The Crimson Case 3.31.25 - An ode to Tide hoops

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Wvuafm, Tuscaloosa. [00:00:15] Speaker B: When Todd Hoops lets you down, you can count on adapted athletics to get you that national championship. Five straight for the women's wheelchair basketball team. Just wanted to put that in the beginning of this episode of the Crimson Case. We got a full house here today. To my right, Matty Hewitt, we have Lydia Liscoe, Zach Elrod, and I am Matthew Mason. Guys, I mean, this is a crazy time of the year. March Madness. A lot of stuff going on, but Alabama gets put out versus Duke. I mean, that's. We can start there. That's. Honestly, did we expect anything different? [00:00:47] Speaker C: I knew it was going to be a tough game going into it. I mean, Duke, obviously, defensively, their height, their length, I mean, that was the problem the entire game. On defense, we couldn't switch, but obviously one through five, they could guard. I mean, what was our big. Was guarding Mark Sears the majority of the game. So one through five, they can all guard that position. So for us not to have that ability was detrimental. [00:01:11] Speaker D: Yeah, it was just tough to get stuff going. I remember just I was getting so hyped for the game and everything, I turned it on. I was eating my pizza with my roommate and I was like, okay, let's go. And then within like five minutes, I was like, oh, this is how this game is gonna go, isn't it? [00:01:26] Speaker E: Yeah. I watched it with Duke fans, unfortunately, and that was really rough for me to sit back and watch. I was hoping that Duke, the fact that they're super young. I was like, oh, maybe like, because, you know, historically, like, age matters a lot in this tournament. People get put under a lot of pressure, they get stressed and like, it just doesn't go well for them. But unfortunately, that was not the case for us yesterday. [00:01:47] Speaker D: Good for my bracket, though. [00:01:49] Speaker B: I think that's good for mine as well. We will talk about our final fours later in the show. Let's kind of just dive in. The final score, 85, 65. I mean, goodness gracious. It didn't look like it was going to be that bad. It was a. It was a rough start in the beginning. Then you saw Alabama close the gap right at halftime. And then there was like a six minute period where Alabama just did not score a single bucket like Duke's length. You know, it's ridiculous. And the fact that they're going to play Houston after Houston dominating Tennessee the exact same way that Duke dominated Alabama, that's going to be a crazy matchup to see. [00:02:21] Speaker C: It's going to be a dog fight. But I mean, Relative throughout the entire game, Duke was able to maintain relatively to a like 10 point cushion. So just seeing that in effect, I mean, it was. I mean, it's just deflating for Alabama fans because when we'd get it to single digits, then they would just go on another run. And then obviously, like I mentioned, defensively, I mean, it's tough to. They're a tough team to have to face and Houston's going to have a handful, so we'll see. It's going to be a dog fight. Can't wait to watch it. [00:02:49] Speaker D: Yeah. And I definitely don't think we should be too upset at ourselves. You, you know, I mean, we had an amazing Sweet 16 game, like literally one for the, like records for the history books. And Duke just, they're on just that another level. And I think we'll continue to see from Nate Oates in the future of Alabama basketball. It's. Next year definitely is going to be a little bit of rebuilding because we're losing Grant Nelson, Mark Sears. So it's definitely going to be a step back, be like, okay, now we are. Two of our best players are gone. We have. We have some young talent which I definitely think will help keep us in the momentum in a couple of years to come. I don't know how well we'll do in the tournament next year, but I can always hope so. I don't think we should be too upset ourselves. Duke is an amazing team and we, we put up the best fight that we could have. [00:03:33] Speaker E: I think that this is definitely where people come to say, like, oh, the SEC is really good offensively this year as a conference, but defensively, they've been saying all season that we lack a little bit and I think we saw that. But with both our game and Tennessee's game last night, it is true, like, that is something that we definitely need to work on. We play a very NBA style of basketball, if you want to call it that. But it's just, I think that definitely got us. [00:03:56] Speaker B: It almost seems like whenever you get a freshman like Brandon Miller was not in Alabama that long and he's in the NBA, you know, there's talks of maybe, you know, Filon might. [00:04:06] Speaker C: Well, Baron Filon might go to pick. [00:04:10] Speaker E: Honestly, he's really good. That would be scary for us, though. [00:04:14] Speaker D: Hopefully he stays. [00:04:15] Speaker C: He led the way for us. Sixteen points on the night. And I mean, Mark Sears, just another rough night. It's. He's kind of just been. He has those high points, he has the lows. And unfortunately it was one of the Lows last night. [00:04:28] Speaker E: So he's Jalen Melro. [00:04:30] Speaker C: Yeah, I'd say he's better than that. [00:04:34] Speaker D: Not. [00:04:34] Speaker C: Not as I'd give him the benefit of the doubt for that, especially that night with 10 threes. I mean, that's pretty. That's pretty unstoppable. [00:04:43] Speaker B: Does it kind of seem like there's kind of that same level of inconsistency since we made the Milroe comparison? Do they both kind of have a spurt where they're just amazing and then you never know what you get the next night that. Is there a similarity between the two? [00:04:59] Speaker E: I feel like there is. I feel like. I felt like that with Jalen all season. Like he would against Georgia. Had an amazing game, and then he comes in and plays Bear. Plays horribly. [00:05:07] Speaker D: I just think Mark Sears, his highs were better than Jalen's highs. [00:05:12] Speaker B: Yeah, true. [00:05:13] Speaker C: And LSU is pretty high, though. Too. Well, LSU is extremely high. [00:05:17] Speaker B: They were frauds, though. Yeah, yeah, they were frauds. [00:05:19] Speaker D: And we were consistent on every level. Like, it wasn't just Jalen. Our defense was doing great. [00:05:24] Speaker E: I do think great. Jalen had more people to back him up than Sears necessarily does. [00:05:29] Speaker C: That's just because football's just generally just bigger, especially in, you know, for Alabama. That's just for sure comes with it. [00:05:37] Speaker B: And we'll switch to women's basketball. I do want to kind of just shout out Sarah Ashley Barker, because I don't know if any of you guys got to see that. I got to see that in person down there in College Park. [00:05:47] Speaker D: That's amazing. [00:05:48] Speaker B: For her to have a final game where three of her teammates that are starters foul out and she ends up with 45 points, which is most of an SEC player in the tournament and obviously most of an Alabama player in the tournament. It's a career high for her. Her previous career high was 36. [00:06:06] Speaker E: Wow. [00:06:06] Speaker B: Goes from 36 to 45 with. With the career high. I mean. [00:06:09] Speaker C: And she was the one who forced it to OT in the first place. Three clutch free throws in a row. I mean. [00:06:15] Speaker B: Yeah, she did. [00:06:16] Speaker C: She did all she could. [00:06:18] Speaker D: She did. [00:06:19] Speaker E: Yeah, That's. I mean, working under pressure like that, too, with the free throws, like making three in a row under that kind of pressure. Insane. [00:06:26] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:06:27] Speaker B: So I heard when she threw out the first pitch she did the past two days, she threw out a first pitch at the baseball game, and then today at the softball game, you know, the announcer said she's going to the WNBA draft. That's what she's looking for. I think that she's Like, I don't know how many picks they have. They probably don't have that many picks. I think she deserves to play in the wnba. [00:06:48] Speaker D: Oh, I really like. [00:06:51] Speaker E: I would agree. [00:06:51] Speaker D: I feel like throughout her whole time, especially like this last season at Alabama, she's really made that name for herself into such a, like, key player. And any, any team where she go will be lucky to have her. [00:07:02] Speaker C: Her and Aliyah Nye both. I mean, both of them are just. Yes, they're going to be picked in the draft. [00:07:08] Speaker B: I mean, I'm not sure how many picks they have. And I do know eventually they're going to have expansion teams. I'm not sure if that starts this year or the year after. But, you know, they're getting two new teams in there, so I believe they deserve a spot in the wnba. But we'll have to see what the scouts say, see what the combine looks like for them. Obviously, they start in the summertime, so they'll start earlier than like the men coming out of college will. Yeah, so the WNBA season starts earlier, so you kind of just got to go, go, go once you get drafted. And I think she's got that type of conditioning to be able to do that. I mean, the condition. I mean, she was doing the stuff she was doing, but you could kind of look at her skin. It was just. You could just see by looking at her skin, like, how much she was, like, exerting how much energy she exerted just because. Not for her. Because she says she loved her teammate so much that she wished she could do more. And it's like, how could you do more? How? [00:07:56] Speaker C: She's always been that type of person. Yeah. [00:07:58] Speaker E: Great teammate, though. [00:07:59] Speaker B: Absolutely. A great teammate. And will be remembered as Alabama legend. I mean, you might. Might want to put something, you know, something in her honor somewhere. [00:08:07] Speaker D: I mean, 100%. Yes. [00:08:10] Speaker B: They might do it in the. You know, they get a new facility. I'm not sure if the women's basketball will practice in there too. I think they will, but you got to have something in there, sir. Ashley, maybe Ali and I too, but gymnastics Lydia. [00:08:22] Speaker D: Yeah. So get hyped for some Alabama gymnastics. Woo. For the 17th time, the Crimson Tides hosting the NCAA Regionals at Colman Coliseum on April 3rd through the 6th. Florida, California, Oregon State, Clemson, Iowa, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Rutgers will join our gymnasts for the weekend. Alabama will compete in the first session at 1pm on Friday, April 4. The top two teams from each regional session will compete on Sunday, April 6, and then the top two teams from that will advance to the national championship. A little bit of history about the Tides performance at the NCAA regional. Alabama holds 32 regional titles. And Alabama has competed in every regional Round and the NCAA Championship since its inception, 1982. Except obviously the 2020 postseason, which was canceled due to Covid. Make sure you go support our gymnast this Friday at 1pm at Coleman Coliseum. It's going to be so hype. So exciting. And the girls are coming off a lot of success. The last big meet that they just had, they won. They dominated, which is amazing. So it's going to performance. And so many of our girls just got recognized with some honors, which is so amazing for them. So it's going to be hype. It's going to be great. [00:09:39] Speaker B: You work in that game. You'll be there. [00:09:41] Speaker D: I will be there. I'll be working. So I'm super excited to go. Go and support. [00:09:45] Speaker E: Yes, I'm excited. I loved going to the gymnastics meets. That's something that I didn't think about when I got to school. And then I went and I was like, this is awesome. It's so fun. [00:09:54] Speaker D: It really is just such a unique experience because I don't know if you guys have seen how gymnastics Meet works. So they have different rotations. So how it works is like there's vault and bars and that's one like rotation. And then you obviously switch and then there's floor and beam. And it really just like. It's just such an experience. You go, you experience it. It's just a lot of fun. So if you have time this Friday, which no school, no class for us. So all of you do go, go watch gymnastics. [00:10:21] Speaker B: So yeah, the support for gymnastics, tied hoops getting up there. Adapted athletics to support getting up there. And then I have to turn and talk about football. So we got a increase that we need to tell you guys about. As far as a full student package for the season tickets. Last year it was about 171. That's about where the number was this year. 256 after. After four losses. Losing in the Reliaque west bowl to Michigan. They didn't have a quarterback. [00:10:58] Speaker D: You know, this is insane. [00:11:00] Speaker E: What? [00:11:00] Speaker D: What do you mean? What do you mean it went up $80 for. Let's just look at some stats here. Ready? The Wisconsin game. Not an SEC opponent. Not an SEC opponent. It's Wisconsin, $40. [00:11:14] Speaker B: Why? Why? Why are we charging more? [00:11:17] Speaker D: Are we 30? [00:11:18] Speaker B: Why are we charging more? Yeah, exactly. That's a great point. Why are we charging more for? You know Wisconsin and over. Over Vanderbilt. And the thing is like looking at the two packages, obviously there's a package with three games package with four games. Package A will be University, Louisiana, Monroe. [00:11:37] Speaker C: 15 bucks and then 15 bucks for Louisiana Monroe. [00:11:41] Speaker B: And you got 55 bucks for the third Saturday in October when Tennessee visits and then 40 bucks to see the revenge game with Oklahoma. And on the B package you got the Wisconsin 40 bucks and Vanderbilt 30. LSU's 55. LSU is frauds. Why are we 55 for LSU? [00:11:59] Speaker C: It's LSU. [00:12:00] Speaker B: Seriously. [00:12:00] Speaker C: I mean it's LSU. [00:12:01] Speaker D: LSU at home. Come on. [00:12:02] Speaker B: And then Eastern Illinois, $15. Yeah, whatever. People are going to be selling that for like two bucks. People are going to be actually paying you to take their ticket for that game. [00:12:10] Speaker D: Yeah, I don't know which one. [00:12:11] Speaker C: That and Louisiana Monroe. [00:12:13] Speaker D: I don't know which one are we going to go for if we don't get full season? That's. [00:12:16] Speaker B: I definitely don't think I'm. Because you got to have a certain amount of tied loyalty points. I don't think I'm going to get a full one. So I'm going to go the four game package. Obviously I think that's a better value. Four games having Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, LSU and Eastern Illinois. Because the Eastern Illinois be right before the Iron Bowl. I believe. I think, I would like to think. [00:12:36] Speaker D: Wait, the Iron bowl is Iron Bowl. [00:12:37] Speaker B: We're going to join here. [00:12:39] Speaker E: We played here last year. [00:12:40] Speaker B: It's almost like you forget about the Iron bowl being here because it's like did that happen? Because I was there. I was there is rough Alabama every time unless they have Cam Newton. And that did happen. But that was a one year deal. [00:12:53] Speaker E: Yeah, I think definitely the four. Four tickets. I mean, why would you go for the three? All you're getting is really like Tennessee and I guess Oklahoma. But I don't know. I would hope that against Oklahoma this coming year will do a little bit better. [00:13:06] Speaker D: They're just, they're just scamming out of us so much money and then they're asking us to like donate too to help support their nil fund. [00:13:12] Speaker E: That's crazy. [00:13:12] Speaker B: Come on, those emails, there's like a student section. There's like a student thing. A student subscription that they're saying this is for students to subscribe to. [00:13:21] Speaker C: Are you talking about Yale? Alabama? [00:13:22] Speaker B: Yeah. The yay Alabama. [00:13:23] Speaker C: Yeah. And I.O. and just paying for athletes and stuff. So I guess if you want better recruits, get more money. [00:13:29] Speaker D: My tuition already goes to everything for the football players. I'm not giving them the Money that I need to go to go buy their tickets. [00:13:37] Speaker B: Now, how much? I mean, can we compare the amount of money that Alabama and Vanderbilt, like, that's two different stratospheres of how much money they spend on football. And Vanderbilt made them look like a peewee team they were running the basic shovel option. This Diego Pavi is back after somehow suing for another year eligibility, and he's back. That's going to be scary. [00:13:58] Speaker C: That's going to be a late game. [00:14:00] Speaker D: Golly, man, Kaylin DeBoer better have something up his sleeve in order to make these ticket prices worth it. Because if I'm, if I'm going to the games and we're going to get embarrassed like how we did this year with some of these people, it's not worth my money. And we are such a, you know, historically dominant program. These prices, it better be worth it. All I'm saying. [00:14:20] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:14:21] Speaker B: And that's not. That's just the tip of the iceberg. We got to talk about a day we're going to go to a break and then come back because I'm going to have to collect my thoughts and make sure that I don't crash out right here because we have a crash out coming later. Stick around on the Crimson case. [00:14:49] Speaker A: WVUAFM, Tuscaloosa. [00:14:52] Speaker C: This show is a sports production of. [00:14:54] Speaker B: WVUAFM 90.7 the Capstone. A division of student media at the. [00:14:59] Speaker C: University of Alabama support us by leaving. [00:15:02] Speaker B: A review rating or following us on. [00:15:04] Speaker C: X at WVUAFM Sports. [00:15:07] Speaker A: WVUAFM, Tuscaloosa. [00:15:23] Speaker B: We are back on the Crimson case on 90.7 the Capstone. We're going to take a look at the final fours that we originally predicted and just see how it's shaping up as we record. There is one more game still to go, which is Auburn and Michigan State, but I do want to take a peek and see what we got going on. For me, I'll kick it off Florida. I was on the edge of my seat during that game and then Walter Clayton, you are a bad dude. That is a bad dude right there. Walter Clayton, he gets the ball in the paint and he's like, I don't want to come up with it. Runs a straight line to get behind the top of the key and then turns around, throws it up like he's an NBA 2K player and makes that. I sprinted across my house. Sprinted. My dog was sprinting with me. [00:16:07] Speaker C: I've heard a lot of people comparing him to Stephen Curry, which doesn't even register to Me, I mean, sure, he has game, but, like, the overall builds and sizes they had, like, in comparison to college, like Curry, looking at him, there's a reason why they called him the Baby Face Assassin. There's a reason for that, and that is because of him in Davidson College. That is his image. And Walter Clayton is obviously not that. The dude's catching globs. Do not compare him to Stephen Curry and Davidson. [00:16:35] Speaker B: No, he's. He's making a name for himself, but. [00:16:37] Speaker C: But he's still elite. [00:16:39] Speaker B: So my Final Four, right now, I'm three for three because I had Florida, I had Houston, Duke, and then right now I'm waiting on the result of Michigan State and Auburn had Michigan State. And I do want to say that that game right there, you know, if Auburn beats Michigan State, it's going to be all ones, all one seeds, most. [00:17:02] Speaker E: Boring March Madness of all time. [00:17:04] Speaker C: That's what ESPN analysts were already predicting. [00:17:07] Speaker B: I don't. Well, it's not. But I don't view it as boring, though. [00:17:12] Speaker E: I mean, there was no up. Like, no crazy things happened. And that's part of the problem. [00:17:16] Speaker B: You're getting some of the best basketball at the moment. I think that's true. [00:17:20] Speaker E: The highest quality basketball. [00:17:21] Speaker B: You're getting some of the highest quality basketball. And that was actually something I had on this list right here. But I do want to get everybody's Final Four out there. Lydia, I'm. [00:17:31] Speaker D: I'm 50%. I had Duke, Florida, and then Purdue and Michigan. So 50%. [00:17:37] Speaker B: Two. Yeah. Two. Four there. Zach. [00:17:39] Speaker C: 50%. Also Auburn. Well, not currently. [00:17:42] Speaker B: Could be 70. [00:17:42] Speaker C: Auburn could be. Yeah. [00:17:44] Speaker B: Or no, it could be 50. Sorry. [00:17:45] Speaker C: Or it could be 25. [00:17:47] Speaker B: Or it could be 25. [00:17:48] Speaker C: Auburn, Florida. And then I had Alabama winning the Natty, and look where that went. And then Alabama and then Kentucky. [00:17:55] Speaker E: Oh, Kentucky. [00:17:57] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:17:57] Speaker E: Interesting. [00:17:58] Speaker D: No Big Blue. [00:17:59] Speaker E: I had Florida and Houston, and then I picked Alabama over Duke. I also have Michigan State winning this game, and I think that was a little bit fueled by my hatred for Auburn and their ability to choke in moments that are kind of important. [00:18:11] Speaker B: Yeah, they're lucky they didn't run into Yale. They run into Yale and Janai, Vroom, goes, you know, turns into a ghost and just leaves. [00:18:19] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, really and truly, it's been their performances from Tahad Pettiford that have been getting them. And their guard play has been pretty elite. [00:18:27] Speaker D: So I want to go back to kind of what you two were talking about a little bit earlier about how could be boring, but also some of the best basketball I Think for me, personally, what I like about March Madness is the grittiness we see from the underdogs, from the Cinderella teams. And it is a little bit disappointing that we don't have any of those kind of teams in the Final Four, even. I mean, What. The elite eight. There is not a single seed under 11. Right. Which, I mean, little did. Like, I like to see that greediness because it's like, these are good basketball players, and they deserve a chance to showcase them theirselves on that little bit of a higher stage. So I'm a little disappointed because it's like, I always like to root for the underdog, and now if it's like, if it just becomes all number ones, I'm like, okay, I mean, we'll just go for my bracket in this case. [00:19:18] Speaker B: But I want to take that a step further. There's no four seed or under, actually. I know you started with 11. Everybody was three or three or up because it was Texas one. [00:19:29] Speaker C: Texas. [00:19:29] Speaker B: Texas. Lower seed in the elite eight. Well, that's a crazy thing. [00:19:33] Speaker C: And then the sweet 16, the lowest seed was what, a 10 seed? And that was Arkansas. [00:19:36] Speaker B: Yeah, but that John. California. Yeah. [00:19:40] Speaker C: Arkansas was the closest thing to a Cinderella story, mostly because of the start they had at the beginning of the season. It was atrocious. And then they were just horrifically inconsistent throughout the season. Was not expecting them to have the, you know, the tournament. They did, but like you said, they have John Caliperi, and I just. [00:19:58] Speaker D: I'm just curious, how are these teams that were lower ranked, like, what can they do to maybe get some of those star players and those good recruits that. That way they can maybe be a lower seed, but then surprise in the tournament, Like, I don't know. [00:20:12] Speaker E: I don't know. I was liking what you were saying, though. I like the, like, underdog, gritty, like, scrappy players that come out of nowhere. Like, one of my personal favorites is Jack Golke. Everyone was joking that he's going to be some, like, finance bro or, like, a car salesman. And now he's playing in some, like, minor league, like, somewhere. I don't know. [00:20:28] Speaker C: I'm pretty sure he's playing in the G League still. [00:20:29] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:20:30] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:20:30] Speaker E: Iconic. Like, I mean, things like that happen when you have crazy Cinderella stories. You have guys that come out thinking they're never going to play basketball again. This is it for them. And then they make a name for themselves and they're still playing basketball. [00:20:41] Speaker C: That was an electric Oakland versus, what was it? Kentucky? [00:20:44] Speaker B: Yep. [00:20:45] Speaker C: That game was electric, man. Oh, My gosh. [00:20:47] Speaker B: But then you had like two Cinderellas. Oakland and NC State ran into each other last year. [00:20:51] Speaker C: NC State. And they made it all the way to Final Four. [00:20:54] Speaker E: Final Four. [00:20:55] Speaker C: Final Four, that's right. [00:20:56] Speaker B: I love that dude. [00:20:57] Speaker C: DJ Burns. Yeah. And he, last time I checked, he was playing for the Cavs, but I'm not sure where he's at now. Obviously he's not on the roster, but I remember they signed him for like a low deal. But I don't know where he's at currently. [00:21:10] Speaker E: I just, I think those moments are so cool. And those guys get those, like that one shining moment, you know, and it's just one shot. Perfect. I love those stories. They're so fun. [00:21:19] Speaker C: Yep. [00:21:20] Speaker B: So I do want to pose this question. Not having a Cinderella team, is it really ruining the March Madness? Does it if you had to give March Madness a letter grade so far? Because I know from a rating standpoint it is not ruining it at all. No, it's higher. But I do want to kind of do what? [00:21:35] Speaker E: Aren't they higher? [00:21:35] Speaker B: The ratings are higher, yes, because you're getting some of the greatest matchups for the best teams you're seeing play. But as far as just a, like, let's just say, like, here's the thing, if you love basketball, you're watching no matter what. But there's some people that literally just want to find that connection they can make with a team. And it's like, hey, this team's not supposed to be here. And I want to cheer for them because they may not have a dog in the hunt, so maybe they look for that Cinderella. So is it really affecting the letter grade? Like we'll start just letter grade on the March Madness. [00:22:04] Speaker C: So far, just for this year, it's been amazing. I love it. I've watched, you know, the big time matchups, the big seeds, you know, with the young talent they have, a lot of people are going to be going to the draft, which could be an equalizer for a lot of different teams. But I mean, if this continues on, I think it's going to take all the magic away from March Madness. Because obviously when people say it's March, they're obviously, to Lydia's point, they're rooting for that underdog. They're rooting for that Cinderella story that we were talking about. So if this continues on, I don't know if it's going to be good for ratings. [00:22:35] Speaker B: What was your letter grade? [00:22:36] Speaker C: Letter grade? I mean, I give it A. I'd say it's an A. I mean, I'll thoroughly enjoy even. [00:22:43] Speaker B: Even without it. So you're saying it's an A just for this year. [00:22:46] Speaker C: I mean, if it continues on, I think that rating goes lower. But, I mean, I'm. I've enjoyed March for. [00:22:53] Speaker D: To your point, what I think you said, Matthews, like, if you're gonna watch. If you love basketball, you're gonna watch it anyways. And I feel like that's this kind of, like, at least, like, I don't care who wins. They're all, like, number one seeds probably. Like, it doesn't really matter who wins. You're just watching for some good basketball. It doesn't. To me, this March Madness doesn't have that element. Like, oh, my gosh, like, crazy upsets. Like, I hope they keep on doing well. Like, I want this underdog team to win. You're just like, oh, like, oh, it's good for my bracket if Florida wins. Like, oh, it's good if Duke wins. So I don't think there's that super emotional, obviously, you know, for the people who go to those schools, it's very intense and high stakes for them. But for the ones who, like, aren't as invested, it's just like, I don't really care who wins. I just want to watch some good ball. So I would give it a B. [00:23:36] Speaker E: I think it depends on which way you're looking at it. If you are looking at it for the, like, quote unquote madness and, oh, that's so shocking. That's so exciting, like, that kind of thing. I think I would probably give it like a C almost. [00:23:51] Speaker C: But that's fair. [00:23:52] Speaker E: If you're looking at it from, like, an analyst standpoint, which I think a lot of us, most of us in this room probably are, I would give it an A. I mean, you get matchups like how everyone was saying, like, oh, blue blood versus blue collar. Like, Alabama's a new, like, newcomer into the tournament, being really good these past few years with coach Oates, so. And then you're playing a team like Duke that's historically, like, crazy good. So I think those matchups. And for that reason, I would give it an A because that's high quality. [00:24:17] Speaker C: Basketball that you wouldn't normally see. It was the first matchup ever, I believe, since with Duke in Alabama. So it's. It's. Honestly, I really enjoyed those for that aspect. But to your point, Matty, as far as you know, you're looking for that March. You're looking for the madness. That's what's in the name and we didn't get a lot of madness this year. [00:24:40] Speaker B: So I do want to update Auburn, Michigan State. They are in the second half and Auburn is up 47 to. Excuse me, just hit a three pointer as soon as I said that. 50. [00:24:51] Speaker C: 50. [00:24:52] Speaker B: 38. 38. Wait, you got a. You might have a quicker one than me right now. It says 12 minutes in the second half. I'm just looking at tournament challenge bracket. [00:24:59] Speaker E: But mine's a little too. [00:25:00] Speaker B: We'll definitely see how that goes because that game could very easily end while we're in the middle of recording this. But something that I saved to talk about here right now before we wrap up and go to a different break a day, no longer a televised event. And it is not a game. It's going to be a practice. Alabama, what are we doing? I mean, I'm mad about that. Why are we doing this? Like, why? And they have something, you know, yay. Alabama members can access some exclusive autograph session. But if you're like, oh, let me do that. But you got to go get a subscription, right? So let's just go look at these subscriptions. Student subscription is $5 monthly. So it says everything in starter tier Tuscaloosa. Discount card, invitation to student member only events. I don't think that even gets you the autograph session because you got to get it $18 a month, which is. They called the $18 a month. The starter. That's just. That's a starter. $18 a month. [00:26:03] Speaker C: Dang. [00:26:04] Speaker B: So, yeah, Alabama membership you got. You get a car decal. [00:26:07] Speaker E: Oh, perfect. [00:26:08] Speaker B: You get a decal for $18 for a decal. Hey, hey, decal, man. [00:26:11] Speaker D: Go to the soup store. They're like 10 bucks. [00:26:14] Speaker B: You get one tied loyalty priority point per $100 invitation to football fan day autograph session, which I'm assuming this is what this says. Access to Yale Obama online member hub filled with exclusive content insight. You realize that me being a writer, that there's no access to transfers, no access to freshmen, no access to quarterbacks, there's no access to assistant coaches. So really, there's really not much anybody to speak to. [00:26:43] Speaker C: There's no upside. [00:26:44] Speaker B: No, really, the only people I can think of speaking to is maybe like O line and D line and like, because I don't think anybody else on the linebacker, like, you got like Deontay Lawson recovering from an injury. So I don't think he's out there doing too much. A lot of defensive people have declared for the draft. They're gone. You know, the leaders in the team so there's so many question marks. And of course, you think about, like, the stars that are on that new wave podcast, you know, Dre Kilpatrick Jr. Now joining Ryan Williams and Jalen Embakwe. It's just like, this is getting ridiculous. Y'all lost four games. Y'all are, like, fighting for an SEC title. You're not fighting for a national title anymore. [00:27:18] Speaker E: I would also like to mention that if you stand out on the strip long enough, Ryan Williams will walk by. Oh, and he will get pictures with you. I've seen him like, four times, so. [00:27:28] Speaker B: He doesn't tell you, hey, man, show me your yay, Alabama decal. [00:27:31] Speaker E: No, he does not. And most of us go to class with some of these guys. Like, I know personally, like, in my sports media class, I had a class with Rock Montgomery. I have classes with these people. Why would I pay money? Go see them. I can see them on campus. I saw Grant Nelson every day last semester. [00:27:45] Speaker C: And they're normal people. And they're like, I don't know. I've always felt weird because they're like, our age. I mean, it just, you know, they're. They're just us. They're just human beings. Which is cool to see the feats that they do and all credit to them. But, like, for me, I'm not going to pay my hard earned money just to get, like a selfie with them. [00:28:04] Speaker B: Like, you know what? We got told as a, as a student newspaper that, hey, why don't the student newspaper get a subscription to Yale Obama? If we want quotes from the list of positions and classes that I named, like, all the people, like coaches, you need to get, like, they have exclusive content that they just said. So to be honest with you, they're like, hey, get yay Alabama for the student newspaper so you can get, you know, freshman quotes and transfer quotes and assistant coaches are speaking on there. [00:28:32] Speaker D: So I've just been sitting here shell shocked for the past minute because what, what does this say to your mentality? You can lose four games, you can lose a spot in the SEC title game, you can lose a spot in the playoffs, but we're still going to give you more money. We're still going to boost up your egos. We're still going to make people pay, like, hundreds of dollars to come see you. What does that say to the program? What does that say to these guys? You can suck it, but we're. We still love you. [00:29:00] Speaker C: We want money. [00:29:00] Speaker E: It enforces the fact that, like, everyone's been talking about, oh, like with nil and stuff, like, players are only going to go where they're paid the most. That's literally what this is. There's no loyalty, none. They just want wherever they get the most money. And apparently Alabama's feeding into that. [00:29:15] Speaker B: I mean, you can look at it as some, you know, like the rich donors that they get a ye Alabama membership, you know, the most. Here's the kicker. You can actually pay. They call it the hall of fame and you can go $250 a month. [00:29:30] Speaker E: A month. [00:29:31] Speaker B: So I can imagine somebody walking in there that does that. $250. You know, I can't do math. I times that by 12. But I can't do math right now off top of my head. We'll do that later. Don't worry about it right now. But you know, just kind of thinking like some guy walks in like, hey, Ryan, Ryan Williams, I'm billionaire McBilleuson. And you know, anyway, so I kind of, I kind of crashed out right there. But we will come back, we'll make a case and stick around after the break. [00:30:14] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [00:30:32] Speaker B: It is that time again on the Crimson case. It is time to make a case with this episode's prompt being who is the most underrated athlete in sports today? We have our own Lydia Lisko being the judge. We have me, Matthew Mason. We have Zach Elrod, we have Matty Hewitt. We got cases that we're going to make here. That's kind of like the, you know, you know, the kind of the thing, the name. So I do want to let Zach kind of start off, I think I'm going to just turn the floor over to him because there was a little. [00:31:01] Speaker C: Bit of, let me say my case before the case. [00:31:04] Speaker B: Okay. [00:31:05] Speaker D: Oh, boy. [00:31:05] Speaker C: When it says who is the most underrated athlete in sports today, it doesn't specify I'm retired. It says today. But it could say that could indicate still the past. [00:31:16] Speaker B: So is that, is that a valid point, judge? [00:31:19] Speaker C: It could indicate the past because it's obviously today going, I'm gonna let him. [00:31:25] Speaker D: Just because I don't want to be mean. But I don't see how you can read who, who's the most underrated person in sports today and not think of a current athlete. I'm gonna let you guys. [00:31:33] Speaker C: I did. And then I thought of this guy right here and that is Michael Johnson. Now this guy, if you know, you know, the gold shoes, iconic four time gold medalist in the Olympics, eight time world champion this guy used to hold the record for the 200 meter who is now held by Hussain Bolt, who is just. It was just beaten by a few milliseconds. He currently holds a record for the fastest 4x4. He was on the fastest 4 by 400 team back in the day, back in I believe 1993. And he also used to hold the record for the fastest 400 meter time. The reason I say all this, he was the Usain Bolt before Usain Bolt was a thing. Michael Johnson, known for running in the gold shoes, known for running, having a unique running style, chest, upright arms and legs, the only thing that was moving. And he was just. For Team USA, he was just that guy. And everyone in the 90s loved him. Iconic 1996 Olympics with a 200 meter world record time. And then in the 400, absolutely just smoking people. Michael Johnson, just that guy. That's my case. Four time gold medalist, eight time world champion in gold. [00:32:50] Speaker B: He really wanted to talk about Michael Johnson. [00:32:52] Speaker E: He was so excited. [00:32:52] Speaker B: He did not. I mean, I could have asked, who's your Mount Rushmore, Alabama athletes? He might have found a way to talk about Michael Johnson. [00:32:58] Speaker C: Michael Johnson is just that guy. So I just had to say, is. [00:33:01] Speaker B: He underrated if he really has all those stats? [00:33:03] Speaker C: Because everybody, when they think of track and field, they think of Usain Bolt. And who is the guy that came before Michael Johnson? [00:33:10] Speaker D: Four gold medals. [00:33:12] Speaker B: Oh, the judge is getting four. [00:33:14] Speaker D: You said he has four gold medals? [00:33:15] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:33:16] Speaker D: How is that underrated? You're. You're, you're a world champion. Okay. You're a world champion. You're top of your game. [00:33:23] Speaker C: Lydia. Lydia, when you came in today and I asked you who Michael Johnson is, what did you tell me? [00:33:30] Speaker D: I said, I don't know who that is. [00:33:33] Speaker C: That just answered my question. [00:33:35] Speaker B: But now that you've gave us a cliff notes of who he is, why is he underrated? [00:33:39] Speaker C: Like because he's this. Because he's so good and no one even knows his name. [00:33:46] Speaker E: So you know his name. [00:33:47] Speaker C: Exactly. And I'm telling you how he's underrated because no one knows his name. And he's done all these accolades do. [00:33:54] Speaker E: They were alive in the 90s. [00:33:55] Speaker D: But he's ready. [00:33:57] Speaker E: Parents do. [00:33:58] Speaker C: Yeah. And no one talks about him anymore. [00:34:00] Speaker B: We were a lie. [00:34:02] Speaker D: See, my thing with this is that's. [00:34:04] Speaker C: Why he's underrated because no one talks about him anymore. [00:34:06] Speaker D: But he contributes to the glory that is Team usa. Like he doesn't need to be known by name. He's a USA Olympic athlete. [00:34:15] Speaker B: I don't think our parents are making podcasts anytime soon. That's why we don't. [00:34:19] Speaker C: But that's why he's underrated, because no one talks about him today. [00:34:22] Speaker B: Well, that just means that the next generation is not getting told about him by the people that. [00:34:26] Speaker C: That's why he's underrated. [00:34:28] Speaker D: And that'll probably happen with Usain Bolt, too, if. [00:34:31] Speaker B: How many people are saying track and field, though? Like, you go. You go in a barbershop. How many people are like, hey, man, track and field. [00:34:37] Speaker C: That's why it's underrated, Matthew. [00:34:39] Speaker E: But that makes the sport underrated. Not that exactly. [00:34:41] Speaker C: That contributes to the athlete being underrated, because their sport is underrated. [00:34:46] Speaker E: All right, I have a little bit of that in mind, too. [00:34:49] Speaker C: I was about to say that contributes to my points. Everything you are saying is contributing to my points. [00:34:53] Speaker B: Okay, I think the judge is here. [00:34:56] Speaker D: I hear you and I understand you. Let's move on. [00:34:58] Speaker C: I don't understand the deal. [00:35:00] Speaker B: The judge got your got your case. [00:35:02] Speaker C: I do get the beginning, though. It wasn't past and. But, you know, I just wanted to talk about Michael Johnson. [00:35:06] Speaker B: Wanted to talk about Michael Johnson. [00:35:08] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:35:08] Speaker E: He's so excited. [00:35:09] Speaker C: I am. [00:35:10] Speaker B: Judge. Who's next? [00:35:12] Speaker D: Maddie, let's hear from you. [00:35:13] Speaker E: All right, my most underrated athlete of today is the Texas women's volleyball setter, Ella Swindle. [00:35:21] Speaker D: Okay. [00:35:21] Speaker E: She is currently a junior. Her freshman year, she started and led her team to the national championship. She has a lot of accolades. She was on the Big 12 all rookie team. She led the team with assists and like I said, true freshmen going to the national championship game, absolutely insane. Definitely not underrated, if you're looking at it from that standpoint. Well, her sophomore year, a girl transferred in from Baylor, and he, the coach, decided to start the Baylor transfer over her. So Ellis sat her entire sophomore year. Oh. After leading the team to a national championship, Texas started losing. [00:35:57] Speaker D: Oh. [00:35:57] Speaker E: With another girl at Sutter. [00:35:59] Speaker B: Oh. [00:36:01] Speaker E: Then this year, when it came down to it, she. People were like, oh, is she going to transfer? Because, like, after not starting and the team was losing. Whatever. Are you going to transfer? She's deciding to stay at Texas. She's going to start this year. [00:36:12] Speaker D: Oh, good for her. Okay. [00:36:15] Speaker B: So. [00:36:16] Speaker E: And then also to Zach's point, with the track and field being underrated, I think women's college volleyball is a little underrated in a lot of places, but, yeah. So she really stood out to me. I mean, going from a national championship as a true freshman to being sat for a transfer who did not play too well. [00:36:31] Speaker D: Yeah, good to know. Okay, that's in my mind. I'm mulling it over. I'm mulling it over. Okay, Matthew, let's. Let's hear from you now. [00:36:40] Speaker B: I took the NFL route. I went. Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey. I know, I see that. 20, 23, 2024, that's the only seasons he's got under his belt at the moment with them boys. I do want to point out that this past year that on extra points, he went 30 for 30. Call it a film. He went 30 for 30 for 30. I mean, he has. He's tied for second with most points with 150 points that he is accountable or accounted for for the Dallas Cowboys. [00:37:15] Speaker D: More than the entire Dallas Cowboys team put together. [00:37:18] Speaker B: Exactly. [00:37:20] Speaker E: Sure is. [00:37:21] Speaker B: You know, the field goal here. Here's the deal. I'm looking at the obviously extra point percentage. That's top of the league because you gotta think about that. Extra points, they moved it back. It's. It's not just right there at the two or the three or that little dash at the front where they do a two point conversions from. It's been moved back. So obviously he's on top of the league with 100% field goal percentage. I will say it's an 85 field goal percentage, but that's because he's kicking so many field goals. I mean, he's got it. He. He has the longest field goal of 20, 24 with a 65 yarder. The thing is, the Cowboys put him in so many positions to just say, hey, I know that, you know, our offense, like, we got a turnover at midfield. We go like five yards. We, you know, we had Dak Prescott and CD Lamb. We can't go more than five yards. So, hey, kick this from the back of the logo, please. And that's, you know, stuff like that is why his field goal percentage is that low. But it still would be, you know, 23rd in the league. But if he wasn't, if they weren't telling him, hey, kick a field goal right before halftime from 78 yards, you know, then his field goal percentage would be higher than it is. But I also want to say that I feel like he don't get talked about enough because we're always. Everybody talks about Justin Tucker on the Ravens. You know what Justin Tucker decides. He's in his Deshaun Watson era lately and he struggled. He decides, no, I don't think you know what I meant by that. [00:38:33] Speaker E: I picked up what you were putting down. [00:38:35] Speaker B: I think Maddie picked up What I was putting down. Yep. Him and Deshaun Watson been going to massage parlor together. Justin Tucker. Justin Tucker. [00:38:44] Speaker C: I did not pick up a drip. [00:38:45] Speaker B: Hey. Oh, he's got more accusations than Mark Sears had points yesterday. [00:38:49] Speaker E: Oh, dang. [00:38:52] Speaker C: Okay. So not talkable. [00:38:54] Speaker B: I think we need to put Brandon Aubrey in that top spot and get rid of Justin Tucker because it feels like a position like kicker. Like, people like, I don't care about kicker. I don't show some kickers some love. But they only feel like there's only one kicker that you can show love at a time. No, you can show multiple kickers love at a time. But if we're going to go with one, it's Brandon Aubrey. [00:39:14] Speaker D: Okay. Thank you all for your cases. How I'm going to look at this is somebody who deserves to be more recognized than they are. So for Maddie and Zach, both of your athletes do have accolades. They do. Like yours was, you know, brought to national championship, national title. Yours has four Olympic gold medals. And they were like, they are talked about in the same vein with, like, great people like you guys. [00:39:46] Speaker E: You're guys. [00:39:46] Speaker D: The precursor who Usain Bolt. Like, he's obviously very good and true, like, true freshman leading. She starts. She's playing this year. She's starting this year. So that is why I have to go with Matthew because, like, you win. Because. [00:40:04] Speaker B: Let's go. [00:40:04] Speaker D: We do. Especially on this show. [00:40:07] Speaker C: Let's go. [00:40:08] Speaker D: Especially on this show. We talk about how much we dislike the Catboys, how bad they are and the. Just because his team sucks doesn't mean that the one player should be brought down. Like Joe. Kind of like a Joe Burrow. But Joe Burrow is definitely not underrated. [00:40:22] Speaker B: Drew Bruce, right, has some stinker teams. I mean, he's a doubt his best man. [00:40:28] Speaker D: So that is why I'm going with your Cowboys kicker, Brandon Aubrey. Because he. He's a great player. Just because his team sucks doesn't mean he should be brought down. And that is why I think he's most underrated. Out of your guys's answers, we need. [00:40:41] Speaker B: To invest in, like a victory song. Yes, a little. A little. That was not a victory song. That was a charge. You get somebody on horseback and they're, you know, doing whatever that is. Javelin or not javelin. [00:40:56] Speaker D: All right. I don't know. [00:40:57] Speaker B: I've already forgot. [00:40:58] Speaker D: So, Matthew, you've been. You've been kind of alluding to this a little bit throughout the show. We have about five minutes left before this next break. [00:41:05] Speaker B: Good lord. [00:41:06] Speaker D: What. What are you mad about today? [00:41:09] Speaker B: Oh, My gosh. [00:41:10] Speaker D: What do you want to crash out about today? [00:41:11] Speaker B: I think I have two or three things. [00:41:12] Speaker D: Okay, you know what? Let's. We're. We're ready. [00:41:15] Speaker E: I'm sorry. [00:41:16] Speaker B: We can just start with just. Just one quick thing. We need to start a fun so Zach can get some glasses, read the fine print. All right? That's not a crash out that I. I'm being nice. I don't even want to crash out. I don't even want to be like that. I am going to crash out about the dude I was sitting next to at the College Park Regional when Alabama was playing Maryland, right? Dude had on shorts like. Like, I got on right now, which is supposed to kind of just carry yourself with a little bit of, you know, professionalism. He had on shorts like, I own right now, you know, he's at an Alabama and Maryland women's basketball game, and he has a backwards hat that says UConn 2024 champs. Why are you wearing that hat? It's not a UConn game. It's not even a men's game. It's a women's game. Why are you wearing the hat? You're not supposed to wear a hat as a professional. He said something like his media outlet was like, DMV sports and something like that. [00:42:04] Speaker C: Oh, DMV sports. [00:42:06] Speaker B: I've never heard of that. But he didn't have a laptop. He would. He was. I mean, he might have had a phone, but it was just a text. And then the guy, you know, he had, like, some weird, like, shirt on. He looked like Shaggy from Scooby Doo. He doesn't stand close enough to his razor. I mean, whenever. I mean, he's. He just looked like a bomb. I don't know. And here's, like, I would not say this if he didn't do stuff to make me mad, because the whole entire game, he was cheering for Maryland on the media table. Cheering for Maryland. We got our own broadcast, you know, like, Roger Hoover's over here, and this dude's banging on the table. Like, oh, like, every time. You're not supposed to. You know, you're not supposed to. That's etiquette. Every time Maryland got a free throw, they do this thing where it's, like, you know, they'd be quiet before they be quiet. They go like. And then they're quiet, and then they do, like, this little thing with their fingers. Like, they're wiggling their fingers like your Emperor Palpatine trying to Star Wars. And this could be, like, with his fingers and I wanted to break every finger he had after about the third time I saw him do that. We're at immediate. We're literally professionals at this thing. You're telling me that we could not get another person from the Crimson White, but we got somebody that's from DMV Sports, and who the heck is that? I didn't even get his name. He went in the press conference. Everybody's talking. He's just got his leg crossed and he's just looking at his phone. He's just kind of like with his. [00:43:24] Speaker D: With his shorts. [00:43:25] Speaker B: What reporting did he do? I mean, like, I see. [00:43:30] Speaker C: Reporting kind. [00:43:31] Speaker B: What's. I mean. All right. Did that take up my whole crash out segment? [00:43:36] Speaker A: No. [00:43:36] Speaker D: You still have a little bit time left? [00:43:37] Speaker B: I still have a little bit of time, yeah. [00:43:38] Speaker C: You got like two minutes. [00:43:39] Speaker B: Do I. What else can I crash out about? We'll talk about this later. But if Stephen A. Didn't get a new contract, I'd fire him. If I'm an executive, I would fire Stephen A. Smith because that man talked about he's going to swing on LeBron James the SoCAP. LeBron James, the SoCAP. Look, LeBron. I'm typing right now. LeBron height and weight. [00:43:58] Speaker E: Yeah, LeBron would get killed, I think. [00:44:00] Speaker C: What is he, like 250? [00:44:02] Speaker B: Well, you know what? They didn't give me the American measurements. I don't know how to do the measurements they do. In the UK. We see 692-506-9250. And Stephen A. Acts like he's gonna swing on LeBron James. [00:44:18] Speaker C: Yeah, he is 250. Yeah. That's crazy. [00:44:21] Speaker D: Jesus. [00:44:22] Speaker B: LeBron James would fold him like a beach chair. This man is getting. I mean, he's actually just kind of salty. That Pat McAfee is the face of ESPN now. We really don't need Stephen A Anymore. No, the only engagement they get is when they talk about the goat debate and they have some new person on there and they just start like, hollering about Michael Jordan. LeBron this. So that is the first edition of the Matthew Crash Out. I appreciate you listening. [00:44:49] Speaker D: Thank you. It was great. I really appreciated hearing from you. [00:44:52] Speaker B: So when we come back, I'm saying in a nice voice, when we come back, we will get you some more news in professional sports and also go to Alabama on the Diamond. Stick around for more of the Crimson case. [00:45:18] Speaker A: WVUAFM, Tuscaloosa. [00:45:21] Speaker C: This show is a sports production of. [00:45:23] Speaker B: WVUAFM 90.7, the Capstone, a division of. [00:45:27] Speaker C: Student media at the University of Alabama. [00:45:29] Speaker B: Support us by leaving a review rating. [00:45:31] Speaker C: Or following us on X @ WVUAFM Sports. [00:45:36] Speaker A: WVUAFM, Tuscaloosa. [00:45:51] Speaker D: Welcome back to the Crimson Case on 90.7. I'm Lydia Lasko, joined by Matthew Mason, Maddie Hewitt and Zachary Elrod. Make sure you stick around. We have Crimson White staff writer Elijah Burks joining us for an interview. Now let's talk a little bit about some Alabama on the diamond. So let's start with baseball. Alabama baseball takes the win over number 9 Oklahoma in this weekend series. On Friday, the number 12 Crimson Tide got the W over the Sooners 8 to 6 due to an 8th inning rally Saturday, Alaba Alabama fell to Oklahoma 6 to 5 and on Sunday, the Tide clinched the series 8 to 6. On the Sunday game, the Tide had 9 hits, Sooners had 8, Oklahoma had 2 areas and Alabama had none. On Tuesday, April 1st, Alabama will face Sanford at home right before they face Auburn the weekend of April 4th. Now for some softball. Alabama softball takes the win over the Georgia Bulldogs in their weekend series. At first, they fell to the Bulldogs in the opener on Friday 4 to 3, tied the series up on Saturday with a 54 win over Georgia, and then the Crimson Tide won the rubber match on Sunday with an 85 win. In the final game, Alabama had 14 hits, Georgia had 11, and each team had one error. On Tuesday, April 1, the Crimson Tide will face Alabama State at Rhodes Stadium. Now, Matthew, I'm going to kick it over to you for some NFL off season. [00:47:14] Speaker B: Hey, shout out Alabama on the diamond, man. Hey, I mean we're trying to be everything school, but football wants to try to ruin that here in a little bit. They don't get their crap together. [00:47:23] Speaker E: Literally. [00:47:23] Speaker D: Yeah, we're a baseball school now. [00:47:25] Speaker E: And an adapted basketball. [00:47:27] Speaker B: Question mark. [00:47:28] Speaker D: Basketball and athletics, we're everything. [00:47:30] Speaker C: But we're an adapted athletic. [00:47:32] Speaker B: Gymnastics. Gymnastics. Yeah, throw them in. [00:47:34] Speaker C: We're an adapted athletic school. [00:47:36] Speaker B: So NFL off season news. We got a quarterback competition brewing in New York. Not the jets, the Giants because Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, since the last time we've talked, I believe have signed with the New York Giants. Russell Wilson is probably, I would predict he's going to be the starter, but. [00:47:52] Speaker C: He signed a one year deal with them. [00:47:53] Speaker B: So do you think that because the Giants have both of them that they might try to give a shot to a rookie quarterback just to have them sit behind those two? Is it worth it or wait till next year's draft? [00:48:02] Speaker D: Probably wait till next year, but what a QB room. [00:48:05] Speaker E: What a QB room. [00:48:07] Speaker B: Hey, somebody said that that with those two guys, that pregame prayer will make you run through a wall. [00:48:14] Speaker E: How the Giants are doing this year. That should be good. [00:48:16] Speaker C: And then they got Danny or what is his name. Tommy DeVito ring, too. [00:48:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:48:22] Speaker C: And Tommy can do a little. [00:48:24] Speaker B: Tommy. [00:48:25] Speaker C: Tommy can do it. Don't count out. [00:48:27] Speaker B: Yeah. You got Tommy Cutlass in there. You know, he'll. [00:48:30] Speaker E: Hey, Giants country. Let's ride. [00:48:32] Speaker D: And another. Another big. Another big trade or get. Get the Patriots. Stefan Diggs. [00:48:40] Speaker B: I. Yes. I should have put that on there. Yes. Stefan Diggs on the Patriots. [00:48:43] Speaker D: But let's go. [00:48:45] Speaker B: Do they have any. They still got a draft. I think that the Patriots probably do need to draft offensive lineman first round. They need someone to guard, help Andre or else Drake May is going to end up getting folded like Mac Jones did so many times in New England. [00:48:58] Speaker D: But. But hey, still. Still a great pickup. I'm so excited. He. He's going to be great. Apparently he called Mike Fabrill beautiful, which I was like, yeah, he is beautiful. So thank you. [00:49:09] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:49:10] Speaker C: Let's hope the locker room stays intact, but. [00:49:13] Speaker B: Well, you got a guy being a true wide receiver. 1. I didn't feel like he got that where. When he was in Houston. [00:49:19] Speaker C: No, he definitely didn't know. [00:49:21] Speaker B: So now him being. [00:49:22] Speaker D: Yeah, we've needed that. So that'll be good. [00:49:24] Speaker B: Back in the AFC East. Right back. Back over there with. He'll. He'll face Josh Allen twice a year. [00:49:31] Speaker C: That'd be an interesting matchup. [00:49:32] Speaker E: Yes, it will. [00:49:34] Speaker D: So that's exciting. I'm super happy for it. So it's Patriots take the Super Bowl. That's what I know. A little. Little overzealous. [00:49:42] Speaker E: I'm hoping that the Bengals have enough on offense to make up for some things here. [00:49:46] Speaker D: Maybe. We'll see. Anything is possible, but I feel like it's a little too early to start speculating. But fans could never too early, never too early. [00:49:55] Speaker B: I don't even care what the Titans do. They're still gonna lose because what. [00:50:00] Speaker D: When they were. We were thinking what were they needing in the draft? Again, I can't quarterback. [00:50:05] Speaker C: They need a qb. But some people have said they might stick with little. [00:50:08] Speaker B: I hear rumors they're going. They're going to take Cam Ward. I really have. [00:50:12] Speaker C: He's only 20. [00:50:13] Speaker E: Okay. [00:50:14] Speaker C: Will Levis is only 25, I believe. [00:50:16] Speaker B: I don't care. You make that many memes in three games. [00:50:19] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:50:20] Speaker B: And your only trait is you like mayonnaise. There's no other trait. [00:50:24] Speaker D: Gagged. [00:50:25] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:50:27] Speaker C: Cam Ward seems like the move especially over Shoulder Sanders. I like Cam Ward, honestly, his arm talent and also he has a little bit more upside on the run. That's just me personally though. [00:50:37] Speaker B: Yeah, Shador is going to be the wild card because he could really go anywhere depending on what people do. [00:50:42] Speaker D: And I know we talked a little bit earlier, Melrose with the Steelers. [00:50:45] Speaker B: So that's the only team I think would draft Milroe in the first or second round is the Steelers. No one else is going to do that. [00:50:50] Speaker E: I would love to see him play against the Bengals twice a year. That would be interesting. [00:50:53] Speaker C: I mean, that's a big, it's a big possibility. Honestly. Him and Mike Tomlin, we talked about it in the previous episode. They've had some serious talks. [00:51:00] Speaker D: So, so could be, could be good for him. Super exciting. [00:51:03] Speaker B: Only three quarterbacks projected in the first round by Mel Kuiper. You got Jackson Dart sneaking in the back door. I think I, I, he had a good pro day. Cam Ward and Shador. For some reason, I don't think Jackson Dart is going to get drafted first round. It might be early. Second because you remember there's just a lot of teams that have the quarterbacks right now and they want to go get a different position. They feel like the veteran is the way to go at the quarterback position. [00:51:27] Speaker E: But the last few years in quarterbacks have been insane draft classes. Yeah. Most teams are set at that quarterback position for sure. [00:51:34] Speaker B: There's been so many resurgences of people's careers. Like Jared Goff gets on the line. Sam Darnold got on the Vikings last year. [00:51:41] Speaker C: Yes. [00:51:41] Speaker B: Especially Samuel Contract with the Seahawks. There's so many veteran quarterbacks that are resurging. Get him in a different. [00:51:46] Speaker C: Like even Russell Wilson with the Steelers. He had his moments. [00:51:50] Speaker B: Yeah. Another NFL off season thing that I probably should have crashed out about earlier was ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that the tush push ban is picking up some momentum at the NFL owners meeting. [00:52:06] Speaker E: Why? I just don't understand, like, because no. [00:52:09] Speaker B: One else can do it. [00:52:10] Speaker C: No one can do it. [00:52:11] Speaker B: No one else knows how to do it at a 90. Actually, if I say 95, 99% success. [00:52:17] Speaker C: Rate, I have never seen it fail. [00:52:19] Speaker B: I've seen it fail one time. It was, it was one time. Not this season, but the last season that it was. Like I said, Milroe Jalen hurts, fumbled a snap and that's the only reason it failed. [00:52:31] Speaker C: Oh, yeah. And that's just because he dropped the ball. I mean, who knows what. Yeah. [00:52:35] Speaker E: The dynamics of the play. [00:52:36] Speaker B: This is the question I want to ask if they ban the tush push, does it also mean the quarterback sneak is banned? Because I think he gets. I think regardless of having a. Someone pushing on his tush, he is going to get across the goal line. He's going to get that first down if it's a quarterback sneak because he can squat a house. [00:52:54] Speaker D: Yeah. [00:52:55] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:52:55] Speaker B: Do they ban the quarterback sneak too? [00:52:57] Speaker D: I don't know. I. This could. This just. It's. Now that it's starting to pick up momentum, it's just seems that a way to tear down the Eagles. [00:53:04] Speaker E: Yeah. [00:53:05] Speaker D: For their successes and trying to make it even the playing field or level the field so that way everyone can have a chance. But like how many times do they actually use the tush push in a game? [00:53:18] Speaker C: Like it's. It's been a major bailout. I mean it's like it's their safety net. Really and truly, I think that you'll. [00:53:25] Speaker B: See it at least. I think it's close to once a game if you try to average it out. I think it really is close to once a game when it comes to. [00:53:32] Speaker C: A fourth and short or they need a third and just. It's right there a yard or a half. I mean it's just, it's that go get it. You're going to get a first down. [00:53:41] Speaker E: I just don't understand really. Because I mean, other teams could figure it out. You know what I mean? Like, it's not just like, yes, the Eagles are the best at it, but if other teams really wanted to figure it out, I'm sure you can figure out how to work with Tishbush. [00:53:54] Speaker C: That's what I don't understand. Why hasn't a team figured out what's the magic potion that these Eagles players are drinking? Like, what hurts? Look, I guess they didn't. They just need to hit the weights. [00:54:06] Speaker B: He goes, he goes behind. For years he's been going behind Landon Dickerson and Jason Kelsey. Now Cam Juergens is. Is just. I think he's just as good on. On that extra push as Kelsey was. But just going right behind, going right behind Landon Dickerson. And then you have Saquon as Dallas Goddard too. [00:54:25] Speaker C: I mean those are some two big. [00:54:26] Speaker B: Guys and look, they, they just. You want to talk about somebody that's got some quads? Quad. Quadzilla. AJ Dillon is now a backup running back for Philadelphia. Quad Father. The Quad Father. So you got, you got the quad bros. The quad. The quad duo between Saquon and A.J. dillon, man. I mean those are. If the tush push is still alive. I mean, each person gets one. One cheek. And then you can start at the 20 yard line and those clip that. [00:54:56] Speaker C: Oh, my God, that's a clip. [00:54:59] Speaker B: Look, they could start at the 20 yard line and they could shove him all the way in the end zone. Don't run another play. Tell AJ Brown and devontae Smith to just drink a lemonade and just kick back. Enjoy the game. [00:55:11] Speaker D: Yeah, just enjoy the game. [00:55:12] Speaker B: Just enjoy the game. Yeah. Anyway, turning to professional baseball, the mlb, we need to talk about some bats. Yeah. Why are we talking about bats right now? Well, because the Yankees, they made some new bats that has more wood, that's kind of moved toward the label, like the label on the. Towards the sweet spot, I guess you could say. And the hardest part of the ball is getting struck by the bat. And on the 29th, the Yankees hit nine home runs. Nine. Three of which they came from the very first three pitches of the game. So one pitch, Goldschmidt hits it out. Bellinger hits the next one out, Judge hits the next one out. Back to back to back, the Yankees beat the brewers 20 to nine. That's insane. 20 to nine. And that was second ball game of the year. And the brewers pitcher, Trevor McGill has some comments saying it's the Yankees, so they'll let it slide. [00:56:07] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:56:08] Speaker B: Is this something that needs to be explored? Like, is it something that you think other teams should explore doing, or is it going to be explored by the mlb, possibly seeing if this is illegal? [00:56:17] Speaker C: I mean, nine homers, that's. That's going to raise some eyebrows. That is not normal whatsoever. So, I mean, yeah, I mean, I would feel like the MLB needs to kind of take a look at that. [00:56:27] Speaker B: But do you think the brewers need to have a little bit of account accountability there? 20 to 9? Yes. [00:56:32] Speaker D: Oh, 100%. [00:56:33] Speaker E: Yes. [00:56:33] Speaker D: Yes. And I mean, the Yankees, the Yankees are a great ball team. Like, I think they would even are crazy without the bats. I still think they would have taken the dub over them. [00:56:45] Speaker C: They would have destroyed them still. But just this score alone is just like. Yeah. [00:56:50] Speaker D: And I mean, it can be something that the league can regulate and make. Like, okay, everyone has to have these bats because, I mean, we'd get some more high scoring games, which would be fun. But I don't know, I, like, I don't think it's gonna be that serious. Like, team, these baseball teams have money. If they want to, they can put them into getting these new bats. And I think soon enough it was. It's literally like the second game So I think without like teams will pick it up, they'll get, they'll be able to field them better just in the season. It's just a shock factor right now, especially since, you know, opening. [00:57:23] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:57:23] Speaker E: Definitely seen the long term effects is going to depend on. I think maybe the MLB will. I do think that the Yankees do have a little bit of that. Like oh, it's the Yankees which, I. [00:57:32] Speaker D: Mean it's the Yankees. [00:57:33] Speaker E: It's the Yankees. I'm not even a Yankees fan, but I feel like that they do kind of have that a little bit. But I think we definitely have to see in the last like home stretch end of the season, see what that will be decides to do with. [00:57:46] Speaker D: Because I mean on opening day the Yankees beat the brewers 4 to 2. So like the first game. Yeah, so. [00:57:54] Speaker B: So I do want to jump just to a question real quick about the Yankees. Are they the biggest threat to the Dodgers or is there someone else that you think is the biggest threat? [00:58:03] Speaker D: I think the Yankees are definitely up there. I think they're a very team that you gotta look out for and just be aware. But I'm, I've. I did a little bit of research and I don't know how accurate this article is, but from essentially sports. [00:58:21] Speaker E: Oh, I read that too. They don't even get me started. [00:58:24] Speaker D: Say the Braves are a big. [00:58:26] Speaker C: A lot of people, I mean, but. [00:58:28] Speaker E: They also said that Juan Soto for the Yankees. So Juan Soto is now playing for the Mets. [00:58:33] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:58:34] Speaker B: Like to clarify that it's every year. [00:58:35] Speaker C: People talk about the Atlanta Braves, which, I mean injuries. I mean that has been a huge problem for them. I've also heard comments about the Red Sox and stuff, but I mean that's just not. To me the Dodgers just feel like they're kind of in a league of their own. I mean the amount of talent they were able to get this offseason, let alone, I mean obviously they won the World Series last year in spectacular fashion and they were able to get even better with them mostly due because the MLB doesn't have a cap, you know, a hard cap for each team, which I think is a problem. Obviously. I think the Dodgers are going to show why it's a problem this season because they're able to get so much talent not only because their name but because they got so much money and there's no cap on it. [00:59:20] Speaker D: Yeah, I agree for sure. I mean that's just always baseball's thing though. You know, they have no salary caps, no caps on like any of that kind of stuff. So we'll see. I mean, I. I don't know. They do have great talent, and obviously, they're very stacked. So I just. I think teams will come back. I don't think the Dodgers will go, like, completely undefeated. I think they're going to hit some snags. But I. I think they're definitely. Their playoff chances are very good. Very good. [00:59:46] Speaker E: Yeah, I would agree. [00:59:47] Speaker B: As. As we close, I do want to shout out that the Astros had Jose Altuve out there in left field. They think he's, you know, too washed to play second. Like, I didn't think anyone could be too terribly watched to play second base, but they got him out there in left field. He's, you know, he's running around. He didn't have the biggest stride, you know, small guy, but he's out there legging him out, getting, you know, getting in pop flies, snagging them. So, I mean, hey, what works, works. So we're going to get to the sports version of the Kendrick and drake beef with LeBron and Stephen A. You definitely want to stick around for this. [01:00:40] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [01:00:59] Speaker B: The Crimson Case is back from the break, and we got to get to the sports version of a Kendrick and Drake beef. Stephen a. Smith and LeBron. I'll let you decide who is who when you make that comparison in your own head. So let's just kind of kick it off. I didn't bring any sound bites with me because I didn't feel like trying to put, like, dolphin or duck noises over the curse words, So I didn't bring you sound bites, but I can kind of illustrate what's been going on. So Ronnie James has been in the Lakers organization not even a year yet, and Stephen A. Has made some comments on him that LeBron as a teammate and especially as a father, it has triggered him. Smith on Bronny getting drafted. He said there's no question it was a favor. Bronny James did not do what it takes to earn a spot on an NBA roster. Now, Smith on Bronny just being in the league in general. He goes on another podcast. He's like, bronny James doesn't belong in the NBA. Maybe one day I think that he could get some work in the G League. I saw he had a career high the other day, so he's getting a little bit better. But Smith, to LeBron, this is where things got traction. [01:02:05] Speaker D: He did. [01:02:06] Speaker B: Things got traction. When Smith, Stephen A. Said this about, he was like a message to LeBron, after Bronny had a bad stretch of play to kick off the new year, he said, I am pleading with LeBron James as a father, stop this. We all know Bronny James is in the NBA because of his dad. Whether that's true or not, you ain't got to say that on national television. But trying to take it to that personal level is a huge mistake. LeBron confronts Stephen A. At a Laker game because he was there for NBA Countdown, and the video went viral. It launched one of the biggest beefs that we've probably seen in the sports world in a long time. Last week on the McAfee show, you see LeBron stopping by to chat with him and the crew. And this is actually after Stephen A. Went on one of the biggest media runs I've ever seen about beefing with LeBron James. And LeBron said, He's on like a Taylor Swift tour run right now. He couldn't wait for that video to drop. Because now, anyway, that aspects of what LeBron said. Now there's more after that. In the recent days, Stephen A. Has further embarrassed himself, saying that if LeBron would have put hands on him, Stephen A. Would have swung on LeBron James, who is 6, 9, so cap about 250. Stephen A. [01:03:16] Speaker E: He would kill him. [01:03:18] Speaker B: Why would you say that? Why would he say that? LeBron is not going to put hands on that, man. It's not worth it. [01:03:24] Speaker C: Because it's going to get views, dude. [01:03:25] Speaker B: It's not worth. [01:03:26] Speaker E: Stephen A. LeBron does a lot of things, and that would not be one of them. [01:03:29] Speaker B: He makes the hugest mistake I've ever seen someone make and say on first take that LeBron was not at Kobe Bryant's memorial service. [01:03:38] Speaker C: Why? [01:03:38] Speaker B: Because so many sources proved that wrong in about 20 minutes. I mean, I've never seen so many community notes. Just why would he say that? Why would he do that? And it's not even a sincere apology. There was a fallacy in his apology. It wasn't a sincere, like, I'm sorry that I said that. That's not true. He was like, if I put out a message that was making you think that. No, you said it. That he was not there at Kobe Bryant's memorial. But why does that matter? Were in this situation. So that's kind of the outline of it. I've talked enough. I need to get your guys's thoughts on that. [01:04:11] Speaker D: All right, so I'll. I'll kick us off a little bit. Stephen A. Smith is in his right as a journalist. As a sports spectator commentator, whatever. To comment. To comment on the Bronny situation. It is very obvious why Bronny is at the Lakers, but there's such a thing called beating the dead horse. And, like, you can point it out, be like, okay, like, he's had a few bad games. Like, you can speculate, oh, what are the Lakers going to do with him? Are they going to keep on playing him, or is he going to get traded? Like, you can speculate that. But I agree with you, Matthew, where he said, as a father, you need to stop. Okay? Right now. They're not dad and son. They're teammates. And maybe you could have been like, his teammates, either, like, support him more or, like, the coach needs to do something by. To call out his dad being like, hey, man, you need to tell your kid to get off. Like, he's excited. He's playing with his kid. He's happy his son is on the team. Like, that's where Smith really made his mistake. And then, of course, like, LeBron had every right to respond. I remember seeing the video. He. He could have done it in a little bit of a calmer manner. He did seem very aggressive and agitated when he went up to Stephen A. Smith. And again, Stephen A. Smith is allowed to make these comments. He's a journalist. It's free speech, all that kind of stuff. So he could have done it a little bit more calmer manner or in private being like, hey, man, like, we know each other. Why are you doing, like, why are you saying this stuff about my son? Why are you saying this with my kid? But it's very obviously public and everything. And then he's an idiot for saying he would swing. Like, there's no way in any world you would make. You would win that fight. And yeah, this. He's. Matthew and I, as we were discussing this previously before the show, he's made, like, three videos, each of them, like, an hour long, over this. Like, babe, it's really not that serious. [01:06:02] Speaker B: I'm not reading all that. [01:06:03] Speaker D: No, we're not watching this. Like, yes, we should do our due diligence, but I'm not gonna sit and listen to Stephen A. Smith be like, oh, I'm gonna. I'm gonna beat him. I'm gonna. Like, no, sorry. I don't care to listen to you talk for an hour. And that's my piece on this. [01:06:16] Speaker E: Yeah, I would agree. I mean, as we can all see, and like you said, I think it is kind of obvious why Bronnie's on the Lakers specifically. And I do think that Steven is quote is kind of iconic, not in a good way, but, like, the. I'm pleading with LeBron James as a father, stop this. Like, that's kind of really funny. It's just way too far. And I think where the worst. The worst part of it is the Kobe Bryant accusation. They were friends. Like, everyone loved Kobe. It was a very big deal. Like, very shocking when Kobe Bryant passed away. And to say that he wasn't at his memorial service, like, that is such an unnecessary personal attack that, like, it then also goes back and hurts Kobe Bryant's family, who was friends with LeBron James. And, like, that is insulting. And people. People saw him at Kobe Bryant's memorial service. Why would you say that? You're so. Like, that's so dumb. [01:07:10] Speaker C: Yeah, I mean, I don't have much more to say. I mean, to Bronny's credit, he's playing pretty well right now in the D league. He just had a career high 39 points. Also had 16 points for the Lakers on the actual Lakers roster. But for this whole incident, I mean, I don't know what LeBron James said to Stephen A. Smith, but for Stephen A. Smith to publicly on television make it a physical altercation, saying that he will put. If he puts hands on me, stuff like this, that is just taking it entirely too far. And beyond entertainment, beyond all that, is becoming personal, and it's just getting out of hand, and it needs to be, you know, settled as men or just as people in general. [01:07:55] Speaker B: He didn't even say that on first take. He said that on his own YouTube show where he's by himself. So anyone. Any of his colleagues can't even say anything to him. He had to wait. He already went on TV that day. He had to go on his own YouTube show and say, I'm a swing. I'm gonna swing on LeBron James. I'm gonna swing on him. I'm Sugar. I'm Sugar Ray. Stephen A. I mean, why do you. [01:08:16] Speaker C: Even have to say that? I don't know. [01:08:18] Speaker B: I mean, say that Sugar Ray part. I just said. [01:08:20] Speaker C: No, no, no, not that. But I mean, the swing part, the other part. [01:08:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [01:08:22] Speaker C: Why do you have to say that? [01:08:24] Speaker E: LeBron, too. Like, LeBron's a tank, bro. Like, you're not winning. [01:08:29] Speaker D: His height, 6:1. Stephen A. Is 6. [01:08:32] Speaker B: I've seen the. The memes. Like, he put, like, lay in front of something. Everybody's like, le Muhammad Ali. Yes. [01:08:39] Speaker E: I've seen all this, too. [01:08:41] Speaker B: Yeah. What's. What's another one? Le Mike Tyson. [01:08:48] Speaker D: I mean, it really like, they're just, the Internet's just taken. They're just taking it out on Stephen A. They're just like, dude, what are you doing? [01:08:58] Speaker E: And in our generation, everyone loves LeBron. Like, you're not gonna hold this publicity though. [01:09:04] Speaker C: It's getting viewers. [01:09:05] Speaker E: LeBron James. [01:09:06] Speaker B: Yeah, we're. [01:09:07] Speaker C: I mean, just by talking to him right now on the. It's. We're falling into his trap. You know, Stephen A. Smith, he wants. [01:09:12] Speaker E: What the goal is. [01:09:13] Speaker C: That's. That's the goal. He wants attention and he's getting it. [01:09:16] Speaker B: So I just don't know how he's making money from it, but I know that he just now signed a new deal with espn. [01:09:20] Speaker A: That's. [01:09:21] Speaker B: That's nine figures. [01:09:22] Speaker C: And obviously the shows generating from it. [01:09:24] Speaker B: Because it's about a five year, nine figure. I swear, it's like a hundred sits. [01:09:28] Speaker E: There and controversial stuff. [01:09:30] Speaker C: Stephen A. Smith, I mean, he's been around for a while, so I guess. [01:09:33] Speaker B: That kind of sounds like it. That's possibly like a 20 million a year. Possibly. [01:09:38] Speaker E: That's absolutely. Yeah. Wow. [01:09:41] Speaker D: To have. [01:09:41] Speaker B: Wow. [01:09:42] Speaker C: I knew it was a big deal because he just recently signed it. What was it last year, I believe. I don't know. I knew is a very recent deal. [01:09:49] Speaker B: So, yep, four sources right here talking about 100 million for five years. [01:09:54] Speaker C: It's insane. [01:09:55] Speaker B: See it on NBC, especially for just. [01:09:57] Speaker C: Like an TV personality, just. I mean, that's really unheard of. [01:10:01] Speaker E: And as Matthew said earlier before the show, Pat McAfee is more popular right now. [01:10:07] Speaker C: He's on the come up right now. He's definitely changed the game, especially with, I mean, just game day and just like the filter, because there used to be things you didn't say on TV, but now Pat McAfee has just uncovered that and no filter, which is entertaining. But obviously for the younger generation, for the younger audience, it raises a few question marks, but I mean, as of right now, he, he's flourishing. [01:10:32] Speaker D: All right, and as we head into our last break of the show, we have one more thing we each would like to say. So Matthew, what's one more thing that you got to say? [01:10:42] Speaker B: One more thing that I got to say is I want to talk about Deion Sanders getting his extension. You know, they got him extended. You know, here's, here's the funny part of the story is that the fact that whenever he first got that deal with Colorado that they did not have the money to give him. And then the fact that they generated so much money and they finally had it at the end of his, like, first season to give him. So he's got a five year deal. It's worth, you know, 54 million. You know, the thing I want to say is that that's a. That's obviously a lot of money, but comparing it to some other college coaches, it's maybe not a lot, but I think you got to look at it from a success standpoint, is that Colorado still brings in a lot of dough, but the success is not quite where Sanders would want it to be, where Coach prime wants it to be. But, you know, do want to kind of. I just wanted to shout that out as my one more thing. You know, Dion's obviously looks like he's staying in college football for some time. [01:11:37] Speaker D: Now because I remember we speculated about him maybe going to Dallas like a while back. [01:11:41] Speaker C: That's a big deal. Yeah. [01:11:42] Speaker D: Good for him. Zach, what's one more thing you'd like to say for me? [01:11:45] Speaker C: I got to talk about the men's basketball transfer portal. I mean, it's obviously a big thing, but I mean, over a thousand Division 1 players have entered the transfer portal already. Big names like, you know, the big high school phenomenon like Mikey Williams, Elliot Cadot out of North Carolina. I know St. John, star player, already entered the transfer portal. [01:12:06] Speaker B: Whole other R.J. lewis. [01:12:07] Speaker C: R.J. lewis, yes. [01:12:09] Speaker B: How do you enter the portal and the draft at the same time? I don't understand how you can do that. Anyway, go ahead. I just want to throw it out there. [01:12:15] Speaker C: A whole lot of big names. But I mean, when we talk about, you know, Cinderella stories, whatever, it may be the great equalizer. I mean, this transfer portal, that's where it comes from. But obviously, you know, big teams, bigger names are going to generally get, you know, more influence when it comes to like a say where these players get to go. But I mean, you never know with the. The large majority of this market. I mean, there's. There's enough players for everybody. With a thousand of them in Division one alone, there's enough players for everyone. [01:12:44] Speaker D: All right, Maddie, what's one more thing. [01:12:47] Speaker E: I would like to talk about the fact that the Bengals defense was maybe going to get a win keeping Trey Hendrickson, even though, as we all saw, the Bengals paid a lot of money to our core three offensively. So everyone's wondering, oh, what are the Bengals going to do on defense? Like, how's that going to go? And then we found out that Trey Hendrickson, one of our best defensive guys, was looking for a trade. [01:13:10] Speaker C: Well, I was talking about him last episode too. [01:13:13] Speaker E: Yeah. [01:13:13] Speaker C: I'm just like he's the one upside on their. Their entire defense. [01:13:16] Speaker E: Yep. Well, a few days ago it was looking like he was going to say the Bengals were in talks to keep him around and now it is looking like maybe that's not so sure. The Lions are looking at him. A few other teams are definitely looking. [01:13:29] Speaker B: Trey Hendrickson and Aiden Hutchinson. Oh my gosh. Lord. [01:13:33] Speaker E: So. [01:13:34] Speaker C: And. And they're both so young too. Oh my gosh. [01:13:37] Speaker D: Yep. [01:13:38] Speaker E: So I just wanted to throw that in there because they're both staying with the Bengals, aren't they? [01:13:43] Speaker C: Both in their second year or heading or I think heading into third year. I believe. [01:13:48] Speaker E: Trey Hendrickson's 30. He's Trey Hendrickson playing 30. [01:13:53] Speaker C: Dang. Nevermind. [01:13:54] Speaker E: Playing since 2017. [01:13:55] Speaker B: As I type, as I type his name in. I know I see like mock trades with like the Colts. I see a mock trade with the Commanders. The. The Bears is listed on one of these articles is a mock trade. So I'm not sure how that's going to go for either of those teams. [01:14:10] Speaker D: I don't think he would go to the Bears. I'll just say that now Bears are looking. [01:14:14] Speaker C: I don't know. The Bears are. Don't count them out. Especially with all the offensive linemen they've been getting. I mean their Oons been stacking up. Their defense has always been a strong suit. I don't know. We'll see. [01:14:26] Speaker D: All right. Well, my one more thing I would like to talk about is in the world of motorsport, Red Bull has made a change with their second driver. Liam Lawson is being replaced by Yuki Sonoda for the Japanese for the Japanese Grand Prix, which is insane. Liam is. Was in the car for two races. The first race was a wet race with like five DNFs. Everyone did poorly. The second race, he like it was his second time like actually using the car and it was a sprint race. Like it was a sprint weekend. So that isn't an actual representation of your skills and ability with the car. But he, he did finish dead last. And their other driver, Max versus Max Verstappen, who is perhaps one of the best motor sport drivers in history. And they did he. Yep, exactly. He's the only reason why Red Bull is still in contention for the Constructors Championship. So keep your eye on that. The Grand Prix is happening this weekend and so we'll see how Yuki does. He. Hopefully it. He takes it away because I'm very excited for him. [01:15:30] Speaker B: Well, that was one more thing and we actually have one more Thing to go with Elijah Burks from the Crimson White staff rider coming to talk some Alabama women's basketball tight hoops. Coming your way with Elijah Burks. Stick around. [01:15:58] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. Wvuafm Tuscaloosa. [01:16:16] Speaker B: Joining us on the Crimson case at this time is Elijah Burke's Crimson White staff rider. Elijah, how are we doing? [01:16:23] Speaker A: We're doing pretty good. What's up, man? [01:16:24] Speaker B: Hey, man. Tide hoops has been. It's been hooping, but it's been hooping the whole year. But it's kind of hit a roadblock lately. We're gonna have to wait to see some more Tide hoops next season, but we'll kick it off with the women's team. Obviously, me and you have got to cover Christy Curry squad this year. Sarah Ashley Barker and Zay Green and Aaliyah Nye. This is the last. Last time that we're going to see them in a Crimson tie uniform, man. I mean, how are we feeling about that? [01:16:48] Speaker A: I mean, when you just look at what Sarah Ashley Barker did in the last game, it's incredible. But also when you think about the season Aaliyah Nye had, she broke so many records along the way. And then you think about Zay Green. This is her seventh season of college basketball. She had two ACL tears. She had a great, productive season. But it all just. I feel like it all just ended so early. Like, I feel like our. This team was not meant to have their last game played in Maryland. I just wish we could have gone. [01:17:16] Speaker B: To Birmingham if they would have gotten. They actually, a couple of players went to Birmingham and, like, watched it. That I couldn't have done that. [01:17:23] Speaker A: I could have never do that. [01:17:24] Speaker B: It would have been so tough for me. But that kind of tells you about, like, their character, like, what kind of people that they are, right? [01:17:29] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:17:30] Speaker A: It just tells you about the squad that coach Christy Curry has built, the way she's built such a good environment over her 13 years here. And it's just really starting to, like, pay off. And she's just teaching so many good things both on and off the court. Really. [01:17:44] Speaker C: Glg, man, that's what it's about. [01:17:46] Speaker D: J. GLG and Elijah, what do you think that GLG mentality is going to do for our girls entering the draft? How do you think that's going to give them maybe an edge over to some other players? [01:17:55] Speaker A: Ooh, you know, it's just Coach Curry just wants to help these girls build character. And I think a lot of WNBA teams Look for character, really strong character. A team that or a player that can get along with her teammates very effectively. And I just feel, you know, teams are going to be after Sarah Ashley Barker, man, I can guarantee that teams are going to be after Leoni. Teams are going to be after Zay Green. And it's just such a credit to Coach Christie and the way she's built such a strong environment and such a good group of leaders. [01:18:23] Speaker B: Really, I wouldn't let Sarah Ashley go without getting her own softball team. You saw her throw out? Hey, you seen her throwing? Hey, she's throwing it, man. [01:18:31] Speaker A: She threw a strike both on the baseball field and the softball field this weekend. [01:18:34] Speaker B: Hey, Coach Vaughn, Coach Murphy, maybe. Yeah, I need put that phone call in. Yep, call in, man. Anyway, so through your time in the crimson White, obviously, 100 articles. Over 100. [01:18:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:18:47] Speaker B: I mean, goodness gracious, man. And so many of those. Like, I want to shout out a couple. Like, we were talking about Zay Green, Ali and I, Sarah Ashley, you got to do stories on all of those girls, man, whenever you go into speaking with them and then when you leave speaking after speaking with him, what has kind of been your thought about? Oh, my gosh. Like, these players are just like, they're the type of culture that they have instilled in them. Like, tell me a little bit about that. [01:19:12] Speaker A: Well, when you go in these interviews, you know, you're looking for something that's going to be really notable. And the thing that's just really notable, I want to interview Zay, Sarah, Ashton, Alia. They all preach the same thing about how it's not just me, it's about us all as a team. That's something that's just been really good to see. Not for them to like, just to credit themselves, but credit the team as a whole. It reminds me of when Aaliyah got asked a question after breaking a single season Alima three point record. And she was like, man, it's not me, it's my teammates. You know, it's my coaching staff. It's everyone who's helped pass me the ball over these three years. It's just. It's stuff like that that's just really awesome to see. [01:19:49] Speaker B: I mean, Aaliyah, she recently got to sit down with one of my friends, Nathan Brown, down there at CTP, and, you know, he put it on his YouTube channel and she was kind of like, man, I kind of feel like I don't get enough love. Leah's talking about I don't get enough love on the. The defensive side. And I was like, I was like. But it's almost like when you are the top three point shooter, it's really hard to like, that's the thing that is like captivates your mind when you're that good at being hard to even. [01:20:16] Speaker C: Think about the defensive side because a lot of people just neglect that. Because, I mean, when she's getting so many threes like that and it's just going through the hoop, I mean, that just. It's hard not to think about that. The first thing that pops up in your mind when you think of Willy. [01:20:27] Speaker A: And I, that's how you know she's a competitor and she will do anything it takes to win. [01:20:31] Speaker B: She just. [01:20:31] Speaker A: Just doesn't want to be known for three point shooting, which we all know she's was probably the best in the country this year. She wants to be known for being gritty on the defensive end, being, you know, just affected on both sides and doing really anything it takes to win. [01:20:42] Speaker B: I mean, hey, she was like, I'm trying to remember what she told Nathan. She, she said one thing that she's like, you know, I don't look at any of the stats. You know, I let the information people reach out and I don't. She's like, nah, don't tell me. Like, don't like. It's kind of like the Sid has to tell us to kind of try to prompt response from her about, you know, if she does something that's absolutely nuts. But she's just humble. [01:21:07] Speaker A: She's just really humble, which obviously just is a testament to her character and how she doesn't want her own individual successes to like, overshadow what the team did this season. I think it's great to see. [01:21:18] Speaker B: So sorry, go ahead, Linda. [01:21:20] Speaker D: Oh, I just had a real quick question. So obviously women's basketball is losing three powerhouse players. How do you think they will be able to keep their success from this year and keep it going until next year? [01:21:30] Speaker A: Well, the first thing is going to be the two returning players in the starting lab. Essence, Cody and Carly Waters. I cannot wait to see what they do next year. You know, essence, Cody, she has such a big jump from year one to year two, and she's already just gained so much experience. I think she literally started every game she's played at Alabama except for one. And you know, Carly, you know, she's literally considered the glue of the team. If you ask anybody on the team who is the glue of the team, it's Karlie Weathers, because she just does so Much good stuff on the defensive ends. And what I'm really looking forward to next year is seeing her get more shots because, you know, she's a 40% three point shooter. You know, I cannot wait to see her get like 10 or 12 shots a game instead of like 6 or 7 like she usually does. And then, you know, I cannot wait to see what Eris Lester will do next year. When you see her play, she just, she's able to get to the rim at such an effective level. And obviously, you know, we have Ace Austin coming in. Excellent score at Alabama and from Alabama. [01:22:24] Speaker C: Too, from Spring Garden, two time Gatorade. [01:22:27] Speaker A: Player of the year. And I just cannot wait to see what she brings as a freshman because we're going to need, we're going to need productivity from the freshman. You know, losing five key players is going to hurt. But, you know, we're in a good place in terms of like, we're going to have Jessica Timmons come back too, which is huge. She was probably the second highest scorer on the team the previous year before she, you know, tor acl. So I'm really looking forward to see how she, you know, comes in, makes an impact. But I actually am really excited for next year and see what Coach Christie does continue moving forward this program. [01:22:58] Speaker B: Yeah, somebody else coming back. Rachel Douglas, she liked to wear ACL in the summertime. So Rachel, Rachel and Jessica, you know, get them back in that starter role and get Ace in there. And somebody that just entered the transfer portal that you sent me a text the other day about Chloe Spring in the portal. [01:23:13] Speaker A: I'm thinking she's going back to Indiana. Probably going. [01:23:15] Speaker B: You think Indiana? I thought, you know, I was thinking Michigan because I believe I actually, maybe I could be wrong. I think she's dating Justice Haynes and that's where Justin Haynes went. I think Justin went to Michigan. [01:23:25] Speaker C: So I think Chloe was a freshman, wasn't she? [01:23:28] Speaker A: Or. [01:23:28] Speaker B: Yeah, she was a freshman. [01:23:29] Speaker A: I was about to say Matthew knows about the gossip. [01:23:32] Speaker B: I mean, I'm not, I, I've seen it on like Justice's Pay or I like some Instagram story and I don't know, like, what do you need for confirmation to like just say that? You know what, let's just say that. [01:23:44] Speaker C: There'S a long distance relationship match. [01:23:45] Speaker B: We'll just say like, hey. We'll be like, hey, you know what? They're colleagues. They're colleagues. So she might want to follow her. [01:23:53] Speaker D: Great friends, great friend. [01:23:54] Speaker B: You might want to follow my great friend Justice Haynes to Michigan. But you know, going Back to Indiana. That could be a play for her as well. You know, I do want to say this one thing. Like, women's basketball, when you look at it, and as reporters, the great opportunities that we get to cover the sport, excellence, access to players, the access to the coaches, you can tell that, like, they really appreciate us, like, covering them. But also it's some of the best experience that. That a writer is going to get. [01:24:21] Speaker A: Absolutely. You know, it is the best sports to write about, in my opinion. I love. I honestly love writing about women's basketball, morning football, men's basketball, even, like those bigger sports, because just, it's been so fun just to cover this team, you know, be able to give them exposure, because you and I, you know, we were the two main guys all year from women's basketball. We got to ask so many questions. We got to interview so many players. It was just. It was a great experience. And you can definitely tell the players, especially Coach Christie, really appreciate that coverage. [01:24:49] Speaker B: Hey, that upset at. At home, when that upset lsu, man, that was. [01:24:54] Speaker C: That was a great game of the year. [01:24:57] Speaker A: It was so awesome. That's one of those wins that just seems so program defining. In my opinion, that just shows the growth Coach Christie has had. And I asked Sarah Ashley about this postgame. Sarah Ashley and Aaliyah in the previous two years when they had faced off against LSU at home. They've had big halftime leads in each of those games, and they just weren't able to finish it off because LSU just, you know, did work in the second half, but this time we finally pulled it off, finished the job. Even Vought, Aaliyah and Sarah Ashley for that overtime, which just shows Coach Kirsty's great love, gratitude. [01:25:31] Speaker D: Awesome. [01:25:31] Speaker B: Did you have something? [01:25:33] Speaker D: I was just gonna say, I feel like that's a Women's sports in general. They do any exposure and coverage that they can get is something that they're so grateful for. And I think as students, we need to start showing up for them. Our women's are dominant. Like our wheelchair basketball. They just won the national championship. Our women's programs here are so amazing. And we had Sarah Ashley on the show. We were so fortunate to have the chance to talk to her, and she was just like, like, we deserve coverage, too. Like, we deserve to have full houses because it's like, it's adds such an extra level. Like, yes, they may be dominant over a team, but, like, imagine if lsu, that game was full. Like, it would have been so different. [01:26:13] Speaker A: Yeah, it's great to cover these sports, you know, and get that opportunity as one of the two people. But also, you know, it's also kind of sad at the same time because it feels like this team, Coach Christie and all these players just work so hard this year. And even the game against LSU where there's like, oh, it's probably the biggest crowd of the year, it still wasn't even as close as like a men's basketball game, which is like, I mean, we're glad, obviously we get the opportunity to cover them. It's also just sad because I feel like I wish they would get more coverage and more national attention. And it shouldn't have taken until Sarah Ashley was superhero against Maryland to get that national coverage, in my opinion. [01:26:45] Speaker C: Yeah, yeah. [01:26:46] Speaker E: I also think that I went to one of the gymnastics. Well, I've been to a couple of gymnastics meets and it was packed. So many little girls were there and like, you know, they're just like, oh, I want to grow up and like do gymnastics one day. Like, I want to go to the Olympics, things like that. Bring those little girls to a women's basketball game. Teach them that they can go play women's basketball and they can be like an athlete in that way too. It's not just sports like gymnastics, dance, cheer, like we usually see like girls going into, like typically no girls play basketball. And down here we're pretty good at it. [01:27:16] Speaker A: Yeah. And coach Christie point blank just deserves so much more attention for the way she's built the squad up. It was probably the worst major conference job when she got hired in 2012. [01:27:27] Speaker B: If I'm not mistaken. [01:27:28] Speaker A: The way she's built this program to reach consistent success where even losing in the second round of NCA tournaments, that's considered, you know, disappointing. Like this team would have loved to have gone farther, but 10 years ago that was a far cry even just making NCAA tournaments. So she deserved just so much respect for the way she's built this program. [01:27:43] Speaker B: Can you believe some people were like actually calling for her job on Twitter? [01:27:47] Speaker A: People are just miserable. [01:27:48] Speaker B: Some people are calling for a job. Look, Alabama had a 17 point. [01:27:51] Speaker A: People are just miserable. Exactly what people don't understand about that game and the way they blew that 17 point lead, it wasn't just like really blown assignments. Maryland was just making shots. Maryland was just keeping on making the mid range shots. Three pointers and you know, I wouldn't consider it a choke by Alabama, but more just excellent job in Maryland. [01:28:08] Speaker C: Did they have three people in 20 scoring? 20. Maryland? Yep, I believe, yeah, they were putting up some numbers. [01:28:14] Speaker E: I don't understand how that people can be calling for her job when at the beginning of the year, we were in the top 25 for the first time in 25 years. We were preseason ranked top 25 for the first time in twenty five years. How are people calling for her job after a season that even started like that ended even crazier. [01:28:29] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:28:29] Speaker E: That makes no sense. [01:28:30] Speaker A: That needs to be put in perspective. Alabama women's basketball has not seen this much success since Bill Clinton was president. Like, it's since Bill Clinton. [01:28:38] Speaker B: That's a long time. [01:28:39] Speaker A: That's a very long time. So I. People just need to realize there's this problem with men's basketball, too, because they lost yesterday. And people are like, oh, it's a disappointing season. It is not a disappointing season when you make it to Elite 8. And I can. I think you can qualify that for the same as women's as well. It's not a disappointing season when you lose in the second round. You have to put things in perspective, and that's what more people need to realize and grasp. [01:29:02] Speaker B: Yeah. They finished the year AP and coaches poll number 21. That's how they start. That's how they finish. Obviously, there's a larger step that. That you'd like to see him take, but, I mean, what more can you ask? I mean, look, there was foul trouble. They had foul trouble just about every single game. [01:29:19] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:29:19] Speaker B: From the LSU game all the way until Maryland. The foul trouble was insane. [01:29:23] Speaker C: Yeah. [01:29:23] Speaker A: Insane. And that just put us. That was the biggest reason we lost Maryland. We lost Zay, and we lost Leah. So it was literally just Sarah Ashley having to go superhuman in overtime. [01:29:33] Speaker C: And she did. [01:29:34] Speaker A: She did. But the sad thing is it just. It wasn't enough, which just. It stinks. [01:29:39] Speaker C: One person can do it alone. Yeah. [01:29:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [01:29:41] Speaker B: ESSENCE went out, too, so that in the second overtime, she went out right at the beginning. I mean, yeah, Sarah Ashley will definitely be remembered. We said something back. When they get a new practice facility, they need to put some type of thing in there that really honors. Recognizes her. [01:29:54] Speaker A: Absolutely. [01:29:55] Speaker B: Ali and I just. Something in there that, you know, recognizes them. Maybe a jersey. I don't know. [01:30:00] Speaker A: The way what those two have done for the program since they each transferred here three years ago is just unbelievable. The way they helped women's basketball achieve consistent success at Alabama is just. They should both be. Just be celebrated forever for that. It's insane. [01:30:17] Speaker B: Well, as we got about 30 seconds or so, there's a topic that we kind of got in a heated discussion about is, is the student. Full season ticket prices have gone up. Bucks. [01:30:27] Speaker A: No, it is insane. [01:30:28] Speaker B: Are you popping? [01:30:29] Speaker A: Are you saying no, it is insane. Look, I understand it's the big prize just for like at home against LSU and Tennessee and even Oklahoma. I understand that. But Wisconsin being that much, it's insane. It's insane. It's point blank insane. [01:30:44] Speaker D: No, it's ridiculous. We. It's insane. Why? Why is Wisconsin more than Vanderbilt? [01:30:49] Speaker A: I don't know. I don't know. [01:30:51] Speaker E: I think that definitely probably has something to do with the fact that the SEC and Big Ten are doing the like games now. Like, we're going to play Ohio State in a few years, too. That's definitely what that is. But also speaking of, I have a lot of friends that went to Ohio State and their ticket prices are even more for full season. They're more than ours. [01:31:08] Speaker B: Well, they won a national title, so. [01:31:10] Speaker D: I didn't do that. [01:31:14] Speaker B: Well, I believe that is all the time we have, but. Hey, Elijah, man, it's been a pleasure to speak with you on the show, man. It's been great to hear from you. [01:31:21] Speaker A: It's always honor, man. I appreciate it. [01:31:22] Speaker B: Hey, check out his stuff on the crimsonwhite.com Great feature stories on there. We'll see you next week. Be safe, everybody. [01:31:43] Speaker A: Wvuafm Tuscaloosa.