R.I.P. Jim Brown

Jim Brown passed away last week. I would have written about it then, but I had already written other stuff. Today I need to talk about this tragic passing.

Brown was an all time great football player. He was one of the greatest college players to ever do it. He was amazing at Syracuse. He was an All American twice. His number is retired by the school. He is on the CFB150 list. He's in the college football hall of fame. He also played basketball and did track and field. He was an amazing collegiate athlete. His pro career was even better. He had 12,000 plus rushing yards. He averaged 5.2 yards a carry. Read that again. That is incredible. He had 106 rushing touchdowns. He is a pro football hall of famer. He averaged 100 yards a game for his entire career. He's been named to every NFL Anniversary team that has ever existed. His number is retired by the Cleveland Browns. He may be the greatest running back of all time.

Jim Brown was much more than just a football player. After football Brown became an actor, and a damn good one at that. He has been in many shows and movies. Stuff like "The Dirty Dozen", the lead role in "100 Rifles", "Three the Hard Way", "CHiPS", "Knight Rider", "TJ Hooker", "The A-Team", "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka", "Mars Attacks", my personal favorite, "He Got Game", "Any Given Sunday", "She Hate Me"and "Draft Day", among many others. He was considered by many as "black Superman" or "black John Wayne". That was how much gravitas he held as an actor. Again, he did all of this after his record setting football career. He was also a massive Civil Rights Activist. In the 50's he was upfront and personal with his thoughts on racial issues. He was part of the Cleveland Summit that also included Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bill Russell and Carl Stokes. They all stood with Muhammed Ali and supported his decision to not enter the Vietnam War draft. Brown founded the Black Economic Union which helped to promote economic opportunities for minority owned businesses. Brown also helped fuel the Amer-I-Can Foundation. This foundation sought to divert gang members and prisoners from violence by teaching them life skills.  He was able to establish the Watts truce through this foundation. Brown let the world know how he felt about the dislike towards minorities. He put his money to good work and put in hard work. He didn't just talk the talk, he walked it too. He spoke up and acted on what he was saying. He backed it all up.

Outside the acting and civil rights activism, Brown found the time to be a color analyst for CBS in the late 70's. He was the first black televised boxing announcer in 1965. He co-wrote a book. He was a color commentator for UFC. He was an executive advisor to the Browns from 2008 until his passing. This was a person  who loved a full life. He did have issues in his life, assault charges, divorce, meeting with certain former "presidents", but all in all Brown was an amazing football player who lived his true life. He was his true self. He talked and acted. He didn't hide. He was a person of action. When I saw he passed I was kind of in shock. I mean, 87 is a good long life, but I expected Brown to be around for a very long time. I will always go back to the Finals game he attended in Cleveland and see LeBron James bow to him. That was the biggest sign of respect one incredible athlete can give to another.

Rest in Peace Jim Brown. You will be missed. 

Ty

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

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Victor Webanyama Won the Draft Lottery

The San Antonio Spurs won the draft lottery last night and will most likely take French phenom Victor Webanyama in the upcoming draft.

I love this so much. The last two times the Spurs had the first pick they took David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Those are some lofty career goals, but if anyone can do it, it is Webanyama. This kid has all the tools to be a legit superstar. He is 7'5. He can handle and shoot. He is a good rebounder. He is an excellent shot blocker. He is a nightmare mismatch on defense. He is skinny, but not Chet Holmgren skinny. He has been crushing in France's highest pro league. He led his team in points, rebounds and blocks. He is an amazing basketball player, and now he is going to go into a situation that will give him all of the best tools to succeed.

This couldn't have gone any better for him. I didn't think the Spurs had a shot, but I am so stoked that they got the pick and that this kid will get to play under Greg Poppovich. With all that is going on in Memphis right now maybe the Spurs will become my second team to root for. My dad has always liked them, as have I, but I have never actively rooted for them. That may change.

The truth is that this is good for the league and for Webanyama. If he had ended up in Houston that would have stunted his growth. That team is full of ball hogs and they have no interest in winning right now. Even if they add Harden I still have little faith in them being a true contender. The Trailblazers would have been fun. Pairing him with Dame would be dope, but that could still happen. Maybe Dame will want to go and play for the Spurs and he could team up with Webanyama and Pop. That would be awesome. I'd love to see that actually. No disrespect to the Blazers, but the Spurs are a much better situation to be in as a young rookie. The Hornets are a mess and who knows what they would do with a talent like this. LaMelo Ball is great, but he is always hurt and kind of a ball and glory hog. If they bring back Miles Bridges I will be done with any rooting interest in that team. They would also put so much on Webanyama's plate and expect him to be the face of the franchise instantly. That may be the case in San Antonio, but, again, a much better run team. The Pistons tanked their way hardcore to the best odds, but they didn't deserve this pick. They had the number one pick a few years ago, and instead of working with him, they made him sit pretty much all season and made him waste a full year. They also openly discussed trading other young players before the draft lottery even happened. That is foul to those players. The Magic don't need Webanyama, they are building something different. The Pacers already have Myles Turner. The Wizards are in NBA purgatory and will be there for quite some time. The Jazz played too well to get close to the number 1 pick. And the Mavericks don't deserve anything of consequence after the way they ended this past season. That was some blatant nonsense they did. I wish they had to give this pick to the Knicks. They don't deserve to be anywhere near the top 10 picks. And while I'm sure all of these other teams in the top 10 could use, and want Webanyama, it is fitting that the Spurs have won the rights to draft him.

This is perfect for the future of the NBA. All of the people who would chastise the Spurs for being "boring" when Duncan was the face of the team will have to deal with another decade plus of very good, very balanced basketball. Webanyama is going to learn from the best and that is only fitting. His talents belong in an organization this well run with the best coach to ever coach in the NBA. I love this and cannot wait to watch him and the Spurs play next season. What an excellent draft lottery. 

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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Ja Morant Needs Some Help

While checking sports stories on the internet the other day I came across a Ja Morant video. Now, all of you know about the incident that happened earlier this season. He had a gun, flashed it on Instagram Live and was suspended. The Grizzlies stumbled from there. They finished the year with a whimper and they lost in six games to the Lakers in round 1. After the season Ja Morant gave an interview. During this interview he said that he was a distraction, that his actions hurt the team, that he was going to get help and get better. I believed him. I think a lot of us did. I figured he had learned his lesson and he was going to try as hard as he could to make some changes. He also missed out on nearly 40 million dollars by missing out on making an All NBA team, which his Instagram Live caused.

He clearly hasn't learned his lesson. The video that I saw on Instagram this time was him listening to music with some friends and he appeared to show a gun, yet again. He was dancing and singing along and got caught up in the moment and flashed a gun. It looked like the people he was with, and himself, realized what he was doing and tried to stop it right away. But the damage had been done. The picture had been captured and shared around the world. I saw it on Bleacher Report that afternoon. By the evening it was the headlining story on most sports networks, it was all over social media and it was a total mess. The whole thing had blown up so much that the Grizzlies suspended him indefinitely.

This has got to stop. There needs to be a lesson in all of this. Something has to change and the team, and the NBA, need to come down very hard on him. I don't care if it was a fake gun, some people are positing this as a theory which I don't believe at all. Fake or not, Ja needs to feel this suspension in his pockets and on the floor. I usually do not agree with anything Chandler Parsons says, but I do agree that Morant should be suspended for all of next season. That should be the least of his worries. Not only should he be suspended, there needs to be a heavy, heavy fine. I'd go with a good portion of his salary left unpaid during the suspension. The NBA also needs to look in on his inner circle of friends and see what the hell is going on with them. I do not want to see his dad at any more games. The league and the Grizzlies need to come down extremely hard on him. This cannot keep happening. It is clear that he meant none of what he said at his end of the season interview. He was just saying cliche things and hoping people would forget. That frustrates me so much. He also needs to get the hell off of Instagram. I know getting off all social media is not viable in this day and age, but he needs to have limits on what content he posts. He also needs to have a person control all of that. He also needs to rid himself of weapons. He clearly does not know how to use and store them. I do not like guns, and do not own any. One of the main reasons, they are too powerful and can hurt others very badly. The way Morant is out here brandishing his guns, that is so unsafe. He also needs therapy. He is clearly out here being a poser. He is not this person that he is portraying on social media. He is not a criminal. He is not some gun toting bad guy. He is a good kid making some terrible choices and hanging out with people who do not have his best interest at hand. He needs to fix a whole lot of things, but none of that will happen unless he realizes he has a problem.

I want him to get better. I want him to figure out what is going on mentally. I want him to surround himself with good people. But none of that will happen until he admits he has a problem and gets a proper punishment. The hammer needs to come down and he needs to get help. I hope he does. 

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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The Grizzlies Do Not Need Dillon Brooks

The Grizzlies supposedly told Dillon Brooks that he will not be back next season "under any circumstance". Who knows how true that statement is, but it is coming from Shams Charnia, who is a very reliable source, so I tend to believe it.

I am all on board with this move. He may have thought his talking during the first round of the playoffs was motivating the team, but it had the opposite effect. His talk crept into an already crumbling locker room and made all the other problems this team, my favorite team in the NBA, had going on all season. Adding Brooks' talking with Ja Morant's whole situation, injuries to Brandon Clarke and Steven Adams and a team that was fading at the end of the year spelled trouble for the team. But Brooks was doing this all season. He was constantly talking. He never stopped. He claimed to "poke bears" all year long and look where it got the Grizzlies. They were dispatched, fairly easily I might add, by the 7 seeded Lakers. The Lakers are a good team, but the Grizz were the 2 seed and they couldn't even get to a game seven at home. That is the most frustrating part.

I appreciate Ja coming out at the end of the season and talking about his personal problems affecting the team. That takes maturity and shows that he, hopefully, is getting some help. Clarke and Adams have to take time to recover. Adams should be back soon, but Clarke's injury is going to take some time. He tore an ACL. He is going to need a lot of rehab for that injury. That could bleed into next season. But Brooks never showed growth or maturity. The Grizzlies would win a game and he talked and talked and talked. But then they'd get beat and he wouldn't even speak to the media. I heard a podcast where someone explained how Brooks was trying out a new character for his future in the NBA and it never worked. This person said he was trying to be like Draymond Green, but without any of the accolades. I think that is a very apt comparison, except Green is a much, much better player than Brooks could ever dream to be.

When the news was released that the Grizz were moving on yesterday I felt a sense of relief. It made me feel even better after another story came out saying that the Grizz tried to re-sign him during the season, but he wouldn't sign. That means he thought he could hold out for more, to get a better deal. But now everyone has gotten to see that he is all bark and no bite. He added some solid defense to the team, but what else did he really do? He is a poor shooter. He was being left wide open constantly and he couldn't hit the ocean. He never seemed to find the open guy while running the floor or in their half court offense. Sure he would pass, but it wouldn't lead to much until other players touched the ball. There was no rebounding or anything else of substance. And while the defense was okay, he could not guard the star players. LeBron abused him whenever he wanted. He cannot stay in front of guys like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown or Steph Curry. He was no match. It was almost like star players would hunt for him on offense just to beat him.

Now that the Grizz are moving on there is a sense of relief for me as a fan, and I bet the team feels it as well. They can move on. Sure they won't get anything for him, but this could be addition by subtraction. They can replace him with a younger guy in the lineup. A player like David Roddy could fill that role. I'd love to see Kenny Lofton Jr because I am a big fan of his. They could go small and play three guards with Jaren Jackson Jr and Steven Adams when he comes back. They could possibly go out and find some solid veteran help. They have a good enough team to continue to win without Brooks. They may be able to find a player that fits their timeline a little better.

I don't know where Brooks will end up, but I know that he will not be on my favorite team anymore and that makes me feel better. I am happy they are cutting the cord and moving on. The time has come. This is a good move by the Grizzlies. Now let's just hope the Grizz continue to win. Time will tell.

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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Jimmy Butler is a Playoff God

As all the NBA fans who read my blog have seen, I picked the Bucks to win the title this season. I thought they were the best team. They have the best player in the league. They had all their guys back pretty much fully healthy. They were the overall number 1 seed. They had home court throughout the playoffs. They were getting a seemingly disinterested Heat team. It all seemed in their favor. They even have the experience.

It didn't work out for Milwaukee. Giannis got hurt in game 1, missed two games and was not the same when he came back. Khris Middleton didn't look like himself. Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez looked tired. The bench didn't help at all. And the Heat saw this and took advantage. They jumped all over the Bucks. They played swarming defense. They made shots. Guy who barely played all year came in and did their job. This "bad news bears" esque squad came out, did what they do best and destroyed the Bucks. It only took them five games. They jumped out and got a stranglehold as soon as they could. It was jarring, but also kind of fun to watch.

Sure, I like the Bucks, Giannis is one of my favorite players, but this Heat team is fun when they are on. Kyle Lowry looked great in this series. He looked like the old Lowry. Kevin Love was tremendous off the bench. He looks like the missing ingredient. Duncan Robinson was one of the guys who barely saw the floor during the regular season, but due to injury, he was thrust in and did his job very well. Gabe Vincent was awesome. Max Struss looked good again. Erik Spoelstra was using every trick he had. And it all worked.

Yet the real killer in this series, the guy who always shows up when the lights are brightest, one of the most underrated players of all time, was Jimmy Butler. His series was amazing. This is some of the best basketball I have ever had the pleasure to watch. Butler was incredible and he did it all for the Heat. In the last two games he had 56 points and 46 points. He had decent assist numbers. He was rebounding the ball at a very high level. He was getting to the free throw line a bunch. He was making threes. He was guarding every star the Bucks have. Hell, he was insisting on it. He was making some of the wildest shots I've ever seen. This was a masterful performance by a guy that never gets mentioned when people talk about the best players in the league at this time. No one ever brings up Jimmy Butler. He is a better player right now than guys like Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray, Ja Morant, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown and James Harden. He is also a far, far superior playoff player still playing not named LeBron James. Butler is the heart and soul of this team. And when he is on, they are one of the best teams in the league. To watch what I just watched from him, I'm in awe. He was not going to let this team get beat. As soon as the Heat got a series lead, he smelled blood. And that is when Butler is at his best. I go back to his 56 point game as a point of reference. The Bucks seemed to be in control that whole game. I turned it back on near the end and the Bucks were up 10. They answered every shot. They never let it get too close, until Jimmy Butler decided it was time to take over. He made two big threes. He was getting to his spots. He hit every free throw he shot in the fourth quarter. He made plays in defense. And the Heat kept chipping away until they took the lead and eventually won. That would have been enough to cement him as an all time playoff great. But then he came out in game five, a closeout situation for them, and scored 46, looking every bit as good as he did in the previous game. Again, I was in awe. I couldn't believe my eyes. Jimmy Butler is amazing. He needs more shine.

Butler may rub some people the wrong way, but that dude shows up best when it matters most. Look at all the teams that let him go because they didn't like his "attitude". They are not as good as they were with him. Even the 76ers. Butler needs his shine and I will gladly drive this bandwagon. I may not be a fan of the Heat, but I am a superfan of Jimmy Butler. What a performance. 

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's 2023 NFL Draft Not Mock Draft

The first round of the NFL draft is tonight. This afternoon I'm going to do my version of a draft preview. I'm going to give you five prospects I really like, five I'm not so high on, and like a fanboy, I'm going to give you my favorite Michigan player and the one I think will have the best NFL career. This is not a mock draft or anything like that. This is my preview, what I see and where I would pick these players, or not pick. I'll get to the Miami Heat tomorrow, I promise.

This class is stacked with QB prospects. They are up and down the board. I have seen so many QB's being mocked in round 1, especially in the top 10. I like most of them, except who I will name in my second half today, but CJ Stroud is the best. I think he has all the intangibles that one could want. He is big, has a great arm, can run and looks the part. I don't buy into any of these "questions" surrounding him right now. All the Wonderlic stuff, and the test taking stuff doesn't matter to me. I watched him play a lot of football the past two years, and as much as it hurts the Michigan fan in, this dude is legit. He is the QB I would want most of all.

On the defensive side of the ball I am enamored with Will Anderson Jr from Alabama. He is this year's Aidan Hutchinson. He is an instant wrecker in the backfield. He is the most pro ready prospect. He is so big and so fast and so dominant. He may, and should, be the front runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year before even stepping on the field.

Devon Witherspoon is as legit a corner prospect as I have seen in awhile. I didn't know much about him until Illinois played Michigan this year, but I came away impressed with what I saw. He was shut down. Michigan stopped throwing his way. He was on an island because of the blitzing nature of their defense, but he more than lived up to the task. If the Lions somehow get him, their defense is going to be elite. This kid is awesome and any team inside the top 10 would be lucky to have him on their team.

I fully believe that Jordan Addison is the best wideout in this draft. He put up numbers at Pitt and USC. He won the Biletnikoff two seasons ago. He was the number one option for Caleb Williams last season. He is fast and sure handed. He reminds me of Devonta Smith. This kid can ball.

Finally, Jalen Carter is going to wreck stuff in the NFL. He is humongous. It will take two dudes to block him in his rookie year. He was massive for Georgia last season. He kept that defense dominant. He dominated the SEC for two straight years. This kid can really play and he is the second best d lineman behind only Anderson Jr in this draft.

Now for the guys I'm not so high on.

I mentioned all the QB's, Will Levis is not that dude. He is wildly overrated. I remember reading about another Kentucky QB who was going to save the NFL. That QB was Tim Couch. I get those vibes from Levis big time. He also puts mayo in his coffee. Gross.

I am not sold on Jaxson Smith Njigba. He was awesome in college, but he missed a ton of time last year and it didn't look like he was missed all that much. He is also very undersized. He also didn't really show out in prime time games. I don't know what it is with him, but I get a feeling he will not be much of an NFL player.

Zay Flowers is too little and played in a crap conference. I know smaller guys are getting more of a shot at wideout, especially in the slot, but Flowers is so, so small. He is only six inches taller than my 11 year old son. He is fast, and has good hands, but how will he react when he is exploded on by a defensive back with a head of steam? I hope he learns how to catch and fall, but 5'9 is 5'9. I'd love to be proven wrong, like how Barry Sanders proved everyone wrong, but the NFL is different now. That is so small.

Michael Mayer is too slow. I would see him run routes and blow up college defenses. But that was college, against ACC teams. He will be getting covered by the best linebackers and safeties in the world. And they will cut him down at the knees the moment he catches the ball. He won't be able to stay on the field in the NFL.

And then we have Lukas Van Ness. I mean, how many other Iowa defensive ends are we going to trust? They have one decent college season, get overdrafted and then are out of the league. How is Van Ness any different? He is not Micah Parsons, he is not Aidan Hutchinson or Travon Walker. He doesn't have that motor. I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole.

Back to good talk. As for my Michigan guy I like, it is Ronnie Bell. Bell was a guy who recovered from a very public drop to win a game four years ago to have his best season. He came back from a torn ACL and was the most productive receiver on the team last season. He was the veteran voice they needed in that locker room. He was an excellent and reliable punt returner. He was also the consummate team player. He did what was asked when it was asked and never complained. He is a Michigan legend in my eyes and I think he is going to have a long and fruitful NFL career. Wherever he gets drafted, that team is going to love him. He will probably start on special teams and continually work his way up to be his team's best slot receiver. I fully believe that.

Enjoy the draft and good luck to all the kids that will be picked over these next four days.

Ty

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

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Aaron Rodgers is Finally Out of Green Bay

The Packers finally, mercifully, traded Aaron Rodgers. This was going to happen. We all knew it. Let’s discuss.

I wrote a few weeks back that the Packers should hold out for the best possible offer. But no matter what this was going down. I thought it may stretch into draft night, but that didn't happen. The Packers got a ton of picks, the Jets got the QB they wanted and kept a first round pick this year and everyone can wash their hands of this now. It happened, it is over, Jets fans are excited and Packers fans can move on.

As for the Jets, I think they may be a bit ahead of themselves right now. Rodgers is better than what they have, that is for sure. But he is 40. He is weird. He is a headcase. He thinks he runs the franchise he plays for. He complains about everything and everyone. It is never his fault, it is always on someone else. But he is still a solid QB, the Jets have a decent run game and their defense is elite. But they also play in the same division as the Dolphins and Bills. They are also in the same conference with the Chiefs, Bengals, Ravens and the aforementioned Bills. It is going to be tough. I am not even sure they are a playoff team. They will be better, but the fans may also get sick of Rodgers and his nonsense very, very fast. Also, I cannot wait for his dumbass to say something wild and watch the media in New York roast him. His response will be hilarious and interesting.

The Packers can finally go with Jordan Love. I have been saying they should do that for the past couple of years. I have been ready to move on for a while. I have been saying that I was ready for this team to see what they have with Love and figure out if they need to do something else or move on.

I am also happy to say to people that I am a Packers fan again. It felt dirty the past couple of years. When Rodgers showed his true colors I was turned off. He was being lionized by some in the media and that bummed me out too. I cannot stand Pat McAfee, and everytime Rodgers was on his show he would say something wild. And because I follow the Packers I would see headlines about it. I don't have to deal with that anymore. The Jets fans can have that. Look, it got bad enough with Rodgers the past couple of years that I contemplated rooting for a new team. I was thinking of going inter divisional and rooting for the Lions. I was also thinking about skipping out on the NFL all together until playoff time and just being even more focused on college football. I don't have to worry about that stuff anymore. I am oddly excited to see how they look with Jordan Love. I want to see if AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones become a more dynamic backfield. That rookie wideout they had last season who played really well, I like that he is still there. I could see them going with a wideout in the first round this year and building with youth. I'd love that. I also think they could get a QB in the later rounds this year to stash and learn. I also think that Green Bay is a desirable spot because of its history in the league.

This is the first time in a long time that I am pumped to watch the NFL and the Packers. I know, deep down, that they are going to be truly bad, but who cares. Every team goes through a phase like this. The Lions were very moribound. They look very good now. The Vikings won the division last year, but I could see a dip from them. And the Bears have been very bad, but they were a perennial playoff team just a few years ago, and I think they may be on the come up. It is now the Packers turn to have a down year. And who knows, maybe Love is legit and they stay relevant. That would be icing on the cake.

Anyway I'm glad it is over and we can all move on. Rodgers is a dummy and he is now the Jets problem. And Green Bay can really see what they have with Jordan Love. All the teams and fans win. Hooray. 

Ty

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

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The League was Wrong to Suspend Draymond Green

The Warriors had a must win game last night and they did just that. They won the game. They won by a lot. And they made this series with the Kings look a whole lot different.

Things could've been much worse for the kings. Draymond Green was suspended for this game. I'm sure you all have seen or heard why he was suspended. He "stomped" on Domantas Sabonis, the league decided they needed to set an example and Green was the perfect person to do this with. He has a past. He has been suspended for big playoff games before. He is a noted agitator. Go ask Steven Adams or LeBron James. They will tell you exactly what you want to know about him. Green is a dirty player who makes no excuses for his dirty play. I am not a fan of his at all. One, he is a Michigan State grad. Two, he is a dickhead. Three, he has been uplifted by the perfect situation for his style of play and been surrounded by great players. But he has earned the right to be talked about as a hall of fame player. I think he belongs. I think he is a very important part of this Warriors dynasty. He is the modern unicorn and one of the best defensive players to ever play the game. He is also one of the smartest players to play the game. So the Warriors got lucky, they got the win with him out and they kept this series interesting. But I don't think he should have been suspended.

I think this was the wrong move by the NBA. I think they reacted too swiftly and didn't really think about all that went into the suspension. I think they saw the "stomp", they saw it was Draymond and they went from there. Hell, they said as much in their press release. But go back and watch the play. At first glance I thought Draymond was in the wrong and I believed he should have been ejected from that game. That would have been the best punishment the league could have given him and we all could have moved on from there. But when you go back and watch the play, Sabonis is clearly grabbing his leg. Draymond is trying to get back on defense, the Kings have been running the whole time so far, but his forward momentum was being impeded upon. Sabonis grabbed him and wouldn't let go. The "stomp" was a bit much, but put yourself in that situation. Sit back and think back to a rec game that you may have played in your lifetime. What would you do if someone was grabbing you? You'd find a way to get out of that hold I assume. I know I would wiggle my leg until I got free, and if that didn't work, I might resort to a "stomp". Again, what Draymond did to get free was dirty, and he was ejected, but how can you see this and not think that Sabonis had something to do with it? Sabonis is a dirty player himself. He throws elbows all the time. He whips the ball in people's faces and, as the Warriors stated, uses it as a weapon. He is always grabbing a kicking and trying to bait other guys into technical fouls. And it worked with Draymond the other night, but the suspension was uncalled for. Sabonis wasn't hurt. I know the team said he had "sternum contusions", but I don't buy that for a second. Draymond didn't "stomp" him that hard. And if they suspended Draymond why didn't they do anything to Sabonis? Why wasn't he suspended? Where is his fine? He didn't get a flagrant called on him. It is unfair.

The Warriors had every right to be upset. Draymond, again, a guy I personally do not enjoy, did not deserve this. Why make an example of him now? What good does that do? This was a bogus suspension and the NBA should be grateful it didn't mess up this fun series so far. Had the Warriors gone down 3-0 this would have a different tone today.

All in all the league needs to chill on this. The fact that Draymond got suspended for his "stomp", but neither Embiid nor Harden got suspended for what they did last night is a joke. This league, while great in most aspects, and is the best professional sports league by a wide margin, messed up here. They need to own up to this mistake and be better the next time. This was an unwarranted and unfair decision they ended up with. Luckily for them the Warriors won last night. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

The Grizzlies Have a Dillon Brooks Problem

I am a Grizzlies fan. I adore that team. They have had their issues this year, and I have touched on them as have many other reputable websites and publications. They still fought their way to the 2 seed and beat the Lakers last night to even their round one series. They looked good without Ja, but make no mistake, they need need need Ja to win this series. But, Dillon Brooks needs to knock it the hell off. Let’s discuss.

If Brooks were on any other team I would loathe him. He talks nonstop. He is a good defender, but the way he talks you'd think he was the perennial DPOY. He is not. His teammate is the DPOY in fact. And the talking, outside of his defense, is not warranted. He is not a good offensive player. He cannot shoot the three with any consistency. He is a subpar passer. He takes worse half court shots than Russell Westbrook. When he rises up to shoot a three I find myself saying "bad shot" more often than not. I get why he starts, it makes sense within the construct of this roster. But the shit talking has got to slow down a bit.

I fully understand basketball is a game of talking. I have played it my whole life and I have shit talked a ton. That is part of the game. But this stuff with Brooks is becoming too much. He thinks he is Draymond Green, more on him tomorrow. But he is not. Draymond is a former DPOY. He is considered one of the greatest defensive players of all time. He has been an extremely integral part of a dynasty in Golden State. Draymond has earned the right to talk. Dillon Brooks has not. And watching him talk to LeBron during the game last night, and the interview afterward, it made me frustrated. LeBron doesn't need motivation. The dude has lived his whole career off of negative talk and motivation. LeBron has earned all he has gotten in the league. Say what you will about him joining a "super team", LeBron is the second greatest player of all time. So for Brooks to stare him down after a jump shot in the third quarter, stop. To clap in his face after LeBron called him a bum, that needs to stop. To constantly chirp at him during the game, that needs to stop. For him to say he likes "poking bears", and to say "he hasn't dropped 40 on me", just stop.

This is the stuff that drives me nuts. I like confidence, but this is cockiness from a guy that is not even close to deserving it at all. Brooks has not earned this place. He is trying to be villainous. My 11 year old son called him a "try hard" last night. I guess that means he is a poser. And I agree with him one hundred percent. LeBron is about to drop 40 on his ass. I wouldn't be shocked if he did it in game 3. LeBron is going to come into that game possesed. And the whole "poking bears" thing, that worries me the most. LeBron will use it. Anthony Davis will use it. D'Angelo Russell will use it. Austin Reaves will use it. Dennis Schroeder will use it. The whole team will use that quote as bulletin board material. And Brooks just won't shut the hell up. Desmond Bane talked some about Rui Hachumura after game one. Hachumura came out and did it again and Bane was quiet. Ja and JJJ and Steven Adams and the rest of the Grizzlies are being quiet, but Brooks is still running his trap.

I have no problem with him being on the team the rest of this year, but it is time to move on. I didn't want the team to trade him at the start of this season, but I'm all for it now. He is the type of trash talker that needs others to back him up. I don't want that type of player on my favorite team. Hopefully he proves me wrong and his talking works in this series. But I do not see that happening. He has poked the wrong bear. LeBron thrives in moments like this. I just hope Brooks trash talking doesn't ruin the Grizzlies postseason. My fingers are crossed. 

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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Ty Predicts the 2023 NBA Playoffs

I fully understand the NBA playoffs started this past weekend, but today I have my preview and predictions. The first game of the series does play the ground work, but these series are all just getting started. Seven games is a lot, and a ton can still happen. Some things went as expected and others did not. But the first round of the playoffs is always fun and I enjoyed watching games all weekend. With all that, let's get to the predictions.

I will start with the East.

The 1-8 has Milwaukee facing Miami. This series will be tougher than it looks on paper, especially now with Giannis having a bruise. His x rays were clear, but a bone bruise is still very painful. And Khris Middleton is still recovering from injury. But Tyler Herro got hurt yesterday. He is out for the full first round. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are more than capable of making this a tough series. But in the end I see the Bucks winning in six games. Giannis will play and he will dominate. The Bucks are too good.

The 2-7 matchup features Boston and Atlanta. I was kind of stunned when the Hawks beat the Heat in the play-in, but their reward is the Celtics. If game 1 is any indication, the Hawks will be on vacation pretty soon. Boston is too good, too long, too athletic and can shoot the rock. The Hawks have Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, but they haven't clicked all season. The Celtics are going to walk. I'll give the Hawks one game, at home. Celtics will win in five.

The 3-6 matchup is Philly and Brooklyn. Brooklyn made it by having a big cushion before they traded everyone. Mikail Bridges has been great. Cam Johnson is solid. But the Nets do not have a single person that can guard Joel Embiid. The 76ers have him, James Harden and Tobias Harris. They are also playing with a chip on their shoulders. They have a ton to prove. The 76ers need to show that they are for real. I think they will win the series in a sweep.

The 4-5 matchup pits the Knicks and Cavs. This is the best first round series. These two teams are a perfect match. Game 1 was awesome. I have a feeling the full series will be this way. I love that these 2 teams are relevant with their current rosters. This series is going the full seven games and I'm going with the Cavs. I cannot wait to watch more of this series.

This means I have the Bucks facing the Cavs and the Celtics facing the 76ers in the semis. The Bucks should be full by this time. They should have everyone they need. The Cavs will too, but they will most likely be worn down. I think they can get a game, hell, probably two. But the Bucks are too good and have been all year long. I got the Bucks in six.

The 76ers-Celtics series is going to be masterful. I cannot wait to watch. This is going to be epic. Both teams have a ton to prove. As much as I'd like to pick the 76ers, and I will be rooting for them, the Celtics are too damn good. And deep. And they are hitting shots. I have the Celtics in seven games.

That leaves me with the Celtics and Bucks in the East Finals. The 1 and 2 seeds. The two best teams in the NBA all season long. I like that they will match up to go to the Finals. I have the Bucks winning in seven. They have beaten the Celtics most when it mattered this season, and they have a ton to prove from last season. The Bucks will represent the East in the NBA Finals.

Now to the West.

The 1-8 features Denver and Minnesota. Denver kind of slumped to the end the year. Jokic is not the MVP. Jamal Murray is still kind of hurt and has never looked like himself all year. Michael Porter Jr is not the super duper star they thought. But the Wolves are even worse off. They have never gotten it together. They are hurt. They are missing Jaden McDaniels. Rudy Gobert is punching teammates. They are a total mess. The Nuggets are going to cruise. They will sweep the Wolves.

The 2-7 has my Memphis Grizz facing the Lakers. This is going to be a tough, fun series. Both teams match up pretty well. They each do things that will frustrate each other. This will be fun. Game 1 was good, until the very end, and I think that will be the case throughout. Although the Lakers are playing really well right now, I have the Grizzlies winning in seven. Sure, Ja may be hurt right now, but the Grizz have won a lot without him. The Lakers need LeBron James and AD fully healthy to make a real run. I wouldn't bet on that.

The 3-6 has Sacramento facing Golden State. The Warriors have been weird all year. They can't win on the road and can't be beat at home. There has been infighting and injuries. They have a full team. The Kings have been very good and solid all year. They may be the most solid team in the West. But they haven't been here in forever and the Warriors are the defending champs. This is going to be a fun series, but the Warriors will find a way to win one road game and win the series in seven.

The 4-5 is the best in the West. The Suns and Clippers are, on paper, the best teams in the conference. Game 1 was awesome too. It felt like a battle of the best. Kawhi and KD were trading buckets. Devin Booker and Russell Westbrook were going at one another. It was great. I think this will go seven games as well, and even though I picked the Clippers at the start of the season, I'm going with the Suns here. KD is whole and he is too damn good to not get his team out of round one.

That means the West Semis will feature Denver playing Phoenix and Memphis facing Golden State. These are great matchups. Much like the East, the four best teams in the West will be here. The Nuggets will not be able to guard the Suns. The Suns destroyed them last season with a myriad of mid range jumpers and Deander Ayton is more than capable of guarding Jokic. I have the Suns in five.

Memphis is going to finally beat the Warriors. They will finally do it. This series is going to feature a ton of trash talk and a ton of scoring. In the end, the Grizz have home court advantage and they will use that to win game seven in Memphis.

This leaves me with Memphis and Phoenix in the West Finals. The Grizz luck will run out here. As thrilling as it would be to see them get to the Finals, the Suns are too good and the Grizz will not be able to guard everyone. The Suns pulled the trigger on that KD trade at the deadline and that will propel them to the Finals.

So we have a rematch of the 2021 Finals, with the Bucks facing the Suns. And I see it playing out the same way. Giannis is going to eat. He will dominate this series. Jrue Holiday will not have to guard Chris Paul, so he will be able to focus on Devin Booker. The Bucks will throw a ton of dudes at KD. The Bucks are a better team than Phoenix and they will win the title in six games.

As for the MVP, who else would it be besides Giannis. He is the best player in the world and he will prove that tenfold.

There it is my 2023 NBA playoffs preview and prediction. Now enjoy the rest of the playoffs. 

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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It's Time for Minnesota to Say Goodbye to the Rudy Gobert Experiment

I feel like I have to address the whole Rudy Gobert situation in Minnesota right now. I will do a full NBA playoff preview when the play in is done, but for now I want to talk about what happened the other night.

Rudy Gobert punched, well attempted to punch, Kyle Anderson on the bench during the final game of the regular season. This resulted in a suspension for last night's play in game against the Lakers. The Lakers won by the way. Gobert has come out and apologized, apparently he and Kyle Anderson have made up and they want to move forward. They do have another chance to make the playoffs if they beat the winner of the Pelicans-Thunder game tonight. But this whole season, and trade, has been a complete disaster for the Timberwolves.

I thought the trade was going to work. I figured they'd be a shoo in for the playoffs. I did not think they'd have to fight through the play in. I did not expect them to be 42-40 at season's end. I did not expect them to go scoreless in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter last night. I thought KAT and Gobert would work well together. Gobert is a great defensive player and KAT is a great scorer. It made sense to me. It never worked. They barely played together due to KAT's long term injury this season. But Gobert also took a major step back. He was not the all world defender he has been before. His pick and roll game has fallen off. He is a step slower. Anthony Edwards was asked to do far too much for this team. He is not ready to shoulder a load like that just yet. I am as big an Edwards fan as there is, but he needs more time to be the face of this team. He also had a great season by the way.

The signing of Kyle Anderson seemed fitting this offseason for the T'Wolves. I was bummed the Grizzlies didn't keep him. He is a good vet player who knows his role and speaks his mind. That seems to be the issue that caused the problem the other night. Anderson told Gobert to get some blocks. Gobert chastised him back and told Anderson to get more rebounds. Anderson started to yell back and Gobert decided he had enough. Apparently Gobert was playing through back spasms and he felt like his toughness was being called out. But to try to throw hands, come on dude.

Gobert seems to have a pattern. We all remember how he dealt with COVID. I mean, he is the match that lit the shut down of the NBA in 2020. He felt sick, swore up and down it wasn't COVID, touched a ton of mics, hugged teammates and laughed it off. Guess what? He had COVID. The season shut down. Donovan Mitchell tested positive shortly after all of this nonsense. His teammates came out and complained about his behavior. You could already see the cracks. I wrote back then that the Jazz were going to have to trade one or both of them. They eventually traded both and are doing a full rebuild. But then we have the on court issues with Gobert that I already mentioned. He also came out earlier this year and called out officials for being biased. I agree that refs are biased, but the T'Wolves have stars. They have players that fans want to watch. I could watch Anthony Edwards play all day long. And it is not like the teams he mentioned are world beaters. The Suns are the 4 seed. The Lakers are the 7 seed. They both can go all the way, but I assumed the T'Wolves could too. And now this punching incident. I do not know how the Wolves don't trade him at this point. They have to try and recoup something, anything from the trade this past offseason. The T'Wolves gave up so much. So many players and so many picks. The T'Wolves should try to get picks back. They have two stars, Edwards and KAT. They have a veteran point guard in Mike Conley. Naz Reid may be the best backup big in the league and he should be fully recovered from his injury in time for next season. Kyle Anderson is a more liked player, and that is now very clear. Gobert is not the answer. He may be toast in the league. His best days are clearly behind him, and he has some issues he needs to deal with.

I think it would be best for the T'Wolves to move on no matter what happens during the remainder of the play in. This trade has already run its course and it was not good. The Timberwolves must keep KAT and Edwards and build from there. That would be the best for this franchise's future. 

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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Losing Hunter Dickinson will Make Michigan Basketball Better

Michigan struggled on the basketball floor this season. Their women's team was good, but the men's team was wildly inconsistent. They never closed teams out. They had plenty of opportunities to get signature wins and they found ways to blow it. They never had a complete lineup. They lost games they never should have, let teams like Eastern Michigan stay in games way too long that they eventually won and they couldn't beat the good teams.

With a bad season there was a lot of blame to go around. Most people turned to Juwan Howard, but I do not put much of the blame on him or his staff. I do think the time is ticking, I'd give him two more seasons to turn it around. I turn to some of the players on this team. I think some of the guys that were counted on to be leaders got too big in their britches and thought they were better than they actually are. This team had no urgency. They had no killer instinct. They never showed the will to stomp an opponent out. That falls on players to me, especially now that I am a basketball coach. As much as I would love to go play, I can't. I'm too old and too out of shape. But the players play. The players are supposed to be the ones to take the coach's vision and show it on the floor. Michigan didn't do that. They took too many threes, couldn't rebound or get stops and they played too much individual basketball. Jett Howard wanted to average 20 a game. Kobe Bufkin was asked to do too much, mainly coming from teammates. And Hunter Dickinson only cared about double doubles.

Look, I get the hate surrounding Hunter Dickinson. He is an asshole. He is a jerk. He pops off at the mouth too much. He is soft. But he was Michigan's offense, and he was a Wolverine, so I rooted for him. But he endlessly frustrated me as a fan. He would do these amazing things in the post on offense. His jump hook was unguardable. He was a very good passer out of the post. He could, sometimes, fire himself up and he would throw down on dudes. But he was not a solid defensive rebounder. He was a below average post defender. Opponents would take their big man, who usually outweighed Dickinson, and that guy would cook against him in the post. It felt like all it took was one bump to the chest and Dickinson was done. He was also a very poor help defender. For a 7 footer, he gave up far too many uncontested layups and didn't block a ton of shots. So when he announced he was going into the transfer portal about a week ago I was stunned for a second, but I moved on pretty quick. I mean, the entire offense was built around his style of play. He was the driver of the car. He was the focal point for opposing defenses. So for him to transfer, it felt odd.

After my intial shock I then I thought about the other stuff. The defense. The lack of rebounding. The lack of intensity when he wasn't getting touches. The dumbass things he would say in pre and post game interviews. And I kind of moved on. I figured, oh well, let's get ready for the Tarris Reed era of Michigan big men.

I really like Reed's game by the way, and he is a bruiser in every sense of the word. There is still a possibility of him coming back to Michigan, and if he does I will root for him. But if he does leave, I will not be too disappointed. He was a Michigan great. He will go down in the pantheon of Michigan basketball players. But I miss guys like Jordan Morgan, Mo Wagner and Robert Traylor. Those big men did the dirty work and did it with pride. I see that potential in a guy like Tarris Reed. Michigan also got a 6'10 kid from Seton Hall in the portal. And they were able to snag Caleb Love from UNC. That kid has loads of potential. Add on Nimari Burnett and the two recruits they have coming in, I'm a little more excited by what the Michigan men's basketball team has for next season.

In the end I look at Dickinson's posible transfer as addition by subtraction. The basketball team may not be handcuffed in trying to get Dickinson more involved. Maybe they can run some more. Maybe they will play a little faster. All of that sounds way better than what I watched last season. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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UConn Proved Once Again that it is an Elite Basketball Program

The UConn men's basketball team finished its wonderful season with a title last night. They dominated from start to finish. Sure there were moments that SDSU made it close. I tuned in the entire game because it got as close as six points. But in reality I think we all knew that UConn was going to finish this thing off. And they did, in convincing fashion.

The Huskies were clearly the best team in the men's tournament. They proved it over and over. They won every game by double figures. No team really got close in the second half, with SDSU being the lone exception. This was also the first time I watched UConn closely and they really impressed me. But that is not the main focus of this blog today.

During the game last night the announcers gave the viewers a stat that really impressed me, and I bet a ton of other watchers. This title marks the fifth title that the UConn men's basketball team has won since 1999. In the past 24 seasons they have 1/5 of the men's college basketball titles. That is dominant. They are so good. I mean, all the basketball watchers know how dominant the women's team is. They are an incredible dynasty. They are akin to the UCLA teams from the 70's. But no one mentions the UConn men's team as a dynasty.

The narrative out there says the majority of these five titles are considered "lucky". They won with Kemba Walker only after making the tourney due to his heroics in the Big East tournament. The Shabazz Nappier team grinded out a title over an 8 seeded Butler team. Emeka Okafor was so dominant that no one could beat them. There are seemingly a million excuses for why UConn continues to win titles. No one says this about Duke. They have three titles in the same span of time. Kansas won it all twice in the same time span. North Carolina has as many as Duke. Michigan State has one. Florida has two. Arizona has zero. Gonzaga has zero. Baylor has one. Oregon has zero. UCLA has zero. I could go on and on.

It is time that UConn be considered the bluest of blue bloods. They may have down years, but they always regroup and end up winning titles. I guess they don't get the love because they don't have a bunch of lottery picks, or high profile coaches or recruit a ton of one and done guys. They go out, play old fashioned basketball and win titles every five seasons or so. I was endlessly impressed by this number. I thought about it a bunch last night and even more this morning. UConn is a big deal. They may be the best men's and women's basketball programs in the country. Seriously. If you use numbers, they have the most titles. If you look at wins, they have the best totals. If you look at style, they clearly play a winning style. The Huskies are great. The Huskies should be the college program others strive to be. They are better and more prolific than any other program. Duke, Michigan State, UNC, Michigan, Gonzaga, they all wish they could be where UConn is right now. They all crave that winning tradition and dominance. They all want to be them. It is that simple.

While all the Duke fans will claim to be the best, or the UNC fans or the MSU fans or the UCLA fans, I say go look at UConn's brilliance over the last 24 years and tell me that I'm wrong when I say they are the premiere college basketball program. Congrats on yet another title. I guess we will see you all here again relatively soon. 

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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If You Run, You Need to Rest

Pictured: not running

It’s no surprise to any reader that I’m a runner. It’s part of my identity. I love the sport. It has, very literally, changed my life. It gives me something fun and important to do. I feel better after most runs. I love the endorphin rush I get from a race or a long run. I love the community. I love the friends I’ve made. Running is my favorite athletic thing to do. It’s the best.

Running these past nine years I’ve learned a lot about myself. I know when and what types of food to eat for certain runs. I am much better at hydrating. I know when and where to vent when I run with people. I know when to let them vent, when to be a listener. I know what I like and what I don’t when it comes to trail and road running. I know when I’m having a good run and when I’m having a bad run. But what I’m struggling most with now, what still causes mild stress for me is rest days.

I tried to do a run streak. I made it pretty far. I got very close to a full year. But it was causing me undue anxiety and stress. I would obsess and that’s no good with my OCD. It was a problem. After a visit with my therapist we decided I had to stop the streak and start adding rest days. In the long run my therapist told me it would help. And it has. Adding two rest days a week has been great for my physical and mental health. But on these rest days, Monday is one of those, I feel like I’m not doing enough. I’ve told myself many times that this isn’t true. I do quite a bit on these scheduled rest days. Today I grocery shopped and cleaned my house. Other days I take my senior dog out for short walks. I go out with my folks and spend extra time with them. I get stuff done around the house. I’m not being lazy, but sometimes I find myself craving a run. It’s hard to let it go at times. I feel useless. That’s the problem. I’m not being lazy. I’m not useless. I’m getting stuff done. I’m taking care of things that are more important. The house needs to be cleaned. My old dog needs an occasional walk. Sometimes things around the house need to be fixed. Just because I’m not burning 700 plus calories or logging 12,000 plus steps doesn’t mean I’m not getting work in. I just haven’t fully bought into all I’m saying yet. I’m finding it a bit easier to get there, but it’s definitely still a work in progress. It’s still going to take time. And I know I’m not alone. Runners are inherently obsessive. We like routine. We like the rush of a good run. I know more people who run feel the same way I do about scheduled rest days. I just wish it was easier for me to accept. I hope it will be no issue in the coming months, but who knows.

Rest days are a good, and important thing. I truly know this. I just need to get over my OCD and accept it.

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 2023 Men's Basketball Final Four Predictions

The men's final four is this weekend. I am going to do a preview and prediction. With that being said, take this prediction with the biggest grain of salt. On my personal brackets I have zero of the final four teams. I filled out multiple brackets too. This tourney has been nuts and all of my "bracket buster" picks were wrong. I also had Arizona in the Final Four. They got beat on the first day. I had Purdue making a run. They were the second 1 seed to be beat by a 16. I was sticking up for Marquette, and they were gone after the first round. I'm just saying, I may not be the best predictor out there. Just a heads up.

Where we stand, we have San Diego State, Florida Atlantic, UConn and Miami in the Final Four. There are two 5 seeds, a 9 seed and a 4 seed. That is wild. Two of the teams are from power 5 programs, but the other two are mid majors. Three of the final four teams have never been this far before. This is pretty much unheard, especially after the blueblood fest that was last season's final four. But I am excited for this four team crew. There is no team I dislike and no team I am a humongous fan of. I could care less who wins. If I am sticking up for any team it is SDSU due to the Michigan connection. But I have always liked UConn. Seeing a perennial football power like Miami here is rad. I am enjoying the whole FAU storyline that is going on. This is fun. This is why they put "madness" within the "March Madness" marketing.

With all that, I am most excited to watch FAU-SDSU. These are the two mid majors. These teams couldn't be more different. FAU wants to move up and down the floor. They want to shoot and shoot some more. They are fast and athletic and want a track meet. SDSU is all about their defense. I saw a stat in their elite eight game that said they have held their last five opponents below their season scoring average and 3 point percentage. I love that. They also like playing a half court game and shortening the other team's time of possession. They are a throwback team. They are also older and experienced. That is why I'm going with the Aztecs to make the title game. They have a little bit of everything, they have played a tougher schedule and they are coming off upsetting the number 1 overall seed. And their defense is otherworldly.

The "blueblood" matchup has UConn and Miami. Miami is fun. They are like a bigger FAU. They also have a ton of experience. They can also absolutely shoot the lights out. Miami deserves to be here. UConn should be the prohibitive favorites, definitely now. They have it all. They have size, athleticism, shooting, speed, experience and talent. They have been very good all season long. They have also been consistent. They are such a good, deep basketball team. They have also been destroying their opponents in the tourney. I think they will do the same to Miami. UConn is so good and they will overwhelm the hell out of you. In each game it is close for a half, and then UConn has put it on teams in the second half. I believe that will happen tomorrow.

So that gives me UConn-SDSU in the title game. And much like their entire tournament run to this point, I think they will be too much for SDSU. I will be pulling for SDSU. I'd love for them to prove me wrong. I'd love to see their defense play their best game all season long in the title game. But I just do not see that happening. UConn can counter anything SDSU might throw at them. They can also play the exact same thing, but their size and talent will win out in the end. UConn is going to win it all this season and announce their return loudly back at the top of men's NCAA basketball. They are loaded and they will win it all in pretty resounding fashion.

Now let's get to these games. I am pumped. 

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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The Sacramento Kings are No Longer Trash

The Sacramento Kings are back in the NBA playoffs. They have had the longest drought in professional sports, at 16 years, but now they are back.

I love this. I have always had a soft spot for the Kings. I rooted for them back in the late 90's, early 2000's because of Chris Webber. He was a Michigan guy, he was my favorite member of the Fab Five, I always liked him in the pros and I've always despised the Lakers. It helped that I enjoyed players like Jason Williams, Peja Stojakavic and Bobby Jackson. They had dudes they were fun to watch and easy to root for. It was simple to stick up for them, especially against the Lakers. The only Laker I liked back then was Shaq, but even when he went after the Kings, called them the Queens, look it up it is an amazing clip, I rooted hard against him.

Then they fell into a true era of mediocrity. They almost always missed on the draft. For every Boogie Cousins there's a Nik Stauskas. Some players the Kings have taken in the first round include Bysmack Biyombo, Spencer Dawes, Jason Thompson, Thomas Robinson, Ben McLemore, Willie Cauley-Stein, Marquese Chriss and Marvin Bagley. They have hit on a few. I mentioned Cousins. They also took De'Aaron Fox, Davion Mitchell and Keegan Murray in the lottery. Tyrese Haliburton was a lottery pick as well, but they traded him last season in a much maligned trade. That trade ended up working out for them, but at the time, I crushed it along with a ton of other people.

Now it seems like the Kings finally have a quality team built around its best players. Fox is lightning quick, has improved his shot and is, by far, the most clutch player in the league. Keegan Murray has been as consistent as he was in college. He just broke the 3 point record for a rookie last night. He has been taking control on fast breaks here and there. He has been solid as a rock. Damontas Sabonis has been everything they hoped he would be when paired with Fox. They run a tremendous pick and roll game. They play extremely well off one another and they are incredibly tough to guard. Davion Mitchell is proving to be an excellent backup point guard and is their best defender, by a wide margin. Harrison Barnes is the vet that leads the locker room. He also has a winning past, has rings and can tell the younger guys what it feels like to play in the playoffs. Trading for Kevin Huerter and Malik Monk has been tremendous for this team. Both guys add shooting. Both can stretch the defense. Both are willing passers. And Monk has familiarity playing with Fox. That adds a ton. Trey Lyes and Alex Len add depth. And Richaun Holmes is still around and still hitting floaters. The team is constructed properly and they all know what they do best. Hiring Mike Brown was the first right decision this front office has ever made. They also let him hire his own staff and that was, again, a correct choice. This team is an offensive juggernaut. They are number 1 in the league. They can score and score and score some more. They are the team the Mavs thought they would be. Their defense leaves a ton to be desired, they have a lot of work there, but so far they have been able to outscore enough opponents to secure a playoff spot. They are also going to have home court in rounds one and two. They will most likely be the 2 or 3 seed. There is a world where I could see the Kings ending up in a game 7 in round two to go to the West Finals.

I love that the Kings are relevant again. I think the NBA is more fun when the Kings are not a joke. Also, imagine a first round matchup of Kings-Lakers. That would be awesome. It would take me back to my early years of being a NBA fan. Congrats on the playoffs Kings. Now make it last and become the perennial playoff team you are constructed to be. 

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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Tales of My Adventures at an Indiana Pacers Game

I mentioned yesterday that I wanted to talk about the Pacers-76ers game my dad and I took my son to see. That is what I’ll be talking about today.

I love going to NBA games. They’re fun, fast paced, super athletic and they end in just around two hours. I also like watching the NBA live because I believe that pro basketball players are the most athletic professional athletes. I told my son that this is my version of ballet. To see grown men this big do the things they do is amazing. From the footwork to the ball movement to the stops and starts and sudden bursts, it blows my mind. If you ever get to see Joel Embiid play basketball live, do it. He is an amazing athlete. I’ve seen him twice this year and I’ve been absolutely blown away by his skill and how effortless he makes it look. It is wild to see the things he does live and in person.

This is the first time I’ve ventured outside Memphis for a NBA game. I got way back into the NBA within the last 15 years, and started going to live games right before my son was born. Memphis was an easy pick. It was close, they weren’t always good so tickets were cheap and the arena is nice and has bbq nachos. I would go see the Thunder play there because I adopted them as my team when the Sonics moved. After KD left I was looking for a new team and Memphis made sense. So I adopted them and they’re my team. This made the decision to go there for games even easier. But I had already been to a Grizzlies game this season and their tickets are going up again since they’re good. My dad did some research and found that Indianapolis was only eight extra miles in driving distance, and similar tickets were far less expensive. So we got tickets having never been to a game there and took our chances.

It worked out great. The Pacers arena is very nice. It is a little smaller than the FedEx Forum, but that works in their favor. It feels more intimate. You could see everything. I was even able to spot the injured guys in street clothes. You could hear squeaking from the shoes. I could hear plays being called out. They had a mic in the rim so you could hear swishes. The games played during timeouts were fun. I saw a shrimp eating contest at halftime. They also did dunks off trampolines during a timeout. They had puppy races. It was dope. They packed a lot in and I appreciated that. I think they do a little more because the Pacers are mediocre this season and their two best guys were out. They had to find ways to make it more fun. The bathrooms were clean. The team store was two stories. They had escalators or stairs to get to different levels. They had windows where you could see outside within the gym. The floor was great, and that big P they paint with the basketball at center court was a sight to behold. I was into the whole experience at the Pacers arena. I thought they did an excellent job. And with Indiana being such a big basketball state, it all made sense in the end to me.

I walked away very impressed with the whole NBA live game experience in Indianapolis. I say go if you can while they’re still a middling team. It is worth your time.

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 2023 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

I have watched a ton of college basketball in my life and I think this weekend may be the wildest weekend of men's college basketball I have ever watched. There are always upsets.There is always a 12 or 13 seed that goes further than any of us expected. There is always a blue blood that bows out much sooner than we all predicted. But it feels like this tournament has had all of that, and then some.

The first day of March Madness gave us a 15 over a 2 seed. Princeton took down Arizona. I was a believer in Arizona. I had them going to the title game in most of my brackets. I had them in the final four in every bracket I filled out. Princeton beat them and did it pretty handily considering the background of each team. My brackets were busted on day one.

But that wasn't it. Virginia got bounced by 13 seed Furman on day one. This seems to be Virginia's new MO. They had the one title season, and no one can take that away from them, but the three other tournaments they have been to they have been knocked out by a double digit seed. That was more than enough to make day one crazy.

Day two came even harder. I was travelling with my dad and son, more on that to come this week, and Friday night had some wild outcomes. Florida Atlantic beat Memphis on a last second shot and Penny Hardaway chucked a water bottle. I would have done the exact same thing. That had to be wildly frustrating. Creighton and NC State traded buckets and played a very entertaining game. Oscar Tshibewe had 25 rebounds in Kentucky's win. Xavier had to make a furious comeback against Kennesaw State, and just barely did. Pitt held Iowa State to 41 total points.

Yet the upset to end all upsets came at the hands of Fairleigh Dickinson. I'm so sorry for RD's wife, but Purdue blew that game. FDU's average height is 6'1. Purdue has two 7 footers. One of which is 7'4 Zach Edey. He did his job, but Purdue couldn't hit a three to save their lives. FDU also ran and ran and ran all game long. They also made the plays when they needed to be made. They did the scrappy stuff and for the second time ever, a 16 seed beat a 1 seed, and they deserved the win. Purdue showed up like they were going to win by just walking on the floor. FDU had other ideas and shocked the world.

If that wasn't enough, the weekend gave us games just as wild as the first two days. Princeton came out and cruised over Mizzou. Again, sorry to RD, but those "nerds" did beat Mizzou's ass. They earned the sweet sixteen birth. Creighton also came out and smoked Baylor last night. Creighton looks like a sleeping giant right now. Florida Atlantic ended FDU's run, but it was a good, close game. FDU came out and played well again, FAU just played better. Tennessee beat Duke, and I loved it. Anytime Duke gets beat that is a good day for me as a basketball fan. Kansas State beat up on Kentucky. Maybe Coach Cal isn't the genius some think he is. He is a great recruiter, but his X's and O's need a lot of work. Michigan State came out and dominated the team I was rooting for, Marquette, yesterday. I despise that team and their coach, but they are made for March. Miami continued, for the most part, the downfall of the Big 10. Outside of MSU, the Big 10 has been wildly underwhelming and Miami crushed the Big 10 preseason favorite, Indiana. Penn State gave Texas a game, but in the end, Texas' talent won out. That was a fun game though. Gonzaga actually won a close game against a power five team. I was pulling for the Zags, but I thought they were going to blow it. This time they figured it out. Kansas is not going to repeat as champs. Arkansas played a better game and pulled out a close win. It was a sight to behold after the game too. Their coach went shirtless in the cheering crowd and their star player gave a phenomenal postgame interview. I'm not an Arkansas fan, but it was dope to see them win and how excited they were afterward. And try as they might, Northwestern couldn't knock off UCLA. The Bruins would build a lead, but the Wildcats kept climbing back in it. This game was in doubt with a minute left, but UCLA, namely Tyger Campbell, made their free throws, and may be one of the main favorites going forward.

All in all this weekend was wild and incredible. It helps that Michigan is not in the tourney. I'd be a lot more uptight if they were. This way I get to watch with no real rooting interest. And this weekend gave me some fun basketball to watch. Hopefully the rest of the tournament is half as fun as this past weekend was. But it is going to be a tough act to follow. 

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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So Long Aaron Rodgers

Being a Packers fan has its ups and downs. Sometimes they will enthrall you and deliver a title, but lately it is a good season ruined by a poor playoff performance. Things are not great.

I have never been a fan of Aaron Rodgers, ask RD, and that has come with a whole new set of problems following this team. Ever since the pandemic I have despised Rodgers even more. He lied about being vaccinated. He has claimed that the "woke mob" is after him. He goes on bs "darkness retreats". I have no problem with hallucinogens, but when Rodgers talks about it it drives me bonkers. And now he has come out and said that he intends to play next season, only he wants to play for the Jets.

That is all well and good. I have wanted the Packers to rid themselves of him for the past few seasons. I want to see what Jordan Love has as a starter. I don't mind if this team is not great for the next few years and piles up draft picks to get better. The rest of the division has gotten much better this off season, albeit on paper, and maybe it is just the Packers turn to be bad. But all of this posturing and whining and stating that he wants to play elsewhere next season, even though he is under contract, I just want this to be done. I want Green Bay to move on. The break up is ready. They need to rid themselves of this 40 year old cancer who showed major decline this past season. I'm done. I'm over it. Time to move on.

I will say, all this talk from Rodgers about where he "expects" to play next season, this has given Green Bay all the leverage. The Jets have made no qualms about wanting Rodgers. They said as much, their current players have been pulling for management to make the trade, other sites are already asking questions if Rodgers is one of the best QB's in the AFC and the market for other free agent QB's has diminished quite a bit. Green Bay doesn't have to do anything. They can sit there and wait for the best deal. If Rodgers says he refuses to play for the Packers, okay, eat his salary and let his punk ass sit. They have other options at QB. They already look to be retooling their offense with some of the moves they have made, or more so, have not made. Allen Lazard is gone. Aaron Jones has restructured his contract. Some O lineman look to be on the move. They are going younger at receiver. And they look like a team that is going to lean on defense for the next couple of years. I'm fine with that and so should the fan base.

If I'm in Green Bay's front office, I am asking for a Matthew Stafford type deal that the Lions got. I want a similar player and a boat load of picks. If they come with Zack Wilson, I'd ask for someone like Breece Hall or Garrett Wilson. So what if the Jets balk? Where else is Rodgers going to go? Who else can come in with a last minute deal that may entice the Packers? The only other team I would even talk to right now would be Baltimore, and that conversation stops instantly if they don't offer Lamar Jackson. Rodgers may think he has leverage, he may think he is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, but he screwed himself by revealing the single team he wanted to play for. That squashes almost all other options out there. He has painted himself into a corner, not the Packers. They don't have to make a move unless they are absolutely blown away by what the Jets offer. I would hold out as long as possible. I would wait and wait and wait for the Jets to blink. They have already corronnated this move, yet it hasn't happened yet. I'm sick and tired of this old ass has been, but you better believe I would make him wait and cringe.

The Packers are not the problem here, and they haven't been the problem for a long, long time. I hope when the season starts Rodgers is not there, but I would not do any type of deal unless I am secured for awhile. 

Ty

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

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Ty Predicts the 2023 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

The men's NCAA tournament field is set. Michigan was rightfully left out. I was bummed to see SLU didn't make it, but figured that would happen after VCU beat them. So I guess I really do not have a team that I am actively rooting for this year. Hopefully that makes watching more enjoyable. We will see.

Today I am going to go through the regions, pick the winner of each, which will give me the Final Four, and pick the title game matchup and winner. I will also do the MVP of the tourney as well. Buckle up everyone, the First Four starts Tuesday and we are full go on Thursday. Enough jabber, let's get to it.

The South Region features the number one overall seed, Alabama. I guess they aren't just a football school anymore. I have a problem with this team because of off court issues. Go look it up, it is disturbing. The on court team, they are great. They could cruise through this region. Hell, they most likely will. I'd love to see SEMO beat them, as I am from Missouri, but that will not happen. Maryland is up and down, but when they are on they are good. Virginia is blah to me. San Diego State is long and athletic. Baylor is two years removed from a title. Mizzou is very fast and can shoot. And Arizona is as solid as it gets. I like Utah State and NC State as my bracket busters in this region. But when I sit back and look at the teams, it is going to come down to Arizona and Bama. Both teams are just too good to mess it up. And because of off court stuff, I'll go with Arizona to win the South Region.

Next we have the East. Purdue is the 1 seed here and they are good. Zach Edey is gigantic and really good. They can shoot the lights out too. And they are solid defensively. Memphis can score in bunches and FAU had, I believe, 30 wins this season. Tennessee is up and down. Duke is on a roll coming into the tourney. Kentucky has a great rebounding team. Kansas State and MSU love to play in the mud. And Marquette has been tremendous all year long. My bracket busters here are FAU, I legitimately think they can beat Purdue in round 2 if they both get there, and Vermont. No one ever likes to play Vermont in the tourney. I see Duke, I loathe that team so much, but they are firing on all cylinders right now, and Marquette getting to the East final and Marquette winning. Marquette is my second Final Four team.

Let's head to the Midwest. Houston is the 1 seed here, and they would have been my easy national title pick if Marcus Sasser didn't get hurt. Missing him is brutal. But, they still play suffocating defense and they can really muddy up their opponents offense. But losing Marcus Sasser is brutal. Iowa is not as good as some writers want you to believe. Miami has had a very good year. Iowa State is much better than their record. Texas A&M may have the best backcourt in the country. And Texas has remained very good despite all the drama with their former coach. My bracket busters here are Penn State, who can shoot and play very good defense, and Drake. You always have to watch out for one or two 12 seeds. Xavier is also having a very good year too. Even with Sasser being out, I'm sticking with Houston here. And I think they will play Xavier in the Elite Eight. Houston's defense is so good and they have been very consistent all season long. The AAC final does nothing to deter me from thinking Houston is the best team in the country. They are Final Four bound yet again.

Finally we have the West Region. Kansas is number one here. They are the defending champs. They have talent all over the floor. They also have veterans. This team is as prepared as any to defend their title. Arkansas and Illinois can give them fits though. UConn is very good and very underrated. Saint Mary's has had a wonderful season. VCU can beat them though. TCU is good. Gonzaga doesn't have the pressure of being undefeated or a number 1 seed. I still don't trust them though. Northwestern is solid. And UCLA is back to being perennially dominant in the Pac 12. The bracket busters here are VCU and the winner of Arizona State and Nevada. Each of those teams could make a surprise run. When looking at this region I like UCLA. Kansas is great, but they have lapses. I'd love to pick UConn, but I think UCLA can tire them out, and they can play bully ball too. I'd love to see Brandon Johns and Zeb Jackson, former Michigan players, make a run with VCU. And I think both Illinois or Arkansas can make a run. But give me the Bruins here.

My Final Four teams are Arizona, Marquette, Houston and UCLA. I've got three number 2 seeds and a 1 seed. Two of my teams are Pac 12 teams. I have zero Big 12 or Big 10 teams in the Final Four. College basketball is wild.

I think of these four teams, Arizona and Houston will meet up in the title game. And, even with the Sasser injury, I'm picking Houston to win it all. I have watched a decent amount of college basketball this year and they have been, by a wide margin, the best and most consistent team all season long. Sasser being out is a bummer, and they will miss him, but basketball is a team sport and Houston has gotten this far as a team. They are not a one man show. They are loaded. And they are an incredible team on the defensive end of the floor. I think that pushes them ahead of all the other teams.

As for the MVP, give me Jarace Walker. He is the second best player on this team and he will be asked to step up big time. I see him doing as such.

Well, I cannot wait for the tourney to start. I will be watching both the NCAA and the NIT this year. I'm going to devour as much tournament basketball as I can. Get the popcorn out. March Madness here we come. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.