Ty Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: Let's Try the New Starry Soda Division

Welcome to day five of my NFL preseason rankings. These are the teams I expect to be in playoff contention all season long.

At number 16 I have the Pittsburgh Steelers. I have never been a fan, but Mike Tomlin is an all time great head coach and he always finds a way to be above .500 with whoever is on the Steelers roster. I expect nothing different this season. Also, we need to recognize how great of a coach Tomlin is. He is awesome. But Kenny Pickett is his QB. He definitely looks better right now, definitely better than his rookie year, but he is still very green and very unproven. I think he can be solid, but I would not want him to be my QB of the future. Najee Harris is incredible. He is one of the better running backs in the NFL. He is big, fast, can break tackles and catch the ball out of the backfield. He can do it all. George Pickens is a blooming star. Lots of players put together viral catch clips, but Pickens is one of two players, DK Metcalf being the other, where those clips look real. They look truthful. The o line, as has always been the case, is very good. They are solid. The defense is always good too. Minkah Fitzpatrick really turned the tide for this team last season. He is a ball hawk and a very solid cover guy. TJ Watt has lived up to the hype coming into last season. I'm not a fan, but the dude can rush the passer. Joey Porter Jr was very good in college and he looks like he can be the real deal in the NFL. His dad is a coach in Pittsburgh as well. Cameron Hayward is steady. Alex Highsmith can play. The defense has always been dependable. The Steelers will, annoyingly, be above .500 and will most likely make a playoff push. Mike Tomlin is that good.

At number 15 I have the Minnesota Vikings. I loathe this team. I cannot stand them. I am a lifelong Packers fan and I think I dislike the Vikings more than the Bears. The hatred starts for me at QB. I have never liked Kirk Cousins. I think he is wildly overrated. I find him cringey. He has bad politics, and he cannot win when it matters. That has all been proven. They should have stuck with Teddy Bridgewater. Dalvin Cook is gone. They refused to pay him and he took off. Good for him. He is being replaced with guys I have never heard of. The Vikings are going to miss Cook. They are really going to miss him. Justin Jefferson is one the best wideouts in the league and the only reason why this offense scares anyone. I have no qualms or problems with Jefferson. He's awesome. Jordan Addison can be a good pro, he just has to slow down when he is driving. TJ Hockenson is a solid tight end, but Cousins relies on him far too much. The o line is serviceable. The defense is nowhere near as good as it used to be. In fact, it may be a liability. They are giving Marcus Davenport a second chance, but I don't think he pan out. That's a bummer because I thought he had potential. Danielle Hunter is a head case. Harrison Smith is washed. And the rest of the guys are a bunch of no names. I think this defense will be their undoing. They may still get a wild card spot, but they will have to outscore teams to win, and with Kirk Cousins at the helm, that is not a very likely outcome.

At number 14 I have the New York Giants. I mean, why did they give so much money to Daniel Jones? He is a less athletic Kirk Cousins. He is not why this team wins games. He is just a game manager at his very best. The money they gave Jones should have gone to Saquon Barkley. He is why this offense works. He does EVERYTHING for this team and the front office could care less. The receiving corps is very mediocre. Again, they rely on Barkley for the run and pass game. They did sign Darren Waller, which I do like and he will help very much. The o line is awesome. They are one of the better overall units in the NFL. The defense is solid. The defense is in good hands. They play their roles very well. Kayvon Thibodeaux hasn't lived up to the massive hype yet, but he is incredibly talented. Leonard Williams is a very good d lineman. He can stop the run and contain the pass. The secondary is led by Adoree Jackson, and he has been fine so far. The linebackers play their parts to a T. The defense is good. Combine the d with Barkley and the Giants will be a playoff contender. Add on that the division stinks, they could very well find their way back to playoffs for a second straight year.

The final team for the day, at number 13 I have the Jacksonville Jaguars. They looked like they may be figuring things out during the second half of last season. Trevor Lawrence looked much better. He seems to be figuring it out and that is a big deal for this team. Travis Etienne is another year healthier and he and Lawrence form a solid backfield. Christian Kirk is a good wideout. Calvin Ridley can be even better than him. And Evan Engram looks to be putting it together at tight end. The o line does the job. The defense used to be what made them great a few years ago, and they are solid now, but with no big names. Travon Walker was the number one overall pick last year, but he is still very raw and finding his way. Josh Allen has been as good as everyone expected at linebacker. The d line is very good. The linebacking corps, led by Allen, plays physical football. The secondary is just fine. The Jags appear to be a much better team with what looks like some staying power. They are young, but they got playoff experience and they should build off that.

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

Ty

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

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Ty Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: Is Pepsi Ok? Division

Welcome back to my NFL preseason rankings. I hope you all had a good, relaxing weekend. It is football time yet again. Let’s get to it.

At number 20 I have the New Orleans Saints. A lot of people think they are going to be better than I do. A lot of people seem to think that Derek Carr is going to be the answer they have been seeking at QB since Drew Brees left. I disagree. I do not think that Carr has any type of answer. He is too needy, too sensitive to the media and not a QB I would count on to lead any team on a deep playoff run. I kind of thought they were going to stick with Jameis Winston, and I thought that may be better. Alvin Kamara is still very good, but on the wrong side of his prime and he is going to miss some games at the start of the season due to suspension. Chris Olave was a great draft pick, had a good rookie year and should build on that. Michael Thomas is back as well, but he is, much like Kamara, is on the far other side of his prime. They have brought back Jimmy Graham, but he is clearly going through some stuff. And I don't think Taysom Hill has any kind of answer. The o line is fine. The defense has taken some chances in the draft, but no one has lived up to the hype yet. Cam Jordan is good, but old. Tyrann Matieu gave his best years to the Chiefs. Marshon Lattimore has skills and looks to be the best of the defensive players they have drafted as of late. The rest of the defense is kind of unknown. The Saints have a solid roster on paper, and they play in the worst division in football, but I do not trust Derek Carr, don't like that Kamara is injured, their best receiver is young and defense is not the best. Eight wins may win this division, but the Saints will be lucky to get that many wins at all. I think their ceiling is seven wins.

At number 19 I have my team, the Green Bay Packers. I am so very stoked that they finally got rid of Aaron Rodgers. I was stoked when the trade finally happened. I was ready to move on from him years ago. Jordan Love takes over, and while he is not an upper tier QB, if he can manage games well enough the Packers could surprise. I still have faith, although it is dwindling, in the backfield duo of Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon. Aaron Jones has definitely had his best years already, and Dillon needs more touches. But I like that they have two good running backs. The wideout position has changed, but I like the youth forward look. Romeo Doubs has potential. Christian Watson has the tools to become elite. Luke Musgrave could be a solid tight end. And the o line is still very elite, but has to deal with injuries far too much. The defense has always been this team's problem though. Rashan Gary is an awesome edge rusher, but he is never fully healthy. Preston Smith is a great pass rusher and QB sacker, but he is a zero in coverage. Jaire Alexander is amazing, but he is not an upper level corner back. Darnell Savage can hit, but cannot cover consistently. Rasul Douglas can get some picks, but those usually come after a blown assignment. I can't trust this defense as much as I may want to. The Packers will not be great this season. I wouldn't be shocked if they only win five or six games. But to be rid of Rodgers makes all the difference in the world.

At number 18 I have the New England Patriots. I have never liked the Patriots, but I never really rooted against them either. I root against them now. I cannot stand Mac Jones and his rookie year is looking like a flash in the pan. He has struggled the past two years. They signed Ezekial Elliot, who I have never been a fan of and I fully believe his best days are behind him. The receiving corp is full of has-beens. JuJu Smith-Schuster has had one good season in his career. Davante Parker has done nothing since he was a Dolphin. I don't know a thing about Kendrick Bourne. Hunter Henry is cashed and the o line is a far cry from their Super Bowl days. The defense is what keeps this team ranked this high. Matthew Judon is awesome. Josh Uche is going to surprise a lot of people with his rushing ability. Jabrill Peppers is still kicking in the league. Kyle Dugger can play. Johnathan Jones is a skilled corner. The Patriots d is what keeps them ticking. That and Bill Belichek's punkass. The Patriots may not make the playoffs, but they will be a pain all season long for opponents.

The final team for the day, at number 17 I have the Cleveland Browns. The hype train is up and running once again for this team, but I am not buying it like I never did before. Deshaun Watson should not be in the NFL. He should be answering for the accusations he is facing from multiple women. He should be paying consequences for his actions. That is the only thing that seems fair. Nick Chubb is pretty awesome, but can he duplicate last season's success? That is going to be tough. Donovan Peoples-Jones is a solid wideout, but he is not a number one guy. Amari Cooper is past his prime, but can still run clean routes. David Njoku is an okay tight end, but he is what he is going to be in this league. The o line is fine. They did open up some big holes for Chubb last season. Myles Garrett is still the best dude on that d line, and one of the best in the league. He is incredible. Za'Darius Smith is there now, but this is something like his third team in four seasons. Denzel Ward seems closer to being done. Greg Newsome is talented but still hasn't shown his full potential yet. The Browns should be good. They should be a true playoff team, but you never know what you are going to get from this team, and I tend to believe they won't be as good as others think. But they could win nine or ten games and make the playoffs. Who knows.

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

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

Ty Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: Regional Grocery Store Brand Cola Division

Welcome to day three of my preseason NFL rankings. We are going to be at the playoff teams soon, but not until next week.

At number 24 I have the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers had the number one pick and used it on Bryce Young. Young is one of the better QB prospects to come along in some time. He is a gamer, he has won the most high stakes games, he performs under pressure and he can tuck it and run if need be. He is small, but that doesn't really matter with the heart he plays with. But, he is a rookie and there will be a learning curve for sure. Andy Dalton is not the answer they need at backup QB. They were able to sign Miles Sanders away from Philadelphia, and they also got Adam Thielen. Both of them are due for a setback, and may be past their prime. DJ Chark is okay enough, but not a true threat. The o line is still a work in progress and will need time to mold. They weren't the best, or even close to it, last season. The defense leaves a ton to be desired. Brian Burns is very good, elite perhaps, but will be double and tripled teamed all season. Jaycee Horn is an okay corner, but not upper tier yet. One of their d ends, Henry Anderson, is already fighting injuries. This defense is not even close to the level they were when they were in the Super Bowl. Neither is the offense. And while I do think they got the best QB prospect in the draft, it is going to take a few years before Bryce Young is playing in critical games again.

At number 23 I have the Tennessee Titans. I feel awful for Derrick Henry. He deserves so much better than this franchise. He is far too good to be wasted playing for a team with no real hope for contention. Ryan Tannehill is still the starter. Why? Malik Willis was not given a real chance and then they drafted Will Levis. He has looked rough in camp, they are unwilling to play Willis, so they are settling for Tannehill. That is a problem. I was excited for a second when they signed Deandre Hopkins, but then I sat back and thought about it. What will he bring? How is Tannehill going to get him the ball? Is he going to really make defenses forget about Derrick Henry to focus on him? I don't think he moves the needle too much. Treylon Burks got hurt the other day. The o line is okay. If they were a little better Derrick Henry would be obliterating rushing records though. The defense is pretty new and unknown. Jeffrey Simmons is middle of the road now. Same for Harold Landry. Kevin Byard is a step slower. There is too much uncertainty with this group. Also, they are going to have to overuse Derrick Henry yet again to try and control the clock. The Titans had a moment, but that moment has passed. They need to rebuild.

At number 22 I have the Washington Commanders. Sam Howell was just named their starting QB. Yikes. He is not the answer. I would have gone with Jacoby Brissett. He has at least played and won at this level. Brian Robinson is a quality starting running back. He can do some things. Terry McLaurin is one of the better wideouts in the league. Jahan Dotson has his rookie year under his belt and I think he will have a good year. Logan Thomas is a fine tight end. The o line is okay. The defense should be better than they actually are though. Chase Young cannot stay healthy and he has not produced like I thought he would. Kendall Fuller should be better. Montex Sweat was a draft steal, but he hasn't hit his true potential yet. David Mayo is blah at linebacker. The defense just isn't at a playoff level. That and Sam Howell will keep this team at 7 or 8 wins.

The final team for the day, at number 21 I have the Denver Broncos. They have Sean Payton, a legit head coach. Russell Wilson should rebound from a very bad season. Javonte Williams is a serviceable back. Jerry Jeudy has all the tools to be a number 1 wideout. The o line is very good. But this offense was horrendous last year. Russell Wilson was not the answer they needed at QB. They don't treat the running backs well. The wideouts never got real looks. Will that change with Sean Payton at the helm and Russell Wilson looking to bounce back? Hopefully, but who knows. The defense went out and signed Frank Clark after the Chiefs let him walk. He is good on the field, but he has off field issues. They also have a very similar guy to Clark in Randy Gregory, except he has been suspended for off field stuff once already by the NFL. Pat Surtain is awesome, but he is the only quality secondary player they have. I just do not know what to expect from this team coming into this season. When I'm in that scenario I tend to be pessimistic. I don't know that Wilson will fully recover from last year. I think Williams will be overused. Jeudy won't get enough looks. The defense will not stop enough dudes and may get into too much off field trouble. The Broncos are too much of a toss up and I'm erring on the side of an average team at best.

That does it for today and this week. Come back Monday for the next four teams. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

Ty Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: A Warm RC Cola on a Hot Summer Day Edition

Welcome to day two of my preseason NFL rankings. The teams are getting a bit better, but not much.

At number 28 I have the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have not had a formidable QB since Andrew Luck shockingly retired a few years back. Jacoby Brissett was the best that they had in that time, and he did lead them to the playoffs, but that is not saying much. I do really like the Anthony Richardson pick. He is big, athletic and has an absolute cannon for an arm. He should definitely start from day one and I believe he will. But he is a rookie QB, and rookie QB's usually start slow. He will have to learn the NFL, but I think he has a bright future ahead. It will need some time to work itself out though. Johnathan Taylor, their best offensive player, has requested a trade and has been sent home from minicamp. That is never good. They need him if they want any chance at the playoffs. I have not heard of any of their receivers or their tight end. Whatever happened to TY Hilton also? Who will be Richardson's top target? These are things that need to be figured out soon, but I don't think it will be soon enough. The o line has some dudes, and they have been good at run blocking. But with Taylor wanting out, who besides Richardson is going to be the benefactor of this line's blocking? That is a mystery as well. The defense is full of unknown guys. I loved Kwity Paye when he was at Michigan, but he is coming off injury. Deforest Buckner had a moment, but that feels like such a long time ago. I have not heard of a single guy in their secondary. That seems to be a running theme for me with the Colts, and I bet a bunch of other people would agree. I love the Richardson pick, and think it will pan out in the future, but that will not lead to many wins this season. They need time.

At number 27 I have the Chicago Bears. It feels like the Bears are a year or two away from being in my top 10 though. I think Justin Fields is awesome. He can run and sling it. He needs to throw more, but that will come as he plays more and more. But the dude is their guy and they need to keep him around. Running back is iffy here, but with Fields they get the best of both worlds. I love the DJ Moore pick up, and it has looked good in the preseason. Chase Claypool, when healthy, is a solid wideout. Cole Kmet is a decent tight end. The o line is good enough. The offense is in good hands. What hurts the Bears is their defense. They cannot stop anyone. They give up big plays and the offense has to perennially play from behind. They have some names, like Yannick Ngakoue and Tremaine Edmunds, but they feel far past their prime. Jaylon Johnson can be a solid corner, but he needs work. They don't have the players to stop teams. They are the opposite of the Buccaneers. They will score, but they will not stop anyone. Once they shore the d up, watch out though.

At number 27 I have the Atlanta Falcons. I am lower on them than other writers I have seen. I do not have the most faith in Desmond Ridder. He has won everywhere he has played, but that was due to the defense and some playmakers around him. A lot of people are super high on Bijan Robinson, and while I think he will be good, I do not think he is going to be the world beater that some expect. Once teams start to gameplan for him it will be tough. He is going to be facing a ton of eight man fronts, and he is not built like Saquon Barkley yet. I do not think he is ready to handle that type of load as a rookie. Kyle Pitts keeps getting pumped up, but this seems to happen every year since he was drafted, and maybe he is who he will be for his career. Drake London is a fine receiver, but I don't think he strikes fear in opposing secondaries. And the o line is very blah. The defense is very blah as well. Calais Campbell has not been a backfield wrecker for a while now. Bud Dupree, who I loved coming out of college, has not figured it out. Jeff Okudah was told to not let the door hit him on his way out of Detroit. Grady Jarrett doesn't jump off the page for me. The defense doesn't strike me as being very good. Their best feature is the division, and Robinson. But I think they will have a tougher time trying to win enough games to make a playoff push.

My final team for the day, at LA Rams. They were my number one team last year. They have truly fallen off. Matt Stafford is back. Who cares? He seems to have phoned it in after winning a ring. I don't know who the running back is going to be. ESPN's website has Cam Akers, but I thought he was on the Raiders. Cooper Kupp seems like a Wes Welker type, but with less success. And I have no clue who Van Jefferson or Ben Skoworonek are. Tyler Higbee gets hurt far too often. And the o line is old and getting older. The defense, outside of Aaron Donald, is full of unknowns. I truly could not tell you one thing about the names of the starters I see on ESPN. This team had Von Miller a few years back. They had one of the best linebacking corps in the league. Jalen Ramsey patrolled their secondary. All those guys are gone and replaced by players like Christian Rozeboom, Ernest Jones, Jordan Fuller and Russ Yeast. Who even are those guys? Jordan Fuller is the only name that sounds vaguely familiar. The Rams are not great, but at least they got their ring I guess. But right now, going into 2023, they are not very good.

That does it for day two. Come back for day three tomorrow. 

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 Ranks the 2023 NFL Teams: Flat Faygo Chocolate Cream Soda Division

The next ten days of my blog are going to be football related. I want to let the readers know going ahead. We have both the NFL and NCAA seasons right around the corner, and you all know how much I enjoy football, especially college football. I love doing these blogs also. They are some of my favorites. For the next eight days I will rank the NFL teams from 32-1, then I'll do my postseason and awards predictions on day nine. Day ten is dedicated to college football, and I will do my massive preview and predictions then. Gear up everyone, football is near. This blog will have to suffice until then.

Okay, coming in at dead last in my preseason ranking, at number 32 I have the Arizona Cardinals. This team was a playoff team just a few short years ago. But look at where they are now. Kyler Murray is coming off a pretty devastating injury and looked disillusioned before he got hurt. Deandre Hopkins has been replaced by the undersized Rondale Moore. The o line is not the best. James Conner's prime came and went a while ago. I could say the same for Zach Ertz. The defense is very thin, and their best player, Budda Baker, will most likely be on a different team before this season ends. The Cardinals stink. They will not win many games, and they may be the best bet to get the first overall pick in the 2024 draft.

At 31 I have the Houston Texans. I very much like the CJ Stroud and Will Anderson pick. I'm all in on both of them. I know Stroud looked rough in his preseason debut, but the dude can play. He will figure it out. And Will Anderson can wreck backfields right away. He was a beast in college, he has the determination to blow up and I think he will be an upper tier edge rusher sooner rather than later. Outside those guys, it is not great. Nico Collins is an okay receiver, but not a number one guy yet. I don't even know who Dameon Pierce is, but he is the projected running back starter. Robert Woods is cashed as an upper level wideout. The o line is meh. They overpaid for Dalton Schultz. The defense, outside Anderson Jr, is either too young and not ready, or a bunch of no names. Derek Stingley is good, but he may get traded. Sheldon Rankins had a moment, but who knows if that will happen again. I like that they picked Henry To'oTo'o, but he isn't a starter yet. The Texans are still rebuilding. They made some solid picks this past draft, but that won't pay off right away. They need time. But don't expect a quick rebuild.

At number 30 I have the Las Vegas Raiders. I have very little hope for this team. They have made some wild offseason decisions. Some would call their offseason head scratching. I would be part of that some. I also think Josh McDaniles is way in over his head and thinks he is a better coach than he really is. To not give Josh Jacobs an extension is dumb. He is one of the better backs in the league, he was their leader on offense and he will not play for them again. That is my prediction. He is going to be traded very soon. They replaced Derek Carr, who is wildly overrated, with Jimmy Garroppolo. I mean, Garoppolo is either hurt or, at best, a game manager. That won't mesh with no Josh Jacobs. Davante Adams deserves better than this. I know he wanted out of Green Bay, but him having to play for this team feels cruel. He's too good to be wasted on this team. The o line is good, but they will have an entire new backfield to block for that will not be as good as it was a season ago. The defense is good, but they will be wasted as well. They will have to win games, and they are not equipped for that much responsibility. Marcus Peters is awesome. So is Maxx Crosby. Chandler Jones still has moments, but the defense will be tasked with too much and it will show by the middle of the year. The Raiders should be better, but due to the front office and coaching staff, they are going to find it tough to be competitive.

The final team for the day, at number 29 I have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They're going to try Baker Mayfield now. We have already seen how that story goes. They let Leonard Fournette walk and replaced him with Rachaad White. Who is that? Mike Evans is in a similar situation to Davante Adams. His talent is wasted here. Chris Godwin deserves better. The o line deserves better. They have no QB and run game. Scoring will be tough. The defense is nowhere near what they were when they won the Super Bowl in 2020. Everyone who is still on the team from then is older. Devin White is still good, but not the player he was in 2020. Antoine Winfield Jr is one of the better safeties in the league, but not a marquee guy anymore. Shaquil Barrett has the goods, but he has not been consistent yet. Lavonte Davis is dope, but he lacks consistency as well. Vita Vea is more known for shotgunning Gatorade than anything else at this point in his career. This team is a far cry from its Super Bowl championship, and I have zero faith in Baker Mayfield being a good starter ever in the NFL. The Bucs are going to have a tough season.

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

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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The College Landscape Is A Changing

News broke this afternoon that Oregon and Washington were going to have a vote and, most likely, will end up joining the Big 10. This comes a year after USC and UCLA both agreed to join the Big 10. The details are not set in stone yet, but by 2024 or 2025, the Big 10 will have, at the very least, 18 teams. That is almost double 10 teams as the name implies, so maybe the conference will change names. I hope they do.

Oregon, UCLA, Washington and USC are not the only Pac 12 teams leaving the conference. Colorado is leaving for the Big 12. Arizona seems next for the Big 12. Arizona State is talking to the Big 12. Utah is leaning that way as well. The Pac 12 as we know it in college football is pretty much done for. It is going to be weird to write a preseason preview for that conference in a few weeks because it will most likely be the last one I do for them.

Looking at all this with a much bigger lens, college football is rapidly changing, and it would not shock me if there are two major conferences within the next five to seven years. I fully believe by 2030 college football will no longer be involved with the NCAA, and there will be two major conferences, the SEC and the Big 10. This is just the start. Oklahoma and Texas are leaving the Big 12 after this year for the SEC. Colorado and Utah will never be able to take their places even though I like the direction both programs are going. Schools like Missouri, Texas A&M and Nebraska left the Big 12 years ago. Those are football schools. Two are SEC teams and one is in the Big 10. I read that Florida State was considering leaving the ACC. I wouldn't be shocked if Clemson was that far behind. Mid Major teams, a team like Cincinnati, just joined the Big 12, but they are a Big 10 team at heart. Pitt, Boston College, Virginia Tech and NC State give me Big 10 vibes. Then schools like UNC, Louisville, FSU, they give me SEC vibes. The rest of the teams could just fill in. The Big 12, even with some additions, is ripe for the picking. Kansas State and KU are midwest Big 10 teams. West Virginia likes to air it out, that has SEC written all over it. TCU could go to either conference and be a threat. Iowa State has flirted with the Big 10 before. Baylor and Texas Tech could easily join Texas in the SEC. Same for Oklahoma State. With what is left of the Pac 12, Oregon State and Stanford have a Big 10 feel. Washington State and Arizona State could go to either conference. Cal feels like a Big 10 team. The possibilities are endless. The only problem is the mid major teams and the independent teams. Notre Dame will be fine. They should already be a Big 10 team. Boise State could slide into the SEC. But there are other teams that are more up and down. What does Memphis do? They are in the South, but they would get roasted by the upper tier SEC teams. Tulane is playing well now, but they would also be a bottom feeder in the SEC. Central Florida is up and down, but they cannot recruit with Miami, FSU and Florida. Temple plays a bruising Big 10 style of football, but how would they fare with the cream of the crop in that conference? There are so many more mid-major schools that will be looking for a home and I just do not know how they would all fit. Maybe these schools start a third conference that plays almost like a bracket buster style schedule. That would be kind of cool.

All in all, college football is changing. I used to loathe the idea of super conferences, but now it is pretty much an inevitability. This is going to happen and it is going to happen much sooner than we all expect. I do know it is all about the money, and there are things that have to be worked out on a massive scale but it is coming. Get ready for it. I do fully believe the conferences will have to change names, but that is an easy fix further down the line. Big things are happening in college football, and as a tremendous fan of the sport, I am pretty psyched to see where it goes from here. 

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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The Pro Football Hall of Fame is Worth the Trip

My dad took my son and I to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton yesterday. This has always been on my list of places to visit. I never actually thought I’d get to go because I had never planned on visiting Canton, but this trip to Buffalo presented the opportunity so we took it.

I’m glad we did. For football fans the hall of fame is a sight to behold. There’s two stories in the building. The second story is the best. That’s where they have the busts of the players in the hall. Waking through there and seeing so many greats was inspiring. They go through each class and each player, coach, owner or announcer that’s in the hall got to pick what they wanted their busts to look like. It was pretty neat to see what they chose. Seeing guys like Jim Thorpe, Vince Lombardi and Night Train Lane’s bust was awesome. They look like these guys. Walking down the hall and seeing more modern players, players I watched, that was something else. Deion Sanders had his trademark smile. Warren Sapp and Randy Miss has their braids. Ed Reed, who had my favorite bust, had his beard and afro. Edgerrin James had the dreads. Barry Sanders had his stoic look. Charles Woodson, my favorite player, had his goatee. Troy Polamalu had his flowing locks. I could go on and on. It was great.

The busts were the best, but the rest was cool to. When walking in you see the newest members and all their donated memorabilia. That was cool. There was a bunch of interactive stuff. My son got to measure his legs and hands with some hall of gamers. He got to wear old shoulder pads and a helmet. He tried on a game worn Joe Burrow helmet. He was even able to mess around with Madden on the Xbox. The lower level had all the info and a Jim Thorpe statue. This was where my dad and I got to see stuff we wanted to know about. This was the area for the parents I suspect. They also had an area for HBCU player and coaches which was nice. It was good to see a former player like Steve McNair get some shine. Hell, even the gift shop was rad. They had very cool throwback jerseys, even though they were incredibly overpriced. And the signed helmets were very cool to see all the signatures.

I really enjoyed my time at the NFL Hall of Fame yesterday. I’m glad we went. I’m even happier my son got to see it. He’s a big football fan and he was in his element. I recommend this for all football fans. It’s a very good museum to check out.

Ty

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

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Running Backs Deserve to Get Paid

Last week the Giants failed to sign Saquon Barkley to a long term deal and the Raiders did the same with their running back, Josh Jacobs. Tony Pollard wasn't given a long term deal, Melvin Gordon just signed a one year contract, Rashaad Penny got a one year deal coming off a broken leg, Jamaal Williams is on another new team yet again and  players like Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook remained unsigned.

This is not a good look for this position, once one of the more important positions in all of football. I watch Michigan, obviously, and they have two very good running backs. But I fear for them when/if they make it to the NFL. When guys like Barkley and Jacobs can go unsigned, and you read an anonymous GM saying "I'd rather draft a rookie running back and let them walk after their rookie contract than give them big money", that spells trouble. The fact that the people who run these teams, who have final say on contracts, are just willing to let them walk, that is a scary proposition for this position.

I think running backs are crucial to football. They open up the passing game. They can help to chew clock. They get tough yardage when needed. Most can catch the ball out of the backfield. But the higher ups within NFL teams are willing to move on after five short years. That is wild. When Ezekial Elliot was drafted by the Cowboys he was the answer. Behind that o line, he was going to be great. And he was for a few years, got paid and was just cut this offseason. He is only in his late 20's. Dalvin Cook, who is oft injured, was critical to the Vikings winning that division last season. He would rip off big runs more often than any other NFL running back. He might be the most explosive running back in the NFL. The Vikings cut him this offseason and he is still looking for a team. Leonard Fournette was integral to the Buccaneers winning the 2020 Super Bowl. Now he cannot find a team to give him a meager deal. Jamaal Williams was close to a touchdown record for running backs last season and the Lions responded by drafting a running back in the top 15 and telling Williams thanks for everything and good luck.

It is nuts the way running backs are treated in the NFL. Every other position player's salary has gone up. From QB, to receiver to tight ends to o line, they are all getting paid more money than ever. Even d lineman are getting massive deals. But running backs are kind of kicked aside and pushed away for a younger player that can get beat up and the cycle continues. It is vicious. Aaron Jones was an all pro with the Packers. They drafted AJ Dillon to thank Jones for all his success. Damien Harris was the Patriots dude after Tom Brady left. I don't know if he is in the league anymore. Tony Pollard slid right into Elliot's place and the Cowboys didn't miss a beat. He can't get a deal. Saquon Barkley has been everything the Giants wanted when they drafted him fourth overall, and we all know what happened with him. Josh Jacobs is the best offensive player on the Raiders, but Josh McDaniels thinks he is some kind of passing guru and he has no qualms over letting Jacobs sit out and leave.

This is an unfair era for this crucial position. Running backs are being forgotten, and that stinks. I miss the days of Barry Sanders, LaDanian Tomlinson and Christian Okoye. That was when the NFL was best. The NFL is far, far away from that right now, and it bums me out. Pay these guys. They have earned it. 

Ty

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

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Things are Not Well at Northwestern Football

Northwestern has let go of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Take a second for that to sink in. He was their golden boy. He was the former star player, turned coach who kind of turned that program around. He has coached them to a Big 10 title game appearance. They've had winning seasons. They played hard football. They never backed down. That was due to his coaching and the program kind of giving him carte blanche. So, for Northwestern to fire him, something big had to be going on within that program that we outsiders know next to nothing about.

For people that are confused, about a week or so ago a former player came out and anonymously said that there was some hard core hazing going on, and that Fitzgeral knew of it and did nothing. The reports that came out about what this former player said were pretty disturbing. The university did an investigation and deemed a two week suspension was sufficient.

I spoke with my dad, we both do not like Fitzgerald as a coach, he comes off too rah rah and cliched, and we were both not surprised that this was coming out and that Fitzgerald was getting a slap on the wrist. We both figured this would be swept under the rug, and if Northwestern had a solid season, the ESPN's of the world would praise him for "overcoming odds" or some nonsense. But after the initial investigation concluded, a few other former players came out and said the hazing was there, and Fitzgerald knew, but also there was rampant racism within the program, and much like the hazing, Fitzgerald kind of turned a blind eye to that as well. The players who came out now cited instances of black players being asked to cut dreads while white players were allowed to have long hair, that position coaches would tell black players that they "weren't in the ghetto anymore" and things of that nature and some black players said they felt like they had to laugh at these remarks so as not to get into trouble.

So, we have hazing and now all of this other stuff. Northwestern, rightfully I might add, had no other choice but to fire Fitzgerald. Of course, if you go into a dark place and read internet comments, this is all about the "woke mob", and "players today are too weak" type stuff. That is wrong. This is horrific what is apparently going on at a very prestigious university. A school like Northwestern always talks about how they are an upstanding, everyone is included and welcoming school. Sure, it is tough to get in, but if you do you are family type stuff. So for this to be going on at this school, I'd be frightened if I were a parent of a player making these claims. The whole idea of sending your kid off to college is based on trust. Add on the aspect that football, a very dangerous sport, is part of it, all of these accusations make me sick to my stomach. I feel for these kids. They should not be treated like this because of their skin color or because they made a mistake in a game or practice.

Football is archaic, especially in college. These coaches think they can do what they want, and some do with little to no consequence. Look at DJ Durkin. A kid died on his watch when he was the head coach at Maryland. Sure, he got fired, but he is already back in D-1 football as a defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, and ESPN LOVES his story of "triumph". Again, a teenager died because Durkin told him he wasn't tough enough. Northwestern did the only thing they could do in this scenario. These allegations, if any or all of it is true, are fireable for anyone. And for Fitzgerald, who I believe is planning on suing the university, to say he didn't know, or was unaware, that is poor leadership from a guy who spouts the benefits of leadership all the time. How could he, being the head coach of this team, have no idea what was going on during his practices and in the locker room? That is asinine. He had to know something.

I read that Northwestern is going to be shooting to hire a big time assistant, and I wish them luck on that front, but this is going to be a full teardown and rebuild. And Evanston is not the best place to try and turn it around quickly. This is a dark day for college football, Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern. I'd expect this from other schools, even schools within the Big 10. But to hear this coming from Northwestern, that is dark. 

Ty   

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

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James Harden Continues to Be James Harden

Surprise, surprise, James Harden has requested another trade. I’m foolish because I thought he would return to the 76ers and give it a real shot. I thought him and Joel Embiid worked well together. I know they each like to have the ball in their hands, but Harden is a productive passer when he knows he can accumulate assists, and Embiid is almost as automatic as it gets with the ball in his hands. But, much like his exits in OKC, Houston and Brooklyn, Harden is “extremely upset” with how the 76ers handled his impending free agency.

Look, I understand he’s a former MVP. I get he’s an all timer offensive player in the league. I understand his value as a premiere point guard. But at what point is this on him? I’m just saying, every stop has come with him complaining, the team trying to surround him with talent and the team, and Harden, playing poorly when the lights are the brightest. OKC was a Finals team with him coming off the bench. He didn’t like that role and asked out. The Thunder were still a legit contender when he left. Sure, Houston got better, and he achieved wonderful personal accolades. How many titles did the Rockets win with him as their star? Or, how did he do in close out playoff games? He shrunk, the team never won and he griped. The Rockets went out and traded for guys like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook, guys Harden wanted to play with, and they still never got to the Finals. And when the Rockets were ready to reset, he played poorly, or not at all, until he was granted a trade to Brooklyn. He was reunited with Kevin Durant. He got to okay with Kyrie Irving. They looked incredible when they were all healthy. But they never stuck together, the pandemic happened and now all three are gone. Harden was solid when he played, but he was hurt more often than not. And with Irving being nuts and KD consistently hurt, Harden didn’t enjoy having the burden of running the whole offense. He cried his way to Philly. And then he said all the same stuff when he was traded to Brooklyn. He was going to stay, he wanted to win, he wanted to play with a great center. It was all roses. Then he had one of the oddest playoff performances I’ve ever seen this past playoff. He’d be great for a game, but then bad for two or three. It never coalesced. Embiid wasn’t exceptional, but he was hurt and he was carrying the load. Harden was along for the ride.

Now he wants out again. It seems like he wants to go to the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George say they are onboard with adding Harden. Trading for him will mean parting with some ping guys, namely Terrance Mann. That will hurt the Clippers. But Harden wants this, Daryl Morey will try to fleece the Clippers and Harden will now be teammates with two other great players, albeit often injured players. If this trade goes down this will be the sixth and seventh upper echelon, possible hall of fame players that Harden would be paired with. I don’t think it will work, but I’m most curious to see how long it takes Harden to make an excuse and ask out yet again, maybe to go play with a young up and coming superstar. That seems to be his MO. At some point I’d hope he’d look in the mirror and see he is the one constant in all this. I doubt that will ever happen though.

Ty

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

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RIP Ryan Mallett

While riding yesterday I pulled up my sports app to see if there was any news. Unfortunately I saw that former NFL player Ryan Mallett had passed away.

I was stunned. I knew he was young, and now coaching. I remembered watching him at Michigan, and then at Arkansas. When he arrived to play QB at Michigan I was stoked. He was going to replace Chad Henne, who was a senior. He got some early action in a blowout and when I watched him play, I got even more excited. He had a rocket arm. He seemed fearless. He wanted to sling it around the field. It seemed like a great match. He saw a bit more time in other games and it looked like he was ready to step in. Then Lloyd Carr retired and Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez. The system didn’t fit the QB. Mallett, as expected, transferred. He ended up at Arkansas, which made sense since he was from there. He was pretty solid during his tenure. He said some issues with the law, public intoxication, but the guy produced on the field. He threw for over 3,000 yards twice. He put up 30 plus touchdowns each season. He was an all SEC player. He went to the draft and was a third round pick by the Patriots, backing up Tom Brady. The NFL never really worked for him, but he made it. He even started a few games here and there. Once he retired he went into coaching. This was an excellent fit for him. He knew the ins and outs and could help kids make it to the next level. But to read this news yesterday, to see he had drowned when he was getting into a job he was well equipped to excel at, that’s tragic. He was five years younger than I am right now. That is far too short of a life. I don’t know if he was married, or if he had any kids, but he leaves a hole in the heart of Michigan, Arkansas and NFL fans everywhere. People rooted for this guy. They wanted him to succeed. So to see his life cut painfully short is as tragic as it gets.

Rest in Peace Ryan Mallett. You will be very missed.

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 the Big NBA Trades

The draft came and went with little trades here and there. Nothing too big. Some picks moved, some draft rights moved, but no superstar was traded. Dame is still in Portland. Zion, still in NOLA. Paul George is still a Clipper. But, there were a good amount of big trades prior to the draft and I want to zero in on two of them today.

The first is CP3 to the Warriors. I thought this was a bit when it was announced. The hatred that the Warriors have for Paul, and he loathes them just as much, made this seem not real. But, after some research, it was found to be true. It happened. After the shock settled in me, I kind of took a hard look at this and I am not a fan on the Warriors side. CP3 is an all timer. He is one of the best point guards the game has ever seen. He is smart, a problem solver, a shit disturber, a mid range killer, a dirty and solid defender and an excellent floor general. Paul has it all. But he is not the best point guard on his new team. The Warriors still have Steph Curry. He is a superior guard to Paul. He is a much better shooter. He is a much, much better teammate. He has become a solid defender. He is one of the best cutters in the league. He makes soft wild passes, but he also makes smart passes. After Steph, the Warriors still have Draymond, their secondary ball handler. I expect him to stay with the team, and I do not expect him to give up any ball handling duties. He is also the engine. He runs the show. He is the motor that keeps them going. The Warriors also still have Klay Thompson and Gary Payton Jr. They also drafted a 2 guard. They have a glut, and now they are adding CP3 to the mix. CP3 is an adult and a great vet, so I am sure he will try to fit in, but the fit is odd. I heard people say that he may run the second unit. Will he really? Is he going to accept that? I also heard they may only give him 20 minutes a game. Will he be cool with that? This guy has done what he wanted since he stepped foot in the league, as he earned. Why would he take a diminished role now? Then we also have the hatred between Paul and this franchise. I don't think the fans will accept him. I don't think he will want to listen to Steve Kerr. I think Steph will get fed up with him quickly. I wouldn't be shocked if Draymond punches him this offseason. There is just too much what if and injury and age concern. I get that this is a win now trade, but this is going to be a tough sell for everyone involved. That being said, I do think Jordan Poole is going to go off in Washington. They won't win a lot of games, he will be wildly inefficient and he will play no defense, but that dude is going to have the ball in his hands and an all time green light. He could average 25-28 points a game next season.

The other trade is the Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics, Tyus Jones to the Wizards and Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies. Porzingis is a blah trade to me. Tyus Jones could be traded to a contender or be the point guard of this new era of Wizards basketball. But Smart to the Grizzlies has me hyped as a Grizzlies fan. At first blush I didn't think much of it. I saw Smart in a Grizzlies uniform and I thought, cool. But as I dug into this one I have become more and more excited by his addition. I know that Smart was upset to leave Boston. He wanted to retire there. But him coming to Memphis feels like this team has a true blue vet and a grown up on this team. Smart is a Defensive Player of the Year. He has been on a team that continuously has deep playoff runs. He is an okay shooter. He is a tough as nails defender. He is an excellent passer. And he is a grown up. Memphis is a solid team. They have a ton of talent. They have been the 2 seed two years in a row in the West. But they are immature. They talk too much for a team that hasn't won anything. Their talk took them out in the first round last season. Dillon Brooks became a problem. Desmond Bane wouldn't stop chirping at Rui Hachimura. Steven Adams got hurt. So did Brandon Clarke. And Ja Morant clearly has some identity issues. This team needed a grown up. This team needed a guy who knows what it takes to win deep in the playoffs. This team needs a guy who can come in and knock all the nonsense off in the locker room. Marcus Smart won't stand for that mess unless they start to win real playoff games. And this team needed a solid point guard for the first 25 games due to Morant's suspension. I adore this move. The Grizzlies needed to do something exactly like this. I didn't think they were going to do it because they never do, but they finally did and I applaud it. I know Smart may not help the half court offense, but he brings so much more that this team needs. I love that they will have his presence in the locker room. I think he will love playing defense next to Jaren Jackson Jr and Steven Adams, if he remains with the team. He can stay a starter when Morant gets back from suspension. He is a solid running mate next to Morant.

As much as I dislike the CP3 trade, I like this Smart trade. This was a good deal for the Grizz, and I cannot wait to watch Smart play with them next 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.

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Ty's Not Mock 2023 NBA Draft

The 2023 NBA draft is tonight. I used to watch the draft very closely. I wanted to see where these college and high school and overseas players were going to start their pro careers. I don't watch it now, but my son does. He loves it. He is excited. He has to record the first part, but he has a plan and he is ready to implement it as soon as we get home.

As I have done for the past couple years, I will point out some prospects I like, some I'm not so high on, a few sleepers and discuss the Michigan guys in the draft. This is not a mock draft, more so my opinion on some prospects. Here goes.

It is no secret that this is a three player draft. There are other solid prospects, but the top three guys are the best. They could each be the first overall pick. They are that talented. And I fully believe in all three players' abilities on the court. Victor Webanyama is 7'4. He can handle the ball. He can shoot. He is an excellent defender. He is a solid rebounder. He will put some weight on as he continues in his career. The expectations are expected and he will most likely exceed them. He is a generational talent and he is going to the best run franchise in the NBA. The Spurs and Webanyama are a perfect match. This kid is going to be great. Brandon Miller has some off court stuff, but that seems to have been taken care of. On the court this kid is a great scorer. He can create and spot up on the floor. He can rebound. He needs to get a little better on the defensive end, but that can be coached. This kid reminds me a lot of Banchero from last year. He should be an 18-20 point scorer the moment he walks on an NBA floor. Scoot Henderson may be the most pro ready prospect in this draft. He is built like a tank. He can handle the ball. He is an okay defender. He is ready to run a team. He played in the G League, and when the lights were bright, he showed out. Henderson is my favorite prospect in the draft. If he falls to 3, the Trailblazers should draft him instantly.

Outside those three guys I also like Amen Thompson and Jordan Hawkins. Amen is the better of the Thompson twins. He had excellent workouts and interviews. He has all the tools and the skill. This kid is going to make some GM outside of the top three very happy. Hawkins burst onto the scene this past college season at UConn. He was the best player on the best team. He is a do it all scorer and good perimeter defender. He is going to land in the late lottery most likely and whatever team gets him will be getting a Buddy Hield type player, except a better defender.

As for the prospects I'm not so crazy about, let's start with Cam Whittemore. I kept seeing his name pop up in the early lottery and I didn't know who he was. I also did not know where he played this past season. I'm sure he is a solid basketball player, but I had never heard of him up until about a week ago. Some stories are being floated that his medicals are concerning too. That is not ideal for a kid that is going to be a lottery pick. Time will tell, but this is not a good start. Gradey Dick is not Christian Braun. Not by a long shot. He isn't the shooter, cutter or defender. Just because he played the same position at KU does not mean he is going to be the same player. I feel like a team is going to reach a little too early and he is going to end up like Jimmer Fredette or Nik Stauskas. Finally, I'm also out on Dereck Lively from Duke. He is big, and that is nice, but he was something like the fifth option on an okay Duke team last season. He never did anything amazing. He never stood out. He wasn't the first, second or third option on his college team. That is not a player I would spend a lottery pick on.

Now for the Michigan players. Jett Howard can shoot. He was probably the only reliable and dependable scorer on that team at all last season. He is also an okay enough rebounder. But he is not much of a defender. He is also kind of a non creator. He is great at spot up shooting, hell, even catch and shooting. But he has a way to go as a defender and scorer. I have faith that he can stick in the league, but he may not be more than a role bench player. Kobe Bufkin has only gotten better since he got to Michigan. He showed major flashes in his freshman season in his limited playing time. When he got out on the court, I would be stunned watching him play. I was scared he may transfer, but he stuck it out and became the only reliable player on the team all year. He was the only guy I wasn't worried about on the team. His jumper improved. His defense was, hands down, the best on the team. He was the only creator. When he had the ball in his hands, good things happened. Bufkin is going to make for a very good pro. I think the late lottery is perfect for him. I would love to see him go to OKC or Toronto. That would be ideal.

There you have it, my draft preview. Can't wait to see how all these guys end up doing in their careers. 

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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Things are Not Looking Good for a New College Football Video Game

I'm not much for video games, but I do love NCAA Football. That was the only game I would ever tell people I was any good at when playing. I knew my stuff. I love college football, so a game fully dedicated to it was right up my alley. You can ask RD. I've talked about it on the pod and this website. I was legit in that game. I knew what worked, what didn't and how to slow down my opponent. When it went away I was bummed. The old iterations of it were still available to purchase on the Xbox up until about two years ago. That bummed me out too. I tried other versions of college football games, but none were the same. Nothing compared to the EA original.

When NIL became real, and college athletes were starting to get paid for their likeness, it felt like the game may come back. Then they announced the return. And then they started to show little bits of gameplay. It all began to feel real, like it was actually going to happen. I was, and still am, stoked that this game may be back. I heard that 2024 was the expected release year, and that March was a rumored month. I let myself get excited. But now I am starting to get a little antsy. Stories have been coming out that are not so good for the release of this game. I am worried that they will have a hard time getting it to the public and that we may never see another EA NCAA Football game ever again.

First some players put out a statement saying they were offered a very minimal sum of money to appear in the game. I get that it is trife and looks bad, but imagine if your face was on something and you got nothing, or next to nothing for that. They just put it out there, didn't tell or ask you and it was there for all to see. You'd expect something, right? So when the rumored small amount of money for the likeness came out, I read 50 dollars, I thought the athletes were right to put up a stink. This game is going to make more than enough money to pay these athletes. They should get, at minimum, 500 dollars. That was what I thought the going rate was going to be for some not as noticeable college football players. I figured the more noticeable would get upwards of a grand. But EA is being stingy and trying to withhold money. That is wrong. And this afternoon I saw some other company, the Brandr Group, is suing EA for not being included in negotiations for NIL deals being offered to athletes. This is now another avoidable obstacle that this game is facing. It feels like the people at EA thought they would be able to release the game with no questions asked. I think they thought that the public wants it so bad that no questions would be asked. But college athletes are smart. They have loads of people watching out for them now. They have lawyers and agents on retainer trying to get them as paid as they can before going pro or getting hurt. They understand the current landscape of the NIL and they will not be taken for granted. I applaud them for that.

This game feels like it is teetering on the edge right now. It feels like one more lawsuit may strike it down and that will be the last we ever hear or see of this game. I hope they figure it out, but that seems like a longshot at this moment. EA needs to wake up and do the right thing. These athletes deserve proper compensation. It is the fair, and right thing to do. 

Ty

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

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Bradley Beal Going to the Suns Doesn't Move the Needle Much

Bradley Beal and the Wizards are finalizing a trade to the Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and three second round picks and pick swaps. The Wizards will also send a few other players to the Suns, but Beal and Paul are the big names here. I already wrote about where I think CP3 should go next. Today I want to talk about Beal's fit with the Suns.

On paper it appears that the Suns have a coveted "big three". Beal will soon be teamed up with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Deandre Ayton is still a Sun for now. Josh Okogie will fill out the starting five. But, on paper, this looks like a very good, very high octane offense. The Suns now have a ton of firepower. They could score in bunches. Those three will be hard to defend. Booker and KD are solid defensively. Ayton, when engaged, is a very good pick and pop guy and an okay rebounder. Okogie is, probably, the best guard rebounder in the NBA. And Frank Vogel can coach up some defense.

The accolades stop there for me on this trade. The Suns now have three ball dominant scorers. KD has proven he can play off the ball and spot up if need be, but he is best with the ball in his hands. Booker has learned how to be a true scoring guard playing next to CP3 the past couple seasons. But when Paul went out in the playoffs last season and they let Booker run the show, he got a taste of being the main guy with the ball in his hands. And he seemed to enjoy it. He was the only Suns player who really showed up against the Nuggets, and he played well running the show. And Beal, ever since John Wall got hurt and then traded, has not had to share with anyone on the Wizards. Kristaps Porzingis didn't need to handle the ball. Kyle Kuzma is best suited as a spot up shooter. Johnny Davis couldn't get on the court. Deni Avjida was much more of a defender than anything else. Beal got to do what he wanted when he wanted in Washington. And he produced points, a lot of them, but not too many wins. The Wizards were a purgatory type team, but Beal was getting stats. Now he is going to a team that wants to win. In fact, I think the Suns need to win. This is a team that has title aspirations and they don't want to flame out in the postseason again. But how well will these three guys share the ball remains to be seen. Also, Ayton will be looking for touches too. I also do not like the injury history. Beal would play a decent amount of games for the Wizards, but any time any little thing would flare up, he'd sit. KD cannot stay healthy. He always seems to get hurt and miss 20 plus games now. Booker is coming off two seasons that have been cut down due to injury. And Ayton is soft as they come. The Suns will also have to scrounge for a bench. They only have five guys under contract. Those five players are KD, Booker, Ayton, Cam Payne and Bradley Beal. And they all make a good chunk of money. The Suns are going to have to settle for mid level guys, vets looking to ring chase and G League guys. And if the big stars get hurt, those types of dudes are going to have to play real minutes against the best the NBA has to offer. Just ask the Clippers how that worked out for them last season. Injury risk should be of very high concern in Phoenix.

All in all the trade was going to be made. The Wizards got a solid guy in Shamet, I'm sure they will waive CP3 and picks. But compared to a trade like Rudy Gobert last season, the Wizards didn't get nearly as much. They are clearly going to rebuilding mode and it makes sense for them to get off this contract. The Suns, they might be stuck. They might not get the reward they are searching for with this trade. They may have to settle for 4 or 5 seeds for the foreseeable future. I'm not as jazzed for this deal as I thought I was going to be when Beal eventually did get traded. But the Suns will be fun to watch when all these guys play together. They just might not be that dominant. 

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 NBA Went Easy on Ja Morant

The NBA has suspended Ja Morant for the first 25 games of next season. While this is a large punishment, I figured it was going to be much larger. I also felt it deserved to be much larger.

What Morant did, twice this season, was wrong. He shouldn't be acting the way he is acting on Instagram. That is foul and out of pocket. There is no reason he should be brandishing weapons, real or fake, on Instagram live. When will he learn his lesson? He got in trouble for this once this season, missed some games, went to some fake therapy and still did it again.

I don't get the appeal of owning guns. I'm terrified of them. They are much too powerful. I have never held one and never plan on holding one. I think they are dangerous and useless. In Morant's case, being as famous as he is, I guess he has them for protection. But the way he is just showing them to everyone on the internet is foul. He should have a security team if he is scared enough to buy multiple guns. He should surround himself with people who make him feel safe. He should have the right protocols in place to not have the need to ever use a gun. But he has some weird fetish with them, and that is how I see all this. I guess he thinks they make me feel powerful and strong.

This is the wrong message to put out to his fans, the Grizzlies, his teammates and the NBA. This is wrong on so many levels. I wish he was going about this smarter and in more control. The fact that he went out and did this a second time on Instagram was so wrong. And you could see him and whoever was filming realizing what they did because they tried to hide it real quick. But the damage was done. I feel like having to have a constant presence on the internet is only making it that much harder on him. People do not have to be constantly showing what they are doing every minute of everyday to their fans and followers. That is narcissistic. Most people's personal lives are boring anyway. So why do you have to be showing it over and over again on the internet? That is as scary as owning a gun.

But, the NBA decided 25 games was enough. The Grizz have played without him much longer just a few seasons ago, and they did just fine. I don't feel like 25 games is enough for what he did, then lied, and did it again. I was thinking he was going to get a minimum of 41 games. I was preparing myself for a full season. I felt like the NBA was going to send a strong message. I thought they were going to lay the hammer down on him. They gave him a pretty severe suspension, but in hindsight, others got worse. Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson and Metta World Peace got much more for defending themselves. I don't blame them fully for the Malice in the Palace. Gilbert Arenas got a hefty suspension for bringing guns in the locker room, but no one looks at him like most do with Morant. There are plenty of other players who did far less and dealt with a firmer suspension.

Ja Morant needs to seek out real therapy. He needs to talk to a very good doctor about this because it is a real problem that could evolve into something much more horrifying. Time will tell if he truly finds some kind of healing process from all this, but who knows. I hope he gets better, I hope he seeks treatment and I hope he realizes how foolish and childish all this has become. He needs a real wakeup call. Maybe 25 games will do that, but I am not so sure. 

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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Is This the Start of a Nuggets Dynasty

The Denver Nuggets won their first title in the history of the franchise last night. The game was ugly at times, and even with the Heat up double figures after the first quarter, it felt inevitable that the Nuggets were going to bring it home on their home floor. They did enough to pull it out last night and the celebration was on. RD was traveling and he was still able to text me from an airport to let me know he saw the end of the game.

This Nuggets team felt kind of underrated all year if you listen to the way some sports analysts, all the white nerds at ESPN. But if you look at it, really dig deep, this team has been building and were one of the best teams in the league all season long. They had the fourth best overall record in the league. They were the best team in the West by a good margin. They have a two time MVP in Jokic. Jamal Murray was a lottery pick. Michael Porter Jr was a late lottery pick. They picked up Kentavious Caldwell Pope last season. That dude is a champ. They went out and got Bruce Brown who may be the best role player in the NBA. They traded for Aaron Gordon a few years back, and that was a homerun trade. Jeff Green is a tremendous vet. And Christian Braun is coming off an NCAA title.

This is not a team of slouches. This is not some underdog story. This is not the bad news Bears. This isn't some Cinderella. The Nuggets are a real team and they look to be a possible dynasty. This team is here to stay. They are not underrated. They are not a flash in the pan. This team is here to stay. Don't buy into ESPN stories about this team being "underdogs". Just because they are in a small market, the ESPN's of the world are going to try and make this some feel good story. This team is legit and they earned this title. They were the best team in the playoffs. They easily dispatched the Wolves in five. That series went about as expected. The Suns, who were supposed to be the true "contender" after they got KD, looked lost against the Nuggets in games 5 and 6. They smoked them in game 6 in Phoenix to head to the West Finals. They swept the Lakers, who were somehow being considered the top title threat at the time. And they disposed of the Heat in 5 games. This team went 16-4 in the playoffs and not many of the games were all that close. Jokic was spectacular. Murray was up and down, but when he was up he was dominant. Aaron Gordon may be the best on ball defender in the league. Bruce Brown came up clutch time after time. KCP was good enough while playing with a hurt wrist.

Again, this team was, and will be for a while, very dominant. They are the rightful champs. They did it the right way and they more than deserve this. The Heat were the real underdogs here, and they put up a fight until running into the Nuggets buzzsaw. They smoked my title pick, the Bucks, in five very easy games. Jimmy Butler was magnificent in that series. They let the Knicks get two games, but there was never a doubt in my mind they were going to win that series. They were the better team. They beat the Celtics in seven games. I figured the Celtics were going to destroy them, but Miami showed up and the Celtics didn't until it was too late. It was great to see the Heat win that series in game seven in Boston. But the Heat were tired and they were no match for the Nuggets. They tried a bunch of stuff and it never worked. The Nuggets were ready for it all and they responded to everything thrown their way. The Heat may be the greatest 8 seed ever, but the Nuggets were too good of a team for them to beat. It was a great playoff run for Miami, but the better team won. That was evident last night.

My hat is off to the Nuggets. They did it and they did it convincingly. Congratulations. Now it is time to celebrate.

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 NBA Finals Preview

The Miami Heat closed out the Boston Celtics last night to advance to the NBA Finals. They are the second 8 seed and the first play in team to make it this far. They looked a little wobbly in the last three games, but they ran past the Celtics in the first quarter and never looked back. I heard all the excuses, Tatum rolled his ankle, one of their players was sick, they were tired from coming back to tie the series. All of that is nonsense.

The better team won last night. The Heat wanted it more, the Celtics looked scared by the moment and Erik Spoelstra is one of the best coaches the league has ever seen. The Celtics got beat. There is no viable excuse or excuses. They were beat and they were beat soundly. My hat is off to Miami. They were ready to go, the moment never got too big, they weren't frightened when the Celtics started to win and they kept plugging away. Jimmy Butler was the star of the series. He rightfully won the ECF MVP. He was amazing the whole time. He has carried this team thus far. But when he had a few clunkers, and boy he had a few, other guys stepped up. Caleb Martin was awesome. He made so many shots, played good defense and rose to the occasion. Kyle Lowry looked like the old Kyle Lowry. He played with pace and hit shots. Duncan Robinson hit some big threes. Bam Adebayo played some stout defense and laid some bone crushing picks. Gabe Vincent did a bunch of little things. Max Strus set the tone at the start of the game last night for all the role players. The Heat played as a team, and a team that wanted to win this game and keep on playing.

I am stoked for these finals. The two best teams in the playoffs are where they rightfully belong. Each team has had a gauntlet and they met and exceeded expectations. I know these aren't glamour city teams, but who cares. I don't need to see an LA team or a Boston team or a Philly team. I just want good basketball. And that is exactly what we are going to get. The Nuggets have been very good all year. They are consistent and they know who they are. Jokic is a beast and the offense runs through him. Jamal Murray is healthy and looks as good, if not better, than he did in the bubble. Michael Porter Jr is actually playing defense and he is impossible to guard from the outside because he is so big. KCP is a proven winner and does all the little things. Bruce Brown is an excellent cutter and finisher at the rim. The Nuggets do have it all. Their coach is great as well, he isn't at Spoelstra's level, but he is one of the better coaches in the league.

I already went through all the Heat have, and who knows what he will look like if he comes back, but Tyler Herro is going to try and play. At the very least he adds some outside shooting.

This should be a basketball nerds dream series. This series is big time analytics and shooting. I'm just happy we have new teams. Well, the Heat have been here a ton recently, but they don't have the "stars", although Jimmy Butler is highly underrated. The Nuggets, this is their first go round here. I love how they play like a team. I like all the movement and such. This is a big moment for the players and the franchise. I cannot wait to watch.

As for a prediction, I will go Nuggets in six. I will be rooting extra hard for the Heat but I just think they are too tired and too spent. The Nuggets have rested, they are on a mission and I do believe they will win it all. I want Jimmy Butler to get that ring, but this is not his time. Maybe next year, but who knows. Anyway, Thursday cannot come fast enough. I can't wait. 

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 A's Will Always Be in Oakland for Me

I read recently that the Oakland A’s are on their way to Las Vegas. This bums me out.

I’m not the baseball guy on this site, but the MLB was a big part of my childhood and the A’s happened to be very good back then. They were a World Series threat every year. I remember watching players like Dennis Eckersley, Dave Stewart, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson, among many others. I used to watch Dave Stewart a ton when I became a pitcher. He was my guy for a minute. I LOVED Rickey Henderson. He was so fast and so powerful. I remember watching them play in the World Series when an earthquake hit. That was nuts. I was at a friends house. I remember it so vividly. I remember when Henderson broke the stolen base record. Seeing him pickup the base in triumph was dope. The Canseco and McGwire bash bro era, while riddled with steroids, was fun. I remember Kirk Gibson hitting the homer on one leg against Eckersley and thinking that Tony La Russa may be an idiot for putting his dominant team in that bad situation. I went out at this time and bought myself an A’s fitted cap with my allowance. This team was one that was never my favorite, but I rooted for them from time to time. Even during the whole “money ball” era I found them fun. They were a great regular season team, but then they’d face the Yankees in the playoffs and get smoked. But they were still decent and watchable.

The past few seasons have been terrible though. They’re not a competitive team. Every time they get a good player it seems they are eager to trade them. This is making attendance go down. I heard someone say they had a crowd last season of under 2500 people. That’s bad, especially considering how big the Coliseum is and how many fans it can hold. And the stadium is old and needs work. All of the recent issues is what is making this move to Vegas more likely with every passing day.

This is what frustrates me. They can update the stadium. Every team has. The Cardinals have a fully new ish Busch Stadium. I’m sure Wrigley has had some upgrades. Fenway Park is historic. The Yankees have a state of the art stadium. Even the Twins got a new stadium. The A’s are more historic than the Twins and they’ve had similar trajectories as franchises.

I don’t want to see this team move to Vegas. This is like the movie “Major League” come to life. The city can’t just give up on this team. What else will Oakland have? The Warriors moved out. So did the Raiders. What’s left if the A’s leave? They can get back to the good old days if they keep some young talent. They could even get back to the perennial post season threat if they play their cards right. Fans will come back and they could print money. I hope something changes and the A’s stay. But it seems like they’re as good as gone. That’s not cool.

Ty

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

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I'm Coming Around on Nikola Jokic

I'm here to eat crow today. I am not a Nikola Jokic fan. I find his brand of basketball slow, plodding and boring. He pokes and prods and moves like he is a lumberjack. I fully believe he only deserved one of his MVP awards. I still fully believe Joel Embiid should be a two time MVP. I like a bunch of other players much more than Nikola Jokic. I find the love from the media, mainly ESPN, to be very racially biased towards Jokic. But dammit, that dude has been an absolute killer during this Nuggets playoff run. Let’s discuss.

I am a Lakers hater. I have never, ever liked them. I do not root for any big market team. But, I found it hard to root for the Nuggets going into this series due to my distaste for Jokic. That feeling went away quickly. Watching Jokic and Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell Pope rip the heart out of the Lakers, it was soon very easy for me to root for Denver in the West Finals. I also found it quite easy to root for Jokic. In fact, when the Suns owner decided to do that unnecessary flop was when I kind of started to flip to Jokic's side.

This dude should not be as good as he is at basketball. He is big, but that is about it. He looks out of shape when you compare him to other guys who play his same position. His jumper is wonky. He is a solid passer, but not at Draymond Green's level for a front court guy. He doesn't look the part, but he has found a way to make it work. He makes the right passes. He shoots when he needs to. He doesn't give up stupid fouls anymore. He doesn't gripe as much as other guys, Luka Doncic I'm talking about you here. He just plays the game and everyone around him seems to love playing basketball with him. Jamal Murray is as good a shooter as there is in the league, and he is usually pretty wide open due to defenses sucking in on Jokic. He is also the perfect pick and roll guy with Jokic. Aaron Gordon fits like a glove with this squad and he brings that defensive intensity they were missing. KCP is a proven vet and winner. He is a knock down shooter and he plays very good defense. Bruce Brown has proven to be an exceptional low salary signing. Michael Porter Jr is actually playing defense and hustling even with his shot not falling. But all of this doesn't work if these guys do not like playing with the face of the team, Nikola Jokic. They all want to win, they have all bought in, Michael Malone has done a phenomenal job getting everyone, including his star player. to totally buy into their respective roles.

I am endlessly fascinated at how quickly I have turned out to not hate this team, and Jokic, as much as I did only one short year ago. He made some amazing shots last night to close out that series. He was the best player on the floor for all four games. This is a floor that included guys like Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray and LeBron James. James had an incredible game last night, but Jokic was better overall. Murray had a great game two, but Jokic did it all series and all playoffs for that matter. AD had 40 in game one, Jokic nearly matched him, and the Nuggets got the win. Aaron Gordon is allowed to rove on offense and throw down oops. Jokic threw a pass last night that looked like it was to no one, and here comes Gordon to throw it down. Even the Lakers looked shocked. But Jokic and Gordon knew what they were doing. It was pretty astounding.

I will most likely be rooting for the Heat in the Finals, if they eventually close out the Celtics. But if the Celtics make some wild comeback and win the East Finals, it won't be so hard for me to root for Jokic and the Nuggets yet again. It shouldn't work. Jokic should not be this dominant. But here we are. And the Nuggets are a fun team to watch. I will not wear their gear or even root for them next season. But I found it easy in the West Finals, and if the Celtics somehow do the impossible, it would be even easier for me to root for this Nuggets team. I'm sorry for bashing this team and this player so much. I was wrong. 

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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