Get some facts and come back and Seebee. Get some facts and come back
and Seebee. Don't throw out salaries or other things. Get some facts and
come back and Seebee. You can't handle the true now 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, 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 dogs.
Why am out a detain Oh you're not that aday. We weren't good.
There's no sense asking me things about the game. I'm telling you.
We laid an egg. So I'm not gonna break it down for you.
He sucks. He sucked. He laid 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 eight SHOWDWN, final hour of the
show here on Xis and Bros. Throughout the Great State of Michigan. Matt
Shepard, we'd have been our producer. You can call him on the Meyer
Hotline. Eight sixty six eight three, eight forty eight, forty three.
You can always text the show as well. Sports ready to twenty one thousand
James Edwards from the Athletic joints us at the bottom of the hour if you
missed it. Tiger is a four to one winner yesterday over Saint Louis.
They win two out of the three games. Yes, most of us feel
like they should have swept them, but let's be careful. There four straight
series win for Detroit, and there's seventeen wins entering this month of May.
The eighteen wins overall second most in franchise history. Only the eighty four eventual
World Series champions were better at eighteen and two. Remember they won seventeen straight
road games to start the year. That's unheard of. Last year this team
was ten and seventeen entering the month of May. They had a decent month
of May and a good September. That's about all they had a year ago.
But there's optimism there. Matt Verling, with a two run homer yesterday,
propelled Detroit to the four to one. When they have today off,
they are in New York for a weekend series against the Yankees, and then
they go to Cleveland. Cleveland atop the division, Minnesota charging hard. The
Twins won their tenth in a row yesterday. Byron Buxton was hurt or is
hurt? I should say? And I think he's a really good example of
a really talented player who just can't seem to stay healthy. I don't know
what it is, I really don't. I mean, this is a guy
who you talk about talent, He's got a ton of it. He was
recruited as a wide receiver to Georgia. I like him a lot. I've
had the opportunity to talk to him a number of times, do interviews at
his stall. He's a really welcoming and a really easy dude to like.
The problem is, you know, he just can't stay healthy. Writ knee
injury a year ago, limited to eighty five games. When he's in the
lineup, Minnesota's numbers are incredible compared to when he's not in the lineup.
He's that much of a difference maker. But it's interesting. There's a national
broadcaster who has a talk show host on a four letter network who came out
and was just criticizing Mike Trout, why can't you stay healthy? He doesn't
say that about you know Zion Williamson for some reason, he doesn't say that
about Byron Buxton. Byron Buckston is one of those guys who as a center
fielder, just like Mike Trout, although Minnesota wanted him use him as more
as a designated here a year ago. Those are two guys. They put
a lot of force on their body with how they play the game. It's
always a really tough discussion when you're talking with players or coaches or managers on
how to reel a guy in. Like I think it was Jim Leland who
wants it. You don't want to take the mustang out of the horse.
If he's if that's who he is, let him be that player. When
a guy goes diving for a ball in left center field and lays out to
make the catch in early May, people will say, oh, you can't
make that play, and you can't. You can't do that in May.
You do that later in the season. What do you mean do it later
in the season. Those games later in the season might not be worth it.
Damn if you're not making those plays in early May. I don't want
a player to be different and play timid. Don't go crashing into the wall,
So you don't want him to make the catch. He doesn't do that.
You know what you're gonna say, You gotta go all to make that
catch. How do you let that fall? How do you let that hit
off the wall? Why don't you try? Why don't you give your a
effort. I'm not making I'm not trying to change players. Man. The
reason you got to where you are is because of who you are and how
you play. I want that in them. It comes with the price sometimes,
and for Buxton and Minnesota it's absolutely come with the price. It's the
hell of a player. You just wish he could stay healthy. And that's
where not load management in baseball. You're playing, but you can do other
things instead of being out there in center field every day. You can be
the DH. So maybe early in the season this is simplicity, I know,
but early in the season, maybe you're playing him defensively once in a
series and he's DH and two other times. A lot of guys don't like
that. Buxton hated it. He wanted to be out there every day because
you feel like you can be a difference maker even if you're not hitting the
ball. But Minnesota charging hard they've won ten in a row. NHL Stars
beat Vegas three to two. That's the first time the home team has won
a game in the series. They leave that series three too. Is a
really good game. Last night watch that, and then I watched a little
bit of the start of the Oilers Kings game. Edmonton wins at four to
three. They eliminate LA for a third straight yearly On res Title had two
goals. Connor McDavid had a couple of assists eleven assists in the series overall.
They move on to the second round. Will play either Nashville or Vancouver,
who play tonight. Boston will play in Toronto tonight. Celtics led wire
to wire. They eliminate the Heat one to eighteen eighty four. Jaylen Brown
Derek White each with twenty five. Boston's going to play either Cleveland or Orlando.
They play tonight, and Dallas went into LA and handed the Clippers their
worst playoff loss in history, one twenty three to ninety three. Luka Doncics
had thirty five points ten boards. Twenty of his points came in the second
half. The MAVs lead that series three games to two. Speaking to the
NBA, we will talk with James Edwards of the Athletic at eight thirty five,
so hope you can stick around and join us for that. Yesterday and
we just played the interview with Ben Raven from m Live. We were talking
about the Lions obviously in the draft and so on and so forth. This
is what the NFL does so very well, right. I mean, it's
it's amazing how they can go draft and then you got or you have the
combine before the draft, and you get the draft, then you got OTA's
and then you got you know, rookie camps, and then you've got training
camp, and then you've got the season, and after the season and after
the Super Bowl, nobody cares about the Pro Bowl, but then you've got
the combine. I mean, they just keep you engaged all the time,
and writers are constantly giving you something to think about as well, like Jeff
kerrvcbssports dot Com ranking the NFC teams following the draft. You and I both
know this is just filling up space. And I'm hypocritical right now because I'm
sitting here talking about it, but it does peak your interest. I'm just
wondering what they think of my team filling the Blank, San Francisco reached the
Super Bowl a year ago. Would they be the favorite? According to him,
they are, but the Lions are right behind him. Here's what he
writes about the Lions. The draft is where the Lions shine. They hit
a home run by selecting Terry on Arnold in the first round. Should be
a Week one starter and a playmaker in this Rake Straw fell to number sixty
one in the second round, giving the Lions needed depth at the corner position
as well. Sion Avaki, who can play running backers safety which again that
to me is irrelevant, appears to be playing the former for Detroit, giving
the Lions more depth behind David Montgomery and Jamier Gibbs. Detroit added Kevin Zeitler.
Then he goes into you know, for Jonah Jackson, a'man Ross Saint
Brown with a massive extension Jamie Wims. They don't mention anything about Penney Seool.
He just basically tells you why he thinks they're the number two seed.
And in the words of Bob Seeger, Blank, I've known that for a
long time. He's got the Eagles three, Packers four, Cowboys five,
Rams six, Tampa seven, and Chicago eight. Interesting that three of the
top teams in the conference, three of the top sixteen teams in the conference
are in the NFC North. About on the hour, James Edwards joins us
from the Athletic We'll talk NBA and more your phone calls and your texts on
the other side on Exis and Bros. On the Michigan Port with Tickerson,
step up to the play that Ego Casino in Sports, the mobile sportsbook app
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a young player come up from the minor leagues and make an impact, especially
one who assigned seven years ago, was once a top prospect, lost the
prospect status, then regained it a couple of years ago. Wentcil Perez is
that player, and he's doing something every game to impact this Tiger's team.
He's arguably the Tiger's best base runner and infielder by trade. He's learning to
play the outfield and he's getting better, in better, He's already made some
fine running catchers to the gaps and oh yeah, he can hit a little.
Parah has only got the call to Detroit because of some injuries, but
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require what we're talking about. If there's something you have had on your mind,
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here for. The Meyer Hotline eight six eight three eight forty forty three,
or you could text us Tech Sports Radio to twenty one thousand, Ben.
I know we had a caller earlier couldn't hold through the brake, that's right.
What's on their mind? Are people complaining about Trout because of him getting
hurt or because of his contract? And that's Breton Grand Rapids. That's a
great question. That is a great question. The bigger contract you have,
the more is expected. So are you getting your money's worth? Excellent question.
Don't know the answer to it really is up to you to decide on
whether or not that place a factor. I think you'd be lying to yourself.
And I like Mike Trout a lot. I think he's an incredible player.
I think look, the numbers speak for itself. Sometimes I don't even
get involved in the All Star stuff because it's oftentimes a popularity contract contest.
But if you're a three time MVP, you're a nine time Silver Slugger,
you're a two time All Star Game MVP, you're a Rookie of the Year,
you're the player of the year, you lead the league in all those
categories, and so on and so forth, you're a hell of a player.
I bet you Bred will say that too. He brings up a very
valid point, though, When you're making thirty seven million dollars, I think
is what he's making a year, right, and he's going to make that
until twenty thirty. Yeah, I know, I feel the same way.
I'm shaking my head too, right along there with you. He's thirty two
right now. They've got him until he's thirty eight. It's a Miguel Cabrera
type situation. And remember it can go, it can go quickly. You
see what happens with Josea brew Did you see what they did? They pulled
with him? What they what Toronto did with Alec Manoa. Manoa started the
All Star Game a couple of years ago, and then what happened he was
he was sent down. And you're sent down because you're struggling to the Complex
League. That's what happens with Josea bre You. They optioned him to the
Florida Complex League after an April that saw him hit below one hundred and he's
thirty seven. I'm not saying that's going quickly. I'm just telling you those
things, those things happen, and when it comes and it comes quickly,
you're just like, oh man, that's not how I want to see him
end his career. Ose Bray, you third all time in Chicago White Sox
history in home runs. This is a guy who is He's an absolute hell
of a player. He's been a hell of a pro. But it's gone,
at least for now it is. I don't think that's my trout yet,
but I love that perspective from Brent. Yeah, thirty seven million bucks,
you expect them to be out there more often than he is. I
think that's fair. Got another caller, Yeah, we got Paul and g
R. All right, Hey Paul, how are you today? Hell you?
What's up? Champ? How are you? Good man? I hope
your Thursday goes well? What's up? Oh you? You as well?
First of all, I want to give a big shout out to Friday the
Pizza Man three one three on Twitter. I went to his pizza joint yesterday
and man, it is the best pizza I've had ever had in my life.
And I've been to Italy. So I just want to give a big
shot out to that guy. I know he's a fan of the show.
I know he calls in all the time. I want him to know I
appreciate it. That's really cool, that's really cool of you. He's got
great I mean, I think his food is outstanding. I just got back
from Italy in the fall. I just got back from Italy in the fall.
The food there in Italy best food I've ever had in my life.
But I love going to Freddy's place because he's got great stuff. You're right.
Good for you, Thank you for that go ahead. I still think
his pizza is better than the stuff in Italy, but I digress. So
yeah, I just want to talk a little. Tigers man. I think
they look a lot better than what I expected this year. You know,
I figured we'd be pretty good. I figured. I think I still think
we're gonna win the Central. But I mean, it's so exciting and it's
so nice to finally just see it come together, you know, and yeah,
well why they why are they better than you thought? What I mean,
I'm interested to know what you're what you thought they were going to be
number one and number two? Where are they better? In what regard?
Uh? The bullpen is is so good. And you know, Riley Green
up to this point is doing much better than I actually thought he would.
I mean, dude, he's already got seven home runs. And you know
we're seeing guys like once Gio Orchella comes back. He was a nice addition
by Scott Harris. I really love Mark Canna, and not only like you
know he has He's just a professional hitter. You know. He every single
at bat from Mark Canna seems like a professional at bat. And it seems
like the younger guys are learning from that. Krek Scoogle, I mean,
man, he is good. He's I figured he would be in the running
for the cy Young this year, but man, I didn't know he was
going to be this good, Like he is best in the MLB good right
now. And you know, we got we just got a dominant Moulten and
I figured we'd be around five hundred you know the rest, you know,
for April and May. But you know, five games over five hundred is
awesome. So you know, I think they're I don't think they're overperforming.
I think they're they're right where they should be. Yeah, you think this
is who they are? This is who they are right now? Interesting?
Okay, that's great, love, go ahead? Oh yeah, sorry man,
Sorry, so yeah, I know right now. I still think they're
going to win the Central this year. Yeah, I agree with you,
you know, and thank thanks for the phone call. Sorry, we're almost
up against it and James Edwards is going to join us. I'm with you
on that. I said when I started doing this show, I said before
the season they should win the Central period and that was my expectation. So
I'm sure not surprised at the back end of the bullpen or the bullpen in
general. It was really good a year ago. I am still worried about
the offense. They still don't score enough runs for me anyway, but it'll
come as the weather heats up. I'm sure that will come all right,
because I think Spencer Torkolsen is not going to be this kind of hitter right
now at two nineteen or whatever. I think Colet Keith will get adjusted a
little bit so I'm with you on that. I think they could use another
stick. Quite honestly, I still don't think they have the home run power
that I would like to see, and I am slightly concerned about the defense.
But I do like their pitching an awful lot, and I love their
bullpen. Despite what happened with Shelby Miller the other day, I think they're
the best team in the division, and I think Tigers fans should be have
that expectation. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Ben.
We got a text or two, I believe, before we get to James
Edwards from the Athletic Yeah, Ken Griffy Junior is a better center fielder than
Mike Trout in my opinion, it's not even close. Get rid of both
players' injuries, and if they never missed a game, it still wouldn't be
close. And Trammell got robbed of the MVP in nineteen eighty seven, right,
George Bell was the MVP that year. That was super frustrating. Never
said that Mike Trout was better than Ken Griffy Junior ever, Nope, Ken
Griffy Junior is one of the greatest players of all time. Smooth, fluid,
phenomenal player. Ten gold gloves. You know you have as many gold
gloves as al Kline. You know you're saying something there because that's incredible.
Yeah, I didn't think so. I was just using that as a so
I hope that wasn't misleading in any way we were. I was just bringing
up certain names that Mike Trout was on track for with war wins above replacement,
because that is a that is a I really believe that is it's a
statistic that more and more people are, especially voters for the Hall of Fame.
Look at now they if they did, they would they would pay more
closer attention to uh, Tolew Whitaker because he should be there. But Ken
Griffy Junior, like I said, is to me, one of the greatest
players of all time. His war wins above replacement is right around eighty four.
All right, it's at eighty three point eight. Mike Trout's got a
higher war That doesn't make him a better player. I'm giving you a perspective
there. So when you say it's not even close, Mike Trout led the
league in war for five consecutive years. He led the league in offensive war
five consecutive years and seven out of eight he had some of the more dominating
seasons in history. Quick time out and when we come back, James Edwards
from the Athletic joins us on Exus and Bros. After this, we're teaming
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at Meyer LPGA Classic dot com thirty five after the hour. He's as good
as it gets and what he does, James Edwards writes for The Athletic.
You can fall him on X at Jail Edwards the third he writes about the
Pistons, about the NBA, and there's a lot to write about going on
right now after some finals in the NBA Playoffs that we'll get to coming up
at. James Edwards joins us here on XES and brows across the Great state
of Michigan, throughout the state of Michigan, in the various markets Flint and
Cadillac, Grand Rapids, Grayling, Gaylord, Midland, Saginaw, Bay City,
Pataski, Charlevoy, Traverse City. That's where we are and that's where
we can bring you this coverage of a little NBA talk with James Edwards.
James, good to have you, buddy, Glad that we're back talking again
about the Pistons a little bit and as we look forward to the NBA,
it seems like we say this an awful lot. Tell me where you think
this franchise is in. If you want to call it a rebuild, go
ahead, but where are they in the process of trying to get better in
your mind? Good to hear from you, too, Matt, appreciate you
having me on. I think they're in a vulnerable state. It's a situation
that I don't think anybody could have imagined, whether that's the fans, whether
that's the players, the front office, the ownership, the coaches. It
is a very vulnerable state, and usually out of vulnerability, big decisions are
made. And I think this team has to do something of great significance.
It cannot afford to allow all of these young guys to continue to develop and
hope that they get better. They tried that last year, it very clearly
presented the worst season in franchise history. So I think they're at a very
vulnerable and almost franchise alter in summer, and I think they're going to have
to shake things up across the board in order to try to one try to
build back optimism within the fan base, and two to get back on track
in this rebuild and show that there is progress and that these things aren't always
linear. What's an example of shaking things up? Yeah, I mean,
I don't think they can afford kind of as I mentioned, like, I
don't think they can afford to have as many young guys as they have.
You look across the NBA, and you look across you look at these teams
that are contending and in the second round or still fighting in the first round.
The majority of them have made moves that made a trader two, that
gave up young players to get better players. You look at Minnesota with Rudy
Gobert, You look at somebody like Denver gave up picks and Gary Harris to
get Aaron Gordon. A few years ago. You look at Boss and in
the moves that they've made throughout the years to try to build this roster.
Obviously, all that stuff starts with drafting well and getting a guy or two
that you can build around. I think credit to Detroit, like I think
Kate is that guy, and the hard part is done. You've got a
guy that got better in the midst of the worst season ever while coming off
season ending injury with a metal Rodney's leg, and he walked away. I
think if you didn't believe that Kate was the guy, I don't see how
you don't walk away from that now. Despite the records, I don't think
a lot of it was his fault. So they got the hard part done,
They got the guy to build around, and how it's time to go
build around him. I just think that they should highly consider moving on from
one or two young guys. James Edwards joins us here on XS and Bros.
You can fall on Twitter on X J L. Edwards. I'm with
you on that, especially with the young guys you mentioned teams getting better og
On and ob going to New York is a really good example of that too.
I continue to be amazed by a guy like Jalen Brunson. I could
talk to you all day about this, but I mean a second round pick
and how good he has been. When you say shake things up, I'm
with you on that. Does that mean I don't want to read too much
into it? So I want clarification. Would you not take advantage of the
top five pick your due in the upcoming draft? What if you got number
one overall? Or would you trade that to try and get a stabilized veteran
force that might help some of these young guys along. I'd trade it.
I would trade it as one, two, three, four or five,
whatever it ends up being, I would trade it. You talk to people
around the league, this draft is not a desirable draft at the top.
Obviously, every year there are Hall of Famers or as soon to be Hall
of famers selected in drafts. So there will be one in this draft,
don't get me wrong, like that's just the way things shape out. But
you talk to everybody across the league, and they don't know where that player
will be picked. That player could likely be picked at seventeen like he's picked
at one. I've been told that there are executives in the league that think
picks one through three could have some value in a trade, but I think
a lot of teams would probably be afraid to have the number one or two
pick in this draft because there is a little bit more margin for error in
comparison to previous years in previous prospects. So I think there is value.
I think, and I had a piece on Scuzer last week or earlier this
week where talk to my colleague Sambasini, who is massive in draft coverage and
one of the best. And a lot of teams also see the number one
pick this year as like four or five, six in a normal draft.
So I caution fans that if the pisans gets the number one pick, don't
think that this is like Lebron or Victor Winbinyamo or even kid. This is
more like I would say, like Anthony Bennett type stuff. So I was
one hundred percentury to pick, and I'd even package it with a young player
or two to try to get because I don't know how much value. I
don't know if those a couple of young guys like an Ivy or during if
they're peak value right now after this season. But if you have the number
one pick to that it can kind of enhance that, and you could probably
get a good piece or two or three from a team that's maybe looking to
get a little bit younger. One hundred percent agree, one hundred percent with
you. I'm so glad you said that. But a couple of other things
you bring up kid Cunningham, and for good reason. I think he's a
solid ball player, I really do. What kind of leader do you think
he is? Because I think sometimes we get that thrown around an awful lot.
It can be challenging for a young guy to lead a team, especially
through navigating these difficult waters like he's had to. What kind of leader?
How would you describe him as such? Yeah? I think Kate is a
is a legitimate leader. I know it's probably hard for people to see that
just giving their record, but you know, I hear stories about him talking
to halftime, stepping up and speaking. I hear stories about him at practice.
I hear stories about him sitting with guys on the plane to talk.
This guy is somebody that all of his teammates respect. I think one thing
that's important to remember is cade was that guy coming up through the high school
and college ranks. So all of his teammates who are similar in age are
very, very familiar with him, and they all saw him as the guy
as such, and there's a big respect for what he did and who he
is as a player, and even more so now as their teammates for him
as a person. I think people who haven't been around Kate, I think
the best way to describe him is like, you can just tell he was
raised right, like his parents did a great job. He's very polite,
he's very just aware, he's not there's no diva to him. I think
he's very real, and I think it comes across with his teammates. I
think they genuinely appreciate that. I also think that you hear stories, like
for somebody like Simonie Fantechio as soon as he got to Detroit, they're in
the middle of a West coast trip and we're out there and he tells the
story of Kate comes up to him. They've never met, and he's like,
where do you like the ball? Where can I get you the ball?
And Simona, He's like, nobody's ever asked me that before. And
you hear anytime Simone talks about him, it's as blowing as they gets so
I think he just handles people the right way. I think he speaks up
in an aggressive way when he needs to, but I think he also just
leads by example, and I think he has great respect in that locker room,
and I think he also has great respect from some of the star players
in this league. Yeah, thanks for sharing that. I think those are
important anecdotes. I know you've written it before, but it's still worth mentioning
because not everybody knows that. It's a great example of what kind of person,
not just a player, but kind of person. Kid Cunningham truly is
you mentioned the draft now? I was talking about this yesterday because Tyrese Maxi
went off for forty six the other day. You saw it the most points
by an opposed tied for the most points by an opposing player in a playoff
game at Madison Square Garden. Ever with Michael Jordan. That says something.
He was in the same damn draft as Killian Hayes. Everyone talks about Tyrus
Haliburton, and I loved Haliburton coming out of Iowa State, but Max he
was taking twenty first overall. Another miss by stan Van Gundy and the Pistons.
So many foreign players, James, that one that are mentioned, right,
what's that? That one was actually Troy? That was Troy's first draft?
Well was that Troy's I'm sorry, you're right, Troy. But the
there's so many foreign players who are viewed near the top and not as many
college players. And this is tough for you because you see all these guys
and you write it, but so many fans and usual members of the media,
we don't watch guys play in France. Okay, we don't know who
a lot of these guys are. Why do you think the league shift might
be the wrong word, but has seen so much of an influx on young
players from foreign lands rather than college players. Are the college players just not
as good as we think when we watch them in the NC Double League Tournament.
What's your belief on that. It's a good question. I think that
some of it is intrigued, right, Like it's hard to equate their leagues
to the NBA, while I think historically the natural comparison for the NBA has
always been the college game, so there's some of that. I also think
that the Spurs and what they did early in the late nineties and early two
thousands with the likes of Tony Parker and Montagenobili started to have teams look more
European, and I mean, if we're being honest, the best players in
the league are not from here right now, Jokic, Luca Jannis. I
mean, you make a top seven list, those three are in there,
Embeied, so there's four. I think there is a it's just been an
tapped historically, hasn't been as tapped dating back like twenty ish years as it
is now. And I think they're just trying to find diamonds in the rough
and they're trying to the game has just expanded so much globally. And I
also think, like I said, there's intrigue, like we're so able to
watch available college games that I think even scouts are like, Okay, well
I've watched this guy since he was twelve years old. Let me let me
see what I can see over here in these in these European state air countries
and see how I feel that this equates to our game. So I think
there's a little bit of it. I also think, like I said,
there's been a lot of talented players coming from overseas, and but I think
primarily it's the intrigue in the ability to not necessarily know how it will translate.
But you see these skill sets, and I also do think European players
are more fundamentally sound in most cases, but that is that is something that
plays into it, for sure. That's interesting. You talk You've been in
every NBA arena, every NBA city, talk to just about every NBA player.
I would guess, do you think there is a growing concern from American
based basketball players and who want to play in the NBA and realize that there,
you know, there's only sixty four times sugar sixty four spots to get
drafted. Do you think in general they're worried about the security that America has
in that regard with more Americans playing in the NBA. I've never heard that
personally, all right, I've never posed the question either, But I mean,
you hear a lot of players talk about players like you don't find too
many that don't love Jokich, that don't love Giannis and Lucas. So I
mean maybe guys that are fringe roster guys maybe have concerns. They probably also
have concerns about the h the age limit in the NBA. But yeah,
I haven't heard that directly. Yeah, fair enough. James Edwards joints to
share on Exus and Bros foll him on Twitter. Jail Edwards third team president.
Why is it needed and what type of criteria does that person need to
possess in order to get the job. I think there's a couple of things.
I think one that they just need a funneling of leadership. It needs
to be one person who is everybody knows who they report to, everybody who
knows that they are directed to, everybody, somebody that can make the right
player or the right call, the right shot. It's all about having one
voice be the final say. It's a position that the Pistons had since twenty
eighteen. It is a common position an NBA franchise. I know a lot
of people like to say that there's too many cooks in the kitchen. I
understand that that critique and what it is. But if you look around most
NBA front offices, there's an owner, there's a team president, there's maybe
a vice president, there's a GM and then a coach. So there's usually
three or four solid voices in an organization. It's just a matter of making
sure that everybody knows who's getting the final say, and who everybody is,
who everybody's direct what's sort of looking for direct talk, who they're directly talking
to, and who they're directly reporting to. I think that's a great importance.
And then also I think, yeah, there just needs to be a
little bit more structure. I think there needs to just be a different voice
and team building. I think those are the big things that they're looking for,
and I think there's some big names that they're going to go after.
Some of those guys are in the postseason now, which is why if there
are people who think that this Hobo search has gone on too long, it's
really only been two weeks. But there are protocols in place where if they
want to go get one of the best guys, and one of those best
guys are they have a team still playing, they got to kind of wait
out that process. So it's certainly as a the moving target currently, you're
not just a basketball fan and a basketball writer who covers the Piston that you're
also a Detroit sports fan. You see the symmetry that the Lions have built
that has made them so successful under Brad Holmes. Compare that symmetry to the
symmetry in the Tiston's front office, if there is one, and how far
they need to go. Can you I think that there, I think it
seems like Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes are more on the same page then I'd
say even a lot of president and head coaches, not even in the city,
but in the league. I think that's a big thing. I think
that I think that's the big thing. I think that those two really seem
to value the same types of players, the same type of the character.
That's the one thing that sticks out to me about them. And while I
think in the NBA you can have different visions of how NBA you can play
different styles basketball football you can, but at the end of the day,
it's still quarterback, drop back, handoff. Like it's still this it's pretty
universal. But basketball there can be different styles. Whether or not a style
is outdated or not, that's another conversation. But I do think that in
terms of how a team should be built, there seems to be a little
bit of a disconnect there with the Pistons and maybe Steven Alliance. All Right,
lastly, before I let you go, and I appreciate the time Monty
Williams. How can he be better in year two along the Pistons bench and
how much, say, will he have in personnel with this team moving forward?
Yeah, if he's back next year, I think one way you can
get better is is I think shortening the rotation, depending on what they do
this offseason, if they're able to add two or three legitimate NBA players,
maybe keep that rotation down to nine to eight. I think that's one way.
I think maybe being a little bit more emphasizing the development. Obviously he
comes from a program where he was coaching veteran players and and and maybe had
a different type of emphasis. I think obviously this team is young and have
some young players, and that needs to be the focal point. But yeah,
I think just certainly like how many players he plays, trying to understand
who he has as a as a rotation, and if he needs has to
whittle it down to try to give this team the best chance to win,
I think that should be the case. But yeah, if he is back
next year, he'll have some things to clean up himself. All Right,
you said that twice. Then if he's back next year, why wouldn't he
be Why wouldn't he be yeah, they just won fourteen games. There's definitely
a chance. I think I think it'll be interesting to see. I don't
I don't think it's as likely as people also as people think very interesting.
We'll be watching and we'll be reading The Athletic with James Edwards. Thank you
my friend, great stuff as always, appreciate your time very much and your
friendship. Take care. Thank you, you got all right James Edwards Follow
him on Twitter. Jay Edwards the third rights for the Athletic. Fantastic stuff.
If you missed any of that, We'll play tomorrow six thirty five.
Really enjoyed that conversation. Could have gone on a lot longer because there's a
lot of different things that we wanted to hit on. But maybe we'll do
it at another time with James in talking pistons and the NBA. Thanks to
Ben our producer, are Thanks to you for your text, your phone calls
and James Edwards for his time. Hope you can join us again tomorrow here
on exes and bros. Have a great rest of your Thursday. Everybody enjoy
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