Hour 2- Mike DeCourcey, WBC Preview and NFL Offseason Musical Chairs

0:00This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too, with the name your price tool from Progressive. It works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Price and coverage match limited by state law. I'm done carrying around bulky drinks. And I'm definitely done cleaning melted candy out of my pockets. So yeah, I traded them both in for fruity rainbow five hour energy shots. These little guys are as pocket sized as any candy. But instead of a sugar crash, you get a zero sugar caffeine boost. Candy can't even compare at this point. Fruity rainbow five hour energy shots treat your taste buds to an explosion of fruity flavor with a tasty caffeine kick.

1:04That's right, caffeine just got a flavor upgrade. And it's not just one flavor. Five hour energy shots bring you tasty caffeine and 17 flavors. 17. So if you're craving that candy flavored chaos, but actually want energy that works, grab fruity rainbow five hour energy shots. Pocket sized zero sugar big flavor. Available now at fivehourenergy.com or on Amazon. Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work. With carpooling, you'll have time to relax, save money and pick up new friends. Commuter connections can help you find carpool partners who live and work near you. Even if you're commuting just a few days a week, it's a free service. Carpooling every dollar saved every friend made. Register for free carpool partner ride matching at commuterconnections.org or call 800 745 ride. That's commuterconnections.org

2:20What's going on, but I am excited every pick every play every game changing moment. This is you better you bet brought to you by bedmgm on westwood one sports. Chris Matt in four knit costos today here on you better you bet presented by bedmgm. Make it legendary. We are on westwood one sports inside the westwood one sports app and live across North America on serious XM channel 375 welcoming you into the conversation about a multitude of different issues. I mean, we've got brackets about to be busted because you've got all these small conference tournaments that have already started. You got the big boys jumping into things next week. Tickets are being punched. Mike DeCorsi of the sporting news Big 10 Network Fox Sports. He'll join us in about 35 minutes to talk about everything to keep an eye on this weekend

3:25in college basketball as the regular season winds to a close. On the NBA level, we've got to return to Jason Tatum for the Celtics. Is this completely throw the top of the Eastern Conference into a blender? Nick Friedell, Odyssey NBA insider, going to join us in the third and final hour about 90 minutes from now here on you better you bet. And of course, the NFL offseason is upon us in all the beautiful, glorious nonsense that comes with the NFL offseason. And it really feels like we've already opened the door to anything and everything that could happen in the NFL offseason. Typically, you know, you've got to get to that Monday of free agency. Free agency only officially starting on Wednesday. But no, with the legal tampering period on Monday comes all the moves

4:27that you've been waiting to watch your team make. And we will go through some NFL offseason musical chairs in just a moment. Because like I said, the door has been flung wide open with the bills dealing a second round pick to the Bears for DJ Moore. There are a couple of notes to add to these conversations in regards to big names making moves maybe before Monday's free agency period unofficially gets started. We had Diana Rucini mentioning not long ago, less than a half hour ago that the Rams have moved on from trade talks for AJ Brown. They're out. I mean, that's an embarrassment of riches. The Rams going after AJ Brown had that actually worked out. And we've also got Diana Rucini reporting that the Cowboys remain, quote, very interested in Max Crosby. She says the Ravens are another interested team to watch.

5:29We had Ross Tucker on just a couple minutes ago to talk about both of those angles specifically as well as where Kyler Murray would could or should end up. And at least in regards to AJ Brown and Ross is not far from Philadelphia, does work with the Eagles during their preseason broadcast. So if anybody knows what's going on in Philly, it would be Ross. And AJ Brown thing is feeling increasingly real out near Philly. Awful lot of smoke around AJ Brown going to the New England Patriots. Enough that it makes me think it's absolutely distinct possibility. And something that could happen over the next 72 hours because the Patriots have to find a way to get their MVP caliber quarterback Drake May a really reliable veteran receiver. Yeah, so this is going to be the most interesting thing to watch play out over the next 72 hours.

6:37The push pull dynamic between Elliot Wolf, director of personnel for, I guess he's technically executive vice president of player personnel. He's the guy calling the shots roster-wise for the Patriots obviously with Mike Vrable heavily involved. But the push pull between Elliot Wolf, Mike Vrable and the New England Patriots brain trust and Howie Roseman in Philly. Because the table is now set. Let's be clear about that when the Buffalo Bills deal a second round pick for DJ Moore. And you can acknowledge that it's an overpayment, which it is because the Bills are desperate for receiving help. But it also sets the table. Okay, DJ Moore's worth a second round pick. What can AJ Brown fetch you? And I'm just telling you, if you are an NFL GM,

7:40I don't care how skilled you think you may be. Before you pick up that 610 area code, before you're willing to listen to anything Howie has to say, just pump the brakes, take a deep breath, rub the earlobes, and prepare yourself because the man may work you into a pretzel. And you'll be left giving up multiple high-end draft picks for AJ Brown. Now, to Ross's point, this is another team in New England that I consider desperate for wide receiver help. There are a few of those teams out there in this off-season cycle. The Bills are a very obvious one. Okay, they've added DJ Moore that addresses the situation somewhat. The Patriots are one. The Pittsburgh Steelers whose wide receiver room is basically DK Metcalfe

8:46and Phil in the blanks are another one. There are more than a couple of teams that are desperate for wide-receiving help. And look, maybe some of them aren't necessarily throwing everything they can and the kitchen sink into a deal for AJ Brown because they're not desperate for a true number one. But if you need any kind of receiving help, I think you have to be on the phone with the Philadelphia Eagles. And you have to see what it takes. But again, the timeline is the utmost importance here because when free agency opens on Monday, an Alec Pierce, nothing against Alec Pierce, go get your money, my man. But when Alec Pierce is the best thing available on the

9:48free agent market at wide receiver, you're in a jam. So if you don't get that guy that truly elite wide receiver one before free agency, well, congratulations. Now you're locked into a bidding war for Alec Pierce or Mike Evans or Romeo Dobbs or Wondale Robinson. A lot of those guys, hey, you know what, you need to add something to your receiving room by all means. You talk to those guys and see if you can get them on a decent deal. But these are not the guys that I compare to AJ Brown, who you go out, you give up something of some significance for and then lock them in as your one. They're not. So if you don't get it done before free agency, where does Philadelphia's

10:51leverage go then? And if you're the Eagles, are you pressing to get it done before free agency because you know there are teams that are scrambling? Or do you say, hmm, well, if you guys are really interested, we'll just sit back and wait. Yeah, see what you, yeah, yeah, see what you're getting free agency, sure. Yeah, we'll be here. No, no, we're not going anywhere. Yeah, yeah, sure. Well, listen, give us a call next week. And next week at this time, when even those names that I just mentioned are off the board and now you've got to look at the draft and you've got a hope that you can maneuver yourself into a place to snag one of those five or six wide receivers who may be first around worthy in the draft. You might be willing to overpay, to do too much, to get got by how he roseman.

11:53And I would say the same thing for the edge rusher market. And that's why Max Crosby is not a golden ticket for the Raiders, but you want to accelerate that rebuild and you need all the resources you can get your hands on. You deal Max Crosby. Because there are teams, as we just mentioned, we know the Cowboys. A year removed, less than a year, what, six months, seven months removed from trading micro Parsons. Our desperate for an edge rusher. That's great. Ruben Bain is in the draft. There are plenty of names in this draft that could be great edge rusher. But those are also unproven commodities.

12:53Max Crosby proven commodity. And not everybody's drafting in the top 10 where you can grab your RVL Reese or your Ruben Bain or your David Bailey. So you're going to overpay. Those positions, I tell you, the more, I don't want to say watered down because I think edge rusher is still in a good place at the NFL level. But the more the quarterback position and the wide receiver positions get watered down in certain years, the more the overpayments are going to come. They are. Teams are going to do more than they should to try and get a fix at those positions. You're talking three of the four most important positions on the field on any given play. Quarterback, wide receiver, edge rusher, and then we can throw left tackle into the mix as well.

13:55So you're going to get stuck overpaying. Now that DJ Moore is off to Buffalo, AJ Brown, I think, is that next domino to fall. Since we're just firing off Diana Rossini tweets in the chat today, apparently she's reporting the chargers have entered the brown sweepstakes, keeping tabs on the situation. Man, if I'm howdy, if I'm howdy, Roseman, I get I just I have to pull a classic bait and switch I think at this point. And what I mean by that is I tell everyone who I'm talking to about AJ Brown that I know they want to get this done before free agency. And we should probably get it done before free agency, you know, for your benefit. I'm not in a hurry to trade AJ Brown guys,

14:58but I mean, I know how badly you're interested and you really want a wide receiver. And you know, let's be honest, the free agent market is in great shakes and who knows what you're going to get in the first round of the draft. So let's let's get this done by the end of the weekend. And then with everyone escalating their offers, everyone clawing over top of each other to try and get to AJ Brown. I'm howdy. On Monday morning, I text each one of them back. I go, hey, dot, dot, dot, just thinking, dot, dot, dot, may wait on the AJ thing for a couple more days, dot, dot, dot. And then I watch those teams scramble in free agency. Because with more and more names coming out as to teams who may or or in on AJ Brown, may or may not actually be serious about it, but they're in on it. I just let that stack of names

16:01pop. And once I see the initial wave of free agency hit and I see Alec Pierce get signed and maybe Mike Evans get signed and now all those names that again aren't bad. They're not terrible. We're talking about them like nobody can use these are all useful guys. Useful number two wide receivers, Joanne Jennings, Rashid Shaheed, one Dale Robinson, all guys that can be useful, but they're not a true number one. As I see those guys get picked off the free agency board. I'm howdy. I'm just sitting back waiting for the phone calls to start coming back in middle to late next week. And that's when I strike. The more I think about it, that's what makes sense to me. If I'm the Eagles and I'm looking to maximize

17:04the return in a possible AJ Brown deal, I watch everybody fall all over themselves to overpay what amounts to a wide receiver market in free agency over the next 72 hours over the next week or so. And then yeah, next week right around this time as things are starting to dry up maybe. I head back around. Hey, you still interested? And that's when I strike. Talk more NFL offseason musical chairs at the top of the hour. Also, we've got to talk about Jason Tatum back on the floor for the Celtics tonight. Returns from the Achilles less than 10 months after the injury Nick Ferdell, Odyssey NBA insider will join us in a little more than an hour from now. Mike DeCorecy to talk about punch and tickets to the dance college oops in about 20 minutes. But coming up next, the unicorn is back at it. If you weren't up early this morning, let's tell you exactly what we're talking about next year on you better you bet on Westwood One Sports. No rivalry hits harder than UNC and Duke. The top rank Blue Devils wants

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20:20This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. What if comparing car insurance rates was as easy as putting on your favorite podcast? With Progressive, it is. Just visit the Progressive website to quote with all the coverages you want. You'll see Progressive's direct rate, then their tool will provide options from other companies so you can compare. All you need to do is choose the rate and coverage you like. Quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates. Comparison rates not available in all states or situations. Price is very based on how you buy. I'm done carrying around bulky drinks. And I'm definitely done cleaning melted candy out of my pockets. So yeah, I traded them both in for fruity rainbow five hour energy shots. These little guys are as pocket sized as any candy. But instead of a sugar crash, you get a zero sugar caffeine boost. Candy can't even compare at this point. Fruity rainbow five hour energy shots treat your taste buds to an explosion of

21:23fruity flavor with a tasty caffeine kick. That's right. Caffeine just got a flavor upgrade. And it's not just one flavor. Five hour energy shots bring you tasty caffeine and 17 flavors. 17. So if you're craving that candy flavored chaos, but actually want energy that works, grab fruity rainbow five hour energy shots, pocket sized zero sugar, big flavor available now at fivehourenergy.com or on Amazon. Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work. With carpooling, you'll have time to relax, save money and pick up new friends. Commuter connections can help you find carpool partners who live and work near you. Even if you're commuting just a few days a week, it's a free service. Carpooling, every dollar saved, every friend made. Register for free carpool partner ride matching at commuterconnections.org or call 800 745 ride. That's commuterconnections.org. This is attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law.

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23:46This is you better you bet, presented by Bet MGM on Westwood One Sports. Thanks to Fox Sports for the call of a show-hey-o-tani grand slam in the second inning this morning as Japan absolutely took Chinese Taipei to the woodshed in their first game of the world baseball classic. I can't properly put in words what Otani is doing at this point. Chris Mack, Infinite Costos here on You Better You Bet, presented by Bet MGM. We are inside your Westwood One Sports app and of course, live across North America on Sirius XM Channel 375. You want to be a part of the conversation 310-840-4910. I said Fox Sports. I met MLB Network on the call there

24:47of the Otani grand slam. This is he was one leaping play by a first baseman in the fourth inning of hitting for the cycle in the first four innings of today's game. And again, I get it. It's Japan against Chinese Taipei. We don't have to pretend like this is Alabama Georgia in the SEC championship game. These aren't two giants meeting. But man, first legitimate game action of the spring and Otani damn near hits for the cycle in his first four plate appearances. It was this close to getting that triple. I wonder if he would have actually tried to on that fourth plate appearance. He hit a rope down the first baseline, first baseman for Chinese Taipei went up and got it. If that thing goes down into the right field corner at the Tokyo Dome,

25:48I wonder if Otani is really pushing it, pedal to the floor to get himself the triple and a cycle in the first four innings of the game. He has to, right? But the last thing you want, like I truly wonder how much harder these guys are going in the WBC games than they would be not just in the spring training game, but a regular season game. Hey, middle of June, you're on the road in Kansas City and it's 95 out. You're playing an afternoon getaway day game. That ball goes down into the right field corner. You're pulling up it's second. You're not trying to pop a hammy. How different is it in the world baseball classic? Then it may be, again, not just in the spring training game, but in a regular season game, like

26:52as someone who grew up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Traditionally, there's been very little to feel positive about going into seasons for the better part of the last, oh, I don't know. 35 years or so. There's been those pockets where yeah, okay, we'll get excited. But schemes has been it for the last couple of years. And watching schemes pitch in not just a WBC game, a WBC exhibition game the other day, I think it was against the giants or the Rockies. And I said to myself, and I posted it on social media, they don't know how much I, I'm patriotic. I want team USA to win and whatever they compete in, right? But I don't know how excited I am to see Paul schemes going 110% in early March. Now, if there's anybody who could have himself physically

27:59ready to do that, sure, it's schemes. But when it feels like your team's season is almost entirely reliant upon one guy's golden right arm, you hold your breath every time he throws a pitch in the WBC. Doesn't mean you can't also be rooting for him to do well for your country, sure. But you hold your breath just a little bit. I have to think, I know they've said they're going to line schemes up to pitch in the semi finals. It goes down that way for team USA. And not the finals. And a lot of people are like, I can't believe this. Why wouldn't you have schemes go in the championship game? What are you doing? Well, obviously team USA management has probably talked to pirates management. And they've probably said, hey, this is what we're willing to do. This is the time table. I'm sure they've consulted with schemes as well. But are you telling

29:03me if they're playing say Japan in the championship game? And they've got a one run lead going to the ninth and Otani's in the hole. You're telling me that Mark Derosa isn't going to be tempted to walk down to the end of the should be like, hey, Paulie, listen, I know we had a plan coming in here, but can I get like 15, 20 pitches out of your max? Did you close this thing out for us, buddy? You're telling me schemes wouldn't jump at that opportunity. You're telling me most players wouldn't jump at that opportunity. But I don't care if it's the WBC, the Olympics, the World Series, whatever kind of competition it is. If you are a competitor and you are this close to winning a championship and something. Again, I don't care if it's the World Series,

30:07the gold medal in the Olympics, the WBC, you add that layer of representing your country on top of it and you're going to want to do whatever you're capable of to try and win. And if Skipper comes to you and says, hey, kid, can I get 20 pitches out of you? You're going to be like, oh, yeah. Let's do it from a country. Did you imagine that? Skins and Otani bought it like we got Otani and Trout a few years ago? Do you imagine that to close out the WBC? You know those guys are doing anything they can to win. And again, I'm not complaining about it. I'm just saying there's a certain amount of hold your breath and pucker up, buttercup, and hope every pitch goes well. Because you do not want to see your guy go down

31:13in the middle, early to middle march as much as you love your country. You do not want to see that. But yeah, Otani with a grand slam. What did the final score end up being of this WBC game? I did obviously didn't stay locked in for the whole thing. 13th. So they scored 10 runs in the second inning, Japan did. They scored three in the third, I think it was. And then literally just took their foot completely off the gas coasted to a 13-nothing victory. Team USA opens up tonight in Houston. I believe it's an eight Eastern first pitch or shortly thereafter for team USA. Their first game against Brazil. And then they get great Britain tomorrow night before schemes makes his WBC debut Monday night against Mexico. Dante, but shit junior and Brazil too. Let's be clear about that. No, not bow.

32:15Dante, but shit junior and team Brazil. I love seeing some of the dudes on some of these teams. Like the plumbers and the carpenters union just get together in Prague. And they're like, do you want to play baseball? Sure, let's play baseball. And they throw together a team. And they had like, I had no idea that there was an Australian baseball league. Oh, no, I'm okay with that. And so I was watching Australia against, I think it was Chinese Taipei the other night. It was two nights ago. I told myself, no, I'm going to bed early tonight. And then before you know it, it's 11.30 and I'm watching Australia against Chinese Taipei. And crawling down a rabbit hole on Wikipedia and read it about the Australian baseball league. For those interested, they play an hour winter there summer. It's only like a 40 game schedule, I think. Who knew? Man, schemes versus Otani. If we got that,

33:23give it to me. I'll take it every single time. Teams around the country fighting for their lives because they may be on the bubble. They may not be on the bubble at all, but may think they can get hot and get on a run and end up in the dance. Well, tickets need to be punched. And a lot of them will be over the next eight or nine days. And we'll talk to a guy that I love to talk college hoops with from Big Ten Network, Fox Sports and the sporting news. Mike DeCorsey joins us next here on You Better You Bet on Westwood One Sports. Albert is not a bank. Albert Instant loans are issued by Finn Weiss Bank member FDIC, not an actual client-term supply. Kylie, what's wrong? I just got hit with a car repair bill,

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36:28and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates, price and coverage match limited by state law. I'm done carrying around bulky drinks, and I'm definitely done cleaning melted candy out of my pockets. So yeah, I traded them both in for fruity rainbow five hour energy shots. These little guys are as pocket sized as any candy. But instead of a sugar crash, you get a zero sugar caffeine boost. Candy can't even compare at this point. Fruity rainbow five hour energy shots treat your taste buds to an explosion of fruity flavor with a tasty caffeine kick. That's right, caffeine just got a flavor upgrade. And it's not just one flavor. Five hour energy shots bring you tasty caffeine and 17 flavors, 17. So if you're craving that candy flavored chaos, but actually want energy

37:28that works, grab fruity rainbow five hour energy shots, pocket sized zero sugar, big flavor. Available now at fivehourenergy.com or on Amazon. Get more out of every mile when you share the ride to work. With carpooling, you'll have time to relax, save money and pick up new friends. Commuter connections can help you find carpool partners who live and work near you. Even if you're commuting just a few days a week, it's a free service. Carpooling, every dollar saved, every friend made. Register for free carpool partner ride matching at commuterconnections.org or call 800 745 ride. That's commuterconnections.org. This is attorney Amida Zari from Zari Law. If you've been injured in an accident and feel like no one is fighting for you, it's time to fight back. Zari Law at 888-828-3rd. That's what one call you can put a proven legal team on your side. Zari Law has been serving the DMV for over 15 years,

38:29proudly fighting for our local community. I was born and raised right here in the DMV and my team is made up of experienced, reputable local attorneys dedicated to fighting for injury victims just like you. Follow us on all social platforms at azari.law. That's a-z-a-r-i-dot-l-a-w. Don't wait, don't settle. Fight back with Azari Law. With offices in Maryland, DC, and Virginia, like team and I are ready to stand up for you. Call 888-828-3rd. That's 888-828-HU-R-T and let us fight back for you. Attention, fans of jury duty. The groundbreaking comedy series is back for season 2. Featuring an all-new cast, this installment takes the comedy out of the courthouse and into the mountains above Malibu for an annual company retreat. The catch? Everyone but the new guy is an actor. Oh yeah, and the company is fake. Get to know all the employees of rock and

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40:42Imagine being 30 and 0 at anything and still having people looking at you going, I don't know, probably not good enough. We'll talk about teams that should be in, are on the bubble, may not be in, still need to do more work, are solidly in place ready to punch tickets to the dance. Coming up here on Westwood One Sports, it's You Better You Bet. Mike DeCorsi joins me in one moment from Fox Sports, the Big Ten Network, and the sporting news to discuss all of it. Don't forget you can take us with you anywhere in the world on the Westwood One Sports app and always live across North America on Series XM Channel 375. No better place to be during March matchups than Vegas. This year college basketball fans can win a VIP trip to the court of legends event featuring the Cavendor twins simply play sports bets and your position on the leaderboard will determine if you win one of the 25 grand prize packages just sign into your Bet MGM account.

41:45Opt into the promotion then start placing sports bets of at least $10 to climb the leaderboard. Make this March one to remember join the court of legends leaderboard and make it legendary with Bet MGM. All right, this guy has been watching college basketball for years and that's not meant as a way to age you, Mike. Mike DeCorsi of the sporting news, Big Ten Network, and Fox Sports. Good morning, Mike. I realized that's like, I should have just been like, he's very experienced. Instead, I started making you sound old, which was. It's okay. I grew up on Austin Car so I can, I'll have to do as mentioned that and I aged myself pretty well. But you've been watching this game for years. Have we ever had a 30 and O team on the bubble going to their conference tournament needing to win their conference tournament and is that what Miami of Ohio is this year? Yeah, I will say that we haven't ever and I don't think they're on the bubble now. Although I would

42:48advise strongly to finish the regular season undefeated and that's going to be a challenge because they have to go to an arch rival, Ohio U, which is already oriented toward doing anything you can to get in Miami's way and also the fact that Ohio is a solid team in the Mac and you're playing them on the road. So that it's a challenge to get through that. And then you have to get through at least one game at the conference tournament to feel somewhat comfortable. But as it stands now, I don't think they're a bubble team. The most important metrics relative to being selected to the NCAA tournament are what are called resume metrics. That's what I call them because it's shorter than saying record metrics. It's too many words for me. But the idea with the resume metric is this is what you've done. This is not how many points you won by. This is not how efficient or powerful you are. Because did you win or lose?

43:52Who'd you play and where'd you play them? And yes, Miami did not play the most imposing schedule in college basketball. But the math on what who they did play and the fact that they beat all of them adds up to right now the 30th team in division one. That's a solid eight seed if you went by that. Now they probably won't go directly by that in terms of seeding the Red Hawks. They might if they finished the regular season undefeated make them an eight seed. That's what I've had the mass. I would change that if they were to lose either tonight or in the conference tournament. But I just don't think that the people who have been assailing them as an NCAA tournament candidate are using the proper tools. Because if they use the proper tools, they'd see that's not really that big an issue now. Everybody circumstance changes as they progress through their schedules. But as of now and now can take you all the way back to the beginning of February at least,

44:56they've never been a bubble team. Mike DeCorsi of the Big Ten Network and Fox Sports, as well as the sporting news with us here. Talking about punching some tickets to the dance on you better, you bet presented by bed MGM from a team that some people think still has some work to do. Miami of Ohio, even though they're undefeated, to the teams that are solidly in. When you look at the possible one seeds in this bracket, Mike, and the way they've progressed through the final few weeks of the regular season, who are the teams that you look at and say, I'd be shocked to not see them in at least the elite eight, if not the final four? Well, I think the three of the four. I think Arizona, Yukon and Michigan, what should have great chances to get there. Yukon still has some development to do. Braylon Mullins, their most talented player, the player who is projected most highly by the NBA draft, even after a inconsistent freshman season, which is mostly not his

45:57own fault. He's been injured twice. And so it's been hard to be consistent in that circumstance. But after a relatively inconsistent freshman season, you still see him projected as a lottery pick. Braylon has to get to his A game. And Yukon has to get to their A game, which incorporates Braylon because he's their difference making player. They're a rock solid at every other position. Guys who do all the right things or have won before, Alice Carebans won it twice. They have guys who do their jobs. But Mullins is the guy who can get that last bucket that you need against a great opponent to get you where you want to go. And that's the one component that for me leaves them as the question on the one line. Not necessarily whether they get there or not. We'll see how they play over the weekend, what they do in New York at the garden in the Big East tournament. But more so, whether or not they can last once they're there. Were you as I wasn't surprised and certainly

47:03not shocked, but were you as impressed maybe as the right word by what Duke did to Michigan a couple of weeks ago? I mean, and does that really since then have they've been a title contending team. I think in many people's opinions all year, but was that the moment where you went, okay, not just the team beating up on the ACC as they did last year, but a legit title contender. Yeah, I mean, I think you always had to look at them as a title contender, although they have a parent flaws relative to that. When you have a player like Cameron Booser as you're a player, a guy who is a definite NBA first five pick and probably higher than that. I'm trying to be as as as as lenient as possible and trying to be as cover myself as much as possible relative to where he'll be selected, but he's definitely going early in the draft. You're going to have a shot to win it, but what they did defensively to Michigan, make Michigan as stagnant as they were,

48:03particularly in the first half, but really through the entire game, that really impressed me. And then you look at Cameron Booser's record and Chris, like if there's a game and he's playing in it, especially if it there's a title on the line, they win every time. He won four state championships in high school basketball. He won a national championship in the Peach Jam, which is the biggest summer AAU offseason event, whatever you want to call it. They won three different age groups, 15 under 16 under 17 under. He won two gold medals with a basketball in the hoop summit, US one, like everywhere he goes, he wins. And so I'm not betting against a team that has that guy, not hard anyway. There may be another team that I select to win it once we see the bracket. But man, it's not going to be easy to go away from a guy who wins as consistently as he does. Less than 10 days away from the brackets hitting Mike DeCorsi of Fox Sports and the Big 10

49:06network and sporting news with us here on you better. You bet Chris Mackin for Nick Costos. Check them out on social media at TSN, Mike. You mentioned it wherever Cam Booser goes and plays in big games. He wins wherever Kansas goes. We just wonder if Darren Peterson is actually going to play in those games a little less so the last couple weeks. The river has died down and they seem to be appreciating that he needs to ramp up just in time for the tournament. But it's not really working for Kansas. They've hit plenty of speed bump in the last few weeks. So with another one of these guys who has looked at as a lottery pick and a guy who can maybe throw a team on his back, Cam Peterson actually do that for Kansas once we get beyond the first weekend of the tournament. He absolutely can, but they're running out of time to get it right. And it goes back to the fact he's missed double digit games and on top of the double digit games that he's missed. He also

50:09was semi absent. The TCU game misses a lot of the second half, gets insert reinserted for that final regulation play, draws a foul on a three pointer, drops three free throws, forces over time. It's all over time. Oklahoma State, 18 points I think it was in the first half, early second half feels something, asks out, doesn't return. Those things happened on multiple occasions. And so that the team has built a formula for how to win without it. But he's such an uncommon player that playing with him takes some practice. It takes getting used to him. And when I say that, I mean, I say that in the best way. He's an incredible talent. But it is different when you play with somebody who is ball dominant and not that he's selfish, but you have to figure out, okay, where's he going with this? What does he want me to be on this play? Where does he want me to be on this play? And where do I have to get in case he does decide to shoot so that I can help with

51:14the offensive rebound? There's so many things that you have to get used to when you're playing with somebody like him. And they just haven't had that much time. It's been good for them to have him out there 30 plus minutes in four consecutive games, even though they went one in three. At this point, getting better with Aaron Peterson means more than winning or losing a regular season game. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but it's true because the games that they want to win are still a couple of weeks away. Can you come out of the big 12 and win a championship this year after going through the gauntlet? I mean, I know Arizona is certainly a team that everybody would look and say, well, yeah, obviously, Chris, but I just, they've gotten hot as of late too. So maybe it's just the right time for them, but we have this it's yearly conversation, right? My, oh, would you rather come out of a 2025 ACC where you don't really have to do much? Or would you rather come out of a 2026 big 12 where every night is a slugfest against a quality opponent it feels like or more nights than not? Can the champ come out of the big 12 after going through this gauntlet?

52:19I love that you asked that question for this reason. Although Gonzaga would not be considered an obvious title contender, they had to for so many years deflect the question of have you been tested enough? Can you win out of the WCC? Well, now you're asking, can you win out of a two-tough league? Well, the answer to that is only 11 months old. Florida came out of the deepest and most successful conference in the history of college basketball. 14 teams into the field, two teams in the final four. They had, I think it was seven in the sweet 16 if I remember correctly. So yeah, you can absolutely do it. Now what's interesting about the big 12 situation is that for the sake of television and for the sake of the popularity of the game, they backloaded their schedule to a great degree. And the big 10 did this as well, where most of the most difficult tests for those two leagues, if they predicted right, which they both did. Michigan, Michigan State,

53:23Arizona, Kansas, Houston, Iowa State, those intersections all happened late January in the case of Michigan, Michigan State. They played on the 30th, I think, a January. But from then on, they were mostly playing high-level teams from their league. And it has been a challenge for all those teams. And of course, Michigan and Duke compounded that by playing one another on a neutral floor in the middle of February. So they've all been kind of ground down a little bit and they have to get refreshed. So I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the teams maybe take not on purpose or anything, but maybe leave their top conference tournaments a little early. And then get the rest, but you don't want to leave too early because those teams that get eliminated in the quarters of their conference tournaments, they usually don't do well in March. So they're going to want at least win once in their various conference tournaments before they

54:25take off for the NCAAs. You mentioned Florida and the SEC. So I'm going to mention something else that I think gets said a lot this time of year in college basketball that is very counter-intuitive. But it's Florida need a loss in the SEC tournament before they get to the dance. I mean, 10 in a row now, I want to say 15 of 16, 20 of 21, something like that. Red hot, playing the best basketball in the country arguably. Could they stand to maybe lose in their second SEC tournament game and go home and rest up for a couple of days? Well, here's, could they use the rest? Everybody can use the rest. And I believe the SEC still has a Sunday championship game, so you get a little less because of that. But in terms of the ego part of it, I don't think this Florida team does because they know what it's like to lose. They lost a bunch in November and and so they don't need to be reminded of that. They lost early in the conference to Mizzou. They know what it means to lose. They know how it feels to lose. They don't want to go

55:29back there. So I don't, well, you certainly can take something from a loss. I mean, after Michigan lost to do, we saw a lot of conversation from Dusty May that had coached there about what they could learn from it. And there were things they did need to learn from it because they got really stagnant on offense. In Florida's case, I think they know what they need to be to be great. They know that they they want to overpower teams with that unbelievable front court. They want to dominate the backboards with Chineloo. He's just an amazing rebounder. But when he doesn't get him, Condon's been getting a bunch too. So they know who they need to be to be great. And I don't think they need to be reminded of it. The 96 Kentucky team, the greatest team I ever covered in my career, that team needed to lose when they went to the SEC tournament because victory had become so easy for them. There were so many occasions where it just they walked out on the floor. The ball was thrown in the air and it was over. And they needed to be reminded that they weren't invincible.

56:33But I don't think this Florida team does. Mike, love picking your brain, especially this time of a year about college hoops. Thanks so much for the time. We'll look for the updated brackets at Fox Sports. Thanks again, man. Thanks Chris. Always my pleasure. Absolutely. The great Mike DeCorsi of Fox Sports, Big 10 Network and the sporting news, follow them on social media for all the bubble updates you could possibly need or want at T.S. and Mike. Yeah, I don't see any way in the world that Miami of Ohio, even if they had one ugly loss here at the end of the regular season, even if they got bounced early in the Mac tournament. They started the season 30 and oh, there's no way they shouldn't be in the tournament. Absolutely ridiculous. We talked plenty of AJ Brown, Max Crosby, the smoke surrounding those names earlier in the show. I want to get back into a discussion about the first few dominoes possibly falling this weekend on the NFL off season with free agency starting on Monday. We'll do

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