Napoleon Solo’s Preakness Triumph & Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship Breakthrough

Nick (00:16.376)
We back. It's the height differential. That's the 6'6", Neil. I am the 4'10", Nick. Got plenty to talk about today. We're going to recap the preakness to PGA, talk a little, finally talk a little NBA, because I don't feel like we've talked a ton of NBA. But now that we're down to the final four, I think we're all watching.

Neil (00:35.695)
Yeah.

Nick (00:38.35)
Talk some NFL, Joe Burrow spoke to the media today. And Aaron Rodgers is coming back for a year to be the Steelers quarterback. And then Will Wade is just doing just total Will Wade tanks down in LSU. And then we'll close with a little what would Joe do? And we both agree. It's a good one. Before we get, yeah, I gotta get in the lab, dude.

Neil (00:50.031)
He's doing blue-white things. He's doing blue-white things.

Neil (01:03.921)
feel like we need a theme song. What would Joe do?

Nick (01:08.366)
I gotta get in the lab. I've been wanting to write a theme song for the show, period. And I have it. I have the lyrics. just...

Neil (01:16.197)
You mean give it to me baby. huh. Or whatever the thing is isn't good. That's not good enough. Give it to me. bump bump. Or whatever that is.

Nick (01:19.458)
Well, it's fine, but I still get copyright notices on YouTube, which means if we ever do blow up, well, it's not even a real song. It's a song that's on a platform where you can utilize other people's music and get it copyright free. But I don't own, I guess, I don't know.

Neil (01:29.457)
I don't even know what's on that.

Neil (01:41.393)
Yeah.

Nick (01:49.974)
We still get copyright notices. And if we ever do monetize this thing, I don't want to get copyrighted and not be able to monetize it. So I want to have a new intro song at some point, right at what would Joe do. Right now we're just, only sitting on the Juices lunch bell and Juice won't even come onto the show to help us utilize that.

Neil (02:08.689)
Pretty sad. That's pretty sad.

Nick (02:11.746)
But before we get into everything, reminder to follow Height Differential on whatever podcast provider you listen to, whether it's Apple or YouTube or Spotify, Amazon, and then to follow us on social. It all helps people find it. But like I said, we're going to start with the Preakness. I was driving home from Indy, watching on my phone.

But, I'll be honest, it kinda looked like we knew a little bit what we were talking about.

Neil (02:43.354)
Yeah.

Neil (02:47.025)
I mean, no, the race unfolded almost exactly how we expected it to. We thought Taj Mahal was gonna get out front like he likes to do as we talked about his last two wins, he went wire to wire and that's exactly what he did. Coming from the one slot, we knew it was gonna be difficult but it looked like it was no problem for him. He broke clean, got out front and he did what he wanted to do. Problem is, he hadn't run this distance and it showed.

Nick (02:47.311)
And yeah, I'll check out.

Neil (03:17.265)
He was great for a mile and then all of a sudden he just ran out of gas so You know, it's kind of what what we thought I didn't know if he could we didn't know for sure if he was gonna fade or not because like we said the distance was unknown but it just turned out he couldn't do it and horses like iron honor and Napoleon solo Were the were the stalkers like they were gonna get behind that pace push that pace where those pace runners out which they did and and then take over toward the end and

Napoleon Solo ran the race that he wanted to. Iron Honor ran the race that he wanted to. Just turned out Napoleon Solo was just a little bit better that day.

Nick (03:53.57)
Yeah, I will say the one thing like we didn't know what horse officially would get out front whether it be Taj Mahal, Napoleon Solo. And we didn't know if Napoleon Solo would be able to raid a little bit behind Taj Mahal, but he really did a great job with that. And I think my biggest mistake in my bets was believing in Taj Mahal with all three of his wins being at Laurel probably against lesser competition. If you take him out.

I made some money on Saturday, but that was my big mistake. think believing in that horse. If that race is at Pimlico and not Laurel Park, then Taj Mahal's probably not in my bets.

Neil (04:39.855)
Yeah, no, I agree. mean, it's just hard to ignore the three for three lifetime and all of his familiarity with Laurel Park. So yeah, mean, there's a lot of bias there and we bought into it. I bought into it as well. I mean, I had Iron Honor as my win horse, but I had Taj Mahal and lot of of Xactas and Tries and kind of screwed me over there.

Nick (04:57.644)
We both did.

Nick (05:04.087)
Well, and speaking of Iron Honor, like when they hit the stretch, it looks a hundred percent like he's going to win. Great spot gaining ground. you don't know, like, is the thing about Napoleon Solo that we talked about, we didn't know if he could get the distance. And when they hit that stretch, you're just like, dude, we knew who the best horse was in this race. And there he is. And he's getting ready to take over. And

Neil (05:10.459)
Thanks for watching.

He's in a great spot.

Nick (05:33.548)
he just really never gained any ground at all. And honestly, I think it's one point Solo was pulling away and extending the lead a little bit after you thought that he was gonna get taken over. this is the reason why, I, Napoleon Solo was one of my top picks just because he was such a good horse as a two year old and we saw the talent. He's one of the few horses that had a great woodwind and a field that.

Neil (05:43.653)
Yeah, late, yeah.

Nick (06:01.997)
This was a depleted preakness field. It just was. And he was one of the few horses that had beat this level of competition, which is why I thought you had to include him. And I didn't know if he could get the distance, but he clearly could and really just dominated everybody.

Neil (06:04.273)
Yeah.

Neil (06:22.981)
Yeah, yeah. mean it was, and for the horses from Derby running back on the two weeks, you know, they didn't quite have it. Ocelli finished fourth, so another pretty strong showing from Ocelli who finished, who finished third in Derby. And then Incredible finished right behind him in fifth. So I don't know if maybe the short turnaround had a factor in that or if just the other horses were better and I'm leaning toward the other horses were just a little bit better. But.

Two quality showings from them and then Robusta, the other derby horse, and he didn't really show up. He finished ninth. Great White never really bought into the hype of Great White. He went off with really low odds for whatever reason. People bought into that. I couldn't tell you why. Finished eighth and 13 lengths back. So those two horses really weren't a factor. But yeah, I mean, what do you think? You think that the two week comeback for Rosselli and Incredible played a factor or were the other horses just better? Yeah, I agree. I agree.

Nick (07:16.833)
Better, better horses. Like I don't think it played really a factor at all. I mean, we talked and I mean, we thought the best horses were Napoleon Solo, Iron Honor, Incredible. And I guess in Taj Mahal, Chip Honcho was the other one that you guys had talked about who finished in the trifecta. I kind of left him out of my stuff, which is another reason why I didn't hit anything. But.

Neil (07:32.433)
holes.

Neil (07:43.825)
Yeah

Nick (07:45.878)
I think another storyline was the price that Napoleon Solo went off at. He went off at eight to one, which I think is great price for that horse. He even got hammered a little bit late. nine to, no, he ended up going off at nine to two. He got pounced by the CAWs because he was eight to one pretty much the whole day and then got down to seven to one and then really got pounced by the CAWs. So they thought he was going to win too.

Neil (07:55.257)
My iron honor went off it. What was he? Nine to one? Eight to one?

Well, we got a bouncer. Yeah.

Neil (08:06.629)
Yeah.

Neil (08:13.135)
Yeah.

Nick (08:13.293)
Because that's the one thing about CAW is they can be right and think they're going to be right and maybe it just doesn't turn out that way. But yeah, his odds dropped significantly right at the gate. But did you hit anything?

Neil (08:27.503)
got my $10 bet back thanks to Twin Spires for my horse coming in second, but that was it. So I got a $10 bonus bet to use in the next two weeks.

Nick (08:36.183)
See, and this, I've got a $10 bet too. but that's the, like picking the right horses that are gonna be there is part one of what this is all about. The second part is learning how to bet successfully. And it, the way that I bet it on Saturday just shows that even though I had a pretty good idea what this race is gonna turn out, I just don't know how to bet. So,

Neil (08:39.931)
That's it.

Neil (08:54.533)
Yes.

Nick (09:05.705)
I bet Iron Honor to win. Comes in second, like you said, for the bet back you get your money back. My exact-a-bet was just Taj Mahal and Iron Honor.

So that sounds okay until you hear what my trifecta was where it includes Napoleon Solo, Iron Honor, Taj Mahal, and Incredible. So why am I not including Napoleon Solo in my exact...

if I'm including in my try. I even talked about how, look, I don't think Napoleon Solla is probably gonna come third, fourth, or fifth in this race. He's either gonna win it or he's gonna get nailed at the wire. And he won it. And I don't know. Like, I need to read some books on how to bet because I wanna win more bets. And it's even more frustrating when you feel like you had a pretty good feel for the race and you still.

Neil (09:36.603)
Yeah.

Nick (10:04.183)
come away with not a single winning ticket.

Neil (10:07.749)
Yeah, no, I had Napoleon, I didn't do any exact as I just did a couple of try boxes and all my try boxes had Taj Mahal in them. But I did have Napoleon solo in those as well. But Taj Mahal was really the reason I didn't hit anything is because he just ran out gas.

Nick (10:22.657)
Yeah. that Xacta, which those two, like you said, right before they went off, it looked like they were going to go off at like nine to one and eight to one. And you're expecting, if you pay that $1 box, exactly you're expecting that to pay. And I think it paid a hundred bucks.

Neil (10:32.656)
Yeah.

Neil (10:42.929)
Yeah, because didn't Matt hit that, right? Didn't Matt hit it?

Nick (10:46.625)
Yeah, but he only got paid out 50.

Neil (10:51.984)
Yeah.

Nick (10:54.404)
So, yeah, I don't know. It's one thing they got to change because he did think they went off at eight to one and seven to one. And then Iron Honor actually ended up going off at nine to two. But yeah, he only cleared like 50 bucks. Which if you pick the first two in a 14 field and they aren't going off at two to one, three to one, I feel like your return should be pretty good.

And that's the thing that horse racing is just turning away a lot of people right now because they're getting frustrated by their payouts.

Neil (11:32.881)
What you saw, I I sent that to you, I think was pre-gness day or it either on pre-gness day or the day before they were running at Laurel and there was the horse, the 15 horse, they have a picture of the horses in the gate and the odds next to them, like on the screen, 18 to one. In the gate at 18 to one. Crosses the finish line, six to one.

From 18 to one to six to one in the split second. Like you're thinking, wow, 18 to one's gonna be a great payout, and then it's just an average six to one. You've gotta fix it.

Nick (12:08.845)
And if you're new to this game and you're so pumped and you think, yeah, you put a $10 bet on that, you think you're bringing home 180, 190 bucks. Instead, you're getting 50, 60.

Neil (12:13.497)
You think you got sleep? You're slow from me.

Neil (12:23.397)
Like you feel like somebody stole money from you and then you're not gonna want to play again

Nick (12:27.839)
Absolutely not and it's so hard to pick horses correctly and you actually pick one right and they're doing this to you and I mean we both love horse racing. That's why we talk about horse racing a lot every week, especially right now during the Triple Crown, but They got to figure some stuff out They got to figure some stuff out and it it looks like the Belmont field is gonna be a lot of the derby horses Which is the way it's been the last couple years that that field is gonna be great

Neil (12:34.129)
Yeah.

Neil (12:48.913)
They do.

Nick (12:57.037)
down in Saratoga and then you were talking about the Stephen Foster. That field is at the end of June at Churchill with that's going to have sovereignty and Baeza and White of Barrio and they just upped the burst to 2 million. So the tracks are making so much money. We just want a little peace. We just want a little peace.

Neil (13:02.16)
Yeah.

Neil (13:12.335)
Yeah.

Neil (13:20.753)
Just give us some feed. We just want a little slice of the pie. Just a little sliver of the pie. Give me little coat of that apple pie.

Nick (13:26.945)
Yeah, and when we get to the Belmont, will have Matt back on to preview. We'll do a horse by horse just like we've done for the Derby and the Preakness. I was telling you before we got on, it's kind of odd right now not having the five foot six Matt on because I feel like he's been on the last 10 shows because we've talked so much horse racing.

Neil (13:45.162)
Which I guess you won the draft,

Nick (13:49.676)
Yeah, I pretty much dominated, had first and second. So I had Iron Honor with my first pick, which was the second pick overall. And then Napoleon Solo with my fifth pick. Tried to still, tried to jump in there, pick the second and third pick. Got a lot of grief on the show, got a lot of grief on social from people watching that. let, see, don't hide it. I put it out there as it was.

Neil (14:18.801)
You're like the cause, you're trying to steal from us. You're trying to steal from us. We'll call you a C-A-W over there.

Nick (14:19.073)
Show him my ignorance. Show him my ignorance.

Yeah, but Matt had picked Incredible first and then he had, who'd he pick as his last horse?

Neil (14:32.689)
Do you have Chip? Do you have Chip Huncher?

Nick (14:37.549)
Heck, I don't even remember. You had said it should have been talking. No, the hell we did. He took the hell we did with his last pick. And then I had this stuff written down. I didn't even bring it with me. Who'd you have third and fourth pick?

Neil (14:38.993)
presented the answer.

Neil (14:43.563)
what the hell we did?

Neil (14:50.865)
I had Taj and...

Nick (14:55.335)
Hancho Yeah, you picked on show so I will get the last pick in the Belmont draft What did I don't know who came in second or third late? I guess He had incredible in fifth you had fourth or third

Neil (14:56.347)
I think I have to Tantra, yeah.

Neil (15:12.623)
I had Hanzo in third, Hanzo finished third and Taj finished 10th. we did finish seventh. So if you add him up, I had a net total of 10, he had a net total of...

Five plus 12. Oh no, I 13, sorry, I had 13. Net total of 13, he had a net total of 12. So he wins by one, yeah.

Nick (15:31.341)
There's nothing more exciting than live.

Nick (15:38.03)
So you get the first bit. Nothing more exciting than live math on a podcast. We hope you all enjoyed that. But we will have Matt back on in a couple of weeks to talk the Belmont. And I'm excited about that. We'll see if Golden Simpo can do what he did in the derby because I'm stepped on. There ain't no way he's not going to run in the Belmont.

Neil (15:56.626)
Is he officially, they officially said he's running?

I don't know man, I don't I hope so but.

Nick (16:05.133)
There ain't no way. If the Derby horse ain't coming back in five weeks, we really got problems.

And dude, that's another thing too, like when we talked about the May, June, July thing, it's got a lot of, a lot of people talking about it out there in the horse racing industry. And, and maybe that's not exactly what they do, but we still got to do something. Cause that, look, we were excited. There were 14 horses in that pre-gness and we talked to ourselves into being excited about it because it's a horse race. It's got a big name on it. And we just, we've

Neil (16:30.993)
You gotta make it happen. Make it happen.

Nick (16:42.891)
We have grew up to watch the pre-test. It's just what we do here in Louisville, Kentucky, but we need to get better horses in that field. There was way too many passes and no chances in that race, and it turned out to be exactly that.

Neil (16:59.419)
Yes.

Nick (17:01.065)
Anything else on the Preakness? Or in the horse racing world?

Neil (17:03.439)
Nope, we'll take a week off from horse racing and get back at it when we get some post position draws here in what about two weeks.

Nick (17:13.741)
And yeah, yeah. So yeah, excited to take a little bit of time off and excited to see what happens in the Belmont, see who comes back from the pregness, if anybody's going to run all three, which that'll be interesting. So got to get into the PGA. Everybody talked about how low they thought everybody's going to go in a round of it. And that's all I heard.

all week was this course is wide open. The rough is spotty. Like there's going to be some tough spots, but there's also going to be some spots where it's not too bad allies. That was the exact opposite of what we saw in a lot of players complaining all week about pin locations being too difficult.

And it looked like that Sunday was gonna be wild. And that leaderboard was just so jumbled up with some big names. And like Scotty never mounted a surge at all on Sunday.

Neil (18:09.659)
Yeah.

Neil (18:14.085)
Big names.

Neil (18:20.657)
It was the opposite. let's talk about Scotty. Scotty was the exact opposite of what he had been doing all year. He actually had a good first round, shoots the three under, and then rounds two through four, he finishes one over. He couldn't putt. His putting was atrocious all weekend.

Nick (18:36.821)
And he was missing some shorties too. missing some shorties. Rory, after making a run on Saturday, never really made a push on Sunday.

Neil (18:40.057)
Shorties.

Neil (18:49.135)
Also speaking of Rory, you see him getting into little argument with a fan again? Crying. Crying again. Come on.

Nick (18:52.845)
He's getting known for that. He's getting known for that. He I'm telling you he's He's having some bad PR on himself and and people are starting to grow tired of it and the fact that Golf covers him as much as they do Because he they should they should I mean he's worried about but People are growing tired of walking Rory

Neil (19:04.057)
soft.

Neil (19:14.705)
Yeah. Yeah. Oh yeah. I he's just one of the masters.

Nick (19:21.793)
walk to his shots on coverage when they aren't showing other guys. And people are growing tired of watching him in pregame at the range when they're not showing other guys. And people are growing tired of watching his postgame comments when they're not showing other guys on coverage. And I saw that at the golf event I was at. A lot of people. And look, we got this with Tiger because Tiger was everywhere. And I remember my grandpa being like, Tiger would be

Neil (19:32.463)
Yeah. Yeah.

Neil (19:40.027)
Yeah.

Nick (19:51.305)
in 16th, but they'd show him on the bottom line because he was Tiger. And I remember my grandpa being, he's not even out there, they're still showing Tiger. I feel like that's kind of what we're getting to with Warre, but people are kind of growing tired of it and not wanting to see him so much. And he's bringing a lot of this on himself with all of these antics.

Neil (20:11.845)
I mean his antics, him getting in spats with fans is only gonna make it worse for himself. I mean, you're just gonna get more heckled even more. Like if fans know that they can get under your skin and they don't want you to win and they don't like you, they're gonna just keep doing it. And all the dude said was USA. That's all he said, USA. And that made Rory flip his shit. Like what are we doing dude? Like focus on golf. Don't worry about the fans. Like focus on your golf. Stop being a D-bag.

Nick (20:39.948)
And if you don't bogey four straight holes on Thursday You're right there. You're right there But we get to the back nine and JT went off relatively early because he did not have a good Saturday and He posted a 65 To go to go into the clubhouse at five under and I I thought at the beginning of the day he you probably had to get to seven to win

Neil (20:43.941)
Yeah, I don't know what his Thursday was. Good Lord. Yeah, his Thursday was brutal.

Neil (20:56.015)
Yeah.

Neil (21:00.731)
Five under. Yeah.

Nick (21:11.19)
and but it just kept being to where yeah

Neil (21:13.969)
For while, yeah, for a while he was sitting there 500 and he was one shot back of Schmid. Is that Schmid? Schmid? Mad Schmid? I know he's a UofL guy. I know he's UofL guy. I just want to make sure I pronounce his last name right. But yeah, Schmid was the sixth, I mean, well Schmid had the bogey early and then he bounced back with three birdies to get back in front and he was at 600 and JT's at 500. You know, they were making the turn and it's still a one shot lead. It's like.

Nick (21:21.644)
I'm a kid. That's a U of L guy. U of L guy.

Neil (21:40.697)
You expect a guy like Schmidt who's not been in this position before to probably choke one away. So if you're JT, you're feeling pretty good. The field's probably going to come back to you. But it didn't turn out quite that way, but he still finished T4.

Nick (21:54.379)
It was, it looked like it was getting close and JT had told a story. don't know the exact tournament to where he had posted a score early in the day and he's got a buddy there and they're just pounding beers and he's like, I might have to go back out there. Yeah. Yeah. His colleague, Eddie had already left. So I think he was a little more prepared for this one. Just in case, but yeah, like

Neil (22:01.233)
You tough? Yeah.

Neil (22:06.544)
Yeah.

Neil (22:10.777)
And his caddy's already an hour away. His caddy wouldn't even...

Neil (22:18.479)
Yeah, I think he learned his lesson from whatever tournament that one was. Yeah.

Nick (22:23.764)
It just, when they're on the back nine, you're like, 500 still could maybe get you in a playoff.

Neil (22:28.806)
Yeah.

Nick (22:30.454)
But then, like, Rom really didn't do anything to make any noise. Smid had that bogey late that kinda took him out of it. And then Aaron Rye goes and shoots a .31 on the back. And really, just like, it's like, he's at the end of the race on Mario Kart and he had three turbo boosts and he's just bloop, bloop, bloop, and he gone.

Neil (22:57.231)
Well all started, not even just the back, it all started on nine when he made the eagle. So he goes six under in his last ten holes. And like a guy like Aaron Rye, who, what is he, a one time winner on tour? How many times has he won on tour?

Nick (23:00.598)
with the eagle.

Nick (23:11.596)
but he's led a lot after the first round in these big events.

Neil (23:14.993)
But I mean, but the pressure of a major to then go and shoot six under in your last 10 holes, when you're going up against the likes of when Rory McElroy is on your heels and Scottie's lurking and you've got JT that's already posted his five under and you've got Cam Smith, who's also, he was a major winner who's sitting right there, right behind you to just go out and just dominate the last 10 holes and that putt he made on 17, unbelievable.

Nick (23:41.527)
Well, yeah, and dude, the back nine was, it was the harder nine. Like people will struggle on that back. Like you've got 16, which is that gettable par five. And that's pretty much it on the back nine at Arana mate. And he, like he got to 16 where it looked like he was already had a real chance to win this thing. Like he had kind of separated himself. And then you're like, if he birdies 16, which it's the birdie hole.

Neil (23:47.366)
Yeah.

Neil (23:52.421)
Yeah.

Nick (24:11.892)
And he just hits a perfect drive down the middle and ends up birdie in that hole to go up by two, I think at that point. But then that tough par three on 17, he hits it all the way on the right side of the green. And you're like, if he three putts this, it's gonna be a contest going to 18. He's gonna not have a lot of wiggle room. And then he did, yeah.

Neil (24:33.199)
Yeah.

Neil (24:37.061)
Yeah, you think he drops to seven, and then go, then he's one shot up. Yeah.

Nick (24:42.252)
It was reminiscent of JJ Spahn's putt at the US Open and I think it was 66 feet Said he was aiming for the the flat the shadow of the flag I mean if you watch the replay it's going straight at it and that thing just falls in and At that point it's over. I mean they started writing his name on the immediately his reaction Absolutely incredible. It was nothing

Neil (24:46.383)
Yeah. Yeah.

Neil (25:02.639)
lights out. Yeah. Yeah.

Neil (25:11.119)
Yeah, no, you... Nah.

Nick (25:11.212)
It was nothing. He gave, he just kind of looked, maybe gave it a little bit of a fist bump and then it was back to business. And he goes to 18 and just maybe the best drive of the day on the 18th hole. And could have, could have birdied 18 too. And this dude ranks like 160th on tour and driving distance. Not a long knocker.

Neil (25:27.185)
Mm-hmm.

Neil (25:40.769)
Mm-hmm. You like the non-Lognokers.

Nick (25:41.385)
Not one of the

I mean, I do because I can relate to it. And we will talk about that at the end of the show. Honestly, not one of the better putters either. But putted lights out for nine holes on the back nine. And sometimes it just takes playing the best nine holes of your life. And you get yourself a major, you make yourself $5 million, and you change your life. And that's what happened for Aaron Ryan.

Neil (26:15.793)
Can we talk about John Rahm for a second? Talking about these Liv guys, I was in favor of just putting them back on tour with No Penalty, because they were former major winners and probably some of the best golfers in the world. And you said, when's the last time John Rahm's done anything? Well, John Rahm showed up. He showed up. And if he had won this tournament, my question to you is if he goes out and wins the PGA Championship, if you're the PGA Tour, I'm putting him on No Penalty.

Nick (26:28.736)
Which I still think is.

Neil (26:44.515)
except for maybe a fine to some charity.

Nick (26:45.676)
I'm not putting any these guys on no penalty. He gets a heck of a lot of FedEx Cup points. He gets 750 FedEx Cup points.

Neil (26:53.745)
He's the best, he wins a major, he proves he's one of the best golfers in the world still. And you're gonna tell me you still don't want him on your tour.

Nick (27:01.236)
Not without him paying money like Brooks Koepke did.

Neil (27:03.409)
I said you could pay some money, like put them in three and state them immediately.

Nick (27:06.272)
These... Brooks Cappen played Birtle Beach last week.

Neil (27:10.307)
Yeah, but guess what? You said you're not giving them the same deal as Capcom. You said that. You said that deal's off the table. So are you gonna give them the same deal as Capcom?

Nick (27:15.008)
Yeah, even worse!

Nick (27:20.3)
No, I'm giving him a worse deal. I'm giving him a worse deal. No, he had a chance. He had a chance. Will you play?

Neil (27:22.609)
Even if he wins that tournament. Even if he wins that tournament. god sakes. Put the best golfers on the tour. Put the best golfers on the tour and that includes John Rock.

Nick (27:31.98)
The best golfers took money for a bullshit league and don't deserve just to come back just because their league's about to die. That's not how the world works. They didn't make a mistake. Their bank accounts have risen exponentially. That's not a mistake. That's a decision you made.

Neil (27:41.649)
Did I made a mistake? No.

I have some put-

Neil (27:55.378)
Michael Jordan wouldn't play baseball, he came back and played basketball with no problem. What's wrong with that?

Nick (28:00.045)
That's the worst analogy I've ever heard. It makes no sense. And there's also, there are probably some other reasons that we don't know of why that all happened. There's multiple things been talked about, why all that went down. But that is an awful, awful analogy.

Neil (28:14.545)
He quit on your league and he wouldn't play in another league. It was a different sport, that's what he did. He quit your league, wouldn't play in another league. And then he came back with no penalty.

Nick (28:21.9)
So AAA or AA baseball is competing with the NBA directly and trying to take them down. They're trying to take them down. They're trying to, that was their goal. You don't hand out $500 million contracts if you're not trying to take over the PGA.

Neil (28:29.337)
And he's lived well. He's lived well for real competition for the NCAA Tour.

It was a lie.

Neil (28:40.581)
But they didn't come close. we knew that they were never going to take down the PGA.

Nick (28:43.774)
it's not sustainable you're gonna rent out of money at some point and when nobody's watching eventually the Saudis are gonna be like hey nobody's watching we're not making any money back we're gonna pull our money out and now this is where we are but

Neil (28:57.105)
He's one of the best players in the world. Put him back on tour. The best golfer should be on the PGA Tour and he qualifies as one of those.

Nick (29:00.854)
Just like, that's...

Nick (29:05.565)
If you put together a package that's worse than what Brooks Koepke took and that's his path, then yes, I'm for it. But it's gotta be worse than what Brooks Koepke took.

Neil (29:13.937)
I'd give him the same Capca deal. Give him the Capca deal.

Nick (29:18.745)
That's the minimum. That's the minimum. But I would say you have to follow up.

Neil (29:22.351)
He deserves it. If he had won, deserves a sweeter deal.

Nick (29:26.988)
Now if he won, he would have got 750 FedEx Cup points and that would have helped him. But no, no. And look, we got to talk more about Aaron Rye instead of talking about this idiot John Rome, who played well in a major for the first time in a couple of years.

Neil (29:47.377)
What you talking about? The fact that Aaron Rye uses two gloves?

Nick (29:50.282)
We won't talk about it all. I won't talk about it all.

Neil (29:52.667)
Okay.

Nick (29:54.925)
I've known that he wears two gloves and I've known that he's had iron covers since he's been, I mean, he's been in lot of tournaments. We know who he is.

Neil (30:02.597)
The story of why, you've heard the story of why he uses iron covers, right? Okay.

Nick (30:05.548)
100 % we're getting ready to tell all this stuff. It's actually really cool and My dad uses iron covers and I'm sure all of his 70 year old buddies just ride him every time they go out there but He's proud of his clothes and now I'm like I can't even make fun of you as much now that I know this and right story, but so and right they didn't grow up with a ton of money and

Neil (30:11.952)
It is cool.

Nick (30:34.732)
Evidently he got a set of titleless irons when he was a kid. Way more money than probably his dad should have been spending, but he saw that his kid was pretty dang good at golf and wanted to him in it. So he's cleaning his clubs with baby oil and cleaning out the grooves every single night and got him iron covers because he didn't want the clubs to get inclined. And that's why he still does it because it kind of serves as a reminder of where he came from. It's show of appreciation.

Neil (30:45.305)
Yeah. Yeah.

Neil (30:52.891)
clinking again. Yeah. Yeah.

Nick (31:04.694)
for everything that his parents did for him, which is just, we need stories like that.

Neil (31:11.725)
I don't get me wrong, I would use iron covers on my own clubs if I didn't have to take them on and put them off every time. If had a caddy to do it for me, sign me up. I'll do these iron covers. But I'm not just going through the trouble of doing that every single shot. So he at least has the luxury of a caddy that's gonna do it for him.

Nick (31:28.489)
And then he's got the Teddy Two gloves.

because he just grew up in England and it was cold and he used to playing with two gloves.

Neil (31:38.705)
There's a lot of dudes that grew up in England and weren't cold and used one glove.

Nick (31:42.221)
He just got used to it. Maybe he's a different part of England. mean, I don't know the geography of England, but I don't know. He just seemed very humble, very appreciative. They went to Chipotle after the big win. That was how they celebrated.

Neil (31:54.299)
Yeah.

Neil (32:00.806)
Okay. I could think of better restaurants than Chipotle

Nick (32:03.872)
Well, that's his spot. And I just think that's who Aaron Wright is.

Neil (32:06.681)
I I'd rather go to Moe's. I'd go to Moe's or Qdoba over Chipotle.

Nick (32:11.436)
Would you? Maybe we need to get in that maybe it's in or we can do that now. But they're asking him in post, what's he going to celebrate? And his wife's there. She's a golfer too. And she just, he doesn't really, he doesn't know what to say, what they're going to do. And she just yells, we're probably going to go to Chipotle. And he's like, yeah, we're West Bar. Maybe a little later. Maybe a little later, but.

Neil (32:31.321)
I you were about to say they were about to do something else.

Neil (32:37.285)
Ha ha.

Nick (32:41.117)
Good for him, right,

Neil (32:42.725)
Yeah. Yeah.

Nick (32:45.196)
Just once you're a PGA champion, once you're a major champion, they never can take that away. So even if he doesn't do anything else really big ever, he'll always have this moment. And to really separate yourself from a leaderboard that included your boy, John Wrong, that included Oberg, that included Cam Smith, that included Xander Schauffele, it's impressive. And for a guy that averages

288 yards off the tee in a PGA where their boo dudes are just bombing it. Sound me up.

Neil (33:23.909)
What happened to your guy Rick with the five over on the last round?

Nick (33:37.791)
Alex Smalley So points to be had money to be made but Can't really do it going the other way. He needed to be five under now five over Alex Smalley

Neil (33:51.824)
Yeah?

Nick (33:52.906)
birdies 18 makes like a 20 footer and that was good for a cool what $900,000

Neil (34:01.252)
$200,000, yeah. One putt, one putt.

Nick (34:04.684)
Went from what would have been tied for fourth to tied for second. And he makes $1.8 million, I believe.

Neil (34:14.513)
1.8, 1,804,000. So yeah, just over 1.8.

Nick (34:19.284)
And I exaggerated Rom's who's more 3.7 million instead of five, but good little chunk of change. I mean, dude, Rick finished time for 60 and he breaks on $30,000.

Neil (34:27.291)
Yeah,

Nick (34:38.507)
I'd take it.

Neil (34:40.241)
mean, if you would've, like you said, if you would've shot, go from 60,000, what'd say, 50? How many, what'd you say, 60? 30? Oh, and he brought home 30,000? Yeah, if he just goes five under instead of five over, he's bringing home 1.8.

Nick (34:46.507)
He was five or six years.

Yeah, like $28,000.

Nick (34:56.544)
Yeah, he didn't do that. He did not do that. But he's been playing good golf. Gonna take a week off and then try to get back on it.

Neil (34:57.637)
No, he didn't.

Neil (35:01.905)
Hey, you know who's not bringing home a check?

Neil (35:07.281)
boy, Higgo that missed his tee time. He got cut. He got cut. Misses the cut by one shot. One shot. And because of the two stroke penalty he incurred in round one for showing up late to his tee time, he goes home early with blood in his pocket.

Nick (35:13.174)
Yeah.

Nick (35:19.82)
Missed it on the number.

Nick (35:31.414)
Yeah, and then he made a decision.

Any fire this getting.

Neil (35:38.322)
It's the caddy's fault bro. Caddy was yelling for you. It ain't caddy's fault. I think the caddy probably wanted to kill him to be honest. it cost the caddy money. Because the caddy gets paid if you get paid. So the caddy probably also wanted to beat his ass. So I'm sure the caddy was fine. Getting off his bag he'd be like, screw you dude I'm gonna go find somebody that you know treats golf seriously and shows up on time.

Nick (35:43.763)
I

Nick (36:02.923)
I if you want to blame your caddy for you being late to the box, I'm out, bro. Like, I'm out. Like, show some maturity. Like, show some maturity. Just own it. Just own it. And he didn't do that on Thursday either with all of his excuses and saying, if you think about it, I wasn't really late. No, you were. If the time is 718 and you're not there at 718, you are late. And I...

Neil (36:13.009)
don't know how you-

Neil (36:30.331)
I don't know how you blame the caddy when the caddy's on time, the caddy's on the box on time. If you just go with your caddy, you're on time. The caddy was yelling for you to get your ass down there and you didn't do it. Don't blame your caddy. Your caddy knew what he was doing, your caddy showed up on time, your caddy was yelling for you. Just stick with your caddy, listen to your caddy, and you're on time. He didn't do it and he wants to blame somebody else. Dude's a bum. He's a bum.

Nick (36:34.463)
yelling for you.

Nick (36:54.431)
You just, and he just became a villain, dude. Like, I ain't pulling for you now.

Neil (36:58.065)
This is He's a stupid haircut too.

Nick (37:01.461)
I ain't pulling for you now. Like, show some maturity. Show some maturity. And just own it. Like, I don't know how it's possible to be late, but if you are, just own it. And instead, he went the opposite way, fired his caddy. Maybe there's other stuff to it. I really don't think there is, but.

Neil (37:03.483)
I never even heard of the guy to be honest with Never heard of the guy.

Neil (37:24.869)
I mean have you ever heard of the guy before this?

Nick (37:27.667)
I had seen his name before.

Neil (37:29.625)
I his best finish is tied 40th in the Cognizant Classic back in February. Lot of miscuts on here. Lot of tied 60, tied 69, tied 67. Dude, you suck. He sucks. He's a bum. Go home. Yeah. With no money.

Nick (37:35.199)
Yeah. I mean, I had seen his name before.

Nick (37:48.458)
And he did. And it's exactly what he did. But congrats again to Aaron Rye. I mean, here's another one, dude. He didn't play the signature event last week. He was in Myrtle Beach too. And now he will be in all the signature events because he just won the PGA Championship. So good for him. Pretty cool to kind of get to know his story a little bit because...

didn't know all that stuff about their iron covers and the two gloves and his family immigrating to England and all that so just got a good heartwarming story a lot better than that idiot Higgo and the idiot Rom taking all the money a good heartwarming story from a guy that is just more than money it's about the goodness of the game

Neil (38:40.783)
You gonna be rooting for the goodness of the game in Aaron Rye if he makes that Ryder Cup team next year and he's going against the US?

Nick (38:49.131)
We talked about this when we covered the Ryder Cup. How we pull for these guys a lot of the time, but for one week a year we're not going to. So no, I'm not going to.

Neil (38:51.257)
Roll your fuzzy feelings out of the way.

Neil (39:02.235)
Good, glad to see you. Throw your fuzzy feelings out the window next year.

Nick (39:05.993)
Yes, they all suck that week. Do they not?

Neil (39:08.431)
Ha ha!

Screw you, Ry.

Nick (39:13.451)
It doesn't look like he'll get rattled because he sure as hell didn't get rattled on Sunday.

Neil (39:18.649)
No, he sure did.

Nick (39:21.419)
Talk a NBA.

Neil (39:23.257)
Yeah, I'm watching it right now actually.

Nick (39:26.485)
So, Nix, last night, we're down like 14 and we've got a little text thread and you, when they're down 14, are like, Nix, you're gonna win this game.

Neil (39:27.419)
Two great games to open the finals. The conference.

Neil (39:36.283)
to start.

Neil (39:46.383)
This is the start of the fourth. Yeah.

Nick (39:48.364)
Yeah, so I hadn't been watching much, but I've been getting to where I had like $20 in my account. So I've been throwing some $5 bets in there just to make it fun. So I did it. I did $5 bet plus like what six up, whatever it was. So, all right, let's go. I watched the next four or five minutes and I know, but I wouldn't have bet it at that point, dude. They look like they had never played basketball before in their life.

Neil (40:06.149)
Yeah, you would have waited five more minutes. If you would have waited five minutes, you would have made even more money.

Nick (40:17.749)
They couldn't even move the ball around the perimeter. Like, they were missing bunnies. It was awful. It was awful.

Neil (40:26.957)
Was it down 22 with about seven and a half to go?

Nick (40:30.219)
They got down 22 and then I think they outscored on 44 to 11 or something like that the rest of the way. I don't know the exact number, but something crazy. And once they saw the ball go in, everything started going in. And then Cleveland had a chance to win it at the end of regulation.

Neil (40:41.701)
Yeah, there's a lot to a little. A lot to a little.

Neil (40:55.941)
That shot was in. I mean, it was down and.

Nick (40:59.711)
Mike Breen even did the premature bang. Yeah. He did the premature bang and then goes to OT and the Cavs wanted nothing to do with OT. But I mean, what other sport are you going to see a game just flip on its head the way that game did?

Neil (41:02.321)
Who was that, Merrill that shot that? Yeah, he did do a bang. He did a premature bang.

Neil (41:16.337)
Take care.

Neil (41:25.713)
It happened last year. It happened to the Knicks last year. In the Knicks...

Nick (41:28.821)
I'm saying but it happens in the NBA but I feel like it doesn't happen really in any other sport where it just, don't know what like the game just completely turns on its head.

Neil (41:40.017)
I 28 to 3 Super Bowl, Falcons over in the Patriots.

Nick (41:42.313)
Yeah, but here in that situation, you got Tom Brady, the Patriots are the better team.

Neil (41:48.069)
Yeah, I know. Yeah, I know.

mean, baseball not, you can't really say it compared to baseball. So you really can't, there's not a comparison, there's not really anything compared to in baseball.

Nick (41:53.129)
And you see this? And look, you had reason to what?

Nick (42:00.724)
No, and look, you had reason to believe that they were going to come back and win. And it's because it's the NBA and things like this happen in the NBA.

Neil (42:10.737)
You've seen it.

Nick (42:11.987)
And I do think the Knicks are the better team. And they're probably gonna win the series and I would have said they're gonna win the series even if they lost that game. But just the fact that you can predict that this is probably or has a really good chance to happen it and then it does. I don't know, it's just the NBA is different. The NBA is different.

Neil (42:14.481)
So no doubt, no doubt.

Neil (42:20.977)
Yes.

Neil (42:34.235)
I mean, what the Cavs did in the last seven, what were they doing? James Harden is absolutely terrible now. He's unbelievable, he's unwatchable. He doesn't play a lick of defense. mean, Jalen Brunson, they isolated Brunson on him multiple times down the stretch and James Harden couldn't stop anything. Couldn't stop anything. No, he's not going to.

Nick (42:40.811)
I can't, he's my worst hated player to watch. I can't stand him. Yeah.

Nick (42:52.875)
And he's not going to! He's not going to!

Neil (42:58.673)
I don't know if you're the cat like switch switch him off somebody I don't know double Brunson do something to where James Harden is not isolated against Jalen Brunson because he just got his lunch eight and then offensively he was awful. He's terrible I mean he shoots five of 16 one of eight from three scores 15 points in 42 minutes like he's not I don't know people expect him to be the James Harden from Five six seven years ago, but he's terrible man. He cost him the game

Nick (43:25.417)
And you got Don Mitchell, you got Don Mitchell. And no, he's not. He's not, but like, I don't, I just don't know why James Harden has the ball on his hands so much. And he dominates the ball. Like he's always been a guy that dominates the ball. And it just makes it hard to play a team basketball with him on the court. I just.

Neil (43:29.231)
Don Mitchell wasn't great down the stretch. had a good game. He was not good down the stretch.

Neil (43:46.361)
He had six turnovers and three assists from Harden. He was awful. He was awful.

Nick (43:51.253)
But also, you have time outs, Cleveland.

Neil (43:57.106)
Coach says he won and he saves them. Didn't he come out and say that he's not...

Nick (43:59.22)
You can call, you are allowed to call Tom Outs.

Nick (44:06.313)
Yeah, no, Kenny Atkinson. I like to save my time ups. Well, you saved them. Congrats. And now you're down. And now you're down one and now you're down one. And you just got out coach about Mike Brown.

Neil (44:12.421)
Guess what, they didn't carry over to the next game. So I don't know why you're not using it.

Nick (44:25.658)
Not only do I get the Nicks at plus six whatever last night to make some money, I also got them to win the NBA Finals.

So I just need him to get there so I can hedge a little bit and guarantee myself to win some cash. On the other side.

Neil (44:46.705)
How about one of the... Go ahead. Go ahead. I was gonna say one of the all-time great performances. Victor Buenveniano in game one.

Nick (44:46.86)
We both admitted... Do what? What were you going to say?

Yeah.

Nick (44:56.989)
And look, we both admittedly did not watch a ton of NBA in the regular season. That dude is, he's a Space Jam character.

Neil (45:10.321)
She's gay.

Nick (45:11.167)
He's a space jam character. And it ain't just the fact that he's eight foot tall, long. Dude, he hit that 30 footer when it looked like they were done. And he just comes down and hits that 30 footer. And you're thinking at that point that NBA champions have kind of taken control of this game. And he's just like, nah, I'll just drain this 30 footer.

Neil (45:20.529)
Yup. Yup.

the game.

Neil (45:35.281)
He reminds me of Mike, like you said, the Space Jam character, Michael Jordan. Remember when he dunks the ball from half court and his arm just keeps stretching and it just keeps stretching and it just keeps stretching and he dunks the ball? He's like that. Like the dude is just so long. So long. And he's not like the most athletic guy. I mean, some of these little, I mean, he is, but his height.

Nick (45:52.287)
He's pretty athletic. For what his body is, he's pretty damn athletic.

Neil (45:57.842)
Yes, for his size, sure, but like some of these shots like I'm seeing him make, his body's like sideways, he's kind of like, all like, he just, it just looks awkward. It's an awkward look. It's awkward.

Nick (46:04.715)
That is athleticism.

Neil (46:10.641)
It's no it's awkward. It just looks awkward, but

Nick (46:13.739)
I am so impressed by his patience and just his different ways to wait, get the defender off balance and find a way to score. He's just so patient with the basketball and just waits for you to give him a little bit of room and he doesn't need a lot because he can score over everybody and figure out ways to score the basketball and then defensively he just controls the game as well.

This dude, I haven't watched him enough. And now that he's in the Final Four, we're gonna watch him every time they're on. And my biggest takeaway is he's just, you're right. He's like a Space Jam character. And yeah.

Neil (47:02.833)
41 points 24 rebounds three assists three blocks a steal and it wasn't like The 41 points came on a bajillion shots like his shot efficiency was pretty good. He's 14 to 25. I mean shot well over 50 % like He it was it was unbelievable every time they need a bucket. He found a way to get it and A lot to just lob it up to him. He's a lot several times. They would just lob it up to him

Castle would just throw it up to him and just down it goes. I mean, I, I don't know. It's, it's, it's a cheat code. It's a cheat code.

Nick (47:34.827)
It's all you have to do. It's all you have to do.

Nick (47:40.843)
He's the face of the NBA now.

Neil (47:47.547)
mean, Shay Gilder's Alexander just back to back MVPs, but.

Nick (47:51.221)
Shakyunga Alexander is going to the bench on defensive possessions.

Neil (47:56.655)
He's two time, he's raining, two time MVP.

Nick (47:59.808)
This dude ain't coming off the bench on defensive possessions. Or going to the bench.

Neil (48:02.513)
He's not. He's not.

Nick (48:05.595)
I, he's the face of the NBA.

Neil (48:08.421)
I think he's the best in the game.

Nick (48:10.535)
And after so many people get to watch him for the first time that don't watch the regular season that are now watching, next year, it's Wembe's league. It's Wembe's league. And how do the Spurs, and we knew this when they got him because the height was so big, but how do the Spurs always luck in to getting these guys? How do you get David Robinson, Tim Duncan, and now Wembe?

Neil (48:39.237)
Yeah, I mean, you talk about the Spurs teams of the past that won those championships. They had multiple superstars. They had the Duncan and the Tony Parker and the Monte Gennobili superstars. You have Wimby, and you got a bunch of dudes that are good. They're just okay guys. They're not superstars. Like, Champagne. And Castle's fine. Castle's good. Dylan Harper's good, but he's not superstar. There's not...

Like the Golden State Warriors when they had their run, when they had, you know, Steph and Clay and Kevin Durant. It's a one man show for me for the Spurs. And a bunch of really good players that know their role. They're pieces that fit together around one superstar. And it all works.

Nick (49:27.315)
And like, Dylan Harper and H. Bailey played together at Rutgers. At Rutgers. And they didn't make the tournament.

Nick (49:41.388)
You got two guys that are in the league that are playing for a team that's in the Western Conference Finals just two years later and you can't get that team to the big dance? Well good news because next year that team would make the dance I would hope now that we're going to 76 teams. I just how does how does a team with Dylan Harbert, Ace Bailey not get to the dance? That's another thing that just stands out to me.

Nick (50:13.364)
Do you think the Spurs win the series or do you think the Thunder come back and win it?

Neil (50:19.665)
I think the Spurs win it. I mean, I think that was a huge, huge game one. For them to get that game one, I think the pressure's gonna start to fall on Oklahoma City. They're gonna have to steal one somewhere along the way. I think the Spurs are too good to let that happen. I like the Spurs in the series now.

Nick (50:35.989)
They're so young.

mean, when beyond is now how many years in the league three years in a league and he's only 22 Harper's 19 castles 21. Like we knew this team was talented, but was it going to be this year? What did it like this year might be a little early, especially when you're playing the defending NBA champions.

Neil (50:53.669)
Yeah, how quickly it happened. Yeah, with how quickly. Yeah.

Nick (51:02.589)
I'm not picking it after watching that game. I'm not picking against Wimby. I'm not picking against the Spurs. And I remember talking to my brother-in-law last week. He's like, yeah, dude, Spurs are for us. was like, yeah, they're going to be really good, we ain't there yet. I was wrong. And that's me trying to have an opinion without watching enough hoops. But they could win it all. And if I've got the Knicks to win it all.

Who would I rather play in the finals? Would I rather play the Spurs or the Thunder?

Neil (51:37.489)
and they'd play neither one.

Nick (51:38.867)
I mean, but that's not a possibility. don't, I don't know. I, I still think the Thunder could come back and win. They obviously know how to win games. That was the first loss they've had in the entire playoffs. So.

Neil (51:41.051)
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know.

Neil (51:50.226)
Yeah. I think there's more collective talent on Oklahoma City than there is on San Antonio, but San Antonio just plays so well together and they know their roles and they know where the ball needs to go and who needs to take the shot. They know what they're doing and it just works. I mean, Chet Holmgren just looked awful in game one. 41 minutes, eight points, shot two of seven. They need Chet. They need.

Nick (52:17.013)
Got that one block. Got that block late. Got that block late.

Neil (52:19.249)
He did get the block late. They need Shett to be way better than what he was if they're gonna advance.

Nick (52:26.269)
He's got a lot of the same kind of body type that Wimby does. Like if you, but he, he ain't as tall and he ain't as good. It's just, and another guy on the thunder that Alex Caruso, just, just makes place. Just, just plays. And you talk about the downfall of the bulls.

Neil (52:30.533)
He ain't as big though. He ain't as tall.

Neil (52:44.945)
31 points. 31 points.

Neil (52:52.213)
Why does he keep bouncing around? He's with the Bulls for a little while, and he's a Laker for a little while, and he goes like, how many teams has Alex Caruso played for? Is that it?

Nick (52:59.123)
I think just Lakers, Bulls and Thunder. Yeah. But he was in the Josh Giddy trade that brought Giddy from Thunder to the Bulls. They wanted to get a little younger.

Neil (53:11.035)
but never been like a full-time starter. Never, he's just a role player that just balls out, man. Never.

Nick (53:16.215)
And I mean, usually he's not scoring 31. Usually he's just making the gritty plays, the defensive plays that helps teams win games. And I mean, you need guys like that to win NBA championships. And he's done it with the Lakers. He's done it with the Thunder. And he just never did it with the Bulls, unfortunately. But he didn't have enough talent around him to make that happen.

you got, I mean, the Knicks are going to win the other series, right?

Neil (53:48.667)
I have, before the series I said Nixon five. I'm sticking to it.

Nick (53:54.795)
Joe Burrow spoke to the media today.

Neil (53:58.267)
What'll Joe have to say?

Nick (54:01.216)
Well, we talked about how this off season was of monumental importance. And the gist of it today was he's very happy with what the front office did. He mentioned a lot of their additions by name, mentioned Brian Cook, mentioned Dexter Lawrence. Says this is the most, because they asked him, they.

Neil (54:08.741)
Very important. Yeah.

Neil (54:16.145)
I that. I did see

Nick (54:28.747)
Like you all went to Super Bowl in 21, you were kind of new to the league, but you knew that you had a lot of talent on this roster. And he was like, yeah, but this is the most talented team that we've had. now it's job to go out and to prove that.

Neil (54:38.897)
I did hear him say that, I he's right.

Neil (54:47.045)
You agree with Joe, do you not? You think this is the most talented, you think this is the more talented team than that Super Bowl team?

Nick (54:52.777)
Yeah, that offensive line on that team was terrible. And ultimately that was the reason they lost. Now I need to see this defense in action to prove to me that they're better than that 21 defense because that 21 defense in Cincinnati was pretty dang good. And honestly, that was the reason why they got to the Super Bowl. Their defense was the reason that they won three games.

Neil (54:55.632)
It was.

Neil (55:17.787)
mean, they made the big plays late against the Titans and the interception in overtime against the Chiefs. mean, yeah, they made the big plays when you needed the big plays.

Nick (55:25.395)
your safeties with Von Bell and Jesse Bates were one of the best combinations in the NFL. Can Brian Cook bring that leverage, that level of play to Cincinnati? I think their defensive line is gonna be much better than that defensive line in 21. But remember that line had Ogan Jobie, they had BJ Hill, they had some depth, they had Trey, they had some depth there. I think this defensive line could be better. And I do think the linebackers were better in 21.

And that's just gonna be the way it is. But overall, because the offensive line should be pretty good, this team, yeah, they have all the tools to be the most talented team that Joe Burrow has played with, and that's exciting.

Neil (55:57.871)
Yes, Wilson, Fran, yeah.

Neil (56:08.849)
I mean, we talked about this last year. The offense is so good and good enough that the defense just has to be an average NFL defense. It does not have to be good. It does not have to be great. It just has to be okay. And you're going to win a lot of football games. It just cannot be God awful like it has been.

Nick (56:28.265)
Well, and look, I don't have the numbers in front of me because we've talked about this so many dang times, but how many games they've lost when they score 33 points in the last two years.

Neil (56:36.945)
Exactly. Like if this defense can just hold a team to 28 points, you're winning a lot of games.

Nick (56:43.027)
Yes, and they should. They should be able to do that.

Neil (56:50.225)
I need to see it, I need to see it.

Nick (56:52.671)
But I'm glad that Joe is happy with what has happened because that needed to be the case for not only him being happy there for our sanity as fans. And dude, I'm pumped. I'm ready. I'm ready.

Neil (56:57.743)
Yes. Yes.

Neil (57:10.629)
said he's going to wear, I heard today he said he's going to wear protective something on his toe. So we shouldn't have any more toe problems.

Nick (57:17.003)
Okay. Well, dude, if he wants to go out there looking like a armored armor, I'm fine with it.

Neil (57:24.337)
look like the kid from Christmas Story with all the jacket and the padding.

Nick (57:30.731)
Well, I'm not trying to keep him warm, Neil. I'm trying to keep him not injured.

Neil (57:34.193)
No, I mean that's just talking about like that's just padding like if that that coat was padding that's Joe Burrow be running out there with bubble wrap on

Nick (57:40.299)
As as he can still get around and make throws, I don't care what he does and what wears. He also talked about how has interest in playing in the Olympics and flag football.

Which as a competitor and somebody who's as good as one of the best QBs in the league, you got a chance to play in the Olympics, I think that would be awesome.

Neil (58:04.241)
But didn't he just play in that flag football team that lost to the US flag football team? Yeah, like he lost to like the guys that are actual flag football players. No, I know I wasn't an Olympic qualifier, but dude, I don't think you can just walk in and say I want to play in the Olympics and you get a spot. Like these dudes are pretty good, huh?

Nick (58:09.321)
The fanatics thing, yeah.

Nick (58:13.589)
Well, it wasn't an Olympic qualifier, Neil.

Nick (58:22.013)
He didn't say put me on the team, said he's interested. He said he's interested.

Neil (58:28.625)
All right.

Nick (58:29.611)
And that would be 28, right?

Neil (58:32.261)
How would that work? Like, so how do you, like, how do you pick the US? Like, do you just like, get like six, so like, you think there's gonna be like actual teams that are qualified and it's like, if your team wins, that team goes to the Olympics? Are you picking the best players off of certain teams? Like, how are you, how are you picking this?

Nick (58:36.299)
I think there's going to be qualifiers.

Nick (58:48.959)
I don't know how it's first time it's ever happened. I mean, for the NBA team, they're just picking the best players. But for flag football, I don't know how you do that. You don't have a flag like a, I mean, is there like a like official flag football league where you would pull these players and then NFL players would compete against them? I don't know. I had just mentioned that he

Neil (59:15.825)
I believe there is a competitive flag football league, yes.

Nick (59:21.749)
So maybe we need to research this a little bit because I was just mentioning the fact that he had interest. I didn't know we were gonna get knee deep in how this team would be constructed.

Neil (59:33.403)
mean, we still have a couple years to digest that, speaking of flag football though, did you see that the NCAA recommends that flag football become a championship sport, like an actual sanctioned championship sport?

Nick (59:48.235)
Okay, I think, because we're.

Neil (59:48.849)
So I don't know if it's guys or girls or I don't know how that works, but we're to see collegiate flag football. I think it's girls mostly in that.

Nick (59:54.72)
Well, a lot of high schools have added girls flag football. I just, in this era where we're removing sports, because there's not a lot of money to be had, I just have a hard time believing that we're gonna be adding sports at all.

Neil (01:00:16.721)
No, I think this is one of those cases where like if there's if it's a club sport at a lot of these schools where they fund themselves, just be like. Be like, hey, you want to compete in NCAA championship? That's fine, but you've got to fund yourself.

Nick (01:00:23.723)
The club sports fun. Yeah.

Nick (01:00:30.891)
I'm fine with that. Like, they're at that.

Neil (01:00:32.207)
Yeah, I mean, think that's what it's going to be. I don't think you're going to see athletic departments pouring money into girls flag football. But if they want to fund themselves and they already have a team that they're competing like in a club level. Let them do it.

Nick (01:00:45.685)
So like are the tennises, are they gonna move to club? Like a lot of these tennis teams at different colleges, are they gonna move club?

Neil (01:00:52.081)
I I would say, fund yourselves or go club. I don't know. I don't know. I have no idea.

Nick (01:00:55.635)
Yeah, because that's just that's the direction we're going.

Neil (01:00:59.867)
Could be. I don't know.

Nick (01:01:01.707)
There's just not enough money to be had for everybody.

Neil (01:01:05.957)
Especially adding sports like flag football. No, you're right. I don't think you're, no money will be spent on that.

Nick (01:01:09.491)
no, no, you ain't getting an aisle. You ain't getting an aisle. Aaron Rodgers, it's coming back. Are there stillers in there?

Neil (01:01:22.769)
Which I think we knew that, we knew he was coming back, but what did he say today? Officially this will be his life? my goodness. Stephen Castle just murdered somebody. Stephen Castle just murdered somebody on a dunk. That was incredible. Sorry.

Nick (01:01:28.511)
No, he just said he's coming back.

Nick (01:01:38.411)
No, he just officially announced he's coming back this week. But also says that this will be his last year.

Neil (01:01:47.961)
As a Bengals fan, is it good or bad that he's back? He's 40...how old? 3 now? How old is he now? 2? 3? Old? We'll say old. Old as hell.

Nick (01:01:58.892)
We had the icy hot bowl last year.

Neil (01:02:02.641)
Which Joe Flacco won that one.

Nick (01:02:04.587)
He's 42. He'll turn 43 in the middle of year next year.

Neil (01:02:09.489)
Like as a Bengals fan, I mean I'm fine with him coming back because I don't think he's that good.

Nick (01:02:14.603)
Yeah, fine with it. 100 % fine with it. I will say, for, I mean, he's still a Hall of Famer. There's no doubt.

Neil (01:02:25.679)
Well, yeah.

Nick (01:02:27.615)
But the way that his career has gone the last five years to me has diminished his life.

Neil (01:02:33.649)
Is he hanging on? Is he? Hey, he's hanging on too long.

Nick (01:02:36.787)
It's diminished his legacy.

Neil (01:02:38.929)
He's not like Tom Brady where at the age of 40 whatever he was could just go to new team and win a Super Bowl in year one. He's not Tom Brady. He's good. He is a Hall of Famer. But he's not like Peyton Manning when Peyton Manning was sort of the end of his career goes and wins a Super Bowl with the Broncos like dude you're not winning Super Bowls anymore.

Nick (01:02:44.981)
Nah. Nah.

Nick (01:02:55.849)
He can be good in spurts. Like he can have drives where he's good, but he can't consistently at this point be good enough.

Neil (01:03:02.257)
I mean, he took these Oswago mushrooms or something and hallucinated for a week. And I think he probably got all crossed up in his brain and thinks he can still play.

Nick (01:03:06.154)
is.

Nick (01:03:10.997)
But your question as a Bengals fan, am I, like, how do I feel about it? Yeah, good with it. You went another draft without getting a quarterback that could be the QB of the future. Let's keep, that's true, but they'd still win another one without getting anybody. I mean, they could have went out and got like two or somebody, which, mean, two is showing signs at Miami.

Neil (01:03:17.969)
Probably gonna get hurt anyway.

Neil (01:03:23.377)
We want very many of those to be had in this quarterback draft overall.

Yeah. Yeah.

Nick (01:03:39.829)
of him being good at times. I would you rather, as a Bengals fan, would you rather the Steelers have Aaron Rodgers or two?

Neil (01:03:47.248)
wash.

Nick (01:03:49.147)
To me it's Aaron Rodgers because he's old and even if he does play well he's not coming back next year. Tua could find it again. He's had good years. I'm all for it. Come back. Let's go. Another year with Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. I'm all about it.

Neil (01:03:57.265)
That's true.

Neil (01:04:09.145)
until Dexter Lawrence flattens him like a pancake.

Nick (01:04:17.117)
And then what we got? We got... We all knew Will Wade in LSU was just gonna be wild.

Neil (01:04:29.819)
know what's what.

Nick (01:04:29.917)
It's even more wild than we thought.

Neil (01:04:33.457)
Like, all right, so you're will-wade. You get fired from LSU the first go around because you're breaking NCAA rules, right? So then you get your second chance, you go to McNeese, you do well there, you you behave yourself for a few years and you know, get a step up and you get a pretty good job at NC State. You behave yourself at NC State for a year, you know, things are looking up, like people are starting to respect you a little more. Well then, you leave NC State high and dry after one year to go back to LSU.

And basically you're just giving the middle finger to the NCAA right off the bat. You're just back to doing shady stuff again. the thing's changed.

Nick (01:05:10.187)
Well, now you can do it if the courts will allow it. R.J. Lewis was the 2005 Biggies Player of the Year.

Declared for the draft, went undrafted, played in the G League, signed a 2A contract, was traded.

Now they're trying to get him to LSU.

And then Yam Madar, who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 2020 NBA draft with the 47th pick. Now they're trying to bring him to LSU on what is reportedly a $5 million deal.

Neil (01:05:57.809)
I've never heard of that guy.

Nick (01:06:00.341)
They were trying to get him $5 million and he was drafted six years ago.

Neil (01:06:03.535)
never even heard of them. To me that's just a waste of money. It's just stupid. The RJ Lewis thing is stupid and the NCAA has already come out and said that they will not reinstate, make eligible anybody that has signed any kind of contract in the NBA. It had been part of league business. RJ Lewis is not getting any waiver, any reprieve from the NCAA. So you're right. The only way to do it is to try to go to the courts.

Nick (01:06:08.095)
He was.

Neil (01:06:29.437)
What is that? Like you file a lawsuit in the state of Louisiana and you get a judge that's probably an LSU donor and he's gonna be like, yeah, let him play. That's what happened in Alabama. That's what happened in Alabama last year. An Alabama donor who was a judge said, him play. And then another judge had to step in and said, yeah, no. Like, what point does reasoning come into this?

Nick (01:06:53.108)
Well, and look, maybe they don't think they can really get RJ Lewis through. Like they're obviously going to try, but I think deep down they realize they probably can't get him through. But I think a part of his strategy is to clog the system with so many of these guys, these 23 and older guys that have played internationally that probably shouldn't be eligible and see which ones he can get through and see which ones of them he can get in LSU uniform.

And I think that's a part of their strategy. Like this dude, he wants to be the villain. Like he knew as soon as he took that LSU job that that's what he was. And he is just fully accepting it. Fully accepting it.

Neil (01:07:37.584)
But this stuff didn't work last year like this this has happened before The kid from Baylor last year was a draft pick or whatever by whatever team it was I think that was probably the Celtics to goes back to Baylor and he was awful He was not good and then you got the kid from Alabama Who played a handful of games before he was ineligible game? He wasn't even that good So this has been tried before of these guys that have been drafted, you know, two three four five years ago They come back to college

thinking that they can still play at this level and they all sucked. So this dude that was drafted in 2020 obviously is not good enough to play in the league or he would have been in the league all this time. Goes and plays overseas like to me it just means he's not very good and I don't see him competing at a level against guys that are NBA quality players in the NCAA and making any kind of difference. What's he gonna average? His little six points and four rebounds a game? So what? I mean should he be eligible? Absolutely not but it's not like it scares me.

Like I'm not worried about these bums that are coming back. It's ridiculous, it's absolutely ridiculous. But they're gonna fail, they're gonna fail.

Nick (01:08:36.907)
It's just ridiculous.

Like the on, the on three, the Twitter account for on three, which they cover like the transfer stuff. They have one with RJ Lewis saying committed to LSU and you know how they've got like the schools that they were at before and then the arrow pointing the LSU like his goes, his goes UMass, St. John's, Utah Jazz, Bolton Celtics, LSU.

Neil (01:08:57.765)
Yeah. Yes, healthy.

Nick (01:09:07.615)
But that alone, we're done. It's over. It should be over. Like, what are we doing?

Neil (01:09:10.395)
How does that make sense?

doesn't make sense.

Nick (01:09:16.925)
It's absurd!

Neil (01:09:17.977)
It's absurd. It's absurd.

Nick (01:09:20.506)
Like is LeBron James gonna come play college basketball when you're tired from the NBA?

Neil (01:09:24.731)
Good. mean, Shay Gillis is Alexander's only played one year. He's got three years of eligibility left. Get the two time NBA MVP back to Kentucky.

Nick (01:09:27.049)
He's got eligibility.

Nick (01:09:33.215)
Like... Like what are we doing?

Neil (01:09:39.705)
It's... It's a mockery. It's terrible. It's stupid. It's all stupid. Now every team gets in the tournament.

Nick (01:09:39.883)
We did.

Nick (01:09:52.498)
We still love it. And we still love it. We didn't talk much about NBA draft last week because we had so much going on.

Neil (01:09:52.687)
I hate it. I hate it.

Nick (01:10:04.637)
Are you a DeBonsa guy? you Darren Peterson? Like who you taking with the first pick?

Neil (01:10:15.033)
Give me the Bonsa. I think is the number one pick. That's who I would pick. I mean, I think Peterson's a great player. I think what he went through last year at Kansas and kind of the circus around him not wanting to play or if he was whatever it was is a red flag. But then again in the NBA, there's load management all today, like every five days. So like whatever was wrong with Peterson last year, he can take a couple days off in the NBA and people won't even bat an eye at it. So give me the

Nick (01:10:43.155)
He was taking too much creatine, Neil. They figured it out now that the season's over. He was taking too much creatine. Yeah, we figured it out. So it should be solved. Yeah, I've been a DeBonse guy even early in the season when they were all talking to Aaron Peterson and just his antics have really pushed me off of him. The interesting thing is the Jazz have the second pick and how bad do they want DeBonse there? Like can they?

Neil (01:10:46.321)
Is that what it was? That's what it was. Okay. Now, give me the bonce as the number one. That's who I would pick. That's who I would pick.

Neil (01:11:10.897)
No, yeah.

Nick (01:11:12.093)
figure out some kind of trade to get up to one. I don't know, but they would love to have AJ DeMots at Utah Jazz.

Neil (01:11:20.177)
I mean, it would probably require them to give up a first round pick next year.

Nick (01:11:24.139)
Yeah. And then the Bulls actually lucked in and got the fourth pick. Maybe we can get a little more.

Neil (01:11:30.223)
Yeah, the pacer's, the poor pacer's got screwed.

Nick (01:11:33.835)
Well, their GM, president, or whoever it was, apologized to the fan base for making that trade.

Neil (01:11:39.375)
I mean, it was a gamble. They knew it was a gamble going in. But when you have the odds that you had of getting a top four pick and somehow not getting it, you gambled, the odds were in your favor, and you crapped out.

Nick (01:11:55.372)
If you are the Bulls at four, because I've got thoughts, who are you hoping you get? Because you're not getting DeBonce, or you're not getting Peterson.

Neil (01:12:02.118)
You going cam-boos-er?

Nick (01:12:05.155)
I think that he's likely gonna be the third pick. But I don't think he's one that I want at four. I think it's between Caleb Wilson and Darius Haycoff Jr.

Neil (01:12:11.451)
You want Wagler?

You going waggler?

Neil (01:12:20.881)
Okay.

Nick (01:12:22.537)
who I would pick.

Neil (01:12:24.089)
I would take Acuff. And out of those two, would take, give me Acuff.

Nick (01:12:28.831)
Yeah, and I think most projections have Acuff going sixth and a lot of them have Wilson going forward to the Bulls. Wilson's just got so much upside. But I just, I think Acuff's a killer, dude.

Neil (01:12:42.427)
He's a killer. Dude can put the ball in the hoop.

Nick (01:12:47.103)
Look at us man, talking so much NBA.

Neil (01:12:52.398)
experts.

Nick (01:12:54.571)
I guess it's time for a little no jingle. What would Joe do?

Neil (01:13:01.819)
No jingle, what would Joe do?

Nick (01:13:04.223)
Yeah, maybe I'll try to get in the lab this weekend.

Neil (01:13:08.645)
Maybe with Joe, like, let's see if Joe has his own song that he wants us put on here.

Nick (01:13:13.235)
If he does it, I will accept it with open arms. So this is a golf thing. We've had a couple of these in golf themes.

Nick (01:13:26.527)
Would you rather get to play Augusta National one time when it is 52 degrees pouring down rain and in addition there's two holes under construction which includes a mid-corner.

Neil (01:13:43.577)
Ha! Just about to ask it even in corner, yeah.

Nick (01:13:46.239)
or you get unlimited free golf at any local municipal course for life for you and three of your buddies.

Neil (01:14:02.138)
I this one does require some thought because playing Augusta National is the bucket list item of every golfer. Of every amateur golfer, of every Joe Schmo out there that has ever picked up a club, you want to play Augusta National. It is the holy grail of golf. But when A-Main Corner is underground repaired and you can't even play it and it's 55 degrees and it's pouring down rain and the course is probably not, at that point it does not become Augusta National anymore.

It doesn't become, it's not what you want it to be. It's not Augusta National at that point. Give me the free free golf for life for me and four buddies.

Nick (01:14:42.675)
You're, you're, I mean, this is your one chance. Like we.

Neil (01:14:46.061)
It's not, but it's not Augusta National at that point. You can't even play the signature holes. You can't even play the signature holes.

Nick (01:14:49.225)
It's still Augusta National.

Nick (01:14:58.121)
that sucks. And I hate playing in the rain. I hate it. I hate it.

Neil (01:15:04.205)
You hate, you are the most anti-rain guy I know.

Nick (01:15:08.093)
It's awful. I lose grip of the club. I still not been smart enough to go about rain gloves, which I need to do. And I learned that in my tournament over the weekend.

Nick (01:15:19.755)
I think it's your only chance to play it! You gotta take it!

You get to play Augusta National and yes, the conditions aren't perfect.

Neil (01:15:29.881)
You don't, you don't, but it's not Augusta National at that point. It's not Augusta National at that point.

Nick (01:15:35.497)
I mean, what's this? It's going to save me $30 a round on my immunity course?

Neil (01:15:41.381)
How many rounds are you gonna play in your life?

Nick (01:15:44.435)
A lot?

Neil (01:15:45.266)
So do 30 times estimate. We'll say, even if you say 200 rounds. So we're gonna give you a couple thousand dollars to not play Augusta National with, and you don't even get to play Amen Corner. And you get to stay out of the rain in 55 degrees. You're gonna take it.

Nick (01:15:48.489)
It's a lot. It's a lot of money.

Nick (01:16:01.995)
Well, but this is my one chance to get to play Augusta. Like I, it's 16 of 18 holes. It's 16 of 18 holes.

Neil (01:16:05.959)
It's not Augusta at that point. It's not Augusta.

Neil (01:16:13.199)
You've got rain in your eye, you can't even see, it's cold, you're shivering. It's gonna be miserable. It is not gonna be a happy experience. You will not have a smile on your face out there. You ain't gonna be smiling.

Nick (01:16:16.554)
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, look, it's

Nick (01:16:26.218)
The 52 degrees is not turning me away. The 16 of 18 holes is not turning me away. I'm disappointed that I don't get to play two, but that's not turning me away. The pouring down rain is the one that is...

Neil (01:16:29.649)
In the rain? 52 degrees in

Neil (01:16:41.711)
You know what 52 in rain feels like? It feels like it's low 40s probably. Like it feels cold. That's a cold rain.

Nick (01:16:49.674)
It's Augusta, it's your only chance!

Neil (01:16:52.111)
The only thing in your mind when you're out there playing Augusta in those conditions is I want this to be over.

Nick (01:16:59.092)
But you don't because you're playing Augusta. Now you're, so meanwhile, I'm out in Augusta in the rain playing golf and you're playing air koi for free. Like you feeling better at that point? For, but this, but this is yes for life.

Neil (01:17:01.103)
You don't get to enjoy it! You're not even enjoying it!

Neil (01:17:12.379)
her life.

Nick (01:17:19.27)
I just, if I had an opportunity to play Augusta and I didn't take it and I never got to play it again, I feel like I'd regret that.

Neil (01:17:28.273)
It's not Augusta at that point to me.

Nick (01:17:30.214)
It is Augusta. Like you are a part of the flowers blooming. You are helping those flowers bloom. You are helping those flowers bloom with the rain. You were there when it happened. But you get to play Bobby Nichols and Iroquois and Seneca and Charlie Vettner for free for the rest of your life, which is pretty awesome. I don't believe that that is awesome.

Neil (01:17:37.509)
The flowers are blooming! They're getting rained on and they're falling off the trees! They're falling off the trees!

Neil (01:17:57.263)
With my buddies. We're all gonna have like, I get to have fun with my friends.

Nick (01:18:02.845)
But you, I, I, I get it. It's tough. And I understand why you're picking that. And I hate playing in the rank, but it's a chance to play Augusta. I think I got to take it. Like we drove by there. You can't even see the course. You can't even get a glimpse of it. And they're going to let me play. I'm in. Like we tried, we were driving through Augusta, just trying to see the fairway and you can see nothing from the outside.

Neil (01:18:24.689)
Okay.

You're gonna have to, like obviously at Augusta, it's path only. They might even make you they probably don't even have golf carts. You gotta walk the whole thing.

Nick (01:18:37.61)
Well, have a caddy!

Neil (01:18:39.345)
You just gotta walk. You have to walk.

Nick (01:18:40.734)
I'll have a caddy. I'll be fine.

Neil (01:18:45.711)
Okay, since the guy that complains when his path only at a municipal course, you get the walk the extra five feet to your ball.

Nick (01:18:47.018)
Yeah, I'll be fine.

Nick (01:18:52.938)
Yeah, because it's the same as walking the damn course sometimes!

Neil (01:18:56.209)
So you complain about you complain about walking then but you're not gonna complain about walking in the pouring rain in 55 degrees

Nick (01:19:03.711)
I'll be complaining, but I'll be playing Augusta. There's no doubt I'll be complaining.

Neil (01:19:07.109)
You won't even be happy. You will not, but you won't enjoy it.

Nick (01:19:14.346)
I think you have to. You have to force yourself mentally to enjoy it.

Neil (01:19:16.727)
Wait till you say it. I got to play Augusto. man, that's awesome. Hey, what'd you shoot on Amon Corner? I didn't play it. Like what? What?

Nick (01:19:25.455)
Yeah, I played I played one twice and I played two times.

Neil (01:19:28.537)
I got to play tea olive and flower blossom and whatever else they call their 16 other holes.

Nick (01:19:34.826)
But you know what? The rest of my life when I watch the Masters, I'll be like, I played that whole.

Neil (01:19:39.109)
No you won't. I don't even remember what I hit on here because I just wanted to get through my round so quickly that I didn't even know where I hit the ball or what I... like no.

Nick (01:19:46.359)
So while I'm reminiscing through my head how to play these holes, because I actually did it, you can reminisce how to play number nine at Urquay.

Neil (01:19:56.337)
Renata Diarcoi. yeah, that's the short par four there.

Nick (01:19:59.807)
Yeah, just up the hill a little bit.

But not an easy decision. It's really not. Because I would love me some free Mooney golf for the rest of my life. I just don't think you can pass up a chance to play, even though the conditions suck.

Neil (01:20:16.763)
Catch me on at Sun Valley every Friday.

Nick (01:20:20.466)
I haven't even played out there this summer. I have not played Sun Valley. We need to get out there. Get car roll again? What was our Yeah, I got to at least play it once or twice. It's just where I grew up playing.

Neil (01:20:27.217)
Do we need to on valley?

Nick (01:20:36.639)
I didn't come in last this weekend.

Neil (01:20:41.147)
Good. Progress.

Nick (01:20:44.37)
Yeah, a beat-a-guy that I played with on Friday.

I've never beat a guy before, so that was fun. Cuz last year I came in last, I didn't need to beat nobody. Last year I went 104, 100 and the 104 was with the two stroke penalty on the first hole because the first fairway is right by the driving range and I accidentally hit a titleless driving range ball instead of my ball. That's how I started my amateur career.

Neil (01:20:52.273)
There you go. There we go.

Neil (01:21:07.451)
The other point, who caught that? Did you self penalize?

Nick (01:21:10.858)
Yeah. Well, I asked the guy because like it was a titleist. I mean, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. I think I hit it there. And then I walked like 10 feet up. I was like, Oh, that's my wall. So, and then I had to re hit. actually, it was, got it. started the tournament with an eight because I doubled it and got a two stroke penalty. Well, it was both of our faults.

Neil (01:21:31.707)
blame your caddy in this situation.

Nick (01:21:37.706)
But 104, 100 last year, and then I go 94, 95. So 15 stroke improvement.

went two rounds with no triples and no lost balls.

Neil (01:21:47.855)
There you go.

Like, no lost balls is even more impressive. Well done.

Nick (01:21:53.833)
I had three pars on Friday, I no pars on Saturday, but I had 13 bogeys and five doubles. And I doubled the first two holes because I didn't even warm up because it was raining and I didn't want to get out there, which shows that how bad do you want it. How bad do you want it, bro? How bad do you want it? But I...

Neil (01:22:08.481)
You're gonna love Augusta though man, you're gonna love Augusta. You're gonna love Augusta. but you got Bruce Evans out there, your dad was caddying for you, so a father-son bonding on the trip.

Nick (01:22:22.942)
Yeah, he cracked a couple Cincinnati Red Budweiser's on Friday in the middle of the round. So maybe the first caddy drinking beer during the event, which I was in full support of.

Neil (01:22:36.753)
I mean, I'm proud of for that. I'm I want my catty cracking Reds Budweiser.

Nick (01:22:42.282)
But the other dude in the short stature category, I'd say he's a good three, four inches shorter than me. I finished the tournament 45 over for two rounds. You wanna guess what he finished and how bad he beat me?

Neil (01:22:50.107)
shorter.

Neil (01:22:58.897)
7 over.

Nick (01:23:00.276)
seven over beat me about 38 strokes so I got a lot of work to do we did we he's just yeah he hits it farther he's built differently like he's just he's stacked but

Neil (01:23:06.907)
Gotta hit the weight. Does he just hit the ball? Like, does he hit it really well?

Neil (01:23:12.945)
Hit the weight room, hit the weight room my guy. Get in there and start pumping some, pumping some iron. Get out there.

Nick (01:23:18.218)
But Pops was talking to him and was like, dude, we need to play together next year. So we might try to go down a day early and get in a practice round with Ricky Riley. But that dude is a monster. Like I'm just so impressed. Like I just don't even understand it. Because my thing is I just have a hard time getting to greens and regulation. That course was 6,100 yards. So on a lot of holes, my pars are birdies and my bogeys are pars. Just because it takes me an extra stroke to get there.

Neil (01:23:32.337)
Yeah, nice. Good for Ricky Ryder.

Neil (01:23:47.473)
Yeah. What's up, Ricky Riley? Did Ricky Riley win the actual, like, the overall tournament?

Nick (01:23:48.237)
and

Nick (01:23:53.99)
No, finish even par. Went 200 on Saturday to win the thing.

Neil (01:24:00.316)
What was his disability?

Nick (01:24:02.323)
I don't know. mean, there's one arm, there's one leg, there's amputees, like just...

Neil (01:24:09.105)
They're suing even par? That's insane. Good for that guy.

Nick (01:24:12.522)
Yeah, some of those guys are just, it's, I mean they're seated golfers, which is just.

I don't know if you've ever seen that on the internet where they actually have motorized carts that actually move their bodies up and then they're just all arms. Like it really is. It's pretty impressive to see what some of these guys can do and girls. But, hey, we got better. We got better.

Neil (01:24:23.109)
I have the, like, yeah.

Neil (01:24:31.889)
Incredible. Yeah. Incredible.

Neil (01:24:40.049)
You're roll that into a low round tomorrow at the ULGC?

Nick (01:24:46.312)
I hope so. Keep it rolling. Keep it rolling.

Neil (01:24:49.903)
It's gonna be 50s and cloudy, hopefully no rain. So not Augusta-like conditions tomorrow.

Nick (01:24:55.602)
I would dress warm a little bit, I guess.

Nick (01:25:01.214)
And then we're playing Friday too.

Neil (01:25:03.568)
Yeah, first.

Nick (01:25:04.5)
but I think Friday might get back.

Neil (01:25:07.195)
Yeah, Friday doesn't look good.

Nick (01:25:09.948)
And we're playing Hidden Creek right out by Silver Creek, Indiana. I have not played out there.

Neil (01:25:17.713)
I their outside of a scramble twice and I played in this UofL scramble one other time.

Good course.

Nick (01:25:27.946)
And you've just played once since we played a couple weeks ago at Pebble Creek.

Neil (01:25:34.245)
Yeah. Yeah. One more time.

Nick (01:25:38.718)
You trying to get the girls out golfing?

Neil (01:25:42.257)
At some point, it'll be fine.

Nick (01:25:43.444)
They showed any interest at all?

Neil (01:25:46.619)
They, no, I haven't really introduced them to it, introduced them to the game yet. Probably should.

Nick (01:25:53.054)
Yeah, you should.

Neil (01:25:54.053)
get out in the backyard and they can hit some wiffle balls or something.

Nick (01:25:57.515)
I mean, if you're working at the university, you obviously will get them a free education. But there's no better way to get some scholarship money than be a women's collegiate golfer.

Neil (01:26:08.977)
Oh, plus you teach your kids to golf. That's something that they can play with you until basically the day you die. always teach your It's always a good thing to teach your kids how to play golf.

Nick (01:26:14.026)
100%, 100%.

Nick (01:26:19.814)
It is.

You got anything else?

Neil (01:26:24.65)
Speaking of kids, had a cross-country tryouts today and both kids have now made the cross-country team. Track ended. We are now on to cross-country which starts in July.

Nick (01:26:28.137)
Okay.

Nick (01:26:34.46)
And the only thing worse than track is cross-country to watch.

Neil (01:26:39.153)
It goes faster though. I don't have to sit there for two hours, I sit there for 20 minutes.

Nick (01:26:45.815)
Is that what they had on Monday was cross country or was that track?

Neil (01:26:49.253)
No, Monday was the last track meet of the year, so we finished that up. Swim practice started Tuesday, so now we're on to full-time swimming for May and June, and then cross-country in July.

Nick (01:27:05.61)
Well, and I went to my nephew's baseball game last night and ten minutes after being there, lightning, then it starts pouring down rain. So I literally sat in the chair for ten minutes, got back in the car and drove straight home. The advantage of not being the parent is when it rains, you don't have to wait. You're just like, well, they ain't playing, I'm leaving. Which is what I did. Was at the ballpark all day Sunday, keeping up with the golf tournament on my phone. All three of my nephews played back to back to back.

Neil (01:27:16.559)
mean, what is...

Nick (01:27:35.187)
Sitting at the last game and my nieces are there as well. They go to get some candy at the concession stand. They go get the Airhead like ropes that looks like rainbows. You heard, you know what I'm talking about? Like they're not as hard as the real Airhead candy. They're a lot softer. I put that thing in my mouth and immediately my cavity, the filling comes out, which was just done two months ago. I've been pissed off about it since then because I hate my dentist office.

Neil (01:27:44.901)
Yeah. I so,

Neil (01:27:51.398)
Yeah.

Nick (01:28:05.226)
and it comes out and I'm just furious. So I called my dentist on Monday and I'm like, my feeling came out. It was never right like to begin with, but I need to go get this fixed. Like, all right, you can come in at two o'clock. I come in and traffic is terrible. I get there 10 minutes late. So I'm already just like, I'm, I'm heated, dude. I'm heated. Cause I'm having to go to the dentist. Didn't expect all this. Yeah, this is on Monday. They sent me down.

Neil (01:28:29.233)
Is this on Monday, like the next day? Yeah.

Nick (01:28:34.122)
They look at it, they're like, probably gonna need to give you a crown. And then I'm really just getting even more heated, because I've never had any really, other than having teeth pulled and braces. Like I haven't had a ton of dental work like that. They show me the bill, it's like 500 bucks. I'm like, you all the ones that screwed this up. Like why am I having to pay for this? Then they do my blood pressure, it's so high because I'm so heated. They're like, dude, you gotta get your blood pressure down if you're gonna do this. And I'm like, what time is this gonna be over?

Neil (01:28:45.681)
For a while you-

Nick (01:29:03.924)
Cause I got a massage at four o'clock and I am not missing my massage. They're like, yeah, I'll probably be over about four. I was like, well, get me the hell out of here. And I called another dentist office the next day and I'm going somewhere else.

Neil (01:29:15.921)
so you still don't have a filling in with the cavity.

Nick (01:29:18.792)
Nah, it's got a big hole in my tooth.

Neil (01:29:20.721)
Isn't that hurt?

Nick (01:29:21.983)
Dunhurt.

Neil (01:29:23.665)
does not hurt? Like when you're eating? Like when you're eating?

Nick (01:29:24.916)
Does not hurt. Maybe I'm just, no, just food gets stuck in it, it's annoying. But yeah, it doesn't hurt. What you talking about? I'd never had a cavity until I went to this dentist's office. And the other time that they gave me a cavity, they go back to drill it. And the lady's like, I don't even know why we're drilling this, there's better a cavity there. And I kept going back. It's on me.

Neil (01:29:31.089)
Bro, why are you brushing your teeth? I've never had a cavity in my whole life. Brush your teeth.

Neil (01:29:47.067)
Bro, you should toothpaste on your toothbrush. Scrub them teeth. Stop getting cavities. How many you had? my god, dude. What kind of hygiene do you... What are you doing over there? Brush your teeth!

Nick (01:29:52.981)
tooth at the same place. It's a racket. It's a racket. It's a racket. do brush my tooth twice a day. Some people are just more sensitive to cavities than others.

Neil (01:30:04.219)
Clearly not enough. Like, miss him? What, are you just missing? You just missing some teeth? You just brush some over here, some over there, you just leave a couple untouched? What's wrong with you? You're somebody's sweets.

Nick (01:30:13.138)
No! I don't need your last sweets.

Neil (01:30:16.603)
Then how you getting cavities? Cavities don't make themselves. I mean they do, but...

Nick (01:30:18.57)
I know. I think, yeah, I think they do it this dentist office. I think they do it this dentist office. And then they screw your tooth up. And then they be like, well, you need to pay $500 for a crown.

Neil (01:30:31.311)
Hey, I'll recommend the teeth brushing app that my kids use on their iPad so they know exactly how long to brush their teeth for and it's like an interactive game. I'll send that to you so you know how to brush your teeth properly and you won't have this problem anymore, Fucking idiot.

Nick (01:30:37.514)
Пока!

Nick (01:30:44.394)
I'll check it out. I'll check it out. Dude, I lived, when I went to Moorhead, I lived there for two years and never set up a dentist. Come back here and have no cavities. And then I go to this dentist office and all of a sudden I get cavities. Like it's all this, this place is a racket. This place is a racket.

Neil (01:31:02.801)
You wanna shout out the name of the dentist?

Nick (01:31:05.04)
No. And I like my hygienist a lot, but everybody else sucks.

Neil (01:31:11.227)
think it's a you problem, bro. You seem to brush your teeth. I feel like you're not brushing.

Nick (01:31:13.866)
Well, I got an appointment for next Tuesday, so I gotta live with this hole in my tooth for over a week. And it's because I'm playing golf on Thursday and Friday. And I just called them yesterday and they couldn't get me in today. So I wasn't gonna cancel golf to get a tooth filled.

Neil (01:31:30.193)
that I can't

Nick (01:31:34.814)
That was my Sunday Monday adventures.

Neil (01:31:40.081)
Sounds like fun.

Nick (01:31:41.288)
It wasn't. Alright, I'm getting us out of here.

Neil (01:31:45.649)
Alright, go brush your teeth.

Nick (01:31:48.138)
I don't know what we're gonna talk about next week.

Neil (01:31:52.049)
NBA.

Nick (01:31:52.394)
Guess NBA finals and.

We'll figure it out. We'll figure it out. But, not-

Neil (01:31:57.521)
Something will pop up. Something will pop up. We can do the WNBA if you want to. Emily Inksler versus Misha Hines-Allen in Indy tonight, I think.

Nick (01:32:01.62)
Katelyn Carden.

Nick (01:32:05.396)
Kaila Clark not playing, woke up with back tightness. Already missing a game after four games in.

Neil (01:32:15.3)
All right.

Nick (01:32:16.266)
Alright, before we get out of here, reminder to follow and rate us on whatever podcast app you use and then to follow Height Differential on all social media platforms. For that 6'6 Neil, I'm that 4'10 Nick. I don't know what we're talking about next week, but we'll find something to talk about. We'll talk to you then.