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The Basketball Gods Are Testing Our Faith Again · Rice on the Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: I guess there's only one way to find out.
• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Let's do it to it right 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: All engines running, liftoff.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: We have a liftoff.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Do you ever just feel like the basketball gods are waiting to see you flinch Because the Knicks?
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: They're standing on the edge again From up 3-1, fans are already planning how to get their finals tickets to getting smacked in the mouth.
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: Brunson fouls out and now it's a must-win Game 6.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: We're packing our bags for Boston.
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: You got Tatum out, porzingis can't even function and the Celtics still ran us out of the building.
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: If the Knicks don't finish this Friday night, energy in this area, oh boy.
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: So, while the East scrambles and other series shake out, dallas gifted the number one pick in the lottery that I swear totally wasn't rigged, and still.
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: By the way, if that's not enough, guess what else we got this week?
• 0:59
  Speaker 1: Subway series time.
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: Soto coming home.
• 1:02
  Speaker 1: Well, not home anymore.
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: Judge Lindor, pete, mets, yankees all eyes on New York, baby, just the way we like it, although we got some fans treating this series like it's a World Series.
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: Hate to break it to you.
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: Contracts for 15 years, guys.
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: And the Mets are better than the Yankees.
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: Don't worry, we'll get into it.
• 1:22
  Speaker 1: Last but not least, nfl schedule got dropped this week, or really, I should say, leaked all over Twitter.
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: So if you sat through that whole televised rollout, you got way too much free time on your hand.
• 1:33
  Speaker 1: I mean, you're watching Schefter break down Chiefs bye week like anybody cares.
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: Look, we got playoff pressure, crosstown drama.
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: Maybe the last window for a Knicks team here I Maybe the last window for a Knicks team here.
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: I don't know, we'll see.
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: We're going to get into it all.
• 1:46
  Speaker 1: This is Rice on the Mic, episode 13.
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: Here we go Tranquility Base here the Eagle has landed.
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: All right, let's just call it what it is.
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: The Knicks blew that game five in the worst way possible and now everything that they clawed and scrapped for in Boston, everything they earned well, now it's suddenly crashing back on the table like someone's slamming a domino.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: Brunson fouls out for the first time in the season and, surprise, surprise, big Cat found himself in early foul trouble.
• 2:24
  Speaker 1: God, what else is new?
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: All the dick-grabbing aside, celtics, don't let it faze them at all.
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: They shoot the lights out of the damn gym man.
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: Sloppy defense by the Knicks.
• 2:35
  Speaker 1: Celtics hit 22 threes, yes, 22.
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: They end up tying the franchise playoff record and giving us all a flashback to literally the first game of the season when the Knicks had to watch the Celtics unveil their championship banner.
• 2:50
  Speaker 1: They did everything in their power in that game to break the regular single season record.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: I mean, luke Cornett, yes, luke Cornett, the former Knick, had himself a day.
• 3:04
  Speaker 1: Guy only has 10 points, but he had nine rebounds and seven blocks.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: Luke Cornett, the former Nick, had himself a day.
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: Guy only has 10 points, but he had nine rebounds and seven blocks.
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: Yes, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, seven blocks.
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: A seven-footer off the bench looking like Dikembe Mutombo.
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: I mean, it wasn't like even the Celtics had Tatum out there.
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: And look, look, you never wish injury on a player, even if it is on a hated rival, because that's a really fast way to find yourself some karma.
• 3:35
  Speaker 1: But you know, I didn't hear anyone shedding any tears last year for us, with no Randall and Embiid being the dirty player is and pulling Mitch out and then eventually Brunson breaking his hand during the Pacer series.
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: But you think anybody can stop the Celtics?
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: No, no, no.
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: See what I did there.
• 3:55
  Speaker 1: They rallied around the big injury to Tatum.
• 3:59
  Speaker 1: They looked hungry, they looked faster.
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: They literally said, okay, hold my beer, watch this.
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: And that is the problem, because now, friday, friday night isn't just like another.
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: You know there is no thing as such another playoff game, but this isn't just like another playoff game.
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: So instead of stepping on the throat and finishing it when you had the chance, now it's become the game Friday night.
• 4:26
  Speaker 1: If the Knicks lose at home, which God they religiously haven't been able to close out at home, the Garden apparently is the mecca of basketball for everybody except the Knicks.
• 4:39
  Speaker 1: We're headed back to Boston for Game 7, and a situation where they never lose in TD Garden like that.
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: No one can have a mid performance on Friday.
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: It needs to be in all hands on deck, hold the rope, understand what you're here to do.
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: Look your teammates in the eye game Because, I'm sorry, if you don't play like that, you don't survive a game seven in the TD Garden.
• 5:09
  Speaker 1: You just don't.
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: I'm sorry, god.
• 5:12
  Speaker 1: This city's been trying to find a way to spend their two months of rent on finals tickets at the Garden for the last week, and that's assuming that we're just going to roll over the Pacers, and that's a story for when we get there.
• 5:23
  Speaker 1: But they better wake up and handle business, because that dream, I'm sorry to say, it dies on Friday if they lose.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: And then we have to live with losing a 3-1 series to the Celtics.
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: Of all things, I'd almost rather get swept by the Pacers than blown a 3-1 series to Boston.
• 5:43
  Speaker 1: God.
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: Speaking of the Pacers too, they are lurking and waiting for a chance to finish their story and prove all of the doubters wrong.
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: They just dismantled the top-seeded Cavs.
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: Injuries aside, Donovan Mitchell still had two monster games and it was all for naught.
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: Pacers blew him out in Game 4 and then rallied back in Game 5.
• 6:08
  Speaker 1: They won all three games in Cleveland.
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: That's wild and I guarantee you no one had that on the fucking bingo board.
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: Howley is doing everything right.
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: Siakam is showing exactly why they traded for him and yet again, former Nick Obi Toppinin looks like fucking 2008 amari out there.
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: Oh god, and you know what.
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: You know what they're waiting for, if they can pull it off.
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: The pacers are waiting for a tired but resilient knicks team.
• 6:42
  Speaker 1: Don't think there's no hatred there.
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: You know they're shelved away as little brother to the Celtics for the Knicks.
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: But I'll tell you what the Pacers cannot stand the Knicks.
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: So let me say this loud for the people in the back If the Knicks win Friday, they really do have a real path to the finals.
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: But if they choke and Boston somehow steals this series without Tatum, that loss might stick with this core for years and some serious, serious work needs to be done by Leon Rose in the offseason.
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: If that's the case, now let's flip it to the West and let me tell you something Minnesota, they're not a cute.
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: Maybe they will, maybe they won't team anymore.
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: They are legit In the Western Conference Finals last year and then right back at it this year with a retooled roster.
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: Anthony Edwards, aka Ant-Man yeah, he's got that nickname for a reason, because he is him whoo and something no Nick fan wants to see and they hate to believe, but it is real.
• 7:54
  Speaker 1: Randall has fully embraced his role as second fiddle, which was most of the reason that they moved him in the first place for Big Cat, because they thought that him and brunson wouldn't be able to work together.
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: But sure, sure, it works.
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: In minnesota, connelly shown he's one of those players that just is ageless.
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: And rudy gobert is finally doing rudy gobert things.
• 8:16
  Speaker 1: They blew out golden state 4-1 and they never even blinked.
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: That's the team that had some scars from last year and, man, they healed up and they brought, even blinked.
• 8:25
  Speaker 1: That's the team that had some scars from last year.
• 8:26
  Speaker 1: And, man, they healed up and they brought some weapons with them, courtesy of the Knicks.
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: Oh, and the team they just eliminated.
• 8:32
  Speaker 1: Boy oh boy, do they have some serious decisions to make.
• 8:36
  Speaker 1: The Warriors, man, they're in a little bit of trouble.
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: Steph is aging and the dream on act is getting old.
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: Old, you can just tell.
• 8:45
  Speaker 1: And the jimmy butler experiment it worked kind of.
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: I mean, as soon as he came, they had a massive jump.
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: But did you see enough to give him what he wants?
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: He's sitting there asking for a max contract extension and you got to decide between giving the player who turned your franchise from a nothing bottom garbage to a perennial contender do you want to give steph another shot at a title and the way you do that is by signing butler or do you do what's best for the franchise and you keep Curry because Curry's not going into it?
• 9:28
  Speaker 1: It's never going to be like a Joe Namath situation where he's playing for I don't know Sacramento at the end of his career, like there, he will be a Golden State Warrior forever, but knowing that there needs to be life after him and you need to set yourself up accordingly.
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: So by giving butler that contract I don't know if you do that for yourself, I'm just saying the two-year title window that they're like referencing kind of might already be closed and it kind of might not be worth it.
• 9:59
  Speaker 1: Like, curry is the best shooter of all time and for all intents and purposes and lack of a better word he's a god.
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: Okay, but you know what?
• 10:08
  Speaker 1: Gods get old too.
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: Injuries start adding up.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: Man, the body doesn't care that.
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: You got four rings and you're looking for a fifth.
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: Father, time waits for no man in the sports world.
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: Shit ask brady, ask breeze, ask t-mac.
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: Shit ask Brady, ask Breeze, ask TMAC.
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: Shit ask your knees after you turn 30.
• 10:32
  Speaker 1: I mean, is the juice worse the squeeze when it comes to Butler?
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: Personally I say no.
• 10:34
  Speaker 1: It's gonna be really interesting to see what they do.
• 10:37
  Speaker 1: And then, on top of it, just to put a cherry on this NBA ice cream sundae as if this league needed another fucking twist the Dallas Mavericks, just three months after, trading Luka to the Lakers just to help extend LeBron's career, with only a 1.8% chance to win the lottery.
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: Guess who wins the lottery?
• 10:58
  Speaker 1: Right away, there were a bunch of talking heads talking about how you immediately trade this pick for Giannis and the Mavs came out right.
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: But the Mavs came right out and said they fully intend to draft Cooper Flagg, who, if you've been paying any attention at all, he's the most hyped college kid since Zion and AD, who, by the way, also happens to be on said team that he's going to get drafted to.
• 11:23
  Speaker 1: Oh, and also with former Dookie Kyrie Now once he comes back from his ACL.
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: But oh, and also, just to tie it back to the Warriors, klay Thompson is floating around over there.
• 11:34
  Speaker 1: So you're telling me you're going to have Kyrie eventually, anthony Davis phenom rookie Cooper Flagg and spot shooter Clay Thompson.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: Look, do I believe in conspiracies?
• 11:50
  Speaker 1: Yes, and no Depends.
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: Not really.
• 11:56
  Speaker 1: Do I believe in some frozen envelopes and maybe some backroom deals and maybe the NBA needing stars in big markets?
• 12:04
  Speaker 1: 1000%.
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: This is literally just a Patrick Ewing rerun.
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: It's just better production.
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: Look, luka, to LeBron Cooper, to Kyrie in AD, and Adam Silver is in the background with a big old smirk on his face.
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: The NBA might not be rigged, but sometimes it really does feel pretty well written.
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: So here we are first subway series of the year and, for some reason, all the talking heads on espn, everyone on wfan.
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: Hell, half the entire city is trying to crown the winner of the juan soto sweepstakes.
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: Based upon what?
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: A weekend in may?
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: Let's slow down, guys.
• 13:26
  Speaker 1: Juan soto signed a 15-year contract with my metzies.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: Okay, not a three-game media trial at Yankee Stadium, but let's not get it twisted.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: I mean, I'm of the belief that he's about to make a big old Marshawn Lynch hold my dick statement here, but regardless, we're here.
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: So let's break it down Because, despite the noise, despite the overblown headlines and despite the crowd that's about to throw everything short of garbage at Soto, the Mets are the better team right now and this series is a big pressure test for both squads.
• 14:01
  Speaker 1: So let's get into it, even though the Yankees are home, and I probably should start with them.
• 14:05
  Speaker 1: I'm going to start with why the Mets are built for this.
• 14:09
  Speaker 1: Okay, currently tied for the best record in baseball Winning percentage, and all With you guessed it?
• 14:16
  Speaker 1: The Tigers.
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: Yes, detroit, your.
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: The AL is weak, the AL is weak rivals, right.
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: Okay, that's pretty much them, being carried by Scooble and the insane resurgence of Javi Baez, but the Mets are leading MLB in starting rotation ERA by Scooble and the insane resurgence of Javi Baez.
• 14:38
  Speaker 1: But the Mets are leading MLB in starting rotation ERA, keeping just about any team they face under four runs.
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: They've had games where they've let up some big numbers, but they're losing those games 7-8 or 9-10.
• 14:47
  Speaker 1: And otherwise it's pretty much just the bullpen choking that away.
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: They're winning series which I will always trade two wins for one loss in 162-game season.
• 14:59
  Speaker 1: They have this energetic, never-say-die attitude, this fun Mets-like quality, and they're putting the ball in play and playing the game how it's supposed to be played.
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: Not to mention, let's talk about how deep this lineup is.
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: It's deeper than a lot of people think.
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: Okay, besides the big three which is Lindor, he hits a Yankee stadium like it's his second home and Pete might lead the league in fucking violent contact.
• 15:26
  Speaker 1: And Soto is the pressure dissolver.
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: I'm so happy he's in my lineup.
• 15:33
  Speaker 1: The more that they boo God, the louder that barrel is going to sound.
• 15:37
  Speaker 1: And again, that's just the top three.
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: Nimmo while playing hurt.
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: He hasn't really been a liability and he's been hitting the ball whether or not, which is what you're supposed to do.
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: Brett Beatty finally came alive, which he finally is saying please don't send me down.
• 15:55
  Speaker 1: I've called him a quadruple air player for years.
• 15:58
  Speaker 1: Every time he goes down, he hits 400.
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: Every time he comes up, he hits 180.
• 16:03
  Speaker 1: Yeah well, he's got five home runs in his last seven games, so I think he's finally starting to get the message of this is your last chance, kid Now.
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: Mixing Vientos, mixing McNeil, mixing Acuna, mixing Torrens a former Yankee.
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: Mixing Marte off the bench, mixing Francisco Alvarez.
• 16:23
  Speaker 1: This is a full-bodied lineup.
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: They can strike any time they want.
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: When I watch this team, I never, ever feel like we're out of it.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: Down three, four, I don't care.
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: They're ready to come back.
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: It's the best.
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: Now, as for the Yankees, again, listen, credit where credit is due.
• 16:43
  Speaker 1: They just keep mashing the ball and don't get it twisted.
• 16:50
  Speaker 1: I am not selling them short.
• 16:52
  Speaker 1: They are for sure not limping into this series.
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: I know you know card carrying yankee hitter, but judge is just judges on a different planet.
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: Man 400 plus average over the last 10 games five home runs, 10 ribbies.
• 17:08
  Speaker 1: He's reached base multiple times in 33 out of 43 games.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: That's you can't.
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: Even if you wrote that stat down, you'd be like no, this is an error or this is a typo, like that's an insane number.
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: Multiple times in 33 out of 43?
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: .
• 17:28
  Speaker 1: And Goldie, he's well.
• 17:31
  Speaker 1: He's been as advertised and more, which, again, coming from Rizzo playing last year, almost anything is better, but it isn't just better.
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: I mean, he's found his struggle against 2018.
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: He's got timely hits, nice good clutch at bats.
• 17:47
  Speaker 1: He's hitting .346, which is fourth at best in the
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: league.
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: Every single Yankee fan in the offseason couldn't believe that they didn't sign Christian Walker.
• 17:58
  Speaker 1: They were losing their mind.
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: Christian Walker is currently hitting 203.
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: So, yeah, yankee fans look as much as they hate Cashman which, by the way, is a narrative that I have not heard at all since the season started.
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: They should be kissing the ring right now, or I should have said kissing the rings.
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: Okay, oh,
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: okay.
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: Let's keep going down the lineup here.
• 18:25
  Speaker 1: Let's not forget about Ben Rice.
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: Shout out Rice on the mics.
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: You guys last year had the rookie of the year in Gil Hill, gil Hill, whatever.
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: You might have it again in Ben Rice.
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: Jason Dominguez who, which I'll also admit, he's been a pretty nice addition to this lineup.
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: But Ben Rice, a grand slam, five doubles.
• 18:48
  Speaker 1: I mean, he's not just a placeholder in this lineup.
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: The guy is a solid player with a super high ceiling.
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: All in all, look, this is a Yankee lineup that scores man and that's even when they
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: lose.
• 19:01
  Speaker 1: I think last weekend they lost the game 10-12, which that's probably more of a story for the bullpen.
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: But the question right now is, can they do it against elite starting pitching?
• 19:11
  Speaker 1: Because, make no mistake, I don't care what the narrative is, I don't care what anybody says, that the Mets don't have an ace.
• 19:18
  Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right.
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: Actually the Mets don't have an ace.
• 19:21
  Speaker 1: They got five of them and that's exactly what the Mets are gonna be throwing at them this
• 19:24
  Speaker 1: weekend.
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: So on that note, let's dive into the pitching matchups.
• 19:29
  Speaker 1: So game one we're looking at, as every Met fan knows, the unkillable Tyler McGill versus Carlos Rodon.
• 19:39
  Speaker 1: Rodon is like solid, no doubt.
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: He's also known to get rattled pretty quickly with some traffic on the bases.
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: The crowd's super loud in the big moments.
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: That's the kind of stuff that makes the heartbeat jump a little bit.
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: And one thing for sure the Mets thrive at is grinding at bats.
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: They foul pitches off, they force mistakes.
• 20:07
  Speaker 1: Making a pitcher use their bullets, which Rodon definitely has struggled with, is the key to getting that game
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: won.
• 20:16
  Speaker 1: And look so, if McGill can keep the ball down and he can give the Mets a good five, six innings, which, in all fairness, has been the big knock on the Mets pitching staff.
• 20:30
  Speaker 1: They can't get out of the fifth.
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: They can't get out of the fifth, they can't get out of the sixth.
• 20:34
  Speaker 1: But you know what, even if that's the case, my bullpen has been able to hold it down.
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: I'm not winning these games, fucking going through a fifth and then just hoping and getting peanut boy to throw some innings here.
• 20:46
  Speaker 1: Okay, bullpen has been pretty strong too.
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: So game one, you know, we'll see if Rodon keeps his composure, we'll see if McGill doesn't get roughed up.
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: It's up in the
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: air.
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: Now on to game two though.
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: Griffin Canning versus Clark Schmidt.
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: Everybody loves a success story, right?
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: Good success story.
• 21:08
  Speaker 1: How about?
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: Griffin Canning was statistically the worst starting pitcher in baseball last year.
• 21:15
  Speaker 1: Let that sink in.
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: And now fast forward to this
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: year.
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: The Mets pitching lab has turned this kid into a monster.
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: He's rocking a sub-3 ERA and it's one of the sharpest turnarounds in the league.
• 21:32
  Speaker 1: Honestly, a smart bet would be to put in comeback player of the year for him.
• 21:36
  Speaker 1: He's found his command.
• 21:38
  Speaker 1: His changeup has been lethal man.
• 21:40
  Speaker 1: Watching guys wave at this thing is so funny.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: To be honest with you, he gets double plays and ground outs when he's
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: needed.
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: But the most important thing is that candidates look confident and that's the key to baseball getting out of your own head, knowing that you can do it, knowing you've done it before and being able to execute on it.
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: Look, I'm sorry to gush, but even Yankee fans, you got to appreciate that that's not just a comeback.
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: I mean, if he keeps this up and turns his career around like this, at some point he's going to look at the back of his baseball card and go, what the fuck was I doing that one year?
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: Look.
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: As for Schmidt, look, he's been fine.
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: I guess His ERA is like hovering
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: five.
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: But when your lineup hits, how they do, you can kind of get away with it.
• 22:34
  Speaker 1: But this Mets lineup doesn't chase much in the zone man, and if you miss over the plate, like he's been known to do, they'll make you pay for it.
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: So game two, I'm going to call it now.
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: I'll say game two goes to the Mets.
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: Okay, game one, we'll leave up in the air.
• 22:55
  Speaker 1: Game two to the Mets.
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: So all right, let's say Rodon gets game one.
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: Now we go to the rubber
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: match.
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: And this, last but not least, is the big ticket matchup the big old lefty, david Peterson, versus the new ace in town, max Freed, and Freed has been dominant in the AL.
• 23:21
  Speaker 1: It's exactly what the Yankees needed after Cole went down.
• 23:26
  Speaker 1: But let me just be a dick for one second, as opposed to when I'm a dick all the time.
• 23:29
  Speaker 1: But you know, this Mets team knows him.
• 23:32
  Speaker 1: A lot of players on this roster have faced him a bunch in his Atlanta days and sure, sure he's held his own.
• 23:41
  Speaker 1: He pitched about a 2-9-6 CRA against the Mets.
• 23:46
  Speaker 1: But I really believe the reason he's been so dominant in the l for the yankees is and this isn't to take away from his stuff, he has great stuff.
• 23:57
  Speaker 1: I I would take max freed on my roster any day of the year, okay, but this isn't anaheim seeing him for the first time.
• 24:07
  Speaker 1: This is aets lineup that understands his rhythm, his delivery, the movement knows how the ball spins and, again, they haven't crushed him over the years but they've never looked lost either.
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: So I don't know.
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: Just some food for thought there.
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: It should be a fair fight and going into Sunday Night Baseball if it's 1-1 on the series and this is a rubber match if Peterson keeps locating and throwing some nasty stuff at some of the lefties in the lineup, it might tilt blue and orange this weekend.
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: You know we'll
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: see.
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: So what does this series actually mean?
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: Well, in the grand scheme of things, it really doesn't mean much record-wise, but it kind of also means a lot.
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: Look, it's not about crowning the winners of a free agent signing, but bragging rights in this town are a big thing.
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: Man From Jets to Giants, rangers to Islanders, knicks to islanders, nicks to nets, which I mean.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: Look, we all know there's no competition there but mets and yankees.
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: Bragging rights, that's.
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: That's a horse of a different color and it's it's one you can call upon until they meet again on the fourth of july, and then you can call it on till the next year when they play again.
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: Because whoever wins this series, if they tie 3-3 in this series, it's a possibility.
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: But if you come out the victor of this season-long six-game series, you have bragging rights until next
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: year.
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: Here's what it's about.
• 25:49
  Speaker 1: It's about Soto shutting up 40,000 hecklers with the flick of a bat.
• 25:55
  Speaker 1: It's about Judge continuing this MVP campaign that we might never see again and performing on a national stage of showing why he's the best hitter in the league.
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: It's about the young kids in Beatty and Acuna and Ben Rice and Jason Dominguez, showing that they can live up to the pressure of a big situation.
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: And it's about the pitching on both sides seeing if they can keep their composure and seeing if this Mets rotation can hold one of the loudest lineups in the league under four runs.
• 26:33
  Speaker 1: So again, look In the grand scheme of things, not to repeat myself, but for baseball and for people watching casually, it's just another crosstown Cool game to tune into on Sunday nights, maybe a little water cooler fodder to tell your asshole friend at work hey, did you see the Mets and Yankees
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: game.
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: But for New Yorkers, it might not just be the start of another Subway series.
• 27:07
  Speaker 1: This could maybe start the conversation again of the little brother, big brother bullshit.
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: This could be a message to the other side of the bridge of either hey, pipe down kid, or hey, fuck you, we're here to play.
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: So look, it's not about legacy, it's not about the Soto sweepstakes, but for three nights in May, yeah, it kind of is everything actually.
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: So let's play ball
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: boys.
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: So let me start by saying this I love football, okay, genuinely, passionately, sometimes obsession filled, love it.
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: I really do, okay.
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: But I have to ask who and I don't mean this mean, but I do mean this seriously who actually sat down in front of their TV to watch the NFL schedule reveal like it was a season premiere of their favorite show?
• 28:35
  Speaker 1: I understand productions and making a show out of things and driving ratings, but we had Adam Schefter doing dramatic readings of lions versus colts in week 14.
• 28:47
  Speaker 1: Guys, it's a fucking spreadsheet wrapped in some graphics with a trailer voiceover and on half of it got leaked all over twitter.
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: So everybody already knew the important games.
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: The nfl's grip on america's attention span is it's almost borderline dystopian.
• 29:08
  Speaker 1: But yet here I am talking about it on my podcast because god, we just can't help
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: ourselves.
• 29:17
  Speaker 1: So let's circle some games, shall we?
• 29:20
  Speaker 1: Yeah, uh, nothing really super of note for the jets besides week one.
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: They get to open up against the steelers and, uh, I'll tell you what.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: That's not just a matchup, that's a revenge spot.
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: Perfect setup for mr justin fields to walk in and do some damage.
• 29:41
  Speaker 1: Steeler fans, they might not give a shit, they don't care.
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: But you know who does Fields does?
• 29:47
  Speaker 1: He's got a chip on his shoulder.
• 29:50
  Speaker 1: That you didn't believe in me, bullshit, edge.
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: That you benched me for Russell Wilson, edge.
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: And if he goes out there and torches him, ooh man, that's a moment, man, that's the way you start off the season if you're the Jets and torches him.
• 30:04
  Speaker 1: Ooh man, that's a moment man, that's the way you start off the season if you're the
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: Jets.
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: And again, aaron Glenn, now in charge, this team has an identity again.
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: They got some fire, they got some grit, they got some kick-your-ass personality.
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: It's not just a quarterback carousel with bad vibes anymore, it's the real deal.
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: Run the football, smash mouth, beat you up Football.
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: So circle that.
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: Week one Statement chance.
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: Otherwise, maybe week four, monday Night Football against Miami Shit.
• 30:37
  Speaker 1: By then I mean, look again.
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: You don't wish injury, you don't wish injury on anybody, but maybe Zach Wilson is a quarterback in my then otherwise Jets schedule is, uh, on paper it looks easy enough, but we're not ready to do the win loss game just yet.
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: Let's make it to training camp, which is three months away first.
• 31:00
  Speaker 1: So the g-men though oh man, I don't.
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: I don't know who they pissed off in the league office, but their schedule is trouble, big, big
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: trouble.
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: Week one at commanders great nfc championship.
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: Week two at Cowboys Great, they own you, oh, and then all right.
• 31:25
  Speaker 1: So then come home.
• 31:26
  Speaker 1: Monday night football against the Chiefs Oof.
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: And then week four Chargers come across country, but it's still Harbaugh.
• 31:36
  Speaker 1: And then week five, you're at the Saints at the Superdome.
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: That might be your best chance for a win, considering Derek Carr retired and oh so okay.
• 31:49
  Speaker 1: So maybe you're looking at one in five.
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: But okay, maybe even if you get a game in there somewhere, two in three, two in four, whatever it is, that's just the appetizer.
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: Okay, you still got two more games with the Eagles, you got another round with Washington and Dallas, and then you got to go to Denver, you got to go to Minnesota and you got to go to Green Bay.
• 32:13
  Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, man, that's not a schedule, that's a lawsuit, god.
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: And on top of it, you know, listen, the defense.
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: Defense might got better.
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: We'll see how it goes, but you know, if you don't score that defense, they're one to quit
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: early.
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: This is a team still trying to figure out the quarterback.
• 32:34
  Speaker 1: I mean, dj's gone, signed russell wilson and james winston.
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: Those are two basically walking ted talks for motivational speeches that don't land.
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: So all right.
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: So let's say they start 0-4 again.
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: The fans are going to be screaming for fucking Jackson Dart.
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: This isn't like bounce back year energy.
• 32:55
  Speaker 1: We're coming for you.
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: We play rough football energy.
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: This is like try not to be done by Halloween territory.
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: It's not great man, not good at all.
• 33:06
  Speaker 1: And lastly, look again, I love the game, but I got to go on a little rant
• 33:14
  Speaker 1: here.
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: Okay, if the NFL schedule wasn't enough of a beast already, they're getting so greedy with holidays.
• 33:24
  Speaker 1: Three games on thanksgiving okay, fine, that's tradition, we're conditioned to that.
• 33:29
  Speaker 1: That's that's cool.
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: Fine, man, I I enjoy that.
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: Gives me some time away from the family.
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: I can hang out with my uncle eddie downstairs.
• 33:36
  Speaker 1: It's all
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: good.
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: But now three games on christmas too.
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: And the lions who always host Turkey Day, they got to go on the road on Christmas.
• 33:47
  Speaker 1: So that's two holidays gone.
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: That's not just the players, man, that's their families.
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: Like that shit wears on you.
• 33:54
  Speaker 1: I mean, can these players like maybe eat a meal with their families?
• 33:57
  Speaker 1: Can they maybe open up some presents with their kids?
• 33:59
  Speaker 1: Oh and, and of course, don't forget, you can't miss the game on black friday.
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: So instead of you know, fighting people in stores for a blender that you probably don't need at fucking walmart, you can go watch two guys take each other's head off and order from your tv, from the amazon ads.
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: I mean, at this point goodell and bezos are doing fucking yoga together and trying to decide whose yacht they should take to Rome.
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: And then, if that wasn't enough, let's not forget the world tour that's going
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: on.
• 34:31
  Speaker 1: We got two games in London, a game in Berlin, a game in Madrid, a game in Dublin and a game in Sao Paulo.
• 34:39
  Speaker 1: Like where?
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: What's next?
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: Where are we headed?
• 34:42
  Speaker 1: I swear to god, soon, goodell and elon are going to be standing next to each other and they're going to be announcing uh, kickoff and low gravity at the verizon superdome on the moon.
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, and you know what's.
• 34:53
  Speaker 1: You know what the best part and the worst part of this.
• 34:55
  Speaker 1: You know what the worst part of it is somehow, some way, the jets would still be the 9 30 am kickoff and they would still lose by 10, and there would be a zoomed in view of earth in the background of my house, of me, in my misery, and you know what's sick.
• 35:17
  Speaker 1: Even if all that's the truth, even if all that's being said, I'll still be yelling J Ee-t-s, jets, jets, jets.
• 35:27
  Speaker 1: Boy oh
• 35:38
  Speaker 1: boy.
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: Did we cover a lot today?
• 35:41
  Speaker 1: The Knicks are standing on the edge of history or heartbreak.
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: The Wolves are barking, the Mets and Yankees are going to war, and the Mets might actually be the heavyweight in the fight, and the NFL is expanding to every time zone possible.
• 35:59
  Speaker 1: But the theme of the episode today pressure, how teams handle it, how players wear it, how fan bases feel it in their bones that's what makes this stuff matter.
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: That's why we love
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: sports.
• 36:16
  Speaker 1: Now, I'll be honest, I didn't hit the promo grind that hard this week, but this episode, this episode's, got some juice to it.
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: So if you're still here, just know I appreciate you and tell a friend about it.
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: If you're new, welcome, welcome, happy to have you.
• 36:36
  Speaker 1: And if you've been riding with me, you guys already know the deal Follow the pod, share it.
• 36:42
  Speaker 1: Tell somebody you know who needs a good sports friend in their life to come, take a listen.
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: You guys already know the deal Follow the pod, share it.
• 36:44
  Speaker 1: Tell somebody you know who needs a good sports ring in their life to come, take a listen.
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: Bet you they won't be
• 36:49
  Speaker 1: disappointed.
• 36:50
  Speaker 1: And lastly, I just want to take a quick moment here.
• 36:54
  Speaker 1: I just want to say happy Mother's Day to all the incredible women out there holding it down and an extra little shout out to my wife, not just because it's your birthday, which it is, happy birthday, baby.
• 37:06
  Speaker 1: But because you set me on this path.
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: You believed in me, you believed in this show before it even had a name, before I even had a mic plugged in.
• 37:16
  Speaker 1: You're a big reason that rice on the mics even exists.
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: So to anyone listening, tell someone you love them.
• 37:24
  Speaker 1: Spread some good energy in this world.
• 37:26
  Speaker 1: This has been rice of the mice and I'll catch y'all next week.
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: Hold the rope, boys, let's get it you.