The Grizzlies are a Mess

The time has come for me to talk about my favorite NBA team, the Memphis Grizzlies. A lot of stuff is going on there lately and it is not good.

First off, since they had an early twelve game win streak, they have been wildly inconsistent. They cannot keep late leads or they fall behind by far too much to make a full comeback. They have also been talking a ton of shit, and lately they cannot back it up. I already mentioned the lack of keeping leads or falling behind, but they have not been as good on defense as of late. They may still rank near the top statistically but the eye test is not passing for me as a fan. They are allowing too many open looks. They are getting back cut too much. They are not offensive rebounding like they did to start the season. They are too busy talking shit to fans and other teams. It is becoming frustrating. Steven Adams is supposedly coming back soon, and that will help immensely. But he will not cure all their woes. Add on the fact that Brandon Clarke tore his ACL and is out for a full year, that makes the return of Adams not as impactful. Clarke was a perfect Swiss Army Knife for this team. He has a great floater. He can rebound and defend multiple positions. He was great at running the floor with the guards. And he brought calmness to this team that needs it a lot more than other teams. Clarke is going to be missed and that really bums me out. Jaren Jackson Jr is having a very good season, and since missing some time to start the season, he has been more available than not. But he fouls too much and sometimes has trouble staying on the court. They are going to need him desperately in the playoffs. They need his excellent rim protection and ability to switch on defense. He needs to stay on the court. Dillon Brooks is as good a perimeter defender as there is in the league but he is starting to get on my nerves. He takes bad shots. He gets too many techs. He talks far too much and is having trouble backing it up. Earlier in the season he was mentioned in trade talks and I did not want him gone. Now I kind of wished they had traded him. I would much rather have a guy like Mikail Bridges or OG Anunoby right now. That would be ideal for me. Luke Kennard has not been shooting the three like I hoped he would when they acquired him. I want David Roddy to play more. Santi Aldama is a fun regular season player, but I do not see him getting real run in the playoffs. Tyus Jones has been exactly what I expected, and that is very good for a reason I'm about to get to. As for Desmond Bane, he has been great and he should get a good deal this offseason. I have no qualms with him.

Right now for the biggest issue this team has going on right now is Ja Morant. Morant is my favorite NBA player. When the Grizzlies got the second pick in his draft I was thrilled. I knew that he was the pick and I couldn't wait until they drafted him. I rated him ahead of Zion Williamson in my pre draft write up. And he has more than lived up to the hype. He is a superstar. He does incredible things that I have never seen on a basketball court. He is outrageously athletic and a total blast to watch play. By all accounts he is a great teammate too. Guys like him and like playing the game with him. He watches film and talks with coaches about stuff they can do to help on the court. As a basketball player he is everything anyone of us, fans, teammates and the Grizzlies front office, could have dreamed of. But his off-court life is becoming troublesome. He is away from the team right now due to an Instagram video that surfaced of him flashing a gun at a nightclub. This is worrisome. It terrifies me. I despise guns and to see something like this, it really irks me. And it was not like it was a hidden phone or someone trying to catch Morant doing something wrong, this was on his own phone on his very own Instagram account. That is troubling. Add on the fact that there is the laser pointer incident in Indianapolis earlier this season and the stories coming out about a possible assault during a pickup game in the summer. And we have the whole Shannon Sharpe thing. When it happens once it is an accident. The fact that this keeps happening, that is the problem. And I have no idea if it is the people he hangs with or him trying to be tough. Either way, things need to change and change in a hurry. Jalen Rose and Dez Bryant have come out recently and spoke to him via TV and Twitter, and what they have said makes all the sense in the world to me, and I hope Morant is listening. I truly do hope he is getting the help he needs like he said he was going to get. I think he needs to get a fairly hefty suspension. I know the Grizzlies never actually suspended him but they did say he was out "indefinitely". The NBA is also currently investigating the multiple accusations. This is going to take some time and will most likely derail the rest of the season and playoffs for the Grizzlies. And that is fine if he gets the help he needs. I have been thinking about this a lot the past couple of days and I want Morant to have a long and successful and rewarding career. I want him to be talked about like people talk about Damian Lillard or Chris Paul. I do not want him to be thought of like I think about Gilbert Arenas or Robert Swift. That would be awful.

As a fan I am disappointed by their play lately and disturbed by the off court stuff with Morant. But if he gets help and the team gets humbled a bit, I'm fine with them throwing in the towel this season and coming back even stronger next year. Above all though I want Ja Morant to be thought of as the great, great basketball player he is. That would be ideal. 

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.

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I am All for the New Pitch Clock in Major League Baseball

I was listening to sports radio this morning and they brought up the new pitch rules that they did in the minor leagues last season and are doing during spring training. The new rules state, in some form, that the pitcher has 15 seconds from the time they step on the rubber to pitch the ball. If they don't the batter will be awarded a ball. If runners are on it is a balk. The batter in turn can only take two timeouts for an at bat. There is some other stuff they touched on, but the pitch clock and the fact that the batter cannot take endless timeouts left me intrigued.

I have been pretty vocal about my distaste for major league baseball. It has become incredibly boring. Batters will constantly step in and out of the box, they will adjust batting gloves, they will take timeouts right as the pitcher gets into their windup, they will do pretty much anything to mess up the pitcher. In turn pitchers will stay on the mound for too long of a time before pitching. Pitchers will also ask for a new ball multiple times. Pitchers will do herky jerky things on the mound. Both parties, pitchers and batters, are doing whatever they think they can to throw off their opponent. This has made the MLB unwatchable for me. I see enough walks and bad pitches coaching my son's little league team. I don't want to watch professionals doing the same nonsense, just at a higher level.

The radio guys talking said they did this in the minor leagues last year and it shortened games by 26 minutes. That is awesome. I absolutely love the idea of a shorter baseball game. MLB games have stretched to three plus hours now. I find that if I can make it to the 5th inning at a Cardinals game, I've done enough. I usually leave, as long as everyone else agrees, which they do. With these new rules in place, if they keep them, I'd be willing to go to many more Cardinals games. I used to love going as a kid in part due to the length of the games. They usually lasted a hair under three hours. If the MLB could cut off the 26 minutes that the minor leagues did last year, that means two and a half hour long games. I am so on board with this idea.

I understand that the new rules have already messed with some spring training games, but I could care less. I heard that a spring training game was won on a call where the pitcher took too much time. I love it. It has become a problem and the MLB is trying to fix it. And these players are pros. They will adjust. I don't doubt that for one single second. With each new rule in pro sports the athletes may gripe about it, but they adjust and it becomes a part of the game. This pitching and batting rule makes far too much sense not to keep in the game.

After hearing about this this morning I started to think other sports should enact some new rules to shorten games. I saw that college football was looking into ways to shorten the game. That would be ideal. They could cut out so many reviews and replays. I would love a college football game to be cut from the usual four plus hours to three. Ideally I would love a two hour game, but three hours feels more reasonable. The NBA could also cut out all the reviews at the end of the game. Sports are real life, and stuff happens. Refs screw up, that is human nature. I remember when I first started to watch college football games, they were about three hours long. That is because there were no reviews or extra long replays. You got the call you got and dealt with it. And you got over it if you felt your team was screwed. The NFL could cut down on some stuff too.

I love this new way of thinking with the powers that be in professional sports. Games have become far too long and there is way too much deadtime due to a ton of stuff that would be too easy to cut down on. I'm here for it and I want even more. Keep the rule changes coming, as long as it cuts down on the time. 

Ty

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

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Ty's Second Half NBA Look Back and Look Ahead

The NBA is back tonight. The All Star break is over and teams are ramping up for the playoffs. Each team has anywhere from 20 to 25 games left in the season. This is less than usual, but I like it like that. This is going to be a fun sprint to the finish. With the break being over I want to touch on a few things I was wrong about in my preseason preview and what I am looking forward to as everything gets wrapped up.

I was wrong about Brooklyn, as a lot of other people were. They are a mess and they traded their stars. They needed to do that and the core they have now is fun. The current Nets remind me of the team before they went out star hunting. They should still make the playoffs, but they most likely will not win a round.

I was wrong about the Thunder as well. I figured they were going to tank, and while they are still below .500, they are fun and Shai Gilgeous Alexander is a superstar. That dude is so much fun to watch. I love how well he has adapted to the NBA.

I was also wrong about Toronto. I thought they were going to be a solid 4 or 5 seed in the East. I like the squad and the coach but it has not worked out as they planned I think. This team will be interesting to watch this offseason to see what happens with some of the players. They will still make the playoffs I bet, but they will be an easy out as well.

Now let's talk about the LA teams.

I picked the Clippers to make the Finals. I was nearly certain of this. I assumed they were finally healthy and they have a deep squad. Well, they have shown such little care about the regular season. I do not know how many games Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have played this year, but it isn't much. I feel like they are load managing every other night. That is frustrating. They are still 4th in the West, and should finish right around there, but yeesh are they maddening to watch.

The Lakers are very mediocre. When they have their guys, LeBron and AD, they look good. The problem is, they are barely on the floor together. One of them is always hurt. LeBron is having a great, great year. He looks as good as he always does. But this team is still a mess. They are 13th in the West at 27-32. I saw a Bleacher Report article talking about their "push to playoffs". That should not be the goal with the Lakers. I like the trades they made, and I do think they will sneak into the playoffs, but they will be a round one exit almost assuredly.

The Suns look legit now with KD although they lack depth and everyone on that team is always hurt.

The Grizzlies limped into the all star break, and they seriously miss Steven Adams, but I have faith they are a solid top three team in the West.

The Nuggets look like a very good regular season team and an easy out in the playoffs.

The Mavericks are sloppy and messy and I have zero faith in them. I do not like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving is an antisemite, flat earther numbskull and they traded away any good defense they had.

The Pelicans started hot but Zion is hurt again and had yet another setback. I will not believe in this team ever until Zion can stay on the court for 40 plus games.

The Bucks and Celtics are the cream of the crop in the whole league. The Celtics seemingly have everything a modern NBA could ask for. As much as I dislike that team, they should be the favorites. They are great.

The Bucks are pretty much fully healthy and are riding a pretty nice win streak. Giannis has a wrist thing but I cannot imagine he will miss too much time. The Bucks defense is elite and the offense seems to be coming along.

The 76ers look like they have figured it out and Joel Embiid is having another MVP type season.

The Cavs are one of the most fun teams to watch in the league. Donovan Mitchell has been everything they could have hoped for and Darius Garland and Evan Mobley get better with every game. Jarrett Allen is a force in the middle and this team plays exceptional defense.

As for a few other teams, the Warriors look sloppy, the Pacers and Jazz have fallen back to Earth, the Wizards are boring and the Spurs, Rockets and Pistons are hoping to get either Victor Webanyama or Scoot Henderson.

What I want to see is this run to the playoffs. Who will get the 8 seed in the West? Will it be Portland or the Lakers? Could it be the Timberwolves? Hell, maybe the Thunder can figure it out. That should be exciting. I am also very interested to watch KD play with the Suns. Putting him together with Devin Booker and Chris Paul could be devastating. They should be the favorites out of the West. I'm personally interested in watching Ja Morant continuing his ascent to superstardom. I want to watch Joel Embiid push for a much deserved MVP. I want to see how the rookie of the year race finishes between Paolo Banchero and Benedict Mathurin. But most of all, what I am looking forward to above all else, is the Finals. If I had to readjust my pick from the preseason right now I'd go with the Suns and Celtics. That would be a solid matchup. 

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.

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Ty Kinda Watches the NBA All Star Weekend

NBA all star weekend was this past weekend. I love the NBA. It is the best professional sports league in my opinion and they do the most for player empowerment. Besides college football, basketball, mainly the NBA, is my next favorite sport to watch.

For the past few years I have been really glued to the TV for all star weekend. I love the camaraderie, the spectacle, the events and, for the most part, the game. The three point contest has become the best event for me to watch, but some of the other stuff is cool too. Even with the dunk contest being kind of blah, there have been one or two that have been solid. And this new skills thing is very cool. I enjoy that very much.

I also think, due to the pandemic, that I am prone to be home more on the weekend. That gives me a reason to sit back and watch. Basketball has also been a stress reliever for me since the pandemic started. I can get lost in the action and not think about COVID or the awfulness that happens every day. But this year has been different for me. I go out a little more than I have since 2020. I have gone back to a few concerts. I have been to a couple NBA games. I have seen some movies in the theaters. I have even gone to a restaurant to have a meal inside occasionally.

Point is, I was not as attentive to all star weekend as I have been in the past. I did watch some of it, but other things and more important people got in the way. And I am happy about that. I did not watch a second of the Friday night stuff. I usually skip this anyway. I'm not interested in the celebrity game or the open practices that they broadcast live. That stuff is boring to me. Even when I am familiar with some of the celebs, that game is not watchable. And I do not know who a lot of the current celebrities even are anymore. I'm officially old. I do like to tune in to the Saturday night festivities. This is when they do the skills challenge, the three point contest and the dunk contest. This year I only saw the final round of the dunk contest. My son had an 8pm game and I coach his team. I also forgot that the skills stuff starts at 7, but we were out the door by 7:15 anyway. So I missed the entirety of the skills and three point contest. I did get a notification that Dame won the 3 point contest, which is dope, but it wasn't until Sunday morning when I saw the Jazz were the skills champs. I didn't even bother to look at highlights of either as well. We missed the first two rounds of the dunk contest and it was mere coincidence that we watched the final round. My son got cleaned up and asked if he could watch the dunk contest before he went to bed. I said yeah and told him I'd watch with him. I don't even remember who Mac McClung went up against, I think it was Trey Murphy, but that final round for McClung was dope. I was highly skeptical of him being in the field, but he showed out and did some cool stuff. That 540, or maybe 720 dunk was incredible. I was in awe just like all the NBA players watching courtside. He earned that dunk title and the mythology around his leaping ability was answered on Saturday night.

Sunday is the game and I usually tune in for at least a half. I love the Elam ending, so I always want to watch that. And my son and I watched the whole draft before the game. I love this new format. I like how they switched it to be like you are on the playground. I have to imagine it is so much fun for these superstars to do something like this. It has to make them feel like a kid again. And you could see how cool Giannis and LeBron thought it was to pick their players live. And to see the guys waiting to be picked was cool too. It was neat to see them get their team jersey and take their picture in that same exact moment. This is one of the many things I love about the NBA, their willingness to try something different. I was all about the draft and figured we'd watch a bit. But it was dinner time right after that. Sunday night we turn off the TV and eat at the table. Last night was no different. My son said something about watching after dinner and we both agreed we would, but we forgot, and I did not mind forgetting. The all star game is devoid of defense anyway until the end and it is a glorified dunk contest. I like how high scoring it gets, but it also does get a bit boring after a few minutes. So after dinner my son went downstairs and my wife and I watched other shows. I basically forgot the game was on. My son watched for a bit but he too came upstairs and said the game was kind of boring. He hung out with us until he went to bed. And I never turned the game on. I went to bed and fell asleep, totally forgetting about the all star game. I woke up and watched highlights and saw that Jayson Tatum put up incredible numbers and was the well deserved MVP, Tatum is so great at basketball, but I have no real urge to go back and watch. My son recorded it and watched a bit this morning before turning it off and playing NBA 2k instead.

I guess it is good that I am getting back out into the world and sports isn't the end all be all it was before, but I am kind of kicking myself for not tuning in too much this weekend. My love for basketball is still alive and well, but maybe my love for all star weekend is fading a bit, and that is okay. But believe me, I will be tuning into the second half of the season because we are down to the nitty gritty and it is going to be a fun push to the playoffs. That I will most definitely be watching. 

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.

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Ty Watches The Chiefs Beat The Eagles

That was a pretty fun game last night. I watched the Super Bowl, as I do every year, but this time seemed a bit more fun to me. I didn't have any rooting interest. I don't like or dislike either team. I like both teams' QB's quite a bit in fact. I think the coaches are fine. I live in Saint Louis, but am in no way a Chiefs fan. Philly has some wild fans, but I do like the Eagles uniforms and they have one of my all time favorite Michigan players. I like both Kelce brothers. Both teams have dudes that are easy to root for. I don't know, it was nice to watch a game where I wasn't rooting for or against either team. I was cool with any outcome.

And we got a doozy of a game. It felt like it was going to be good to great when both teams marched right down the field and score on each of their opening drives. I was ready for a good, close game after that. And after the College Football Final being such a blowout, this was a nice and wanted refresher. I like a good close game when a team or teams I'm not rooting for are playing.

Patrick Mahomes was dynamic. He proved time and time again last night why he was the MVP and why he is the best QB in the game. After he got hurt in the first half I was nervous for him, thinking he may not return. Not only did he return, he was amazing in the second half. He beat the Eagles defense with his arm and legs too. He played a wonderful game. Eric Bienenemy called a fantastic second half. I don't know that he has ever had a better half as a play caller. The fact that he is not a head coach is wild to me. He was so on point last night. He found plays that worked and finessed and used them in multiple ways. It was masterful. Travis Kelce was not the star receiver last night and he did not let that bother him. Isaish Pachecho had a solid game at running back. Guys like Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore had big plays in the biggest game. It was cool to see those dudes show up with other guys out.

The Eagles showed the hell up as well. Jalen Hurts was incredible last night. I was already a fan of his, and he played a wonderful game. He used his arms and legs and really played a great game. I know he had that costly fumble, but he did more than enough to get his team a ring. AJ Brown was running slants over and over and constantly getting open. I don't think Dallas Goedert dropped anything thrown his way. Devonta Smith keeps showing everyone how elite he is. He has got to be a top three wideout in the league. That O line was phenomenal. This team showed up ready to play last night. I do think the Eagles got a little screwed at the end with that holding call, but the corner admitted he held the wideout, so I guess it was the right call. The Eagles did get away with some holds earlier in the game anyway.

All in all this Super Bowl was what I want every Super Bowl to be like. It was high scoring with teams going blow for blow. The stars for each team played very well. The QB's more than lived up to the week long hype and played great games. The coaching staff for both teams called very good games. The halftime show seemed fun. I know my wife really liked it. The commercials were fine, but also forgettable to me because I do not pay too close attention. The food I had at my home was very good. My son is very into football now and he stayed up for the whole game. This was about as perfect an evening of football as I could have wanted.

Congrats to the Chiefs on their second Super Bowl in the last four years. They have the makings of a possible dynasty and it looks like the important guys will be back to defend their title next season. And congrats to the Eagles on a great season. This team has the makings of a perennial playoff and title contending team. A very, very good night of football last evening. I could not have asked for more. 

Ty

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

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That Was One Hell of an NBA Trade Deadline

The NBA trade deadline came and went and it was a doozy. I thought after the Kyrie trade things were going to be quiet. They were not. Not by a long shot. Things started wild and finished wild. I already spoke about the Kyrie trade and today I want to hit on a few others before I talk about the blockbuster of all blockbusters that happened last night.

First, James Wiseman is now on the Pistons. Gary Payton II is back with the Warriors. There were a few other players moved in this trade, but these are the big names. I like this move for the players and the teams. Payton returns to where he thrived, he is being paid and he is healthy. He also brings grit and defense. Wiseman gets to go to a spot where he will play with other players the same age and he will get tons of minutes. He will be allowed to learn while he plays the rest of the season. He wasn't going to get that in Golden State. This is a fresh start for him, and next season he will get to play with Cade Cunnigham, Jaden Ivey and maybe, just maybe, Victor Webanyama. He and Jalen Duren could be a fun front court too.

Saadiq Bey was moved to Atlanta, and this will fit him well. I like Bey and he will bring stability and defense to a team that needs both.

The Nuggets traded Bones Hyland to the Clippers for picks. I love this move for the Clippers. Hyland brings instant offense off the bench. He is better at scoring than anyone else they have on that bench now. He also doesn't have to play a ton of defense because the Clippers have that in waves. If the Clippers are ever truly healthy, this is a good trade for them.

Jae Crowder was traded to the Nets and then the Bucks came calling with five second round picks to scoop him up. I remember two years back when the Bucks won the title they traded for PJ Tucker to shore up their elite defense. Jae Crowder is a better PJ Tucker. Crowder is a solid defender, can handle the ball and is a far superior shooter to Tucker. He is a legit 3 and D guy and Giannis and Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, if he is ever fully healed, will find him in open spots everywhere. I get strong vibes from two years ago. This is a homerun trade by the Bucks.

The Lakers, T'Wolves and Jazz were involved in a big three team trade. The Lakers got Malik Beasley, D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt. This is a nice haul for them. They got younger and better at shooting with Russell. Beasley was coveted and he can shoot from everywhere. Vanderbilt is a fine backup big. The T'Wolves got Nickeil Alexander Walker, Mike Conley and picks. The Wolves got rid of an unhappy player in Russell and replaced him with the quintessential veteran point guard. If anyone can calm the seas in Minnesota it is Conley. Alexander Walker was thrown in and doesn't add much. But at least Minnesota got some picks back. They are going to need them. The Jazz got Russell Westbrook, Juan Toscano Anderson, Damian Jones and the Lakers 2027 first round pick. I do not know if any player will stay, I'm almost certain Westbrook is going to be let go, but that pick was gold. The Jazz have gotten so many picks and this one was heavily wanted around the league.

Josh Hart was moved to the Knicks for peanuts. Hart and Jalen Brunson are reunited. Brunson was pumped after this trade was made. This is a very good, very smart move by the Knicks. Hart is a consummate pro, does all the little things and is a fan favorite everywhere he plays. I love this deal for the Knicks.

And now for the big one.

Sorry to all the other trades I didn't mention, but this one needs its own space. Kevin Durant and TJ Warren were traded to the Suns for Mikail Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson and five, count them five, unprotected picks. The Nets may have lost two super duper stars, but they won the treasure trove of picks. They got so many picks in their two big trades. Picks are coveted and, next to the Thunder and Jazz, the Nets have the goods. They also got some solid players. They did move Crowder, as mentioned before, but the other two players they got are solid. Johnson is a good shooter and an above average defender. He should thrive with more playing time. Bridges is a perennial all first team defense player. He has been up for Defensive Player of the Year the past two years. He has also become a solid shooter, can kind of create off the dribble and is fun to watch. I am a Mikail Bridges fan. The Suns got the biggest name. I thought it was odd this offseason when he wanted to go to Phoenix, but now he is there and the Suns title odds have jumped all the way to second. Their projected starting lineup features CP3, Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, TJ Warren and Kevin Durant. That is a damn good starting lineup. That is a murderers row of future hall of famers. CP3 and KD are all but guaranteed to be there. If Booker keeps up his play he will be there too. Ayton is proving to be a very solid big man that can stretch the floor. And Warren is a microwave. That dude can score the basketball. The bench isn't bad but it isn't great either. Saben Lee and Cam Payne are backup point guards. Lee barely sees the floor, but Payne is a very okay backup. He has his moments. Damion Lee and Landry Shamet are the backup 2 guards. I mean, that is very ho hum. Both are decent shooters but they don't do much else. Torrey Craig and Josh Okogie are the back up 3's. I mean. Craig is big and Okogie was a lottery pick, but neither really move the needle for me. Ish Wainwright backs up KD and I don't know anything about him. And I watch a ton of NBA. And Jock Landale and Bismack Biyombo are Ayton's backups. Landale is mediocre and Biyombo is old. Look, the starting five for the Suns is lethal, if healthy. That is a big if. KD is still not back from injury. Booker just got back from injury. CP3 is old and having a bad season by his standards. But all of that can change when they all get back.

I think it was a great trade for the Nets and a good one for the Suns. But I also think my response to a question my son asked me this morning was pretty telling as to how I truly feel about this trade. He asked, "this means the Suns are the favorites now in the West right?". Without hesitation I said, "nope". I think their starting five may be the best in the league, but they have a ton of ground to make up and the teams at the top are good. The Nuggets have a healthy lead and a good squad. The Grizzlies are young and athletic and brash. I love that team so far. The Kings are clicking. The Mavs made a massive trade. The Lakers are clearly buying in and trying to make the playoffs. The T'Wolves are kind of figuring it out. And the Clippers are always lingering. We will see is all I am saying.

This deadline was pretty wild and I loved every second of it. This is just another thing that makes the NBA the best. Keep all the movement coming. 

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.

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Congrats LeBron

LeBron James broke the all time NBA scoring record last night. What a career for him. I mean, Jordan is still my all time GOAT as far as NBA players go, but James is firmly number two. No one else can touch him at the moment.

I had a feeling LeBron was going to break the record last night. I don't watch the Lakers, I am not a fan, but I kept close attention to this game. I watched for a half and then I kept checking Bleacher Report to see how he was doing. I love that he did it with so many celebrities in the crowd. I love that he did it with his family there. I love that he did it in the Lakers home arena. I love that he was confident enough that he was going to do it last night that he told his kids when he was at 20 points that he was going for it. I love that they stopped the game down and gave him his flowers. I loved his speech after breaking the record. That was epic. I love all the love he was getting from other athletes. I love that it has kept going into today. This is a big deal.

Kareem Abdul Jabbar's scoring record felt like one of those almost unbeatable records. You needed the longevity, the health, the consistency and the level of superstar that both James and Kareem are. LeBron has been doing this for 20 plus seasons now. He has been at the top of the modern NBA for 20 years. Other players have been proclaimed, a good amount from me, the current best player in the NBA, but LeBron has always been the constant. When Kawhi was deemed the best, he was compared to LeBron. When Giannis was the best, he was compared to LeBron. With the younger guys now, like Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant, they are all put up against LeBron. This was like all the 90's players being compared to Jordan. Every guy I watched during Jordan's first retirement or actual retirement was always compared to him. That is what is happening in the modern era now with LeBron.

LeBron is a different player though. He is a mix of the old and new school. He can pass like Magic. He can control the paint like Barkley. He can shoot like Pippen. He plays defense, when engaged, like Gary Payton. LeBron James brings the best out of the old and new eras. He combines them perfectly. He made the transition from Jordan being the face of the league to himself seamlessly. It all worked out perfectly. James also brought about the era of super teams, and I am not saying that in a bad way. I love player empowerment and these adults doing what they can to make the most money they can and play basketball with the dudes they want to play with. I have no problem with him leaving Cleveland to go play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. I loved when he went back to Cleveland and got them to trade for Kevin Love. I have zero issues with him asking the Lakers to give up all kinds of picks to get Anthony Davis. It resulted in a championship. LeBron James brought about a fun and exciting new era of basketball that I highly enjoy watching. I am a fan of 90's basketball, but I'm not like other people my age who bemoan this new style of play. I adore it. I like to see these guys score in bunches. It is part of the reason why James was able to break this record and look good doing it.

I am also stoked that he did it with one of his signature shots. That spin into a fadeaway jumper from the freethrow line was quintessential. It was like Jordan's shot over Bryon Russell in the Finals. It reminded me of the Tim Duncan side bank shot. It brought about memories of Shawn Kemp's ferocious dunks. Hell, it is as iconic as Kareem's skyhook. LeBron James has stayed healthy enough, been as consistent as ever and more than earned the scoring record. He is one of the greatest to ever do it.

Congrats LeBron. You more than deserve all of the accolades you are going to get and have already gotten. I tip my hat to you. 

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.

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The Nets Won the Kyrie Trade

Kyrie Irving got his wish. He is no longer a Brooklyn Net. He wanted a trade before Thursday and the Nets front office obliged. I was kind of curious to see if he would actually sit out, but who knows with this narcissistic asshole. He is the worst. But, he was traded. He is gone. He is on a new team that he might end up corrupting, as he is wont to do.

Irving and Markieff Morris were traded to the Mavericks for Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and a shit ton of picks. The picks are not going to be lottery picks, but they are picks nonetheless. Picks are coveted by teams nowadays in the trade market.

When the news broke that Irving had been traded I wasn't surprised. I knew he wanted to be moved, I read the Nets were going to move him and they wanted a haul. What took me aback was the fact he was traded to the Mavs. I was damn near certain he was going to go to the Lakers. Apparently they put up their future picks and a few players. Joe Tsai wanted nothing to do with the Lakers and I respect him freezing them out. The NBA doesn't have to help the Lakers just because they are the Lakers. There were better offers to be had and Tsai wanted one of those. I saw the Clippers offer, which what was reported seemed pretty awesome, but Tsai turned that one down too. I guess he really did not want to send Irving to LA. Again, I respect that. I know a few other teams were involved but those were never actually going to happen. But the Mavs came out and threw a haul at Brooklyn. They got picks, a very solid, young 3 and D wing and Dinwiddie could be decent there, or he could be bought out and the Nets can get someone else.

I like this deal for Brooklyn. They got some nice pieces to surround KD with, if he doesn't ask to leave. Finney-Smith is a good player. While on the Mavs he guarded the opposition's best offensive player pretty much every night. And he did a formidable job. During the playoffs last season Finney-Smith made life hell for the Suns. He blanketed Devin Booker when asked. Chris Paul had one of his worst playoff series ever, and Finney-Smith would guard him from time to time. Even on the rare occasion I watch the Mavs, I do not like them, Finney-Smith may not have been making his threes as much, but his defense was still on point. This will take a bit of pressure off KD and Nic Claxton. Adding a defensive minded player was a smart move for the Nets. This was an underrated move on their part. Dinwiddie, if he stays, can add some solid bench scoring. He and Seth Curry, while it could be rough on defense, can score buckets of points. Dinwiddie also played his best professional basketball on his first go round with the Nets. He can also be moved again for more picks or a younger player. This was a nice addition. And the picks, from what I have read, are going to be used for trade bait. The Nets want to build around KD and teams want picks. The Nets can go to some bottom feeders, like the Pistons and Rockets, and try to lure a player like Bojan Bogdanovic or Eric Gordon. This was a good trade for the Nets.

For the Mavericks, I do not know. I do not like Dallas. I despise Luka Doncic. I hate all the undo love he gets. I don't think Jason Kidd is a title caliber coach. Mark Cuban is a blowhard. I also do not like that they had to put Finney-Smith in this trade. Look, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are going to make for a deadly backcourt on the offensive end. There is only one ball and both guys are ball dominant, but Irving has shown he can play without the ball after playing with LeBron James and KD. I despise Irving as a person, but the dude can hoop. But this is a bad defensive backcourt. Defense is supposed to be what Kidd excels at coaching, but this is going to be a tough sell. Neither of these dudes want to exert much energy on defense. I also wonder how Kyrie is going to feel going to a team that has a clear driver. Luka Doncic is the face of the Mavericks. There is no doubt about that. Dallas fans seem to like his clunky boring style of basketball. I don't get it, but I am not a fan. I think it will work for a bit, but Kyrie Irving will get frustrated at some point. It's what he does. The Mavs also do not have much defense outside of Reggie Bullock now, and he is slipping. I already mentioned their piss poor backcourt defense. Tim Hardaway Jr, a player I adore, has never been a defensive minded guy. Christian Wood is only an offensive player. He is also on an expiring contract. He doesn't care about defense, he cares about numbers. Bullock is okay, but not as good as a year ago. JaVale McGee can't get on the floor. Jaden Harvey is a rookie and that wall is coming. Dwight Powell is soft. Davis Bertans is trash. Frank Ntilikina can't get any minutes. It looks rough. This team is going to have to outscore opponents. Which they are equipped to do. But it is going to be hard. The Mavs are currently 28-26 and 6th in the West standings. They are nine games behind the 1 seed, Denver Nuggets. But they are within striking distance of the 3 or 4 seed. They need to start winning and winning now. I am curious to see how they play together, but I do not have high hopes. I do think they can stay within the top 6 and miss the play-in, but that has more to do with the conference, not their talent.

I am lukewarm on this trade for the Mavs. I don't trust Irving and I don't like Luka Doncic. I do like the trade for the Nets though, if they can keep KD. He has some solid young talent around him at the moment. We will see, but I am glad that the NBA trade season is alive and well. It makes the deadline fun. I cannot wait to see who is moved next. 

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.

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Kyrie Irving is Not Worth All the Headaches

After going for a run with my buddy this morning I got home and saw that Kyrie Irving had requested a trade from the Nets. I saw it and thought it was fake. I figured it was a joke. The Nets have been playing better, KD will be back sooner rather than later and, as much as I dislike him, Irving is playing well. Why rock the boat I thought?

Then I remembered, this is Kyrie Irving we are talking about. He is not a team player. He doesn't care about anyone but himself. He puts out cryptic tweets and signs them as "Hela". He sages courts. He is anti semitic. He is anti vaccine. He seems to be a miserable person to be around and play basketball with.

So why would this new request be a surprise to me? When he went to the Nets it was because he spoke with KD and they decided they wanted to play together. They both got their wish. Then they got the Nets to trade away young guys like Jarrett Allen and Caris Levert. They got the original coach fired. They insisted the front office hire Steve Nash. Then they got the front office to trade for James Harden. This was all done to appease KD and Irving. None of it has worked. The Nets have never been past the second round of the playoffs. KD constantly gets hurt and misses time. The vets have moved on. Nash was fired. And then COVID hit and Irving thought he was smarter than doctors and scientists. He refused to go to the bubble. He refused to get vaccinated. He yelled at people who asked him simple questions as to why he wouldn't get vaccinated. He made it all about himself. The selfishness and narcissism hit a new high. He was eventually allowed to play again last season, but it was too late. The damage he started was not reversible.

Then we had antisemitism. He shared a tweet that was anti semitic. He pushed a movie that is highly anti semitic. When he was asked a very reasonable question by a reporter he got all up in arms and moody. He was then suspended and issued a fake apology. It wasn't until his money was being taken away that he did what he assumed was a real apology. Charities wouldn't even take his money. That is how bad this all got. But then people kind of forgot about it. The Nets started to win and all was forgiven. Irving played well enough to be an all star. They even won some games against good teams. Then the Celtics buried the Nets, Irving got booed mercilessly and now he wants to be traded.

It may seem odd, but when you think about it, it does all add up. Things are hard for him in Brooklyn now so he wants out. He doesn't like the media in Brooklyn so now he wants out. KD is still hurt so now he wants out. He has also stated that he wants a very favorable contract that he controls.

I cannot, for the life of me, think of a team that wants him and can actually meet the Nets wild demands. I know I would have a very high asking price. I saw the Lakers were mentioned because Irving wants to play with LeBron. If I'm the Nets I want those picks and Anthony Davis. No Russ. Don't want that contract. I also wouldn't want to help the Lakers like that. If the Blazers wanted him I'd ask for Simons, Shaedon Sharpe, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Hart, Nassir Little and picks. And I would not budge. If the Pelicans were chasing him I'd want all those unprotected picks they have and both Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum. If the Knicks wanted him the deal doesn't even start unless Jalen Brunson is on the table. If Denver comes callin I'm looking for Jamal Murray, Bones Hyland and all the picks they have. Basically any team that calls would have to give me a king's ransom if I was running the Nets.

Irving is the true definition of a cancer in the locker room and for the teams he has played for. Every team has been better off since he left. After winning a title with Cleveland he demanded a trade. The Cavs sent him to Boston. After he left both teams they are both better off now. Boston is the best team in the NBA. And the Cavs are one of the most fun teams. They are also pretty damn good too. The way both teams got good was letting Irving go and using the picks they got in deals for him to draft young players who have helped them. The Cavs were also able to go out and trade for Donovan Mitchell because of what they got for Irving. I assume the Nets will trade him, or he will sit out, and they will be just fine. KD will be back soon. Nic Claxton is playing great. Seth Curry can shoot. Cam Thomas is coming along. Jacque Vaughan is a good head coach.

The Nets will be better off when they get rid of Kyrie Irving. Just ask the Celtics and Cavs. But get as good a deal as possible Brooklyn. Do not settle for Russ, as much as I like him. Get the king's ransom. Don't settle. 

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.

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Some Thoughts on the Eagles Chiefs Super Bowl Matchup

The Super Bowl is set. I was wrong in my prediction. I figured the Bills were going to win based on their talent and them playing for Damar Hamlin. But, as I said last week, the Bengals went into Buffalo and rolled the Bills. Yesterday was not the same though.

I was rooting for the Bengals. Full disclosure folks. I wanted them to win for a myriad of reasons. I like Joe Burrow and Jamarr Chase. I like how boisterous they are. I love that they went to Buffalo and trounced the favorites. I like how much trash they talked after they won. They are a fun team to root for. I also wanted my nephew and brother to be stoked for a return trip to the Super Bowl.

That didn't happen. They looked worse yesterday. They played as poorly as they have all year. And they still had a shot. But Kansas City, who has so many injuries and hurt players playing, toughed out a victory. Travis Kelce played pretty well with as injured as he was reported to be. Patrick Mahomes played on one leg and looked as dynamic as he normally does. The Chiefs defense, long their achilles heel, played one hell of a game. They had two interceptions and something like eight sacks. They put them in the position to win the game. But it was a good game. It wasn't a blowout. Both teams traded blows. The Chiefs went up 10 and the Bengals came right back. The game went down to the wire. The Chiefs kicked the winning field goal with 3 seconds left. It was, for someone who had no real rooting interest, a good game.

The NFC title was not. The 49ers, who I could not have been more wrong about at the start of the season, luck ran out. Brock Purdy got hurt right away. Then Josh Johnson got hurt. The Eagles imposed their will. I have to admit that I loved seeing the Eagles run the ball right down the "vaunted" 49ers defense. They did what they wanted when they wanted. Miles Sanders scored twice. Gainwell had a nice TD run. Jalen Hurts proved even further that he should be the MVP. This game was over at halftime, and the 49ers did nothing in the second half to make that change at all. I get that they were down to Christian McCaffery at QB, but at least try to throw the ball. Philly barely had to prepare for any adjustments in the second half. This game was a wash and the correct team from the NFC is going to the Super Bowl.

I'm pretty pumped, again I have no rooting interest for this matchup. I think the two best teams are playing for the title. They have both been consistent and played well enough to get where they are today. This matchup is great. The Chiefs have a high powered high flying offense. The defense is coming along nicely, but make no mistake, the Chiefs go as Mahomes goes. He is the key to winning the title. The Eagles are awesome on defense, can run the ball which controls the clock and have been consistently the best team in the NFL all year. Jalen Hurts is a star. AJ Brown and Devonta Smith are two of the best wideouts in the game. Miles Sanders is an elite running back. That D line, with Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat is amazing. Hasson Reddick is a bull coming off the line on the pass rush. Darius Slay is one of the best corners in the league. The Eagles are as complete a team as there is in the NFL. The Super Bowl is strength on strength. The Eagles defense is one of the best in the league and the Chiefs offense is elite. The Eagles have a very good offense as well, but the Chiefs D just played a humongous game and look to be heavily improved. I cannot wait to watch. I have a feeling it could be a classic game with a memorable ending.

In the end I will take the Eagles to win and Hurts to take home two MVP awards this season. 

Ty

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

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The Bengals and Cowboys are Two Franchises Going in Different Directions

I was watching the NFL playoffs with my son yesterday and I found that I had some new and interesting insights.

First off, the Bengals looked fantastic. I assumed with all the Damar Hamlin love and the talent that the Bills would be playing with more oomph. Maybe they did, but the Bengals matched and surpassed it immediately. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The refs took a TD away from Jamar Chase, he definitely caught that ball, but it still didn't matter. They got a field goal on that drive and took a 10 point lead into half. Then they only gave up 3 more points en route to a 27-10 victory and a second straight AFC title game matchup with the Chiefs.

What I noticed about this game, besides the thorough beatdown, was the confidence this team has. They play with a swagger. Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Joe Mixon, Dax Hill, Sam Hubbard, Semaji Perine, they have this unmatched confidence. They never play like an underdog. They go into these games expecting to win. The Bengals have been a pretty moribound franchise since their existence. Not anymore. These guys are good, they know they are good and they have proof of winning big games to be considered good. I was in awe of their performance yesterday. I did not watch much of any regular season NFL so maybe this is new to only me. But I was highly impressed with this team. I was impressed with Burrow and Chase the most. They need to sign those two to big contracts because they could be the face of the league as soon as next year. The Bengals seem very legit.

As for the Cowboys, well, they have some soul searching to do. The Cowboys did what they do now. They have one good season sandwiched in between multiple mediocre seasons and their fans go nuts. They always think they will win the Super Bowl that season. I constantly hear the whole "How bout them Cowboys!" on ESPN during the regular season. And then they get in the playoffs and choke it away. That final drive was so frustrating, and I have despised this team my whole life here on Earth. I just couldn't figure out what was going on. Then I remembered that Mike McCarthy is their head coach and it all locked into place.

What struck me personally was how I felt afterward. I used to get all into the trolling of teams I don't like on social media. I'd always have something to say. I haven't done that these past two years and I continued to not do it yesterday. But I read comments. Boy oh boy were some of those comments frightening. But what I got from all of it was how bad I felt for these guys as individuals. Dak Prescott played a bad game. He has definitely regressed the past couple seasons. But who else do the Cowboys have at QB? Who else is going to get them into the playoffs? I mean, they are not very good to begin with, but to now question if Prescott should be the guy is laughable to me. Hopefully he can go somewhere he is appreciated because Cowboy fans don't deserve Dak Prescott. He is too good for them. Tony Pollard broke his fibula. He was clearly taking over for the overrated Ezekial Elliot, and then this happens. I mean, that is brutal for him. The NFL is unforgiving enough, and it is even worse to backs who have injury history. That kicker got the yips. There is no doubt about it. But it is not his fault they got beat. He made two field goals after missing four extra points. I mean, yikes.

This all really goes down to how poorly McCarthy manages the clock and the team in big moments. He did the same nonsense in Green Bay. The Packers were loaded with talent and he only got one ring, which he tried everything he could to not get it. The way the last two seasons have played out for the Cowboys with McCarthy leading the way should terrify the fans. He is a poor game manager.

That was how I felt watching these games yesterday. One team is ascending while the other is still looking for the heyday of the 90's. That is life in professional sports I guess. At least we got the two best matchups in the conference title games next week. Those four teams are very deserving. 

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.

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Ty Predicts the 2023 NFL Playoffs

The NFL playoffs are just around the corner. Today I come to you with my preview and predictions. I have not watched as much NFL as I usually do this year, but I am still very aware of what has happened this season. I read a lot of articles about the NFL. Also, take all of this with a grain of salt. I am going to try my best, but do not take this as gospel. I am no expert.

I will start with the tougher conference, the AFC. The Chiefs got the bye. They won 14 games and secured home field. I know some people will say the Bengals and Bills got screwed, but this is where we are. No going back now.

The 2-7 matchup features the Bills and Dolphins. This game is a walk. The Bills are loaded. They have all the talent. They are playing for Damar Hamlin. They can score at will and stop teams with ease. Add in the fact that the Dolphins are playing a backup at QB, this is an easy pick. Miami is coming, but not this year. Bills cruise.

The 3-6 is a bit tougher. The Bengals are facing the Ravens. Now, I have zero idea what is going on with Lamar Jackson. And if he doesn't play, this might be as easy as picking the Bills. But the Ravens have a very good defense. They can also slow the game down by running the ball. The Bengals though, they are explosive. They have one of the best offenses in the league. Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Seamji Perine, Tee Higgins and Jamar Chase are the truth. They can score at will. And their defense is serviceable. They can get the job done. We also have the fact that the Ravens are barely 10-7. The Bengals got this one.

The 4-5 is interesting and should be fun. We have the Chargers and Jags. I like this matchup. Two fun, young and green teams. They may treat this like a regular season game, and that makes it even more fun. I do like the Jags story, but it stops here. The Chargers are deeper, have a better offense and have some studs on D. Yes, the Jags are in a much better place, but so are the Chargers. They win.

That gives us the Chargers facing the Chiefs and the Bengals facing the Bills. These are good matchups. The Chargers may be able to keep up with the Chiefs for a half, but the second half is theirs and they cruise. The Bills and Bengals will be epic. I adore this matchup. This is what all fans want to see. This is the makeup after the Damar Hamlin game. And that right there gives the Bills the edge. The game is in Buffalo too. I like the Bengals a lot, but the Bills have something even bigger to play for.

So that gives us the Chiefs and Bills. I'd love to pick the Chiefs here. They are my mom's favorite team and I do like them. But the Bills are playing for Damar. They are going to leave it all out there for him and that will lead them to the Super Bowl. I have the Bills representing the AFC this season.

Now the NFC. Philadelphia got the one seed. They have the bye. They deserve it.

The 2-7 matchup has the 49ers facing the Seahawks. This is a divisional game meetup in the playoffs. That makes it more fun. All that is nice and all, but the 49ers are far better. Again, I like the Seahawks story and all, and have loved this Geno Smith revenge tour. But the 49ers are better. They are hotter and they have a far superior defense. They will win this low scoring game.

The 3-6 has the Vikings facing the Giants. Here is where Kirk Cousins blows it every single time. I live to watch him blow very winnable games. He is such a moron, so to see him fall flat on his face is wonderful. It is going to be great to see Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley beat him in Minnesota. I cannot wait to watch Brian Daboll get a playoff win in his first year as a head coach. The Giants are here for a reason, and Kirk Cousins will do his thing. YOU LIKE THAT! Giants are the first, and only upset.

The 4-5 pits two teams I loathe. The Bucs and Cowboys will be playing each other and I couldn't care less about this game. I despise these teams. There is no rooting interest. I'm sure Tom Brady will find a way to take the 8-9 Bucs into Dallas and win this game. Mike McCarthy has a bad track record and Tom Brady has a great playoff one. My pick is that simple. Tampa will find a way to win this one.

So that gives us Philly versus Tampa and the Giants facing the 49ers. The Eagles are going to cruise past the Bucs. They are younger, more talented, have a better defense and can control the clock and keep Tom Brady off the field. This is going to be an easy win for Philly. The same could be said for the 49ers and Giants. I like what the Giants are doing, but the 49ers are better. They will ride this momentum back to the NFC title game. That is where it will end for them. This is going to be a great game too. This is strength on strength. Philly is going to go at that defense over and over and over again. They will be relentless. I also think this is where Brock Purdy's "luck" is going to run out. The Eagles will win a very close, very fun game to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

My Super Bowl matchup is Buffalo versus Philadelphia. I'm going with the Bills. The moment Damar Hamlin went down this team came together even more. They already had the talent and the depth. They were already winning a good amount of games. They were already a favorite. And now with Damar Hamlin they have yet another reason to go out there and win a ring. I think it will be a good game. I think it will be close to the end, and I think the Bills will find a way to pull out a win. And they should just give the Super Bowl MVP award to Damar Hamlin. His health is all that matters, and to see his team win a ring will only help even more.

There you have it, my 2023 NFL playoff preview and predictions. Now enjoy some playoff football everyone. 

Ty

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

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What a (Terrible) College Football Title Game

The College Football Championship game was played last night. Well, at least Georgia came to play. Let’s discuss.

This was not a fun game to watch, and this has zero to do with TCU beating Michigan on New Years Eve. Believe me. I watched that game, Michigan was under prepared and outcoached. They did not deserve to win that game. TCU took advantage of every single mistake Michigan made. They did what it took to have the right to play in the championship last night.

With all that being said, what the hell was that last night? I mean, sheesh. I am all for teams taking advantage when they are the better team, but holy cow. The final score, of a championship game mind you, was 65-7. Georgia won by 58 points. In a title game. That is simply not supposed to happen. I get blowouts. It happens all the time. But a 58 point win in the title game has never happened before. The biggest margin of victory prior to this was in the 30's. Georgia bested that number by 20 plus points. At least three touchdowns. Boy oh boy.

My son and I watched the first half together, he is 10, and even he was bored by halftime. When Stetson Bennett ran in his first score untouched, my son said it was going to be a bad night for TCU. TCU cut it to three with a quick TD in the first quarter, but they would not score again. Georgia did what they wanted, when they wanted to whomever TCU threw at them last night. I am, by no means, a Stetson Bennett fan. I think he is overrated, but he played like a first round pick last night. TCU could not tackle him when he scrambled. TCU's coveted secondary got absolutely torched. There were open Bulldog receivers all over that field. At one point in the game, when Georgia was up 52-7, a TCU defender finally broke up a pass and made the incomplete sign with his hands. They were down 45 points. And Georgia had a backup QB in the game. I mean, at what point do you realize you are getting your ass kicked and trash talk is out of the question? Oof magoof.

There was only one moment where I thought this may be a game. That was right after the TCU score to cut it to 10-7. I figured, if they can get a stop, go on a decent drive and get a score, this could be a good one. Georgia scored pretty quickly the very next possession, and the possession after that, and the following two possessions after that. TCU answered with zero points. I got up to put my daughter to bed and changed into my bedtime clothes. This all took about 15 minutes. Two of Georgia's scores happened during that time. That is crazy to me.

For all of the feel good stories, the switch from worst to first, coming off a 5-7 season and beating up on Michigan, I assumed TCU would come to play. They did not. Even their coach told them at halftime to stop playing scared. That is not the head space you should be in when playing for a ring. Max Duggan looked lost and petrified. TCU clearly missed their number one running back. Their top wideout was nowhere to be seen. Their vaunted defense, who turned Michigan over four times, got beat over and over and over and over again. When my wife got done with her night meetings she came and joined me. She saw the score and said "yeesh". She then asked me if the game would have been better if Michigan had played. I told her I think Michigan would have kept it closer, but not much. When it was 52-7 I told her it may be 28-7 or 31-10 if Michigan were playing. Georgia is so fast, big, physical and are pretty much unstoppable when they get in open space. That much was very clear last night.

So hats off to Georgia I guess. You definitely proved you were the best team in college football by a wide, wide margin last night. But what the hell was that TCU? I mean, yikes. Being that I had no rooting interest I just wanted a good game. This was as far from a good game as there can be. Oh well. Now I am already ready for 2023 college football. It cannot come fast enough. 

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.

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Boy Was I Wrong About the 49ers, Broncos, and Packers

The NFL playoffs are set. I will do a preview and prediction, but that will have to wait for tomorrow. Today I want to talk about three teams that I was very, very wrong about in my preseason NFL countdown. I get a good amount of stuff wrong, but I do get some stuff right. I also like to think I know a lot about this sport, but sometimes I am just off. That is the case with these three teams I will discuss today.

First, the San Francisco 49ers. I was way, way too low on this team. I do not like their coach, there are some players I am not very fond of and I thought it would be a big learning curve for Trey Lance. It looked like it may go that way the first couple weeks. The 49ers looked a little lost, they had some offensive woes and Lance went down with a season ending injury early on. They could have folded there but they didn't. They have won ten straight going into the playoffs. Not only did Lance get hurt, so did Jimmy Garroppolo. No worries, Brock Purdy has been very serviceable. But it is this team's defense. They are so, so, so good. They fly all over the field. They hit. They make their opponents feel it. They can stop the run and rush the passer with the best of the best. The 49ers have an offensive minded coach, but this team is led by their defense. And their defense is good enough to drag them to another Super Bowl appearance. I still do not like this team, but I have never been a 49ers fan. Not even when I was a kid. But I was too low on this team. And their defense is very elite. I would be nervous to face them in the playoffs.

San Fran is the only team I was down on that I should have been higher on for this piece today. The next two teams are teams I was way too high on, and in hindsight I should have seen this coming.

The first team that I was too up on is the Denver Broncos. I assumed they were ready to make a leap. They fired a defensive minded coach and hired Nathaniel Hackett, Green Bay's offensive coordinator. They also went out and traded for Russell Wilson. I am not a fan of his, but he is a very good quarterback and has one Super Bowl ring already. The defense is also very good and not too old. The Broncos had the makings of a last to first place team, and to be a threat in the AFC to go to the Super Bowl. Well, Nathaniel Hackett was fired before the season ended. Russell Wilson is having his worst season as a pro and looks like he aged overnight. And the defense spends far too much time on the field and they got exhausted from being overworked. The Broncos were very, very bad. I see that they are interviewing a ton of head coaches, Jim Harbaugh included, who they think can work with Wilson. They have a ton to work on. They have a few pieces, like Jerry Jeudy and Bradley Chubb, but not much else. The Broncos are in need of a big rebuild. I don't know where they're drafting, but they should take a young QB. They need a solid running back. They could use some o line help. The Broncos need a good amount of work. They also happen to play in a very tough division. I could not have been more wrong on this team. I have not watched a ton of NFL this year, but I found a game of theirs last week and watched for a bit. Man were they bad. It was a tough watch. The Broncos are a ways away from being competent again.

Finally, I have my team, the Green Bay Packers. I assumed they would win the NFC North with ease. I did not, and still don't, believe in the Vikings. The Bears ended up having the worst record in the NFL. And I was high on Detroit, but I thought it was going to be a year off before they became a real threat. I just figured the Packers would walk. They had pretty much everyone back and they were a good team last year. This team never gelled. They never meshed. They were never good on either side of the ball. Aaron Rodgers, who I loathe more than anyone in the NFL, was flat out bad this year. He looked disinterested, he blamed everyone but himself and he is an idiot. I found it hard to root for this team this season because I despise Rodgers so very much. He had a bad year. I hope he is gone after this season. I'm done with him as the Packers QB. The offense also seemed to abandon the run far too early. You have two guys in Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon, but the Packers just did not use them enough. It was head scratching. The wideouts have potential, but when Rodgers doesn't work with them and help them out, that is a problem. The defense is a mess. They cannot stop the run, they give up too many big pass plays and they come and go as they please. Jaire Alexander is great, but he needs help. Rashan Gary is a good rush end, but he cannot stay healthy. They have dudes, but they don't have much help. And Matt LaFleur is very blah as a head coach. He is milquetoast. I have no real faith in his play calling ability. And the teams in this division are coming for them. Minnesota is a QB away from being a true contender. Kirk Cousins stinks. For real. The Bears have a great young QB in Justin Fields. They also have the number one pick. They will be back soon. And the Lions are coming. They finished 9-8. They beat Green Bay in Green Bay when they had nothing to play for. They have great pieces on offense. They need a true QB. They also have the makings of a very good defense. The Lions are on a good path. The Packers, on the other hand, stink. They should move on from Rodgers. They should build the offense around Jones and Dillon. Let's move on to the Jordan Love era. The defense has a few guys, they now need some more to help out. The Packers should be bad for a few years, build in the draft and in free agency and wait for 2026 or 2027 to be a threat again. But man was I wrong about them. I feel like I was the most wrong on them.

I was wrong on all three of these teams. They all did the exact opposite of what I thought they would do. It happens sometimes, but this year was so egregious on my end that I had to address it. So, there it is. 

Ty

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

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Thoughts on Damar Hamlin

Last night my son was watching "Monday Night Football". He kept yelling up to me that something was going on. He said a player went down, I assumed it was a regular injury. He then said a cart was coming out. I thought it was an ACL. But then he said that an ambulance was on the field. Then he said that they were performing CPR. Then he said the game fully stopped.

I had to know what was going on. I told him to turn the game off when I turned it on. Why did I do this you may ask? My son is 10, he is a football player and he tends to linger on stuff for a very long time. I also turned the game on myself and saw what was unfolding on the field. It was, and still is, very frightening.

Bills defender Damar Hamlin was making a routine, albeit kind of violent tackle, and he simply passed out. He made the hit, adjusted his facemask, took three steps back and collapsed. The medical team rushed the field, like they do with any big injury. But when the ambulance came on the field, and the announcers said that the medical team was performing CPR, and when they cut his jersey off, this felt different. This was serious. This was bad.

This is what everyone worries about when CPR needs to be performed. Hamlin needed CPR to save his life on that football field last night. He, from what I have seen reported, suffered cardiac arrest. His heart stopped working last night. I read that they performed CPR for 9 minutes last night. They rushed him to the hospital after they got his heart to work again. They intubated him when he got there. They got his vitals back to some kind of normalcy. All the stuff the medical crew did on that field saved his life last night.

After he was rushed to the hospital I watched the game for a bit longer. This was scary. I was worried. I am still worried. Damar Hamlin is still in critical condition. He is still in the hospital. He will be there for a while I imagine. When all of this went down I watched the reaction from other athletes and pundits. It was, for the most part, very supportive. All kinds of pro football players sent immediate support. Everyone was thinking about Hamlin. All the sports pages I follow were filled with support for Hamlin and his family. His donations soared, upwards of 3 million dollars, throughout the evening. This is the good part of sports. People showing support and showing real feelings for a person whose life is still at stake.

Of course there are certain people, Skip freaking Bayless, who could care less about Damar Hamlin and his family. But he was an outlier. I don't even want to dignify what he said because it is appalling. He should be fired, but we will see what the company he works for does.

I want to shift the focus on Damar Hamlin. This young man has had a serious threat happen to his life playing the game he loves. This is scary. This is where sports aren't that important. This is the scariest part of having a son who is an athlete who also happens to love the game of football. He was still asking questions on the way to school this morning. I hope that they are able to find what the problem is and save Damar Hamlin's life. I want him to get out of that hospital. I want him to go home and be with his loved ones. I want him to be safe and sound. This is what I hope for. But most importantly I want this young man to live. Football is not the end all be all. He should not have to lose his life playing the game he loves. This is not what is supposed to happen to young men who are professional athletes. I can only sit back and think of Hank Gathers in a moment like this.

Be safe and recover Damar Hamlin. The world needs you around longer. 

Ty

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

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RIP Pele

Pele died the other day at the age of 82. That is a nice long life lived. He was a very good person from what I know. Also he was one of the greatest athletes of my lifetime.

I have mentioned many times on the site and the podcast how little I know about soccer. It's a sport I've never played, don't watch and am not all that invested in. I wasn't good at it when I played pickup soccer so it never stayed with me. I couldn't tell you who Messi or Neymar is without my 10 year old letting me know. I only know Diego Maradona for his off field antics. But I do know who Pele is, or was for that matter. His name has always been mentioned when people talk about the greatest athletes of all time. When "The Simpsons" did an entire episode about soccer, Pele showed up to play himself. I know what the Brazil soccer jersey looks like because of all the pictures I have seen in my lifetime of Pele. I understand the breadth he held in the sports world and the world for that matter.

Pele transcended sports. He was a global icon. He was the GOAT before any of us used that acronym. Little kids know who he is. I can go to a basketball practice for my team right now and the kids have no idea who guys like Shawn Kemp or Grant Hill are. I go to baseball and get side eye views when I bring up Vlad Guerrero or Dave Winfield. Young football players look aghast when I tell them Jerry Rice is better than any wide out today. Or god help me if I say Barry Sanders is the best back of all time. But all the little kids I have helped coach or know their parents that play soccer all know who Pele is. Pele is as synonymous to soccer as Michael Jordan and LeBron James are to basketball, but I don't think people would argue with you over Pele being the greatest soccer player of all time. I don't have any stats or anything like that to go off of because of my lack of knowledge in the sport. But the sheer fact that I know who Pele is/was, that I know he played soccer, that he revolutionized the game, that people asked him to come to America to play to try and make it popular, that should speak volumes to the person Pele was. There will never be another like him. Pele is an original. He was Messi before Messi. Neymar before Neymar. I remember when Freddy Adu was all the rage and people tried to say he was going to be the next Pele. Those shoes were far too big to fill and it never happened for Adu. That is because no one else could ever live up to Pele. He is the generational soccer player. If soccer had a logo it would be Pele. He was a do it all type player. He was also so great that, as mentioned before, people in the US enticed him to come play in America just to try and drum up interest in the most popular sport in the rest of the world.

Pele will be missed. He did live a long, fulfilling life. But still, when an icon like this passes it always leaves a dent. It always makes you go back and reminisce about that person. Rest In Peace Pele. Go play, and dominate, some soccer wherever you are now. 

Ty

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

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2022 Top Five - Sports

Today I come to you all with my top sports moments of 2022. This has been a good sports year for me as a fan. I have not had much to complain about, but being a true fanatic, I have found stuff here and there. My list is all football and basketball. Well, there is one baseball thing. But those are the sports I watch. I do not watch hockey, soccer, NASCAR or even boxing anymore. I understand that the World Cup just happened, but I didn't watch a second of it. And RD and Tina do all the tennis talk for the site. I just wanted to give you all a heads up. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the final season of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. I am not the biggest MLB fan, but being a native St Louisian, and a Cardinals fan, this was a very important sendoff. Pujols came back to play his last year here. Yadi is a lifelong Cardinal, and in my opinion, the greatest catcher of all time. To see them play their final season together where they started was magical. What unfolded was even better. Yadi did his thing. He was consistent. He gunned wannabe base stealers down left and right. He hit his usual .270. He had clutch plays. He was as good as ever. Pujols started off slow but something happened to him after the all star break. He found his power. He started to bomb homeruns. He got to a point where 700 seemed like it was possible. And when he hit that magical number it was euphoric. I was stoked. The kids I coach in baseball were stoked. It was so cool to see the whole city get behind Pujols on his run to 700. The Cardinals won the division and looked like they could make a deep playoff run. The Phillies had other plans though. Even though they choked, seeing Pujols and Yadi finish their careers in St Louis, on a relatively high note, was pretty damn cool. They are two of the best to ever do it and two of the best Cardinals to ever do it. 

At number 4 I have the Cincinnati Bengals going on their incredible playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. I could not believe what I was seeing while it was going on. Sure, one win seemed like it was possible. But to run through the AFC the way they did, and then beat the Chiefs to make the Super Bowl, it was great. I am not a Bengals fan at all, but my nephew is and my brother has lived in Cincy for a bit now. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see guys like Jamaar Chase and Joe Burrow show up big time in big time games. I like those dudes. And the Bengals did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. They may not have won, but they had a chance. They had an open guy on the final play. They stayed in the whole game. The Rams were bought to win a Super Bowl. The Bengals were built to win one. They are playing great this year. But that run, and all the texts between RD and myself during their run, that was pretty rad. I like the team and I wish them nothing but success in the long run.

At number 3 I have the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals. It was an incredible series. I was rooting for Golden State because of my disdain for the Celtics. But it was cool to see Jayson Tatum, a STL native, play on the biggest stage. And I was certain that the Celtics were going to win after going up 2-1. It seemed inevitable. But then the Warriors woke up and looked amazing. Klay Thompson was coming off two ACL tears and started to look like himself. Draymond Green got back to playing top notch defense. Kevon Looney became a very poor man's Tim Duncan. Jordan Poole was getting points in limited minutes. Andrew Wiggins was locking up Celtic after Celtic. But it was Steph Curry who willed this team to victory. He did not want to be beat and it showed. He scored at will. He hustled on defense. He proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the best to ever play. He earned this title. He was the well deserving MVP. He said this one felt best and it showed. I was in awe of his performance from game four to six. He was on a mission and it was beautiful to watch. This was a great finals and the best team won.

At number 2 I have the Michigan Wolverines football season. The new year started off rough with Georgia crushing Michigan in the CFP. I didn't know what to expect from the team going into this season, but they did not disappoint. They handled their cupcake of a non conference schedule. Then when they got into Big Ten play they opened with a tough win over Maryland. They then went on to crush every opponent until Illinois. They beat Penn State by 28. They put Michigan State into submission. They sacked Indiana QB's eight times. They ran over everyone. Illinois gave them a scare. Michigan did not deserve to win but they found a way. They then went to Columbus and won there for the first time in 22 years. Not only did they win though, they dismantled the university of Ohio State. They ran up and down the field on them. They made CJ Stroud look pedestrian. Blake Corum, the team's heart and soul, was hurt the week before and barely played. It didn't matter. They had the next man up mentality. They used this momentum and throttled Purdue in the Big Ten title game. They have a date with TCU coming up and I am terrified as always. But this team has proven me wrong all year. They have figured out ways to win games. Guys like Mike Morris, Mike Sainristil, Blake Corum, the entirety of the O line, Will Johnson, DJ Turner, Cornelius Johnson, they all deserve this. They have all earned this. I am hopeful as a Michigan fan for the first time in a long time.  I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, but time will tell. As of now I am a hopeful Wolverines fan.

At number 1 I have a very personal sports moment. My son started playing football this year. Let me rephrase that, he started to play tackle football this year. I was nervous. I told him horror stories. I tried to convince him otherwise. But he was adamant and we relented. It was wonderful. He got better and better everyday as a football player. He was taught the right way to play the game. He seemed happy at practice and at games. He really looked like he was in his element. As the season went on the team continued to get better. They started to win more. They were really beating teams up. And my son lived in the backfield on defense and pancaked would-be tacklers on offense. It was a shock, in a good way, to see him progress the way he did. They won enough to make the fifth grade playoffs and it got even better. They won their first game handily. They had a tough test in the second game, but they ran away with that one as well. The championship was on a very windy and cold day. And they even gave up an early field goal. From there on out they scored 30 unanswered points. They destroyed the team that made it to the finals. They hammered them. And my son was smiling all the way. He loved every second of football. And I loved watching him. I am so glad I didn't coach also. I got to enjoy it from the stands. I am always proud of him and this is another notch in his belt. I was so happy to see them win and to watch him play all year. That is the best a sports dad can ask for.

That is it for sports. Come back tomorrow for my final top five, top five podcasts of the year, tomorrow.

Ty

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

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RIP Mike Leach

College football coach Mike Leach passed away Tuesday at the age of 61. He had a heart condition that seemed to worsen suddenly on Monday and he soon passed.

This is devastating news for his family and Mississippi State football. The football team lost a coach. But his family lost a husband and a father. He was there one minute and suddenly gone forever the next. That is heartbreaking. He was young. He had a ton of life left to live. He had kids to coach. He had a family to raise. He had stuff to do. But he has died. And that is tragic.

Look, I only know him as a football coach, so that is what my piece is going to focus on today. Mike Leach is an innovator. He, for all intents and purposes, created the Air Raid offense that a lot of schools now run. When he fully took over as head coach at Texas Tech he instantly installed this offense. He used it at Kentucky, where he was the offensive coordinator, and it turned Tim Couch into a first overall pick. But this idea, to throw and throw and throw some more, was not really a thing until he took over Texas Tech. He guided some high powered offenses. His QB's would throw for video game numbers. They always had 5,000 plus yards a season and 40 touchdown passes. Wide receivers wanted to play there. That is how he landed a player like Michael Crabtree. The offense worked. Texas Tech was always in a bowl game. But it never got any better than when they reached as high as number 3 in the BCS. The offense was revolutionary, but the defense was never dealt with. That was one area of coaching that never seemed to click with Leach. He did not seem to care about that side of the ball. He put all of his focus on offense and just told other coaches to deal with defense and special teams.

He also put players into bad situations. This is where I began to not be a fan of his. He was tough on players. He went too far. He pushed until players could go no further, and then demeaned them. He called them names. He made punishments harder. He would tell coaches to cut kids if they asked for rest or water. This type of hazing never jived with me. I think it shows nothing but insecurities in the person doing it. They usually have some deep seeded issues, so they take it out on others. That was the feeling I got from Mike Leach. Sure, he was a good interview and older people liked him, but I was never a fan. I don't like when adults demean and torment kids. These kids were put into situations that were bad. Their parents thought that they would be taken care of, but sometimes they weren't. They were made to feel less than. I cannot get on board with that.

This behavior continued at other jobs, but since he was this offensive genius, these other schools didn't seem to care. When he was let go at Texas Tech, for hazing issues and improper punishments, it wasn't long before Washington State hired him. That hire was applauded everywhere. And he turned Washington State into a perennial bowl team. They had big offensive numbers and outscored enough teams to be bowl eligible. But he never beat Washington and was let go after the 2019 season. Mississippi State was quick to snatch him up in 2020. COVID held MSU to only 10 games and they finished 3-7. 2021 was better seeing the Bulldogs finish 7-6. This past season was his best at MSU, finishing 8-4 and beating Ole Miss to close out the regular season. But Leach seemed to be sick all year. He had pneumonia and a long lasting flu. He always had a cough. I think he may have had long COVID. But this did not stop the demeaning. At the end of this season one of the running backs on the team entered the transfer portal and stated that the "coaches do not think I am tough enough". That is not a good look.

But the sudden passing is still rough. It is tragic. It is sad. It seems unfair to happen to someone so young. This one will reverberate for some time now. I'm still kind of in shock. 

Ty

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

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I Believe in Coach Prime at Colorado

Deion Sanders is moving from Jackson State to Colorado. I always figured Sanders was going to move on to a different job. I just thought it might be a bigger profile school.

Before I get into that, the job he did at JSU was incredible. In three seasons he had a record of 27-5. JSU went undefeated this season. They blew out almost every opponent. Sanders was able to pull in high profile recruits. "College Gameday" made an appearance at JSU this past season. Sanders was out there beating the drum for HBCU's, and he did a great job of getting them more recognition. I wonder what is going to happen now, with Sanders gone, to HBCU football. Time will tell. There are some big names coaching HBCU football teams, but they don't bring the same weight as Deion does, but they are still well known names. Now, let's talk about Deion taking the Colorado job.

I do not think this has to do with a paycheck. I know there are some rumors about money at JSU, but none of that has been proven. Deion is also already a very, very rich man. He played two sports professionally and played them both very well. He was a better football player, but he had the talent to be exceptional at two sports at the highest level and he was compensated as such. Money is not the issue here.

I think Deion took this job for the challenge. I think he did what he could do as best he could at JSU and he wanted another challenge, a tougher challenge. HBCU football is top notch now, so Deion was ready to try his luck elsewhere. Colorado is in bad shape. They have not had a winning record since 2016. They were bad last year and even worse this year. They won one game. Colorado was a big time player in the 90's, but they have not made a ton of noise since. Even joining the Pac 12 has not raised their level of play.

This is about as tough a challenge as Deion could get. This feels like a semi lateral move. I think Colorado is only a little better than JSU. But Deion is already changing things there. He told the current players to get in line or transfer out. He told them he was going to be bringing his own players over at crucial positions. The way he put the message out there was kind of messed up, but at least he was honest with them up front. And he is already showing his ability to bring over quality players. His son was the best QB in the SWAC last season. He is now a Buffalo. Travis Hunter was the number one overall recruit last season, Deion got him to commit to JSU on signing day and Hunter crushed in his freshman season. He is now a Buffalo. There are other players who have entered the portal and put it out there that they want to play for Deion. If I was a college player I would be tempted to go play for him. He was electric to watch when he played and I love the passion he has for the game. Deion is going to do just fine on the recruiting trail. The stuff that makes this job tough is competition. As I said, Deion will get solid players, top level recruits, but it is going to take time. Colorado is not a job that he will be able to switch in three years. It is going to take time. Colorado is not only very bad, they play tough Pac 12 teams. Travis Hunter should fit in fine at the D-1 level, but who knows about the other kids coming over from JSU. JSU is D-1, but they have not played athletes the caliber that they will see at Colorado. They are going to have to play Oregon. Oregon is very good and has top recruiting classes every year. Oregon State has continued to get better. Utah has won the Pac 12 twice. UCLA and USC have one more Pac 12 season before they bounce. The schedule is going to be hard at first. The weather is going to be a factor. It gets cold and snowy in Colorado. Some kids will have to adjust. The administration better give Deion time. He is going to need, at the very least, three years. I fully believe in him, believe in his recruiting and his excellent coaching. But he needs a long leash. The powers that be need to be patient. It will eventually pay dividends, but he needs time.

All in all I love this hire for Colorado. They had the best coaching hire in college football. Full stop. I also think this challenge is perfect for Deion because he is not afraid of anything. He will succeed. If he gets time. I'm so stoked to watch him coach.

Ty

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

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Baker Mayfield is not Going to Fix the Rams

Before the NFL season started I put the Los Angeles Rams at the top of my rankings. I figured they would be primed to make a run for a repeat. They were coming off a Super Bowl win, they had pretty much everyone back and the coach decided to stick around after flirting with retirement.

Well, things have not gone as planned. The Rams have had a bad season. As of today the Rams are 3-9. They are in last place in the NFC West. They have the second worst record in the NFC, behind only the Bears who sit at 3-10. The only team with a worse record is the Texans, at 1-10-1. The Rams are down.

The bad season isn't all due to the returning players. This team has been injured a ton this year. Cam Akers wanted to be traded, sat out a game and is still around somehow. Jalen Ramsey has not been as dominant. Aaron Donald has been on and off the injured list all season. They miss Von Miller. Cooper Kuup is hurt and regressing. The tight ends have not been there all season. The team is a mess.

Yet the biggest mess is at QB. Matthew Sarfford has taken a tremendous step back and is now hurt. Bryce Perkins has had some run at the position, but he isn't ready yet. John Wolford is trash and he is also hurt. It has gotten so bad that the Rams went out and claimed Baker Mayfield.

I have never been a fan of Mayfield's. I thought the Browns totally reached when they took him first overall in his draft. I was never sold on him in college. He was too small and did not really perform as a superstar in big games. He didn't have that it factor in college that some other star college players do. I know he won the Heisman, but the Heisman is a flawed trophy. I think we all know that. And Mayfield was never the answer with the Browns. Sure they went to the playoffs a few times, but they always came up short. The team tried to build around him, get players that fit his style, but Mayfield never changed his game. He wanted everyone to conform to his style in Cleveland. He thought he was a star because he had a ton of commercials during NFL Sunday's. His head got a bit too big. He even resorted to calling out other teammates and the front office. Again, it was never his fault, it was always someone else.

It got bad enough that the Browns traded him last offseason. They decided to go with Deshaun Watson, who brought a whole new set of problems to the franchise, and Jacoby Brissett. The trade of Mayfield to the Panthers did not garner the return you would think when trading a "star" player. The Panthers got Mayfield and all they had to give up was a 2024 conditional draft pick. The Browns were so eager to rid themselves of Mayfield that they traded him and still owed him 10.5 million dollars.

Mayfield wasn't long for Carolina either. He was not named the starter right away. Instead, Matt Rhule, who was horrendous as the head coach, had Mayfield and Sam Darnold fight it out. And Darnold won. Then he played poorly and they put Mayfield in. He wasn't any better. Mayfield looked slower, was not reading defenses, seemed a little frightened and got benched again. The Panthers just cut him a week ago. They just wanted him out. They did not want him anywhere near the team. He was put on waivers and the only team to put in a claim was the Rams.

That is how rough it is at the QB position for the Rams. They were the single team that claimed him, and now he will probably start in the Thursday night game. And I am sure the Rams will get housed by the Raiders.

Baker Mayfield is not the QB that many "draft experts" claimed he was going to be. He is not a team builder. He is not a team player. He only cares about himself and his endorsements. I would not be surprised at all if he is cut again before this season even ends. At this point, if I were the Rams front office and coaches, I would go with Bryce Perkins for the rest of the season. Try to see what they have in him. This team is not going to repeat. They are not going to even make the playoffs. Taking a chance on Baker Mayfield seems ill advised. Just a thought. 

Ty

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

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