Latest / Altitude Problems / 2026 Episode #2: Denver Sports Talk w/Ian Rodriguez

Transcript

2026 Episode #2: Denver Sports Talk w/Ian Rodriguez · Altitude Problems

• Big Country: Welcome into the Altitude Problems Podcast, episode two. I'm your co-host, Big Country, alongside my partner, P V. We got a guest here tonight, Ian Rodriguez. How are we doing tonight, Ian? Ian Rodriguez: ⁓ going good, how you doing, big country? P V, good to see you fellas. PV: It's good to see you. Hope you boys are doing good tonight. Big Country: Yeah, l sounds we got a listener of the potty asked me the exact same question P V did last week. ⁓ Ian Rodriguez: You know, I just had a has to honor honor the boy a little bit, like that line. Big Country: ⁓ yeah. Yeah. Tell me a little bit a little bit about yourself, Ian. PV: Mm. Ian Rodriguez: ⁓ you know, Denver native. Big Denver sports fan. Go buffs, go Broncos. Yeah. No, it is Big Country: Sure, for sure. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, got a little another CU alum on the pod. Can't hurt can't hurt to have that, obviously, guys. ⁓ but let's just get a just a general weekly update of Denver sports. Obviously, we saw the Nuggets losing game six to the Timberwolves. You know, we're recording this as ⁓ as of Monday, May 4th. We saw, you know, the Aves win game one. What's ⁓ Ian Rodriguez: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. May the fourth be with you, fellas. PV: May the fourth be with you. Thank you for stopping us to say that. Absolutely. Big Country: May the Force be with you. May May the Force be with you. Yeah. ⁓ yeah, we you know, we got the Aves winning game one last night, obviously. We were all together watching that. That was a emphatic game one win, hoping to keep it hot. And then, aside from, you know, Rocky's deciding a little bit, but we'll get into that in, you know, later in the pod. Ian Rodriguez: Noah, I've er big country. I'm not hearing it from you. PV: There you go, buddy. Ian Rodriguez: All right, there you go. I can continue. Big Country: Well let's just start jump straight into things, P V. ⁓ talk t talk to me about some Broncos, man. PV: Yeah, you know, it's ⁓ not much has been going on, but there's a few things to touch base on. Obviously we saw the video of Bonix running, ⁓ which is obviously a good sign given everything that happened with his ankle. It's really nice to see him ⁓ active and being able to put weight on it and being able to run. ⁓ another thing is I recently saw that the Broncos do have what is considered to be the eleventh easiest schedule this season, so That'll definitely be a pretty positive outlook for the season. ⁓ we hope to kind of continue off of the momentum we had going last season before losing Bonex. ⁓ obviously we still want to ease him back into that. So hopefully he does take the time to fully heal. But ⁓ yeah, that's kind of that. Other than that, I have seen a lot of talk about ⁓ people thinking or at least considering whether Jonah Coleman should be considered for the R V one job, which is something I thought maybe Ian, ⁓ Ian Rodriguez: Dude, I'm I'm excited, man. Like PV: the native would like to talk about. ⁓ what do you think about Jonah Coleman and potentially giving him the RB one spot? Ian Rodriguez: Looking at this kid, you know, in college, you know, it looks like a every down back. Like he looks like something somebody that can be, you know, play three downs for you, no doubt. He's a great pass protector. I'm kind of a casual, you know, college fan, but you know, I see clips and stuff, you know, here and there. Seeing a clip of him putting Sunny style on his ass. ⁓ it's just it's just huge to have a back like that, dude. You know, JK goes down, where where did that leave us last year? We couldn't depend on RJ Harvey. pass protect, you know, and it it just and when we bring in those other guys, you know, it's just so telling. Like we would bring in I don't even know who to pass protect because there was no one to do it. But it was just very telling when we would bring in a different back. Like, ⁓ we're gonna run the ball here, you know what mean? So it's just exciting to have a guy that you can just switch it up and and you know it's not gonna tell what you're doing. PV: Right. Big Country: Yeah. For sure, yeah. I mean honestly I felt like the talk about like Denver Bronco talk this week was we all saw the ankle of Bo Nicks this week. I mean, a lot of talk about that, how fucked it looked, how it looked like he, you know, got amputated it in there. But I mean, what are you guys' thoughts on that? I you guys are bigger Broncos fans than myself, but you know, if I was a fan and I had my quarterback like looking like that and obviously said you saw you him running, you showing some positive results, but that can't can't be necessarily the greatest thing. This is the off season. Ian Rodriguez: It's just it's just scary, bro, because it goes back to like twenty seventeen. Like in high school even, like his ankles have been a problem. So it's just like is this gonna be like a recurring thing, you know? We're gonna deal with this every offseason. Like last year it was his back, he he had surgery on his back in the offseason, this year it's the ankle. But I don't know. I mean, and I don't know if it's both ankles or just the one. But I I know for sure that it's been a lingering thing for him. That Big Country: Yeah, for sure. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah, definitely definitely something to definitely something to at least look out on for the next year or two. ⁓ I don't know if you guys saw but it's obviously like a Bronco update, but I saw Mahomes is gonna be ready for ⁓ OTAs. ⁓ Ian Rodriguez: That predisposed Sean Payton was talking about, you know? PV: Yep, for a first for the first session of OTAs, nevertheless, like not just O TAs, so Big Country: Yeah, that's that that's some scary hours right there. You don't wanna run into that man in the regular season, obviously. It's always gonna be a test regardless of ⁓ what team he has around him. I mean, obviously you guys beat him last year twice, one without him on the team, one with, but like we said last week, P V, I mean, Chiefs are gonna be reloaded and they're gonna be ready to roll. And you go you guys are on the mountain, got top of tip of the top. You guys got a lot of teams coming for ya, so Ian Rodriguez: Man, those those time ⁓ my bad, my bad, PV. PV: Yeah, I think it's Yeah, I think no no, you're L good. I was just gonna say I think like we mentioned last week, you just can't count the Chiefs out. ⁓ I mean I think they're making moves, ⁓ and they're making plenty of moves on purpose and they definitely wanna still stay in this race and they still have a lot of very important weapons, they'll always have Mahomes, so yeah, they'll always be a problem for sure. But go on E. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, as long as you have those two guys, Andy Reid and Mahomes, man, you're you're gonna have a shot. You're not no one's gonna take you easy on your on the schedule. PV: Yeah, absolutely. Big Country: Definitely. Yeah. Honestly not too much to really update on the Broncos. Obviously it's off season. Just got past the draft and until we really see some training camp in OTAs we don't much to really say. But ⁓ yeah, so let's ⁓ switch base here. Talk a little little buffs action. You know, we got ⁓ we got a trio of buffs here. And ⁓ Ian, tell me what you think about Prime, man. Do you think it's it's PV: Right. Yeah. Big Country: Prove it year and if he doesn't prove it he's out. Ian Rodriguez: It's so hard to say, bro. On the field, yes. But like the revenue and stuff that he brings in, the attention that he draws to CU, it's still gonna be there. You know? All all publicity is good publicity, good or bad. I think that's the way they see it. I think that's the way CU sees it. But with the new AD coming in, ⁓ what's his name, Lovato? Big Country: Fernando Lovo or Love Is Lovo or Love? Ian Rodriguez: Fernando Lovo, yeah. I think it's Lovo, I think you're right. I think it's Lovo. We'll see, dude. Yeah. New Mexico. you know, he's not maybe Prime's not his guy, so who knows? You know, that kinda has a a lot to do with it. Big Country: Yeah. Came from UN ⁓ right? Yeah. And I think we also gotta take in con take in consideration Rick George is still he's still up there. It's not like he's gone. He's a special advisor to every one of these guys. ⁓ but Ian Rodriguez: What does that mean though? I mean, you know what I mean? Is that just like a honorary thing or like you know? Big Country: It's I God, I hope not. I w I personally you know, it's he obviously saved his job with Prime a little couple of years early, you know, he went on a high note, but I think, you know, he kinda ducked on what was coming 'cause you know, I'm not to say like he knew Prime was gonna have a shitty th third year, but Tad it feels like he should be on his way out. You know, that basketball team hasn't really done anything. Honestly, you know, we've gone to the dance a couple of times, gone to the second round, but that's literally it. Even when we have like a great roster, and it seems like he can't really compete in the N I L era so far. Ian Rodriguez: That No, you can't, dude. That was that team's not funded properly. Or they're one of the like worst funded teams in the NCAA, like Division One. Like it's it it shows, like it it shows, you know, like Isaiah Johnson just has a great year. He's a freshman All American or you know, or a big twelve freshman of the year. He's on that team, you know, and he transfers. He goes, Where do you go, Texas? Big Country: No. Yeah. It's honestly ⁓ that's a bigger issue to address too. Yeah. Texas, yeah. I mean if I'm I if I'm him, I'd go to Texas too. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, but I mean it it j that's just the that's just the testament like that like even when we do like when we do ⁓ have a big name guy, you know, they just end up leaving anyway. Big Country: Yeah, I mean that's kind of the era we're in with at IO and when you don't have money too. I mean, you s I mean, I don't know if you caught it, but we like thought it was like the greatest thing in the world when we got like a six million dollar donation. We s we shouted it from the rooftops, you know, and that's probably our biggest donor. And honestly, like the fact that it only gets you like two good offensive tackles in college football is just ridiculous. There needs to be there needs to be a change in college sports, obviously, and that's a bigger topic. PV: Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: I yeah, I I did catch that. Yeah. And then you know. Big Country: But I mean until I think we get to that, you know, change in NIL, I don't think C is ever gonna be on top of the world, so unfortunately. Any sport. Well, mainly those two. The only ones that actually matter, you know, let's be honest here. ⁓ Ian Rodriguez: In both sports. PV: Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. What about the woman's cross, man? They they think they just won the big twelve. Big Country: Woo woo woo. You know, proud of my my lady buffs, but who like let's be honest here, who gives a shit? Like we're we're proud. We're definitely proud. We'll always celebrate them just like we'll celebrate, you know, us winning the skiing championship. But what brings in the cheddar? What brings in the clicks? What brings in the views? And that's football and basketball. We don't have a baseball team. You know, our soccer's alright. No one really gives a shit about soccer here, especially college soccer. So I mean PV: Mm-hmm. Hey, I'm proud of them. I think I I gave a shit. Big Country: We need to we need to address some needs and I think if Dion I also think he has a coach in waiting at at O C and I think Dion would be a great like GM for CU football. I don't know if he wants to step into that role or not, but he already kinda is that, right? But he's just a he's a horrible head coach. Doesn't have good time management. And the guy that they brought in, man, he's he's got a ton of success. He's he's bounced around obviously, which is a little scary for us, considering someone might snag him for Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, I think I think that roll would be perfect. Oops, snap. PV: Yeah. Big Country: head coaching job, but why can't we snag him for the head coaching job and make Dion step down? I mean his health is not there. He's just not the guy he for one was the first year we had him. He's already like crippling from that stage and he was already shit back then. You know, we already had some scares. So yeah. PV: Yeah. Even so, ⁓ yeah, like I was gonna say, in our while we were there in his first year of coaching, ⁓ I mean he obviously brought in a lot of big names and a lot of big talent, but I personally as a CU student never felt that he was that great of a head coach like as an as a mind, either whether it's on offense or defense, you know. It didn't feel like he had that many great plays put together. It didn't feel like he was really, you know. contributing much as a head coach to the team, more so like you guys are talking about as a GM, he brought in a lot of talent, a lot of hype to the team, and that's kind of what I think he has to offer. Big Country: Yeah, I mean if y go ahead. Ian Rodriguez: He's ⁓ he's like ⁓ you know, when you you're playing ⁓ Road to Glory or whatever on N C double A, you know, he's you get it you get a choose archetype. He's the motivator, man. Big Country: He's a motivator. PV: Yeah, he is, yeah. Big Country: Yeah. A hundred percent. He would get me out of my fucking seat. Don't get me wrong. I'd fucking run a mile for that guy. I wouldn't run a mile for a lot of people, right? But like this this guy, he's he's not the reason why we're winning between the white lines. He's the reason why we're getting players to the white lines. And if that's w something he can specialize in, you know, we can just have him do that. I feel like C would be in a better place for our football program 'cause Big twelve should be easy to win. Especially with the big guys out though. That went to the SEC, man. So you it's kinda been the laughing stock, it feels like so. PV: Yeah, we should at least have more success, if anything. Big Country: For sure, for sure. But yeah. But anything you guys want to add on add on for the beloved buffs. Ian Rodriguez: I don't know. I'm just ⁓ I'm excited for the offense, a little worried for the defense. And ⁓ yeah. It just ⁓ PV: Sound good. Big Country: Go go baby. Go go sell offense. Whatever the fuck that means. Ian Rodriguez: I don't know. It just feels like the same the same ⁓ story year after year. We just bring in these transfer guys that come from bigger schools that got no no playing time at other schools and now they're fucking starting for us. Big Country: Nowhere That too, yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, there's a reason why they didn't get playing time and somehow we want them. ⁓ PV: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, so PV: Yeah, it's just the state we're in, unfortunately. Ian Rodriguez: Definitely. Big Country: Yeah. You know, hopefully we can get it going, you know, have like a maybe an eight and four season. I'd be happy with that, obviously. Making a bowl. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, I'd I'd be I'd be happy bowling, man. Tell you that much. Big Country: But the the problem with bowling now is just no one gives a shit about the bowl. Players are gonna opt out. You know, unless you're making the the the big twelve like championship or you're making the twelve team, you know, playoff, your game doesn't matter. That's the problem with college sports, honestly. You know, none of these games matter. But anyway. It's getting depressing here, let's be honest. So let's let's talk some ads, guys. Like big, big game one win. Felt like a Ian Rodriguez: No. Big Country: You you couldn't sit down for that game, man. That game was electric. Nine to six dub, fourteen different goal scorers. Obviously, ⁓ McKinnon got the empty netter because everyone fucking loves that one. But what'd you what would you guys take away from the Aves? Ian Rodriguez: ⁓ dude, I was excited. PV: Yeah, I mean yeah, it was a crazy game to watch. ⁓ like you mentioned, not just this fact that it was fifteen goals, but it was fifteen fourteen different goal scorers. ⁓ I mean you're seeing everybody put the puck in the net last night and ⁓ it was just it wasn't like it was one period of a lot of goal scoring. It was just goal scoring throughout the game, and so it was definitely one to ⁓ one for the ages, one to watch. Big Country: Yeah, I mean Ian Rodriguez: It's it's exciting to see those young versatile defensemen, man, fucking McCarr Hughes, dude. Like those guys those Yeah. Big Country: Yeah, I mean t two guys at the at the top of their div position too. Like it's it's it's been it's gonna be a fun one to watch. I don't know how what many games the series goes. I don't think the Aves honestly lose maybe more than one game. We're that good. You know, I mean they they had to score sixth even to become it close. And their goal scorer is giving up the most goals throughout the playoffs. Even before that game, he was giving up the most. So I don't think The abs are gonna have a tough time finding the back of the net, you know, in game two or you know, for the rest of the series. But really excited from what I saw. We're obviously not like chill experts, you know, but ⁓ definitely very exciting in Denver for that team. Ian Rodriguez: We're gonna we're gonna see ⁓ PV: Yeah, definitely our best chance at a parade. Our only last chance now. Big Country: ⁓ yeah. Yeah, definitely. Ian Rodriguez: We're gonna see the other wood this series, the other goalie. Big Country: I think you definitely gotta think about it. ⁓ especially when your goalie gives up six goals. Obviously, you know, some things didn't go his way and he got beat on some some crazy plays by the other team. You know, Terrassenko had that crazy goal, that wraparound goal. ⁓ you know, you you just gotta live with that if you're Wedgewood, but you know, we got we got two woods for a reason. You know, we used them all year long, you know, one and one, you know, and it's kinda weird that we used Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. PV: It's unbelievable. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. Big Country: Wedgewood, you know, for the whole Kings series, but you know, it was working. So don't necessarily want to go away from it unless it starts not working. So I mean they're five and ⁓ in the in the playoffs so far, so I'm liking what I'm saying. Ian Rodriguez: It just ⁓ it's exciting, man. You know. That last King series, dude, how many goals do they score like that whole series? Like it w Yeah. Yeah. And they're just ⁓ it's like an ambiguous team, man. They just they know how to beat teams in their way or like you know, we didn't have to score fucking mad goals last series. This this series, you know. Big Country: Definitely. I think they scored less than nine, to be honest with you. So PV: Yeah. Big Country: Yeah. Well I think ⁓ something that's not really, you know, talked about enough is how good the Kings defense was. I mean they were I think ranked eighth in point in points allowed ⁓ points, goals allowed, right? And you know, going into team that's a little bit worse. Their goalies rookie, you know, he's feel I feel like he's feeling the pressure a little bit too. He has to be. I mean stars probably definitely rattled him a little bit, you know, and going on like, you know, a little shorter rest than what you know the Aves were Aves are Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. PV: That's true. Big Country: Ready to go. They weren't probably buzzing like like the wild were, but they were they seemed definitely ready. I mean, when you go up three ⁓ in the first, give it up, go down five four and then win nine to six. Love the resiliency out of both teams, but abs, I mean, talk about like, you know, you you go up three and you give up that lead. Got thing mentally like fuck, how the fuck hell did we do that? And then to go on, win it, stay aggressive, you know, because the ads play their game, that's for sure. PV: Yeah. Big Country: And they kinda kinda dictated it from the start. So that was nice to see. PV: Yeah. Absolutely. So hopefully we can definitely keep this momentum going forward. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, that game too is crucial, man. It's really crucial. Big Country: Hundred percent, yeah. G yeah. I mean we go 2 0. You're not beating the abs four out of five. I don't think any team is. We honestly might be seeing the Western Conference finals right now. Too. A lot of people are saying that. So get a treat. We got a treat on our hands for the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But let's talk about the my beloved Rockies, guys. They're they're fallen. I believe they have lost five straight. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. PV: Yeah, definitely. Big Country: Got swept by the p the Braves. You know, you you see a lot of positive this with this team. ⁓ but I mean, we were at the game on Saturday, you know, pitching man, pitching's been rough. PV: Yeah, I mean obviously I think the fact that we got swept by the Braves, I think you have to hold the fact that the Braves have been the best team in baseball. A lot of weight holds that. So, you know, we held a couple we did we held the lead in the first game against them. We had a chance ⁓ in the next game. So I don't think that we were completely getting slaughtered other than that game that of course we went to. ⁓ but it definitely for one, ⁓ the bullpen in games was One and two obviously were a really big issue. Not as much three because our starting pitching wasn't great that game, but ⁓ it's obvious it's obviously something that's always needed to be addressed in Colorado. I think this was the first time this year that it was really, really a huge issue. I mean it was a little bit of an issue maybe throughout the season before that, but I think this series was a really big issue, and so hopefully it's not a trend that we see continue. Big Country: Yeah, definitely with like our success of the pen at the start of the year. This is not obviously a shock. It's I mean it's the Rockies. It's Denver. You're gonna be at you're gonna have to score runs to win here. but you know, I was getting a little comfortable with our bump open, man. I felt like we were untouchable for a little bit there. Definitely wrong. But, you know, the bats also, you know, you can't like blame them for not hitting Chris Sale. Chris Sale's an all time great. but you know, I don't blame the offenses for losing games one and three. I mean they put up six runs of the first two innings. Yeah, you'd like to add a couple more. You know, you end up losing eight, six, but your bullpen gave up what, seven in the last two innings? That's just unacceptable. We don't want to see that. ⁓ and then game three, you know, back and forth and we ultimately lose eleven to six, but you know, once again, you're putting up six runs, most games you win that. So Ian Rodriguez: Just disappointing, dude. I think that first game, you know, just kinda just derailed the whole series for them. You know, you're up big like that, you know. You kinda you blow that lead, it kinda just creeps up in the back of your head the whole series. Big Country: Yeah, don't Yeah, definitely. Big confidence thing. Especially w 'cause you got a good start from trying to remember his name. What was it Lorenzen? PV: Michael Lorenzen, yeah. I believe he did start, yeah. Big Country: I think it was the runs in that game one. And he had a great start, you know? Like I think he gave up one through I want to say six. I mean, that's amazing in cores. You know, honestly, I don't I don't mind if a pitcher gives up three runs in his first five innings at course because it's course field and you're always gonna give up runs. You just gotta be out you gotta be able to outhit these guys. And Jake Arietta has said that best. He I don't care if I give up five of course because I know my team's gonna back me up with eight. It's course field. It's gonna happen. So But anyway, what do you guys think of our boy Mickey Moniac? That dude has been bawlin. PV: Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, he's yeah. Looking like that number one overall pick. PV: Absolutely. He's been on a tear. I mean, his bat's hot. ⁓ yeah. Big Country: Yep, ten years ago, man. That man was selected, thrown to the curb twice for Tim Anderson in LA. And now he's leading the league in multi home run games with four. Leading the NL in home runs. You know, stud. The talent's there. He's finally putting it together. I can't be happier. Hope we don't trade him. Let's be honest here. PV: ⁓ yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Here. Big Country: It could happen. It could happen. I mean, it's not even just of the Rockies. It's just, you know, at the point we're at, you know, it wouldn't be the worst thing to flip him for guys that can come up and ⁓ you know, contribute within the next couple of years. Cause this is obviously not a one year project. This is a long term project. We're not a win now team. So ⁓ but yeah. Hoping ⁓ you know, Tovar turns it around, Doyle turns around, they're having a little slow starts of the season. PV: It's the Rockies. Big Country: I feel like once it warms up a little bit, they'll get hot. But yeah. My boy Tob my boy Toby and B D. Well, B D PV: Yeah, Tobar's been struggling really really mightily under two hundred hitting this year, I think it was. Which I'm not looking too good. Big Country: Yeah. It it's ⁓ you know, it's it's not looking great, you know, but I'm seeing some very positive things over the past five games. He's hitting the ball a little harder, he's getting on that fastball, you know. He was a great fastball hitter his first couple years in the league, and you know, this start of the year he's kind of been late and under a lot of ⁓ I mean, that catch that we saw at the wall on Friday, it was the longest hit out over the weekend. And it came off the bat at one hundred and hundred nine miles an hour. You just gotta live with that. If you're Tovar, he's PV: Yeah. Big Country: I feel like he's gonna turn around, you know, he's got way too much talent to not and BD. Great defensive outfielder, and we need that in cores, so I need him to turn it around more than anything. So So yeah. But that kind of like wraps up like, you know, the the mini bulk of our show. Cause now we gotta we got a big one, boys. Our stupid, stupid Denver Nuggets, man. What PV: Absolutely. Yeah. Big Country: ⁓ just a turn of events, honestly. You go into that series winning what, twelve or thirteen in a row. You win game one. Me and yeah, me and Ian were there for game one. Electric, you know, get that build in rocking. Then you lose three straight. Ian Rodriguez: Thirteen including Glam One, yeah. It's like the same thing I just said, dude. Like with the Rockies, man. They blew that lead game game one, their series. Nuggets blew the lead game two, that nineteen point lead, dude. Just derailed the whole thing, man. They looked like a championship team that that first quarter of game two, for real. Jamal's in the crowd, high fiving the fans, dabbing people up. Stadium's rocking or arenas rocking. You know. That second quarter, dude. PV: Yeah, and I think Big Country: Yeah, vibes are high. I mean be honest man, like w what do you think is gonna go what do you think is gonna go down? We got a lot of big decisions coming up. Ian Rodriguez: I don't know if they have the means to make like these big decisions we think they're gonna make, you know what I mean? Like the assets aren't there. Big Country: I mean, everybody's talking, bro. It's starting to get a little little loud for everything, man. You know, you got Aaron Gordon trade, Jamal Murray trade. You're obviously not gonna trade Jokic and we're not stupid. I mean, let's be honest here. Could be stupid. But you you won't obviously do that. You know, we'll be at the gates barking at him. But you know, I I'm personally a fan of getting rid of Adleman. People have said he's like the reports are saying he's safe. Don't really understand that. You know, I didn't really like his rotations, you know, leading into the you know, going into like those you know, bench players, you know, getting those guys' minutes, getting those, you know, big guys off the floor. You know, and that's where it kinda feels you lost the game too. You know, Jokic was playing way too many minutes, he's getting retired way too quick, you know, 'cause I don't think he really was having like terribly bad games. It's just he was just, you know, taking way too many shots. And that was because I felt like he just had to lift the load. So I what do you think, PB? PV: I think more than the rotations, it's a combination of two big factors. one, I mean there was no really ever there was never any game plan going into any of the games. I mean, they literally lost some of their stars and I didn't see any game plan set up around attacking the ⁓ players that were brought in. ⁓ I feel like we could have taken advantage of how often Terrence Shannon was in there and maybe tried shooting on him more, but instead we had a lot of ⁓ terrible matchups that just weren't working and obviously that's a game plan issue. And in addition to that, the biggest thing I think is obviously the ener ⁓ the energy. I mean, what energy does Adleman really bring to the team? I mean, your team goes down the way they did in this series, like I said last ⁓ last episode, and it should have been something that reflected in game six. ⁓ those losses need to light a fire under your ass, and you need to have your team hyped up and you need to have them you can't let your team just listen to all the trash talk that Minnesota was giving you and not do something about it. Instead they kinda just backed into a corner and cowered with their tail behind between their legs. And so it just felt like a really pathetic outing and a really pathetic showing from David Adleman, the Nuggets as a whole. And it was just really sad to see us kind of whimper in a core in the corner after, you know, such a promising end to the season. Big Country: What do you think, Ian? You think Alman should get canned? Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, honestly I I think so, man. The the lack of physicality out of the nuggets I've seen throughout this whole series was just like it was honestly just embarrassing flat out to say. ⁓ you know, you know, they they outboarded us on the defensive side. We couldn't grab a defensive rebound the whole series. We let ⁓ get a ton of second chance points. Rudy Gobert wa pulled down more rebounds on on their side of the floor than than I I don't know, I've seen in quite some time. Big Country: Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: It was just getting pretty frustrating, honestly, and I didn't see any adjustments going that way. And then on the defensive side, you know, ⁓ just putting the ball in Jamal's hands and I think honestly just too much. He was just getting out like out physical, bro. Like ⁓ it looked better, honestly, when Tyus Jones is out there, like handling the ball, being the point guard, and have Jamal off the ball a little bit more. And I didn't see that throughout the series as much as I would have liked. And it's it seemed like when they started to go that way, it was a little too late. ⁓ I know they went with it game five a little more in game six. And Tyus Jones played pretty decent in in game five and six. Game five, like not as many points on the score on the scoreboard as like or he didn't put up as many points, but game six he did. He went up there and I don't know how many points he scored, I think like eight. But it was definitely ⁓ it was it was refreshing to see. And like I said, it was just a little too late. PV: Yeah, and I think one of the things that ⁓ one of the reasons why those players kind of showed out, I feel like in the series, players like him, Zeke Najee and Spencer Jones is cause they're the players that actually still have the ⁓ motivation and energy to try hard. I feel like when we won the championship, we had Jamal, we had Christian Brown, we had Aaron Gordon, everyone was just flying across the court. They were trying their hardest. You saw the physicality that we needed, you saw the effort that needed to be to needed to be put in and so with the starters this year in this series I just didn't see it and so it wasn't until we brought in those backup role players like Spencer Jones ⁓ that you actually started to see at least even a little bit of physicality and obviously ⁓ Jokic being a big problem in that as well. He just was really weak down low on offense and on defense. He wasn't getting any boards. He wasn't boxing out and it's just something that needs to be addressed. And if you don't have a coach that's addressing it, it's a problem. It's something that needs to be fixed. Big Country: Yeah, and honestly, you know, if we don't get rid of Adam and we obviously know there's changes coming regardless. You can't run the same team out there and expect the same result. so I mean, if we we do make some trades, and I feel like those are coming, ⁓ I could definitely see AG think United played his last game here already. Unfortunately, you know, people like to call him Mr. Nugget and shit like that. I've been calling for his ass to be traded for years. You know, even because I feel like he ki you know, as he's, you know, gotten older, gotten less athletic, he's kinda, you know, matured into more of a shooting game, you know, not as dressed in the paint as much and I feel like that's what made Aaron Gordon Aaron Gordon for the Nuggets, you know, especially with, you know, Jokic throwing him in the lob down low. And I think a trade would honestly be a little necessary, especially with his health recently. ⁓ you know, what do you do with Peyton Watson? ⁓ not too sure if he's unrestricted or restricted free agent, but you know He's gonna cost some money regardless. And ⁓ Christian Brown, I mean, what do you do with him, man? Like he didn't show up and we're paying him twenty five mil starting next year. So just Ian Rodriguez: You're locked into these contracts, man. Like no one was gonna wanna pick that up. Big Country: I mean, and honestly, your most valuable asset might just be Jamal. I just he's coming off a career year. Not saying breakup to do, because no one wants to see that. No Nuggets fan really wants to see Jamal gone. He had a gr horrible game six. That's a horrible series. You know, but you know, if you want to reset this, if you want to blow this up, you want to get a new identity with the Denver Nuggets, I mean, Jokic is going to be the centerpiece to all of it. But how do you manipulate the guys around him? PV: Yeah, and that's Big Country: So he can operate and do better for the Nuggets, but he's still gonna be him. Everyone knows that. But I think first step is ⁓ honestly is firing David David Adleman. Him and his fucking gap can go. Ian Rodriguez: It just seems like they would they they revert back to that that two man game with Jamal Jamal and Jokic too much. Like it just it's been getting exposed. Like it didn't work, dude, and we they just kept going back to it, man. Just th those handoff screens, man, that just wasn't working. Jaden McDaniels was eating that shit up the whole series, dude. Big Country: Yeah. And then they're a lengthy team, they're a great defensive team. And you know what the Nuggets are? Not. Nuggets don't know how to fucking play defense, it felt like. For half that series. You know, y all you had to do was go at Jamal and you're getting to the basket. That's what it felt like. Dude was sloppy, man. He wasn't he wasn't in his knees, you know, and maybe he was tired. Long season. Everyone knows that. But like those guys didn't look tired. Ian Rodriguez: That's like the kryptonite right there. Yeah. Big Country: No damn minute did they look tired any game. They lose their two best shooters and they stick a fucking fork in our hearts in games three and four without ⁓ Like how? Like honestly. What like Ian Rodriguez: Defenders, bro. They just their team's built with defenders. Top to bottom. Big Country: Yeah, and Terrence Shannon look like fucking prime D Rose in that game six. Like what are we it got me mad, man, to say the least. And I mean, who who do you think we should trade for if we do get rid of these guys, guys? PV: I think we're just stuck in a really bad purgatory. I think the problem with if you wanted to move Aaron Gordon is you're not gonna get much back for him. And I think there's a lot of players that that's gonna be the case for on our team. I think we trade Cam Johnson. ⁓ can only afford Cam Johnson or Peyton Watson. I say we invest in Peyton Watson. ⁓ I mean, obviously we're missing a lot of physicality down low, and so he's that's gonna be something he brings to the team. And Cam Johnson was supposed to be a great shooter for us. ⁓ didn't see Too much of that. We obviously did see some bright spots in this series occasionally, but I do think ⁓ unfortunately it is going to be kind of a quick trip for Cam Johnson in Denver. ⁓ someone to trade for. I think you guys mentioned this when we talked last. ⁓ it would be great if we could somehow manage a trade for Zion. ⁓ obviously that's kind of big ⁓ big a big ask and not really feasible, but if we could bring somebody that. big and physical down low, that's kind of the type of player at least that we're looking for. Big Country: What do you think? Yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, no, I I I like that Zion idea. I think it'd be cool to bring him in and bring him in and just like have a role like Aaron Gordon was before, you know, before you all these injuries. ⁓ I think he's physical down low. I think he can buy you a bucket. ⁓ it'd help with defense inside the paint. ⁓ but like Pat said, I don't know how feasible it really is. Big Country: Yeah. I mean Yeah. Honestly you gotta mortgage a little bit of the Nuggets future beyond all these guys, you know, giving up firsts, you know, seconds, like you you're gonna give up like potential depth, you know, and honestly the end of the Nuggets prime. Like right at the end this team is gonna be ass. You know, and that's a pill we're gonna eventually have to swallow. But you know, we got arguably, you know, top three center of all time right now. You know, three time MVP, you're not gonna waste this. You gotta go all in every year, you know? And I'm not gonna, you know, say you should necessarily get rid of Jamal, but you know, if someone's willing to offer something great for him, I can see his time being up. I can see any of these guys time being up with the nuggets, except for Jokic, obviously. So I mean Cam Johnson, I do agree. He's probably on his way out, he's got an expiring contract. He looks very tradable. Someone's gonna want him. But the thing with all these guys is like what are you really gonna get back unless you give up multiple firsts? And you're not really gonna get much of a younger player s like a young star 'cause we got a bunch of fucking old heads. So Yeah. PV: I'm hoping maybe we can invest more time and ⁓ maybe Darren Holmes kinda steps into one of those big mana roles. You saw a little bit of him near the back end of the season. I think he's a big young player that could mi potentially step into that physical role, but ⁓ obviously he only has maybe a half year under his belt thanks to that big injury he faced. ⁓ so hopefully we can see a little bit more of him soon. Big Country: Yeah. Yeah, definitely just like developing the young guys we do already have now. I mean Peyton Watson was like a prime example of just like someone who finally blossomed this year. You know, obviously injuries suck and he faced adversely down the stretch and didn't get to finish his season, but he was a diamond in the rough. I mean he put averaged what two point g two points a game in that UCLA? You know, and he was averaging almost twenty this season. So, I mean it's definitely, you know It's just such a hard conversation for the Nuggets to have. I mean, you're gonna get rid of someone probably you really like and someone the fans are not gonna, you know, wanna see go, I feel like. But I I guarantee you this is gonna be an entirely different team next year. Yeah. And you got anything else to say? Ian Rodriguez: How much ⁓ how much different is a series of Peyton Watson plays? PV: I think it's a huge difference. I don't know necessarily that we end up winning the series if the rest of the team plays as ⁓ effortless as they did. But I think that bringing him in would have for one brought another scoring outlet, which we desperately needed in this series, especially in that last game. ⁓ and obviously as we keep hammering the same point, the physicality down low, ⁓ he would have been jumping in, flying around, and you always see him. Just trying to make those big plays, diving at balls on the ground, flying for shots. ⁓ so that's the type of effort we needed. And so I think it would have given us a much better opportunity, a bigger shot for sure. Big Country: Make it play. Yeah, let's see, like, you know, him, AG just being those defensive guys that we lost, it's not said it's the reason why we lost. 'Cause if you look at the game six box score, you could see exactly why we lost on the offensive end for one, Jamal going like four for fifteen. Doesn't help. Makes literally three or four more shots. You probably win that game. Or, you know, when the offensive rebound discrepancy is almost fifteen. That's ridiculous. That's that's heart right there too. That means they want it more than you. So ⁓ you know, and props to the Timberwolves, man, like the the fact that they got that done, you know, without their big guns, even without the guy that came in, gave him a huge lift to beat us in what game was it game three or game four when the Sumnu dropped forty? I want to say game four. I mean, game of his life. I mean, where's that type of player for us? Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. That was game four. PV: Was game four? Big Country: The guy that you will never think is gonna make that type of game. We just never had that once. And I don't think we even have that type of player on the nuggets right now. No one's giving us forty off the bench. Fuck no. You know, I I'm hoping we go out and like make a splash at head coach and make some splashes in the trade market because ⁓ otherwise this team is not gonna win a chip next year. So yeah. Ian Rodriguez: No, definitely not. Big Country: Wha who who do you guys think is ⁓ I mean, it was kinda like switch base here 'cause it was a little depressing talking about the nuggets, but ⁓ you know, we got round two going on tonight. Started tonight. ⁓ we saw the Knicks take care of the PV: Sixers. Ian Rodriguez: Texers? Big Country: Sixers, yeah. Handedly two. I mean, Jalen Brunson had twenty-seven in the first half. What are we thinking for Eastern Conference right now? Ian Rodriguez: I like the Knicks man. I think the Knicks PV: Yeah. Yeah, I think the Knicks knocked down the Eastern Conference. I mean, they've had that team put together for a few years now. They have the chemistry. They've ⁓ they've ha they all have playoff experience. And I think today obviously really showed. ⁓ obviously given that the seventh seed beat the Celtics, it kind of made it a little bit easier of a road for them. ⁓ and so I do think that b given that the Celtics were taken out of the contention, it's gonna make it Big Country: You wanna elaborate? PV: that I think that put them at the top for the strongest contenders. I really don't think that the Pistons ⁓ are gonna be someone that I think can compete with them. Big Country: Yeah. I feel like a lot of that Eastern Conference is so balanced. You really could see any one of those four teams potentially come out. I think each each series might go like six or seven games. I I mean Pistons were on the brink of death anyway. Kinda, you know, had a great surge at the end. They're probably gonna get past the Cavs if if I had to bet. You know, Cade playing an ⁓ V P level when he has to. That's kind of the point. Like you were saying earlier, pal, like when they were down three one, this dude wasn't doing shit, you know, but the last three games you put up forty, thirty, and thirty. I mean, if he has those type of games, he the team on his back, the Pitts Pistons are gonna win games. But if I'm if I'm, you know, taking like a little underdog back, I really do think the seventy Sixers could beat the Knicks in seven. I mean, they have a lot of names, they have some depth, and they're much bigger than the Knicks. So I think you could see a potential upset there. I kind of want to see PG get a get a ring or even get a chance at a ring. Let's be honest here he's The West is probably gonna win this in the end. But yeah. What do you think, Ian? Ian Rodriguez: No, I'm excited. I I think I think both these series are gonna be pretty good. I think it's like you guys already mentioned, the East is really balanced. ⁓ with the Celtics getting knocked out, it seemed like they were kind of the the favorite coming out of the East. ⁓ when the playoffs started. And then they go up three one, they blow that. So all these teams pass got like a lot easier with those guys out. ⁓ I don't know. It's hard to say, but I I like the Knicks because I I like I like their depth. I like their I like their role players. I think they got the I think they have the means to make a deep run. They went to the conference finals last year, you know. They should have beat that Pacers team. I think that's like kind of ⁓ like ⁓ in the back of their minds for sure, that that series from last year. ⁓ I I think it might be the year that they finally get over the hump and make that finals run. Big Country: Talk about Timothy Chalamy, man. I mean, that dude just said, fuck you to Kylie Jenner. I'm going to the Knicks game one. The stones on that man. PV: Mm-hmm. Ian Rodriguez: You got it. You stay true to heart, dog. Big Country: That ass bro. ⁓ what a guy, honestly. We should all be we we should all aspire to be a little bit more like Timothy, bro. Sports matter more than bitches. and then on do you guys think there's any chance the Lakers can possibly dethrone the Thunder? Ian Rodriguez: Marty Supreme in the cut. Ha ha. PV: No. Ian Rodriguez: I I don't dude. Big Country: Yeah, it's a quick one. I mean, I love to say LeBron can get it done one more time. I think it would be awesome to see. It would really just, you know, put a a storybook ending in his career. But that team is so defensively like built that they will swallow his old ass. Like you can score from any one of those guys, dude. And they have like feels like they have scores at six, seven, eight, eight, eight on their bench, man. Like PV: No, I don't think it's gonna happen. I think the Thunder are just too good. Big Country: They're just disgusting. Jalen Williams is out game one though. I feel like that's something to watch. Not saying it's gonna be that much of a problem for them. But don't give LeBron a fucking chance to win, you know? LeBron's gonna take the game over if he has to. And yeah. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. PV: No, yeah. I think that the Thunder are just simply just too good. ⁓ I mean they don't lack really anything anywhere. They have great game plans going into every game, phenomenal defense on every side of the ⁓ on every side of the ball, on ball, off ball defense. They know how to score. ⁓ I mean the Thunder champ were champions last year for a reason. They'll probably do it again this year. ⁓ they have a lot of players that put a lot of effort out there. One of those players being someone like Alex Caruso, who kind of just flies around the court. And then one that a lot of people don't like, ⁓ but he definitely still puts a lot of effort forth is Lou Dort. ⁓ kind of a ⁓ considered a little bit of a dirty player. ⁓ but he definitely still he definitely still puts a lot of effort out and he still brings a lot of that energy that a championship team needs. Big Country: Dick bag. Very dirty, bro. Fuck. Little live update, boys, by the way, but the Spurs are losing to the Timberwolves right now. With yeah, with one nineteen to go, the Spurs are down five. Ant-Man, I don't know how the hell he is playing. Props to him. I can't hate that man, truthfully. I mean, basically on one leg and he's shooting eight for thirteen right now. Ian Rodriguez: They can shoot and PV: Yeah, and they can shoot lights out. We are. Yeah, with a minute left. Ian Rodriguez: The Spurs are losing? Wow. Cool. Big Country: On twenty four minutes. Like you gotta know there's a minute restriction there. I mean, that team's playing with a ton of heart, playing with a playing for their common man and Divin Genzo, man. I c honestly, if there's any team I'm really rooting for out west, it's probably the Timber Bulls, even though they beat the Nuggets. Like I can't really hate this team that much. You know, they talked their shit, but they backed it up. PV: Let's see. Ian Rodriguez: Those teams that hustle, man, it's those teams that hustle, dude. Those hustle points, man. Big Country: Plus, hey fuck it. I don't I'm not rooting for Wemby, man. Nor Shay. There's some pussies, bro. But Ian Rodriguez: Not a fan. Not a fan of Wimby? Big Country: Not a big fan. I mean I I mean you could like take your th have your take on him, but like I think he's just good because he's tall. You know, what's really other than I mean he's he's obviously crazy good. You know, he has he has a three, but like Bobul had a three. PV: No, I disagree. Ian Rodriguez: I think it's just Just versatile, man. What who have you who Bulbo played no defense? Bulbul's a code, man. PV: can yeah, he's extremely versatile. He can dribble, he can shoot, he has like over I think he has double digit blocks in this game. Ian Rodriguez: Yeah, he does. I think he just set the record actually for most blogs. PV: Yeah, he has twelve he has twelve blocks. Big Country: You know, matter of fact, you know, Wamby's a god. But I'd I'd I'd much rather say the Timber Bulls come out of this series 'cause I think they they honestly played the the Thunder really well, you know. And they're the type of team that can play defensively as good as them too. So I think that would be a great ⁓ conference final matchup. but yeah. And man's also fun to just Yeah, but Ian Rodriguez: Didn't we get that conference final matchup last year? Big Country: We get w I mean I think with Ant Man bros that dude just I swear to god he he takes like one series at a time and usually comes to like the biggest one he usually folds. So hopefully that is not the case this year. Ian Rodriguez: I mean back to back watch the conference finals. They probably should have made it against the Mavericks the year they beat us. PV: Yeah. Yeah, the Mavericks wiped the floor with them that year. Big Country: Scene was nasty though. Kyrie and Luca were playing out of their minds. Two point game, by the way, thirty seconds left. ⁓ PV: You s Wimby just dunked on Jaden Daniels. Let's go. Big Country: Of course he did. Get duck on anyone. But yeah. ⁓ but let's get to our last segment of the night, fellas. We're wrapping this up. ⁓ got a little parlay for game one of Lakers Thunder and what was the other one, Pat? PV: Lickers, thunder, pistons or not pistons. ⁓ yeah, it was pistons, yeah. Big Country: Calves pistons. Yeah. We got a little same game parlay. for you guys tonight. ⁓ talk me through your little your first pick, Pat. PV: Yeah, so I'm a big fan of ⁓ Marcus Smart in this series. I think that he is the kind of spark that the Lakers are gonna need if they're gonna have a win in this game in this ⁓ any type of a chance at winning any games in this series. ⁓ I think that he is a surprisingly good shooter at times, and so I think he'll get a lot of open shots and a lot of open takes. And I think he's also a really good distributor and so people will be afraid of ⁓ him making that extra pass to get those points. And so that'll give him a lot of opportunities to kinda just drive down the lane. Big Country: Yeah, for sure. And tell me a little bit about why why we think LeBron's gonna go over twenty and nine. Ian Rodriguez: It's LeBron, bro. Nah, I'm just like, ⁓ dude, he's dominant, man. He he he comes through clutch in big games. It's a huge series. It's a big staple game two, you know. You want to come out and you wanna show out game one. You don't want to fold. I think LeBron knows how to not fold. ⁓ and at the end of the day, man, you know, they got AR, they got they got different pieces, but LeBron's the anchor. You know, LeBron plays good, the Lakers play good, so ⁓ I think they're gonna go to him. They're gonna look to LeBron, you know. And he's he's the greatest scorer in NBA history, so twenty and a half doesn't seem like too big of a feat for him. PV: And before we move on, ⁓ g missed missed game winning three. Looks like the Timberwolves take down game one in San Antonio. Ian Rodriguez: Who shot it? PV: I believe I think it was Champagny No, it was it was Dylan Harper. ⁓ no no no it was Champagny. No, I was right, it was Champagny. Ian Rodriguez: Brook, huh? PV: That was their he was their highest scorer today, so What does it say? Well, I can still see you, so we're fine. Interesting. Well it still says it's it still says it's live from my point of view. Interesting. Well, let's just wait, hold on. Let's just do the last Ian Rodriguez: Yeah. PV: Hello. Ian Rodriguez: We lost big country. PV: ⁓ we got two big countries now. Ian Rodriguez: Big country times two. Big eggs to plug. Big Country: There's two of me. PV: Big country squared.