Where are we at in society today? Come after me. I'm a man,
I'm forty. Go ahead, make my day every single week. I
put my freaking heart and soul into this. I don't go out there and
laugh. It's not funny. Nothing's funny to me. I don't wanna go
out there and get embarrassed on Monday night football. For everybody, I think
this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. So I ain't nothing changed from
yesterday. Still the same person I was yesterday, and I got the same
thing for you that I had yesterday. You know why I'm here. You
play to win the game. You don't play to just play it. That's
a great thing about sports. You play to win, and I don't care
if you don't have any wins. You go play to win. You start
telling me it doesn't matter to retire, get out for the Nats. Hey,
what's going on? Glad you're with us here on Exis in Bros.
Throughout the great state of Michigan. We're with you Monday through Friday, six
until nine. The Meyer hotline is open for you eight sixty six eight three,
eight forty eight forty three, and you could text the program Sports Radio
to twenty one thousand. It was an afternoon affair yesterday for the Tigers,
and the Marlins shut them out again to nothing. So the Tigers haven't scored
in the last nineteen innings. Brian dal Lacruz's first inning to run homer able
to stand up for a Miami team that is not good. They're just they're
one of the worst teams in baseball, at least so far. How long
this lasts, I don't know. All we can do is judge teams and
leagues and players to the point of which we've seen them. And Miami has
thirteen wins on the year. That is the fewest in Major League Baseball,
fewer than the Chicago White Sox. Folks one fewer than the Chicago White Sox.
Miami and Chicago have the worst run differential in all of baseball, that
minus eighty seven runs. And you might be rolling your eyes right now,
because, man, why do you always bring this up? Check? I
bring it up because it's really important. That is a really important statistic in
all the world of baseball, where we get wrapped up in certain numbers,
that is really a vital number. Go back through history and look at it.
You know why Atlanta was so good last year? You know why the
Dodgers were so good last year. There's a lot of reasons, but one
is they could outscore their opposition. That's the name of the game, right,
you just heard HERM Edwards. That's the name of the game. The
name of the game is to win the game. Well, Atlanta was a
plus two hundred and thirty one and run differentially a year ago. Texas was
a plus one sixty five or one eighty five. Excuse me. Those two
teams were the gold standard a year go in their respective leagues. Baltimore was
up there too for the American League, but they two had a really high
run differential. They were at one twenty nine. Tampa won the division the
American League East last year ninety nine wins, one ninety five, a plus
one ninety five. You don't think it's important, Okay, Minnesota won the
Central Division. They were the only team with a plus run differential. The
Tigers were a minus seventy nine. White Sox were a minus two hundred.
You know why Oakland stunk last year with just fifty wins. They were a
minus three hundred thirty nine run differential. Sometimes those numbers are tough to comprehend,
man, I mean that is incredible. Look at the teams right now.
Who's winning, who's struggling. I told you who struggled in the Al
Central Chicago White Sex. They're the only team with a minus run differential.
You just don't find it very often where a team is going to outperform its
lack of offense. I know defense wins championships. I know pitching is really
important, but this is ridiculous. Miami doesn't shut out the Tigers once.
They shut them out twice one nothing in two nothing. You may not have
felt two nights ago that they had a lot of scoring opportunities. They didn't
yesterday they did. Couldn't take care of business. Casey Mace pitched well enough
to win. He made a mistake, came in the first inning, came
in the second hitter. He went six innings, two hit, two run,
ball, struck out six sixty one of his eighty nine pitches or whatever
it were, strikes ninety pitches. He retired eleven in a row, one
point eighteen in the last nineteen. That's good enough. You can't expect your
pitcher to go out there and be perfect just not realistic. Detroit's one through
six hitters, We're two for eighteen. This team left ten men on base,
they advanced a runner in scoring position just twice, and they lose the
series. Was it possible? Anything in baseball is? But Trevor Rodgers had
an ERA of eight point five seven going into the game against Detroit yesterday,
yet somehow handled the Tigers offense. So now the Tigers are under five hundred
for the first time this year, at twenty one to twenty two. They
have now lost four straight series. Remember, this is a team that started
what six to zero, and everyone was like, hey, don't it's a
fun team to watch. This is why you we think they've turned the corner.
So on and so forth. How do you feel now you lose four
straight series, You've lost nine of your last twelve games. You're headed to
Arizona, which initially would make you go, Okay, that's not terrible,
that's doable. Arizona's won seven of ten. They're under five hundred, but
they've won seven of ten and they have a plus in the run differential.
And I know what you're hoping for, so am I you want to turn
it around? So on and so forth. How do you do it?
You get the day off, so you're traveling to Arizona and you're going somebody
please save us. Oh it's Terrek Schooble. Thank goodness, he's going to
make the start. He gets the nodding Game one against Ryan Nelson. No
question who the better pitcher is is Trek Scuble. It's just you want to
rely on the one guy. You know what, You're still gonna have to
score a damn run or two because you haven't been able to do it for
the last two games against a bad Miami team. And I try to keep
this in perspective, knowing in baseball that things fluctuate and change so quickly.
I understand that it's how you play. I don't want to sound like Current
Edwards here. It's how you play the game though, and played well.
That's very simple, isn't it. But it's also very true. Can't canntinue
this way otherwise we are going to be having a miserable summer. I'll reiterate
this, and I'll say it on a pretty regular basis. Expectations have to
be higher. Expectations for this team have to be higher. Absolutely no reason
they should be under five hundred. Right now, they may come back from
the road trip playing much better baseball, and we won't even think about this
right now. But at some point this year we're going to look back like
we did during the Red Wings and say, oh my god, how'd you
lose to the Coyotes two straight games. We're gonna say the same thing about
this Miami series. Meyer Hotline eight sixty six eight three eight forty eight forty
three the text line Sports RADIY to twenty one thousand. We're just getting started
on a Thursday morning on EXUS and Bros. Stay with us, he and
sure for my good friends from Flying as Whiskey. Now it's an American made
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pubs all across Michigan. We're teeing off our tenth year at the Meyer LPGA
Classic for simply gives. Get ready for the best who are yet to help
neighbors in need while enjoying golf, food and family fun. Join us June
thirteenth through the sixteenth at Blakefield Country Club for fabulous food, discoveryland for kids,
and of course elite women golfers from around the world competing to help feed
our neighbors. Get your tickets now at Meyer LPGA Classics dot com eighteen after
the hour at wut you on extras and Bros. Matt Shephard, would you
manage our producer? You can reach him by going to the Meyer Hotline eight
sixty six eight three eight forty eight forty three. You could text the program
Sports Radio twenty one thousand, Tiger's a loser yesterday to nothing to the Marlins
shut out yet again, their offense rearing its ugly head again in a negative
way, and the statistics continue to jump out at you and just how bad
this team truly is offensively? Right now? I keep saying right now because
I really want this team to turn it around. I'm so hopeful, but
I'm looking at it, and the more I see it, I think you
probably see it too. The more you see it, the more you think
this is not happening because we've given them. We've given this team a lot
of room here, a ton of room, and we're just not seeing it.
Can this team drastically change? There could be there could be a little
bit of a margin for air here. I'll give you an example. All
right, let's try and be let's try to be positive here for a second
with this situation. Do you think the Toronto Blue Jays have a potent offense?
Yes? So do I so do. Why it's a team I think
with a ton of offensive talent. Vladimir Guerrero Junior bo Bishett, George Springer,
Dalton Varshow. They added Justin Turner in the offseason, along with Isaiah
Kiner, Falefa Sure, Kevin Kiermeyer. They're scoring fewer runs than the Tigers.
The Toronto Blue Jays have scored fewer runs in more games, I might
add, than the Detroit Tigers. Now, keep in mind, it's a
Toronto team last year known for its offense. Last year, that Toronto club
was a little bit below league average, but scored a hell of a lot
more runs than Detroit did. This is becoming a little bit of a pattern.
What about Seattle? Do you think Seattle is a good baseball team?
I know we don't follow them every day. They lead the West. They're
twenty four and twenty. They've scored fewer runs than the Tigers. Again,
I'm trying to I'm trying to be positive here for us. I'm trying to
give us a reason to believe. And after yesterday, actually they've scored the
same number of runs as the Tigers. But it's a dangerous situation for Detroit
in the sense that we have seen this become more of commonplace than not.
Remember, this is a Tigers team. That scored the second fewest runs in
all of bass players last year. The only team who scored fewer runs than
Detroit last season with the Oakland Athletics, they scored five hundred and eighty five
runs. Detroit scored six hundred and sixty one. Actually, Chicago, the
White Sox, I apologize, the White Socks scored fewer runs too. So
only the A's and the Athletics scored fewer runs than Detroit. Is it a
pattern? It's troubling. Two years ago Detroit was you know, the league
average is about six hundred and ninety four runs. This is in twenty twenty
two. Nothing great about the Tigers' efforts there either. It's a problem.
This team is not gifted offensively. So we've seen it for a few years
in a row now where you're like shaking your head, relying solely on your
pitching and it's constant. Hey, we're going to talk with Colton Pouncey of
the Athletic at eight thirty five. Looking forward to that for sure. We'll
talk about the Lions schedule, We'll talk about the golf extension and more in
the NFL. There are when you see the release of the schedule and it's
pretty creative. Man. I don't know if you folks saw this much,
but a number of different teams social media events kind of expressed how this team
was going to celebrate the release of its schedule. And it's pretty creative.
It was really good. If you saw any on social media, let us
know. Tell us which one you think was the best and how you thought
the Lions did. Because the Lions had a couple of comedians showcasing theirs,
we'll get to that coming up here. Former Tiger Willie Castro had an embarrassing
moment last night. Did you see this? Willie Castro plays for the Minnesota
Twins. He's actually been a really good find for them. He's played well
for them. He's not gonna be an All Star. He's a firstatile player.
He could play a number of different positions. He could play second,
he could play short, he could play third, he could play any outfield
spot. He was playing center field for them yesterday in the game against New
York Yankees won at one for nothing. They were up one nothing with a
man on third when a fly ball was hit to center field. Willie Castro
thought there were two outs when he grabbed it. He thought he made the
third out, nonchalantly starts jogging into the infield. I think it was Anthony
Volpi at third base. He breaks for home and scores easily to make it
too nothing New York, and it's an embarrassing moment for Willy Castro. I
saw that highlight and I thought to myself, there are scoreboards and ribbon boards.
You know what the ribbon board is right around a stadium. There are
scoreboards in so many different spots of the ballpark. Obviously it's in centerfield or
left center field. It's tough for a center fielder to look at that unless
you're absolutely turning around. But to his right there's a ribbon board, and
to his left there is a ribbon board. They're in Minnesota. It's not
hard to locate, so it's easy. As a quarterback walking on the line
of scrimmage and seeing the play clock. After every out, most players signify
and scream how many outs there are? Willie Castro was in a daze.
I suppose he screwed some things up pretty bad right there. NBA last night
Boston ns Cleveland season with a one thirteen to ninety eight game five win.
They are into the Eastern Conference for a third straight year and a six time
in the last eight years. You want your best players to elevate their games
at the biggest moments. It's such a cliche, but it's so true.
Jason Tatum did twenty five points, ten boards, nine a SIS, But
I'm going to give you probably a bigger reason why they won that game,
and it comes from a wiley veteran. We'll get to that. We'll get
to the Dallas OKC game, We'll get to the Loan hockey game last night,
and of course we will get to the Lions' schedule release and we will
talk about that with Colton Pouncey of the Athletic He will join us at eight
thirty five. We'll get your thoughts on it when we return here on XS
and Bros. Across the Great State of Michigan on the Michigan Sports Network.
After this huge chair for the Michigan High School Athletic Association, you can stay
up to date on the latest from Lansing twenty four to seven at MHSAA dot
com, at MHSA on Twitter, and MHSA on Facebook. The latest news,
press releases and stories connected to every high school in the state. Of
Michigan available for you twenty four to seven from the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
Log onto MHSAA dot com, at MHSAA on Twitter and MHSAA on Facebook.
And if you're looking for archive boys and Girls High School Sports m h
sa A dot tv. That's MHSAA dot tv twenty four to seven everything you
need to know about high school sports and log on to MHSAA dot com.
Imagine this and day filled with indulgence, bursting with excitement, impacts with extraordinary
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and Resort Luca. You guys have been really good after a loss. Just
what does it say about the resiliency of this team and just the focus and
the mindset, like you said coming into tonight, just hard mentality. We
know the last game we played against them at home, we let it go.
You know, it was our mistakes and they hit shots. So our
mentality is just in the playoffs. It's first to four, so you gotta
win for before they do, so you gotta go game by game. He
couldn't do it with all my teammates. You know, everybody that came on
the floor, give one hundred percent energy, and we play as the team.
We win as a team, we lose as a team. And this
team is special. Man. We've only been too better for what five months?
And you know, I'll be having a lot of fun with this team.
That's Luca Jogs Following the Mavericks win in Oklahoma City, A little surprised
at this series, I thought, Okay, see, I mean, they
are one of the younger teams in the NBA, but I really thought that's
a team that would take care of business because I was unimpressed with Dallas's defense.
But give credit where credit is due. The Mavericks hold Okay Seed to
ninety two points. That's the fewest points they've scored all year. Dallas shoots
fifty two and a half percent. Doncic leads the way thirty one points,
ten boards, eleven assists, seventh time he's had a thirty point triple double.
They win at one O four to ninety two. Dallas is up three
games to two. Charles Barkley as much as anybody else needs Okac to come
back, because last night, while they were talking post game of the Boston
Celtics win, you heard Draymond Green kind of downplaying Boston's ability to win three
straight or reach the Eastern Conference Finals three straight years in six out of last
eight years. He downplayed it. And Charles Barkley when they had Jason Tatum
on Green had talked about the Knicks and talked about either Dallas or Denver coming
out of the West. Jason Tatum wouldn't bite. Charles Barkley said, you're
wrong, because Okase he's going to beat Dallas. Well, now they go
back to Dallas and the Mavericks are up three games to two. Can they
finish off? Jay Gilgis, Alexander chet Holmgram company. We'll soon find out.
But the Boston win saw Al Horford, at age thirty seven, in
his one hundred seventy seventh career playoff game, score twenty two points and grab
fifteen rebounds. At his age thirty seven, he's the oldest player to ever
have fifteen points or more, five or more triples in a playoff game and
have double digit rebounds and he had six threes. Overall, really impressive win.
NHL last night, Colorado up ended Dallas five to three. Been a
high scoring series. The Avs score three times in the third and have pulled
and keep their playoff hopes alive or keep their Stanley Cup Championship hopes alive,
because that was an eliminigation game for them. They're down three to two in
the series. Game six is in Denver. Nathan McKinnon, Artury Li Likenan
each had a goal in an assist, and Cale mccarr, one of the
best defensemen in the world, had two goals. The PGA Championship begins today
at Valhalla. Scotti Scheffler is the favorite. Rory McElroy and Brooks Koepka right
there in the mix. Lion's schedule has been released. The NFL schedule has
been released. The Lions I told you yesterday, I said this team is
going to be on national TV quite a bit. They're on national TV six
times. That includes the Thanksgiving Day game against Chicago six times. They've got
the eleventh toughest schedule in the league. Here are the national games they are
going to be on. Matthew Stafford and the Rams visit Ford Field on opening
night September eighth, Sunday Night football. They're going to play Seattle on Monday
Night Football September thirtieth at home. This is kind of the beauty. The
beauty is that Detroit is getting a number of games at home on the national
stage. That's pretty cool, man, It really is because of how loud
Ford Field gets and the passion that you folks show all that stuff. Love
it. So there's two of them. They're at Houston week nineteen Sunday Night
Football. They got a Thursday night game December fifth against Green Bay, so
another Thursday Night football. December thirtieth is a Monday night football tilt at San
Francisco in a rematch of the NFC title game. So those five, in
addition to Thanksgiving Day national TV six times. You want to showcase your brand,
showcase your talent, and in a lot of situations, here showcase the
city of Detroit. Here's your chance. Not that it has to be proven,
Don't get me wrong. It doesn't have to be proven. We already
know that there's a reason they want to be in Detroit. But you get
Sunday Night football twice you get Monday Night football twice, you get Thursday Night
football once and a Thursday day game tradition on Thanksgiving Day. Absolutely love it.
I am not I said this yesterday. I'm not going to break down
what their winning record is going to be. Writers have to do that.
Unfortunately for them. Writers have to go about Okay, now the prediction game
begins. Like we had Dave Brikett on not too long ago, the Detroit
Free Press does an outstanding job. We're gonna have Colton Pouncy of the Athletic
on at eight thirty five, but he had to go out and predict,
you know, an eleven and six record. Why Well, because they're editors.
We gotta find we gotta fill space. Writers don't like doing that stuff.
They don't want to be married to that because they understand all the stuff
that's going on with it. But that's just the way it works. There
are some very interesting matchups, very interesting matchups in terms of playing against one
another for specific reasons. Specific matchups is what I'm looking at. For example,
you've got the Steve it the Falcons opening week. Most people think,
what's the big deal there? The big deal there is that's it's in all
likelihood, Russell Wilson the starter for Pittsburgh, Kirk Cousin, the Steeler of
the Falcons starter. Those two clashed in the twenty eleven Big Ten Championship game
while Russell Wilson was at Wisconsin, and of course Kirk Cousins with Michigan State.
That's kind of fun. I'll give you another one. Week twelve,
that's when Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh match wits. I know you're probably rolling
your eyes a little bit and you're thinking to yourself, this gets really old.
It's going to be in Baltimore, it's going to be a nationally televised
game, and it's going to be what Jim Harbaugh hopes to be the first
time he beats his brother John, who has won the previous two meetings.
If you don't think that matters, you're crazy. It absolutely matters. So
that kind of jumped out at me. Speaking of Kirk Cousins, Week fourteen,
he goes back to play Minnesota. How long do this stuff lasts?
Like? Do we ever would we make a big deal if Kirk Cousins played
Washington, considering that was his first team. Probably not. We've gotten pass
past that right, Like Saquon Barkley is now with Philadelphia, Folks, they're
going to play the Giants twice a year. I don't know how long Saquon
Barkley is going to be in Philadelphia, but at least this next season he's
gonna play the Giants twice because they're within the division. They're gonna play Week
seven. Is that a big deal? I don't know. Not when you're
seeing it twice. It probably will be when he goes back to New York.
Russell Wilson playing in Denver against Sean Payton. Yeah, that's probably a
pretty big deal Super Bowl rematch. You love this stuff. Right Week seven,
it's Kansas City at San Francisco. Stefan Diggs really good player for Buffalo
for a long time. Put up a ton of highlight reel grabs, had
a great on field chemistry with Josh Allen. Do we think about Stefan Diggs
going back to play against Minnesota. No, but we do think about him
playing his old team Buffalo because Stefan Diggs is now in Houston and that'll take
place Week five, So that is an interesting little tidbit for those two teams.
That'll be kind of fun. To me, like I was looking through
the schedule. Oh, I noticed Derek Carr, who quarterbacks in New Orleans,
used to be for the Raiders. The Raiders are playing at New Orleans
a week seventeen. I don't think that's a big deal. That's just my
opinion. Who cares? Does it matter to you that Aaron Rodgers is going
to get his first game back? Not really. I'm sure people will make
a big deal out of it, but to me, not really. But
some of the highlights that I just gave I think are pretty interesting. So
you can follow along with that Meyer hotline eight sixty six eight three eight forty
eight forty three. The text line is sports Radio to twenty one thousand.
I know what matters to you more than anything else is the Lions schedule.
What do you think of the Lions schedule? They're gonna take on the Rams
at home, Tampa at home. First road game is Week three at Arizona.
Then you get Seattle at home on a Monday night kick, So three
of the first four at home and the road game based on last year's statistics,
very wittable. Then you get the bye week. In a perfect world,
your bye week comes in week seven or eight. When Dan Campbell and
others are asked after the game against Seattle during the week of week five,
hey, your bye week is taking place? Is it too early? They
will say no, not really, this is good. They're never going to
admit that, right, But that's when the bye week comes. It'll give
them two weeks to prepare for Dallas in Dallas, and we all know what
happened a year ago. So out of that bye week they get at Dallas
and at Minnesota, back to back road games against two teams, two pretty
good teams. Right, Dallas is better than Minnesota, you would think going
in, but two good teams have to be careful. Then a home game
against Tennessee road game at Green Bay, road game at Houston. That defense
will be tested by C. J. Stroud and company and Stefan Diggs and
others. Then it's a home game against Jacksonville, a road game at the
Colts home to Chicago, that's Thanksgiving home to Green Bay, Thursday night game
home to Buffalo. Defense will be challenged against the Bills offense at Chicago at
Frisco on Monday night, and Minnesota at home. That is kind of like
almost like a flex game. The date is yet to be determined. The
NFL would like to use their power of being able to flex games and do
all that stuff by scheduling Detroit Minnesota for a certain situation, certain night right
which game excites you. We don't know yet. I don't expect you to
know that, because I think with this schedule it gives you a lot of
pregame storylines. Stafford and the Rams is obvious, and it's a rematch of
the playoffs. Tampa a rematch of the playoffs, Seattle the team that beat
them at home a year ago in their first home game, Dallas and the
controversy that ensued there. Green Bay is always special. Houston gives you a
really good idea of a young team that is on the rise in a Houston
club that's going to test your defense. Chicago with Caleb Williams at the helm,
Buffalo kind of a standard in the AFC with Josh Allen under center,
and of course San Francisco with the rematch there. There's a lot of storylines,
a lot of good stuff on this Lions schedule. We'll talk more about
it with Colton Pouncey of the athletic There is a bit of a disturbing situation
in the NBA that you have complained about before, and it's starting to creep
in into another sport, and I can't figure out why. I guess I
guess I could figure it and understand it a little bit more in this sport
than I could in the NBA. It's called load management. How many times
have we talked about this where people are starting to look I think when it
first started, probably Greg Popovich and San Antonio made it most popular with the
Tim Duncan era trying to rest his guys because they had deep NBA playoff series.
So I think a lot of people were a little understanding, you know
what, he wants to rest Manu Ginobili at age thirty six. I get
it, he wants to rest Tony Parker. I understand that Tim Duncan deserves
a night off on a tail end of a back to back. I get
it. It's starting to creep into another sport. Sports used to be about
well, pride in being out there and available every single day. I've got
a theory on why it is taking place. It's not going to happen in
football. They rest players at the end if they've already got a playoff spot
or if they have a division title wrapped up, they can do that because
you know they generally go to at certain positions, maybe three deep. But
it's still hard to just play your backups and put your starters in street clothes
because you only have what forty eight dressed on game day and you got to
play twenty two. But this sport, it used to be a prideful thing
to be available every day, and apparently it is moving away from that.
We'll get to that when we come back on Exis and Bros. After this
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In Traverse City on WKD ninety three point seven FM, The Ticket,
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Ben is our producer. You can chat with Ben at Meyer's hotline eight
six six eight three eight forty eight forty three. That's eight sixty six eight
three eight forty eight forty three. When I think of Meyer, I think
a couple things. First of all, the tenth Daniel Meyer Classic that's coming
up in the middle of June thirteenth through the sixteenth at Blyfield Country Club.
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In the past, I have heard you loud and clear complain about the
load management phrase that is oftentimes associated with one sport, the NBA. I'm
sure it happens in hockey to a certain extent. We just don't hear them
talk about it as much. Hockey. You know, you're you're dressing what
twenty five guys and you're able to the game almost dictates the load management because
sometimes coaches are going to roll their top two lines at the end of a
game, late in the third to try and make sure they get the game
equalizer. You're going to have powerplay guys, You're going to have penalty killed
guys. There are certain Dylan Larkin for Detroit, most Cider for Detroit who
are going to play in every situation. So the game itself kind of dictates
the load management. Rarely do you see, if ever, a high end
player for a hockey team dressing street clothes because the coach says he's getting the
day off. You do find that in basketball, for whatever reason, they
have chosen to do that, and for certain teams it's worked right and they're
going to continue to do that well. In baseball, they're starting to do
that now too, And a lot of it has to do with analytics.
The analytics of baseball is taking over if it hasn't already a front office near
you. It doesn't mean every manager uses analytics to make out their lineup or
make a pitching change, but it is part of the process. I believe
the best managers marry the two together. They marry their instincts and they marry
the analytics. I know we move forward in our society, not just in
sports society, but in society in general taking advantage of technology. You should.
It's kind of stupid not to. Life is one big baseball game.
If you've got or one big sporting event, if you have the technology to
improve the game, use it. How those leagues choose to use it,
it still baffles me sometimes. You know, like baseball, if you've got
the technology, then why is it everything reviewable? Right? But whatever I
digress, I get the same sense in life. If you've got the technology,
use it. So Baseball is using their technology that's available to them,
and part of that technology ways the amount of time players are exuding energy.
And knowing that Major League Baseball plays more games than any other sport twice as
many as baseball, or twice as many as basketball or hockey, then why
wouldn't baseball use that type of technology fair enough? And let's face it,
it is easier to rest a guy in baseball than other sports. He's getting
a day off because they're playing every day. You've played nineteen straight games.
You want to give a certain guy a day off, go ahead, or
make him the DH get him off his feet. A little bit happens all
the time. They just don't use the phrase load management. It is creeping
into the language of more and more front offices, and it's trickling down to
managers, coaches and players as well. Here's where I think it's coming from.
I think it's coming from trainers. What I've noticed over the past number
of seasons in calling games is that those trainers are so heavily involved with a
player. Think about it, player gets injured, trainer comes out, or
any type of nick, any type of awkward swing. Trainers sees it.
They dart out of the bull, dugout to talk to the player. Managers
and coaches are talking to trainers on a regular basis. I'm sure that happened
before too, But in the end, Bobby Cox was making his decision,
he was consulting the trainer. But I think more and more managers now are
using them as that sounding board and a big reason on why they may be
making a decision. Bobby Cox could manage without analytics. Spocky Anderson managed without
analytics. Joe Torre managed without analytics. Tendencies is one thing. Analytics is
totally different. These guys were all really good. I don't care if it's
Whitey Herzog or Dick Williams, you name it, Ralph Billy Martin back of
the day it worked the games of all the information has gone deeper, and
it's probably a good thing. But baseball more than any other sport, because
it's a regular basis, is a rhythmic sport. You get in a groove
offensively, you want to stay in the lineup every day. Players used to
take a great deal of pride when it came to their availability, and I
think certain members of that baseball society still do. When you look up the
players who have played the most games, it's not just longevity and how long
they played the sport, but also how much they were available every year to
play the sport. Pete Rose, Carl Yastremsky, Hank Aaron, Ricky Henderson,
Albert Poolhols, Eddie Murray, Stam Musial, Willie Mays, cal Ripken
Jr. I can go on and on and on, Barry Bonds. It
wasn't that long ago when guys like Yvonne Rodriguez was playing, was it.
Adrian Beltree didn't retire that long ago, nor did Albert Pools, and yet
Beltray and pool Holes are in the top fifteen in games played. Why because
they were available every single year They were playing regularly. One hundred and fifty
five to one hundred and sixty two games a year. They took pride in
it. I'm not saying players don't take pride in it now. I think
there's a lot of players who want to play. But look at Adrian Beltray's
record. One fifty two, one fifty nine, one fifty eight, one
fifty six, one forty nine, one fifty six, one sixty one out
there every day. Meyer hotlines open for you. Eight sixty six, eight
three, eight forty eight forty three. We're back with more exes and bros
in a moment huge here for my good friends from Flying Ace Whiskey. Now
it's an American made whiskey bottled right here in our great state of Michigan.
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at the Meyer LPGA Classic for simply Give. Get ready for the best who
are yet to help neighbors in need while enjoying golf, food and family fun.
Join us June thirteenth through the sixteenth at Blakefield Country Club for fabulous food,
discoveryland for kids, and of course elite women golfers from around the world
competing to help feed our neighbors. Get your tickets now admire LPGA Classics dot
com. Eighteen After the hour, welcome into Exus and Bros. Matt Sheppard
with you here throughout the morning Ben as our producer. We will be joined
by Colton Pouncey, the Athletic Lions writer at eight thirty five, looking forward
to that, Also looking forward to monitoring the PGA Championship that begins here this
morning. In fact, folks have already teed off. The first trio is
sewn Michael Luke, Donald m Michael Block. Most will be kind of monitoring
the eight o'clock hour where Tiger Woods plays with Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley.
Nobody thinks. Nobody thinks Tiger Wood Tiger Woods is going to come close to
winning them, right, Okay, because I didn't think so either. The
eight fifteen tea time has Justin Rose, Dustin Johnson, and Rory McElroy big
names, but only McElroy is playing really good golf. Jordan Speith plays with
Brooks Koepka and Max Homa at eight thirty seven. Now that is a trio
I would follow. That's the one for me anyway, that would catch my
eye and want me to all right, that's how I'm gonna I'm gonna walk
with them throughout the entire round. I've been to golfing events like. My
hope is that plenty of people are aren't going to head to you know,
the Blackfield Country Club June thirteenth through the sixteenth of the tenth Aniel Meyer Classic.
Walking an entire course just watching guys hit is kind of challenging. It's
a tough debate. Do you walk with that trio or that group or do
you want to stay on one hole and see how everybody just kind of approaches
that hole. The one P fifty one team time is pretty cool. That's
when I like Calin Markyle a lot. So it's more Coleen, Matt Fitzpatrick
and Phil Mickelson, Ricky Fowlers playing with John Rahm and Cameron Young, Scotty
Scheffler is teeing off with Brian Harmon and Wyndham Clark. That's a really good
one. Although Brian Harmon, especially with young folks, Brian Harmon is not
a fan favorite by any stretch. He takes forever and it's not like he's
talking with his caddy setting stuff up. It's it's him and his waggles.
People absolutely crazy anyway, they're often running there at Valhalla. That track is
only seven and nine yards. Oh is that it? Yeah? Huh,
it's amazing. We were talking about load management specifically and how it's creeping into
baseball, And I wonder how old school managers start to feel about this because
they want I mean, it's their their jobs are on the line. They
want their everyday players more than just about any other sport Baseball. Really good
teams I'm talking about challenging teams are putting their lineup together every single day.
Aaron Boone's driving to the ballpark for the Yankees and he's like, I'm good
man. I know that Aaron Judge is playing. I know that Juan Soto's
playing. I know that Anthony Rizzo's playing. I know that Anthony Volpi is
playing. He knows Alex Ridugo's playing. He knows his guys, his everyday
players, and it's paying off for him. Right. That's the way it
works. That's the good news. If you're a really good team, you
have everyday players. That's a big reason why New York right now might be
twenty nine and fifteen. You don't think the Phillies a big reason for their
success. The primary reason they lead the league in wins is because Nick Castianos,
Alec Baum, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, j t Rila, Muto,
Trey Turner, Bryce and Stott and Brandon marsh are playing every single day.
Now you're gonna give really Muto a day off because he's the catcher.
But that team, I'll give you an example here. That team, the
Philadelphia Phillies. I told you they've got thirty one wins, more than anybody
else in baseball. New York's got the most in the American League with twenty
nine. The Dodgers have twenty nine. The Phillies are thirty one and thirteen.
So they have played forty four games. Castianos has played in every one
of them. Baum has played in forty three of them. Schwarver has played
in forty two of them. Harper's played in thirty nine. He was nicked
up a little bit. Relamuto, the catcher's played in thirty five of the
forty four. Bryson or Brandon Marsh rather has played in thirty eight. Bryson
Scott has played in thirty nine. You're damn right, every single day.
Those are your everyday players. Rob Thompson is as happy as a pig,
and you know what, because that's what he is getting. He's got his
guys playing every single day. Dave Roberts, Mookie Betts, Shoey Otane to,
Oscar Hernandez, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, Max Munsey, we Go,
Gavin Lux. They're all playing forty games or more. And the Dodgers
so far this season have played forty five games. Of those guys I mentioned,
Max Munsey's played forty that's the fewest. What Will Smith played thirty eight?
But Will Smith's catcher, so you're gonna give him a day off once
in a while. Mentally as much as physically. Those what the best teams
do. The load management might be for teams that just don't know who they
have. They don't have good players. Look at the teams that are leading
their divisions and look who's playing on an everyday basis. Cleveland Guardians lead the
division. Jose Ramirez has missed two games. Andre Semenez has messed three games.
Josh Naylor has missed two games. They're gonna play every Stephen Kwan is
injured, but he still played thirty two so far. Brian Rochio for crying
out loud, they're shortstop every single day. Maybe the mindset will change.
Maybe I'm the one who's living in the past way too much, but I
think in baseball you need everyday guys they're used to it. Here's what people
aren't taking into Silly for me to say that, of course, they're taking
load management into account in other sports. Basketball, folks, if you're not
playing, your practicing hockey. If you're not playing, you're practicing. Rarely
do you get to a day off. You got a morning skate. More
and more coaches are doing away with that, by the way. They just
don't feel like it's necessary. They'll come in, they'll get some cardio win
let's say running or whatever. They'll get a lift in, perhaps they'll get
some treatment. But sometimes they're a lot of guys. John Tortrello is a
good example of it. Just they don't believe in the morning skate anymore.
The philosophy is individually, but it's also changing a little bit. So maybe
it's changing to baseball. But those people are still getting their body loose,
they're still getting their cardio. In baseball, those guys are playing every day,
so they're not practicing. I don't think the load management works in baseball.
I think guys are the way they have grown up college baseball, travel
teams. They're playing year round. Their body thrives on it, craves it
sometimes the technology can be too much. Colton Palcey, the Athletic Lions writer,
will join us at eight thirty five. We've got techs and your phone
calls on the Meyer Hotline eight sixty six, eight three, eight forty forty
three when we return after this on a Thursday morning, throughout the great state
of Michigan. Huge chere for the Michigan High Squad Athletic Association. You can
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of Michigan available for you twenty four to seven from the Michigan High School Athletic
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m HSAA dot tv. That's MHSAA dot tv twenty four to seven everything you
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for complete rules and details. All right, thirty five after the hour,
Atlanta goes to bring you back. Welcome Ex's and bros. Don't forget many
of these same great station affiliates. The Huge Show Monday through Friday from three
until six. My good friend Bill Simonson giving you huge opinions on many of
the things that we're talking about. Colton Pouncey of The Athletic follows the Lions,
writes about the Lions, tweets about the Lions. You can follow him
on Twitter Colton Underscore Pouncy and he will join us at eight thirty five to
talk about the Lions' schedule, the Jared Goff contract extension, and more.
Tiger is a Loser Yesterday to nothing. I may even say, haven't scored
a run in the last nineteen innings. Casey Mice was really good. You
can't expect him or any pitcher to be perfect. Giving up two runs in
a game. And I know it was the first inning, understood, And
I get that it was two batters deep. You get an infield single and
you get a home run. But Casey Mice gave up two flipping hits,
allowed three base runners because he walked one. He struck out six. He
threw ninety pitches, sixty one of them for strikes. He deserved better.
His offense stinks. They can't score. At one point, Maies retired eleven
in a row. Eighteen of nineteen Tigers hitters. Well, not much to
brag about there. Anybody have a multi hit game? Yeah, Carson Kelly
batting ninth, went three for three. The one through six hitters were two
for eighteen. As a team, Detroit left ten on base. They advanced
a runner in scoring position just twice. So Miami wins that series fewest wins
in baseball thirteen. They just beat you two out of three. You know
me, I'm not a huge home field advantage guy, but they did beat
you. At home. That makes it even worse. To compound the issue,
Trevor Rodgers, who started and got the Vicar three from Miami, had
an ERA going into that game of eight point five to seven. He's one
in six, one win and six unbelievable. Phillies torched him for nine hits
and five runs and three and a third. Oakland torched him for eight runs,
eight hits in two and a third. Atlanta torched him seven hits,
five runs in five and two thirds. The Tigers against Trevor Rodgers, who's
one in six, has an ERA just under six now thanks to what he
did against Detroit andaged just three hits in five innings. There's gonna come a
point in time where both you and I are no longer saying it's early.
There's gonna come a point in time where you and I no longer are saying
give them time. There's gonna come a point in time where you and I
are no longer saying I'm starting to see them turn the corner. We're sure
as hell not getting in any of the articles. No one's writing about it.
It's soft shoe city. Let's go to the Meyer hotline eight sixty six
eight three, eight forty eight, forty three. If this were New York,
if this were Philadelphia, if this were Chicago, they'd be all over
this team, all over them. Ben, who's waiting for us? We've
got Jake and Grand Rapids. Jake, good morning to you. How are
you? Good morning? We're doing all right. Uh, just loving this
construction we have going on. But just a couple of thoughts on the tires.
You last segment, you were going through uh, you know, everyday
players, and it seems like the tires don't have one, not any good
ones anyways. I mean you could say, well, Riley Green's an everyday
guy, Torklsen should be an everyday guy. But there's sporadic in their production.
It's inconsistent. And then we have a bunch of you know, seemingly
role players, you know Carrie, you know one seal uh Kna, guys
like that that are just filling guys that don't play one hundred and forty five
games a year, and it's showing. And I know last year they were
futrid April and May, and then that start kind of just took them out.
And I think we're starting to see that. You know, we had
a hot start because we were playing bad teams and now we're losing the teams
that we really should be. I mean, you have underperforming Astros team that
you lost two out of three and you really should have won or swept.
Same thing with the Marlins, you know, and just you know, seeing
the day to day status, it seems like these guys, you know,
they get hits here and there, but they're not getting hits when it matters.
You know, they're you know, hits when we have runners in scoring
position has got to be bottom five, Like, you just don't get hits.
And when you do get hits, that's the game that you win eleven
to two or whatever it is, and that's just too far in between.
And you're losing games to teams that are fifteen games under five hundred. It's
just at this point it's almost unacceptable. I mean, your team's kind of
spiraling. You know, you got three or four pitchers that should be you
know, five or six wins at this point. You know, you got
Resols and who's been pitching out of his mind. Jack Flaherty doing pretty much
the same thing, and you know mis has been turning it on. And
obviously Scooby you just you can't really put a better pitching staff together, and
our offense just falls on the space continuously. And it's you know, as
a Tigers fan that grew up with those teams in the early twenty tens that
were pushing for Pennant, it's it's completely one eighty and it's it's hard to
watch most nights, to be honest, that's well said. Man, it
really is, and it's passionate and I love that about it. Here's the
other thing I would tell you, So you grew up watching those Tiger teams.
Just to go back to what we were talking about a little bit before,
and then we'll get to what you were saying. If you look at
those teams, what did you have had every you had everyday players. Alexafila
is the catcher. He played one hundred and forty one games. And Alexavila
was the catcher. He played one hundred and forty one. Miguel Cabrera played
one hundred and sixty one games. Johnny Parolta played one hundred and forty six
games. Right Austin Jackson played one hundred and fifty three games. Victor Martinez,
I know he's the DH. He played one hundred and forty five games.
Those are those are good numbers. Those are numbers you want to see.
You need. Brandon Inge played up well over one hundred games. Those
are the things you need. That's that's a big reason why this team back
then was successful. It's why you wanted. It's what created your your passion
for this team. When a team is good, Look, go ahead.
I was just gonna say, and you had the best of both worlds.
You had all those guys, and then you also had a pitching staff,
you know, sure or Verlander, Porcello, go down the list. Those
guys were getting offense, and we'll have to say that we wouldn't, you
know, if we had one or two guys. And you know, I
don't want to harp on Riley Green and Tortos in well maybe just Riley Green
because it doesn't seem like either of those guys have anybody to protect them in
the lineup. Look, I don't take yeah, don't. I don't disagree
with you. It's it's it's impossible to disagree with the statements you're making.
It's impossible because it's so true. And it's why I was so upset in
the off season, and it's why when I was doing the show, I
said, why didn't you go out and get more offense? And it's not
that I have anything against Jill Orchelle. It's not that I have anything against
Mark Canna. It doesn't address your need and if you think a guy and
thanks for the phone call, Jake, I love the passion. I appreciate
the conversation. It's a great jumping off point for this entire segment. But
if you think about this, we all know this is what we've been told
by management. Whether the management is in the dugout or in the front office,
here's what we've been told. It's a really hard transition for young guys
to make the major leagues. So you should not have expected or counted on
a really big production season from cold Keith. I mean, with that mindset
right, it just doesn't happen very often guys who are quick risers. I
could see it a Bobashett of Vladimir Guerrero Junior for example, Alex Bregman.
Colt Keith wasn't that guy. I'm not saying he's not going to be the
guy, because I believe he's going to be a really good hitter. I
think the track record is there based on his minor leagues and everything that he's
done, so I think he's going to be a good hitter. But I
sure wasn't banking on him being a primary run producer this year. Knowing that
you had it to you had to find something to surround the Greens, the
Torkulsen's, the Carpenters, with established run producers, you didn't do it.
One of the big influences in Jake's Tigers baseball life, he mentioned, you
know the twenty ten, twenty eleven, whatever it may be, look at
the twenty nineteen. They finished second. Cabrera won sixty, plaus Deo Polanco
won fifty three, Brandon Ainge won sixty one, Curtis Granderson won sixty or
Donia's one thirty one steady for the most part, every day guys, they're
not They weren't playing one hundred and fifty plus games for the sake of playing
it. They were playing it because they were really good at what they did
and because they were leading your team to wins. So you don't want to
take them out of the lineup. His point is valid. Jake's point is
completely valid. I could sit there and say, tell you know what,
Torkosen's playing forty one, Green's playing forty three, can is playing forty,
Verrling's playing thirty nine, Carpenter's playing forty. You need the production with it.
I'm not just using those guys as the example, because we spent a
good majority of our show yesterday on the disappointment of one Hobby or Bayez,
who's played thirty seven games for this team. I'll go back to my reoccurring
mindset and argument of teams, whether they're good or bad. If you're in
the other dugout in this situation in baseball, if you're in the other dugout,
you're the manager of the opposing team, and you're looking at the lineup
card, how many of those guys do you want in your lineup? For
some it may sound too simplistic, but it's a good gauge. If you're
a good manager or a good team and you're on the other side of the
field and you're looking across the diamond, pick a guy, Pick a manager.
Steven Volde of Cleveland, Scott Service of Seattle, Aaron Booda the Yankees,
Those are your three right and hide for Baltimore. How many of those
guys are in their dugout looking across the way and going, I really wish
we had a guy like this for the Tigers. That's what I would ask
myself when I put together a team. How many of those guys? And
they don't have to be every day players at that position. I'd like to
have everyday players, but if they're not at that position. Look, I
like Matt Vierling a lot. He's a grinder man, he gets after it.
Matt Vierling will help a team. Now, do you want him in
center field every day? No? Do you want him at third base every
day? No? Do you want him in right field every day? Probably
not, but you want him somewhere. That's the creativity of a manager.
And every team has that guy. But you can't have a lot of them.
I don't care who you are. I used to say this a hinch
all the time. When you were in Houston, you were driving him innim
Park. Here's what you knew. You knew that you had Guriel at first,
all two A at second, you had Bregman at third, you had
Korea at short, you had Springer in the outfield. And I'm missing a
player because Kyle Tucker, I don't think was there just yet. So Jordan
Olivarez maybe probably more of a dh chas McCormick. Now he had six guys
that every day, Six of his eight were everyday guys. How do you
beat that? There are some who will say publicly, I want the versatility,
I want to be able to move guys around. What I would say
to that is bull roar. You want to have some guys like that,
but you don't want to have all those guys, or you don't want to
have more guys like that than not no, no, no, no,
no no. You want to have the everyday guys. Michael Brantley might have
been the other guy by or no dumb sorry it was Jake marisnik Brandley came
later. Those are the guys you want to have, and the Tigers don't
have it. As simple as that right now, they do not have it.
You want the guy if you're gonna win over one hundred games, that's
that's primarily what you're gonna have, the every day guy. And if you
have a guy who's gonna play like Hinch and Houston head Marwin Gonzalez, is
he playing left field every day? Probably not, or a or a Josh
Reddick. Is he playing right field every day? Probably not, but more
often times they are. You're gonna filter in a Tony Kemp back in the
day or a Tyler White, but you're gonna those other guys they're posting more
often times than not in your lineup. And that's what you gotta have.
Meyer hotlines open for you eight sixty six eight three, eight forty eight forty
three. You can always text the program. Text the program to Sports Radio
twenty one thousand. Appreciate the call from Jake Ingrand Rabbids listening there on WMAX
ninety six point one FM. The game, don't forget. Bottom of the
hour. Colton Pouncey from the Athletic will join us. We'll talk Lions.
We'll talk more with you and get to your techs. On the other side.
This is x'es and bros. Throughout the great state of Michigan on the
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teaming off our tenth year at the Meyer LPGA Classic for simply gives. Get
ready for the best who are yet to help neighbors in need while enjoying golf,
food and family fun. Join us June thirteenth through the sixteenth at Blakefield
Country Club for fabulous food, discoveryland for kids, and of course, elite
women golfers from around the world competing to help feed our neighbors. Get your
tickets now, Admire LPGA Classics dot com. Get some facts and come back
and seebe Get some facts and come back and CEV. Don't throw up salaries
or other things. Get some facts and come back in ceev, you can't
handle the truth. I told our players you need a bit more like a
dog. We don't need a bunch of cats in here looking in the mirror.
But I look good. I got my extra bands on, I got
my other shoes. Be a doll. We don't need no meals, we
don't need no cats. We need more dolls. There not a detainer.
Ah, you're not. At the time, we weren't good. There's no
sense of asking me things about the game. I'm telling you we laid an
egg. So I'm not going to break it down for you. He sucks.
He sucks in an egg. That's all I have to say. Guys,
I'm sorry. I'm not going to break it down for you. Nothing
went well for us. It's on us. We have to figure it out
and we went dad. All right, Lions, we'll try and figure out
their schedule. We've got it set and we will talk with our friend Colton
Pouncing from in the Athletic coming up at the bottom of this hour. You
could follow him on Twitter or on ex Colton Underscore Pouncy on Matt Sheppard.
Welcome to Xus and Bros. Ben is our producer. At times he gets
a little loaly, so join him on the Myer Hotline. Eight sixty six
eight three eight forty eight forty three. Tigers lose to zip to the Marlins
yesterday. They've been shut out in back to back games. They have today
off and they're headed to Arizona next. What a weird deal for Willie Castro
boneheaded play against the Yankees in the New York for nothing. When he was
in center field, he didn't know how many the outs there were. This
is what it sounded like. Field is hit and there's a line drafts centerfield
coming on Castro. He'll make the catch and he thinks, says two men
out coming home and scoring on the sac fly his torres. Oh what a
boat headed played by Castro. He was running to the dugout thinking that was
the third outs and its two nothing. Egches. He made a blunder yesterday
as well. He misplayed a ball in center field. And this when you
look how he cadillacts it, thinks his two outs. I love that phrase.
It look how he cadillacts it. Yankees would go on and win it
for nothing, all right. In the NBA, Dallas beats OKC one oh
four ninety two. They shoot fifty two and a half percent. They're up
three games to two in the series. Luka Doncic was the best player on
the floor thirty one points, ten boards, eleven assists. The Thunder,
one of the best offensive teams in basketball, held to a season and low
ninety two points. Meanwhile, Boston enns Cleveland season one thirteen to ninety eight
Jason Tatum led the way one a sishi of a triple double. Lion's schedule
is out. As we mentioned, we're going to talk with Colin Colton Palsey
of the athletic coming up. We do know this. They're on National TV
six times, five times on the Blank Night Football, Monday Night, Sunday
Night or Thursday Night Football. It's the eleventh toughest schedule in the league.
And in the NHL. Colorado upends Dallas five to three. They scored three
times in the third. They trailed three games to two. They had to
have it all right. Golf, one of the majors is taking place.
It's the PGA Championship in Valhalla that is in Louisville, Kentucky. Right now,
Luke Donald, Doug gimm and Matt Wallace are all at one under par
on a course that is seven thousand, six hundred and nine yards. The
quote unquote favorites with Tief A little bit later on today the Meyer hotline eight
sixty six eight three eight forty eight forty three. Ben, let's go there.
Yeah, we got Trucker B listening on ninety six point won the game.
Nice Trucker B, how are you today frustrated this two days in a
row. You got me riled up on these tires because right I you know,
I no, well no, because it's the same thing that goes through
my mind. Why do we not have? This is what bugs me is
a lineup? Why do you not have a set lineup? He moves people
from bat and first that and forth that and fifth bat and third, you
know, and he keeps shuffling him around, and that just to me brings
inconsistency and continuity. It's just that there's no cohesive in that way. And
the same with the with the field who's playing every day. Like you said,
why do we not have a set stable lineup and a set stable defense?
It's just frustrating to me. And the thing too, is like the
other day I was getting ready to leave. I had I got to leave
by certain times to the laws and stuff, and I was empty r and
I had another driver text me and it was with the results from this pitching.
He says he leave them in for the night. I said, heck,
yeah, he deserved it. But they're too concerned about pitch count.
And I gets frustrating that they just keep shuffling pictures in and out like that,
even if they're having a good game. And I just I don't understand
it. I just don't know what the logic is. And I understand the
left on right and the right on left. I get why he's doing that.
But like you said, why do first of all? First of all,
that's not always why he does it, all right, He doesn't always
go lefty righty. He goes based on the type of picture you're getting against
the type of hitter he's facing in the situation. So, for example,
if he wants a ground ball pitcher, so Jason Foley is that guy to
induce possibly a double play. It's not necessarily right on right or lefty on
left. That's not how he That's not what his mindset is. He he
looks at the numbers, he looks at the tendencies and things of that nature.
But let me let me ask you this, and I think you bring
up a really interesting point. Do you look at their unwillingness to commit to
a specific batting order with guys in certain spots as a weakness or a strength.
I think it can be a strength when you have a set lineup,
because like what color earlier was talking about, no protection well, you aren't
going to have that protection. If you have let's say, hiamayas behind Torkleson,
I just all throw three fighters outside and he's gonna swing them. Well,
they know, you know, pitch to Tarkleson or the green. Okay,
But here's the only thing I would say there, Trucker, is this,
if your team isn't very good offensively, and you would agree with me
right that they are not very good offensively, is that fair to say?
No? Not? Okay, not at all? Okay, Yeah, zero's
two days, so well, but it's not just the two days. Last
year there are only two teams. Last year was only two teams that scored
fewer runs. This year there's a handful of teams at Seattle. It's Washington,
Miami, Pittsburgh, Saint Louis, Toronto and Chicago who have scored fewer
runs than the Tigers. So you would admit, So if they don't have
that team, what do you do as a manager? You can't keep doing
the same thing every day. You have to try to find something that will
ignite your offense. If that requires moving guys around in the lineup. Look
at the beginning of the year, Spencer Truckolsen was hitting him the top four.
When you struggle and you don't go hit a homer until game number thirty
five, you're not going to keep hitting him third or fourth, you Truck
or b would go crazy. Ryan, No, I understand that, don't
know, but I mean, but he hasn't started out that way. Now,
Yeah, you reward those, you know, like Perez. Okay,
he comes up, you don't know what the heck he's gonna do. You
just got him in for pilling all of a sudden. Oh, this kid
showing more than what we understand, So you rewarded me. Moved on.
Yesterday had a couple of bonehead swings and bases loaded. But anyway, yeah,
and that's and that's what frustrates me is I sit there and I look
and I watch his team, and it seems like when there's guys in scoring
position that are just putting the bat on the ball, try to create something.
They're out there to try to be heroes and fling for the fences.
And I get so frustrated with that exit velocity. You hit the ball hard.
You hit the ball hard. To me, I don't care if you
hit a bloop single or a dribbler down the line or whatever. I hit
as a hit. As a hit, as a hit, you gotta move
the runners along. I get it, and exit the exit the exit velo.
I'm sorry had to cut you off because we got to go to a
break. The exit velo is important because it means you're squaring the ball up.
But yeah, I hear what you're saying. It's it's difficult when you've
got guys betting one to seventy one, two hundred and sixty seven, two
fifteen, and you know to forty one you're not finding a lot of a
lot of pop. There our quick time out Colton Ponce at the bottom of
the hour, back with more of your thoughts on the other side on exies
and bros in the dam. Step up to the play with the Eagle Casino
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Michigan to play. This is Matt Shepard. One of the things missing from
the Tigers offense is power going into Wednesday night's game, Detroit's thirty seven homers
ranked twenty second in baseball. They're slugging percentage ranked the same, and they're
on base plus slugging or ops is even worse, ranking twenty fifth in the
game. They need power. Spencer Torkolsen is key to that he had gone
hormerless in his first thirty seven games before grilling homers and back to back games.
Now. Some overreacted to his homeless slump, but as he said,
it was too small a sample size to get him down. He needed to
get the feeling and then it's repeatable. I don't know if he'll duplicate his
thirty one homer ninety four RBI numbers from a year ago, but he's got
to be close if this team hopes to contend. We're teeing off our tenth
year at the Meyer LPGA Classic for simply gives get ready for the best who
are yet to help neighbors in need while enjoying golf, food and family fun.
Join us June thirteenth through the sixteenth at Blakefield Country Club for fabulous food,
discoveryland for kids, and of course elite women golfers from around the world
competing to help feed our neighbors. Get your tickets now at Meyer LPGA classic
dot com. Looking forward to the conversation with Colton Pouncey of the Athletic He
covers alliance and he will join us. How about twenty minutes from now here
on Exus and Bros. Throughout the great state of Michigan. Glad you're around
on this Thursday. The Meyer hotline eight six eight three, eight forty eight
forty three and the text line is Sports Radio to twenty one thousand. I
know we got some texts I've been waiting on, and Ben, my apologies
want to get to those texts. But we had some good callers and we
had some important content that I thought needed to be mentioned. Let's get to
some of those texts right now. Ben, go ahead, all right.
If the Tigers don't win this division, aj Hint should be fired. He
has allowed the rest of the season to wake up these bats in any way
possible. Maybe starting with some passion would be a good start. Managers and
coaches are always going to be the first people to be ridiculed and have those
poignant fingers pointed at you. Can only do so much with the roster you've
been given. I'm not sure about the passion. I don't get that.
I would love to know what you need in passion, Like do you where's
the passion you see in Dave Roberts, Mike Schilt, San Diego, Stephen
Vote in Cleveland? So far? I think sometimes we misidentify passion or the
lack thereof in this regard. And I've said this time and time again.
If you're go into a game, can you see the manager in the dugout?
Depending on where you sit, what is the expectation. It's not like
he hasn't been has shown passion. He's been ejected from games in his managerial
career and in his Tigers managerial career. If that's what you think is passion,
do you want him chewing out guys in the dugout? Are you hoping
to read about closed door meetings? Just because he's not screaming and yelling on
the field of play doesn't mean that there is a lack of passion. He's
the same manager who is highly successful in Houston. He's one of the best
managers in baseball. There's no doubt about that. Now you can disagree with
moves. I get that. I think every fan base is going to disagree
with their manager and their coaches at some point, even if that manager is
successful. But the passion thing, I think you need to leave at the
door because you're not seeing him. There's no camera on him showing him.
I should say, for the entire game. Game lasts three hours, two
hours and forty minutes. You're not seeing him for two hours and forty minutes.
You're seeing him on cutaway shots. If you're at a ballgame, are
you only watching him? Are you watching him try to set things up,
Talk to his bench coach, talk to his pitching coach, talk to certain
players. Just because you're not losing your mind doesn't mean you're not passionate.
But I do under so I completely disagree with that aspect of it. I
do understand how your frustration boils over if this team doesn't win the division and
points toward the manager. I wonder how much that is pointed toward the front
office. The front office is the one who put this team together, gave
you the choices. Is there a player who is not currently on this twenty
six man roster who you think should be on the roster, and it's aj
Hinch's fault. The other question I would ask you how many I've always felt
this as false. How many games do you think a manager wins or loses
for a baseball team, Because if you talk to the baseball elite, they'll
tell you five or six where they make a difference, which I think is
bull crap. I think it's more than that, much more than that,
especially in baseball, because pitching changes rosters, pinch hitting situations, and so
on and so forth. If this team doesn't win the division, some thing's
got to change drastically. We've said this for years. Now that this division
is winnable, you have to ask yourself first, is this team underachieving?
Based on what? Are there players so good that you think the manager is
getting in the way, And then you can then you can debate on whether
or not the manager should be fired. Are they underachieving or is this team
just not good enough structurally from a roster standpoint, which is what I think
it is so far this year. Are players underachieving? Certain players, absolutely,
But when you look at the roster, you didn't think it was that
good anyway. If you're being honest, all right, what's another text there,
Ben, Yeah, it says an insert and former Alliance head coach.
Over the years and after four years for most of them, if they under
they were showing the door. Aj though flowers are thrown his way and fans
think he has no say in these moves and hires are delusional. That's from
fat Yeah. Freddie's right. I don't know who in the world thinks that
he's not having a say. That's ridiculous. He and Scott Harris have a
saying just about everything. Absolutely. On the other hand, the difference Freddy
with the Lions, bad example, they never had a winner four years of
Jim Schwartz. You're damn right, X amount of years with Rod Mayornelly,
you're damn right. X amount of years with Steve Mariucci. You're damn right.
I mean, come on, Freddie. Wayne Fotz is the all time
winning his coach in Lion's history. Also losing coach in Lion's history. They
weren't winning, dude, They never won anything. A J. Hinch has
won something. He won a World championship. In addition to that, he
took over a team that was god awful, absolutely horrid. You know that
he gets to Detroit. Look at the lineup for crying out Loud, It's
not that hard to figure out. He comes in in twenty twenty one and
he won seventy seven games that nobody thought that they would win. And you
did it with Eric has, Jonathan Scope, Willie Castro, Nico Goodrum,
Jammercandelario, Robbie Grossman, to kill Badou, No, Mar Mazara, Harold
Castro, Victor Reyes. Come on, man, I'm not making excuses for
him. And yes they took a turn for the worst the following season and
then last year with seventy eight wins. Look at the lineup that they have,
use like you could complain about certain guys absolutely like Scott Harris trading for
Nick Maton for crying out loud? Where's Nick Maton? Now? Oh Wolfy,
let's all, let's all get fired up for Wolfy? Right? Two
of the three guys he traded for from Philadelphia for Greg Risotto and Cody Clemens.
Cody Clemens still playing for Hi, Greg Risota is still playing for You
get one guy, Matt Feerling. It's a bad move, But look at
the lineups. As I said earlier in the show, how many other managers.
You're the manager, and the other dugout how many other managers are looking
at the Tiger's lineup and going, Man, I'll tell you what. I
gotta have a Keel Bado. I gotta have Nick Mayton, I gotta have
how your bias. I gotta have Zach McKinstry. On the other side,
Colton Pouncey of the Athletic He'll join us to talk Lions in NFL. Looking
forward to this conversation coming up next on Exis and Bros. Huge. Here
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Friday, July twenty six. That's Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort, The off
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com thirty five after the hour. Throughout the great State of Michigan, Welcome
to Exes and Bros. Monday through Friday six until nine. We're on in
Flint and Cadillac and Grand Rapids. You can hear us in Grayling and Gaylord,
Midland, Saganaw, Bay City, Pataski, Charlavoy, Traverse City.
All those places can hear Exes and Bros. And the Huge Show in the
afternoon, and they can all read Colton pouncing in the Athletic. You can
fill on X as well. Colton underscore pouncy. He joins us now to
talk Lions in NFL. Colton, hope you and your family are well,
glad that you've joined us here on Exes and Bros. When you looked at
the Lions schedule, what's the first thing that jumped out to you, besides
the national appearances that the Lions so rightfully deserve because they're a fun team to
watch. Yeah, I think you have to start with Week one, and
you know, I think that's such a sign of respect to have a matchup
like that, you know, against the Rams after what we saw in January
in that matchup. This is really the second year in a row that we've
seen the lines kind of get that respect right Like last year they started with
the Chiefs on Opening Night. I thought that was really cool. I thought
that was sort of the next step for them. So, you know,
even the national games aside, just to get that match up, you know,
Sunday night football against the Rams in Detroit. Welcome Matthew Stafford back again.
I thought that was a great first week matchup and assign that again,
the Lions are just continuing to get this sort of respect across country. I
read that they have the eleventh toughest schedule in the league that is based on
records from a year ago. Overall playing the teams that they're playing, the
AFC East, the NFC West, obviously within their own division. How do
you look at the schedule in general? I don't want you to pick wins
and losses. That's not fair because Colton Pouncy doesn't know who's going to be
on the Lions yet, he doesn't know what the team said he's playing.
That's just strictly for editors and for people to try and you know, try
to read too much into a crystal ball. But overall, when you look
at the schedule, what do you notice about it? And then you know,
maybe kind of get you jacked up a little bit about the eleven toughest
schedule. Yeah, you know, it does look like a tough schedule on
paper. Obviously, when you finish first place the year before, you're going
to have a first place schedule next year and play some of those teams.
So yeah, you're all going to play some tougher teams. At the same
time, I think the Lines are a better team than they were a year
ago, and they went twelve and five with a second place schedule, you
know, last season, so I think it kind of bounces out when you
look at the additions they made this offseason, you know, revamping the cornerback
room, replacing Jonah Jackson with the Pro Bowl guard, and Kevin Zeitler adding
defensive tackle with JJ readers. So I look at the pieces they made,
I think they can still compete with pretty much anyone on their schedule. There's
gonna be some tough games, of course, you know, they go they
go to San Francisco late in the season. That could be a game that
decided the one seed potentially in the NFC. They've got a lot of tough
games on the road. They play the text ands of cowboys on the road,
So not could be easy by any stretch. But I do think they've
shown they can compete with some of the better teams on their schedule, and
they're not gonna be a fay to take on any team that they play.
Yeah, you mentioned Zeitler, Carlton Davis really big. What about Marcus Davenport.
How much of an impact can he make at the defensive end spot.
Yeah, to me, it's all about he can stay healthy. You know,
this coaching staff kind of you know saw him up close in New Orleans
and Campbell there and Glen they're part of the Vigne that drafted him back then
and when he was really playing his best football in twenty twenty one. I
believe it was twenty twenty one season, a high passless win rate, was
getting guys one on one, was set in the edge, was stopping the
run, just getting some pastorless shoots on the outside. He's kind of this
do it all defensive end and the Lions haven't had a player like that opposite
of Aiden Hutchinson. And so to me, the question is can he stay
healthy. He really hasn't since that twenty one season. Even back then,
I believe he only played eleven games, so he's really never proven that he
can do it over the course of a full season. If he can even
get like twelve games out of him, then you supplement maybe some time this
with some other guys stepping up. You know, you can get a productive
season out of him. It's just a matter of can you stay healthy.
Can he rediscover that magic from a few years ago. I think it's easier
said than done. You know a lot of people want to plugging him in
as that guy but I still think we need to see it first before we
kind of you know, write that in Stone Colton Pounce from the Athletic joining
as you can follow my ex Colton underscore pounds. He check out his stuff
in the Athletic. It's always great stuff. Jared Goff, we know has
got the contract extension. He's earned it. Whether or not the price tag
you think is warranted really doesn't matter right now because he's going to be a
Lion for at least the next five years and he's the highest paid player in
franchise history. What was your overall feeling on the contract extension in terms of
timing and cost from Alliance perspective. Yeah, Otherwise, I think it makes
sense, and I was maybe a little bit surprised they didn't get around the
same time they did, you know, Saint Brown and Sewell, you know,
around the draft. But I know, you know, these things take
time, and quarterback contracts a little bit tougher to figure out. But yeah,
I mean in terms of the money they gave him, like, yeah,
I think that's sort of the going rate for an NFL quarterback that's playing
at a high level these days, and you know, this is the organization
that really values Jared Goff and the contributions he's made to this this froster,
this franchise. You know, he's helped them within two playoff games. He's
want a division title for them. He's sort of been the glue to all
of this and kind of the face of their rebuild as a guy that was
you know, cast aside and left the bed in Detroit, so people said
years ago, and he's bounced back in ways that a few people thought was
imaginable. So, you know, Brad holmesold us every step of the way,
like we didn't see him as a bridge. You know, it's it's
easier to get worse at quarterback than it is to get better, and so
he kind of telegraphed these moves like years ago, and so for it all
to come full circle, you know this past week I thought was really cool.
He's a third of that you know big trio that they want to get
done this offseason, and you know they're ready to go forward with him as
their quarterback. And I don't think that's surprising help our audience with how this
sets up for this team long term. Everybody wants sustainability. It's not easy
in the NFL. So that's what makes it really impressible what Kansas City has
been able to do, or Buffalo or Pittsburgh in the past, or even
San Francisco to a certain extent. What does this mean for this team financially
moving forward with key pieces due up at some point in the near future.
Yeah, it certainly makes it tougher, right. I think I wrote that
they're kind of moving past the hunt and phase and things are getting real now.
Because we all knew this day was coming, They're going to have to
get all these big money extensions to their core players to keep these guys around
and keep their window open as long as possible. So it was really a
matter of time. But now that we're here and these contracts are real,
it does make sort of the cap math a little bit tougher going forward,
and you have to kind of pick and choose guys you want to keep around
the guys you've already paid. So that means, you know, Carlton Davis
is the free agent in twenty twenty five, you just drafted two young quarterback
cornerback, you know early in this draft class. Maybe you let him walk
and save some money there, you know, Taylor Decker. I know he's
been, you know, such a figure, a force in the city,
but he's probably gonna want some big money, you know, next offseason when
he's a free agent. So it's like you kind of got to you can
choose your spots. I'm not saying that they're not going to bring him back,
because I think they've had conversations with him, but those are decisions you
have to kind of kind of make when you're giving out the big money four
hundred and forty four million dollars to three players over the next few years.
So it's they were always going to get here. It was an inevitable position
for a team like this that's been drafting well to a point where you can
resign your own guy if that's what you want to do. But it does
make it more real and those decisions are going to be tougher for Brad Holmes
moving forward for sure. Going back to Jared Goff, this is the reaction
I got from some people who disagreed with the financial commitment. I think it's
more about the fact that Joe Burrow is the only other quarterback who makes more
money on an annual basis than Jared Goff, which you know, I've tried
to tell people it's going to fluctuate. I mean, it's all about timing
in sports in general. But Colton, when people say anybody could step in
and do what Jared Goff did for the Lions offense because he's not mobile like
Patrick Mahomes for example, doesn't have that massive arm like CJ. Stroud for
example, what do you say to those people when they say, just about
anybody, I'd save the money, spend it elsewhere. Anybody can go in
there and set play action because you have such a great offensive line in a
solid running game. Yeah, to me, I would say, why that's
with what's working right now? You know, like the Lions haven't been this
good in a very long time. We know how hard it is to get
to this point to where they are now. I think Jared Goff has kind
of earned the right to kind of see this through and see how far you
can take this team. You know, he has taken a team to a
super Bowl before in his career. He's taken this team, you know,
you know you're talking thirty minutes away from a Super Bowl last year and the
way it ended, So I get him a chance to kind of see it
through with this group and see how where you can go. I get everyone
wants the cheap quarterback and you know, the shining new toys always what's next?
You know, Hennon Hooker, I know a lot of people are high
in him, but you've got a really good quarterback in jerk Off that has
the full tention of this locker room, the full respect of it. And
if you were to move on or try to rock about right now, I'm
not sure how well that would go over in that locker room. And you
know, you probably make a lot more enemies and friends with a move like
that. So to me, it's like, look, you're in a great
position, see where you can take it, you know, ride it out
and then maybe make a decision from there. But you know, at this
point they're locked into him, so it's kind of just about see how far
he can take them and kind of letting them play out. You're around him
and the team every single day, especially during the in season. What makes
him so amenable to his teammates because you see it all the time. I'm
on, I'm on a russ Saint Brown set it it at the draft night
for crying out loud, people are cheering it at Comerica Park. Why is
he so likable within his locker room? Yeah, I think he's just like
this calming presence. You know, he takes a lot of criticism nationally even
locally sometimes and he just kind of like lets everything bounce off of him.
Like it's really remarkable to see for a guy who's been through what he's been
through in his career. I think his teammates says, see the way that
he responds to everything that comes his way, and you know they respect him
for it. And you know, even during the playoffs or about the playoffs,
getting to the playoff un last year, the regular season when they clinched,
he saw a lot of young players on this team kind of leaning on
him as a guy that's you know, been part of a deep postseason run,
like what should we expect? And he was sort of the calming veteran
presence in that room. He really wasn't that when he was in LA because
you know, Sean McVay, he was always kind of, you know,
over his shoulder. He didn't really have, you know, sort of the
freedom to act like this veteran. But he has that now in Detroit,
he has, you know, the playoff experience that people rely on him for,
so he really captured this locker and then I think that Rams game,
you know, this whole team, I mean the whole city really, but
the team especially wanted that game for him. That's why Alman and Rab was
talking about it opening and during that week we saw the Jared golf chance around
the state and then even drafted and you know, a couple of weeks ago.
That was really cool to see. So it's abundantly clear that he has
the respect and attention to his locker room and I see it on a daily
basis, Like these guys rally around him and they think that he's their guy
and he's their leader. So yeah, it's been really cool to see.
He is Colton Pountcy of the Athletic King fomb on ex Colton Underscore Pounty.
He joined us here on exes and Bros. I know, it's difficult to
answer because of where this team is at. We don't know what this team's
going to look like exactly. But what do you think it's still lacking,
if at all. That's a good question because I think this roster has done
pretty well to kind of address their holes this offseason. Like I mentioned,
Hed Reader plugging that defensive tackle role. I think he's going to get the
best out of ly McNeil. The cornerback room of Carlton Davis and Terry and
Arnold nanas rays show I think are really going to help. If I had
the point to something, you know, I think it might be the edge
position. I do like Davenport, but the question is always going to be
healthy with him. You know. I think they lost a few pieces this
offseason, and you know they're counting on James Houston to be healthy and for
Josh Paston to making another leap. I thought they could have used another body
in that room. I know they added a CFL defensive Player of the Year,
Matthew Betts, so maybe he could be a rotational player that helps him
out. But you know, relying on Marcus Davenport for a full season,
it's kind of a tricky deal. So maybe they try to get that you
know, edge by many position across the maid and huts to send and hope
for the best. But I did think they could have us at least war
more body there. We'll see if they add one before camp get started.
But if Mark and Mark Stavenport goes down at any point during the season,
I think you feel a little a little, you know, worrisome about the
edge position a little bit. We know what their strength was a year ago
is up front. I'm a big believer in the way Brad Holmes is built
this organization from the inside out. What do you think their strength is going
into the season in twenty twenty four Dash five? Yeah, I still think
it's the offensive line. You know, the way these guys talked about it,
it seems like they think they've gotten even better there, which is you
know, pretty pretty impressive. True. Just the addition of Kevin Zeitler.
I think Allie McNeil, you know, the lines obviously played the Ravens last
year. Allen McNeil was so impressed with Zeitler. He couldn't get anything you
want to against him, and he was, you know, pretty happy to
have him on his team. Now. You know, he's a guy that's
respected across the league, great and pass pass protection. You know, can
can handle business in the run game. So you put him in a MAX
with Pne Sewell and Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker, you know, Grant Glasgow
and those guys, this offensive line is ready to go. I think they're
going to remain one of the best of football. That's gonna help Jeric Golf
outs and help the backs out, the receivers, the tight ends. I
think this offense is ready to go again. And you know, honestly,
the defense has gotten there too. So this has really looked like a Lion's
team. And I'm sure a lot of people are happy about, you know,
the roster at Holmes kind of go over here. Yeah, you and
I would both agree that Penney Suel is one of the best at his position
and one of the best offensive linemen no matter the position, in all the
NFL. But Frank ragnow is the key to that team's success up front because
of the responsibilities of the center. How do you think Dan Campbell has and
will continue to manage keeping one of the most important pieces in his team healthy
and fresh, knowing his injury history. Yeah, it's just kind of monitoring
the workload that he gets. I imagine there'll be a lighter offseason for him
just to kind of, you know, keep him fresh throughout the season.
You know, you know what he can do at this point, so you
don't need to push him in OTAs or even training camp really and during the
season, you know, there's usually a day off for him, probably early
in the week. Just let him, you know, rest and you know,
fackt him in the game plan later on. You know, they did
that really well last year. I thought, I know, he still got
banged up in those injuries are inevitable sometimes, but that's all you can do
with the player. Like Frank, I think he said his toe might be
inoperable at this point, so it's gonna be a thing that bothers him,
you know, for the rest of his career, as long as he keats
slaying. So yeah, it's just about work, workload management, you know,
keeping them fresh, you know, picking them, choosing spots with him
and at the end of the day, you know what you can get from
him. You want him playing at a high level and you want him to
be fresh. So that's what's all about to me. All right. Lastly,
and you wrote about this in The Athletic. What did you like about
their draft most this past sea? YEA, yeah, I think they got
some steels in the sixth round, like Christian Mahogany and Makai Wingo. Those
are two dudes. I think could be either rotational pieces or starters within a
year from now. For wingo, specifically the defensive tausu. I think you
can provide some pass roal shoes. Those are two top one hundred players on
the athletics board that fell to pick number one eighty nine and two tens,
so I think they got a couple of steels there. I love how they
addressed the cornerback room early. You know, to me, it wasn't about
like there's a lot of talk about all the Lions haven't drafted a corner in
the top one hundred picks as Brad Holme has been here. But the way
you listen to Brad talk, he's not going to reach for a position just
because he needs a position. He's going to draft the guys that are high
on his board, the best player available. It doesn't regardless of position really,
So the fact that the two highest players on his board I picked number
twenty four when they traded up, and then picked number sixty one the second
round the corners, I just k think that was a perfect storm of need
and BPA and it kind of worked out perfectly even in the middle rounds.
You know, Givan Manu the British Columbia tackle siono Ivaki. Those are two
guys that might have been unconventional picks, but they just fit. What the
lines are all about is these gritty, hard nosed, ethic guys. I
think those guys will contribute sooner rather than later. So I really like the
draft class room. I think it kind of fits what they want to do,
you know, from a character standpoint and town wise. Yeah. So
well said, and it's what I love and respect most about Brad Holmes.
He drafts guys. He seems like the guy who stays true to his board
just because he may have a need if that player is a lot further down
his board than the guy he sees he's taking the guy he sees, he
stays true to it. I think that's a big reason why he's so successful.
It's obvious why you're successful with the Athletic. We appreciate the insight,
We appreciate the time and the thoughts. Have a great rest of your week
and weekend. Don't be a stranger. We hope to talk to you again.
Thanks Colton Pouncy for all that you do with the athletic. Absolutely thanks
for having me on anytime. You bet all right if you can follow him
on X Colton Underscore pouncy, great stuff, man. I mean, that's
that's what it's all about, right there, the opportunity to get a guy
and give you and reinforce what we've said for a long time. And how
good Brad Holmes is it what he does. There's a reason they're on National
TV is often they're fun to watch, but they're a good football team because
it's a good organization and he is at the top of it. You follow
your leader. The Lions have done that. He stays true, true to
his board. He picks the best player available. Our thanks to Colton Palcier.
Thanks to Ben our producer. Great job today. As always, thanks
to your phone calls and your text keep them coming. We'll be back with
you tomorrow on a Friday. Exes and bros, don't forget Bill Simonson,
the Huge Show Monday through Friday three to six later on this many of these
great network affiliates. We'll see you again tomorrow morning. Have a great rest
of your Thursday, everybuddy, thanks for listening. We played for the three
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