It is a tough situation.

So, if I were FSU, and thank goodness I have zero affiliation and do not like that team, I would give Deion Sanders the job, knowing that it would be a rebuilding project. That is what I think would be best for everyone involved.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is ready to return the glory to his old team and become the head coach. Do you hear that Marquette High?

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The Ringer's Kevin O'Conner is a Bad Take Generator

Home to Kevin O’Conner takes

I am very tough on the website The Ringer. I feel like it is filled with hot take millennial BS that is pointless. All the majority of the hosts of the podcasts, and their writers, it is all about the quickest and hottest take out there. I don't feel like they do a ton of research, and they just want to put out stuff to get clicks on the site. Also, Bill Simmons is one of the biggest has beens in the sports writing business. He is such a non factor in the NBA world now. I do not trust a word he says anymore, and while he was once a solid writer, he has only shown since starting The Ringer, is that he wants so badly to still be in his 20's, even though he is approaching his 50's. It is sad. That much is true. Also, his interviews with Malcolm Gladwell have been horrendous and awful, in so many different ways.

While I do not read the website anymore, it feels like a total waste of time, I do subscribe to 2 of their podcasts. I listen to their NFL show, and I listen to their NBA show hosted by Chris Vernon and Kevin O'Connor. I do like Chris Vernon. I have talked about that before. He has some of the better takes on the pod, he seems to understand the NBA pretty well, and he isn't a yes man, of which this company is filled with. I also enjoy his passion for the game, and his love for his hometown team, the Memphis Grizzlies. Yes, he can be obnoxious from time to time, he can be a little loud, but again, he seems like the smartest person that is involved with the whole Ringer crew.

Then we have Kevin O'Connor. Boy oh boy do I not like him. He has one, maybe 2 good takes per episode, but everything else is so absurd and contradictory and asinine and flat out stupid. He takes credit for the few things he gets right, and when he is very wrong, which is a lot, he almost always deflects the blame. He is never wrong, it was something out of his control that caused his shit take to be off.

For example, I was listening to their most recent episode, and twice he said some shit that was so off that it made me audibly gasp and call him an idiot to my iPhone. First, Chris Vernon called him out on his "bright future Suns" comment, and when he was pushed by Vernon, he kind of just blahed his way through his speech. Vernon pointed out that when he called them the "bright future Suns", they had so many other players. In fact, the only player that is still on the team when O'Connor coined them that is Devin Booker. Every other player is gone. But O'Connor, in his infinite stupidity, tried to claim that Booker was the only reason he called them "the bright future Suns". That is false. You can go back and listen to him say he still liked Dragan Bender, gone, or any other number of players that the Suns have since traded or let go in free agency. The team is incredibly different from who O'Connor dubbed "the bright future Suns".

And then, the comment that really irked me, he said that the Knicks need to lose. I hate, hate, hate that this whole new tanking thing is what the younger generation of basketball writers are so enamored with right now. Why would any fan of any team ever want their team to lose purposely? The 76ers did it for half a decade, and when you talk to their fans, they talk about some dark thoughts during that time. I am a lifelong Michigan fan, and the Rich Rodriguez and Brady Hoke eras where unbearable. I'm sure Houston Astros fans are happy now, but when they were regularly losing 100 games, that couldn't have been fun. I am now rooting for the Memphis Grizzlies, and while Ja Morant has been a blast to watch so far, it stinks that they get beat pretty much every night. I think it is easy for someone like Kevin O'Connor, who is a Boston guy, to talk about how these teams should actively tank because in his whole sports fandom life, the Patriots, Celtics, Bruins and Red Sox have all been really good, or even won titles. The teams he roots for haven't had to tank, yet. So when he said that the Knicks should continue to tank, I was flabbergasted. He kept saying that this would help them get young talent, and lure free agents. I need to say, how did that work for them this past offseason? They didn't sign anyone of note, they ended up taking RJ Barrett, more on him and another O'Connor comment in a moment, and they have no real shot anymore at getting the number one pick in the upcoming draft. They did this exact same thing last year, losing because they were certain they were going to get Zion Williamson, and sign one, or both, of KD and Kyrie Irving. Well, none of that happened Mr. O'Connor. So what makes you think it will happen this offseason, or next or next? Hell, KD even said no one wants to go sign with the Knicks because they haven't been relevant since the late 90's.

As for that RJ Barrett comment, he said that the Knicks are playing him too much. What in the actual hell?! I mean, if the kid wants to play, and the team wants him to play and the coach wants him to play, let him play. Who cares? You can throw all the too many minutes thing, and the rookie wall at me, but if Barrett feels good, and they took him third overall and they want to build around him, let him play. O'Connor is obsessed with coddling the young generation coming into the NBA, especially Duke players. That is ridiculous. Also, if David Fizdale was only playing him 20 minutes a night, O'Connor would be the first one to say that the Knicks need a new coach who would let Barrett play.

Kevin O'Conner is an unreliable, porous and crappy sports writer. He is the definition of a hot take writer who thinks they are never wrong. He seems lost and confused every time Chris Vernon calls him out, and his response is to act like a child who is being wrongly scolded. I hope O'Connor reads this because I really, really want him to know how I feel about him and his crap takes. Of all the crummy writers and podcasters they have at The Ringer, O'Connor is the second worse, behind only his boss, Bill Simmons.

Ty

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

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2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 9

Week 9 of the NFL has passed, and while it was a pretty boring week, save for the Sunday night game, I do have some takes, especially on my team, and another team from the same division. Lets get to it.

First off we have the Thursday night game between the 49ers and Cardinals. The 49ers pushed their way to 8-0, but they made it tough. The Cardinals made it a game near the end, and dare I say, I may have been wrong on Kliff Kingsbury, for now. The Cardinals have proven to be much better on offense than I thought, and their defense, while not great, is fine. The 49ers finally got a breakout game from Jimmy Garropolo, and if they play like this, they are a true NFC threat. I don't totally buy it yet, but they do have a solid defense, they are winning, and if the offense can put together more games like this, they will be good for years to come. Also, Kyler Murray is really, really good. That kid can play.

The Texans easily dispatched of the Jags, and I think this game really showed the true colors of each team. The Texans can be great, if they can protect Deshaun Watson. He was awesome on Sunday, and that Jumpman pose he did to get in the end zone was rad. Also, him shouting out Popeye's spicy chicken sandwich was so god damn cool. Deshaun Watson rules. The Jags, and more so Gardner Minshew, are, at best, a 7 win team. They cannot keep up on defense, when teams load the box Leonard Fournette cannot go off and Minshew looks like a backup. I still kind of like the Jags, but they aren't a top tier, playoff caliber team. Not yet anyway.

The Eagles looked lackluster, slow and kind of checked out, and yet they still beat the Bears. The Eagles did just enough to get a crucial win to stay in the playoff conversation, but this game was way more clarifying as to what ails the Bears. The Bears have an otherworldly defense, and Khalil Mack is great. But, their offense is horrendous, and I put the blame squarely on the GM and the QB. Yes, Matt Nagy has made some odd calls, but if he had a QB that was serviceable, I think the Bears are 6-2 instead of 3-5. Mitch Trubisky is not a good NFL QB, and as long as he is starting, the Bears will be wasting a great defense and a solid receiving corps. They need to move on now.

The Chiefs found a way to beat one of RD's teams, the Vikings, with a backup QB. This proves how great of a regular season coach Andy Reid is. He schemed up Matt Moore to perfection, got a key win and is just biding his time until Patrick Mahomes gets back. The Vikings played okay, but they just couldn't get it done. I thought they were going to beat the Chiefs because of how hot they have been lately, but this is what happens when you put all your eggs in the Kirk Cousins basket I guess.

The Steelers, who I still don't buy as a playoff contender, somehow found a way to beat the Colts. Now, Jacoby Brissett got hurt during the game, and still, the Colts had a shot. Adam Vinateiri missed a game winner, and he may be done, but still, the Colts had a chance. They are still in contention to win the division, or get a wild card slot, but this loss hurts, and if Brissett misses a few games, it may only get worse. As for the Steelers, they won, but again, I still don't buy them as contenders. They cannot run the ball with consistency, and their QB situation is a real mess. Although, I love seeing Devin Bush playing well. That is pretty cool.

The Dolphins won a game. I did not think I would write that sentence once this year. But, they found a way to beat the Jets. The Jets may be the worst team in, not only the NFL this year, but of all time. I know some teams have gone 0-16, and other teams have played bad, but the Jets are a whole new level of awful. They are poorly coached, poorly ran and they flat out stink. Sam Darnold has regressed, LeVeon Bell cannot find any running room and their defense is real, real bad. Adam Gase is a horrible head coach, and the Jets are in chaos mode right now. Good for the Dolphins though. Way to get one win.

The Bills made easy work of Washington, and Washington is almost, almost, as bad as the Jets. The Bills are, fairly quietly, 6-2, and could be 9-2 after the next 3 weeks. They have a very, very good defense, and can run the ball well. They are a clock controlling type team. As for Washington, well, they haven't scored a single TD in 3 weeks. That is atrocious. They can't run, they can't protect their rookie QB and they lied to their best O lineman about having cancer. This team is a mess, and I bet they have a very hard time finding anyone credible coach to take their vacant head coaching job. Washington is bad.

The Panthers beat the Titans because Christian McCaffery is fully asserting himself as the best running back in the league. They did get some bad news today, with Cam Newton going on IR, but if CMC continues to do what he's doing, and the defense plays like they did on Sunday, as opposed to what they did against the 49ers, they can still make that push for the playoffs. The Titans, on the other hand, are the most bland team in the league. They don't do anything spectacular or terrible. They are so blah. I'm sure they will go 7-9 or 8-8 and no one will care.

The Raiders got their fourth win of the year, and they beat an okay Lions team. I cannot believe I am saying this, but the Raiders are starting to resemble a real NFL team. Oh, and Josh Jacobs is awesome. I thought they may have reached a bit for him. I was wrong. He is a real good running back. The Lions had one of their typical blown games, but this time it was on them, not the refs. They just have struggled to put together a full four quarters. But, the Raiders aren't as bad as they have been in the past, and Matt Stafford is having a solid year. Now they need to translate that into some wins.

The Seahawks let the Bucs jump out to a 14 point lead, but they managed to comeback yet again. Russell Wilson was great when he needed to be, and it gets more and more frustrating to me to say this, but he is having a monster year. So is DK Metcaf. The Seahawks have problems on defense, but if Russell Wilson continues to play like he has all year, he will single handily lead them to the playoffs. The Bucs cannot get out of their own way. Even when Jameis Winston has a good game, he still has a critical turnover that kills his team. Also, the Bucs defense is awful. They cannot stop anyone.

My team, the Packers, laid a complete egg on Sunday. The Chargers have not been a good team all year, yet they dominated Green Bay. The Packers defense was on the field seemingly all game, and they got pretty tired near the end. And when Green Bay was on offense, they looked very sloppy. They couldn't do much of anything. The Chargers deserved to win, and they easily won. That was a rough watch for me.

The Sunday night game, as I mentioned at the top, was great. The Ravens shredded the Patriots D, and for the first time this season, the Patriots looked unprepared. Lamar Jackson furthered his MVP case as well. He was so awesome on Sunday night. He made all the right reads, he made the throws and he was a nuisance to tackle. He is the new Mike Vick. He is a faster Steve Young. He is awesome. The Ravens D also harassed Tom Brady all game long, stripped Julian Edelmann and shut the Patriots down. I know this is just one game, and I still think the Patriots will be in the Super Bowl, but it was nice to see the Ravens and Lamar Jackson run all over them and win going away. The Ravens are legit, and so is Lamar Jackson.

Finally we have the Monday night game between the Cowboys and Giants, and honestly, I didn't watch a second of this game. I instead chose to watch "Watchmen", and I feel like I made the correct choice. I saw the Cowboys won, and that Saquon Barkley did some more cool shit this morning when I checked highlights, and for a Monday night game like last night, I feel that is more than enough attention that needs to be paid to 2 teams I could care less about, and haven't been relevant for nearly a decade now.

That's it for my week 9 takes. Come back next week for week 10.

Ty

2019 NFL Midseason Redo

Okay, as promised, today I finally come to you with my NFL midseason redo, filled with new picks and predictions. I will do it just like I did my season preview. I will go through each division with a sentence or 2 about each team, pick a winner, then pick the AFC and NFC title game, Super Bowl matchup and winner. I will also pick new award winners.

Okay, lets get to it.

Lets start with the AFC first. In the East, the Patriots are absolutely running away with it, yet again. They haven't even hit their stride offensively, but their defense is his historically good, and I know they haven't played the best competition, but they are destroying the bad teams as they should. They have a big test this weekend, and if they pass it, they could go undefeated. The Bills are surprisingly solid, at 5-2. They aren't very good on offense, but they are pretty stout on defense. They are in the thick of the wild card hunt. Then we have the Jets and Dolphins. I mean, could they be the 2 worst teams in the NFL? Maybe. The Jets are a mess with a terrible head coach. As for the Dolphins, they are trying to lose games, and boy are they succeeding. Patriots will win the East.

The AFC West is pretty much all wrapped up as well. I know the Chiefs are without Patrick Mahomes, but they will be just fine when he comes back in a week or 2. They don't have the best defense, not by a long shot, but they have an offense that can light it up, when Mahomes gets back. Every other team is under .500. The Raiders are better, but they need a better QB and some better receivers. The Chargers are a mess, and have been ravaged by injury. Also, Phillip Rivers needs to give it up. And the Broncos, well, they are in a real, real mess. John Elway is an awful GM, and this season is really proving that. Chiefs will win the West.

The AFC North is a lot like the West. The Ravens are the best team by a wide margin. Lamar Jackson is awesome, and might be the most fun QB in the league. They also have a tough defense. The Ravens are the Spurs of the NFL. The Steelers are no good. I know people keep saying they can make a push for the playoffs. They cannot. They are not that good. The Browns, seemingly everyone's preseason darlings, are not good. At all. They cannot protect their overrated QB, they can't get Odell the ball and they aren't living up to the hype on defense. Oh, they are poorly coached too. And we have one of RD's 2 teams, the Bengals. The 0-8 Bengals that is. They stink, enough said. Ravens take the North.

Finally in the AFC we have the South, which has been surprisingly good. The Colts have kept it together very well after Andrew Luck's retirement. They play solid ball control offense, and their defense is stout. The Texans have the other most exciting QB in the league in Deshaun Watson. He is amazing, and he is carrying that team. He can lead them to the playoffs. The Titans and Jags are both 4-4, and both totally different. The Titans are bland and dull and will be 8-8 at best. The Jags have a good run game, and their defense, even without Jalen Ramsey, looks a lot more similar to the defense 2 years ago. I am going to pick the Colts because they have the better head coach, but the Texans will still be in the playoffs.

As for the AFC playoff teams, I have the Texans, Bills, Colts, Ravens, Chiefs and Patriots. In the AFC title game I still have the Chiefs and Patriots, but, and it really bums me out, I am going to pick the Patriots. Their defense is amazing, and the offense will figure it out soon. They are just too good, and they will have home field throughout the playoffs.

On to the NFC. The NFC East is not very good, and yet, they may get 2 playoff teams. The Cowboys are as Jekyll and Hyde as it gets. One week they look unstoppable, the next, they lose to the Jets. Who knows with this team. The Eagles, my number one team in the preseason, has been a major disappointment. They play no secondary defense and cannot pressure the QB. And the offense is dealing with injuries and an inability to pass the ball. Yet here they sit at 4-4, and in a tie for first. The Giants are wasting Saquon Barkley's talents, and have benched Eli Manning in favor for Daniel Jones. That says it all. And then there is Washington. I mean, they fired Jay Gruden, told a player that had cancer that he didn't and could care less about winning games, player safety or getting fans to come to the game. They are a mess, and they totally deserve all the bad that is happening to them right now. I guess I am going to pick the Cowboys because they most recently destroyed the Eagles. But, don't count out the Eagles.

The NFC West is really good. The 49ers seemed to have figured something out, and where we sit right now, they are one of 2 undefeated teams. They have a solid run and play action pass game and their defense is ferocious. The Seahawks are being led by Russell Wilson, who is having an MVP caliber year, and they are playing better defense. The Rams are finally using Todd Gurley properly, got Jalen Ramsey and are starting to look like the team they were last year. Then we have the Cardinals, who aren't as bad as I thought, but still aren't that good. I could see three of the 4 teams making the playoffs from this division. Right now though, at the halfway point, I am going with the 49ers to win the division because they have a 2 game lead. That is big time in the NFL.

The NFC North is a 2 team race, and those 2 teams are my team and RD's real team. The Packers were led by their defense early and the offense is finally starting to figure it out. My only fear with them, they are peaking too early. The Vikings looked like a bust a few weeks into the season, but now, they look pretty good. They are throwing the ball well, Dalvin Cook is finally becoming the star he showed he could be in college and the defense is solid. The Lions are a real tough team, but they either get screwed by refs, or screw themselves. They could win 10 games, but I see them winning 7 or 8 games. And then we have the Bears. Mitch Trubisky is a bust. There is no way to argue that. He has only gotten worse, and it is on him and the head coach as to why they have been so underwhelming. They still cannot kick a field goal either. This defense is being completely wasted. I'm going to go with the Packers to win the division now, but the Vikings are a real, real threat.

And in the South, the Saints might be the second best team in the NFL. They have a great defense now, and Drew Brees is back and the offense is really good. They are complete now. Also, the fact that Teddy Bridgewater is the backup shows how deep this team is. The Saints are really good, and Alvin Kamara hasn't played in a few weeks. The Panthers are okay, but not good enough to make the playoffs. Also, they need Cam Newton back. The Buccaneers are a turnover machine, and they don't play a whole lot of defense. And the Falcons are a total and utter disaster. They have to be the worst defense in the NFL, and the offense is old and stale. The Saints are going to cruise with the division.

As for my NFC playoff teams, I'm going to go with the Vikings, Rams, Cowboys, 49ers, Packers and Saints. The NFC title game will feature the Packers and Saints, and I am going to go with the Saints. The NFC had the most changes from my preseason picks, but I still have the Saints in the Super Bowl.

That means my Super Bowl is going to feature the Patriots and Saints, and I am sticking with the Saints, and with my prediction of Drew Brees to retire afterward and hand over the reins to Teddy Bridgewater. It is all working towards that. Also, I would so much rather see the Saints win than the Patriots again. As for award winners, defensive rookie of the year I am sticking with Josh Allen, he is wrecking shit.

As for offensive rookie of the year, still going with Kyler Murray. He is going to put up big numbers for sure. For coach of the year, I'm going Frank Reich. The Colts should be in the playoffs, and the fact that he is leading that team to the playoffs after Lucks' retirement is a testament to how good of a coach he is. For defensive player of the year, I have to go with Aaron Donald., He is the best in the game. For offensive player of the year, I'm going Christian McCaffery. Sure, the Panthers won't make the playoffs, but he is putting up monster numbers, and Mahomes is hurt and Aaron Rodgers started off a little too late. For MVP, I am going with Lamar Jackson. There is no one, and that includes Russell Wilson, that is more important to his team's success than Lamar Jackson. He is that good.

So, there you have it, my mid season review with new predictions. I am sure I will be wrong on some of them, but I feel most solid with my Super Bowl and MVP winner. I will stand by those picks.

Ty

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

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2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 8

Today I am coming at you with my NFL week 8 quick takes. I am going to do a midseason review, but I am saving that for Thursday. I want to really marinate on that one because I am not so sure about my Super Bowl pick, especially the Eagles. I just need some more time to think. But, I do want to touch quickly on week 8.

Getting right to it, the Vikings did what they were supposed to do to Washington. They are a better team in all three phases, and in the coaching category. Kirk Cousins, who still is a total doofus, had a good game, but threw no TD's. Dalvin Cook is the real deal. And their defense is looking more and more like themselves. As for Washington, I actually feel bad for Dwayne Haskins because he has zero help. That is a bad, bad football team. And that head coach opening looks less and less desirable with each passing week.

The Seahawks beat the Falcons by 7, but it wasn't that close. The Falcons are in a real bad spot. They just traded away Mohammed Sanu, and I wouldn't be shocked if they try and offload Julio Jones. He deserves so much better. And, while I know he is hurt, Matt Ryan has really fallen off a cliff. Their defense is also porous. The Seahawks controlled that game, and won with ease. Russell Wilson played fine enough, they ran the ball well and the defense made plays when they needed to. This was, for all intents and purposes, a glorified scrimmage for the Seahawks.

The Bears missed a game winning field goal. I know, I am as shocked as anyone(sarcastic). The Bears missed a field goal, but they have so many more problems, and it starts with that horrendous offense. Mitch Trubisky is not good, they have no run game and they are wasting a historically good defense. And while the Chargers won, Phillip Rivers and the head coach fought on the sideline, Melvin Gordon could only muster 30 yards on 10 plus carries and the offensive coordinator just got fired. This team is in trouble, and they won. That shows how bad the Bears are right now.

The Giants and Lions played a shockingly exciting game. There was a ton of points, Matthew Stafford was awesome, but so was Daniel Jones. I might be wrong on Daniel Jones. Also, Saquon Barkley is a once in a generation talent. That kid is great. But, the Lions finally won a close game, a game they deserved to win, and they are so much better than I thought they were going to be coming into the season. I am glad I picked up Stafford on my fantasy team. He has looked really good. Kenny Golladay is quickly becoming a top receiver in the league too.

The Jags easily dispatched of the Jets. They did enough on offense, and the defense stifled one of the easiest teams to stifle. The Jets are a mess. The Jags played up the whole "seeing ghosts" thing to perfection. And now I hear the Jets are willing to trade LeVeon Bell. This news comes just days after they traded Leonard Williams. The Jets are a total mess.

The Rams and Bengals played in London, and while it was tied at 10 for a minute, the Bengals did what they did and let Cooper Kuup walk in for a 60 yard TD and it was done from there. Todd Gurley also looked really solid in this game. The Rams have gotten exactly what they've needed the past 2 weeks to get back on track. I also just heard that the Bengals are now benching Andy Dalton. That is a bit too late, but they have zero wins, so why not bottom out to try and get a top QB prospect? They have nothing else to play for.

The Buccaneers and Titans played a close game, but I could not tell you much from that game. The Titans won, I saw Tannehill had three TD passes, and Jameis Winston wasn't terrible. But, these 2 teams couldn't be more unimportant. The Titans have 8-8 written all over them, and the Bucs are just tumbling. They will, most likely, be picking in the top 5 again. It may be time to move on from Winston.

The Eagles smoked the Bills, in what was a bit shocking to me. The Bills aren't explosive on offense, far from it, but the Eagles are horrendous on defense. But, maybe this will tamp down the Josh Allen hype train a bit. The Eagles stifled him, and they ran the hell out of the ball. Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard were dynamite. It is a win like this that makes me think the Eagles still have a chance, albeit small.

The Colts beat the Broncos on a last second field goal. This is what the Colts do. They can look sloppy and inefficient, but they stay in games, and find a way to win. They have done a great job of staying relevant after Andrew Luck retired to start the year. And the Broncos, well, Joe Flacco called out the entire coaching staff, and now he is benched. That says a ton, when Joe Flacco is calling you out. This is another team wasting a great, great defense with how pitiful they are on offense. The Broncos stink.

The Saints absolutely shredded the Cardinals. I know the Cardinals aren't that good, but just last week, I gave them a little credit. I think this win really solidifies the Saints as an upper tier NFC team, and Drew Brees look like he didn't miss a beat. I loved seeing Teddy Bridgewater do what he did, but Brees reminded us all why he is a hall of fame player. And that defense, which used to be the problem, is totally ferocious and fearsome. Kyler Murray had a solid game, but he was made very much to look like a rookie agains this defense. And I want better for Larry Fitzgerald. Trade him to a contender so he has one last shot at a ring. Please.

The 49ers are good. There, I finally admitted it. They didn't just beat the Panthers, they demolished them. The 49ers, where we stand right now, have a great run game, the play action is super effective and their defense is very, very good. I mean, Carolina is no slouch, and they held them to 13 points, while scoring 51. Kyle Shanahan is proving he can coach, and while he isn't putting up record breaking stats, Jimmy Garroppolo is the game manager they need. And that run game is just tremendous. Add in the fact they have Emmanuel Sanders, the 49ers are going to be good for awhile. Also, I think all the Cam trade talk, and giving the team to Kyle Allen needs to immediately stop after this game. Allen was bad, and looked the part of a backup. CMC is the only thing they had on offense, and that is why they only had 13 points.

The Texans won a thriller late against the Raiders. That TD pass Deshaun Watson threw to go ahead was spectacular. He got kicked in the face and still managed to find the open guy. I bet the Bears would kill to have a QB half as good as Watson, and they could have just drafted Watson themselves. He is firmly in the MVP race, if not the front runner, right now. And the Raiders, I will give them credit, they aren't rolling over and dying this season. They are playing teams tough, they just don't have the talent yet. They need a better QB too.

The Patriots made easy work of the Browns, I'm not much for counting teams out in week 8, but the Browns hype train is fully off the rails. They stink. Baker Mayfield is Johnny Manziel. They cannot get the ball to Odell Beckham. Nick Chubb has become a fumble machine and the O line is dreadful. The Patriots defense forced 3 turnovers on 3 consecutive snaps. That is unheard of. And the fact that Tom Brady hasn't had to do much of anything should have the whole NFL worried. The Patriots D is playing at a historical level, and I don't see them slowing down anytime soon. They're fast, big and get a shit ton of turnovers. I cannot stand that team, but dammit, they are really, really good.

The Packers won the Sunday night game, but it was a little too close for comfort for me. The Chiefs had a backup QB in, and the Packers had an early 14 point lead, but that was gone by halftime. Then they woke up, Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones were tremendous, and the D made plays when they needed. Rodgers has looked phenomenal the past 2 games as well, and soon they will get Davante Adams back. And Jones and Jamal Williams are finally giving the Packers a run game. The Chiefs are going to be fine as soon as Mahomes returns, but they did play okay in his absence. They held a lead for a minute, and Andy Reid proved he can make a game plan for 2 very different QB's. But, Mahomes is the engine that runs that team, and when he is out, it is noticeable.

Finally, the Monday night game was Dolphins-Steelers. I didn't watch a single second because I loathe both teams, the Dolphins are actively losing games and the Steelers are very boring and blah. The Steelers won, so good for them I guess.

That does it for week 8. Like I said, I will have a midseason update on Thursday. Come back for that.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 7

As we move into week 7 quick takes, I want to take a second to call out ESPN fantasy scoring. My brother and I, RD as you know him, tied in this week's game, 94.7 to 94.7, but for some unknown reason, they gave him the win. I don't get it. I am not a fan of ties, I think they're stupid in fact, but still, I didn't lose the game. I didn't win either. I tied him. But, for some weird reason, that makes no sense, I am now 5-2, and RD sits at 7-0. What the hell?! Anyway, lets get to week 7 NFL takes.

The Thursday game was an expected blowout. The Chiefs easily handled the Broncos 30-6. But, the Chiefs did suffer a tremendous loss in that game. Patrick Mahomes, who has been hurt all year, got for real hurt, a dislocated knee, and he is going to miss 3 to 5 weeks. I don't think this will affect the Chiefs too terribly much, but still, no Mahomes for 3 to 5 weeks is a bummer. And the Broncos, and Joe Flacco and John Elway, are dreadful. That team is in trouble. They need to rebuild for sure.

The Packers crushed a solid Raiders team, and Aaron Rodgers had a humongous game. Rodgers went for 400 plus passing yards and 5 TD's, plus a rushing TD, and if he can do this, and if Davante Adams can stay healthy, and the defense can continue to pressure QB's and bend but not break, the Packers could have a special season. The Raiders were never really in this game, and that is how I like to watch a Pacer win.

The Rams destroyed the Falcons and got back on track a little bit. Goff looked okay, Gurley had a solid game and the defense, with their new addition of Jalen Ramsey, looked solid. The Falcons, on the other hand, are in total disarray. I thought they wouldn't be that good, maybe a 6 or 7 win team, but I didn't think they would be this awful on defense. And with the way Matt Ryan is playing, and the non existent running game, the Falcons might be firing a head coach and picking in the top 5 in the next draft.

Washington and San Francisco played a rain soaked, sloppy football game. Jimmy Garropollo was very blah, the 49ers had no run game, and Washington was even worse. Case Keenum is bad and, speaking of no run game, Washington might as well not even field a running back. The 49ers defense did more than enough to win that game. And Washington is bad.

The Colts got a big time division win over the Texans. They played a bit different than when they beat the Chiefs, and that worked for them. Jacoby Brissett was excellent, and their defense once again stepped up big time. They limited Deshaun Watson enough and got stops when they needed to. They could win that division. They can, as they proved on Sunday, beat the Texans.

RD's Vikings got a solid division win over Detroit. And poor Detroit. They have a pretty good team, they play fun offense, but they find a way to either get screwed by the refs, or blow a game late. They blew this one. And the Vikings offense has looked so much better, and their defense is starting to play close to their level a few seasons back when they wen to the NFC title game. The Packers have some serious competition.

RD's other team, the Bengals, let Gardner Minshew lead a comeback, and once again, found a way to lose a game late. Zac Taylor has been dreadful, they need to trade a ton of guys and they need to move on from Andy Dalton. As for the Jags, they have 7 wins written all over them, and they will continue to play ugly games like this, and they might even win some.

The Cardinals, shockingly, have 3 wins this season, 2 of them in a row. Kyler Murray has looked good, and dare I say, Kliff Kingsbury has seemed to adjust, for now, to the NFL. The Giants honeymoon with Daniel Jones seems to be over too. He has not been the same since his first 2 games. He is starting to look like the bust I predicted him to be.

The Bills had to eek out a win over Miami, but still, they won and they are 6-1 now. That is impressive, and that is due to their defense. They also returned an onside attempt for a TD, which never happens, That is the Dolphins this season for you. They are finding new ways to assure they get the top pick.

The Chargers found another crushing way to blow a game, fumbling on the goal line late in the fourth quarter down by 3 points. I'm done believing in the Chargers. They are back to their old ways of being the "Cinderella" pick every year, then choking it away. Phillip Rivers looks old, Melvin Gordon looks rusty and the defense is way too injured and playing poorly to matter. And they let a Ryan Tannehill led team beat them. That is sad. The Titans aren't great, but they are better than the Chargers.

Lamar Jackson and the Ravens went to Seattle and beat the Seahawks, by 2 touchdowns. It was awesome. Lamar Jackson is the most fun player for me to watch since I first saw Mike Vick. He is impossible to game plan for, and he is becoming a better passer every week. That fourth down call was awesome. Good for him, and the coaching staff, for letting it ride. And it was awesome to see Marcus Peters get a pick 6 a week after being traded. I also like seeing Earl Thomas beat his old team too. Nothing delights me more than seeing the Seahawks get beat, at home, by multiple scores. It was great.

The Saints moved to 6-1 overall, and 5-0 without Drew Brees when they smothered the Bears. The Saints played really solid D, they ran the ball well without Alvin Kamara, and Teddy Bridgewater proved why he is the highest paid backup in the league. He is going to get paid this offseason. And the Bears, oof. Mitch Trubisky was back, but he looked as bad as ever. I cannot believe that he was taken 8 spots ahead of Mahomes, and 10 ahead of Deshaun Watson. It is baffling. That offense is wasting one of the best defenses of the past decade.

The Cowboys destroyed the Eagles on Sunday night. Both those teams aren't very good, but the Eagles, especially on defense, are awful. I was very, very wrong about that team in my preseason rankings and predictions. They are not a good team, and injuries have taken a toll. The Cowboys looked better, but a lot of teams have exposed the Eagles D, especially the secondary. But they had a fully healthy O line, they ran the ball a ton and they gave Dak Prescott time. They were able to pick apart the Eagles, and take hold of that atrocious division.

Finally, we have the Monday night game. That was a bad game. The Patriots immediately jumped all over the Jets, causing 6 turnovers, 4 of which were interceptions. The Patriots D is otherworldly right now, and they are easily dispatching of teams they should beat handily. They are going to finally get real tests soon, but as of right now, they are doing what they should do. They have 18 interceptions, and have only given up one passing TD. They also are stopping the run. Just wait until Tom Brady starts playing well. And the Jets, well, they looked like an Adam Gase run team. They were uninspired last night. Sam Darnold even said at one point, "I am seeing ghosts". That is rough.

That's it for week 7. Come back next week for week 8 takes, and my midseason updated review and predictions.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty is right, he got screwed by ESPN’s fantasy football scoring. Sorry dude.

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Ty's 2019-2020 Men's College Basketball Preview

Today I come to you with my 2019-20 men's NCAA basketball preview. I feel like I write this sentence every year when I do this preview, but I simply do not know too terribly much about the upcoming season. There is so much turnover, new players and super duper 5 star players that come over to do the whole "one and done" deal. Also, I know that nothing big has happened to the schools involved in the FBI wiretap ordeal, but that will come sooner rather than later, especially at Kansas.

Anyway, I am going to go about this preview kind of like I do my football preview, highlighting the major conferences top teams, pick a winner, talk about some solid teams outside of power conferences, pick a player of the year, the final four and the champ. With that being said, and again, talk this with a major grain of salt, lets get to it.

Somehow the AAC is a "major" conference when it comes to college basketball. Houston has been a pretty good, perennial top 25 team since Kelvin Sampson has taken over the program. UConn is not what they used to be. Same for Wichita State. Cincinnati is always competitive. But the best team is Memphis. Penny Hardaway has turned into one hell of a recruiter, he got the top kid to commit, and he is the newest coach to adopt the "one and done" era of recruiting, and he is doing it as well as the best of them. Memphis is back, and it is due to Penny. They will win the AAC with relative ease.

The ACC is loaded as always. Duke has one of the best classes in the country, and they just keep bringing in top classes, and see no shade thrown their way like other programs that recruit "one and done" freshman do. But, Duke is good. So is UNC. They have a really solid all around squad. They have great freshman, solid upperclassmen and just win all the time. Louisville has a ton of hype around them, and they look to have a really good team coming into this year. Maybe, just maybe, the Rick Pitino stuff is behind them. Virginia won the title last year, and while they lost a ton of talent, they are a typical rebuild, not reload, type team. They also have a ton of depth just waiting their turn. FSU just got a big time commit, they have a ton of length and they have a good head coach. But when I get down to it, it is going to come down to Duke and UNC, and I, once again, am going with UNC to win the ACC. They have the most talent, depth and experience of any team in the ACC.

The Big 12 is KU's to lose, if they don't get sanctioned to hell. But, the Big 12 is a little more competitive than it has been in the past. KU is good, but so is Kansas State. Oklahoma always seems to put up a fight. Oklahoma State is always a tough spot to play, no matter how good or bad they are. Texas Tech was in the title game last year, and probably should have won. Texas is okay. Same with West Virginia. Hell, even TCU is a 20 win team now. But, until they get sanctioned, KU will win the Big 12. They need to make up for not winning it last year.

The Big East isn’t what it used to be, but there’s some okay squads. Patrick Ewing has Georgetown getting back to respectability. St John’s lost Chris Mullin, but they’re feisty. Creighton seems to put together shockingly good seasons time to time. Marquette has the potential to be really good. Xavier is scrappy as hell. Seton Hall is making a mini comeback. But come on, the Big East is owned by Villanova. Jay Wright is still the coach, and as long as he’s around, Villanova will continue to be dominant. They also have solid experience on their squad.

The Pac 12 is weird in both football and basketball. They have name recognition, but they always blow it it seems. Arizona had an immense amount of talent a few years back, and they blew it. They are also on that FBI list. Arizona State always starts strong and tails off. Oregon gets top flight recruits, and they either fizzle or get hurt. Stanford is not a power anymore. Washington has gotten major recruits, but it hasn’t really translated into on court dominance. UCLA has a new coach again, and they are still rebuilding. I just really don’t know what to make of this conference. I’m going to go with Oregon, they just got another 5 star guy, but this is the pick I’m most leery of.

The SEC is all about Kentucky and Auburn. I know Tennessee was really good last year, but they have a ton to replace. Arkansas plays hard, but they don’t have the talent. The Mississippi schools are blah. Missouri’s best recruits are gone, and didn’t do much when they were there. LSU couldn’t win with Ben Simmons. Florida is good, but not anywhere near the top. I fully believe in Auburn, and that bums me out because their coach is a rat. But, Kentucky has a whole new crop of guys, and while John Calipari can recruit, he’s not a great in game coach. And Auburn has some key guys back, and good players coming in. It’s a changing of the guard in the SEC.

Finishing up with the major conferences, we have the Big Ten, my conference. I mean, and again I hate that i have to say this, Michigan State is easily the preseason favorite. They have a great amount of talent back and they have good freshman coming in. They shouldn’t have a sports program because of their heinous crimes. Until that is fully realized, Michigan State will run the Big Ten this year. But, there are some other good teams. The University of Ohio State will be better, and they were a tournament team last year. Michigan has a new coach, of which I’m very excited for, and a slew of starters back. They won’t be as good as last year, but I still think they’ll be good defensively, and make shots. Maryland has a very solid team, and they are well coached. Illinois has to be better than last year. Their coach is too good to keep being below .500. Nebraska has the talent to be a tournament team. Indiana is going to get back in the conversation soon. Purdue is a very, very good team that does all the little things really well. Minnesota is tough. And Iowa plays muddy basketball that frustrates opponents. But, unfortunately, the Big Ten is MSU’s to lose.

As far as some teams outside major conferences, there is obviously Gonzaga. They’re no longer the lovable Cinderella’s they used to be. They’re a national power. Dayton has a solid team. Campbell College has a ton of undersized scorers. Western Kentucky oddly gets top flight recruits to commit there, and I think the one they got this year is actually going to play. One of the Ivy League schools, most likely Harvard, will scare someone in the tournament. Nevada has the most coveted head coach by power schools right now. And Saint Mary’s always wins 20 games and always scare Gonzaga.

As far as award winners, for freshman of the year, I’m going with the Wiseman kid at Memphis. I’ve heard nothing but good things about him. I also think Memphis will win another award, and that will be Penny Hardaway as coach of the year. As far as player of the year, which is so hard to pair down so many good players, I guess I’ll go with the Winston kid at MSU, everyone else is picking him, and I’m pretty sure he’s a senior, and this is usually an award for longevity in college basketball. My final four is UNC, MSU, Auburn, and my surprise, Memphis. I love Memphis right now. The title game will pit UNC and Auburn, and I’m going with the Tarheels. They are so, so deep and so talented and they are due.

Okay, there’s my men’s college basketball preview. Take it as you will. Basketball is coming people. Time to get pumped up.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Postseason and Awards

Finishing up my 2019-20 NBA countdown and preview, I come to you today with my playoff picks, championship matchup, winner and award winners. The basketball preview stuff isn't totally done yet because I am doing my men's college basketball preview tomorrow. But today wraps up the NBA, for now.

I am going to start with the East because it is the JV of the NBA. Sorry to say, but the top 3 or 4 teams would make the playoffs in the West, but they would be hard pressed, and find it very tough, to be a top 4 seed. Anyway, I will give you my eight teams in descending order. Starting off I have the Raptors, Magic, Nets, Celtics, Heat, Pacers, Bucks and 76ers. You may see that and think I am too high on a few teams. I have the Pacers as a three seed, but I fully believe in them, and when Oladipo comes back, they will have the star player they crave. I have the Heat at 4, and that is solely due to Jimmy Butler. I also think they are going to pull off a good to great trade before the All Star break to pair with Butler. Conversely you may see the Celtics as a 5 seed, or the Raptors as a 7. Well, I do not believe in the Celtics, but they have the talent, in the East, to win 44 or 45 games and be in the playoffs. And the Raptors, if they stay together, will barely, barely make the playoffs. I do think Pascal Siakim is that good. When it comes down to the conference finals, I would be shocked, shocked I tell you, if it isn't Milwaukee and Philadelphia. They are, far and away, the best 2 teams in the East. They have the best 2 players in the East. They have the best coaches in the East. They are the best. Picking a winner of that series is tough for me, but I just don't think the Bucks have the guys that can shut down the 76ers humongous length and size and strength. Also, I fully, fully believe in an in shape Joel Embiid. I have the 76ers winning in 7 games. As far as a surprise or 2 that may happen, I think the Heat will sweep the Celtics, and then the Celtics will have a ton of offseason questions to answer, and I feel like the Magic will push the Pacers to 7 games in round one. Both teams play really good defense, and will frustrate one another to no end. But the Pacers will pull out a close game 7 at home.

Now to the Varsity of the NBA. The West is far, far better than the East. Some of the teams that will miss the playoffs could have 45 wins. Seriously. I think every team, except for the Suns and Grizzlies, and the Thunder if they trade everyone, has a legit shot at making the playoffs. This conference was tough for me, but I think I have it paired down to the 8 teams that will make it. Just like the East I will put the 8 teams in descending order. So, I have the Spurs, Lakers, Trailblazers, Warriors, Rockets, Jazz, Nuggets and Clippers. Again, I'm sure I have some teams too high and too low for some readers. I will never not put the Spurs in the playoffs as long as Greg Poppovich is their head coach. Also, Dejounte Murray is back. I said that the Lakers may have the best duo in the NBA in LeBron and AD, but I do not like the rest of that roster, at all. And what if LeBron gets hurt again, he is 35, and AD further hurts his thumb? What then for the Lakers? As far as teams I have high, I am all in on the Jazz. I loved their offseason, and they are one of, if not the, best defensive teams in the league. I am also a big time believer in the Nuggets. They have continuity, a super duper star player, the most depth in the league and good shooters off the bench. They are the real deal. As far as the West Finals, this was really tough. I am going with the Clippers, they sill have the best defense in the league, and I feel like they will play the Rockets. I think that the Russ and Harden pair up will work this season. And, as they are want to do, I think the Rockets will get beat, handily, by the Clippers. I wouldn't be all that surprised if it was a sweep to be honest. The Clippers are so good defensively, and they will be able to score almost as well as they will be able to stop teams from scoring.

That means I have the Clippers facing the 76ers in the Finals. This is what I want to happen. These are the 2 best defensive teams, they play throwback basketball with a touch of the modern game and they have the best overall rosters. I think it will be hard fought, gritty and even ugly at times, but I just can't go against Kawhi after what I saw 5 years ago when he lead the Spurs to the beat down of the Heat, and what I watched him do last year throughout the entirety of the playoffs. This is also probably the most talent he has ever played with in his basketball career. The Clippers are as good as advertised in my opinion. They will finally hang a banner in Staples for themselves.

As far as awards, the playoff MVP will once again be Kawhi Leonard. He is that dude. He has that killer instinct and he wants to beat every team in his way. For the regular season awards. The Rookie of the Year will be Zion Williamson. This rookie class is absolutely loaded, some rookies will put up ridiculous numbers and they will be a ton of fun to watch. This is the future. But Zion will be on a team fighting for the playoffs all season, and he is going to be the guy they run the offense through. He is also a solid defensive player. Most Improved player, and this is going to sound super weird, I'm going with Russell Westbrook. Like I said, I think the pairing with Harden will work, and Westbrook will put up his best shooting numbers of his career. He is going to eat on second units as well. Defensive Player of the Year is going to be, once again, Rudy Gobert. He is the best, and most formidable, rim protector in the game. He is an absolute stopper and no one is better than him at doing that, right now, in the NBA. Sixth Man of the Year, and they just need to permanently etch his name in this award, is Lou Williams. He is the best bench player in the league, he is liable to go off anytime he is on the floor and he is a great teammate. Lou Williams rules. Coach of the Year will be Doc Rivers. He probably should have won it last year, but they won't make that mistake this year. The Clippers are going to be really, really good, and Doc has already proven once that he can get the best out of star players. Finally the MVP. I mentioned yesterday, and today for that matter, how much I love Joel Embiid, and I think he is going to award that with an MVP trophy this year. He is in shape, he has stated that he wants this award, and also the DPOY award too, and how hungry he is coming into this season after last year's heart break. He is going to dominate the low post on both ends, and he is going to play the most games of his career this year. He is the modern Hakeem Olajuwon, and I feel like this is going to be one of what could be multiple MVP awards for him.

Okay, there is my full 2019-20 NBA preview and predictions. I'm so very excited for this season to start. We finally, finally have parity and I cannot wait to see all these new guys on new teams. I'm also very stoked to watch the rookies play. I cannot wait. Only 5 days now. Lets get to it.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's NBA 2019-2020 Preview: Clippers, 76ers

Okay, today ends my NBA countdown. I have my top 2 teams going into the 2019-20 season. That doesn't mean I am done writing about the NBA, not by a long shot. I will do my predictions, title and awards, tomorrow, and on Friday I will do my men's college basketball preview. But, the 2 teams I have today are the best of the best when fully healthy. These are the 2 teams that I think will matchup in the finals this year. They have good rosters, play good defense and, on paper, are the best 2 teams.

Okay, coming in at number 2 I have the LA Clippers. The Clippers had the coup of the summer. They got Kawhi Leonard. It seemed like a forgone conclusion that he was going there last summer, but he went to Toronto and won a title. And make no mistake, without Kawhi, the Raptors wouldn't have won. Now he is off to LA, and he, right now, is the best 2 way player in the league. Not to outdo themselves, the Clippers, on the very same night they signed Kawhi, traded for Paul George, who might be the second best 2 way player in the NBA,. This was shocking to me. I didn't think he was going to leave OKC. I assumed he and Westbrook would run it back at least one more year. But from everything I read, Kawhi wanted to team up with him, and the Clippers moved heaven and earth to acquire George. They traded away their future, but at least Kawhi and George are still relatively young. And when George gets back to full health, those 2 are going to be a nightmare for opponents. George shot the ball very well until he got hurt last year, and we all saw what Kawhi did in the playoffs. Getting these 2 guys was a tremendous boon for the Clippers. And the rest of their roster is pretty damn talented. They got Pat Beverly to resign, and he is the biggest pest, I mean that in the best way possible, in the NBA. He is also a perfect point guard to pair with the other starters on this team. He has also earned his place in the league, and it is hard to not root for a story like his. Montrezl Harrell has really become a solid big man. He is solid in the pick and roll, he can play defense, he is a good rebounder and he is tough. Lou Williams might be the best sixth man of all time, and that dude is instant offense. When he comes on the floor, he is liable to drop 30 on any given night. He is the shooter this team needs. Ivan Zubic proved to be a solid role playing big off the bench last year. I never would have thought that when watching him as a Laker, but he proved his worth as a Clipper. Landry Shamet can shoot the ball, and he was way better as a rookie than I thought he was going to be. JaMychal Green is a solid spot minute big man that is super long. Jerome Robinson had an odd year, and will barely see the floor, but he will be an okay bench player. And signing Mo Harkless was a low key good deal. The Clippers are the best defensive team in the league, and they can put up points too. This team, at full health, has the ability and talent to be very, very good.

But, there is one team that I think is better than them, coming in at number 1 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. My how the times have changed. I once called the 76ers the worst franchise in professional sports, but I'll be damned if all the tanking didn't kind of work. Joel Embiid is an absolute monster on both ends of the floor. He is unguardable in the post. He is so, so close to being the modern day Hakeem Olajuwon. I watched him in a preseason game last night, and while only going about 50 percent, he dominated. Embiid is so good. He just needs to stay healthy and stay on the floor. Ben Simmons is a 6'10 point guard that is a problem. He is so good with the ball in his hand, he is an excellent passer, he plays good defense and is a real threat to attack the rim at any point. And, if these videos of his three point shooting are even half real, watch out. If he has any semblance of a jump shot, he will vault himself into the conversation as a top 10 player. I feel like they picked the right guy to resign when they gave Tobias Harris a big time deal. Harris is a better teammate than Butler. He may not be as good a player, but the gap isn't that wide. Harris is a good shooter, a good defender and a great locker room guy. Getting Al Horford to sign with them was huge. Yes he is old, and not as athletic as some of the other guys on the team, but talk about a great veteran, and Horford is exactly that. He is also a great defender, a great passer and a solid offensive player. He has also been a great playoff player. And having him and Embiid playing post defense will be a nightmare for opponents. I am also a big fan of Josh Richardson, who they got in the Jimmy Butler trade. Richardson is a solid three point shooter, he is tall and long and he plays defense. I love what I have seen out of Matisse Thybulle, their first round pick. He is energetic and bouncy and looks like he will be a perfect addition. When Mike Scott gets back from his suspension, he will beat the hell out of you and he will hit open shots. Trey Burke has kind of found a home in the league as a bench player. He can fill it up on occasion and he is a solid backup point guard. He is an upgrade over TJ McConnell. Furkan Korkmaz is a summer league legend and has looked pretty solid in preseason. And I'm curious to see how Zhaire Smith looks in year 2. He was a good pick, took some bumps last year, and has had an entire summer and offseason to improve his game. I really, really like the 76res. They are like the real life Monstars. They are so, so , so big. I think their shortest starter is Richardson,, and he is 6'7. They are playing a different style of basketball right now, and with their length and want to play defense, I think it will work out really well for them.

Okay, there are my top 2 teams going into the season., Come back tomorrow for my predictions. The NBA season is less than a week away people. Time to get excited.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 6

So, some quick takes on week 6 of the NFL.

The Thursday night game was a bore. The Patriots barely tried, and won by 21. Daniel Jones threw three picks and the Patriots D is legit.

The Panthers cruised over the Bucs in London. CMC didn’t have the yards, but he did have 2 TD’s and their defense picked off Jameis Winston 5 times. Looks like he’s back to his old tricks, and Bruce Arians may not be a QB whisperer.

Who in the hell cares about Washington-Miami? Really?

Lamar Jackson put on a god damn show against RD’s Bengals. He passed for 200 yards and ran for 150 yards. He’s so awesome. The Bengals, not so much. Zac Taylor is a bad head coach.

Teddy Bridgewater improved to 4-0 as a starter, but it was that Saints D they won for them Sunday. They totally shut down Gardner Minshew and Leonard Fournette.

The Seahawks came back, yet again, and won a game they shouldn’t have. Russell Wilson was great too. I don’t like admitting it, but he’s been incredible this season. And everyone’s preseason darling, the Browns are 2-4 and look kind of hapless. They played better offensively, but struggled on D with a lead.

RD’s other squad, the Vikings, took it to the Eagles. The Eagles are floundering and their secondary is a mess. The Vikings took advantage of this and aired it out. Stefon Diggs had a humongous game.

The Texans and Chiefs played a fun, and close game. Both Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were great. The problem, the Chiefs cannot stop the run. The past 2 weeks the Colts and Texans have racked up the rush yards.

The Falcons are a total disaster, and their kicker missed an extra point that would have tied the game against the Arizona Cardinals. Also, the Cardinals shredded the Falcons secondary. Kyler Murray was stupendous. The Falcons have fallen so far since blowing that 25 point lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The 49ers are legit. There I said it. They okay solid defense, run the ball and play action the hell out of their opponents. The Rams couldn’t do a thing. And Jared Goff’s recent performances are a cause for concern. And they need Todd Gurley back ASAP.

The Broncos are finally playing solid defense, and they shut down the Titans so bad that they benched Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill. Yeesh. And Phillip Lindsay has been solid as the lead back.

The funniest outcome was the Jets beating the Cowboys. The Cowboys are proving to be frauds and the Jets exposed them further. Sam Darnold torched them, and even when the Cowboys had a chance to tie it, they blew it. Jason Garrett is done, Ezekial Elliot isn’t that good and Dak Prescott has been really bad lately.

On Sunday night the Steelers pummeled the Chargers. The Steelers got 2 early turnovers, both from Devin Bush, and turned that into a quick 14 point lead. They held on, and beat the Chargers, who look lost right now.

Monday night’s Packers win felt hollow. The Lions got screwed, and Green Bay won on a walk off field goal. The Packers D stepped up when they needed, but the refs helped them. Even I can admit that. The Lions won that game.

One last note, Marcus Peters got traded to Baltimore, and that makes that secondary scary. What’s even scarier though, the Rams just traded for Jalen Ramsey, and he and Aaron Donald on the same D should help fix whatever is going on with that D right now.

That’s it for week 6. Come back next week for week 7 quick takes.

Ty

Ty's NBA 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Jazz, Nuggets, Rockets, Bucks

Moving on to day 7 of my NBA countdown, we are getting to the cream of the crop. I like all these teams, and they all have certain qualities that put them this high on the list.

At number 6 I have the Utah Jazz. I have stated how gross their fans are, but their roster is good enough to push this team to the West, and dare I say, NBA finals. Donovan Mitchell is a star. He is an electric scorer, plays hard and is getting better on defense. He continues to work on his game every year, and that will only benefit him. I love watching Mitchell play basketball. Rudy Gobert is the best big man defender in the league. He is the epitome of a rim protector, and he is a great rebounder. His game has also rounded out on the low post, and he dominated the US in FIBA this summer. Joe Ingles is one of those guys you hate to play, but love when he is on your team, and he can shoot the ball. Getting Mike Conley was a humongous upgrade over Ricky Rubio. Conley has proven himself one hell of a team leader, can create his own shot, finds the open guy and is awesome on defense. He is also at the stage in his career where he just wants to win. Bojan Bogdanovic is the quintessential scorching shooter off the bench. He is the type of player that could score 18 points in 10 minutes. Tony Bradley is a great defender. Ed Davis was a solid pickup. When healthy, Dante Exum is an excellent backup point guard. And Emmanuel Mudiay, while not the player I thought he could be, should fit in nice here. Utah has always played great defense, but now, they have a true point guard, and they have shooters. The Jazz, with this roster construct, should be good for awhile. They are true Western Conference threats.

At number 5 I have the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is a true MVP candidate. He is also an anomaly. He looks out of shape, can barely jump and eats awfully, but the dude is amazing with a basketball in his hands. He is the best passing big, and one of the best overall passers in the NBA. He also has those old man moves under the basket, and he makes them work better than anyone else. The dude is legit. Jamal Murray got his big time extension this offseason, and if he can become a consistent scorer, he will be one of the better offensive players in the league. He is hot and cold, but hot more often. Paul Milsap is the perfect veteran for this squad. His play has slightly declined, but his leadership is crucial. Malik Beasley has proven that he deserves good bench minutes because of his scoring ability. Garry Harris is a solid creator and passer and a good defender. Will Barton and Monte Morris can provide instant offense. Hopefully we will finally get to see Michael Porter Jr play, because if he is half as good as advertised, he could play a huge part on this already good team. I also love that they took Bol Bol when he fell to them in the second round. If he hits, that would be a cherry on top for this team. The Nuggets are not a fluke, and Jokic is the real deal. I like this team a lot.

At number 4 I have the Houston Rockets. Boy oh boy did their GM make a mistake. But, looking at this team from strictly a roster construct standpoint, they could be very, very prolific offensively. James Harden, as boring and frustrating as he is to watch play, is a great, great scorer. He has crazy moves that no one can guard, he shoots a million free throws and, when he passes, he is always on the mark. They traded Chris Paul for a younger, more athletic and harder playing version in Russell Westbrook. I do not know how this will work, a Harden and Westbrook backcourt, but if it hits, it will be deadly. Those 2 were awesome in OKC, and now they are older and have each won a MVP. Clint Capela took a slight step back, but he is the best pick and roll center in the NBA. The way he moves to the rim, it is beautiful. He is also a good defender. PJ Tucker brings the toughness this team craves, and the defense. It also helps that he is a great corner three shooter. Tucker is underrated. Eric Gordon is as well. He finally got paid, and without him last year, they would have lost much earlier in the playoffs. Nene and Tyson Chandler are both pretty old, but they know how to play, they play hard and know how to win. Austin Rivers, much to my surprise, hasn't been a total disaster since he signed with the Rockets. He actually plays good D, and with guys like Harden getting him open looks, he can knock down the three. Danuel House is a G League legend, and in limited minutes last year, he was the perfect Rocket. Only efficient shots and threes. The Rockets, if Westbrook lets Harden run the team, can score 120 to 125 points a game. No bullshit. They won't be as good defensively, but they will outscore a ton of teams. They just better hope that the new backcourt meshes.

My final team for the day, at number 3, I have the Milwaukee Bucks. With KD out and LeBron being older and Anthony Davis getting hurt all the time, Giannis Antentokoumpo is the best player in the NBA, even better than Kawhi Leonard. Giannis is unstoppable on offense. He is like a nimble Shaq. And the fact that he is working on a three point shot, that should scare the rest of the NBA. He is also so long, that alone makes him a good rebounder and defender. Khris Middleton had a real solid year, and earned his new contract. He is a great sidekick next to Giannis. He is also a really solid defender. Eric Bledsoe kind of lost it in the playoffs last year, but I still think he is a good point guard for this team. He also just so happens to be one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA. Brook Lopez totally morphed his game, and is now a lethal three point shooter. He really stretches a defense. And they now have his brother Robin on the team, and he will bring toughness and an inside presence that this team can use. Kyle Korver is still around, and he can still shoot the three. He will find lots of open looks playing with Giannis. Wes Matthews has never been the same since his ACL injury, but he cans till provide solid spot minutes here and there. DJ Wilson, in a very limited role, showed he can shoot and play a little D. He was also a clutch rebounder. The Bucks are a very good team that fell a bit short last year. That only made Giannis hungrier, and that could push the Bucks to the Finals. I know they lost Malcolm Brogdon, and that is a bummer, but this team has the goods, and Giannis, to still be one of the top teams, by a wide margin, in the East.

That does it for today. Come back tomorrow for my top 2 teams. We are nearing the end of the 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Heat, Nets, Celtics, Lakers

The weekend is over, and that means we are back to my 2019-20 NBA countdown. Today we enter the top 10. I think each of these teams have a legit shot to make it to the Finals, but they could also have a sloppy year, and neither outcome would shock me.

Starting with number 10 we have the Miami Heat. The Heat were in this weird kind of middle that they seemingly would never get out of. Then they went out and signed Jimmy Butler this offseason. I don't think Butler is a super star, but the dude is one of the better 2 way players in the league. What he does lack is a true deep shot. He can shoot the mid range, attack the rim, draw fouls and he plays some of the best defense in the league. He is also a throwback style player who doesn't really need to be friends with anyone in the league. He would rather beat you then befriend you. I dig that about him. But, he is old, coming off a few injuries and has shown an ability to wear out his welcome real quick. But, he was a big time get for the Heat. Outside Butler, they have solid guys. I still believe in Justise Winslow. I think his defense has been much better than I thought it would be, and if he could be any kind of threat on offense, that would really open things up. Goran Dragic is a solid point guard, and if he sticks around, I think he and Butler will get along tremendously. Dion Waiters is still liable to go off at any moment. He is so inconsistent, but when he is cooking, he can light it up. I am a big fan of Bam Adebayo's. He made it easy for them to part ways with Hassan Whiteside, and the way he played this summer should have fans hyped. James Johnson is a bad dude, and he just so happens to be able to score. He is another throwback player I dig. I don't know what to think of Meyers Leonard. He has moments, but more often than not, he doesn't really show up. And the rookie from Kentucky, Tyler Herro, could be the instant offense they need on the bench. Miami is a solid playoff team, and if things bust right, and Butler plays better than ever, this team could be dangerous.

At number 9 I have the Brooklyn Nets. They would be number one if KD wasn't hurt. But, that is the reality of the situation. And, they did trade away All Star D'Angelo Russell. But, this team was a playoff team last year. and without Russell, and KD, this team is better. They will be much better next year, but still, they are a good team. They signed Kyrie Irving, and now that he got to pick where he wanted to play, I think he will be fine. I still think he will say dumb shit and be a curmudgeon, but this is the first time in his pro career where he made the choice. He picked this team, and I think he will play well. Caris Levert is becoming a reliable scorer and defender. He is rock solid. Jarret Allen is a young and ferocious defender. He is also a solid rebounder, and is getting better around the rim. I think it is a bummer that he will lose minutes to Deandre Jordan, but that comes with the territory. And, I think Irving and Jordan can be a solid pick and roll duo. Spencer Dinwiddie is the new Jamal Crawford, except he plays defense. Joe Harris can shoot threes. I love the trade for Taurean Prince. He is a solid defender, and he can get you 12 to 14 points a night. And Wilson Chandler is finally gone from Denver, and he can fill it up as well. The Nets are a solid team, that plays great defense. When they get KD next year, I will have them as my finals favorites, but for now, they will have to settle for a 4 or 5 seed.

At number 8 I have the Boston Celtics. I feel like this is way too high if I am being honest. They replaced Kyrie Irving with Kemba Walker. Look, I love Kemba Walker, but how is that an upgrade. People will point out Kyrie's weird outbursts last year, but Walker is not as good as Irving. That is facts. They then replaced Al Horford with Enes Kanter. Kanter is a better scorer than Horford, but that is it. Kanter is a liability on defense, and cannot pass like Horford does. Gordon Hayward is a shell of himself, and I lost faith in him when he played in the playoffs his last year in Utah. Jayson Tatum regressed last year, and I hope that isn't a sign of things to come. He has the ability to be a top tier scorer, but last year was worrisome. Jaylen Brown is an awesome defender and slasher to the rim, but I don't know if he will get enough minutes, and he is in a contract year. Marcus Smart is really, really good on defense, but that is it. Carsen Edwards was a great scorer in college, but he will be going up against guys 5 and 6 inches taller than him, and he will find it hard to get shots off. I don't get why they drafted Romeo Langford. I feel like he will be in the G League by all star break. They're going to have to find minutes for Grant Williams, but that means other guys like Robert Williams and Semi Ojeleye will barely see the floor. I think, including myself, we have overrated the Celtics for the past 4 years. The one thing they have in their favor, they play in the East. They will be in the playoffs, but if they are a 6 or 7 seed, that wouldn't shock me.

My final team for the day, at number 7, I have the LA Lakers. Look, the Lakers may have the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That pick and roll will be lethal, they can both handle the ball, Davis is a great defender and rebounder and this is the best teammate LeBron has ever played with. But, LeBron just got his worst injury of his career, and Anthony Davis hasn't played a full season yet. And the rest of this roster is just flat out weird. I was checking it out while doing research, and man, it is an odd collection of players. Danny Green was okay last year, and can kind of shoot the three, but he isn't the same guy that he was in San Antonio. Avery Bradley is well, well past his prime. I am stunned that people think this is a good signing. Alex Caruso is the new Matthew Dellavedova, except he won't get the minutes to be of any notice. Dwight Howard is back, and that is laughable to me. He is so far past his prime. Rajon Rondo is still there, but the fact that LeBron has been named the point guard should tell you all you need to know about his playing status. Quinn Cook was a "big" get for them after missing out on Kawhi Leonard. Yeesh. They still have Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and that makes me yawn. And I am over all the Kyle Kuzma talk. The Lakers should be good, but I do not see them as the best team in the West. Like I said, outside of Davis and James, I do not get this roster. Oh, and if things go mildly bad to start the year, Frank Vogel will get canned. In fact, I would bet that, before the season ends, Jason Kidd will be the head coach of the Lakers because that is what LeBron wants. The Lakers should be a playoff team, but I don't see them getting any higher than the 5 seed, especially in the West.

That's it for today, come back tomorrow for the nest 4 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Raptors, Pacers, Trailblazers, Warriors

Getting right into it on day 5 of my NBA countdown, I have the defending champs at number 14, the Toronto Raptors. I know they just won the title, and did it in pretty convincing fashion, but they lost the one guy that truly did it all for them. Kawhi Leonard was truly a one year rental, and he more than lived up to the price they paid to acquire him, and he brought them a title. Outside of Leonard, they have a good amount of talent, but it is only older, or won't be able to do what they did without Leonard there. I really, really like Pascal Siakim, and I think he can be an All Star, but it will be tougher for him with no Leonard. Yes, he will score and rebound and play solid defense, it will just be tougher because teams will now be targeting him solely on scouting reports. Fred Van Vleet was great in the conference and NBA finals, and he is a solid point guard. Kyle Lowry got a humongous one year deal, but it was smart for him and the team. Also, he is on the wrong side of 30, and without Leonard, he may go back to being the player he was before, which was good, but a playoff choker. Marc Gasol was great for them in the finals, but he is very old, and if stuff goes bad quick, he will want out. He only has a few years left. Serge Ibaka is okay, but he has kind of turned himself into strictly a mid range shooter, and the defense isn't what it used to be. OG Anounoby is going to come back, and while he was starting to come on, he missed more than half the season, and all of the playoffs. He has work to do. Norman Powell is a good three point shooter, but he is streaky. They acquired Stanley Johnson, but for a guy I thought was going to be good, he has been kind of a bust. They also signed Rondae Hollis Jefferson, and while he is okay, he was going to be pushed aside from Brooklyn regardless of who they signed this offseason. The Raptors will still be a playoff team, maybe even a 4 seed, but they will not find the same success as last year. It's tough to repeat anyway, and when you lose your main dude, it is made that much tougher.

At number 13 I have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are a solid playoff team, and they will win in the mid to high 40 games this year. But, I feel like that is all they will be as long as they keep this roster together. We still don't know when Victor Oladipo will be back, and they need him to be a true threat. Oladipo is great, and he can be the difference in a 6 seed or a 3 seed. The Pacers do still have solid players around him. Myles Turner is a great rim protector and rebounder and solid on switching defense. He is even getting better on offense. Domantas Sabonis is a good throwback big, but I feel like he is going to be trade bait all year long. That can mess with a player. Doug McDermott is an okay three point shooter, but he does literally nothing else. TJ Leaf showed zero in his rookie year. What the Pacers did do was go out and sign some quality vets. TJ Warren is a scoring machine, and I think he will fit in very well. The fact that they pulled off the Malcolm Brogdon deal is a big, big deal. Brogdon is such a solid pro, a good shooter and the Bucks will miss him. He was a great get for the Pacers. And Jeremy Lamb, while incredibly streaky and inconsistent, when he catches fire, he can light it up. The Pacers are a very solid team, but their success lies with Oladipo and when he will be back. They need him.

At number 12 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers have one of the best offensive back courts in the NBA. Damien Lillard is a killer, and he proved that in the playoffs until he ran out of steam. That dude is amazing. CJ McCollum proved that he can coexist with Lillard and had a monster year last year. He is a scoring machine as well. But, they don't play much defense at all. But they can, legit, average 50 to 60 points combined this year. No one knows when Jusuf Murkic will be back, and Portland needs him. For the time being, they took a flyer on Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is a total wild card, but when he is locked in, he is one of the better defenders in the league, and a total beast on the block. Pau Gasol is there, but he is so old now, I feel like he is more there to help coach than to play. Who knows what they will get from Zach Collins, besides stupid fouls. He is a good player, but he needs to learn to control his temper. Rodney Hood is back, and I think he is in a perfect place for himself. He is free to create and score in Portland, and can destroy second units. As I wrote awhile back, I love the Nassir Little pick. I think he is going to be great, and will be out to prove 24 other teams wrong. Every wroter I read now is obsessed with Anfernee Simons, and right now in the preseason, he is showing out. I just don't know where he will find solid minutes. They also signed Kent Bazemore, and he is solid all around. I am probably too low on the Trailblazers, I always am, but their roster is weird and outside of McCollum and Lillard I just don't know yet.

My final team of the day, at number 11, I have the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have been an easy number 1 for the past 5 years, but now, things are up in the air for them. Steph Curry is great and will be even greater this year. He is going to have so much offensive freedom, and I feel like he will put up historic numbers. D'Angelo Russell was an odd pickup for them, but I think he will be a good scorer next to Steph. He won't ease the loss of Klay Thompson, but he will do his best to fill the scoring void. Speaking of Thompson, he tore his ACL in the finals, and will not be back until after the All Star break. But, he got a huge contract and will be given ample time to recover from his injury. And when he comes back, there is no better catch and shoot player in the league, and he is an all NBA defender. Draymond Green might be the best overall defender in the league. And if he stays in shape all year, and brings it for 82 games, he could easily be an All Star. They drafted Jordan Poole in the first round, and I watched him for 2 years at Michigan. When he is hitting shots, he is great. But, that didn't happen as much his sophomore year as it did his freshman year. They signed Willie Cauley Stein, and while I like his pick and roll ability and his defense, how is he not JaVale McGee 2.0? Kevon Looney is back after having a very good playoffs, and I think that he is the definite starting center, he could get even better. Outside of that, the Warriors are a big time question mark for the first time in the past half decade. Steph is Steph, and he is great and will score tons, but they have a lot of questions after that. I'm very curious to see how they respond when they aren't the clear favorites. They don't have KD anymore, and Klay is going to miss a good chunk of the year. It is time to see how good the Warriors, and their staff, really are.

That is it for today. Come back next week when we break into the top 10.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Timberwolves, Kings, Spurs, Magic

Day 4 of my NBA countdown gives us, in my opinion, the best 18 teams. We will get into my top 16, or playoff teams if you will, but that doesn't mean that I have 8 teams from the West and East. I simply put who I thought wee the best 16 teams in that order. I am all for the playoff being conference less, and that is how I looked at my countdown when I took all my notes. So, with that being said, lets get into it.

At number 18 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T'Wolves are kind of in a no man's land. If they were in the East, they would be a playoff team easily. But, the West is a whole different animal, and Minnesota just doesn't have quite enough to break through. What they do have is a bona fide star on their team. Karl Anthony Towns is legit. He is so good on the offensive side of the ball. He is a great scorer, and now that he has extended his range, he is a matchup nightmare. He is also an excellent rebounder and a solid passer. But, he needs to get better defensively. When he is engaged on that end he is good, he just needs to be engaged always. Then he will become a top 10 player in the league. But, outside od Towns, the T'Wolves are a mystery. I think I was the last person on the Andrew Wiggins hype train, and even I have jumped off. He just isn't consistent, disappears far too much and isn't the defender I thought he could be coming out of college. Jeff Teague is old, and ready to be replaced. Josh Okogie looks like he will be the guy, but he needs to become more consistent in every phase. I like Jarret Culver, and think he could be a good player for a decade, but he still has a ways to go on offense. Robert Covington is a solid veteran, and a good role player, but he is a starter in Minnesota. He is so much better off the bench. They took some flyers on free agents like Jake Layman and Jordan Bell, and I just don't know with those guys. Layman barely saw the floor in Portland, and Bell regressed last year in Golden State. Minnesota will win close to 40 games, but I fear that Towns is getting into Kevin Love territory, and that is not where you want to be if you want to win titles.

At number 17, and I really, really wanted to put this team in the top 16, but they play in the West, and they're too young, I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have totally remade themselves, and they are no longer the laughingstock that they have been for the past decade plus. The Kings have a cohesive, and fun team. I love DeAron Fox. He is so fast, good with the ball, finds the open guy, plays hard, plays tough and has only gotten better since he has been in the league. He is one of my favorite young guys in the league. Marvin Bagley played far better than I thought he would last year. He looked to be stronger, played smarter and got better in his rookie year. That is a great sign. Buddy Hield, as you all know I love, has found a proper NBA home. The Kings allow him the freedom to shoot and be a playmaker, and that is what he needed coming out of college. He is quietly one of the better three point shooters in the NBA. I think Bogdan Bogdanovic is going to be this version of the Kings Peja Stojakivic. He is a solid outside shooter, and he is fun to watch. Harrison Barnes, who I think gets unfairly criticized, is a solid veteran that this team needs. He knows what it takes to win in the NBA, and he does the little things fairly well. Harry Giles, who has been hurt seemingly forever, looked good in limited minutes last year. He looked athletic and rebounded and ran the floor well. The Trevor Ariza signing here could be what I expected it to be in Phoenix. Ariza is also one of the better defenders in the league. Dwayne Dedmon is a solid center, and a rim protector they need. I find the Kings to be very fun, and I think they will be at, or above ,500 this year, which is huge for them. They just need one more year before they are a playoff team.

At number 16, my first "playoff" team, I have the San Antonio Spurs. I know, this team plays old style dinosaur basketball, they have no real super stars and they may seem boring. But, they still have Greg Poppovich as their head coach, and as long as he is there, the Spurs will always be a playoff team in my eyes. And, without having stars, they do have LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. Sure, those guys may not pop, but they are really good, really solid NBA players. Aldridge had a very good year last year, and he is finally finding his groove as a Spur. And DeRozan is a proven scorer and shooter, even if he doesn't take a million threes. He is still a really good player. Outside those 2, this team is relatively young. Yes, Patty Mills is still there, and he is their best shooter. But, after that, this team is young. Derrick White had a great playoff run last season. He really showed out, and I think that is a sign of things to come. Lonnie Walker had to do some time in the G League last year, but I think it helped him. He looked unstoppable in summer league, and he has been solid in the preseason. Dejounte Murray, who is going to be awesome, is back after missing last year with a knee injury. Murray was on his way to being "the guy" there, and I think that will come true this season. Jakob Poeltl is a big lumbering center, but he is what this team needs under and around the hoop. Rudy Gay is still there, and he was super efficient and really good last season. He is the epitome of a consummate pro. I also like the addition of Trey Lyles, I think he helps them. And even if he isn't the defender he was in Toronto, DeMarre Carroll still offers value on that end of the floor. The Spurs dynasty of the past is over, but they still have a solid roster and the best coach in the history of the NBA. They are still a playoff team to me.

My final team for the day, at number 15, I have the Orlando Magic. The Magic are back. Well, not back to being a title contender, but they will be a perennial playoff team in the East. This roster is stacked with talent, but it is raw and it is young. Aaron Gordon has really turned himself into so much more than a dunker. He is a great defender, he has a shot that you have to respect and he is becoming the team leader, and he is only 24 years old. Mo Bamba has been really good in the preseason, and if he can put on some weight, and continue to improve around the rim, he will be worth way more than the sixth overall pick that he was two years ago. Johnathan Issac had a solid year last year, and has the look of an improved jumper. He, like Bamba, is rail thin, but he can be a problem for opponents on defense. He is also super long, and plays hard defense. Nikola Vucecvic got his big deal after an All Star season, and now I think he will play with freedom. He is also the prototypical modern big. He heled me make the finals in my fantasy league last year because he stuffs the stat sheet. I see more of that. Markelle Fultz, knock on wood, has looked okay. His jumper looks better, not fixed, but better and he is attacking the rim so far in the preseason. If he can give them a tenth of what was expected from him coming out of college, that would be great. Evan Fournier was awesome in FIBA this summer, and the dude knows how to get bucket. Terrance Ross is s solid all around guy. They signed Al Faroq Aminu, and that guy has been a playoff player forever. And DJ Augustin is back, and even though he has been around forever, he won their only playoff game for them last season. The Magic have a glut of players at power forward, and no real point guard, but they play defense and they spread the ball around. I see them easily making the playoffs again, and maybe this time they will win a series. Also, they could pull a big trade with all the assets they have, and that would be big time.

That is it for today. Come back for the next 4 teams tomorrow.

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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Hawks, Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans

Day 3 of my NBA countdown is here. We are almost at my top 18, or which teams I would put in the playoffs if they didn't have to do East and West teams. Also, if any of the 4 teams I have today make the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me at all.

Anyway, coming in at number 22 I have the Atlanta Hawks. I love the way this team is being built, and I love the young talent they have. Trae Young totally changed my view of him with the way he improved all season long. He started slow, but he didn't let that bother him, and by the end of the year, it wasn't a far gone conclusion that Doncic was the runaway rookie of the year. Young made it a real race. He is already a very solid shooter, but the way he passed the ball and his handles, man did he have a real solid year. Now he needs to grow off that. I am a big time fan of John Collins. I like his old school game, he is strong, he can rebound and is a nice dunker. I like the pick of Deandre Hunter. He was a great defender in college, and hopefully that will translate to the pros for him. He also shot the lights out in the NCAA title game, and maybe that was a sign of things to come. They also took a "flyer" on Cam Reddish with the 10th pick. I don't see big things from him, he was a ghost at Duke last year. But, for the 10th overall pick, why not take a shot. If he becomes a sixth man, I feel like that is a win. Vince Carter is back for his 10 millionth season. I know this is his last, and he has been so much fun tot watch. I have nothing but respect for Carter. Kevin Huerter is another lethal shooter right next to Trae Young. Jabari Parker is there, and while he has not been great at much, the dude can score. The Hawks are not ready yet, but neither were the Thunder when they first made the playoffs. I could see that happening with the Hawks, especially in the East. But still, I think 35 wins is best case scenario for them.

At number 21 I have the Detroit Pistons. I just don't really know what they're trying to do. They have a few big names. Blake Griffin is a perennial All Star and a solid player. But, I still feel like he is wildly overrated, he is older, not as athletic and still gets hurt too much. Andre Drummond is a massive, throwback center, and I love watching him play. He plays hard and tough, but he isn't a top of the line center. Also, he needs to stop shooting threes. That is not his game at all. Reggie Jackson is a waste of a roster spot. He has only gotten worse since demanding his way out of OKC. He makes far too much money, and thinks he is better than he truly is. Luke Kennard is a nothing player. He isn't that good of a shooter, he cannot defend and he just takes up space. Derrick Rose is here, and while he played way better last year, he just isn't the guy he used to be. I hope for good things for him, but he seems past his time. They signed Joe Johnson after he won the MVP in the Big 3, but come on, he isn't "Big Shot Joe" anymore. Other than that, it's a cobbled together group of basketball players. What helps them is their coach, Dwayne Casey, who I like, and the fact they play in the East. But still, I do not know what to make of this team.

At number 20 I have the New York Knicks. Now this roster, this is the most cobbled together piece of junk I have seen in some time. This team totally whiffed on any big name free agents this past summer, and then they were left digging for scraps, and scraps they got. Julius Randle is a fine NBA player, but he is not a cornerstone player. You cannot build a title contender, or even a playoff contender, when Randle is your guy, and like I said, I like Randle. They got Marcus Morris to fleece the Spurs and sign with them, but I feel like the Spurs dodged a bullet. They signed Elfrid Payton, and he is the point guard version of Jabari Parker minus the scoring prowess. Bobby Portis is better known for punching a teammate than anything he has done on the court. Taj Gibson is a billion years old. And Wayne Ellington is here for some reason. The young guys are still very unproven. Frank Ntilikina has never gotten a real shot, and they need to trade him so he can try and reinvigorate his career. I love Mitchell Robinson, and I think he is the dude they need to build around. Kevin Knox was dreadful last year, and has not looked good in preseason. Dennis Smith Jr is hyper athletic, but still struggles to shoot the ball. And they took RJ Barrett, who I have zero faith in as a future All Star. The Knicks roster is so weird and seems incompatible. Randle will score in bunches and Mitchell Robison is awesome, but outside of that, I just don't know what to make of this team. I have them higher than I thought I would, but I wouldn't be shocked if they win 25 games this year. Who knows.

My final team for the day, coming in at number 19, is the New Orleans Pelicans. No team, that lost a great, top 5 player, could have had a better offseason than the Pelicans. Yes, they lost Anthony Davis, and while that is a real bummer, they got such a great return. They got Lonzo Ball, who has a much improved shooting form, and can still play D and find the open shooter. They got Josh Hart who is a consummate pro. He does all the little things. They got Brandon Ingram, and he was really starting to come along late last season. He played so much better when LeBron was out, and in New Orleans, I feel like he could shine. And they got the number one overall pick, Zion Williamson. While I want to see more than just dunking from him, he is going to ease the loss of Davis so much smoother. He will get people to come out and watch the Pelicans. They still have Jrue Holiday, who might be the most underrated player in the NBA. He is so good in every phase of the game. They drafted Jaxson Hayes, who is incredibly raw, but incredibly talented. When/if he starts to figure it out, he is going to be a great modern big. I also love the pick of Nickeil Alexander Walker. He was an under the radar choice, and he had an excellent summer league and has looked solid in preseason. They signed Derrick Favors and JJ Redick too. Those guys have been in the playoffs a ton, and they have great veteran experience to help out this young squad. The Pelicans did something great after losing such a star. They rebuilt on the fly, and they did it so much better than anyone could have expected. The one problem, they play in the West, and the West is super duper tough. I could see them winning 42, 43 games and missing out on the playoffs. But my hat is off to New Orleans. They did an excellent job, and they will be a playoff team much sooner than expected.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams. We are in playoff team territory 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 5

I know it’s late, but I didn’t forget my week 5 NFL quick takes. It’s going to real quick though, like a sentence or 2, because I’m doing my major basketball previews. But still, want to touch on the week in the NFL.

The Rams blew the Thursday night game, and the Seahawks escaped. Yes, Wilson made beautiful throws, and I’m coming around on him as a solid QB, but I still don’t like him as a person. But the Rams should have won. They missed an easy kick, and they need to get better if they want to return to the playoffs.

The Eagles cruised over the Jets. They scored 2 defensive TD’s and played simple, yet effective, offense. The Jets stink, and Sam Darnold won’t save them.

The Panthers, and mainly Christian McCaffery, are starting to come around. They won a hard fought game, and they’re letting their best player, CMC, lead the way. When Cam comes back, look out. And the Jags look destined to be a 6-10 team, but play close games all year.

RD’s Vikings easily disposed of the overrated Daniel Jones. Also, Kirk Cousins actually threw the ball fairly well. The Vikings are doing what they should to bad teams, but they aren’t competing yet with good ones.

Deshaun Watson emerged as the front runner for MVP for me. Five TD’s, 350 plus passing yards and total control of the offense. The Texans go as he goes. And the Falcons are a mess. I wouldn’t be shocked if Dan Quinn gets fired soon.

Teddy Bridgewater finally threw the ball real well, for four TD’s, and the Saints got a good division win. Tampa was hot coming in, but the Saints won a big game. They’re 3-0 without Drew Brees.

The Bills and Titans played a boring, low scoring game, just like both teams want to. The Bills won, and are somehow 4-1 now. And the Titans are trending down right now.

RD’s other team, the Bengals, let Kilff Kingsbury get his first NFL win. I mean, Kyler Murray play well, but still, the Bengals should’ve beaten the Cardinals. The Bengals are bad.

But not as bad as Washington, who fired their coach after getting shellacked by the Patriots. I mean, New England barely showed up, and they won by 26 points. Washington is bad, and just firing Jay Gruden will not fix what ails them.

The Ravens may not be as good as I hoped they would be, but Lamar Jackson is still fun as hell to watch. They barely beat Pittsburgh, needed overtime in fact, and the Steelers are not a good football team right now.

The Raiders beat the Bears, and they looked pretty good doing it. They ran all over a good defense, and came up with a solid game winning drive late. The Bears have an otherworldly defense, but their offense is so subpar. They need to fix that.

The Broncos got their first win, but I think this says more about the Chargers. The Chargers look sleepy right now, and I don’t think they will wake up. Good for Phillip Lindsay running all over the Chargers too. It helped my fantasy team.

The Packers crushed the Cowboys, much to my delight. Sure, it looked close at the end, but it wasn’t. Prescott was awful, the Packers shut down the overrated Ezekial Elliot and Aaron Jones went the hell off. Maybe, just maybe, Green Bay might have a good running back. And their defense got all the turnovers they needed.

The Colts played a magnificent defensive masterpiece to shut down the Chiefs. They held them to 13 points, Mahomes only had one TD and the Chiefs couldn’t run the ball. The Colts, on the other hand, ran and ran and ran some more all night long. They controlled the ball and the clock, and when that works, that’s what you need to do to beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs will be fine, but the Colts, without Andrew Luck, are a good team. Jacoby Brissett is a solid QB.

Finally, we have the Monday night beat down. The 49ers dismantled the Browns. They owned the night. They owned the hell out of Baker Mayfield, and they took pleasure in it. I said last week maybe I was too tough on Cleveland, well, last night proved they, and Mayfield, are not ready for prime time. They talk and don’t back it up. And I am now a full on supporter of Richard Sherman for his NCAA comments, and his comments on Mayfield’s attitude. Props to Sherman.

Alright, those are my week 5 takes.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor’s teams on the field may be mediocre to bad, but his fantasy team in the internets is 5-0 baby.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Suns, Bulls, Thunder, Mavericks

Day 2 of my NBA countdown has done usual suspects that fall low on my list, but also a new team that is trying to rank it seems.

Coming in at number 26 I have the Phoenix Suns. I proclaimed them as my new favorite team, but after this offseason, I may have to jump ship. I don’t get some of the moves they made. Why did they sign Frank Kaminsky? Couldn’t they get more fit Josh Jackson? What is going on with that front office? The Suns have a good amount of problems right now. That being said, they still have Devin Booker, and that dude can score. He is a walking bucket. But isn’t he just a poor man’s Brad Beal? He could go for 30 a night, but will it really matter? I still have high hopes for Deandre Ayton. I think he can be really good if he fully buys in. Yes he was a rookie, but he looked lost and preoccupied at times last year. He also got eaten up by bigger centers. I still have faith in him though. I think Ricky Rubio was a solid signing, they just gave him too much money. Booker could thrive with a point guard like Rubio, but Rubio has never really lived up to the hype. He’s been solid, but never great. I also am not a fan of them letting TJ Warren leave as a free agent. They need guys like him. Guys like Kelly Oubre are good and well for a solid game here and there. But, he’s not consistent like Warren. The Suns have 2 really solid building blocks, but they have a ton of work to do. And they need to win if they want to keep Booker.

At number 25 I have the Chicago Bulls. This may seem far too low for some, I’ve heard some people say they can push for the playoffs, but i think that says more about the East than the Bulls. They have okay players, but that’s it, they’re just okay. Zach Lavine is not a guy you want to build around. He’s an average scorer, an excellent leaper and a so so defender. That’s it. Lauri Markanen can shoot, but he’s soft. Kris Dunn is a bust. I love Coby White, and I want him to be good, but it will take time. Wendell Carter was playing okay, but he got hurt. I just feel like the Bulls have far more questions than answers. And, if they do make the playoffs, I’d be stunned. They still seem a ways off.

At number 25 I have the OKC Thunder. This is another team that I don’t know what they’re doing, but smart people, smarter than me about the NBA, seem to think they could push for the playoffs. I say no way, especially in the West. The Thunder need to fully embrace the rebuild. Their stars are gone. All of them. They’ve moved on. And I know they acquired Chris Paul in the Westbrook trade, but he’s old and has been on the decline for the past couple years. And, I don’t think he’ll be on the team come All Star break. Same goes for Steven Adams. I don’t think he’s going to want to be around on a team that’s rebuilding. He’s getting to the back end if his career, and for a player that’s been in the playoffs every season, I think he will want to keep that streak alive. What this team needs to do is give the keys to Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Build around him. He’s young, he’s good and looks like a team leader. He had big moments last year in LA, and looks ready to take the next step. You can pair any number of the other young guys, like Terrance Ferguson for example, with SGA, and start a rebuild from there. They also have about a million draft picks in the next couple drafts. The Thunder are in a perfect position for a good rebuild. Take that route, use picks, trade old vets for more picks and younger players and be ready to be a threat in 3 or 4 years. That’s what I would do anyway.

My final team for today, coming in at number 23, I have the Dallas Mavericks. Here’s another team that will win 35-40 games, but are just not ready to compete in the West. Not yet anyway. Luka Doncic was every bit as good as advertised. Now he just needs to keep it up. Keep getting better, stay in shape and improve the little things. The Mavs traded for Kristaps Porzingis last year, of which he played zero games, and they seem to think he will come out on fire this year. I think it’s going to take time for him to get back to his good days with the Knicks, and don’t forget, he was accused of sexual assault this past offseason. Some people may have forgotten that, I didn’t. Outside those 2 guys, this team is cobbled with an odd mixture. Tim Hardaway Jr is still there, and he will have a 25 point game here and there, but he’s much more prone to scoring 12 points on 3 of 15 shooting. JJ Barea is somehow still in the league even though he seems like he’s 60 years old. Boban is on the team, but he’s more of a spectacle than a player of circumstance. They have the less talented Curry. Courtney Lee is there to shoot threes and be trade bait. Jalen Brunson is fine, but he’s a bench player at best. And Justin Jackson left Sacramento, where he was a non factor, to come ride the bench here. The Mavs will win games, and Luka is legit, but I don’t but them as a playoff team. They have work to do, but they’re on the right track.

That’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Hornets, Wizards, Cavaliers, Grizzlies

We are mere weeks away from the NBA starting, so that means, you guessed it, I’ll be counting down the teams from 30 to 1 for the next 8 days. The 2 days after that I’ll do predictions and a men’s college basketball preview. And not to worry, I’ll sprinkle it some smaller blogs not pertaining to basketball over the next 2 week. I mean, I have to still do my NFL quick hits and concert, TV and movie reviews. Anyway, let’s start with the bottom of the barrel NBA teams.

At number 30 I have the Charlotte Hornets. I think pretty much every NBA person thinks they’ll be the worst team in the league by a wide margin. They lost their best, and most reliable player, Kemba Walker, and even with him, they couldn’t make the playoffs, in the East. And they replaced him with nothing. The Hornets are a weird mix of youth and veterans, but it doesn’t fit. They are the square peg, round hole team of the NBA. They guys they’ve drafted haven’t really panned our yet. Miles Bridges looked more lost than good last year. Malik Monk has been a disaster. Marvin Williams has never lived up to the hype. And they finally got rid of Frank Kaminsky. The vets are well past their prime, or overrated. Nic Batum is toast. I will never understand why they gave Terry Rozier so much money. The Hornets are, quite simply, a mess. I would be stunned, stunned I tell you, if they win 20 games this year. They’re going to stink.

At 29 I have a team that might be as bad as the Hornets, if they trade their star player. That team is the Washington Wizards. Oof, this team has fallen on hard times. I picked them to make the Finals just 2 years ago, and now, they’re one of the worst teams in the league. And it’s not like they traded all their good guys, it’s just that the good guys got old, hurt or want out. John Wall was a supernova, one of my favorite players in the league and a blast to watch 2 years ago. Now, he missed most of last year, and will miss all of this year. And his contract is an albatross. I can’t see anyone, right now, trying to trade for him. That’s a shame. Bradley Beal is so, so good offensively. He’s also gotten much better on D. He just has zero help. He could score 40 a game this year, and the Wizards would still lose by 20 points on any given night. They were lucky enough to get off Jeff Green and Dwight Howard, but those guys don’t make a difference. And they have replaced them with G League level guys. I was puzzled by them taking Rui Hachimura in the lottery. While he may prove me wrong, he still has some work to do to get better. And he will not demand defenders to open up space for Beal. Then we have Scotty Brooks. I didn’t think this was a good hire to begin with, and it’s coming to fruition. He is not a very good coach, and he’s proven that twice now.

At number 28 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. Man has this team fallen flat again after losing LeBron. Kevin Love barely played last year, and seems marginal now. Tristan Thompson is more focused on cheating on girlfriends. Colin Sexton started off poorly, and only leveled out. Cedi Osman looks like a role player at best. I don’t get why they took Darius Garland a season after taking Sexton, and by the way, he hasn’t played meaningful basketball since high school. And they took John Beilen from Michigan. I mean, he chose to leave, but still. Also, why the Cleveland job, I’ll never know. I’ve even written about how puzzling this choice was for me. The Cavs are a lottery team, and will be for awhile. Beilen may make them more fundamentally sound, but this is the NBA, not college basketball. If he tries to coach like he’s still at Michigan, he will get eaten alive. The Cavs may be good one day again soon. But, for the time being, they’re no more than a 22 or 23 win team.

My final team today is a team I actually like, but they’re going through a total revamped youth movement, and while they’ll be fun to watch, the Memphis Grizzlies will not win a ton of games, and they are my 27th ranked team. I love the young dudes on the team. Ja Morant was my number one prospect in the most recent draft. He is super athletic, and when he gets a jumper, he can be as good as Russell Westbrook. Brandon Clarke was a great late first round pick. He’s big and athletic, can protect the rim, get rebounds and shoot from outside. He’s a steal. Jaren Jackson Jr was having a solid year before he got hurt. With Morant, they could be a deadly puck and roll duo. It’s just going to take time. I feel like those three guys are a solid building block for a future contender. But they’re all under 22 years old. Also, the Grizzlies play in the West. That’s tough when you have a good veteran team. So, while I like what the Grizzlies are doing right now, they need time to gel and learn to play in the NBA. They won’t win many games this year, or the next. But, in 3 years, if they stay together and improve each year, I could see Memphis in my top 10-15. Just not yet.

That’s it did today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 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. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

A New Perspective on Pay to Play

While I thought that I had said pretty much everything I wanted to on the "Pay to Play" law yesterday,

I didn't.

I was talking to my dad today about the new possibility of this becoming a law, and we got on the topic of being a parent of an athlete that a school may have profited, or will profit, off of. Now, my dad, all of us are grown. If we had a shot, we didn't make it, or we didn't try. I do have one brother that played college football, but I honestly do not remember if anyone had his jersey, or wore stuff with his likeness on it. So we then shifted the conversation to his grand-kids, and my kids. He asked me how I would feel if my son or daughter was a good enough athlete that they were being heavily recruited to play college sports, and "Pay to Play" became a real thing, what would I do, as their parent. Would I try to steer them to a certain school, or would I let them do what they please.

Now, I would love to say that I would let them do whatever they want to do. I do that now. I let them make choices, although they are small. I let them pick clothes, how they want to do their hair, what they want for dessert, just small things here and there. But, if "Pay to Play" becomes a real thing, god I hope it does, I would be lying to myself if I said I wouldn't try and steer them towards the schools that have "Pay to Play". I am a Michigan fan through and through. They are my ride or die squad. As you all know, they are the only sports team that I truly love. But, "Pay to Play" is not a thing in Michigan yet. My dad told me to envision my kids being college athletes now, and singularly focus on the states that have passed "Pay to Play". That made me think extra hard. Still, I would let them know all the advantages of playing in a state that has "Pay to Play", as opposed to states that don't allow it. I would let them know that the schools in California and New York would give them a much deserved piece of the profit that they are making off selling my kids jersey, or items that may have their likeness on it. I would also let them know that states that do not yet have the law, those schools would take all the money and give it to coaches and assistant coaches and AD's and the NCAA. I would let them know that they would be taken advantage of if they chose to go to a school in a state where "Pay to Play" was not an option. That they wouldn't see a dime of stuff that has anything pertaining to them on it. I would let them know what an injustice that is, and try and steer them towards a school that would help them out with more than just a scholarship. I would want them to be comfortable in college, and not have to worry about going out to get a meal because it may or may not be an NCAA violation. I also just think it is right for them to see a little something if they are making millions of dollars for a college that they are going to. It just seems right. Sure, it would be tough for them to be so far away from my wife and I, but still, they would deserve to be compensated. They would deserve to be comfortable. They shouldn't feel like lesser than a university, especially if they are making money for the school. That is my perspective as a parent in a world with the "Pay to Play" act possibly becoming a real thing.

Look, the NCAA is as corrupt as FIFA, and for them to act like victims in this new world is appalling. I hope "Pay to Play" becomes a world wide thing so I wouldn't have to steer my kids to a place where they would be taken care of. But if it doesn't, and just stays on the West and East Coast, then I would try and get them to look so much closer at those schools than schools close to home, or schools I am a fan of. That is the honest truth.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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Every State Needs to Pass Pay to Play Laws

I am very happy right now that the "Pay to Play" bill is getting closer and closer to becoming the law. It is about damn time that these kids get to benefit off their likeness and jersey sales in college sports. I wrote, maybe a week or so ago, how I have totally flipped to the side that these kids deserve some kind of compensation, outside of a scholarship. The money that the schools, and coaches make off the superstar players on their teams is insane, and the fact that the player sees no kind of return, well it is asinine.

My wife and I talked about this very subject the other night, and she actually disagreed with me, saying that a scholarship was enough for the star players because soon they would be making a fortune. I countered with the fact that some of the highest paid employees in certain states are coaches, usually of the football teams. She did not know that. I know that Jim Harbaugh is the highest paid employee in Michigan. The same can be said for Nick Saban and Alabama. I wouldn't even be shocked if guys like Jeremy Pruitt and Willie Taggart are the highest paid employees in Tennessee and Florida, and they are coaches of struggling football teams.

All of this is to say, if the coaches, their staffs and the university, and the NCAA, can profit millions upon millions upon millions of dollars, why can't the kids bringing in the profits see a dime? That is why I am all for the "Pay to Play" act. This makes me so happy. I love that California has already passed it. I think Florida has as well. I know places like Ohio and New York are in the process of getting this passed as well. And it is about damn time.

I am going to go back to some of the players I mentioned from my first article. And while my wife isn't wrong, Chris Webber and Zion Williamson are set for life now, the fact that they got nothing in college, and the school and coaches got millions, is sickening. I want to go back to the UNC-Duke game from last year, the one Obama was in attendance for. The tickets were upwards of 10,000 dollars, everywhere you looked , people had Duke jerseys with the number 1 on the back, Williamson's number and there were so many branded shirts in the crowd for both schools. But, the 10 players on the floor, most notably Zion, got none of the money. People, random students, were wearing his jersey, and he didn't see a dollar. Same thing goes for Webber at Michigan. He would go into the bookstore at school, see his number 4 jersey for sale for upwards of 60 bucks, and he could barely afford a meal at McDonald's. That is criminal. And, it isn't like these kids can get a job in the offseason. Their sport is essentially their job in college. One, I think it is against the rules for an athlete to have a job, and second, they have no time. I had a friend that played division 1-AA football, and he never had an offseason. During football season, he was up at 5 for a morning practice, then off to class all day, then back in the afternoon for a practice, then film study, then study hall, then lights out. This was all year long in fact. Even when football was over, he still had weight training, study hall, film sessions and anything else that the football team needed him to do. He didn't have time for a job. And this was 1-AA football. So, just imagine what the top flight, top prospects have to go through in D-1. It has to be insane. I'm sure a guy like Jerry Jeudy from Alabama, a top flight receiving prospect, and one of the top prospects in the nation, has zero time to focus on anything other than football. Yet, he has been at Alabama for three years, people wear his jersey in the stands and he sees nothing from it. He has to deal with a curmudgeon of a head coach, who is making money hand over fist. He has a university that is throwing him out there to promote Alabama football, from which they make tons of money. And he just has to sit back and accept that he has to wait until the NFL draft before he can make any money. That is so wrong. And Jeudy is just one of the many prospects, across all major sports at big time schools, that is being unfairly kept away from profiting off their name and image.

Point is, I'm fully on board with guys like Draymond Green and Richard Sherman. I hope this destroys the corrupt and immoral NCAA, and I love college sports. But, it is high time that these kids, who are being put on national TV, having their jerseys being sold, having to talk to media members and being portrayed as bastions to their university get some compensation. Tim Tebow is an idiot and the people who think a scholarship is enough are wrong. Too many student athletes have been taken advantage of for far too long, and it seems like their time may finally be coming. I know if either one of my kids ends up playing a sport in college, and they are good enough that people buy anything with their likeness, name or face on it, I would want them to see a share of that money.

Lets hope the "Pay to Play" act is the wave of the future needed in college sports. I fully support this law.

Ty

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

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.