Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Best Bunch

Today is the final day of my preseason 2024 NFL countdown. These are the four best teams in my rankings and I believe that all four could win the Super Bowl this season.

At 4 I have the Detroit Lions. The Lions are on the come up. They kind of, almost, have it all. They have very good to great players at almost every position. One position where they don't have top of the line talent is QB. Jared Goff is fine. He is milquetoast. You know exactly what you're going to get from him. He won't blow a game for you, but he won't win a game for you either. He is a run of the mill QB. David Montgomery is a very good starting running back. He gets you the tough yards and can pop a run off here and there. Jahmyr Gibbs is better than him. He is more explosive, is a better pass catcher and is younger. Gibbs is the future at this position for the Lions. Amon Ra St.Brown is an upper tier wideout. He is so good at every level as a receiver. Jameson Williams looks to be healthy and I feel like he is going to bust out this year. Sam LaPorta is already one of the better tight ends in the NFL. And this is the best o line in football. They are locked and loaded everywhere on the o line. They run and pass block better than any unit in the NFL. The defense is up and coming. Aidan Hutchinson is going to be one of the best edge rushers in the NFL sooner rather than later. He is a perfect fit in Detroit. Marcus Davenport can thrive playing opposite Hutchinson. Jack Campbell was solid in college and already looks solid in the NFL. Terrion Arnold was a hell of a pick and Brian Branch is a heavy hitting strong safety. The Lions are the truth. They almost made the Super Bowl last season, but they blew it. I am dying to see if they can remedy that this season. The Lions are going to be very good for a good amount of time. They should win the NFC North and probably can get to 13 or 14 wins during the regular season.

At 3 I have the Kansas City Chiefs. The reigning Super Bowl champs. They have almost everyone back, and that everyone is top of the line in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes is the best QB in the NFL. I trust him more than any other QB right now. He took a team that wasn't great last season and won a title with them. Mahomes is the man. Isiah Pacheco runs like a man possessed. He runs mean. He looks angry. He wants to dole out the punishment. He is very, very good. Rashee Rice is coming off a decent year. They signed Hollywood Brown. That seems unfair. And they were able to draft Xavier Worthy. The rich get richer. Travis Kelce is the best tight end in the league. He may be older, but he is Mahomes' security blanket and he is productive. This may be his last season, so I'm sure he'll want to go out with a bang. The o line is great. The defense was way better last season then they have been since Mahomes and Andy Reid got there. Chris Jones got his money and he was disruptive as hell. George Karlaftis is a good edge guy. Mike Danna is young and good. Nick Bolton is a tackling machine. They'll miss L'Jarius Sneed, but they still have Justin Reid and Trent McDuffie, so the secondary should be just fine. The Chiefs are the new Brady/Belichek Patriots. They are here to win and win big. They'll probably get 12 or 13 regular season wins on their way to another playoff run.

At 2 I have the San Francisco 49ers. This is a last chance at a ring for this team. They had almost everyone healthy last season, had a lead in the Super Bowl and they still couldn't finish the job. Kyle Shanahan may be a poor big game coach. I still have no energy to root for Brock Purdy. I think he is a fine QB, but not as good as some media outlets may have us believe. Purdy should not be counted on to win you a game. He is, at his very best, a game manager, and not even one of the best game managers in the NFL. Christian McCaffery is incredible. He is a prototype modern day running back. He may be the only player on the 49ers that I actively like. And he was healthy pretty much all season last year. I don't know if that will ever happen for him again. Counting on his health for two years in a row is a bad sign for him and this team. Brandon Aiyuk may or may not be on the team. He may or may not get paid. He is in far too much limbo. Deebo Samuel Jr is pretty great too, but his schtick seems to have been figured out. He doesn't pop off the big runs and long passing gains like he did two years ago. I think George Kittle is overrated. He is a very good blocking tight end, but he isn't the passing threat that people make him out to be. The o line is okay, but not at the level of Detroit or KC. This defense is still very good, but not the dominant force it once was. Nick Bosa is a dickhead that I will never, ever root for or say anything nice about ever. Dre Greenlaw and Fred Warner are awesome. I felt bad for Warner last year when he tore his ACL running on the field during the Super Bowl. That stinks for him. He will be back though. Charvarius Ward is elite. Leonard Floyd still has something left. And Ambry Thomas is a promising nickel corner. The 49ers have a good team, but a flawed team. They also still have a very good defense that will win them some games. I say they get 12 this season.

And finally, at number 1, which some people have told me I'm dumb about this, is the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is my favorite NFL player to watch. He is the best modern day QB. He has gotten better every season. This team goes as he goes, and he usually goes far. He needs to show up better in big games, but he is still awesome. I adore Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry adds a very nice dimension to this offense. He can take pressure off Jackson and help grind out games even more for this team. Zay Flowers has crazy speed. Rashod Bateman has a now or never type season, and I could see him showing up and showing out. And Nelson Agholor will bring nice production to this offense. Mark Andrews is an elite tight end, probably second best in the league. The o line is very, very good. The defense needs to replace Mike MacDonald, but they have the dudes to keep this defense humming. Odafe Owweh is an up and coming edge rusher. David Ojabo appears to be healthy finally. Getting Roquan Smith was such a good move a few seasons ago. Kyle Van Noy brings veteran experience. Kyle Hamilton is one of the best young safeties in the league. Marlon Humphrey is a very good cover corner. The Ravens are really, really good at every key position. The head coach has won big games. The QB has won multiple MVP awards. The new running back is a former rushing yards champ. The defense is blitz crazy and causes turnovers at a high rate. The Ravens, to me, are the cream of the crop this year. I look at them as the favorites for the Super Bowl going into this season. They appear to me to be a 13 or 14 regular season wins team. They are the best.

That's it for my preseason 2024 NFL countdown. Come back tomorrow for my playoff and awards predictions. 

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 2024 NFL Teams: The Contenders Bunch

Here we are at day seven of my preseason 2024 NFL countdown.

At number 8 I have the Cleveland Browns. The Browns have talent, but they also have issues. This defense played out of their minds last year, and I think they can recreate that again this season. Having Nick Chubb coming back from injury will be nice too. Deshaun Watson is the QB, and he has issues both on and off the field. He has never been the same QB since all of the allegations came out against him. These are real allegations, and he should be in more trouble. He also is not as good as he was while in Houston as a QB. He doesn't seem to have the juice anymore. Nick Chubb is back, as previously mentioned, but he is coming off a major injury. That is never a good thing for a running back. He may be on his last chance, however unfair that may be. Amari Cooper had a great year last season, but he has been in a ton of trade rumors, and maybe he just wants out. They traded for Jerry Jeudy, in what I think will end up being good for both the player and the team. And David Njoku was about the only thing that went right for me on my fantasy football team last year. The o line is stable and good. The defense is elite. Myles Garrett is the returning DPOY and he is a backfield destroyer. They signed Za'Darius Smith, and that dude still has some gas left. Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Grant Delpit form an unbelievable secondary. And they are taking a chance on Devin Bush, who has had his moments. This team wins with running the ball and defense. They need better QB play and to not have their top wideouts in trade conversations constantly. But they will win games and make another playoff run. I have them at 10 or 11 wins.

At number 7 I have the Philadelphia Eagles. I'd have them higher if there wasn't a ton of turmoil surrounding the coaching staff. I am a Jalen Hurts fan. I think he is good, he is one of the best dual threat QBs in the league, and his passing has gotten so much better. They were able to sign Saquon Barkley. I feel like not enough people have talked about how big a deal this is for this team. Barkley adds another potent threat to a run-heavy offense in which he should thrive. This is a big, big deal. Devonta Smith is as advertised. I'm stoked that the Eagles didn't let his height affect drafting him. AJ Brown is in a much better situation. The o line will miss Jason Kelce a ton, but they still have the other guys back from one of the better o lines in the league. On defense, Jordan Davis is a world beater. Josh Sweat brings it from linebacker. CJ Gardner-Johnson and Darius Slay JR make for some nice pieces in the secondary. And Brandon Graham is back for one last ride with this team. The Eagles have the guys on paper to make a Super Bowl push. They need to straighten things up behind the scenes to do so. That being said, they are going to win 12, maybe 13 games this season.

At number 6 I have the Cincinnati Bengals. This team is so good, especially on offense, when everyone is healthy and available. That is not always the case with this team. They always seem to have a key player hurt when they need them most. Joe Burrow has proven himself on the field. The guy can play. He is a top tier QB and he has shown that he can beat the Chiefs in KC. Ja'Marr Chase is, probably, the best wideout in the game. He is damn near unguardable. He is, like he likes to say, always open. They signed Zack Moss to take over as the starting running back. Moss is a pro who will produce whatever they need from him. Tee Higgins is back, maybe only for this season, and when he is on the field he can put up numbers. The o line is much improved and should keep the QBs and running backs from getting too banged up. The defense, according to RD, is young. Dax Hill is a very capable, very good safety. He came in and found a place right away. Sam Hubbard is a very good edge rusher. Sheldon Rankins can be a problem when he wants to be. Kris Jenkins was a good draft pick for them to add depth. Cam Taylor-Britt is okay. This defense has guys that can play, they just need to play. They will get that chance this season. If this team can stay on the field and stay in one piece, I can definitely see them making a Super Bowl run. They just have to hope that this year is different from years past as far as injuries go. I say they are good enough to win 11, maybe 12 games during the regular season, if healthy.

At number 5 I have the Houston Texans. This is a team on the rise. They showed out last year and I only see more of that to some. CJ Stroud is elite. He had one of the best rookie seasons we have ever seen. He looked awesome and he will only get better. Joe Mixon was signed away from the Bengals and he will start here. He adds toughness and big play ability out of the backfield. The Texans may have the best receiving corps in professional football. Nico Collins exploded onto the scene as their number one option last year. He will only be better. Tank Dell was another rookie who had a phenomenal year. And they got Stefon Diggs to come on over. He should love being a part of this offense.. The o line is solid. They do their jobs. The defense is going to be better this year too. Will Anderson Jr is awesome. He is the next great edge rusher in this league. He is so explosive off the ball and he can mess up your backfield in an instant. Mario Edwards Jr can take on double teams to free up other d lineman. Danielle Hunter is a beast off the edge. Henry To'oTo'o is as solid as they come at linebacker. And Desmond King II and Derek Stingley can wreck your passing game at a moments notice. The Texans are good and should be for a good amount of time now. They are also a blast to watch play this game. They are going to win at least 12 games this season and it wouldn't shock me to see them win 13, hell, even 14 games. The Texans are legit.

That's it for today. Come back for the final 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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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Good Bunch

Welcome back to my preseason 2024 NFL countdown. I hope you all had a good weekend and pored over what I had to say last week. From here on out the teams all have some kind of a chance at making a postseason run. These are my "good" teams.

At number 12 I have the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are going to miss Aaron Donald a ton. He is one of the greatest to ever do it at the d line position. His ability to take on double teams and still create pressure will never be replaced. Outside of Aaron Donald retiring, the Rams bring back a decent veteran team that made a playoff run last year. Matthew Stafford is back. He is old and slow and cannot make all the throws, but he can make the necessary throws. He is in the game management business now, and that should suit him nicely. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum should make for a formidable backfield. Williams is more of an explosive player and Corum will get you the gritty, tough yards. I expect a big rookie year from Corum. The receiving corps brings back a healthy Cooper Kuup, which is good for this team, and two young bucks in Puka Nacua and Demarcus Robinson. Robinson had moments, but I expect a leap, and Nacua exploded onto the scene. He has the makings of a number 1 wideout very soon. Kuup, if he can stay on the field, is about as consistent as they get in the NFL. The o line is good and will protect Stafford and open lanes for Williams and Corum. The defense is interesting. Jared Verse may have something left in the tank. Kobie Turner is intriguing. Tre'Davious White has his moments. And Byron Young looks solid. But they don't have the big names anymore. This isn't a flashy defense. They need to perform for this team to be any real threat, and I think they have the potential to be decent. I think this version of the Rams has a last season all together quality. And I think they will perform enough to win 11 games and sneak into the playoffs.

At number 11 I have the Dallas Cowboys. I mean, this has to be the last chance for Mike McCarthy, Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, right? They can win in the regular season, but then they crap the bed in the playoffs. I like Dak Prescott as a dude. He seems like a good guy to me. But man does he crack under pressure. He would be better off moving on from this team and playing on a team that makes football fun. I was stunned when they brought Ezekiel Elliott back. This isn't 2019. This dude is washed. And they let Tony Pollard walk out of the door for nothing. They must resign CeeDee Lamb if they want to be taken seriously at all. He is the only true threat they have. Jerry Jones needs to get his racist ass in line and give this dude his money. He is all they have. Brandin Cooks is old and Luke Schoonmaker wasn't even my favorite tight end on the team when he played for Michigan. The o line is fine, but old and starting to show cracks. The defense got burned in the playoffs last year, and they seemingly did nothing to shore it up this offseason. Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence are very, very good edge rushers. Parsons may be the best in the game. They can only do so much. They need more help. Erick Kendricks is old. Trevon Diggs feels like a flash in the pan. Jourdan Lewis is consistent, but never explosive. Mazi Smith has this allergic reaction thing. I don't trust this defense, especially in the secondary to make the needed stops. The Cowboys are built to win 11 or 12 games every regular season, and they get stomped in the first round of the playoff. If I were a betting man, I'd bet that will happen this year, and then massive changes will be made next offseason.

At number 10 I have the Green Bay Packers. This is my team. This is who I root for. I have come around on Matt Lafleur as a head coach. They won playing with house money last year. This is the test this year if they are actually any good. I have faith they are good. Jordan Love looked like a competent, and at times, exceptional starting NFL QB last season. He did everything that was asked of him, sometimes doing more. He still throws off his back foot more than I like, but that can be fixed. He got paid and I think the pure fact that he knows this team is his will help push him to other levels. I'm not crazy about Aaron Jones leaving for a division rival, but they replaced him with Josh Jacobs, a move I was stoked on when it happened. I love Jacobs' game, and he is in a place that wants him to thrive. I can't wait to watch him play this season. The wideouts are young, but they have potential. Jayden Reed popped last year. Christian Watson has the makings of a number 1 receiver. And Romeo Doubs is the guy they need to stretch the field. The o line is good, as always in Green Bay. The defense used to freak me out, but they had one hell of a season last year, and I think they can be better this year. Preston Smith and Rashan Gary are as good an edge rushing duo as you could want in the NFL. They will destroy backfields. Quay Walker has the makings of a perennial pro bowl player. Jaire Alexander is one of the best cover corners in the league. Eric Stokes brings the heat from the safety position. The Packers have a good, all around roster. They are solely reliant on the QB anymore. They can beat you in many different ways. I see this team as a near lock for 11 wins and a postseason berth.

At number 9 I have the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins look damn near unbeatable when they play in perfect conditions. When they don't, it can be ugly. Tua Tagovailoa maybe shouldn't be playing football because of the concussions, but he is really, really good at the QB position. He can wing it. He can also scramble. And he looks a bit more solid now, so maybe, hopefully for his sake, the concussions are a thing of the past. Devon Achane and Raheem Mostert are both good and both crucial to this offense. Mostert does the gritty work and Achane can take the top off of a defense. Tyreek Hill is the fastest and one of the best wideouts in football. Get him the ball and watch him go. Jaylen Waddle is a perfect second wideout to Hill and he thrives in that position. The o line is better and they are giving this high powered offense all the time it needs. The defense can be a problem, even more so than the weather. They are full of older dudes or unproven dudes. Calais Campbell and Jalen Ramsey are still kicking around. Jordan Poyer is now on this team. Bradley Chubb is hoping this works better for him. Then it is a bunch of guys I've never heard of. The Dolphins got a brutal weather game in the playoffs last season, but that is the case with the NFL and playing in winter. They are never going to have perfect weather unless they get to play every game at home. But, when this team is humming, they may have the best offense in the NFL. And that offense will lead them to a 12 win season.

That's 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.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Looking to Make Some Noise Bunch

Welcome to day five of my preseason 2024 NFL countdown.

At 16 I have the Indianapolis Colts. I don't really understand why I have this level of confidence in this team, but I think they are playoff bound this year. My main reason for optimism is Anthony Richardson. This dude is big, physical, fast and can make some spectacular throws. I do think he opts to run far too much, but with a year behind him, that will only help take his game up another level. I do worry about him getting injured, but he looks like he got even bigger this offseason. Johnathan Taylor is an elite running back. He is the type of player you can count on to get tough yards, get 100 yards and score a TD or two in each game he plays. Michael Pittman Jr let it be known last season that he is on the come up. I love the Adonai Mitchell pick for them. This adds speed and excellent hands to this receiving corps. The o line is very solid. Hell, they are an upper tier o line in the NFL. The defense may be the question mark here. Kwity Paye is okay, but hasn't really popped off just yet. DeForest Buckner is pretty old. The linebackers are decent. And the secondary is full of unknown players to me. This team will go as Richardson and Taylor go. If they are both playing and performing, the Colts could be an eleven or fifteen win team. If they are hurt, they will be lucky to win seven or eight games. I'm going to go right in the middle and say they win ten and sneak into the playoffs.

At 15 I have the Pittsburgh Steelers. Mike Tomlin is still here, still one of the most underrated coaches and will have this team above .500 because that is what he does. Tomlin is one of the better coaches to ever walk the NFL sidelines. They do have a choice at QB with Justin Fields or Russell Wilson. Fields adds running and big play ability, but he's inconsistent. Wilson is a veteran leader who's won the biggest prize, but his rah rah stuff won't gel in Pittsburgh, and he is on the back end of his career. I think they will use both guys, but Tomlin will probably stick with Wilson in the long run. He is more of a sure thing between the two of them. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren make a nice backfield duo, but it seems like Warren is the better option. Harris is taking carries away from him and they may need to choose between the two of these guys, just like at the QB position. They drafted Roman Wilson, who I adore, and maybe this will be the year that George Pickens finally pops. I don't know if that will happen, but if he does, these two could make for a nice, young wideout combination. They shored up the o line via the draft, so there may be bumps in the road, but it should work itself out. The defense has studs, TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick are top tier talents. I also like the addition of Patrick Queen. Cameron Hayward is still pretty darn productive. And Joey Porter Jr is a really good cornerback. The more I look at this team the more I think I may have them too low. Mike Tomlin will get the best out of these guys, but with the uncertainty at QB, I think ten wins is the best case scenario for them. But it wouldn't surprise me to see them win twelve games.

At number 14 I have the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is another team that kind of reminds me of the Steelers. No frills, but competent play from all spots and solid coaching. Trevor Lawrence isn't the generational talent some thought he could be, but he is good. He is consistent. Travis Etienne Jr is a very good back when healthy. He had a heck of a year last year and I could see him being even better. The receiving corps is fine. They aren't great but they aren't bad. Evan Engram had a big season at tight end last year for them. The o line does a good job run and pass blocking. The defense has athletes. Travon Walker needs to produce more, but he has gotten better. Getting Darnell Savage in their secondary brings a heavy hitter. I'm going to miss him in Green Bay. Arik Armstead can still play well here and there. Josh Hines-Allen is one of the better pass rushers in the league. The Jags aren't going to look fancy when they play, but they will try and beat you into submission. They want to drain the clock and hit you hard on defense. All of that is good enough for eleven wins.

At number 13 I have the Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen is still here and still a pretty solid QB. I had my doubts about him, and I still do not enjoy him as a person, but the guy puts up numbers. He is a fantasy player's dream QB. James Cook should get the bulk of the carries and I think he is ready for an expanded role. Khalil Shakir really came on string at the end of last year. Curtis Samuel brings something interesting. And Keon Coleman has been the star of the offseason, both on and off the field. I don't think they'll miss Stefon Diggs too much. The o line is nasty and big and good. The defense is pretty solid too. The d line is nasty. Greg Rousseau is a o line wrecker. Ed Oliver is still out there putting up numbers. AJ Espensea looks to be a bit better than last year. The linebacker corps is okay, but I think they will miss Von Miller's veteran leadership. He's still there, but he is now a backup and he is often injured. He's still one of my all time favorite players. Damar Hamlin is still playing football, I don't know if that is best, but he is pretty good. Taylor Rapp is a force. And I'd love to see Kaiir Elam get some time in the secondary. The Bills will win regular season games. They could win twelve or thirteen. But they choke hard in the playoffs. They cannot beat the Chiefs. The rest of the AFC is very good. The Bills are a playoff team, but how far they go is up to them, and they have shown in the past that that may be too much to handle.

That is it for this week. Come back Monday for the next four teams. We are getting to the true threats to make real noise starting next week. See you then. 

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.

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

Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Outside Looking In Bunch

Welcome to day four of my 2024 preseason NFL countdown.

At number 20 I have the Chicago Bears. The Bears are a team on the rise. They are going to be a problem in a few years if these picks hit, and after seeing just a little bit this offseason, the picks look good. Caleb Williams is as advertised. He knows the game. He knows what he does best. He gets the ball out quick and is on target most of the time. He was born to play QB and he looks like a damn fine number 1 overall pick. But, he is a rookie and the wall is coming. D'Andre Swift is a capable back, but they need to upgrade at that position to be a real overall offensive threat as a team. The receiving corps is great. They drafted Rome Odunze, who was my favorite wideout not named Marvin Harrison Jr in this most recent draft. He is big and physical and fast and has great hands. They got Keenan Allen in a trade and he brings veteran leadership and veteran production to this team. And DJ Moore is the deep threat they need at the third wideout spot. Cole Kmet is a nice safety blanket for Williams in his rookie year. The o line is fine. It's not great and it's not a disaster. The defense can be better. There is room for growth. Getting Montez Sweat was a nice deal for the future last season. Kevin Byard is a fine safety. And Tremaine Edwards is an okay linebacker. Other than that, these are dudes that haven't really shown much yet. They will probably get exposed, but if they can shore it up by the middle of the season, the Bears could be a nice surprise. Getting Williams was a great thing and he could be a long term QB for this team. As for now, seven wins seems like the most likely outcome.

At number 19 I have the Atlanta Falcons. This may be too low for them, but I don't have the best feeling about this team. They gave Kirk Cousins way too much money and years. I cannot fathom a world in which Cousins keeps getting paid while other, younger QB's are consistently passed on. He is a fine regular season player, but when the lights are brightest, he falters. Bijan Robinson has some value, but he wasn't used correctly last season, he took a step back at the midpoint of last season and I worry about his health. Kyle Pitts should be the happiest person on the team now that they have a new head coach. Maybe, just maybe he will be used more in the pass game. But he is only getting older. Drake London had some moments last season, but now defenses will be locked in on him. I want to see him produce while being a focal point. The o line is fine. The defense got a big jolt yesterday when they acquired Matthew Judon. He makes their defense instantly better. He will be a great QB for the defense. Jessie Bates is a wonderful safety in the NFL. The fact that the Falcons got these two guys in the past two offseasons is a much better get than signing Kirk Cousins. The rest of the guys do their job, just not as well as I thought they might last year. The Falcons have some dudes, but they are in the Kirk Cousins business, and that have never really reaped any true rewards. eight or nine wins seems like the best the fans can hope for.

At number 18 I have the New York Jets. This is another team I see people ranking much higher than I do. I don't get it. Aaron Rodgers is 40, insane and coming off a brutal injury. He can't stop saying nonsense and he is old. I despise him. Breece Hall is a good back. He played well after Rodgers' injury last season. Hall is going to put up numbers. Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams are good wideouts, if they don't have to play with a backup QB. They are both capable of stretching the field and getting the first down on third down plays. The o line upgraded after last season, but they are blocking for a 40 year old maniac. I think they'd prefer to block for Breece Hall and anyone else at QB. The defense is legit. Sauce Gardner is an awesome cornerback. He is as shut down as they get in the NFL. He talks the talk and walks the walk. Quinnen Williams is a very good defensive tackle. CJ Mosley is a good linebacker. They have Hasson Reddick, but he already wants out, and I don't think that speaks well for the culture of this team. The defense will keep them in games, but the fact that they are banking on a healthy season from a 40 year old psychopath at QB doesn't bode well for them. I say nine wins at best for this team.

At number 17 I have the Seattle Seahawks. The Geno Smith glowup has been awesome to watch. He has really excelled since signing with this team. I love seeing him find a place to play and play well. He has earned this job. But he is old. Kenneth Walker III is a solid running back, but he is often injured. DK Metcalf, Jaxson Smith-Njigba and Tyler Lockett form a very good, very unique receiving corps. They can all do different things very well. The o line is suspect. I feel like Walker III's injuries are due to lack of holes and they don't give Smith nearly enough time in the pocket. This defense is not Legion of Boom, but they did hire a defensive minded coach in Mike MacDonald. He knows how to coordinate a defense, let's see if he can do that while coaching a whole team. And when I look at some of the names, there isn't anyone too familiar outside Devon Witherspoon, who is great. Johnathan Hankins feels like he may be washed. Leonard Williams has bounced around a ton. The rest are dudes I have never really heard of. But, MacDonald may get the best out of these guys. Time will tell. I think the Seahawks could win ten games and threaten for a playoff spot, but eight seems like the more likely outcome to me.

That's 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.

Follow Ty on instagram.

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

Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Not Quite Ready Bunch

Welcome today to day three of my 2024 preseason NFL countdown.

Coming in at number 24 I have the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders did some good things this offseason. They hired Antonio Pierce. He was the best choice and the players may have revolted if they didn't hire him. They also moved on from Jimmy Garropolo, which was the best thing they could have done for their locker room. He is not the answer at QB. They needed a change. But, I'm not so sure that Aiden O'Connell and Gardner Minshew are the answer. O'Connell had moments last season, but he is no more than a backup game manager. Minshew is the poor man's Ryan Fitzpatrick. He brings some fun to the team, but wins don't usually follow. They had to move Josh Jacobs, he was unhappy, but they replaced him with a mash unit. Zamir White is unproven and Alexander Mattison is old and washed. Davante Adams is a top flight wideout. He is a boss. It is unfortunate that he has to play with these mediocre QB's. They don't have much else at that position. They drafted Brock Bowers, who looks like he could be great, but he is going to run into a rookie wall, and he is coming off an injury last season. The o line is unremarkable. The defense is good, and this is where Pierce shines as a head coach. Maxx Crosby is dope. He is an upper echelon pass rusher. Christian Wilkins found a place that fits. The linebacking unit is solid, as is the secondary. This is where the Raiders win games, on defense. I don't know how many wins that will be due to poor QB play and a mediocre run game. And Davante Adams may ask for a trade in the middle of the season. The Raiders made good choices this offseason, and they need to continue that trend for another season. Then they can make some noise. As for now, eight wins seems like the best to hope for based solely on their defense.

At number 23 I have the Minnesota Vikings. I may have put them lower if I knew about JJ McCarhty's injury sooner. Losing him for the year is a blow. I didn't expect him to help them win much, but he was a better option at QB than Nick Mullens or Sam Darnold. They are stuck with those dudes now, for better or worse. They signed Aaron Jones this offseason. That is a fine move, but after watching Jones the past two years, a player I adore, he gets injured far too much. He is good when he plays, but that gets smaller every season. Justin Jefferson is probably the best wideout in the game. He is fast, runs excellent routes, has great hands and just got paid. He is going to put up numbers regardless of who is playing QB. It is just unfortunate that he hasn't gotten to play with an elite QB yet. He is like this era's Andre Johnson, only better. TJ Hockenson is a quality tight end, and the o line does enough. The Vikings defense is not so great. I look at these dudes on their depth chart, and it is some washed dudes, Harrison Smith, a Michigan guy who frustrated me to no end, Josh Mettulus and a bunch of guys I've never heard of. The Vikings used to win with defense, but that is not the case anymore. The Vikings are going to struggle mightily this season, and McCarthy being done for the year does not help. I'd say five wins at most now after seeing the injury news.

At number 22 I have the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You may see this and think it is too low. They resigned Baker Mayfield and seem to have it all figured out now you'd tell me. I don't buy this hype around Mayfield. I didn't like him in college, I was not a fan of him being taken first overall and I have watched him bounce from team to team. I don't trust that he has figured it all out. Rachaad White is counting on himself, and I like that confidence from him. I could see him having a solid year. Mike Evans is a good wideout who just got paid as well. He is about as consistent as they get in the NFL right now. You know he will produce. And Chris Godwin is a fine second receiver. And the o line is good enough. The defense, which is what propelled them to a Super Bowl in 2020, has taken a step back. Antoine Winfield Jr is still a good secondary player. And Lavonte David is a tackling machine. But outside of them, they don't have much. Vita Vea is old. Logan Hall is not a true threat off the edge. The linebackers, outside of David, aren't top notch. And the secondary has only Winfield Jr to count on. This is a team that thinks it has an answer at QB and probably thinks they are better than they actually are. I'd say nine wins is the tops for them, with seven being a more likely outcome. Baker Mayfield has to prove he isn't washed to me.

At number 21 I have the Los Angeles Chargers. Or maybe I should just refer to them as Michigan West now. They got the big fish this offseason when they hired Jim Harbaugh. The dude wins everywhere he goes. He has a proven track record and he brought a bunch of familiar coaches along with him. He has instilled his system with his staff and it will eventually pay off. Justin Herbert is a good QB. He gets treated as if he is great, but he hasn't earned that just yet. But, he is going to get to great soon. It is coming. Getting JK Dobbins to back up Gus Edwards is a solid, and heady move. If Dobbins can play half the season, he and Edwards will make for an interesting backfield. Harbaugh did let some solid vet receivers walk, namely Keenan Allen. That was odd to me. They drafted some dudes, Ladd McConkey and Cornelius Johnson, and they should be productive, in time. They also took a flyer on DJ Chark, who is a burner. The o line is okay, and they will build and get better in time. That is Harbaugh's thing. The defense is old, old, old. Joey Bosa, who is a dickhead, and Khalil Mack, while very good players, are on the back half of their careers. Derwin James is still going to hit dudes, but he may be a step slower this year. Asante Samuel Jr looks like he can take a leap. And maybe Denzel Perryman will find the fountain of youth. Jesse Minter plays a solid and sophisticated style of defense. Once these guys get clicking, they could be tough to beat. But the defense needs an inflection of youth. The Chargers will be much higher on this list as soon as next year. As for this season, they may struggle to hit nine wins, but seven or eight is not out of the question.

That does it for day three. 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 2024 NFL Teams: The Better Luck Next Year Bunch

Welcome to day two of my 2024 NFL countdown.

At number 28 I have the Denver Broncos. They are one year behind what should have been the start of a rebuild last year. They reached real hard, in my opinion, for Bo Nix in the draft, and it looks like he will be starting this year. I don't know how that will look, but he is older so maybe he won't hit a rookie wall. I'm also certain he will, but maybe I'll be wrong. They don't have the best backup options either. Zack Wilson is a bust and Jarret Stidham should only ever be an emergency QB. Javonte Williams is a fine running back, but he will get overused. He is all they have on that side of the ball. Jerry Jeudy is gone and all they have to show for it is Courtland Sutton. The other wideouts are not that good, and Sutton is, at best, a third option at receiver. The o line is middle of the road on their best days. The defense is young and inexperienced. They will do their best to keep this team in games, but it won't be enough. The defense and Williams is about all the fans have to be hopeful for, and they will be counted on for way more than they can provide. I have a very bad feeling about Bo Nix, and the fact that Jerry Jeudy couldn't wait to be gone is a bad sign. I think that maybe Sean Payton is too old school to win in the NFL at a high level again. He is building this team in his image, but this is not the early 2010's. He has to adjust or the Broncos will be left behind in a hurry. I'd say 6-8 wins is their best possible outcome. They will most likely miss the playoffs by a wide margin for another season.

At number 27 I have the New York Giants. This team is a mess. They chose Daniel Jones over Saquon Barkley. I get that running backs are more expendable these days, but Barkley is a once in a generation guy. Daniel Jones is one of the worst starting QB's in the league. He used one playoff win, a game that wouldn't have been won without Barkley, and turned it into a big payday. He is over, done, finito. Daniel Jones will be cut or traded by next season. They replaced Barkley with Devin Singleltary. That is akin to going from wagyu steak to on sale ground beef. No disrespect to Singletary, but he is nowhere close to Barkley's level. Malik Nabers was a good pick, but he already looks frustrated playing with Jones. He gets open, but the ball never seems to find him. Wan'Dale Robinson needs to pop now or it will never happen. The o line is fine, but they don't have a back like Barkley to block for anymore, and that has to be frustrating. The defense went out and got Brian Burns, which was a tremendous trade for them. He and Kayvon Thibodeaux form an excellent pass rush. And the secondary is really solid at every position. The Giants defense could make a jump from good to great this season. But, they will be on the field way too much because Daniel Jones is not the type of guy that instills fear in an opponent's defense. This offense is going to be anemic. They picked the wrong dude to sign long term and their wins will suffer due to that. I'd say eight wins is the best outcome, and that is only if the defense becomes absolutely elite. They need to be otherworldly for that to happen.

At number 26 I have the Washington Commanders. The Commanders are coming. I like what they have put together. The only problem is the youth. This team is inexperienced. But, this team is also athletic. I love the Jayden Daniels pick. He was one of my top prospects going into the last draft. He may be a little thin, but he will put on muscle, and if he can keep that speed, watch out. He has a good arm, can throw into tight spaces and he can extend plays. He has all the tools to be awesome. Brian Robinson Jr is a very capable running back. He can grind out yards and make catches out of the backfield. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson make for a nice receiving duo. They have gotten better each season, and now that they have a competent QB, they could put up big time numbers. The o line is fine. They do enough. The defense is going young as well. They traded their two best pass rushers for picks. I wasn't crazy about it at the time, but I get it. They do have Clelin Ferrel and Johnathan Allen on the d line. They are okay enough. I, of course, love the Mike Sainristil pick. I think he is going to have a very long and very productive career. Jeremy Chinn is solid. Bobby Wagner is a heavy hitter. Benjamin St-Juste is a decent coverage guy. And maybe this is when Dante Fowler Jr figures it all out. The Commanders, much like the Cardinals, are coming, they are just a year or two away. All they need is for these guys to get real game reps, and that should make them a playoff caliber team in 2026 or 27. As for this year, seven wins seems to be the ceiling.

At number 25 I have the New Orleans Saints. This is a pivotal year for this franchise. Derek Carr is not the answer at QB. He is too small, too slow and cannot make the big time throws. This is another case of one good game making people think he was going to catapult into stardom. Both the team and the player need to move on from each other. Alvin Kamara can still do some cool things, but he is old and he wants out. I don't blame him. He has been anything and everything this offense has asked him to be, and they still don't give him all the credit he is due. I'd want out if I were him as well. Chris Olave deserves better. He could be an elite wideout with better QB play. Rashid Shaheed is the burner of all burners, but the QB's miss him too much when he is open. Juwan Johnson is an okay tight end, but they could find better on the open market. The o line is good, they just have a mediocre QB to block for. The defense is old. Cam Jordan was once great. He's still good, but he is double teamed constantly. Marshon Lattimore crushed in his rookie year, but he took a step back last season. I love Tyrann Mathieu, but he was past his prime two years ago. Demario Davis is fine at linebacker, but not as the anchor of a defense. This team needs to make changes, mainly in the back half of their secondary, their QB and head coach. They need a new mind and a new look. Until then, eight wins may be the best to hope for out of this team.

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.

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Ty Ranks the 2024 NFL Teams: The Going Nowhere Bunch

Football is right around the corner. We are almost there. Luckily we had the Olympics to bide our time for a bit, I'm not much of a baseball fan anymore, but it has been pretty boring, for me, for all of the summer in regards to sports. But, college football starts in a little over two weeks, and the NFL is right after that. With that being said, I am going to do one of my favorite series of blogs. I'm going to spend the next two weeks counting down the NFL teams from worst to best, and then do a very big college football preview. I'll do four teams a day in the NFL, starting with my bottom four teams today. Let us tarry no further, it is time for the countdown.

Coming in at the very bottom of the NFL this year, at number 32 I have the New England Patriots. The Patriots have been on the decline for the past couple years, and now they are in full rebuild. They do not have much of any veteran talent and a bunch of unproven rookies. I was a big fan of the Jerrod Mayo hiring, but he is going to need a good amount of patience before this team looks decent. I hope he gets the time, but you never know. They have a few rookies to pick from at QB. They took Drake Maye number 3 overall, and got a steal with Joe Milton in the sixth round. I have been a Joe Milton fan since his days at Michigan, so I want to see him succeed. I don't know that he will play right away, but if Maye struggles, they have a perfectly good young guy to turn to. Rhamondre Stevenson is a solid back, but they will overuse him and he will probably get hurt. The o line is shaky. Hunter Henry is cooked. The receivers, outside of rookie Ja'Lynn Polk, are old and unproven. The defense is full of holes outside of Matthew Judon, who will probably get traded, and Jabrill Peppers, who is a fine journeyman. The rest of the defense is unknown, unproven and will most likely get lit up game after game. I don't think the Patriots will get beat every Sunday, but they will most Sundays. They are due another high pick in the 2025 draft. If you want a record prediction, I'd say 3-14.

At number 31 I have the Carolina Panthers. They got their QB number one overall last season, but Bryce Young really struggled. He didn't have much time, but when he did, he didn't do anything with it. He really struggled, but I do believe that he can bounce back. If not, he may not be in Carolina much longer. Chuba Hubbard looked like he may be decent last season, but he fizzled out fast. I don't know that I'd want to count on him as my starting running back. Adam Thielen had a solid year, but didn't get much help. I wonder if Diontae Johnson and Johnathan Mingo will add anything. I don't think so, especially since their former teams let them walk. They have no tight ends to speak of. And their o line is horrendous. They were one of the biggest reasons Young struggled so much. He had zero time at all. The defense is alright, but not that great. And they look a little old too. I have been a big fan of Jadaveon Clowney's entire career, but he is washed and doesn't stick anywhere that long anymore. A'Shawn Robinson hasn't really popped. The secondary is very blah. I just don't see any scenario where this team is any better this year than they were last year. The Panthers need Bryce Young to bounce back in a big way, but they also need help everywhere else. They may win, at most, five games this season.

At number 30 I have the Tennessee Titans. They went into full rebuild moment this offseason when they let Derrick Henry walk. It was best for both sides, but it was certain at that point that they were going to start over. Will Levis doesn't seem to have it. He looks more often bad than good. He looks scared at times out there. And he is not the best deep thrower. Tony Pollard had a moment in fantasy football, but he looks washed, which is a real bummer. I like Pollard, but he may be out of the league in a year. Deandre Hopkins is hurt and will miss time, which is not great because he is their best pass catcher. They signed Calvin Ridley, who is insanely fast and nothing else, and Tyler Boyd who is also fast, but under sized and hasn't produced much. The o line is very mediocre. The defense is very mediocre, except for L'Jarius Sneed. He is awesome. He is one of the best secondary players in the NFL. But he doesn't have a ton of help. Jeffrey Simmons is washed. Kenneth Murray hasn't been a world wrecker. Jamal Adams has become a journeyman. It is hard to find anyone, outside of Sneed, that really shines on defense. The Titans needed to rebuild, and they took the correct steps this past offseason. I'd say five wins is their ceiling.

My final team for the day, at number 29 I have the Arizona Cardinals. Now, the Cardinals are only this low because I think they just need one more year of a rebuild before they are formidable. Kyler Murray appears to be healthy again. I hope he is taking this offseason seriously because he is an absolute blast to watch when he is playing lights out on the field. He has a hell of an arm and is very tough to bring down in the open field. The dude can fly. I love the Marvin Harrison Jr pick. He was the best, most can't miss prospect in the draft. He is fast, tall, strong, runs great routes and is tough as hell. He is going to have a long, successful career. They need a better run game. James Connor is a great story, but he is on the bad side of his career. And they are not deep at that position on the bench. The problem, outside Harrison Jr and Murray, the Cardinals don't have any true threats, and the line is just middling. Those two need more help on that side of the ball. The defense has guys, but they haven't been as stingy as they could be. Budda Baker is awesome. I hope he stays. Sean Murphy-Bunting is a solid corner. They have some dudes on the d line that can get some sort of a pass rush. The linebackers are okay. But no one really shines in any area, except for Baker. The Cardinals are coming, but they are still a year or two away from truly competing. I'd say five wins, with seven being a possibility if the offense finds some more weapons to put on the field.

That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next four. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches USA vs Serbia Men's Olympic Basketball

I was able to catch one hell of an ending in the men's Olympic semifinal yesterday between Serbia and the US. I was doing other things when the game started, but I would check my phone periodically, looking for the score. Serbia was in total control of that game, from what I saw. through the first three quarters. I saw that Serbia was leading by 16 at one point, and they took an 11 point lead into halftime. I wasn't too nervous because I figured the US would turn it on in the third quarter and roll to an easy victory. I forgot to check the score for a good 10-15 minutes, and boy was I stunned when I saw Serbia had a 13 point lead going into the fourth quarter. I figured the US was cooked and they would be playing for bronze. I finished the recording I had with RD, and when signing off he told me that the US cut the lead to five. This was when I decided I had to turn it on. I told my son to come watch the game with me. He likes the Olympics and he loves basketball, so he was more than happy to watch the end of the game with me.

When we turned it on the lead was four in favor of Serbia 76-72. But it looked like the US had turned the lightswitch on on both ends of the floor. I saw Embiid get a paint touch, on soft ass Nikola Jokic, and he made an easy turnaround jumper to cut it to two. The US then suffocated Serbia, got a rebound and LeBron drove to the rim with no issues. Not one Serbian player tried to step in front of him. He cruised to the hoop to tie it up. Serbia got a couple free throws, but then it was Steph time. He came off a screen, had as wide open a look as he may ever get and he rimmed in a three. The US didn't look back. Serbia had a few chances to tie it, but the US tightened up and hit some clutch jumpers and clutch free throws. The US won 95-91 and will face France in the Gold medal game tomorrow afternoon.

I will admit that I was frustrated watching the end of the game. I'm a child of the 90's, I think Jordan is the GOAT and I am of the firm belief that the 92 Dream Team is the best assembly of basketball talent the world has ever seen. I did lean over to my son and say, "the Dream Team would've been up by 30 at this point". I was heated, I like this collection of current players and I expected a total blowout. That is not the case anymore. The talent has evened way more than back in 92. I need to check myself and calm down when making big statements like that. The US did what they had to do and they won. Steph was absolutely incredible on the offensive end. I think he ended up with 36 points. LeBron was the leader he has been throughout his entire career. He ended with 16 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. He is the only Olympian to record multiple triple doubles in Olympics play. He is truly astonishing to watch play the game of basketball. Embiid finally showed up and showed out. He is so much better at basketball than Nikola Jokic, and he showed as much yesterday. I don't care what the Zach Lowe's and stats nerds say, based on pure eye test, Embiid is a better defender, a better shooter, he cares more and he loves the game. What more could you want from a basketball player? Kevin Durant continued his wonderful run off the bench for Team USA. He has been a mid range killer in these games and he continued that trend yesterday. He had this beautiful moment where he flashed open for an elbow jumper and hit nothing but net to put the US up by four late in the fourth. He has been the guy that can get you a bucket when you most need it in these Olympics. Devin Booker did his job spacing the floor and bringing the ball up. Jrue Holiday, when he locked in, played incredible defense. Anthony Davis played his part in less minutes than he is used to. I mean, it has been so cool watching these superstars let go of egos and play the game as a team. They are doing what is best for everyone on the squad, not just themselves.

I do want to give Bogdan Bogdanovic a shout out. He was the only Serbian I saw yesterday that looked like he wanted to win. I feel like the rest of that team took on Jokic's ho hum attitude. Not Bogdanovic. He was out to win yesterday. He stayed attacking. He wanted the victory more than any of his other teammates. He was the best Serbian on the floor by a million miles. I've grown so tired and so bored of all the love that Jokic gets, so it was refreshing to see a different Serbian going all out yesterday. But it still wasn't enough.

The US survived and advanced. They have a very tough gold medal match coming up against the host country. France is big, they protect the rim and they have the fans and refs in their favor. I hope the US comes out with some fire in their bellies and puts away France early. If not they are in for another battle. But the US really showed some pride and grit and it was damn exciting to watch yesterday. I can't wait for the Gold medal game now. 

Ty

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

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The NCAA is a Joke

The NCAA finally laid the proverbial "hammer" on former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Obviously I'm close to this story and I have been following it since it broke last season. But, the "hammer" that was levied on Harbaugh stems from his improper recruiting during the COVID dead period in 2020-21. Let’s discuss.

If you don't remember what Harbaugh did, let me take you through his horrid crimes according to the NCAA. He bought a recruit and his family a burger. He did some other minimal things that any other college football coach would do. In fact, most college football coaches would take it further than Harbaugh and his former staffers took this whole thing. We live in a new era of recruiting. With NIL and the fact that recruits can make millions before even stepping on a college campus, it is the wild west now. There are no morals or "doing it the right way". Every division college football team is trying to find a leg up on the opposition. If you can match what a top recruit is looking for, you better go a little higher to get that kid to commit. And if they eventually sign a letter of intent, who's to say they won't transfer if they aren't getting the playing time they think they deserve. This is the nature of the beast. You have to either adapt or get left behind. This is going to be an almost certain death knell for the NCAA, but while they are still in business, they are damn determined to make an example out of Harbaugh. And maybe they did with this ruling.

Harbaugh has a four year show clause if he returns to college, and if he does, he is suspended for one year, that is if he returns within the four year suspension. The whole problem here, Jim Harbaugh is an NFL coach now with no eyes to return to college. He did all that he could possibly do while at Michigan. He revived that program. They were not great when he took over. Now, they are the defending National Champs. No one will be able to take that from them. They won each and every game they played last season, en route to a 21 point win in the title game.

While coaches like Bret Bielima and James Franklin and, most notably, Ryan Day may want more punishment, this seems to be truly it for Michigan and Harbaugh. I don't think anything is going to come from the nonsensical sign stealing "scandal" from last year. A bunch of teams had the opportunity to prove that Michigan was only good because of one low level staffer, and they couldn't. Ryan Day had every single advantage one coach could want coming into the Michigan game last year, and Sherrone Moore and Michigan still beat his ass. Day is the biggest whiner of this whole thing. Well, him and the NCAA.

Back to the NCAA for a minute. For the NCAA to lay this punishment down on a guy that doesn't even coach in college anymore is the most farcical thing that has come out of this whole story. Harbaugh is gone from college. He is not coming back. He has bigger fish to fry. But I think the NCAA is puffing their chest out and saying that they really crushed Harbaugh. That is hilarious. Harbaugh's attorney said it best. This is like a kid in college who gets suspended by his high school for not signing the yearbook on their way out. The NCAA is the jaded lover here, and Harbaugh doesn't even think about them anymore. Whatever Harbaugh may or may not have done while at Michigan, I love that he is not backing down and not admitting to anything.

All of these other fanbases acting holier than thou right now, it would be very interesting to me to see some of their skeletons come out. I'd love to see how some of these programs are acting behind closed doors. Under Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee was literally handing kids money, prior to NIL, in McDonald's bags. How on Earth did Alabama always have the top classes in the country every recruiting cycle? I'm sure it wasn't all above board. Georgia had some players involved in horrific car wrecks that may or may not have involved alcohol, but ESPN never goes hard on that. Nope, ESPN thinks buying a meal and having a low level staffer watch games to be the biggest cheat in NCAA football history. I think what it all really boils down to is the fact that Harbaugh was one of the first coaches to actively talk about paying players. He wants the players to have more freedom and more chances to make money off themselves while they can. He would scream it from the rafters. He wasn't about himself while coaching at Michigan. Just look at any post game interview from last season, he would have his players speak for themselves. Harbaugh was a thorn in the side of the NCAA, they got mad, Ryan Day cried, the Big 10 leveled dumb ass suspensions and Michigan and Harbaugh still came out on top. ESPN can say what they want, but they look foolish. Fans of other Big 10 teams that think they run clean programs, look in the mirror. And the NCAA, well, you will be nonexistent before this punishment for Harbaugh is even done.

This is a joke and for anyone to think this is a black mark on Harbaugh or Michigan, this sanction or punishment or whatever made me laugh out loud when it was levied yesterday. This is a joke and not nearly as bad as some other may think. 

Ty

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

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Russell Westbrook Playing in Denver is Not a Good Idea

Russell Westbrook's time in LA has come to an end. About an hour ago he was traded to the Jazz, where he will be waived and he will eventually sign with the Nuggets. This was his endgame all along. He said a few weeks back that he wanted to go play in Denver. He knew he was done with the Clippers, he still wants to play and he wants to go to the Nuggets. He is getting his wish. But, I don't know if it is going to be as fun and entertaining as he may hope.

I adore Russell Westbrook. He is one of my all time favorite players. I have gone to bat for him on this very website. I banged the drum loud and hard for him to win his MVP the season he won it. A lot of people didn't think he was the rightful MVP, but I did. He did remarkable things and kept the Thunder relevant after Kevin Durant left for the Warriors. And I liked him before. I was a Thunder fan for a while. While rooting for them, KD was my guy, but Russ was a very close second. I loved the enthusiasm and energy he played with. He was going 100 percent at all times. It didn't matter if he was playing a random game in the middle of the season or a high intensity playoff game, he was always going full bore. He attacked the rim, he made good passes, he is one of the best rebounding guards ever and he talked a great game. I was all in. And even when he left, for Houston and both LA teams, I would still tune in to watch him play. Hell, I watched his lone season in Washington. He still seemed to have something to contribute. And while I saw his rough first round playoff performance last season, I was still rooting hard. But, you can see that his game is just not what it used to be.

Westbrook doesn't hit the elbow/free throw line jumper like he used to. He has never been a good 3 point shooter and it has only fallen off more. He isn't a starter anymore. He has become a role player that you never know what you are going to get from him on any given night. He is older and can't do the things he used to be able to do. That is the end game for all of us. As we get older we can't do those things as well anymore. And when it happens to pro athletes, it is very clear. Russ has been on this path for a few years now. You could see it with the Clips. And as more of their guys got hurt, and Russ was asked to do more, he just couldn't bring it all together.

Going to Denver is not going to be good for Westbrook. Some, Zach Lowe, like to say that Nikola Jokic is the "best player in the world". I disagree. He doesn't play a lick of defense. And he is apathetic. I think those two things are going to frustrate Russ, which will frustrate Jokic. Jamal Murray has never really been able to stay fully healthy his whole career. If he is the point guard, like he has been, Russ is going to be his backup, and when Murray gets hurt, that will thrust Westbrook into a bigger role he is not suitable for anymore. He and Reggie Jackson have already played together and it did not end well. Jackson couldn't wait to get out of OKC after a few years playing with Russ. That was a dumb move on Jackson's behalf I thought at the time, and still think is true. Michael Porter Jr is a zero on defense and follows some weird conspiracy theories. These are some of the core dudes that Russ is going to have to learn to play and practice with everyday. Russ is older now too. He should be ring chasing, which maybe that is what he is trying to do. But this fit in Denver is odd. The other spots made sense. In Houston he got to play with CP3. In Washington he played with a young Bradley Beal. In regards to both LA teams, that is his hometown. This move to Denver, for me, makes zero sense. I don't think he fits in with the team. He is almost assured to be a bench guy, but I don't know where the meaningful minutes are going to come and how he is going to really contribute. I don't want to see his career end like a bunch of these guys, where he just fades into obscurity and becomes a "oh yeah, I remember him" type of guy. But that is what I fear may happen in Denver.

All this being said, I am still going to be rooting for him because he is an important basketball player in my fandom and I want the best for him. I just don't like this fit at all. 

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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Watch out for Team France at the Olympics

The men's Team USA basketball team won their first scrimmage last night against Team Canada. Let’s discuss.

Team USA looked a little discombobulated at times, but they also looked good. Anthony Edwards played a solid game. LeBron and Steph seemed to have nice chemistry. All the bigs, with Joel Embiid being the exception, played okay. Embiid had a rough go, but I feel like he will figure it out.

This is a good group of pros for this team, and I do feel like they should be the favorites heading into the summer olympics. This will not be an easy go though. I understand we didn't have our absolute best at the FIBA Championships last summer, but they did not medal. That was worrisome. Germany is good. Spain is solid. Brazil has some decent players. Canada is loaded. But, I think the biggest obstacle, the hardest country to play is going to be France.

France is stacked. They have current and former NBA players up and down their roster. They have youth and they have size. They have chemistry. They play loose and have fun. They are not the favorites going into these games, so they are playing with house money. I had to look up their roster just to see how well put together it actually is. This is a solid group of players. Rudy Gobert, Victor Webanyama, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum and Bilal Coulibaly are all currently on NBA rosters. Gobert, for all of his warts, is a very, very, very good defender. He has multiple DPOY's. He is one of the better rim protectors currently in the game. He can rebound and he can run a pick and roll. Wemby is the best young prospect in the NBA. He is the unicorn of unicorns. He is my favorite player to watch. He literally does it all. He is already as good a defender as Gobert. He is an excellent rebounder. He can shoot the three and attack the glass. He is an amazing player to watch and will be for a long, long time. Fournier and Batum's best days are behind them, but they always up their game in the Olympics. They can both shoot, and Batum plays solid defense. Coulibaly is coming off an okay rookie season, but he is playing with his home country and teaming up once again with Wemby. They have wonderful chemistry and they made the Metropolitan 96ers a team to watch last season. The rest of their roster is full of overseas pro players. The overseas players play on some of the best pro teams overseas and are integral parts of those teams. This France roster is almost as well constructed as Team USA. The French roster has much better chemistry than the US. These dudes use their offseasons playing together. They get together and work on their team building. They know how to play off one another. They have set plays that have worked time and time again. There is something to all of that. It is useful to have that kind of camaraderie and knowing your teammates abilities.

Team USA has some time to get a bit of chemistry, but it is not like the years that all of these other countries have played together. The US is going in as the betting favorite, but it is going to be an absolute bloodbath. They are going to play at their peak night in and night out. And even if they do that, France is going to come to play. I would not be shocked at all if these two meetup in the gold medal game and France won. That is how much respect I have for their roster. The US cannot go into a matchup with France and expect to win. They need to be ready for everything the French will throw at them. And I cannot wait to watch. 

Ty

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

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I'm Not Happy With My VO2 Number

Four years ago I got one of the greatest gifts ever for the holiday. I'm a runner, as you all know, and my folks bought me a Garmin Fenix 5x watch. I had pined for one of these watches. As I got deeper and deeper into the running community, all of the people I knew would tell me about the greatness that is Garmin. I heard how they are the perfect watch for runners, they have a great GPS system obviously and they are durable as hell. They also have a pretty long lasting battery life.

So, when I opened that gift on Christmas morning in 2020, I was stoked. It gave me excitement in a very tough pandemic riddled world. All of the things I heard and read about the watch rang true, and still does to this day. I run five times a week, but I only have to charge the watch every 9-10 days. If I get confused about where I am on a trail, I use my map. I have dropped the watch, swam with the watch, fallen down with the watch on my wrist and there is no damage done. I'm all in on Garmin.

As I grew more accustomed to the watch, I started to add more fitness items on the app on my phone for the watch. One such item was my Vo2. I am still up in the air on what Vo2 fully means, but I do understand that it calculates your breathing as you exercise. The harder you go, the better your Vo2 max can get. I am usually right around a 43 or 44. I feel like that is pretty good for a runner my size.

This summer the Vo2 max and I have been fighting. I am trying a new thing with my running this summer. It has been very nice here in Saint Louis lately. But, that isn't always the case and it is about to get hot and humid again. So, this summer I am slowing down my pace. I'm taking my time a bit more. I'm not over exerting myself. I have recently started using an inhaler, so my doctor told me to slow down a bit when I run if I feel out of breath. So, I have been doing just that. My pace on the road has gone from 10 minute miles to 11. On the trail I'm at about 13 as opposed to 11 or 12, depending on the trail. It is only a minute, or just a little over a minute in some cases, but if you were to look at my training status and my Vo2 max on my Garmin app, you'd think I was hurt or slacking. I am still at a 43, but it is teetering on the edge of a 42. My fitness age is usually in the low 20's, but that is now averaging about 31. And it is really getting to me. It is making me legitimately angry. I will finish a run, like I did this morning, where I went slow but I feel good, and then get mad when I see my fitness age go up and my training status says "unproductive".

I know I shouldn't let this bother me. I understand that things like this happen when the weather changes. I get that I shouldn't be so invested in an app that is on my phone. I know how I feel after a run. I can tell from home my body feels. But I am really letting this whole Vo2 max thing get to me this summer. It is really pissing me off. I need to listen to the sound advice my sister in law gave me when I first started running. She has been one of my biggest supporters all along this running journey, and early on she told me not to take the numbers on a watch or phone app so seriously. She told me to focus on how I feel, not what an app says. And she is totally right. I ran six miles this morning. That is something I could have never done over ten years ago. And this was a smaller training run for me now. But I cannot help but be annoyed by that damn number on my app. It makes me angry. I get mad that I didn't do enough. I sit there and think about what I can do differently the next time I go out. But in actuality, I should be happy that I did anything this morning. I chose to get up and go run after taking my kids to camp. I could have gone home and sat on my ass, but I didn't do that. I got exercise. I burned almost 1200 calories. I am more prepared for my trail half that I am running in a few months than I was the day before. But, with all those positives, I'm still over here obsessing about that damn number.

Maybe I need to delete that portion from my app. I won't, but it is nice to have that option. I should be content with going out and getting exercise, and that is what I'm going to try to do moving forward. But to say that I won't think about that damn Vo2 max would be untrue. It is going to frustrate me until I decide to let it go. 

Ty

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

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Is Bronny James a Nepo Baby? Who Cares

Before the NBA draft I wrote a piece about Bronny James. I talked about his possible future in the NBA, why I hoped he was going to be drafted and why I was rooting for him from now on. None of that has changed.

Well, I guess he was drafted, but otherwise, I'm still unsure of his future and I am still rooting for him. I watched his first summer league game and it was fine. He didn't score a lot, but he was present and tough on defense, he played his role and he had some instances that made me think he has a future as a decent bench player in the NBA. Then he missed the second game and I fell off. I stopped with summer league all together. I check on the Grizzlies, but I'm out otherwise. Today I was out with my son and dad to lunch and my dad brought up a very good question. It is the question I am going to try and answer on this very blog today. He asked me if I think Bronny James is a nepo baby.

Nepo babies were all the rage a few months back. People were pointing out a bunch of actors who have famous parents. Some were outraged, others didn't seem to care. The whole idea of a nepo baby doesn't really sway me either way. If someone is talented enough to be paid to do a job, who cares who their parents may or may not be. If they used their parents to get into a door that others might not be able to, good for them. Your parents are supposed to help you out. I don't care if they used that advantage. That is smart. But, the whole idea of a nepo baby seemed to be relegated to Hollywood. I only ever heard it used when referring to actors. But there seem to be nepo babies everywhere. Parents have never stopped helping their kids get jobs. I know of plenty of people who were hired based upon a parental recommendation. And it doesn't bother me.

In the sports world, the whole idea of a nepo baby is going to be coming up more and more. A bunch of people who played, or play pro sports are having kids. These kids are growing up and they seem to have a natural ability to play the game their parents play or played. Carmelo Anthony's son is committed to Syracuse to play basketball right now. That is Carmelo's alma mater, and I'm certain he helped him in his decision to play there. Does that make Kiyan Anthony a nepo baby? Sure. Do people seem to care about it? Nope. Carmelo Anthony is retired, so Kiyan is going to go as far as he can on his own merit. Ken Griffey Jr played with his dad, who was on the Mariners when he was a rookie. Does that make him a nepo baby? Sure. Do I care? Absolutely not. Ken Griffey Jr is one of the greatest baseball players to ever live. He was already better than his dad when he got to the pros and he had a better career. There are a good amount of college athletes whose parents were college and pro athletes, and no one cares or focuses on them being nepo babies. But when it comes to Bronny James, people seem to ask this question more than they should, in my opinion.

Is Bronny James a nepo baby? Most definitely. But, I feel like he has to do a bunch more to prove his worth than any other nepo sports babies. There are a few reasons. First off, Bronny probably shouldn't have been drafted. Even with him going in the second round as the 55th pick, that seemed too high. He missed a bunch of the college season because of a heart defect. When he recovered, thankfully, he did not do much to prove he was a legit prospect. USC was bad and he was average. But, people could see his skill set and see a possible NBA future, if he went back to school. He did not. He went to the combine and had a solid, yet sometimes shaky showing. He did enough, I thought, that he could get a shot as a two way player. But, the pool of prospects at the combine was very, very watered down. This past NBA draft was one of the weaker classes in a long time, so the top players sat out. They knew, or had an idea of where they would go. Bronny had to go, and he did okay. But, I still do not think it was enough to be drafted. After staying in the draft, Rich Paul hovered over him and told him where and where not to work out. Bronny only worked out for two teams, the Suns and Lakers. Other teams, it was reported, were told not to schedule a workout because Bronny was informed by Rich Paul to not work out for them. Then the draft came. Bronny was not a first round pick, rightfully so. But, as day two dragged on, it was looking more and more likely that he was going to be available late in the second round. Rich Paul decided to get involved again, and told teams that if anyone other than the Lakers or Suns drafted Bronny, he would not play for them. I read that he would go overseas.

So, take all of this and smush it together, it reeks of nepotism. The Lakers were all but told to draft Bronny no matter what. Rich Paul and LeBron James wanted it, and they run the Lakers for all intents and purposes. There is no other way to look at this other than nepotism. But, who cares? Honestly. Bronny clearly has skills to be a pro basketball player at some level. He was a division 1 college basketball athlete. He was invited to the combine. He had scheduled workouts. Teams were interested. But his biggest draw is the fact that he is LeBron James' son. I truly don't know if there is any more known nepo baby than Bronny James. So, while he is, for sure, a nepo baby, that does not change the fact that I am still rooting for him to make a name for himself in the NBA. I don't care if his dad is one of the greatest to ever play the game, Bronny can carve out his own niche and stick around if he plays his way. I believe he can do that.

I'm still a Bronny James fan, nepo baby or not. His family gives me zero pause as to his ability. 

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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NBA Free Agency Gives Me the Chaos I Seek

The first day and a half of NBA free agency has been what I was expecting the draft would be. There have been moves a plenty so far. Some bigger than others, I'll get to those in a minute. Players have changed teams, others are still waiting and the market has dried for some big names. I understand that all the big stuff happens this fast, so we won’t get too many other star moves. But, for the time being, there has been a flurry of movement, and I want to talk about it today.

Right when all of this started, smaller named players re-signed with their current teams. The Pacers retained both Obi Toppin and Pascal Siakim. The Celtics and Lakers kept a few bench guys. Kevin Love is sticking around the Heat. And Kelly Oubre Jr made the correct choice to stay with the 76ers.

Then, as yesterday wore on a bit, some other names started to sign with new teams. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the first "big name" to move. He went from Denver to Orlando. The move was a surprise to me, but all that dude does is win, the Magic are up and coming and he will fit in nicely in Orlando. It feels like a good move all around. Eric Gordon left the Suns and is signing with the 76ers. If he can find his shot again, he adds some depth and bench scoring to a team that needs both. The Suns signed Mason Plumlee, and what he lacks in offense, he will bring some depth and anger to the Suns front court. Naji Marshall quietly signed with the Mavericks. This is a solid move for both. He brings defense and the Mavs clearly need help on that end of the floor. The Mavs were not able to re-sign Derrick Jones Jr though. That will hurt. I know he was not very good in the Finals, but he is a good defender, a world class leaper and he seemed to figure it out last year. The Clippers got him at a steal. I don't understand what Jonas Valanciunas is doing. He left a solid New Orleans team to go play for the Wizards. I get that NOLA wasn't going to offer him much of a deal, but he had other, better suitors. I know the Lakers wanted him. I would have liked the Grizzlies giving him another, smaller deal. He could've gone to the Suns. I guess he wants to put up numbers and get big minutes. That is the only reason I believe he signed with Washington. Andre Drummond is returning to Philly. This is a wonderful move. He will back up Embiid. He is still an excellent rebounder. He can score a bit in the post. And he gives the 76ers a buffer for when Embiid inevitably misses games in the middle of the season.

All these moves were very little compared to what happened after James Harden reupped with the Clippers. We all knew that would happen, I am sure he will be asking for another trade in the middle of next season, but the Clippers offered him 35 million a year. He'd be crazy to pass that up. The next big move after that was the Warriors waiving Chris Paul and then him almost immediately agreeing to a deal with the Spurs. I know CP3 is old and not nearly as good as he used to be, but he is better than every other guard currently on the Spurs roster. He should fit in great with Pop. I am almost certain that Victor Webanyama will adore him. Jeremy Sochan can go back to his natural position. Tre Jones will be much better as a reserve. This is a good move to put together Pop, CP3 and Wemby. I am a big fan of this signing.

The biggest move of the night came as no surprise, and came in the middle of the night, just like his last move. The moment that the Clippers released a statement saying that Paul George would be signing elsewhere, it was certain he was going to the 76ers. I know he had a "meeting" planned with Orlando, but that was never going to happen. The 76ers had the money, Joel Embiid wanted this, Daryl Morey is a star chaser and Paul George wanted four years. The 76ers gave it all to him. He has a four year max deal now worth close to 220 million dollars. He is teaming up with Embiid. The 76ers just gave Tyrese Maxey a big deal, so he is sticking around. They let Tobias Harris walk, and as I told my son, I'd much rather have George than Harris. They got Oubre Jr to come back. Eric Gordon and Andre Drummond are along for the ride now. I would be stunned if Kyle Lowry left. The 76ers are finally building something that looks legit, if everyone can stay healthy, and that is a big, big IF. Embiid and George are rarely healthy for a full season. But, if they can win enough, which they for sure can in the East, the 76ers can rest those guys periodically, to try and minimize injuries. I'd be willing to put the new three stars in Philly up against almost any team in the NBA. The Celtics have the most to say in regards to this, with Tatum, Brown and Derrick White. But, none of those guys can guard Embiid. The Nuggets may say they can throw Jokic at Embiid, but they can't guard George and Maxey, and when Embiid faces up against Jokic, he eats Jokic lunch. The Mavs have no one that can guard those three dudes. Giannis can take on Embiid, but who do the Bucks have to guard the other two guys? Middleton isn't as up to the task as he used to be. The Knicks have a core four to throw at those guys, but Embiid, who had bell's palsy and was coming off a knee injury, still put up big time numbers against them in round one last season. The Pacers don't play defense, so they are a second thought. 

This is a big time move and a big time get for the 76ers. This is who they wanted all along. They got their guy and I cannot wait to see them play next season. Free agency has been fun so far, and we still have a few moves left to be made. But Paul George was the big name, and he is now on a new team. I love it.

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Zach Edey Going to the Memphis Grizzlies

Much to my chagrin, not too much really happened during the first round of the NBA draft. No big names were moved. Some prospects got traded, as did some picks, but that always happens. I think I am getting a little too ahead of myself because free agency starts this Saturday, so that is when the real moves will get started. But, I had this hope that there would be something, anything that would have made the draft a little more exciting.

That being said, I do want to talk about one of the early picks that surprised me in a good way. The Grizzlies did not trade up, like I hoped, so they were stuck picking at nine. The guys I thought they may go with were all gone by this point as well. Donovan Clingan, Ron Holland, Rob Dillingham, they had all been taken before number nine. The Grizzlies need a center, so I have to assume they went with the best available guy on their board, and they ended up drafting Zach Edey from Purdue.

This was a shock at first. I have seen him jump in some recent mock drafts, but no higher than 14. Hell, during the college basketball season, I had written a blog about him going to the Spurs in the second round and how good I thought that would be. But last night he was a top 10 pick. He was drafted before dudes that all the mock draft nerds fell in love with this offseason. He is coming off two consecutive men's player of the year awards. He was the only real Boilermaker that showed up in the title game against UConn. He has dominated the Big 10 for three straight years. Zach Edey is a good throwback basketball player. And now the team I root for in the NBA took him in the lottery last night.

After the initial shock wore off, I kept thinking about his fit. I then listened to some other basketball writers talk about the pick, and I have to say, I'm pumped now. I understand he is older than most rookies, and he hasn't played a single second in the NBA yet, but damn I am excited about the potential. The Grizzlies are going to come into this season whole. Everyone is back, and everyone is healthy. Ja is going to come back and be better and stronger than ever. Jaren Jackson Jr is going to bounce back from a less than stellar season last year. Desmond Bane will have help. He won't be asked to do it all himself. GG Jackson is coming off a heater of a rookie year. Luke Kennard can shoot. Ziaire Williams has potential, but he can also be used as a trade asset. Marcus Smart is a solid guard to have next to Morant. The Grizzlies were the 2 seed in the West two years ago. This is a good team. Now, trading Steven Adams was brutal, but with the pick of Edey last night, I feel like they have his replacement in house. I definitely think Edey should be penciled in as the Grizzlies starting center right now. He is their best option. He is humongous. He is 7'5. The Grizzlies have never had this type of size. Edey hustles constantly. He does not take plays off. He will get in good enough shape to run with Ja Morant and Desmond Bane. He is going to set some bone rattling screens. Shooters are going to be open in the corners more than they have ever been in their career. He is going to get opponents bigs in early foul trouble. Teams will not be able to put smaller guys on him in the post. He will bury them. He won't have to be the anchor on defense. They have Jaren Jackson Jr to protect the rim and Marcus Smart to take care of the backcourt. Desmond Bane can defend too. Edey has the potential to be a very important player on this team. He fits like a glove. He should buy into his role right away. He is going to get a ton of minutes.

I am on board with this selection. The shock is gone and now I cannot wait to see how they implement Edey into their offense. I trust the coaching staff to do right by him, and the Grizzlies should be right back where they were a short two years ago. I am extra pumped for the next NBA season. I cannot 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.

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What I Want to Happen at the NBA Draft

The first round of the NBA draft happens this evening. Let’s discuss.

As I get older, I find myself realizing I don't know who many of the players are that will be first round picks. I know the bigger stars, I can point out the college players I like, but all in all, this is a mystery to me. I will say that, by most accounts, this is not the best crop of players in the world right now. There is no Victor Webanyama or LeBron James. No one in this draft tonight may have the ability to turn around a franchise. I do believe that this is not like the draft that Anthony Bennett went first overall either. I think some teams may take swings, but much like there are no surefire superstars, I do believe that there is no player that can tank an entire team. This is a very middle of the road draft. Some of these guys may turn into all star caliber players, hell some may even one day be a franchise player. But, to me, it is more likely that most of the players drafted tonight will have uneventful, but long-ish careers in the NBA. There are role players abound that will be picked tonight. And, while I do know that guys like Alexandre Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher are more than likely to go one and two, and I understand that Donovan Clingan and Stephon Castle will go early, I am not going to do this like a normal draft preview. Instead of pointing out good, maybe not so good and sleeper players, I want to spend my time today talking about what I hope happens over the next couple of nights.

There is going to be a ton of movement. I have that feel going into the draft tonight. The Knicks already made a big move, acquiring Mikal Bridges for Bojan Bogdonavic and a bunch of picks. I love this move for the Knicks. They are Villanova 2.0 now. Bridges adds another defender and a solid shooter to an already very good team. The Knicks finally did something, it was smart and it will benefit them in the long run. This is the type of stuff I want to see tonight. I don't think the Hawks will move that first pick, but it would be rad if they did. I'd love to see them trade Dejounte Murray back to the Spurs. They could offload him for one of the Spurs younger guys and picks four and eight tonight. That way the Spurs get Risacher to team up with Wemby, and the Hawks can go full rebuild.

Which leads me to the next thing, I'd love to see the Hawks fully blow it up and trade Trae Young as well. If they offload both guards for younger dudes, maybe the Pistons would be interested in trading away Jaden Ivey or Jalen Duren for Young, then they could truly start the rebuild. I want to see what the 76ers are going to do with all of their cap space. It sounds like Paul George is off the table for them, so where do they pivot now? Tobias Harris is all but gone. But, they have all this excess money that they are going to have to spend. Maybe they go after one or Murray or Young. Maybe they move up to take a player like Stephon Castle. Maybe they add a bunch of vets to shore up their roster. The possibilities are endless with the 76ers. I want to see what the Suns do. Apparently the Rockets are trying to get Kevin Durant now. Maybe the Suns trade him for the number three pick and some youth from the Rockets. That would be wild and out of nowhere. It would also make this mediocre draft class look a whole hell of a lot better. And if the Suns do take Bronny James in round one, what does that do to the Lakers and LeBron? I'm sure he will stick in LA, but crazier things have happened. I'm of course interested in what the Grizzlies are going to do. Everyone should be back and healthy on a team that was the 2 seed in the West only two years ago. I would be ecstatic if they traded up and took Donovan Clingan. I'm not opposed to them picking Zack Edey at nine if they cannot trade up. I'm very intrigued with Ron Holland or Rob Dillingham. But if they could add one more vet, someone who brings toughness and height, that would be a coup for me as a fan.

I mentioned him a second ago. but I want to see where Bronny James ends up. I'm rooting for him to make it in this league, but that is all going to depend on where, and by who he is drafted. There is no middle with him. He is either going to flourish or he is going to end up a lifetime G League player. I also mentioned Paul George, and if he finally makes a decision, there would be no better night than tonight to let it be known. The 76ers chances of getting him are slim. But, the Warriors are apparently willing to give him a four year deal. The Clippers could sign and trade him. He could simply end up back on the Clippers. Or he may shock us all and go somewhere totally unexpected. And when George finally makes his decision, that is when everything is going to start going real quick. Player movement would be very, very high if/when George makes up his mind. And I hope it happens tonight.

So, while there are few players that really intrigue me in this draft, there is stuff on the outside that could make this a very notable night in the NBA. We will only have to wait a few more hours to see if it really starts popping off. Hopefully it 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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R.I.P. Willie Mays

Another legendary athlete just passed away. Last night, after returning home from some child related activity, I read the news that Wille Mays had passed.

This one hurts even more than Bill Walton or Jerry West. Willie Mays was the first person, obviously on videotape, that I saw make the game of baseball fun. Mays was an all around athlete who happened to excel most at baseball. He also had this unbridled joy with which he played the game. Mays, on the videos I used to watch obsessively as a kid, always had a smile on his face. He would walk up to bat grinning ear to ear. He would swing the bat and smile as he ran the bases. He would track down fly balls and make incredible over the shoulder catches, and that smile never left. He would hurl in some of the most incredible throws I had seen, and after the out was recorded, he would laugh and that smile was ever present. Mays loved what he did, he seemed to understand it was a game and he looked thrilled to be on the baseball field doing some of the most unthinkable things at that time in the MLB.

Mays also happened to be very, very good at the game of baseball. He is a hall of famer, obviously. He hit .301 for his career. He tallied over 3,200 hits during his time. He hit 660 home runs. He drove in almost 2,000 runs and, to top it all off, he stole 339 bases. Willie Mays was Barry Bonds before Barry Bonds. Mays had this combination of speed and power. But, he could also hit for average. He was a threat anytime he came up to hit a homerun. And, if he didn't hit one out, he was going to get on base, and then he'd turn a single into a double or triple by swiping a few bases when the next hitter came up. He was the first player that I knew of who could do all of these things. Mays was this threat to every pitcher and opponent the moment he stepped into the batter's box. Not to be outdone, Mays also happened to be one of the best outfielders to ever lace them up. His speed gave him the ability to track down long fly balls. The plays that ended up on "Sportscenter" when I was a kid, had that show been around when Mays played, he would have had his own personal top 10 plays. He had to be an influence on other outfielders like Jim Edmonds and Ken Griffey Jr. He also had a rocket for an arm. He would track these long flys down, and then not to be outdone, he would rifle the ball back into the infield, trying to double someone up if possible. He was, more than assured, an influence on a player like Vlad Guerrero, who is one of my all time favorites. The skills were so great that he was acknowledged time and again with accolades. He has a ring. He was a 24 time all star. He was a two time MVP and a 12 time Gold Glove winner. He was the NL home run leader four times. He was a one time batting champ. His number 24 is retired by both the Mets and Giants. And he was on the MLB All Century team and the MLB all time team. Mays is, rightfully so, considered one of the best to ever play baseball.

Mays was beloved by many because he was such a nice guy. He would play stickball with kids anytime he visited Harlem. He never seemed to ruffle any feathers. And most players have nothing but nice things to say about him. Mays stuck around and was a hitting coach a bit after he retired from the game. He then went on to meet with several presidents, culminating in Barack Obama, the greatest president ever, given him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The MLB would later rename the World Series MVP trophy the Willie Mays World Series trophy in 2017. Mays showed up in movies and tv shows periodically. He was married a few times and has some kids. He is also Barry Bonds' godfather. Mays is an icon when it comes to baseball. He showed up ready to play and ready to dazzle the fans. This is as big a deal to baseball as Walton and West are to the NBA. Hell, this is a bigger deal. Mays was a much bigger star and more important to the game.

Rest In Peace Willie Mays. Grab an over the shoulder fly ball wherever you may be right now. 

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 Celtics 18th NBA Title

The Celtics won their 18th championship last night. They did it relatively easily, disposing of the Mavericks in five games. Jaylen Brown was the rightful Finals MVP, Al Horford got his first ring and local guy Jayson Tatum shut his doubters up in the process, delivering a pretty great close out game. Let’s discuss.

I know the media will want to try and place this team in the annals of history today, and find excuses for Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving and start moving on to next season. I want to look back at these finals and give my impression.

Before the series started I picked the Celtics to win in six games, only a game off, and said I would not be watching much of it at all, I logged about two and a half quarters worth of tv time on these finals. I made it no secret that I do not like either of these teams. I have never been a Celtics fan and the mere presence of Luka Doncic's face makes me annoyed and angry. But, the basketball I did watch, I gained some respect for this version of the Celtics. They have two bonafide superstars currently on their roster. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are legit. They are both in the top 20, maybe 15, of the league right now. Brown was an absolute beast this whole series. He was consistent on both ends of the floor. He wanted this ring more than anybody, or that was how I saw it. He put in the necessary work, stayed healthy and became the best overall player on the Celtics when they needed him most. Tatum showed the viewing public another side of his game. He couldn't score as easily as he does, so he decided to become a ferocious driver and made the right pass time after time. Tatum knew what would work against the Mavs defense and he did it over and over and over again. The Mavs had no answer for this version of Tatum and he used that to his team's advantage. Derrick White was a hound on defense and he made big shots seemingly all the time. Al Horford stepped up and played a great role on both ends of the floor. And Jrue Holiday more than proved his worth each and every night. He may be the most underrated player in the entire NBA. The dude just wins. The Celtics bench stepped up when they needed them to. They rebounded well. They made the right play on offense. They survived their mental lapses. And they played suffocating defense. Their defense in this series was a thing of beauty. They were everywhere. They switched everything. They didn't care who had the ball, they were guarding one on one. It was a breath of fresh air for me to watch. They shoot way too many threes for my taste, but their defensive prowess more than made up for their offense to me.

As for the Mavs, they were overmatched from the jump. Doncic moaned and groaned all the way to fouling out during a crucial moment in game three. He spent too much time focusing on the refs. He got exposed on defense. Anyone that called him the "best player" in this series should be eating their words this morning. Sure, he scored, but he was bad in these finals, very bad. Kyrie Irving was worse. He never made an impact on either end. He had one game where he scored okay, but it didn't matter. He did not bring the same energy on defense that he had in the previous series. He couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. He struggled mightily. The bigs the Mavs had couldn't do much of anything. Derrick Lively Jr started slow, but did finish strong. He is also a young rookie, so hiccups were expected. Daniel Gafford was played off the floor. PJ Washington was irrelevant. Maxi Kleber was bad. Tim Hardaway Jr never got consistent minutes. The Mavericks bought into the media hype and they were exposed. And Jason Kidd got wildly outcoached by Joe Mazzula. Mazzula had a plan, it worked and he wavered only when he had to. Kidd's plan was to let Luka Doncic do whatever he wanted to do and hope for the best. Jason Kidd is incredibly knowledgeable on the game of basketball, but I do think he is wildly overrated as an NBA head coach. A 35 year old treated him like he was the young guy trying to figure it out in the finals. Joe Mazzula was masterful.

All in all, this was not a very good finals. But, the better team won. The Celtics are just that too, a team. They don't need the 1 star surrounded by role players. Brown and Tatum are upper echelon talents, but they understand the importance of playing team basketball on offense and defense. The Mavericks are not at that level, and I fear they may not get there with this roster and coaching staff. Congrats to the Celtics. They are in sole possession of the most titles in NBA history, and this could be the start of more to come. 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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R.I.P. Jerry West

I returned home from a run this morning and read that Jerry West had passed away at 86 years old.

This is a true bummer. West is an all timer. He was nicknamed "The Logo" because that is him in the logo for the NBA. Everytime we see that image, it is Jerry West. That is as high an honor as most in professional sports. When I look at other logos, MLB, NFL, College Football, none of those have a silhouette. The NBA does and it is of an actual player. That is truly mind blowing to me.

I vividly remember when I found this information out as a kid. That put me on a path to figuring out as much as I could about Jerry West when he was a player. He was damn good as a player. He is the only player to win Finals MVP for a team that did not win the finals. He went to many finals, but only won one. He was incredible in every finals appearance. He was the type of player who literally left it all on the floor. He was a 14 time all star. He was the 1969 MVP. He was the second overall pick in the 1960 draft. He played his college basketball at West Virginia, where he was a two time All American, two time SoCon POTY, the Final Four MOP in 1959 and had his number retired. To go along with his ring and MVP, he was on the All NBA First Team 10 times, the all defensive team 6 times, the scoring champ in 1970, the assists leader in 1972 and had his number retired by the Lakers. He is a hall of fame player who left the league scoring over 25,000 points, grabbing over 5,300 rebounds and dishing out over 6,200 assists. He was also on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He did it all as a player.

West also happened to be a top notch executive. He is an 8 time champ as an exec, and he won executive of the year twice. Some notable moves he made as an exec include, trading for Kobe Bryant, signing Shaquille O'Neal, drafting Paul Gasol in Memphis and hiring Hubie Brown, drafting Draymond Green, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson in Golden State and bringing in Kevin Durant. He was also the driving force that brought Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers. The dude not only knew how to play, but he could build some damn good teams, especially in the modern NBA. He did coach for a bit, but realized he was much more suited to doing the work behind the scenes. That speaks volumes to me. I know that he wasn't a fan of his depiction on "Winning Time", but I do think he had to be a little crazy to accomplish all he did. Most super intelligent people are a little nuts. And when it comes to basketball, Jerry West was a genius.

What I think I latched onto most with West was his personality. He seemed to be, by all accounts, an introvert and dealt with anxiety. I too have the same things going on in my life. I'd rather blend into a crowd or just go home to my people. I feel like Jerry West was the same. And the older he got, the more open he was with his personal issues. I appreciate that. He came out and said it and I like to think that a lot of others found the courage to do the same after West.

All in all, West was one of the best the NBA has ever given the fans. He was a relentless player and executive when he was in the league. He drove himself to be great. He dealt with things that could not have been easy back in the 60's and 70's, but he came out of it a better and stronger person. He is beloved by players old and new. The outpouring has been amazing to watch. The first two people I saw say something were LeBron and Michael Jordan. The two greatest to ever do it, and they instantly show their love and support. That is a beautiful thing.

Rest in Peace Jerry West. Go get some buckets wherever you may be now. 

Ty

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

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