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The Sixers Are Now A True Force In The East (PST Episode 574) · The Philadelphia Sports Table | Philly Sports News & Views

0:00
What's going on, everybody, It's Jeff here. I wanted to let you
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know. This podcast episode was recorded on two separate days. We had the
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first part of our show recorded on Wednesday, July tenth, twenty twenty four.
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The interview this week was recorded on Tuesday, July ninth, twenty twenty
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four. By the time you hear this, some things may have changed here
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there, but we hope you enjoy the show. All Right, everybody,
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you're listening to the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show, the longest running weekly Philly
0:50
sports podcast show in the world, eleven years strong. We got a great
0:53
show for you this week, as we do every week, we're going to
0:56
be getting into some Eagles talk, specifically Howie Roseman and the type of foundation
1:00
he has built with regard to this Philadelphia Eagles organization as they're moving forward really
1:06
kind of becoming a staple within the NFL. And then we are gonna get
1:10
into the top five NFL teams in our opinion at this moment heading into this
1:14
coming NFL season. From there, yeah, we're gonna get into some all
1:18
star talk. Who was snubbed from the Philadelphia Phillies. Yes, there were
1:22
some folks that were snubbed and some players that didn't make it that should have
1:26
even though seven Phillies were named to the All Star Game. And speaking of
1:30
baseball, there were some thieves, yes, thieves down in Dallas that got
1:36
away with more than two million dollars of rare baseball cards. We're gonna talk
1:41
about how the heck something like that actually happens, and then we're gonna get
1:45
into some Sixers talk. We got a lot of Sixers talk this week.
1:48
We're got to talk about, you know, is Joe em Beid still happy
1:51
in Philadelphia? And then what we're thrown down on the table. This week,
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We've got Harrison Grimm from Libertyballers dot Com. He's gonna join us to
1:57
dive into what we've been seeing from the Sixers team over the course of this
2:00
offseason so far. A lot of moving parts, a lot of new talent
2:02
being brought in as we know, how should we be looking at their future.
2:07
I'm Jeff Warren. I'm here at my buddy Eric Leonard, Eric,
2:09
how are you? Man? You got You're on a little bit of a
2:12
different connection. When I ask how are you, It's like, well,
2:15
I'm not at my house. No, if you anything about air conditioning systems.
2:21
My condenser stopped running yesterday, which is one of the most important parts
2:25
of the air conditioning system. Jeff. It takes the hot air and blows
2:30
it out of the house. Oh okay, so it's not blowing the hot
2:31
air out of the house, huh running. Yes, you're basically just sitting
2:36
in a waves of hot, high air in your face. So I met
2:40
my sister in law's house. I work here today, and yeah, I'm
2:46
on a Skype connection through my phone, but I think it sounds all right
2:50
so far. You know, I was going to pack up the soundboard and
2:53
all the crazy. I was like, I'm not I love you, Jeff,
2:57
but I'm not packing all that. You don't need to bring the mix
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are with you to your sister in laws house. No, you don't need
3:01
to do. But it's brutal outside, man, like it is, Greud.
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When is this going to end? This is awful? Like I said,
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brutal. But I mean my wife and I we we took our evening
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walk tonight. I walk outside and I'm immediately sweating. And I know I'm
3:16
a sweaty hog to begin with, but still it's even worse. And now
3:22
and It's just it's when is it gonna end? Derek? When when we
3:27
die? Because the work is collapsing. I think you post on Instagram the
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other day the hundred the people who prefer the heat to the cold. Yes,
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I used to be one of those people. Not anymore. I'm forty
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seven, I sweat like crazy, I'm hairy, I'm middle aged, and
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yeah for the cold. I don't like this at all. I hate it
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exactly what did I post? I'm like, for all you people that love
3:54
the hot weather, it's your time to shine now. I'll take thirty degrees
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at this point, I really would. Holy crap. Well, we got
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a good show. We got a good show. Let's get into it.
4:06
Football season is almost here. Head back into our feed. This past week
4:12
we got into some college football talk, had Mike Raymond from Fox Sports Radio
4:16
of the Lehigh Valley on our table talk show where we got into this upcoming
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Penn State season. If you're a Penn State fan, head back in the
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feed and check that out. But in terms of Pro football and what the
4:26
Philadelphia Eagles are going to be doing, Eric and I wanted to get into
4:30
what it has not only become of the NFL but how the Eagles have really
4:34
become a model NFL organization thanks to the evolution of one Howie Roseman. They
4:40
have continued to put themselves in good positions to have winning records, to make
4:45
it to the playoffs year after year here and yes, with a lot of
4:48
hiccups along the way. Nothing is perfect with this Eagles organization. And no,
4:53
Howie Roseman is not perfect. But you know, what should US fans
4:57
be expecting from the Eagles organization at this point? And Howie Roseman, you
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know, this seems to be a norm that the Eagles are a successful NFL
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team. And of course we're going to get to our top five NFL teams
5:13
in a bit and I think the Eagles are going to be on our lists
5:16
here perhaps, But ESPN Eric ran an article recently, and we don't have
5:21
to get into the whole article, but I thought it was interesting how Howie
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Roseman's influence on the NFL has is really prominent in today's day and age with
5:31
other NFL teams. And you know, the question was, is Howie Roseman
5:36
a great general manager? And it's difficult to, you know, reconcile that
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the same guy who recently had so much success, had so many many failures
5:48
earlier on in his career. We remember the Chip Kelly days as well.
5:54
But over the years, Howie Roseman, he has become open to analytics.
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He is a guy who is creative with voidable years in salary cap manipulation.
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As a lot of US Eagles fans know, he really enhanced that foundation of
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trading for veteran talent, which a lot of other teams are emulating. So
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I think Howie Roseman, as we are looking at this upcoming Eagle season,
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Eric, he has really created a foundation of success for this Eagles organization that
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I really do think is the norm from here on out. I don't think
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we should take it for granted as fans, because, boy, you and
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I grew up watching this organization and all these Eagles teams for so many decades
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who were garbage. There was garbage coaching, there was garbage talent on the
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field, there were garbage draft picks as well. But Howie Roseman, I
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think has a really good handle on how successful the Philadelphia Eagles can really be
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from here until you know, whenever his last days are going to be as
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the general manager. So I don't know what are your thoughts here is we're
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moving into this season and what the Philadelphia Eagles are to full I'll start with
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Howie he I mean, he's definitely one of the best gms in the past
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ten years, not just in football, I would stay, but all sports.
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But but his ten years, if you look back on it, it's
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it's a good it's a good case example of having a GM and a coach
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separate or or and not doing that and handing all the power, giving too
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much power to a coach. Yeah, you know, so when when when
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how he kind of lost lost power from there? You know, was kind
7:33
of the rings are kind of taken away from him when Chip Kelly was there,
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the team became a disaster, you know. Yeah, and it was
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almost like how he was given like the he was given like the janitor janitor
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closet at the end of the hallway, and you saw what happened. The
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team just kind of fell apart. Now, he definitely has a he definitely
7:55
has a hand in the twenty twelve Dream Team debacle. I'm just going over
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his like the bad parts of Howie you know, for the past couple of
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years. I'll say this, he's he's he's not a he's not a draft
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talent guru. I'll say I think teams like the Ravens and Steelers are just
8:13
much better at that. It could. I mean, for example, we've
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yet to see all of the Georgia picks on defense make a huge impact.
8:20
You know, it could still happen. But for him, definitely, he's
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definitely a draft value guru. He makes the type of trades that make a
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lot of sense. He makes the moves that make the most sense and make
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headlines after the draft is over the next day and you give out grades and
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we you and I joke like all that draft a lot of value there,
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a lot of value because that's kind of it, that's kind of it.
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That's kind of the coin term that they use it in those the draft shows.
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But he does. He makes the smart picks and if the player hits,
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he looks extremely smart. Don't hit, it was the right pick at
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the time. So where he really does shine, though, I'm going to
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give him his his his kudos here. Where he really shines his managing the
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cap. He is a master at managing the cap, getting players to restructure
9:09
the deals to save money and keeping the right players around for the right amount
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of time cutting ties with Carson Wentz when he did real smart and just letting
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other veterans go. I'm sure he's let players go where we were like that
9:26
was dumb. But for the most part he is an excellent GM and knowing
9:31
when to cut ties. And here's where he really shines too, and it
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shows. It showed this offseason. He draws in free agents and fills in
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the gaps where maybe draft picks weren't quite didn't quite make it, and fill
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those gaps. That's where he really that's where he really is, Howie,
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and he's going to be the GM here for a long long time. And
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he really is set the set the standard for how to build a team,
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how to keep your team consistently in like you're not gonna win the Super Bowl
10:03
every year, but you're always in the mix. Yes, And I think
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within the NFL, where there's no where you can just cut players and cut
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salaries, and there's really no structure like baseball or basketball, even hockey where
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you keep players around for a long time. It's a it's a difficult sport
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to navigate, and he does. He keeps the Eagles prevalent, He keeps
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them like relevant sorry, I'm prevalent relevant, and it's it's it's all,
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it's all him. Like they were just in the super Bowl two years ago,
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they won a couple of years ago. He's and they're always in the
10:35
mix. And that's that's why he is probably might not maybe not the best
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gam in football, I don't know. I think it changes every year,
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but consistently he's the best gym in football, absolutely absolutely, And look he
10:46
he makes some stinker moves every now and again. I mean I remember the
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you know, swapping tackled Dennis Kelly for Doryel Green Beckham. I mean that
10:58
was a stinker move. I mean last October's trade Kevin Byerd getting him who
11:03
really didn't do that much. The addition of linebacker Shaq Leonard and free agency
11:07
shortly thereafter, I mean, he's able to land some players who have some
11:13
who have some big names out there, but their level of play on the
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field not all that great. So yes, he has some stinkers. But
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I think what's also important too, Eric, is this season. Looking at
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this season, and you talked about the free agents as well, one in
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particular, and I think what's important for us to realize is that how he
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is continuing to learn, and you know what, he can actually sit back
11:31
and say I made a mistake, and he did that specifically with one CJ.
11:37
Gardner Johnson. He was on the team last year. Oh wait,
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he just let him walk in free agency, goes to Detroit, gets injured.
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How he knew it was a bad move because the secondary place, specifically
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at the safety position, was absolutely horrendous last year. Bring CJ. Gardner
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Johnson back the mend fences essentially, how he wrote has been saying, in
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so many words, I made a mistake. Let's right the ship. And
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I think that type of growth with a GM is what we want to see.
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I think it's a very as excited as we all are to see c
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J. Gardner Johnson back there in the secondary. I think it's an underrated
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storyline in terms of Howie Roseman's growth and continued growth as a GM in this
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league. And I think there's really something to be said for that. Eric,
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Well, do you know what material builds the strongest mend defenses? What
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what dollar bills there? You go, yes? And then and bringing c
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J. Garner Johnson back, like I think a lot of the ill will
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was gone when he made his he made the money that he did. Right,
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You're absolutely right. He's he's able to, he's willing to, he's
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willing to admit his mistakes and correct them. And I Baird uh and Shaq
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Leonard. You know what, at the time, I was excited because it's
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like, you know what, at least he's trying. Yeah, you know,
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a lot of teams won't wouldn't make those moves, and it's like,
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Okay, this guy is talent. We're giving up basically nothing. He's really
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good at risk management too. Let's just say that, Yeah, like what
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do they really give up to get those players in that could that could have
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helped them? You know, they weren't going to help for certain, but
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it was worth the risk and he weighs the risk to the player really well.
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And even though those players didn't quite work out, they were the right
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moves at the time, just like just like what he you know, in
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the draft, he always takes the best value. He moves up for the
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right the right player value wise, and it doesn't work out, he he
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can go to bed at night going well, I made the right move.
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Right, at least we have a GM that tries, we have a GM
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that tries it's a. It's a. It's an excellent point for sure.
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So and I think we need to move on here in terms of go ahead,
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go ahead, Like I said, risk management. He also doesn't give
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up three first round picks to move up to take a player. He's like,
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he's really smart about it. I was like, I'm not going to
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throw out the phone. I'm not gonna, you know, burn the whatever
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the term is to go get a player, Like I'm going to smartly move
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up from twelve to nine to take the right player. But I'm not going
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to like, I'm not going to throw everything out to get who I think
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is he's really smart in that regard. Yes, absolutely, absolutely. Well
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let's move on then in terms of the Philadelphia Eagles and where they may be
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in terms of a ranking with regard to maybe one of the top five NFL
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teams. And that's what we're going to get into now. I'm going to
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rank the top five NFL teams in our opinion at this moment heading into this
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upcoming NFL season, And I'll say my list right off the bat here,
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Eric number five. I'm going with the Baltimore Ravens number four. I am
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going with the San Francisco forty nine ers and number three the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Number two, yes, number two, the Detroit Lions, an incredibly incredibly
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deep team in so many ways on offense and defense. And number one the
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Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning champions who are two time Super Bowl winners here
14:56
right in a row. So, I don't know what, what is your
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list here? Does it look similar to mine? It's similar. I'm going
15:03
to go five to one. I have at number five, I have Houston,
15:09
the Texans, all right. I think just I know they're young,
15:13
and they had they had the really good season last year, and everyone's like
15:16
all hype on them, But when I look at the roster and the moves,
15:20
it's it's not just hype, Like they really made some smart moves.
15:24
They have a hell of a coach there. Yep. Their quarterback is for
15:26
real, and I think they made the right moves to to beef up the
15:31
defense, beef up the offense behind that really good quarterbacks. I like Houston
15:35
at five. I got the I got the Eagles at four. The moves
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they made, I mean, I I could have you could honestly put them
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at three. I'm only putting him at four because I love what Baltimore did.
15:48
I think I think getting uh that monster out of Oh God, help
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me out there. Running back Derrick Henry, the Titans running back Derek Henry.
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Sorry, yeah, yeah, I have had right here. I even
16:00
had his name in my notes. Jeff, I'm kind of tired. But
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the Eagles of four again, the off season moves tremendous. It's really you
16:10
can't really poke any holes in what they did. And then watching the hard
16:14
knocks the Giants, Oh my god, how they came to terms with letting
16:18
Saquon Walk. I again, going back to our first topic, Thank god
16:22
we had how I Rosemond because that front office is a disaster. They are
16:26
watching them. Yes, oh my gosh, we need to beef up the
16:32
offensive line around Daniel Jones. But we'll let our Saquon. We'll let Saqon
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Walk for twelve mil. But we'll sign Devin Singletary for eleven eleven and a
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half. Yeah, smart move, guys. Yeah, So Eagles of four.
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I got Baltimore three again. I love what they did. They have
16:48
one of the best running backs, their defense is always gonna be pretty good,
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great coach. And then I got san frantic case two one. They
16:56
didn't do anything to drop out of the top two. In my opinion,
17:00
I will say I have Cincinnati right at the right there at almost at five
17:08
healthy Joe Burrow. They're two years two. I mean, you forget like
17:14
they almost there are four points one of the Super Bowl just two years ago.
17:18
You know, they're right there, and with a healthy Joe Burrow,
17:22
who is by far one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Their offense
17:26
is still intact. I thought their draft was pretty good. They beefed up
17:30
both lines defensive and offensive. The Green Bay is gonna be damn good.
17:33
Detroit, man. I I started with Detroit. I like what they did
17:40
last year, but that second half collapse and just watching their quarterback and just
17:45
watching golf beak off and just being like, ah, man, is he
17:49
ever gonna get over that hump? I don't. I don't know, but
17:52
some of the team. I did look at the NFL rankings listings and some
17:57
people have Buffalo Miami above like the Eagles, and that's crazy. I'm just
18:02
like, that's crazy. What did you see? Peopleoah, yeah, crazy,
18:06
right, it is really crazy. I'll go into my top five in
18:08
terms of explanation a little bit more here in detail, the Ravens are the
18:12
Ravens, and they are always going to be relevant. Excuse me, excuse
18:17
me. So they're just always going to be relevant. Like you mentioned earlier,
18:21
they're an organization that drafts very, very well, and they have one
18:25
of the top quarterbacks in the league. They are going to be relevant.
18:29
Now my number four with the San Francisco forty nine ers, part of me
18:33
thinks that they are going to be taking a step back this year. Sorry,
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I all think of my throat here, well, think of my throat.
18:42
I'm gonna need to gonna need to I need to wet my throat.
18:48
You don't have that throat disease again, do you? Good? Lord?
18:51
Yeah? Last year? No, not during the boy that was awful.
18:53
That was awful, dear God. During the Super Eagles Super Bowl. Eagles
18:57
go to the Super Bowl and I lose my course. You did the show.
19:03
When you did the show the one night you sent me a picture and
19:06
you had like tubes going on through your nose. I'm like, we don't
19:07
have to do this, man, that looks so uncomfortable. All right,
19:14
feeling better now, feeling better now? So yes, the forty nine ers
19:18
as well. I think there I think there could be some discord in terms
19:22
of some of the talent on their team. I mean we know that,
19:26
you know, they they were looking, you know, Brandon Ayyuk, they
19:30
were looking to potentially trade him. You know, you know what does he
19:33
feel? And I'm not saying that they're you know, because you had the
19:36
Eagles ranked at number four, I have them at three. You have San
19:40
fran at two, I have them at four. I mean, it's all
19:42
it's all right around the same area. And these teams are very equally talented
19:47
in a lot of ways. But I actually believe, and yes, I
19:51
believe that the Eagles receiving corps is actually a better receiving corps than the San
19:56
Francisco forty nine ers. I know, Pro Football Focus recently came out with
20:00
their twenty twenty four NFL receiving Corps ranks, and of course San Francisco is
20:08
number one. I get it. But I just like AJ Brown, Deavonte
20:14
Smith, Dallas Goddard, and Saquon Barkley better than having better than what they
20:21
have. And a lot of that is because I think that division. I
20:22
do think the forty nine ers division is actually going to be a tougher division
20:26
than the NFC East. I believe that these Hawks are going to be a
20:30
lot better. The Rams, I think are gonna be a lot better.
20:33
What you have going on with the Cardinals. I think they are going to
20:37
be a better team as well. And I think at the end of the
20:40
day, I think San fran Is going to be having some tough games on
20:44
their schedule in terms of their division, Eric and that's why I have them
20:48
actually at number four. There's a national love affair with Christian McCaffrey. Yes,
20:52
that is. It's slobbering, it's wet. And with brock Pertin to
20:59
the extent too. I mean it, they they loved him, and I
21:03
think I think it like I think it messes with the rankings. But they're
21:08
good. They're titand gets hurt a lot. Though I'd be a little concerned
21:12
with that. I'd be concerned with the negotiating issues with with Ayuk. We
21:18
run a Saquon Barkley man, if he's healthy too, He's he's damn good.
21:23
He's a really good receiving running back. I could have flip flopped Sam
21:29
Franis didn't do enough bad for me to move them down. Gotcha. That's
21:33
the only reason I I kept them by that. Yeah, I got you,
21:34
and the reason why I have the Lions so high at number two.
21:38
Quite frankly, they have the best offensive line in the NFL. They do
21:42
hands down. They have a better offensive line than the Philadelphia Eagles. And
21:47
at the end of the season it could be completely changed and that could be
21:51
a one eighty. But we don't know what's necessarily going to happen in terms
21:53
of the center position for the Philadelphia Eagles. We don't necessarily know what's gonna
21:57
happen with the right guard position with this Eagles team either. That's going to
22:02
work itself out during training camp. But we know that that Lions offensive line
22:06
is going to be the best line in the NFL. They're going to provide
22:08
protection to Jared Goff. He's been good at getting the ball out very,
22:12
very quickly, and like you said, you know he had some stinkers of
22:15
some games toward the end of last season. But I think that offensive line,
22:21
as we have seen time and time again as Eagles fans, when you
22:23
have a solid offensive line, they are the key to everything in terms of
22:27
your offensive productivity. And putting points on the board at the end of the
22:32
day. So that's why I have the Lions ranked number two. Just quite
22:36
frankly, their offensive line, Eric, I think their offensive line is just
22:38
going to be fantastic. Yeah. In Gof's entire history in the NFL,
22:44
when he has a good offensive line, he has time. Yeah, he's
22:47
been really good. Yeah, like really really damn good. He's a first
22:48
overall pick. He has talent, but I just can't get I just think
22:53
if he's facing a really tough defensive line in December January, I just could
23:00
see the two interceptions are right around the corner. He just always scares me.
23:04
But you're right with San France, they are actually going to have way
23:07
more competition within their division this year. Actually, I think Seattle is the
23:12
biggest sleeper team all all the NFL. I think they have a good roster,
23:17
new coach, like a new voice there. I'd be a little afraid
23:19
of them if I was in that division. But again, they how close
23:27
for this. How close were the forty nine ers to winning the Super Bowl
23:30
last year? He was right there, they could have they could have won.
23:33
How many times they were up they were up too, they were killing
23:37
you know, they were getting it done, I know, and and that,
23:41
and and the genius Shanahan with the I'm not taking the ball, you
23:45
know it's overtime like yep. Yeah, So all right, very good.
23:49
I'd love to know what your top five NFL teams heading into this season are.
23:53
Shoot us off an email Philadelphia Sports Table doc at g oh my gosh,
23:59
Philadelphia Sports they gmail dot com. We'd love to head your email here
24:02
on the show and respond to it. We are going to take a break
24:06
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24:32
over there. Let's take that break now, we'll be back in just a
24:33
bit. All right, we are back, and let's get us some baseball
24:38
talk here before we get into some seventy six ers talking what happened with this
24:42
team and organization during the off season here with a lot of different acquisitions.
24:48
Sixers talk is going to be fun in just a bit. But Eric seven
24:52
Phillies. Seven Philadelphia Phillies made the All Star Game, Wheeler, Suarez,
25:00
offfman Strom, Harper, Turner, Bohm all heading to the All Star Game,
25:07
and as they should as they should. But could an argument be made
25:11
that other players from the Phillies roster should be heading to Texas as well to
25:15
play in the All Star Game. I say absolutely, and quite frankly,
25:21
I think Aaron Nola should be one of those gentlemen. He's ten to four
25:25
in the season, a three point four eight e r A. He is
25:27
the team leader in innings. I think Aaron Nola should go as well.
25:33
There are there are a few other folks from and players from the Philadelphia Phillies
25:38
that have a legit argument that they should be going to the All Star Game
25:42
as well. But I know you can't have an entire All Star Game full
25:45
of Philadelphia Phillies, I guess so for me, it's Aaron Nola. He
25:49
should definitely be there. What are you thinking here, I think Phillies.
25:55
Yeah, in the entire All Star Game, I'd be okay with that as
25:57
a fan. It'd be fun. No, I yeah, it's hard to
26:03
make the argument though. Four pitchers from this team may made the All Star
26:07
Team. Yeah, that's I think it's an I think it's a major league
26:10
record or tie the record. I think I heard on the broadcast earlier when
26:15
the Phillies just beat the Dodgers four to three. But seven players, man,
26:21
I mean, going into this season, I was calling the Phillies in
26:23
my heat of Major League baseball where they just have to hang around, hang
26:29
around, ye, and they shoved it right up my ass. They're like,
26:33
no, we're gonna be the best team in baseball the whole run.
26:34
Everybody's as seven players. Yeah, I didn't see this coming, but they
26:41
all seven players deserve it. I think Nola could absolutely make a case,
26:45
and Nola should be on there. I honestly think Christopher Sanchez in it in
26:49
a more of a down year, might have made the All Star team.
26:53
Yeah, he's been dominant lately, two nine sixty RA overall, he has
26:59
less endings, pitch less starts than a Nola. But you know his his
27:02
his whip, and he's kind of right there too. If he had a
27:06
couple more better starts, he probably would have been a borderline All Star.
27:11
Yeah, I think, I think, I think Kirkering. You can make
27:14
a case. I think Kokering at age twenty, I think Kirkering age twenty
27:18
three, one three four ERA right now, thirty three innings, it's thirty
27:22
seven strikeouts. He's been awesome this year. He has by far the most
27:26
strikeouts per win on the team. And I he's got to be the future
27:33
closer, right Kirkering. I mean he's got that starter attitude starters, I'm
27:37
sorry, closer stuff, closer, just closure mentality. He's got to be
27:41
the like the heir apparent at Jose Alvarado. I think, I think,
27:45
again, you could have made a case for Kirkering. But that's how good
27:49
Hoffman and Strama been. Yeah, Like they have been dominant. I mean
27:53
one two to one RA for Hoffman, one five to nine for Strom.
27:57
He struck out of tiny and I thought it was Tony you might have like
28:00
tore an acl trying to hit trying to hit the slider. It was I
28:04
mean that they hit the dirt and I was like, wow, man he
28:07
is. He deserves it. It's really nice, though, to be having
28:11
this discussion, like, well, Philly should have eight starters in But that's
28:18
awesome, right, Like how I mean, how many years did we watch
28:22
this team? Just you talked earlier about the Eagles, like in the nineties,
28:26
you know, when you and I were friends in college. How bad
28:29
they were? Like the Phillies were bad for double that? Yes, how
28:33
long? If we had a podcast we would talk about the Phillies. We
28:37
really should the Phillies have two all stars like that? That would that'd be
28:40
a that'd be a topic on the show. Yea. But I love that
28:42
we're debating should they have seven or eight? Like that's awesome. A guy
28:47
last year, Eric, who I was so down on a lot of people
28:49
were down on him too because he was batting like one seventy one eighty was
28:55
Kyle Schwarber. And yes, we know what type of Kyle Schwarber player we're
28:59
going to see usually year in, year out, because of what he does
29:03
in the batter's box. He had terrible defense last year. I mean it
29:06
was the worst defender, had the worst defensive numbers of any outfielder in Major
29:11
League Baseball. Last year. But this year, I mean, my gosh,
29:15
he's leading the National League in walks with fifty nine, throwing his seventeen
29:21
homers, he's got sixty runs. His slash line is two fifty three seventy
29:26
three, four forty seven. He's been one of the NLS better hitters while
29:32
leading off for Philadelphia. I mean, a case could be made for Kyle
29:34
Schwarber to be in the All Star Game as well. And I can't believe
29:38
I'm saying that, but yeah, you know, Kyleg Schwarber's having a damn
29:41
good year. I sat here and was like, I wanted to put Shorb
29:45
in this list, but the one hundred and four strike cuts, I'm like,
29:48
I just can't get there. I got yeah, yeah, but dude,
29:52
sixty walks, he's again, eight eighteen ops is on basis three seventy
29:56
four slug He's mean, he's crushing the ball, seventeen home runs, but
30:02
he and he leads off, and like what you don't find in the stats
30:07
is like when he leads off a game with a home run for this team,
30:10
the whole team gets choosed. Yeah, and in the game's just on
30:14
like they're just they're all hyped up. They're doing the two finger thing over
30:19
the Phillies logo, and Schwarber's the guy that kicks that off. And he's
30:23
bat in two fifty this year and not one eighty nine. Like that's a
30:26
monster change. And I think we talked about the you know in the season
30:30
previews, like if Schwarber can actually like be a normal baseball player. Is
30:37
right now on like last year where he was like like Dave Kingman batting one
30:40
eighty and hitting forty five home runs, he's actually hitting. He's actually getting
30:44
on base and smashing the ball too, and getting the team pumped up again.
30:48
I'm like, I sat here going a man, I try I missed
30:53
and matched his stats, going, I got to get this dude on the
30:56
All Star team. I just couldn't quite get there. But I know you're
30:59
saying, yeah, absolute, you said he has sixty walks. He obviously
31:02
had one tonight against the Dodgers as we're recording this on July tenth, that
31:06
I forgot to put in there. So yeah, sixty walks. I mean
31:08
that's incredible. It's incredible at this point. I know you don't get into
31:11
the All Star Game with regard to walks, but it's still Kashwarber just having
31:15
one hell of a season, So all right, I mean, I'd love
31:18
to know what people are thinking out there too. Do you think these guys
31:22
were really snubbed? Shoot us off an email, Philadelphia Sports Table at gmail
31:25
dot com. Love to talk about it here on the show and speaking of
31:29
baseball, Eric and sticking with baseball, The Atlantic reported this week that some
31:36
thieves, some thieves. There was thievery going on at a Dallas baseball card
31:41
show with a collection of rare baseball cards worth more than two million dollars that
31:48
were just taken from wherever this card show was at. I was actually reading
31:52
this story and kind of like laughing. I really was as sad as it
31:56
is. A stolen briefcase contained about one hundred and seven many cards, including
32:00
a Mickey Mantle rookie card that had a solid quality grade to it. How
32:07
does something like this happen? How is something worth two million dollars in a
32:14
facility? And somehow it is not handcuffed a suitcase, not handcuffed to some
32:20
guy's wrist like you see in movies and TV shows? How does this happen
32:27
in this day and age? Two million dollars of cards. I was absolutely
32:31
perplexed by this. I'm like, some people just got pretty damn rich because
32:36
other folks were stupid. And I know it happens throughout the course of the
32:38
world, but my goodness, how does this happen? You know, it's
32:42
weird. It's it's one of those it's one of those things that it never
32:47
went digital because it can't right, right, Like like when you when you
32:52
buy a baseball card, you actually have in your hand and go, I
32:55
bought a baseball card. I'm gonna take this home. It's like there there's
32:59
no everything else has gone digital, right like, so you actually have to
33:01
take briefcases full of cards to a show. And I haven't been to a
33:07
show since like nineteen ninety one. I thought, you know, it's been
33:10
how long is that, dude, Like thirty so whatever years? Like I
33:15
thought by now, maybe the security be better, but apparently it's not.
33:22
But they use briefcases now instead of like, you know, cardboard boxes or
33:25
whatever. But I personally love this story. I love heist. I love
33:30
heist movies. Yes, And and the fact that some numbskull walked over to
33:36
a table and going and went whoop, and walked out for two million times
33:42
is incredible. My first thought was, like, the poor assistant manager of
33:47
that card company who was responsible for this, like getting everything to the show
33:52
and like presenting it and like having it out to for sale, and like
33:57
I imagine him like out on the table going like one card of time,
34:00
going okay, let me straight, and he's out sit Meanwhile behind him,
34:06
guy with a mask comes in. He's tiptoeing. He's dressing at Matre d.
34:12
Yeah, well you got the tiptoes from like Tom and Jerry with the
34:15
marimba in the background. Always funny. I'm forty, it's still funny.
34:22
And yeah, he's probably walking around with ordrbs on a plate and like and
34:25
you look down, put it down, grabbed the thing and took off running
34:31
And I love it. I feel bad for whoever who got whoever got screwed.
34:37
Yeah, not the owner that that's your fault. You let that happen.
34:40
The poor kid whoever was responsible for it getting the table ready, Oh,
34:45
that poor son of a bitch, Like, hey, uh, mister
34:47
Smith, I lost two million dollars of your money. And then you just
34:52
hear the marimba in the back door just slam shut and there's and there's a
35:00
rope going out the window down to the street. And yeah, it's a
35:04
great story. It's a story from like nineteen eighty seven, but I can't
35:07
believe it happened in twenty twenty four. No, it's incredible, it really
35:10
is. Oh my gosh, Wow, I needed that laugh. Oh,
35:14
I love, I love thinking about the Tom and Jerry stuff. Go to
35:17
the story. It's hilarious. Oh, it's so good. It's so good.
35:22
Oh my gosh. Well, let's move along here with the outline here
35:27
of the show, and we're gonna get into some Sixers talk. We got
35:29
a great interview coming up in just a bit before, I should say,
35:32
after we take our break, but beforehand, we want to get into Joe
35:37
Ellenbiid because we know that he is, of course, the superstar athlete in
35:42
Philadelphia, arguably one of the greatest athletes here in the city of Philadelphia,
35:46
and a theme that has been surrounding the Sixers in recent years is whether or
35:52
not Joe Ellenbiid is happy. You know, in this organization, the Sixers,
35:55
they appear to do their best to make sure that Joel Embiid is happy
36:00
by bringing in free agents, you know, doing what they do, perhaps
36:02
even in the draft where the direction of the team goes. I'm sure they
36:07
consult with him and get his opinion. They value that as well as being
36:12
one of the best big men in the league. But at this point in
36:15
time, after we are able to digest Eric, what has happened in free
36:20
agency, Paul George, Andre Drummond, extending Tyrese Maxi, everything that went
36:27
into this offseason, the draft picks with McCain and a dam Bona as well,
36:36
you know, and who knows what's going to happen with those draft picks.
36:37
But do we think Joel Embiid is still truly happy here in Philadelphia?
36:42
Because there were some shows where you and I were talking before this season ended,
36:46
where it's like, oh my gosh, if Joel Embiid is not happy,
36:50
he's going to be calling for a trade. He's going to be asking
36:52
for that and demanding it. Maybe at some point, but I look at
36:54
what's happened with this organization. I feel like, year after year after year,
36:59
offseason after offseason after offseason, this team's trying to make Joel Embiid happy
37:02
and trying to really get this team, you know, with what is in
37:06
front of them to the next level to just get past that second round of
37:09
the playoffs. I don't know. I tend to think that Embiid is probably
37:14
happy at this point with where Darryl Morey has taken this direction or taken the
37:21
team with this direction with Paul George. Given that you know there was limited
37:25
big star free agents. Let's just be honest. We all know that who
37:29
follows the NBA. I don't know we all talk about. Is Joel Embiid
37:34
happy. I think he is probably at this point here. I don't know
37:37
what are your thoughts, So much like our first topic, I'll go over
37:42
the bad of Joel Embiid in terms of like being happy not being happy.
37:45
Okay, they've catered to him from day one. I mean they They've hired
37:52
coaches, They've brought players in to keep him happy. They've kind of let
37:55
him get away with not murder not at Ben Simmons kind of kind of deal
38:00
because he has performed on like Ben Simmons when he was here, but he's
38:05
he's gotten the free pass for the most part. I got sick and tired
38:09
of his whining when he was in his MVP race last year. Or the
38:14
season before he won it. I'm hoping that that's it. I'm hoping you
38:19
wonderr MVP. Now, let's win a damn title. Let's just be a
38:22
player, Let's just play hard and stay healthy. Right. But I'll say
38:27
this about him. I think he's happy right now. He's got to be
38:30
right. I'll get into the signings and I'll say this about him too.
38:34
He's never been a bad teammate like that point. Ben Simmons was a shit
38:38
teammate. Didn't try hard, didn't work hard, does not like basketball,
38:45
that's very obvious. He's almost out of the league. He's gonna be in
38:46
China next year and be for all of his faults and not like coming in
38:52
completely healthy. He's always been a good teammate. Always talks up his teammates,
38:58
even the ones that you could. You know, he he doesn't like.
39:00
He was always on Ben Simmons's side, and I'll give him credit for
39:05
that. He's never been a bad teammate. Now for Darrel Moury in the
39:08
offseason signings, you know, some people don't like they gave Paul George all
39:14
that money. He's thirty four years old. But you had no choice because
39:21
the middle of the trade deadline this past year, they didn't do much because
39:24
his whole thing was, I'm getting ready for next season. We're gonna have
39:29
all this cap room, we don't have draft picks, and he did it
39:36
like when he signed Paul George. All the dominoes fell after that, and
39:39
it was by far the best best case scenario for a team with cap space,
39:45
because cap space typically doesn't lead to success. Typically it leads to like,
39:51
oh, no, we didn't get the best player. Shit, now
39:52
we're gonna start overpaying second and thirdier players, right, And that didn't happen
39:58
like he He got Paul George, and then everything else kind of fell into
40:01
place. And I think for anyone who says, like the Paul George thing
40:06
was an oversign, it doesn't matter. You had to do it. That
40:08
was your only option, and it was It was the keystone to this offseason.
40:13
They pulled it off. Thank God for the Clippers. I have no
40:16
idea why they didn't sign him. You're going to a new arena. You're
40:20
invested in this thing for five years. Now you have a crap team going
40:24
to a new arena. Kawhi Leonard is gonna be hurt. For the Sixers.
40:30
Your your best player has got to be happy. Paul George is on
40:32
board. Kelly Aubrey resigned on a deal that is very team friendly. I
40:38
like the R. Gordon signing. He averaged eleven points last year. If
40:42
you just park his ass out of three point line and Maxie and everyone else
40:45
kind of just passes the ball, he hits three pointers. Boom. He's
40:47
a forty one percent career three point shooter. Andre Drummond is the best packup
40:53
center that six Ers have had. Lennon and I were talking about that last
40:58
week. How that's probably and I'm I'm gonna be talking to Harrison Graham about
41:01
it in just a bit too, But like probably the most underrated signing you
41:07
know over the past couple seasons, to be honest with you, I mean,
41:09
having a quality backup big man to Joe l Embiid and on a two
41:15
year deal worth about ten million dollars, I mean, I'm all for it.
41:19
He's the best backup centat they've had in years. Yeah, and they
41:21
got they got him on a cheap deal. So when he goes out for
41:24
his eventual twenty game right injury, you can get away with it with him
41:29
right, Kelly u bra again, great signing. They they handled the Maxi
41:35
re signing just masterfully. They could have done it last year and tied up
41:38
their cap. They basically went to him and said, hey, listen,
41:42
we're going to take care of you. Let us take let us do what
41:45
we're gonna do. You were going to get your money, don't don't worry.
41:47
And he did that. Yep, they got all these players in.
41:50
They still got into five year, two hundred four million dollar extension. The
41:52
kids a superstar. He's just going to get better because that's kind of who
41:55
he is. They traded Buddy Healed smart move he wasn't he wasn't going to
42:00
fit in here. I think the Cale Martin signing is the best signing outside
42:06
of Paul George. I mean that that guy walked away. That guy's a
42:09
That guy's a dog and he hates the Celtics and went after them two years
42:14
ago. He actually turned away more money from Miami to come to Philadelphia.
42:21
I still don't know how that that's a Darryl Morey like Howie Roseman trick.
42:25
I don't know how he pulled that off. But like I, I just
42:30
loved everything they did. I hate to see Paul Reid go, but I
42:34
know you don't, but I'm all right. Yeah, but man, they
42:38
they they put together a really solid roster around this guy. And again he's
42:45
he's a sixer through and through. I this stuff, the stuff we don't
42:51
like, we're going to continue not to like. They could not have had
42:53
a better offseason. And I'm sure Harrison will agree with me. Yeah.
42:57
Absolutely, And at the end of the day, I think Joel and b
43:00
happy. And that's the most important thing right now. It's making sure Joel
43:06
Embiid is happy. It's the most important thing. I heard you just open
43:09
up a Bruski. So I'm gonna, uh gonna let you go so we
43:14
can get to our our interview. You got anything else, buddy here before
43:19
we head out, Just going back to our second topic, I just have
43:22
to really something as we're talking. Mahomes must be the best player in the
43:27
NFL, because you and I didn't even debate KCV and the number one pick.
43:30
Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely correct. Yeah, like that that
43:35
team got older. They're they're one receiver that killed somebody or something or had
43:39
a weird, weird thing happened, right like uh yeah, yeah, he's
43:46
he's got some legal trouble. Let's just say that and we just go the
43:51
number one team. Yeah, let's not even talk about it like that's how
43:52
good Patrick Mahomes. That's how good Patrick Mahomes is. Andy Reid's still getting
43:57
it done after all these years. I mean, they have like basically a
44:00
makeshift wide receiver corps, and they're still able to get it done and end
44:05
up winning, you know, two super Bowls here in a row, you
44:07
know, basically a dynasty at this point, you know, the chiefs of
44:12
the next Patriots. Perhaps, I hope not. I'm hoping that whether it's
44:16
an AFC or NFC team is going to be able to to, you know,
44:22
just stop this momentum. I don't see that necessarily happening. But then
44:24
again, Patrick Mahomes been in this league for a while and he has not
44:29
been seriously injured. I'm not wishing that on him. I'm not. That's
44:32
not why I say it. But it's coming. It's coming at some point.
44:36
Could it be this season? Possibly? And if it does, they're
44:38
certainly not the number one team. But you're right, we've just completely glossed
44:43
over the fact that we're like, yeah, Chiefs number one, Paton Maholmes
44:46
best best player in the NFL. Well, maybe the Sixers dynasty starts this
44:50
year. We think, oh, let's do it. Let's do it.
44:52
Andre Drummonds there, two years, baby, Yeah, let's get to I
44:58
think you have two years with the Sixers. With Embiid, I think I
45:00
think windows two years tops. I was talking to one this past weekend.
45:05
He's like, I think we have four years. I'm like, I don't
45:07
think so, dude. About he said that on the show last last week
45:10
too. I didn't. I didn't like call him on it or anything like
45:13
that, but honestly, I was thinking maybe three at most, three at
45:16
most, but like four years. Yeah, I don't know about that.
45:20
I don't know. Well, especially if he you know, if he shows
45:22
up three years from now, Embiid in the camp, he's like two seventy
45:25
five and like, you know, the same weight as Andre Drummonds. Like,
45:30
nah, right, it ain't gonna work, dude, exactly. All
45:35
right, buddy, I'm gonna let you go, folks. We are gonna
45:37
take a break, and we got a lot more Sixers talk coming your way.
45:39
With Harrison grim from Libertyballers dot Com, Stick with us. We'll be
45:44
right back. All right, we are back. Let's get into more Sixers
45:49
talk here and what this team has done throughout this off season. It has
45:52
been exciting. We got a great guest, it's what we're thrown down on
45:55
the table and now on the table joining us this week and coming from Libertyballers
46:04
dot Com. You know we love Libertyballers dot Com as well as our guest.
46:08
He is the one and only Harrison Graham. Harrison Buddy, thanks so
46:12
much for jumping on the pod this week. We appreciate it absolutely, Jeff,
46:15
always great to talk Sixers with you. Yes, it's been quite quite
46:19
the summer, and a lot has happened since we last talked. I think
46:22
we talked before the drafts. Yes, there's plenty to dive into. There's
46:27
so much to get into. We're certainly going to get into some summer league
46:30
talk, but where this organization and this Sixers organization is going, because I
46:36
think you know, I'm gonna piggyback really quick off of a theme that one
46:39
of my co hosts and I just we're talking about before bringing you on board
46:44
here, Harrison, as we got into this Sixers team and what we've seen
46:49
over the years with regard to Joel Embiid and whether or not Joel Embiid is
46:55
happy here in Philadelphia still and if the Sixers are still going to try to
47:00
continue to make him happy. I mean, I wanted to get your take
47:04
on this. You know, this organization, Daryl Morey, the front office,
47:08
they of course, they don't want their superstar big man to start,
47:12
you know, demanding a trade. Nobody wants that. You know, they
47:14
don't want to lose out on a generational talent here based on how previous seasons
47:19
have gone. And when you look at what has happened with this Sixers team
47:22
over the past few seasons, you know, the moves that the front office
47:25
has made. I'm wondering, you know, do you do you think Joel
47:29
Embiid is still truly happy here in Philadelphia? Because I think that's a theme
47:34
that is going to be in the back of our minds for quite some time
47:36
as we're moving forward here. What are your thoughts here? Yeah, So
47:39
I think the most or the time that that question was most relevant was exactly
47:46
one year ago, and that's because of the whole James Harden thing that that
47:51
was going to hell. There's a lot of questions surrounding the franchise and what
47:55
direction they were going. Right fast forward to now and not obviously things are
48:00
a lot different. Things are looking up. Paul George is a Sixer,
48:02
They've they've been several guys to contracts, and I don't think that's really going
48:07
to be a question anymore. I think Tyrese Maxi's leap to being an All
48:13
Star, even all NBA caliber player, has silenced a lot of those questions.
48:17
And obviously Paul George has another big name coming. So when it comes
48:23
down to things and and Ramona, actually I should plug this. Ramona Shelbourne,
48:29
I believe it was or McMahon or someone from ESPN actually talked to Joell
48:36
about this summer and kind of the months leading up to it, and he
48:39
really expressed that there was times where he kind of has some doubt or some
48:44
uncertainty about where the franchise was going. But now is much different. You
48:50
know, they landed those big name guys, they have Tyrese Maxley, they
48:52
have several players, so I don't think it's really going to be a question
48:57
much now or moving forward. The next big thing for Joel and the Sixers
49:04
is he'll be eligible for a three year super max extension to tack Onto is
49:08
already huge supermax deal, and I think from both sides, like it's just
49:15
a no brainer to sign. I think the Sixers have done enough this summer,
49:20
and from Joel obviously, injury concerns are always going to be of discussion,
49:25
So why not lock up that guaranteed money, that that life changing money
49:30
while you can. So, I think what the Sixers have done this summer
49:35
is really silenced that talk, and moving forward, I don't expect there to
49:39
be really any of that talk. I think Joel is going to be a
49:42
Sixer for the foreseeable future, and that's that, all right. I get
49:47
again, folks, we're talking to Harrison Grim from Libertyballers dot Com. Make
49:51
sure you're following him on Twitter, slash x at Harrison Underscore Grim and Harrison
49:57
Like, I was thinking a lot of that as well, quite frankly,
50:00
because I see Daryl Morey in this front office trying to do as much as
50:04
they can to win season after season, off season after off season. They
50:08
want to keep making Joel Embiid as happy as they can, and they try
50:13
in so many different ways, and some of the ways it just doesn't work
50:15
out. I mean, James Harden, we saw it at the end of
50:17
the day, just didn't work out like a lot of us had hoped that
50:21
it would. But I think that in order to keep him here, I
50:24
think the front office has shown him that they are dedicated to him. And
50:29
I think that's essentially what you were just saying as well. But I really
50:31
wanted to dive into, you know, the Eastern Conference here because when we
50:36
look at the Eastern Conference as well, and the different dynamics that have been
50:38
in play over the past couple weeks from a free agency perspective from team to
50:44
team. Here, I'm wondering, do you think the Sixers are in the
50:46
best shape that they've been in heading into a season, say maybe within the
50:51
past five years or so in terms of this Eastern Conference? You know,
50:54
yes or no? Why do you think so or think not? Man,
51:00
that's such a difficult question to answer, and and that's because of just how
51:04
much talent and how much iterations of different starting fives have you know, been
51:09
throughout the NBA. There there's the Horford Tobias team, there's the Butler Tobias
51:15
team, There's Maxi and Joell the there's hard there's just so many, but
51:22
I do think if it's not the best they've been positioned, it's definitely the
51:29
second best. And I think the only year that comes to mind would be
51:35
the summer after they got James Harden, when when they brought in de Anthony
51:38
Melton retain James Harden, Paraden with Tyrese, Maxy Tobias and and PJ who
51:45
was a Sixer at that time. I thought that was a really good team
51:49
heading into the season, and they had a full year to really kind of
51:52
develop chemistry. And obviously we we have yet to see any of this new
51:59
Sixers team, but I do think having your core pieces in place at the
52:06
beginning of the year, having an entire year to kind of grow and develop
52:10
that chemistry is going to be extremely beneficial. And I think just from a
52:15
defensive standpoint, I do think this is probably the best team of Sixers have
52:21
put together. If you just look at their length. Next to tyres Ma
52:24
see Kelly Bray is a seven foot three wingspan, Paul George six' eleven,
52:30
Kayleb Martin's up there. I don't know his exact number, but those
52:32
are three guys that realistically, you can just switch and switch and they should
52:37
be able to hold their own. So I think from a defensive standpoint,
52:42
this team's going to be really good off the bat. I think where they
52:45
might need to, you know, take some time to develop chemistry and cohesion
52:50
is probably going to come on the offensive end. And even that, Paul
52:53
George is such a fantastic fit. Kayleb Martin is a really underrated catch and
52:59
shoot. I forget what his exact numbers are, but I do believe it's
53:04
in the forties of being a catch and shoot guy, and he's going to
53:07
be doing a lot more that year. Yeah, So on paper, I
53:12
think this is a phenomenal team. It just really comes down to how quickly
53:15
can they match and develop that chemistry. Well, well, you mentioned Caleb
53:19
Martin and I want to dive into him too. See obviously slated to be
53:22
one of the starting five this coming season, and over the past two postseasons
53:27
he shot forty six point two percent from three point range on four point six
53:31
attempts. I mean, it's one of the reasons why he could be a
53:35
real difference maker coming into any postseason with any team that he's on. And
53:38
now the Sixers have him here. So how should we be looking at the
53:43
Caleb Martin signing since it is a four year deal here as well? Are
53:49
there pros cons for you? What do you like about this Caleb Martin deal
53:52
and what he's really going to be able to bring to this team on the
53:55
court. Yeah, So when it comes down to Caleb Martin, I think
53:59
the first thing you gotta look at is the number that they signed him for.
54:02
There's been numerous reports on what exactly that number is. Some say four
54:07
years thirty two million guaranteed, some say four years thirty five guaranteed, and
54:13
then I've seen it all the way up to forty million, and I think
54:15
that's counting unlikely incentive. So if Caleb Martin hits a certain amount of threes
54:21
or starts a certain amount of games or whatever, he gets a bonus.
54:23
But even going off of that that top value, the four years, forty
54:29
million dollar figure, I have a really hard time seeing this contract age poorly
54:35
barring you know, injuries and that type of thing. I just think from
54:39
a fit standpoint, I think he's going to be perfect as your fourth or
54:45
fifth guy on some nights where he is a streaky Shooter Admittaly, especially especially
54:52
you know, off the dribble. But I just think he's someone that competes
54:55
and can offer you a little bit of something different every night. I do
55:00
think he's a little bit of an underrated playmaker. The stats don't really scream
55:05
like secondary or even third playmaker, but just from watching film like he is
55:10
capable of making the right reads. Defensively, he's not. I wouldn't even
55:16
call him an All NBA talent, but he does compete. He has the
55:20
size, speed and length to really annoy people on that end. And when
55:23
you look at this starting five, he's probably your fourth best defender, maybe
55:31
after after Kelly, Joel and Paul George, and I think that's gonna be
55:36
a really nice luxury for the Sixers to have. I think defensively he's perfect
55:39
next to Max. He He's gonna, yeah, he's gonna provide that length
55:45
and just be phenomenal. Uh. One comparison that that I kind of thought
55:52
of the other day for Caleb Martin. Sixers fans will remember Josh Richardson and
55:55
obviously that didn't pan out like they envisioned, but I think Caleb Martin can
56:01
kind of be the player that Sixer fans wanted Josh Richardson to be. Now,
56:07
what is that player? That's someone who can dribble the ball and make
56:12
a basic read. That's someone who can really hound on defense and just be
56:16
a pass and someone that can get hot and just create his own shot and
56:21
take a scoring load off of your big three. So that's really where I
56:25
see Caleb Martin slotting in. I know the terminology floating around on Twitter is
56:30
they're starting power forward and everyone's freaking out about that because he's only six with
56:36
six But like let me tell you right now, like those spots from from
56:40
two to four, Paul George, kyleb Martin, Kelly Ubray, they're just
56:46
going to be switching them constantly. So if you want to pencil in Paul
56:50
George is a power forward, you can if you want pencil and Kelly Ubray
56:53
whoever. But but those guys, I think from Nick Nurse's point of view,
56:58
they're all going to be interchangeable. All right, very good. Well,
57:00
last week on the show here we talked about how bringing Andre Drummond back
57:06
to the Sixers was kind of an underrated signing quite frankly, and if and
57:12
when Joel Embiid is out Drummond. We think here at the PSD podcast show,
57:16
drum is gonna be able to pick up the slack and certainly have an
57:20
impact for sure. So I'm wondering Harrison, after digesting this free agency period
57:24
these signings as well, what are your overall thoughts on Andre Drummon coming back
57:29
and what he will bring at this point of backing up Joel Embiid here,
57:36
I think this is something that I probably hasn't talked about enough, and it's
57:38
hard. Obviously, Paul George is a huge name. Caleb Martin is,
57:43
even to a certain exent, a big name that we can often overlook.
57:47
Drummond and the fact that they brought him back obviously he's battle tested, at
57:52
least in the regular season. When he was a Sixer a few years ago,
57:58
he was the best backup of the NBA. I I don't think and
58:01
any many, if any people are going to disagree with that, but I
58:06
really do agree that it's a really underlying storyline to the Sixers success and how
58:14
does that work with a backup that's going to be playing like ten to fifteen
58:16
minutes per night when you know the roster is fully healthy. It's a big
58:22
deal because Andre Drummond is just a minutes either. He's someone that you can
58:28
throw any given that you can throw him thirty minutes and he's gonna put up
58:31
a double double and he'll produce. And that's what the Sixers have really lacked
58:37
since they traded him away in the James Harden trade. Is just someone who
58:42
can step in that you know, can just get rebounds, can get a
58:46
few dunks, cause a little mayhem defensively, and that's exactly what Andre Drummond
58:52
is gonna bring. So having him around is going to allow Joel to kind
58:57
of look at the roster, look at things and be like, you know
58:59
what, Andre can come in and provide and win against this bad team.
59:05
And that's going to be really huge the Sixers' long term goals. I know
59:07
there's some concerns about hal hell fair during the postseason, but you have to
59:14
get to the postseason first, and I think Andre is the perfect guy to
59:19
solve that problem. Yeah. I think that's a really great point. And
59:22
as we're closing out the discussion here, finally want to get into the Sixers
59:29
draft picks and even this summer league. As we saw the first game of
59:32
the Summer League quote season last night, which oh my gosh, I mean
59:38
Ricky Counsel goes off and McCain and Bona they were standouts as well in the
59:45
Summer League opener. But I do wonder when it comes to you know,
59:49
Jared McCain, who's picked sixteenth overall, and with Adam Bono with the forty
59:53
first picked, you know what the hopes are going to be with regard to
59:59
these picks. Look, Darryl Moury said that McCain was a top ten pick
1:00:04
in the draft for the Sixers organization, and the hope is that he'll be
1:00:07
in the rotation at some point and that'll be rotation ready. So what are
1:00:12
your thoughts on the picks here? You know, what could they bring to
1:00:15
this Sixers squad in the years to come, and and how this early summer
1:00:20
league is looking here for this Sixers team. I love Summer League coops,
1:00:25
so I know you do. I follow you on Twitter. Yes, I'm
1:00:29
always hyped to talking about Summer League, especially after last night's performance, But
1:00:34
I'll start up with McCain because he's the bigger name I came away from that
1:00:37
performance and it's one summer League game, so you know, take it with
1:00:40
a grain of salt, but I came away feeling very satisfied with the pick.
1:00:45
And for anyone who didn't watch, I thought Jared McCain did an excellent
1:00:51
job in pretty much every area. I thought he controlled the ball well.
1:00:54
He had a bunch of not Maxi esque finn tough finishes around the rim,
1:01:01
and that's something you really want to see from someone who is labeled as a
1:01:06
shooter. The only thing that didn't really happen is he didn't knock down any
1:01:10
perimeter shots, and that's probably the thing that you and I are both least
1:01:15
concerned about when talking about Jared McCain. We know he can shoot the ball
1:01:17
as just an off night, but everything else, he changed the pace well.
1:01:23
Off the dribble, he was able to get by guys. And I
1:01:25
know it's just one Summer League game, but all those fundamentals matter when you're
1:01:30
talking about a prospect like Jared McCain, who we know he can shoot,
1:01:36
but Kenny defend, Kenny create off the dribble, And basically he answered all
1:01:40
those questions I thought in that first game because he had to lean into those
1:01:45
other areas because his shot wasn't falling. So I think for those who aren't
1:01:50
too familiar with McCain, I think you should come away from that game feeling
1:01:53
very encouraged. It's one of the better Summer League debuts I've seen. He
1:01:59
looked comfort from us. He looked comfortable out there, you know what I
1:02:00
mean. Right from the get go, he looked like he looked like one
1:02:04
of the best players on the floor. Yeah, and you know, the
1:02:07
stats don't necessarily show that. Like I said, he had a rough shooting
1:02:10
night, but just he was also rebounding. Well, that's something I didn't
1:02:15
say. I think he finished with like six rebounds. He checked a lot
1:02:16
of boxes. And if you have a guy that can come in and do
1:02:22
other things outside of shooting, he's gonna get minutes. If he can do
1:02:25
that in a condensed roll behind Maxie or even alongside him. Uh, there's
1:02:31
a very good chance that the Sixers are gonna throw him out there at some
1:02:36
point. Yep. The other guy, the other guy you mentioned, Adam
1:02:38
Bona. He was very fun, very very fun. He was someone over
1:02:45
at Liberty Ballers we covered basically half the draft prospects, and of course at
1:02:51
Adam Bona was one that we didn't cover, so I had to get familiar
1:02:54
with him over the past few weeks. But man, I think, and
1:03:00
I hate saying this because Paul Reid is my guy, but I definitely think
1:03:04
Adam is a better prospect than Paul was coming out of the draft. I
1:03:08
think as a defender, he's a little bit more defined. Obviously, he's
1:03:14
a young big, so there there's times where he gets a little crazy,
1:03:20
jumps a little bit too early, gets fouled, or or causes a foul.
1:03:23
Rather I think he had like four fouls last night, but you could
1:03:28
tell every time Bono was in the game last night, Yeah, which which
1:03:32
is crazy for a second round guy. His defensive just presence around the rim
1:03:42
was really game changing. I thought someone I think he finished with two or
1:03:46
three blocks, like seven point seven rebounds. I thought he rebounded the ball
1:03:52
really really well, and his activity around the rim that was a big kind
1:03:58
of advertisement of him. He's someone that just doesn't or his motor never quits
1:04:03
right, and it kind of reminds me of a Montrez. Now, when
1:04:08
I say that a lot, you probably think Montrez with the Sixers and think,
1:04:12
oh no, sometimes about Mantrez with the Clippers, the guy who was
1:04:15
putting up eighteen points a night, eight seven rebounds. Bonus motor like it
1:04:19
is so prevalent, and if you just watch him, or watch him in
1:04:26
tonight's game or any future games, just focus in on him, and he's
1:04:30
always where he needs to be around the rim getting an offensive rebound. He
1:04:34
had a few dunks standing dunks and also just rim running dunks. And that
1:04:41
guy has so springy and when you combine that with a seven foot four wingspan,
1:04:46
there's just so much to like. He checks so many boxes as a
1:04:50
modern rim running big, and I can definitely see why the Sixers liked him,
1:04:56
and I think Sixer fans should be really happy adding that value at sixteen
1:05:00
with Jim McCain, who already looks like an experienced guard at age twenty yep,
1:05:05
and Bona, who simply showed a lot for being a second round pick.
1:05:12
Obviously, this season, Bona probably won't be in the rotation most nice,
1:05:16
but he's some who I feel comfortable throwing out there as a third string
1:05:21
big behind Drummond on those nights wearing bead has to rest. I think this
1:05:26
draft quite frankly was their best one since the Maxi Draft since twenty twenty.
1:05:30
Gotta tell you it's gonna be fun watching all this new talent in Sixers Nation.
1:05:36
Here the new talent that was acquired through free agency and the draft,
1:05:41
and folks, you can follow all of it and what happens specifically in the
1:05:45
summer league over at Libertyballers dot com, where Harrison and his colleagues are putting
1:05:49
up great, great content. As always, Harrison, buddy, it was
1:05:53
great talking to you. Thank you so much for taking the time to jump
1:05:57
on the PSD podcast show here. I hope we can speak some other point
1:06:00
down the road, my friend. Absolutely, you've got my contact infot.
1:06:04
It's always fun shopping off six or stuff with you, so I appreciate you
1:06:08
having me on and that's gonna do it for us this week. Make sure
1:06:12
to share the Philadelphia Sports Table podcast show with your friends and family members who
1:06:15
may be Philly sports fans. You can always head on over to Philadelphia Sportstable
1:06:19
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1:06:25
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1:06:29
help make this podcast happen and to give us great content and ultimately we appreciate
1:06:34
you. Take care and have a great week, and we'll catch you next time.