Some Good News For Michigan Basketball

Isaiah Livers announced earlier today that he will return to Michigan for his senior season.

If they get to play any type of basketball this winter, this is great news for my favorite team. Michigan missed out on some top recruits, understandably so, but getting Livers back is big time for this team. And, even though they missed on the top flight prospects, they still have a solid group of incoming freshmen. They have got a few solid guards, one of which is Juwan Howard's kid, and a big seven plus foot center. Add that to two grad transfers, and Michigan could have a solid season coming up. Getting Livers back was key for that to happen. He is the glue. He is the engine. With Zavier Simpson running out of eligibility, Livers is now the big time vet that a young team will crave. He will be the guy that players look to when they are confused, upset, struggling, because he has been through it all. He also happens to be a hell of a basketball player. He can shoot threes, he is relentless when attacking the rim, he can handle the ball a bit and he is one of the better defenders on the team. He will have to do much more on the defensive end this season, but that will be okay because his offensive load should go down a bit due to who is coming in. Both grad transfers can shoot. The kid from Wake Forest, Chaundee Brown I think his name is, is also big and can attack. They will help take the scoring load off Livers. And while Livers can help lock down the perimeter on defense, he will have the big seven footer back there patrolling the paint, along with Brandon Johns Jr, who I expect to have a big time season.

All in all this really helps Juwan Howard and the team, and it helps Livers come back and work on the little things he needs to to become a NBA player. Howard will love having his leadership, his mentality and his tenacity on the floor. He will be the captain for sure. Bookmark that. The team, with all its youth and new guys, will adore having a guy that has been through all this before. Livers knows what the coaches want and expect. And he will make sure that everyone does as he does. He will go hard, and you better believe when you see your best, and most important player going hard, everyone else will too. They will want to keep up. As for Livers, he can get better at shooting the three, he can work to build more muscle so he doesn't get injured as often, he can shore up the little things he needs to to get a shot in the league. This was the best decision he could have made, and hopefully they will have some kind of season so he can prove that he is worth being drafted in the next NBA draft. I can see Livers being a Caris Levert type, or even Duncan Robinson. He can have a career as long as he works out some of the little things he needs to in his final year at Michigan.

In a year filled with crummy news, especially on the sports front, this was a welcome and happy surprise. I am glad Livers is coming back, I think this helps everyone involved and I hope I get to see him play his final season as a Wolverine. Finally some good news in this world, at least for me and my sports mind. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the best damn basketball writer on all the internets.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Maskless Covidiots Will Cost Us Football This Fall

Late last week the Big Ten, ACC and Pac 12 all decided to ditch their non conference schedules and commit, or at least try to commit, to a conference only schedule for the upcoming 2020 season. The SEC hasn't done this yet, nor the Big 12, but it is just a matter of time I feel.

The SEC commissioner, the University of Ohio State's AD and Michigan's AD have all said they are "very concerned" about the upcoming season as well. Me, I have kind of given in to the fact that the season is going to be cancelled. I feel that it is inevitable. The Ivy League has already said they won't even look into fall sports until January 1st. The NJCAA, junior college for those of you that may not know, is most likely going to switch to a spring season. And while I find it commendable that the power five conferences want to play this fall, I just don't see it happening.

It took me a while to get to this point, but it just feels like it is leaning so much that way. We have done a horrible job as a country in containing this virus. We have proven how selfish, arrogant and self righteous we can be. We thought we were above this. Some thought it would go away in a few weeks, I know I did in early March. Some figured we would be good after shutting things down for three months. But all the progress we made in three months was shattered because people wanted to go out and party over Memorial Day weekend. There were no masks, no social distancing and nobody following what we were supposed to do, and pretty much all did, for three months. We threw all that out the window the moment things reopened. People started to flood restaurants, bars, beaches, clubs, any place that was open. We felt cooped up, not me personally, but others, and people just figured the pandemic was over. It wasn't and still isn't. Not even close. And I know I was right here last week saying that I hoped my kids would be in classrooms in the fall, but now that seems as likely to me as a college football season happening.

People refuse to follow the easiest of rules, wearing a cloth mask in public and social distancing, and we are now paying for it dearly. Numbers are approaching, if not passing in some states, where they were when this first started. I know much more testing is being done, but the numbers are terrifying. In Missouri alone we went from about 200 cases a day to nearly 500. That's wild. And it is because people couldn't contain themselves and just had to go out. And that is fine, if they were following proper protocols. They weren't, and now we will all suffer. Schools won't be normal at all in the fall. I have heard that here in Saint Louis it will be a hybrid thing, two days on, three online, or you can do all online, but that won't last long if people continue to live, and disregard the rules like they have since shelter at home was lifted. I wouldn't be surprised if by early September my kids are strictly online learning.

Which leads me to college football. If my kids can't go to a regular, smallish elementary school, how is big time college football going to be played? You can say, no fans. Okay, but what about the players? You can say, test them every other day. Sure, but what about immunocompromised people or the elderly? Shouldn't they have priority over college athletes? The NBA, MLB and NHL right now are getting tests done regularly, and they know within a day if they are positive or not. But my friends and family that have been tested, they have to wait upwards of a week before they know. How is that fair? And with football, these kids are constantly colliding with one another, spreading sweat, spit, all kinds of bodily fluids everywhere. It would be the easiest way to get it. And I have seen some people talk about making full shields for helmets, or having kids wear some kind of face covering, but they all balk at that idea. Why? I have seen players wear every type of extra padding and gadget on their body. Why would they be against the one thing that could actually give them a chance to play this fall? I'll never know.

I have also seen people say they can push to the spring, but that leaves me with two questions. What star college player, who isn't getting paid a dime, would play in the spring, a few months before the draft and risk getting injured?  Also, who knows what this pandemic will look like in the spring. It could be worse, the same or better, we have no idea. All I know, or at least feel right now is, this season is going to get cancelled, billions, with a B, will be lost and a good amount of seniors will never get to play their last season of football because we are a selfish country. Where cases are record highs right now, places like Alabama, Texas, California, South and North Carolina, Louisiana, Ohio, these states live for college football, but since they couldn't, or simply wouldn't follow rules, they are going to miss out on another year of college football. The OSU's, LSU's, Alabama, Texas, USC, they won't get watched because a good majority of people didn't take this pandemic seriously enough, and refuse to wear a mask, even though they think they have to go out now.

I'm so, so bummed about this because I love college football. I live for it. I love nothing more than wasting an entire Saturday afternoon in the fall watching college football, especially my Michigan Wolverines, who only have had four positive cases I might add. It's the best. But, at this point in time I have zero faith that any type of college football season is going to happen in 2020. I hope the parties and the beaches and the restaurants were worth it because we are going to have to start all over again, and that likely means online, at home school for those of us with young kids, and no fall sports. That is a real bummer. It makes me very upset. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The Nets Made a Few Big Moves Before the NBA Restart

Jamal Crawford was finally, finally signed: the Nets picked him up for this restart.

The Nets are currently decimated with positive Covid cases and injured guys opting out, so they needed to do something. How much Crawford will help them is questionable, but he should’ve been on some team way before this. He’s too good a scorer, who can still fill it up, to not, at least, be an instant offense bench player for someone. He could’ve been a great vet for a young team too. I still don’t get why Phoenix didn’t retain him. But, he’s back in the league, and he seemed pumped. He was all over social media after he signed saying how happy an grateful he was to be back. That’s great. He should’ve already been back, but better late than never. And while he’s stoked, and I’m stoked for him, I’d be a little upset that it took a pandemic and a restart before he was signed. Like I said, the dude can still play. He is liable to go off for 20 plus at any given time. He can come in and hit clutch shots. He could help young teams, and playoff teams. Hell, I signed him on NBA2K when I went on a deep playoff run with the Grizzlies. He was available, I needed a bench sniper, and I didn’t hesitate. And he was awesome in limited minutes. That’s a video game, think how much better he will he in real life. I know he’s been around for twenty years, but he stays in shape, and he stays shooting. The dude is a walking bucket. With the Nets, they’ll need him to do so very much, and while I think he’s up for it, it will be a tall task. He will now be the guy other teams game plan for. I know Caris Levert is younger, and Jarret Allen is a great time defender, and Joe Harris is lights out from 3, but those guys are specialists. They are more apt to give you solid numbers, but not the numbers it takes to win in the playoffs. Crawford is that dude, but he’s never been counted on as that dude in the NBA. He also hasn’t played at this level all year. The guys coming back have been off for four months, Crawford has been off for a year. He will be fresh, that’s for sure, but he’ll need these eight games to get into NBA shape, and if they still find their way to the playoffs, the Nets will need him to go to a whole other level. But, he’s back, he deserves it and I will cheer and root for him to show everyone what they’re missing out on by kit signing him.

The Nets are also bringing in Michael Beasley. This move isn’t near as enticing as Crawford, but it helps fill out the roster. Beasley has never been able to shed the “bust” label, but maybe he’ll show something in the NBA bubble. Maybe he’s been working on his game. He was once a coveted prospect, maybe he’ll show some glimmers of what could have been. He will also add size and strength to a weakish front court. Allen is good, but he’s skinny and he’s all they have. Beasley will add some beef, and frustrate opposing forwards. That’s one thing that kept him around so long, he’s a nuisance. He can get into other dudes heads. It doesn’t necessarily help his game, but it sometimes helps his team, and wrecks the opposing player. Beasley, hopefully for Nets fans, will flash some potential and bother other players on opposing teams.

I like the Beasley signing, but I LOVE the Crawford signing. The Nets still look bleak, but at least they’re giving guys who deserve a spot a chance. Good for them.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Did You Hear About the Patrick Mahomes Extension?

Somebody in the NFL is going to get paid. Ten year extension worth 450 million dollars, and if he reaches certain numbers, it could get up to 503 million dollars. That is the extension that the Chiefs handed to Patrick Mahomes yesterday afternoon.

I was stunned when I first saw this deal. I was shocked at the price. I couldn't wrap my head around that much money over that amount of time, especially for a football player. Those deals are almost never given to a football player. I remember the Matt Ryan deal, the Jared Goff deal, hell, especially the Aaron Rodgers deal. But those pale in comparison to what Mahomes got yesterday. Those guys have plenty of money, but nothing approaching what Mahomes is going to make over the next twelve years. I mean, it is so wild to just read that, and think why would anyone give an athlete that kind of money. But when I sat with it, read some more things about it and really let it sink in, I don't think it is as wild as it seems now.

The contract is humongous, no denying that. I believe it is the biggest sports contract in history. But, when you have a player like him, a guy that can lead your franchise for the next decade plus, a player that will make guys off the street look good and a coaching staff that is as good as KC has, I'm not so blown away by it. Dare I say, it actually makes sense. The point of professional sports is to win titles. And when you have a player like Mahomes, who is as young and gifted as he is, you have to try everything to lock that up. This deal, to me, is akin to when the Bulls gave Jordan a one year 30 million dollar deal. I don't think any athlete is "worth", in real life terms, that amount of money. But, in the sports world, it is more than worth it to bank on a guy like Mahomes or MJ. Jordan delivered a title the year he got 30 million. Mahomes just won a ring, is young, the core of that team will be together for the next few years, so who is not going to make them the favorites? They have it all right now, especially offensively, and they have the type of QB needed to win in the modern NFL. I wouldn't have hesitated to give him that deal in hindsight. And the way they wrote it, and how he will get the money, it is simply perfect. He won't crush their cap the next two years because he is still under his first contract. This is an extension, so it doesn't really kick in until 2022 or 2023. Brilliant. The biggest chunk of money is set up for him to get in the middle of the deal. So years six, seven, and eight, he will be getting paid, and the Chiefs will be over the cap, but look at how the Patriots dealt with that during Brady's tenure, and right now, Mahomes is a more dynamic QB than Brady could ever dream to be. They will be pulling guys off the heap, but we would have never known the Julian Edelman's, Danny Amendola's, Jabar Gaffney's and Laurence Maroney's of the world had it not been for Brady. Mahomes will do that with similar guys, but might make them even better.

When I fully pull back and look at this deal though, and ponder what the future will hold, I see nothing but good times for the Chiefs, Mahomes and their fans. He obviously likes the team and area. The fans adore him. And the team, well they are set at the most important position in sports for the next twelve years, barring injury. If you have a good, or in Mahomes case, great QB, everything else can be figured out later. The Chiefs are going to be the dominant AFC team. They will be the next Patriots. Fans of other teams will be bored seeing them year after year after year in the playoffs, title games and Super Bowls. I could see him winning another 3-5 rings, which will more than make up for that contract, and he will bring home several other individual awards.

This is an absurd amount of time and money in this deal, but with a player like Mahomes, it just makes sense. Congrats to both parties involved, and I am stoked for my friends that are Chiefs fans. This is some great news for them. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The Football Team in Washington DC May Soon Have a Non-Racist Name

It looks like, finally, the NFL team that resides in Washington is going to change their name.

This has been a long time coming. I don’t know why they haven’t done it yet in fact. I’ve mentioned plenty of times that they need to change the name. I think the Indians in MLB should change their name too, or at the very least, their logo. The name is offensive. It’s a racial epitaph. The fact that people run around and scream the name, yell it from the stands, proudly wear shirts with the name plastered on it, it’s all so very insensitive. And this isn’t a recent thing, or a white guilt thing for me. As I said, I’ve been saying this since I was in high school. If the Bullets can become the Wizards, or the Bobcats can return to the Hornets, or the Saint Louis Browns switching to Cardinals, it’s easy to change a name. All it takes is one person deciding it needs to be done. I know the Wizards came about due to actual guns in the locker room, but still, they went with a change, and it was needed. The very same can be said, even more so, about the NFL team that resides in Washington. And while I know the change is only coming because Nike and FedEx have threatened to stop selling items, Nike going as far as taking all their stuff off their website last night, it needs to happen. Dan Snyder needs to stop being so bullish on this. I know he’s said that he will not budge, but when major investors start to threaten to pull out, his tone changed quickly. He released a statement this morning saying he’d have a meeting to discuss, and about an hour later it was revealed that a “name change was inevitable”. Finally.

As far as what I would like to see them change their name too, that’s a loaded question. I have been thinking about this for a very long time. At one point I really wanted them to change to the Warriors. I figured they could keep the logo, and all they’d have to do is change the name on the merch. I think it’s a much better representation to their team symbol. I still like that name a lot, it still might be my favorite in fact. But there has to be other choices. I saw someone mention the name the Red, White and Blues, and go by the Reds. I don’t like that. It’s too long, and kind of lame. My dad said the Diplomats, and while I think it’s appropriate, they’d have to do a full overhaul of all their merch, and I think it would be too patriotic looking, and the Patriots already own those colors on their gear. As far as other names, that could cause little change, they could go with the Native Americans or Cherokee’s or something in the Native American, American Indian realm. They could also go with something that represents the area. They could do Senators or Diplomats, my dad’s choice, Congress People, I don’t know. They just need to change it. I know it will cause a wide conversation, but it’s needed, as is the change. I’m sticking with my choice of Warriors, but hey, anything is better than what they have now.

This has been a long time coming, and hopefully they will have a new name whenever football comes back.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Looks Like the Patriots Did it to Us Again

The Patriots just refuse to let it go. They refuse to let someone else win their division. They refuse to play an unproven player since they struck gold with Tom Brady. They refuse to just let go, give in and rebuild. They are a less fun, meaner San Antonio Spurs. They just find ways to always keep themselves in the conversation as a contender.

The New England Patriots went out and got Cam Newton yesterday for absolutely nothing at all. They signed him to an incentive laden one year prove it deal after Brady left for Tampa. This is a move that will either be genius, or they can get away with it without having people drag them. They got Newton to sign for one year, if there is a football season, and even if he doesn’t make the team, it will cost them nothing. Any other team could’ve signed him, except Carolina I suppose, and while it shouldn’t surprise me, I was stunned that New England was who got him. They lost a hall of fame QB, but other than that, they were set up to compete simply because their defense is so good. All they really needed out of the QB position this season was a game manager, and it seemed that Jarret Stidham or Brian Hoyer was going to get the job. They looked like they were going to lean on the run game, short passes and their defense. And then they go out and get Newton. He may be the most overqualified game managing QB that was available. I understand he’s been hurt. I know he’s gotten three shoulder surgeries in three consecutive years. I know he hasn’t quite looked the same since his MVP year. I know he’s taken way too many cheap shots since the Super Bowl appearance. But, he’s won a MVP, he’s played in humongous games at all levels, he’s shattered records in the NFL and he has had over a full year to totally recover and get into shape. And if you’re like me and have been watching far too many pro athletes work out videos, because I miss sports so much, Cam looks about as in good a shape as any human can look. He was, in my opinion, the prize free agent QB. You may say that Brady was a free agent too, welp, at this point in their careers, I’d honestly rather have Cam. He’s younger, bigger and faster. So I guess it only makes sense that he’d replace Brady in New England.

I think the reason I’m so frustrated by this, why I wanted Newton to play anywhere else, is because I despise New England as much as almost everyone else does. They’re cheaters, they did get fined yesterday right after signing Newton by the way for filming a Bengals practice, yet they never truly get in trouble. They always get a slap on the wrist. I also was excited to see someone else win that division, and play in the playoffs. I’m fed up with seeing the Patriots every year. I want new blood. And I figured we’d get that. Be it the Bills, Jets or Dolphins, I was stoked for someone else to represent that division. But, if he stays healthy and is even half as good as he was three years ago, Newton will lead this team to another easy division title and playoff spot. This is the best O line he will ever play behind. The receivers might be the best too. Running back isn’t even close, Carolina is set there, but they still have guys that can fill that role solidly. And this defense, it’s better than the one that newton had when he led Carolina to the Super Bowl. This Patriots team was going to win somewhere around 5-8 games I thought with, most likely, Stidham. With Newton, I’d he’s healthy, they’re a 10 win team easily. They are already set everywhere else, and now they have a great QB who will be out to prove a ton of people wrong. Newton wants to show he’s still one of the better players in the NFL. This was exactly what he, and the Patriots needed. I mean, I’m pissed, but it makes too much sense for it to not work out. I thought he’d go to Washington to reunite with Ron Rivera, or go be the real dual threat the Bears want, or even go tutor Tua in Miami. None of that happened though. He went to the dark side. He’s playing for Palpatine, except it will probably work out much better for the Patriots than it did for Palpatine in the last “Star Wars” movie. I mean, the Patriots did it again, and while I shouldn’t be shocked, I am. I am stunned in fact. I’ll be very curious to see what happens next, but this is a home run for both sides, and that’s what’s most frustrating.

The Patriots  just won’t die. They won’t go away. Jesus.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The MLB Coronavirus Plan is Idiotic

I know a few weeks back I dumped on baseball for its lack of starting a season. They could’ve owned the summer, could’ve had all the eyeballs of sports fans craving live sports on them and could’ve been the ticket. They missed out on all of that because both players and owners started to fight over money. It was millionaire versus billionaire fighting over money. It was disgusting and disturbing and flat out upsetting. One side would come up with something, and sure enough the other side would say no. This went on for far too long.

Just recently, it seems that both sides came to some kind of agreement. It’s worth noting that the MLB said something along the lines that players will report on a certain day, all but making the decision for them. Eventually the MLBPA agreed on the proposal because I don’t think they really had a choice. This is where I actually agree with RD, that the players are being screwed. The fact that the MLB just picked a day shows how little they care about the players. But, for the time being, they seem to have a plan in place. It’s a weird plan, drought with problems from my perspective, but a plan nonetheless.

They’ll play 60 games, have an expanded playoff and do the playoffs as usual after the wild card stuff. Now, where this gets weird for me is where they’re playing. It appears that teams will play at their home stadiums, and travel to other stadiums for road games. That’s scary. To get on a plane to go play in another city is one of the no no’s bring handed down by the CDC and WHO. It’s unnecessary travel. I don’t know about the testing, but I can’t imagine it’s what the NBA has, or what colleges are doing right now. That number of games is so small too. If they did that last season, the Nationals wouldn’t have even made the playoffs. Sixty games is nothing in baseball. That’s like playing 4 NFL games. And, I don’t think fans will be allowed, I know for a fact that Busch Stadium isn’t allowing fans. But I bet they will make concessions if numbers of the Coronavirus slow down, which will only make numbers go up. I’m also not big in the number of players they’re bringing per team. RD told me they’re going to start with 30. Thirty guys on a bench, in a locker room, on a plane together is just asking for a cluster to happen. That number doesn’t include coaches or other staff either.

This plan is reminiscent of what the NFL is doing, almost acting like the pandemic is over. It’s not. It’s far from over in fact. I feel like baseball is picking money over health and safety, just like the NFL and college football. I hope I’m all wrong about this though. I hope this works, along with the NBA bubble, the NHL restart, training camps and summer football practice. I want sports back. I crave sports coming back. But we need more guys like Adam Silver in control of this weird time we live in, and less Roger Goodell and Rob Manfred. Silver cares about his players. These other commissioners seem to not care enough, or at all.

We will see what happens with this truncated season, but it seems weird, and seems too little too late. The MLB had a shot to really take over, and they absolutely blew it. Now they’ll be fighting for viewers with the NBA, NHL, soccer, NASCAR, golf and football, possibly. They made a humongous gaffe, and I don’t think a 60 game season during a pandemic is going to help. They blew it.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Happy Retirement Vince Carter and Thanks for the Memories

After 22 years Vince Carter officially retired from the NBA this more.

He said, "I'm officially done".

I have always been a fan of his. There were times that I rooted for other players, wanted his team to get beat, I was not a fan when he was in college, but things changed over time for me. I have a distinct memory, as I am sure most NBA fans do, of the dunk contest that Carter entered and won going away. I don't remember when Jordan and Dominique went head to head, I am too young for Dr J's stuff and while Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine have put on some shows in recent years, the dunk contest Carter won was the most spectacular thing I have ever witnessed as a basketball fan. The reverse 360, the elbow in the rim, the bounce off the side of the hoop, it was all amazing and all new to me. He then went on to the Olympics and dunked all over Frederic Weis. I only know Weis' name because Carter ended him. He literally jumped over him and made the poster to end all posters. I had a picture of that on my wall, and I know a good group of my friends did too. That was when the fandom started for me. It was the dunk contest, then ending Weis. I have always been a fan of more thunderous dunkers. Guys that would dunk, and dunk hard. I loved seeing Shaq pull down rims. Daryl Dawkins is an icon dunker to me. I am, and always will be, a big time Shawn Kemp fan, he is my all time favorite player in fact, and that is because of his incredible dunks. Carter was able to do that, but also put some finesse into it. He was like a mixture of Dawkins and George Gervin with the way he would dunk. He would do these incredible twists and turns and loops and throw it down with authority.

I started liking him more and more after the dunk contest when he was in Toronto. When he moved on to the Nets I cooled a bit, but that was because I was naive at why he changed teams. Toronto wasn't going to do much to help him. They weren't going to compete for a championship, and Carter knew it. He figured the Nets were his best shot. And he had chances. He played on some good teams. Teams that made deep playoff runs. But they couldn't quite get over the top. This was also when Carter's game started to evolve. He was still doing magnificent things in the air, but he also started to work on his jumper, try a bit on defense and become more of a team guy. This made my fandom grow even more. After his tenure in New Jersey, he became a journeyman of sorts. He would go to young teams and kind of be a mentor, but also he could still play. He was still a contributor. He spent a season in Orlando, the next in Phoenix, then three years with the Mavericks, when his jumper became a real threat, three more seasons in Memphis, two in Sacramento and his last two years in Atlanta. Watching him play when he went to Memphis, then Sacramento and then Atlanta, he played into his 40's, he still contributed and you could see the love of the game. He didn't want to leave. Father time is undefeated, but Carter fought it more successfully than a lot of pro athletes.

What made me like Carter more near the end was his attitude. He didn't go to these places and demand things. He didn't go with an ego. It was like I said before, he wanted to play and he wanted to help the new generation of NBA players. I bet you dollars to donuts than a player like Trae Young loved having him on his team. I guarantee he helped John Collins a ton when he got wrongfully suspended. I'm sure Lloyd Pierce loved having him on the court as a "coach" on the floor. Carter became a beloved figure in the NBA, and that is rad.

Do not get it twisted, Carter was the man in his early days, and I think he is a first ballot hall of famer. While he may not have a ring, and I think it rules that he didn't chase one, he was an 8 time all star, twice on an all NBA team and won the rookie of the year award. He was also an All American in college. He was a lottery pick that lived up to the hype. He has a gold medal. He is an important and prominent figure within the NBA. Honestly, I'd rather have his career than super star guys like Carmelo Anthony or Tracy McGrady, who I love also, and is his cousin or James Harden. Vince Carter was steady, at times dominant, one of the most athletic players to ever play and, at the end, a threat when shooting jumpers and, all in all, a great, great teammate. Vince Carter has earned his stripes and my hat is off to him. Now he gets to enjoy retirement.

What a career. A Hall of Fame worthy one if you ask me.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Who Should Be the Next Head Coach for the New York Knicks?

Another day another basketball story from me.

Today I want to talk about the New York Knicks and their coaching search. They fired David Fizdale, unfairly I still think, and this team has been in the tank for too long now. The Knicks are a flagship team, and the NBA is better when they are a good team. The last time I can remember them being good was eight years ago, when Carmelo was still good and they won fifty games. They then immediately went out and got washed by the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. Since then it has been a dumpster fire. They have not been a good team. They have made some odd draft choices, and odd trades. They've made some questionable signings. And they have missed out on some big time free agents they thought they may be getting. And even when they make a good draft choice, Kristaps Porzingis comes to mind, he wants out and they trade him. And Mitchell Robinson is very good, but I am at a point where I think they will trade him when his stock is high. They won't let him stick around long enough to become the all star I think he can be.

The Knicks recent downswing has resulted in them becoming a laughingstock, they need James Dolan to be gone, they need to get a solid draft pick and they need to start making sound free agent choices. I think a lot of that depends on who they hire as their new head coach, and what Leon Rose brings to the team. Rose will get them meetings. He will get guys in the room. He was a super agent. Now the Knicks need to get the right coach.

I've seen so many names connected. It seems like every coach, be it a current head coach, former head coach or upcoming assistant is being mentioned, or have an interview coming up. The last three names I heard recently are Mike Brown, Jason Kidd and Tom Thibodeau. These are the three guys they seem to be honing in on.

I wouldn't hire Tom Thibodeau. I wasn't a fan of his in Chicago. I thought he overworked his best players and I still throw a little blame his way for Derrick Rose's knee exploding in the strike shortened season. He played him far too much. I also wasn't a fan when Minnesota hired him to be the coach and GM. I wrote a whole thing about it. He didn’t do much of anything until the Timberwolves signed Jimmy Butler, and we all saw how that turned out. I am not a Thibodeau guy, and I don't think he has it in him to coach a team that needs to be developed. He needs a team that is laden with vets, and I still would be hesitant to hire him.

Jason Kidd has come on strong as of late because of his relationship to Giannis Antentokoumpo. He coached him in Milwaukee, Giannis likes him and those Bucks teams were solid under Kidd. Unfortunately what I remember most from his tenure there is the water spilling incident to try and save a timeout. Also, it appears that he wears out his welcome quick. Milwaukee let him go after three years and the Nets job, I don't believe he finished one season there. He may also want to stay in LA because LeBron may want him to become the head coach if Frank Vogel screws things up. And, all this talk of Giannis leaving Milwaukee, and teams trying to set up how they will sign him or trade for him, getting the right players to pair him with, I truly believe Giannis wants to stay in Milwaukee. They are always going to be a threat with him, he seems like he likes it there, he started a family there and they can offer him as much money as any other team. He reminds me of a guy that wants to play for just one team his whole career. And if he can bring them a title, man would that make my dad happy.

So we are left with Mike Brown. I actually do think this would be a homerun hire for the Knicks. He has had major success as a head coach. Sure, it was with a young LeBron, but still, he coached a Finals team. He has also been doing wonders as an assistant in Golden State. He has stepped up, stepped in when needed and the players there love and respect him. I know things didn’t go great in Cleveland after LeBron left for Miami, but it hasn’t gone good for anyone else whenever LeBron isn't on that team. They are the Browns of the NBA. Cleveland is a waste land without LeBron. So I don’t knock Mike Brown for that. I also think his time in Golden State has opened him up to the modern NBA, he has helped develop some great players, he has taken the role of head man when Steve Kerr has had to sit out, he has done it all. I also think Knicks fans, and more importantly, players, will adore him. He can coach vets as well as he can develop raw talent. Mitchell Robinson could reach the all star level under him. Maybe Dennis Smith Jr would buy into being more of a distributor than a shooter. Frank Knilitina may be able to work on his jumper and become a poor man's Draymond. They could get a solid draft pick, maybe Tyler Haliburton, that they can turn into a swiss army type guy, because Mike Brown knows how to coach and develop guys like that. I think he is more than deserving of his second chance, and I think the Knicks would be foolish to not give him the job.

We shall see, but I feel that Mike Brown is far and away the best candidate for the vacant head coaching job for the Knicks right now. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Where Should Boogie Cousins Play When the NBA Restarts?

With the restart coming in the NBA, hopefully, there have been some guys that have already said they will sit out, and some players who weren't signed, or just signed before the shutdown, they are now available to be picked up by one of the twenty-two teams headed to Orlando, again, hopefully.

Davis Bertans is sitting out, and I get it. He has had his best year, he will never be as highly regarded and sought after and the Wizards are going nowhere. Trevor Ariza has opted to sit out because he is going through a nasty custody battle, and he wants to spend time with his kid. Those guys I get their reasoning. I'm sure some other players, with about as much clout as them, will decide to sit as well. But the big name I saw today, and oh, by the way, tomorrow is the deadline for players to let their teams know if they are not going to go to Orlando, so I am sure we will see some more names, was Demarcus Cousins.

So, I assumed Cousins was done for the season. Then a report came out that said he said he was going to get himself ready for next season and forego this restart. But then another story came out that said he wasn't fully committed to sitting out, and he may field some offers. That all got me thinking. First off, I thought he was done for the year, but in reality, it has been about a year. He came back last season early from a torn ACL and played, not well, but still played. He has had more time to heal now. He may be in better shape than he was at this time last season when he had to play for Golden State in the Finals. Who knows. He is also still a very, very high volume low post scorer. He was one of the best for a minute there, but injuries have slowed him down to a halt. He isn't the guy he was in Sacramento, but he is still a quality player, and an above average scorer. He can help a team immediately that needs an enforcer, rebounder and a big down low. I do honestly believe that. I am still a Boogie fan. I feel like he has been treated unfairly, and that he can still play offense, and rebound, at a high level. With all that being said, and the injury stuff, and his rehab, I also started thinking about teams that could use him if he wants to play.

The number one obvious choice is the Lakers. He was there, he knows the system, Dwight Howard may not play and LeBron likes him. He has also played alongside Anthony Davis before, and they had a bit of success. He would be a solid replacement for Howard if he were to opt out. I actually think he is a better scorer. Dwight Howard has been so much better on defense, and really accepted his role there. But, Boogie is an All Star and young and can play. Personally I'd rather have Boogie. I also think the Clippers could use him. They have good bigs, but no one like Boogie. Ivan Zubac is fine, but he is just fine. Montrezl Harrell is a super high energy rebounding machine off the bench, but he is small. Other than that, it is Kawhi and Paul George. And while they're great, I think Boogie could be a third or fourth option that they crave. I think Sacramento could use him. They have a crew of young guys, a new head coach and they need a solid big. Sure it would be weird to see him in that uniform again, but almost everything has changed since he was originally there. It is pretty much brand new. And I would love to see him paired with DeAron Fox is a pick and roll. Orlando could pair him with Vuvcevic, and that would be like the poor man's version of what the Pelicans did when they paired him with AD. Vucvevic is more of a scorer, like Boogie, so they may get eaten up in the post. But, they could each put in 20 to 30 a night, especially with all the time off every player has had. People will not want to body him. Hell, I could go on and on with teams I think could use him. Utah could pair him with Gobert, and that would be menacing. Denver could replace Paul Milsap with him and have a younger, more athletic big next to Jokic. Boston is begging for a big man, and the two have been linked prior. Toronto may even want to put him out there with Marc Gasol, and let Serge Ibaka roam for open jumpers on offense, and hunt for blocks on defense.

I feel like Boogie should be a hot commodity if the restart happens, and if Boogie wants to play. I still have faith in him. I still believe in him, and I wish nothing but the best for him. We will just have to wait and see. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Mike Gundy, a Profile in Idiocy

So, can someone explain to me why Oklahoma State still has Mike Gundy on their payroll? Sure, he is good for seven, eight, maybe even nine wins sometimes. He has coached some pro talent players. He has had Oklahoma State in the thick of Big 12 races. But, with the state of the world today, and the fact that he wore that god damn shirt, why is he still employed?

Gundy apology was false, and seemed forced. There have been stories released recently that he has said racial epitaphs in the past. He has shown that he has a very short temper and will fly off the rails. He has that stupid, redneck haircut. And he fully knew what shirt he was wearing the other day. He is clearly one of these far, far, far right wing nut jobs. He probably owns more than one of those shirts. He took a picture knowing that it would be posted on social media. He has shown that he supports the current "president", and has never backed away from it. Mike Gundy is, was, and always will be a racist. The fact that he didn't do or say anything prior to his star running back saying he wouldn't be involved with the university until this was addressed speaks volumes. He didn't care. He didn't think. He put on a t shirt that is a conspiracy theory right wing nonsense network, and knew it would get out. Then the star player says something, he happens to be African American, and all of the sudden Mike Gundy is talking about the "error of his ways", and how "things need to change".

I don't buy it for one single second. He would have never said or done anything had the current situation been different. Hell, when/if the college football season starts, and if Oklahoma State starts to win, no one will bring this up. And that is the problem. He has not been fired because Oklahoma State was a perennial whipping boy before he arrived. And while they aren't great by any means, they play a fun offense, and find a way to make bowl games more times than not since he took over. But that is beyond the point. And before people say, "he is a republican, why can't he support his party? ", or "why does everything have to be so politically correct now?", that is not my point. If he is a republican fine. Things are very different now, so people in the limelight should at least try to be politically correct. That is the truth. But this goes beyond political correctness or being a republican.

The problem is Gundy’s choice of apparel. That shirt with OAN on it, that is a conspiracy theory news publication that has some of the most hateful and hurtful speech in the current media. If you want to be disgusted, go check out some of their stuff. It will turn your stomach. So for him to be wearing that shirt, that means he not only supports it, he believes it. He is part of the problem. He is the type of person that wants four more years of this. He is the type of guy that would call me and my family a "sheep" for wearing a mask in public. He probably thinks the Coronavirus pandemic is a myth. He has issues, and they are scary issues. I support Chuba Hubbard so much more than I will ever support or respect Mike Gundy. He is a young, influential black man, he saw a problem and he addressed it. He did what he felt was right, and what was actually right. Mike Gundy is a racist. Chuba Hubbard shouldn't have to play for him if he doesn't feel comfortable. There are a ton of colleges who would love to have him on their team right now. He should be free to transfer anywhere he wants.

It is time for the Mike Gundy's of the world to be held accountable for their horrendous actions, and to support the Chuba Hubbard's of the world, who see a problem and want it fixed immediately. Mike Gundy should be gone, he should be fired. The ball is in Oklahoma State's court now. Lets see what they do. Hopefully it is the right thing. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Ty Watches "Long Gone Summer"

Yesterday I watched the most recent 30 for 30 "Long Gone Summer". The doc was about the summer of 1998 when Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa chased the home run record set by Roger Maris.

I lived through this moment in time, and I vividly remember the chase because I live in Saint Louis, and I am a Cardinals fan. That was one of my main motivations for watching this movie. I also wanted to see how much they talked about steroids in this era, and how much of a part it played in both guys, and eventually Barry Bonds, breaking such a hallowed record. And yes, records in baseball, for some reason, are held in higher regards than in other pro sports. So the fact that three guys in four years broke the record, people had lots of questions. But I will touch on that in a moment.

As for the movie, it was just fine. It wasn't great, it wasn't bad, it was just fine. This is unfair to the movie, but I am now going to be comparing the every 30 for 30 to "The Last Dance". That was epic, perfect and one of the best movies I will ever see. So I know comparing this movie to it is not fair. But it just didn't fully live up to the hype for me. A lot of the footage, I remember seeing. I was 16 when this happened, loved baseball, played baseball, so it had my full attention. Baseball also needed something to get back in people's good graces after the 1994 lockout, and this home run race was the remedy. I remember McGwire starting off hot. I remember Ken Griffey Jr being right in it. I remember Sammy Sosa coming on super strong in June. They covered all this, but they didn't really add anything new. I don't think they put in anything that your average baseball fan doesn't remember from that era. They talked about Kerry Wood, but he was the hot phenom at the time. They mentioned Harry Caray's death, and everyone knew about that. They mentioned Sosa's unexpected explosion in June, but that is what got the world's attention. They talked about how hard it was on both guys, but anyone that watched could see it in their faces, especially McGwire's. Sosa loved the limelight, and he shined in it. McGwire just wanted to hit baseballs. I also remember not being a fan of either guy, even though I was, and still am, a Cardinals fan. I was always a Griffey Jr guy.

What I am trying to say is, I already knew all the stuff they were getting into with this movie. I watch 30 for 30's because they give me new info, or tell me about someone I never heard of before. This was almost a paint by numbers doc. It was softball question after softball question. They did not really dig deep into what I was hoping they would, steroids. And that is on me I guess. I was going into this movie thinking it was going to be a salacious take down of both guys, and both guys would come clean about their steroid use. And, I mean, I guess they did, but it was kind of half hearted admittance. McGwire said he used steroids, but only for injuries, which is B.S. Sosa said, "everyone was doing it", which isn't really an admission, but also kind of is. But they did all that in the last ten minutes of the movie. They spent an hour and a half praising these guys, showing legions of fans cheering for them and how they overcame adversity, only to switch at the end to say, "they may have used steroids". There is no may, they did. This could have been like the Lance Armstrong doc. They could have delved so much deeper into the seedy world of steroid use in baseball in the mid to late 90's and early 2000's. They chose to go in a different direction, which is fine, it just wasn't what I wanted or expected. Sosa and McGwire almost come off as good guys, and they both are not, at least in baseball terms. They both took PEDs. They both cheated the game. They both fell off after this one magical season. They both were called into congress to talk about PED use. And "Long Gone Summer" just kind of glossed over all of that in favor for watching a baseball fly over a wall.

It was nice to go back in time and see a ton of cool stuff that I watched as a teenager, but this movie could have been better, at least for me. I wanted more steroid talk, more salacious stuff. "Long Gone Summer" went for sympathy, and that is their prerogative. Now I know to watch "The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience" if I want what I deem to be the truer story, and I'm totally cool with that. I'm glad I watched, but I don't see myself revisiting it like I do with so many other 30 for 30's.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Thoughts on if the NBA Should Come Back

I didn't write yesterday because, as I told RD when I called him, I needed another night to figure out how I was going to word my piece for the day. I don't want to come off as an asshole at all, but I figure there will be at least one person that disagrees with me today, and well, there is really nothing I can do about that.

Today I want to talk about the player uprising in the NBA right now. Maybe uprising is a bit too strong, but still, there is a decent number of players, and former players for that matter, who do not think right now is the correct time to come back and play. They deem it too much of a distraction from what is currently going on in our country, as far as the protests, Black Live Matter, police brutality, the pandemic, and any other hellscape that we currently live in. And I fully, fully agree with that. I understand. Once players start playing basketball, that will be the biggest story, at least in the sporting news. That is what people will talk about. The people that cover it will immediately shift their focus to the games, the players and the plays that decide the game. The protests will seemingly shift on the back burner. We don't need that. These protests are working. Stuff is starting to happen. I want the police defunded, and the money given to public education personally, and I feel like there is a shift happening in that direction. Some places have already had votes to defund police, and it is working. Also, a good amount of prominent NBA players have taken part in the protests. Players like Giannis, Russ, DeMar DeRozan and Steph and Klay, among many others, have marched, spoken at the marches and been front and center. I LOVE that they are doing that. I love that they are letting their voice be heard. I appreciate that they are taking the time to go out and fight for what is right. But I do fear that once they step on the court, it will all be forgotten. Well, maybe not forgotten, but pushed aside. Guys like Steph and Klay won't get pushed aside because the Warriors weren't invited. But Russ, Giannis, guys on teams that will be going to Orlando, I think the fact that they marched will be put aside when they throw a pinpoint pass, or get a steal or do a thunderous dunk. That sucks.

There is also the current uptick, alarmingly so, of Coronavirus cases in Florida right now. I don't think the NBA players will be as susceptible, due to the "bubble" they will be put in, but still, there has been a scary amount of newly reported cases in Florida. I get NBA players being wary of that. There is also the injury factor that some young guys have brought up. This is going to be a quick restart, and the way these guys are built, someone could suffer a devastating injury. I would hope that the NBA has contingency plans for that, and I assume they do. But still, it is a big time risk. I get all of these fears and problems being brought up by some players.

Now, for what some may see as the heel turn, I'm shocked that Kyrie Irving has this much hold over current NBA players. When rumors started to surface that some players were unhappy with the restart, I racked my brain trying to figure out who. I thought maybe Chris Paul. He has a family that he is super involved with, and three months away is a long, long time. It wasn't him. Then I thought about some guys on the six teams that got invited. I figured guys like Devin Booker, DeAron Fox, Damien Lillard, CJ McCollum, thought it would be pointless because they will, most likely, be there for only eight games, and then have to head home on an airplane. It wasn't those guys either. I even thought, well maybe Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell don't want to play because, and if it wasn't them it would have assuredly been someone else, they essentially shut down the league, and know firsthand how rough this virus can be. But it wasn't them either. The biggest, most dissenting voice was Kyrie Irving, a guy that wasn't invited to play because he is injured and will not return to next season. As soon as I saw it was him, I scoffed and said out loud to no one, "of course it is Kyrie, he is going to ruin this for everyone".

I am not a Kyrie Irving fan. I never have been. Not even in college, or when he hit one of the biggest shots in NBA history. He is a great, great player. I just don't care for him. He is also an insane person. He is a flat Earther. I believe he is anti-vaccine. He has this deep hatred for LeBron James, so much so that he asked to be traded from a perennial Finals team because he didn't want to play with LeBron. He has also destroyed two locker rooms on his way to this new mission of his to shut down this restart. Now, I agree with his issues with the restart. I said it all up top. I want the protests to be front and center on the news, and I do agree that basketball will take away from that. But coming from Kyrie Irving, a kid who grew up with every single advantage, makes millions upon millions of dollars and isn't even going to play, that makes me mad. I'm sorry, but it does. It pisses me off truthfully. I get his message, I cannot say that enough, but he has money to last for the rest of his life. He makes money outside of his NBA contract. He is doing just fine. But what about the 8th or 9th guy on his team. What is that guy going to do if they cancel this season? Also, if they cancel this season, that will lead to, almost certainly, a lockout next year, and billions upon billions of dollars will be lost. Again, I agree with his words, but he is only thinking about himself in this scenario. He is only trying, as some conspiracy theorists have put out there, to keep LeBron from chasing another title.

Yet, there have been other voices coming out in support of Irving, like Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley and Carmelo Anthony. Dwight Howard, I get. His baby's mother died from this disease. He has personal issues with this. If Minnesota were invited, and they asked KAT about it, and if he didn't want to restart, I'd get it. He lost his mother to the virus. Stephen Jackson has been very vocal about cancelling the restart, and he is one of the biggest voices in the protests, I love what he is doing, and how much he is stepping up. He also lost a dear friend due to police brutality. He is also retired. I get why he is so adamant on stopping the restart. But, Kyrie, Avery Bradley and Carmelo, they confuse me. I think I covered why Kyrie's involvement puzzles me. Carmelo, he begged to get back in the league, got signed, and has played well. Why now does he not want a chance to play, at least, eight more games? I don't know. Maybe he is fearful of the virus or getting hurt or something else. But for a guy that was on every TV show until he got signed to suddenly be against a restart, that is puzzling. Avery Bradley is a role player, and I assume he would like to continue to make money. He would be giving up a huge chunk of his salary if they don't restart, and then he would be looking for a new team next season when the lockout inevitably happens. His involvement is the most puzzling of the names of players that have been released. He is due to lose the most money of any named player against a restart.

Ed Davis, who is a ten year vet came out yesterday and brought up some very good points I thought about not restarting. He mentioned that guys like Kyrie, they have made their money and they will be set. The people who have most to lose are vets like him. They rely on the paychecks that come in every two weeks to provide and care for their loved ones. They make a ton of money, but it isn't at the level that a Kyrie Irving makes. So while Davis said he gets where Kyrie is coming from, he also stated that a player like Kyrie doesn't have the same worries as a player like himself does.

I fully agree with Ed Davis. That is the bottom line of all this, and that is the sad thing. The NBA is a business. They are around to make money and get on TV and promote super stars. I asked my wife, who works for a big time stock firm, what would they do if someone said they wanted to leave to go protest and march. She said they would wish them all the luck in the world, sing their praises, support them and let them know they would try and save their job. She also told me that while that person was away, they wouldn't be required to pay them. That is how businesses work, and I think Kyrie doesn't realize, or care about that. If he does get his way, and enough star guys decide to sit out this restart, enough star players that is, this will cause much bigger problems in the future. There will be a lockout next season. The CBA will be torn to shreds and the owners will have all the power. The NBA will use their Force Majeure clause, they can use this in an event that is so catastrophic that is causing unforeseen cancellations, and rip up everything past players worked for today. This is a very weird, very rough, very bad time in the world right now. We are living through some awful shit. And while I applaud the reasoning that some guys are giving for not wanting to restart, I also think they need to know that it will destroy everything they have worked for to be where they are today, to make the money they make today, to have the power to speak to people the way they do today.

The NBA is one of, if not the, most forward thinking professional leagues in the world. If they cancel this restart, it will be catastrophic though. I don't think it will be cancelled though. LeBron has already come out and said the he doesn't think restarting will take away from his ability to speak to people and force change. I agree with him. Also, when he said that, any anger I had towards Kyrie went away, because when LeBron speaks, the NBA listens.

This is one of the more confusing and frustrating things I have dealt with personally as a sports fan. I want the NBA back. I want to watch basketball. But I also want people to continue talking about the protests, I want people to continue to march, I want the police defunded. I want all these things, and I still think we can have it even with NBA players playing basketball. I guess time will tell. Until then, I will be curious to see what the next couple of weeks has in store, because the next couple of weeks is when players are supposed to start reporting to the mini training camps. We will just have to wait and see. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Basketball is Back Baby

Yesterday the NBA approved the 22 team proposal to finish out the 2019-20 season. They are heading to mini training camps in June, they will go to Orlando early July for more practice and on July 31st they will start to play real games. This was a nearly unanimous vote. The only team that voted against the proposal was Portland, which I am still a bit confused about since they are one of the non playoff teams being invited.

Needless to say, I am over the moon at this news. I was almost certain up until about two weeks ago that they were going to cancel the season. I just assumed they wouldn't be able to pull it off. And while there is still going to be massive hoops to jump through, while they will need to be extra careful, while I am certain that some players with get sick and contract the virus, I feel like the NBA is being very smart, and more importantly, safe with their plan to finish this out. They seem to have tripled checked everything they are doing, and that is why I think their plan going forward is going to work.

I like a lot about this plan. I love the idea of playing play in tournaments for the final seeds in the East and West. I'm all about the eight extra games to determine seeding. I am stoked that they are going Summer League style and playing games all day long. I get to watch hours and hours of NBA games all day long when they return. That rules. I am curious, and also happy, that they are doing it in one spot and that they are secluding the players in a "bubble". The Wide World of Sports seems like the best possible spot to finish this out. I love that the players are going to get time to get back in shape. To meet up with teammates and coaches again. To see people they like and work with. I am stoked that my team, the Memphis Grizzlies, have a real shot at the playoffs. I love that I will get to see Ja, Zion, LeBron, Kawhi, Chris Paul, Jokic, and so many other stars that I have missed since the season was suspended on March 11th. I even like that the NBA is looking into a way to let guys bring some of their family with them to stay with them while they finish it all out. I am on board with pretty much everything they have set forth as their plan.

The only thing I don't really like is some of the teams they invited. I believe when they were getting closer to a solution last week I said I liked the idea of 20 teams being invited, and having the four extra teams fight for the final playoff spot. I don't get why the Kings, Suns and Wizards are all being invited. The Suns and Kings have a very limited shot at making the playoffs. They have to play flawless basketball for the most part, and they don't have the luxury of facing the Hornets, Warriors or Knicks. All the teams invited are good teams. Washington has an even more uphill battle to fight. They have been not very good all year, and they must play flawless basketball for a shot at the play in tournament. They cannot afford one slip up. It's cool that we will get to see Brad Beal, DeAron Fox and Devin Booker. But, it is going to be eigt games and then they will be sent home. Hell, I could even throw San Antonio in this conversation, but they have the best coach to ever coach the game roaming their sideline, so I still won't count them out.

If the only real problem I see is the addition of two extra teams from what I wanted a week ago. I'd say that is small potatoes. I can live with that. I'm just so very happy that NBA basketball is going to be back. I am also very curious to see how the bench interactions goes, how they deal with social distancing, what they do with crowd noise or if they use mannequins or cardboard cutouts to fill the stands. It is going to be weird at first, but the moment that ball is tossed up and tipped, and these players start playing, I feel like all that will go away for me and I will be grinning from ear to ear because the NBA is back.

This is great news. Real great news. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Drew Brees is a Stupidhead

I know "RTJ 4" came out early, and I am still going to dedicate all of next week to the record. Believe me, I have listened to the whole thing multiple times already, and the early release will only give me more time to be more eloquent when I write about it all next week. I'm still doing that. For the remainder of this week though, I have a few things I want to write about.

Today I will focus my energy on Drew Brees and his insensitive, stupid, misinformed and racist statement he made on some show I have never even heard of yesterday. He has already apologized, but it was one of the most cliched apologies I have ever read. It felt like it was pre written years ago by someone that works for him in case he said something as dumb as he did yesterday. I don't buy his apology, and I think, when he made his statement about "standing for the flag" yesterday, that is what is truly in his heart. That is what he believes. The apology is to try and save face. He doesn't mean it, he just doesn't want anyone mad at him anymore. To that I say, too late. I have seen a few people come to his defense, and bring up freedom of speech. To those people I say, read a book and actually look at what guys like Colin Kaepernick and others when doing when they knelt during the anthem. Find out why they were actually doing that. Read what they were peacefully protesting by kneeling. They are more American than Drew Brees could ever dream of being, or any other racist that sits on their couch and yells at them for "disrespecting the flag".

Brees' statement, for those of you that still don't know, or are simply avoiding it, was basically spitting in the face of players who peacefully protested police brutality. The protests have nothing to do with the flag, with America, with disrespect, with wars, none of that. Kaepernick started kneeling because of police brutality aimed at minorities. He knelt because he saw what we all see everyday. A lot of police officers profile minorities, without even doing a check first, and that was what the players were protesting. They weren't protesting the anthem. They weren't saying the hate America, although I don't really like it right now. They were, and still are, protesting police brutality. So for Brees to make a blanket statement like he did yesterday, he clearly hasn't done his research, and he said what I feel like he truly believes. He didn't do his homework, he just popped off at the mouth.

And boy oh boy did the heat come pretty much immediately after it was shown on multiple websites. We have just witnessed the police murder a man in cold blood. In fact, police have been doing this forever. Kaepernick's protest started in 2016. So, after the Brees interview was released, star athletes everywhere chimed in, as I hoped they would. LeBron James instantly called him out, stating, "is it still a surprise, not anymore". That is one of the truest statements that was made yesterday. Teammates of his, Michael Thomas and Malcolm Jenkins and Emmaunel Sanders came out and called him out on his racist statement. Richard Sherman chimed in with some very thought provoking statements. Stephen Jackson and Ed Reed put out two great, two not safe for work, videos that I have watched multiple times. Hell, even Aaron Rodgers came out and said something. After Rodgers statement, CJ McCollum came out and tweeted, "we need more Aaron Rodgers and less Drew Brees". He is right. Since then many, many other athletes have come out and spoken their minds. Players are talking about all the respect they have lost for him, how phony his whole "brotherhood" stuff is, how he doesn't really, truly care about anyone but himself. I completely agree with them. His statement was so selfish and so self fulfilling. He doesn't care about Michael Thomas or Alvin Kamara or any skill player that is a minority on his team. They have made him millions of dollars, but his statement yesterday alone proves he doesn't care about them personally at all. He looks at them like owners of football teams do. They are property to him, and if they kneel to protest police brutality, he doesn't even want to give them the time of day. He doesn't care. And the apology does nothing to change my mind at all.

Drew Brees is a scumbag and he showed me, and all of the world yesterday his true colors. I didn't cheer for or against the Saints before yesterday, but now I will be cheering very hard against Drew Brees. He is as misinformed as any other person out there that has never done a lick of research into why players were/are peacefully protesting. He is a racist and I will only see that in him now. He can apologize all he wants, my mind is made up. As Ed Reed said, he is a "sucka". That's facts. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

The NBA Has a Plan. Now Let's Get This Thing Going.

Being that the world is still a shit storm of a waking nightmare, and I talked politics with RD on the most recent pod, I am going to go back to my sports and other pop culture stuff that I normally write and talk about. What is happening in the world is awful, brutal, racist and wrong. It makes me upset and angry. But, I want to keep those conversations between me and my loved ones. I will fight in my way, and support in my way. For now though, on to some NBA news.

Last Friday there was a big time conference call involving all the big wigs in NBA circles. They are looking to devise a plan that will have teams starting games on July 31st, with a training camp type atmosphere starting in mid June. They have also talked about three plans, that I know of, where, one has all 30 teams come back and play a few games to close out the regular season. The second plan, they just have the 16 teams, 8 from each conference, to go right into playoffs. The third option, have 20-22 teams come, keep the top 16 teams and have a play in tournament for the other 6 teams.

The third plan is the one I like the most. I like the idea of having teams like Memphis, Portland, San Antonio and New Orleans all vying for the final couple playoff spots. I would love to see Ja Morant and Zion Williamson face off to go to the playoffs. I feel like Greg Poppovich could devise some crazy game plan for a one or two game play in spot. I would love to see Damien Lillard under that pressure because the dude always comes up big in big time moments. I think it would be like the end of the all star game this year. Guys would be going all out to get into the playoffs.

I also wanted to point out that the four teams I mentioned that would be invited, they are all West teams. The Western Conference continues to be the best. I mean, teams like Orlando and Brooklyn are going to get in because they are firmly in the playoffs in the East right now, but come on, I would much rather watch competitive first round series than see Milwaukee cruise by Orlando in the first round and Indiana in the second round. I would also like to see them seed the top 16 teams, after the play in tournament, by record. I want the 1 seed to play the 16 seed. I want it to be like the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. I know it wouldn't be as tense, what with the series going at least five games. But still, it would be fun as hell to watch.

That is the other thing with this proposal, or proposals, on the table. I am going to watch no matter what they choose, if they choose to come back. I am a basketball junkie. I have missed it so very, very, very much. I know it has only been three months, but it feels like so much longer. I want any kind of basketball right now. Hell, I watched that HORSE thing they did, which was not great, just because it had pros from everywhere doing wild trick shots. And I understand that someone can get sick doing this. I am sure that someone will get sick. It is bound to happen. But, if they take all the precautions that they have been so far, and I feel like the NBA has been extra safe, almost too paranoid to come back, they should be okay. It looks like they will have the tests. If they choose Orlando, which is a no brainer, they have the space, the rooms and the facilities to be safe. There have been stories already posted that they will only allow teams to bring 35 total people per team. That includes roster, coaches, staff and trainers.

The NBA, at least it seems to me, has looked into restarting closer than any other professional sports league so far. It also helps that they have seen the KBL, UFC, Bundesliga, NASCAR and other pro leagues come back and see very little, to none, positive tests come back. It has all been going well so far. I really, really hope when they vote on Thursday they come back with a firm plan for restarting. All signs seems to point in that direction too. I hope it comes to a conclusion, and if/when it does, I will be watching so much basketball this summer I won't know what to do with myself. Man I hope this happens. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

MLB is Blowing It

Earlier today it was announced that the English Premiere League, one of the bigger professional soccer leagues in the world, is going to resume their season on June 17th. They will be doing it behind closed doors, they will air the games and the majority of the players seemed excited. The other soccer league that started seems to be doing okay. The NHL has announced their plan to resume with a 24 team playoff, they just need a venue. The NBA seems to be making progress everyday towards a restart of some kind, my favorite being the 20 team play in type tournament being held in Orlando. And the Korean Baseball League, I would be lying if I said I haven't tuned in here and there to see what pro sports is going to look like in the immediate future.

Every major league seems to be making plans and progress, except the MLB. This was their chance. They could have owned the summer with sports. They could have been the big draw. They could have had all the eyeballs on them. Hell, I am not a baseball guy, but I even admitted to watching the KBL. I would most definitely have watched many more MLB games than I have in nearly a decade, had it come back at some point. But they seem to keep stalling and squabbling over some minor things, and that has kept them from gaining any momentum that other pro leagues seem to gain each day.

Predictably, they are fighting over money. By they I mean the owners and players. I heard someone say recently that the A's are simply going to stop paying minor league players at the moment. How on Earth is that fair? But the professional players, the stars, are making it even harder for any one to make a decision. The Tampa pitcher, Snell or something, I am not sure, came out and bemoaned the fact that he would be asked to take a pay cut to play. I get that he is worried about getting Covid-19, we all are. But for him to bring money into this conversation, especially when he has made millions of dollars, that is some petty junky stuff right there. Now the owners are saying they are going to slash pay for all the games missed, and will continue until they find a resolution. That is absurd, from both parties. The star players that are refusing to take a pay cut, that is necessary. Everyday working people, people who live paycheck to paycheck have lost money, a portion of their salary or their jobs all together. We have millionaires here complaining about losing 100,000 dollars from a check that is over a million dollars. How dare they. Hell, even the NBA guys are willing to take a cut because they just want to get back and play. They asked Chris Paul about that specifically, and he said he doesn't care, he has made enough money, he just misses the game. But ask this Snell guy, or Max Scherzer, and they scoff at the notion they should be paid less. But then for the owners to make any headway, any concession, these players are not property, they are people. Sure, they are people that make an exuberant amount of money, but to these owners, they earned that money. I don't chastise them for trying to make cuts, it is necessary. But, to withhold money from current players, especially minor league players, that is straight up sadistic. I cannot believe what the A's are doing. I hope it is a false report, but at this point, I wouldn't be shocked if it were real.

Baseball had a shot. Hell, I have gotten multiple emails from my son's little league association about the start of his season and the protocols, and it seems like more info than the MLB is willing to put out there. They also seem unwilling, both sides, to bend whatsoever. That's a shame. As I said, they could have owned the summer. They could have been the only show. But now we have the KBL, UFC, NASCAR, pro soccer leagues, Cornhole Leagues and the NHL coming back. Then there is all the progress with the NBA, NFL, college football and basketball. All these sports are so far ahead of the MLB at the moment. They blew it, and it all seems to be for selfish reasons from all parties involved. That is the real bummer of it all, the selfishness. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Let's Talk About How Wrong Channing Frye is About Michael Jordan

Yesterday I talked about the final two episodes of "The Last Dance" and mentioned how some modern day players are crazy for suggesting that Jordan isn't the greatest to ever play. I mentioned Channing Frye because he was the first person I really saw take this stance. He is wrong.

Frye’s comment, and I quote, was "he only had one job and that was to just score. He did that at an amazing, amazing rate. But I don't feel like his way of winning then would translate to what it is now. Guys wouldn't want to play with him". This is a loaded statement from a journeyman bench player his entire NBA career. In fact, the only reason Frye is still even being talked about is because he played with LeBron, who many current day players, and young kids, think is the greatest. If it were anyone that didn't play with LeBron, this would be totally pushed aside. But, I kind of want to break down this comment piece by piece, and I am not the only person to do this recently. Scott Van Pelt, of ESPN, dragged him the other night. He did actual research, and proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Frye's statement was absurd. He mentioned the scoring, but also mentioned how he was all defense all the time. Jordan might be the best perimeter defender the game saw in the 90's. I guess Frye didn't research that. Richard Jefferson, a former teammate said that all Frye was doing was "trolling a bit online". I know they're friends, but come on, this is more than "trolling". Jefferson even went on to text him, telling Frye, "it's not the time or the place". Then Tracy McGrady, on "the Jump", went on to quote things Jordan did outside of scoring. He mentioned that he was the 87-88 Defensive Player of the Year, had two seasons where he had 200 steals and 100 blocks and earned all defense nine times, tied for a NBA record. McGrady also said, "he did way more than just score the basketball, he won Ships". That is a tremendous quote. Also, before I get dragged, I know Frye has one title, but he barely saw the floor on that Cavs team. His title is like Jeremy Lin getting a ring last year.

Look, I am a big time proponent of calling Jordan the GOAT. RD and I have discussed this, I have written about it numerous times and I talk about it during any basketball conversation I have. "The Last Dance" only further proved that. But lets take that dive into Frye's statement now, as I assume his perception is LeBron is the GOAT. I think LeBron is the second or third greatest ever, but Jordan is so far ahead of the second place guy for a myriad of reasons. Frye made the "only a scorer" comment. Bull shit. Tracy McGrady and Scott Van Pelt proved that wrong with statistics. My eyeballs proved that wrong by growing up watching him play. I was a die hard Sonics fan as a kid, and I remember that 72 win team shellacking everyone except Shawn Kemp in the Finals. They stopped everyone else. The guards couldn't do a damn thing against Jordan and Pippen. I bet you the Suns and Trailblazers and Lakers and Jazz fans all have the exact same memories. Or what about the Dream Team stifling Toni Kukoc? That was all about Jordan deciding he wanted to stop him. He had no other reason to do that, other than to show people he could stimy the best European player at the time. Jordan was a defensive force to be reckoned with. Also, he had to be the captain and coach on the floor. He had to place everyone, he ran the show, he set guys up and put them in the best possible spot to score. Just ask Steve Kerr, John Paxson, Horace Grant, Scottie Pippen, Ron Harper and a myriad of others. Once he began to trust teammates, they got shots they were never getting before. As for the scoring, that was the only thing Frye got “right”. Jordan is the greatest scorer ever. He was able to get to the hoop in the toughest, rawest and hardest era to do it. He played in the NBA when you had to be crushed to get a free throw. Look at the way the Pistons, Knicks and Pacers played him. They tried to hurt him, yet he still got 30 plus regularly. I don’t think any modern guy could handle being roughed up like Jordan was. Today’s players gripe about EVERYTHING. If they miss a layup, they look at the official. They get a little tap, they flop. There is so much complaining, it has slowed the game down. Imagine how James Harden or LeBron would react to someone throwing them to the ground. They would have a hissy fit. Jordan went out, got tougher and dominated. He could also shoot. Remember six threes against Portland? The shot to win the title in 98 over the Jazz? The shot over Craig Ehlo? Yeah, Jordan was a scorer Channing Frye, he’s the best scorer EVER.

Then Frye had the most telling thing ever in his statement with the “it wouldn’t translate to today. Guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. That says so much more about the current state of the NBA than I think Frye wanted to reveal. First off, and I’ve said it before, the star players in the current NBA are soft. LeBron, Harden, Doncic, KD, Steph and Klay, Kyrie, all they do is bitch and moan when they don’t get what they want. They also act like fake tough guys. Today’s stars are posers. They think they’re tough, but they’re not. They couldn’t handle the physicality that Jordan took on a nightly basis. Look, I think LeBron would’ve been a great player in the 90’s, just like Karl Malone was. I also think these Jordan would’ve beat him, and beat him bad. He would’ve made it his mission.

Which brings me to Frye’s final thought, “guys wouldn’t want to play with him”. You know what, Jordan wouldn’t have wanted to play with them, he would’ve wanted to beat them. Modern NBA is consumed with the “super team”. From the time Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen joined Paul Pierce in Boston, the NBA changed. It all became about stacking the deck. No one wanted a challenge. After Boston, we had the “Heatles”. Then LeBron going back to Cleveland, but only if they traded for Kevin Love. Then there was KD joining the 73 win Warriors. And now we have KD and Kyrie in Brooklyn, Kawhi and Paul George on the Clippers. And LeBron all but forcing the Lakers to trade their future for Anthony Davis. Stars don’t want a challenge, Jordan did.

Channing Frye has accomplished more than I could ever dream of, but this was a Skip Bayless or Colin Cowherd esque statement. It was dumb, poor timing, reeks of resentment and jealousy, but most of all, it was flat out wrong. I’m glad he’s getting ripped by everyone because he should be. This was a Bill Simmons, and The Ringer, type dumbass statement that shows the younger generation doesn’t know much about 80’s and 90’s basketball, and are prisoners of the moment. Jordan is the GOAT. There is no question anymore.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Ty Watches "The Last Dance" Parts 9 and 10

"The Last Dance" ended last night, and it may be the single greatest documentary series that has ever existed. I don't feel like I am being a prisoner of the moment. I don't think it has anything to do with the lack of sports, although that definitely helps. I think this is the greatest documentary series ever because it is about the greatest basketball player ever, and it is directed by one the best sports story tellers of all time. "The Last Dance" has every single ingredient to make it as perfect as it was.

Now, spoiler alert out there for listeners to out podcast, but I will give my feelings on the documentary as a whole on the next pod. Today, I want to continue with my review of the most recent episodes. Last night finished it off with 9 and 10, and they were magnificent. The series continued to get better, and last night was no exception. Episode 9 went straight away into the 98 East Finals against the Pacers. This was one of two series that went to 7 games during the Bulls double three peat. This was also, probably, the toughest series for any Jordan led team, prior to the Pistons. The Pacers had the style of team that could compete with this Bulls squad. They had big, nasty guys. They had a veteran point guard. They had quickness and electricity off the bench. They had an old sharp shooter. They had size. And they had Reggie Miller. They could have won this series. They could've ended the dynasty one series early. But they didn't. Too may mistakes, miscues and poor rebounding and free throw shooting doomed them. Also, the jump ball between Rik Smits and Jordan was a play I never, ever thought about, but was played out to show how important that one moment was in this series, and I will never look at it the same ever again.

They shifted from that series to the 97 Finals against the Jazz. They showed a lot of stuff from there. We got some great back story on Steve Kerr. His story was very, very in depth, heartbreaking and showed his character. It made me like him even more. We also got the real truth behind the infamous "flu game". As I suspected, and a ton of others did, it wasn't a stomach flu, it was food poisoning. To hear Jordan confirm so quickly and assuredly made it hit home even more. And to see the way he came out and played, after going through something as awful as food poisoning, the guy is not human. That was cool. I also liked getting to see Jordan's kids and hearing them talk about their dislike for Utah and why their mom wouldn't let them go to games there. It was nice to finally hear from someone in his family.

They shifted back to the Pacers series and we got all the intel that I mentioned, and so, so much more. Reggie Miller is underrated, Scottie Pippen is one of the best defenders ever, Larry Bird could coach, Steve Kerr was a sharp shooter and Jordan was an absolute killer. It was awesome to see them break down the series the way they did. We also got to hear about his close relationship with one member of his security detail, and that was a nice story to see how that gentleman took on the fatherly role for Jordan after his dad was killed. It was all great.

Episode 10 was all about the 98 Finals and the aftermath. This was a tremendous episode. To see them talk about how they went about winning, how tired mentally and physically they were, how they laid it all out, it was amazing. Also, big props to Scottie Pippen for playing through that horrible back injury. He really showed his mental toughness, and to do what he did with that injury is astounding. Also, props to Dennis Rodman. Sure, he is an asshole, he skipped out on practice to go wrestle, he wouldn't talk to anyone, but the dude laid it out on the court every game night, and he was the best pest and rebounder that the Bulls have ever had. He also hit four straight free throws in a critical moment for the Bulls, and that is just amazing.

But this was all about MJ and his willingness to put this team on his back and carry them to their 6th title. The things he did in game 6 of the 98 Finals was spectacular, especially the last minute of that game. The Bulls were down 3, and he goes and gets a quick layup. I mean, guys tried to stop him, but he is Michael god damn Jordan. If he wanted to get to the basket he got there. Then, to get the strip on Karl Malone, and bring the ball up and hit that jumper, I mean, there is no better way to go out than that. I know he came back to play for Washington, and some may say he pushed off Byron Russell, but I will always look at that jumper as his last moment. That personified his greatness. That sequence proves for the billionth time that he is the greatest to ever play basketball. I have a piece tomorrow about current players calling him out, Channing Frye I'm talking particularly to you, and they are all full of nonsense. But I will save all that for tomorrow. Jordan proved time and again, when he wanted to win, he was going to find a way to win.

Then the aftermath of that, what followed after the 98 title was wild. Everyone wanted this team back, they wanted to see if they could go for four straight, to win seven in nine years. And I think they would have. If they were able to pull it off, they could have done it. And to see Jordan's reaction to Jerry Reinsdorf's explanation as to why they had to split this team up was something else. Jordan said he didn't agree, and laid out a scenario where they could have done it all again. We were left thinking, what if, but what we got from the 90's Bulls, and Jordan himself was witnessing greatness that we may never see again.

This, and I will keep saying this, is the great documentary series that has ever existed. It is, by far the best sports doc ever, and dare I say, the best documentary ever made. "The Last Dance" is a rare achievement we don't see that much today, and that is being a perfect movie being perfectly told. I love this and I cannot recommend it enough. I will rewatch this maybe a billion times. It's the best. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Will the Zion Allegations Finally Shine a Light on the Real Coach K?

Well maybe we will finally see Duke get some kind of sanctions handed down to their men's basketball team.

In a report that came out two days ago, it appears that Zion Williamson "received gifts and benefits from people at Duke to attend the university". Now, this type of stuff happens all the time in college sports, especially in basketball. This happened at Michigan with the Fab Five. Louisville got a slap on the wrist for similar stuff. I am almost positive LSU will get into a same type of legal situation. Kansas is going to get absolutely hammered by the NCAA when the FBI investigation is done, at least I think they will. And now we have this Zion situation at Duke.

Look, I have said it on this site, on the pod, to friends and family that will humor me, Coach K is no different than any of the other coaches accused of this, most notably John Calipari, but he has some weird pull over the media. ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, they never, ever say anything bad about him when they are almost too eager to attack other coaches and programs. They all talk about how "clean" of a program he runs. But, when you constantly get the top prospects every year, there is something fishy about that. With the Fab Five, it happened once and Michigan got everything taken away from that era. When Calipari left UMASS and Memphis, they were hit with sanctions. LSU will get crushed soon because why on Earth would Ben Simmons choose to go play his one year of college basketball there, I will never know. If you continue to cheat, one day you will get caught. I am a firm believer in karma, and at some point, if you do some underhanded bull shit, the powers that be will catch you.

Now, I am curious to see how the NCAA handles this. I get the feeling it will be kind of like what they did to Penn State football and now Michigan State. I fear they will try and sweep it under the rug. The NCAA doesn't want a stain on the guy they always promote as "being a molder of young men", a guy that "runs a clean program", a guy they claim to be "more of a teacher than a coach". The NCAA loves Duke, but more importantly, they ADORE Coach K. I feel like they will protect him at all cost. I honestly believe they will throw Zion, and any other top prospect he has recruited, under the bus before they say a bad word about Coach K. To me, that is because the NCAA is corrupt, and they care more about these coaches that makes millions upon millions of dollars for themselves and their schools and their product, than they do about these kids. The thing is, these kids are the ones bringing in all the money. No one, and I mean NO ONE goes to Duke games to watch Mike Krzyewski coach. You really think all those people at the Duke-UNC game two years ago went to see him and Roy Williams game plan?! Get out of here with that nonsense. They were all there to see Zion. I tuned in from my home to watch two teams I could care less about because of Zion.

So that begs the question, do I think Zion took money, or he and his family asked for money, or someone they trust asked for money and other stuff for him to attend Duke? Absolutely I do. Which may lead you to ask me if I think Zion should get in trouble? Not at all. I don't think Zion or Chris Webber or Ben Simmons or Derrick Rose or Marcus Camby or any other kid that has asked for something should be punished. They bring in money to those school hand over foot, which then allows those schools to pay coaches millions of dollars, and make millions more on merchandising kids that don't see a dime off stuff with their likeness on it. And Coach K isn't immune to this. He is just as guilty as any other coach that has gotten their names dragged through the mud for doing the same. The fact that Zion is going to be disposed, and asked to answer questions about this under oath could be a major blow to Coach K's image. Either way Zion is going to reveal some truths we all know and have kind of let go, or he is going to be pressured to lie, under oath, so Coach K won't have his image tarnished. To me, it doesn't matter, Coach K's image was shot when he decided he needed to be part of the "one and done" recruiting, if not before then. Look, I know KU hasn't been charged with anything yet, but believe me when I say that I don't look at Bill Self and see a solid coach. When I see him, I see a guy that will cheat to get top flight players. I see the same thing will John Calipari. Hell, even with Tom Izzo. But at least those guys aren't trying to hide it. They may not out and out say it, but we know they know we know. That's just facts.

All in all, I hope Zion goes in there, tells the truth and Coach K is left to answer. Because if he gets away with this, I will have lost what teeny tiny little sliver of respect I may still have for the NCAA. Coach K has done some underhanded stuff, and I hope he gets his comeuppance.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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