Podcast Recap
The guys welcome on former college basketball head coach and current college basketball analyst Steve Lavin (@SteveLavin64). Steve talks about learning from John Wooden, coaching Kevin Bacon for ‘The Air Up There‘ and the future of college basketball. Sean and Ryan give out all their picks for week one of Madden Mayhem, their Madden simulation betting tournament featuring $10,000 in prizes.
Podcast Transcription
Speaker 0 (0s): This Steve Lavin and Week One Madden Mayhem Picks. Addition of the Sports Gambling Podcast is presented by my bookie. Dot. A G Vegas may be closed, but the casino on my bookie, daddy G is open 24 seven use the promo code SGP casino for a 150% deposit bonus, mybookie.aig promo-code SGP casino to play when and get paid at my bookie. We’re also brought to you by Madden MAYhem, our Madden simulation tournament where we’re giving away $10,000 in my bookie credits to the winners.
What the best brackets plus profits and live in game wagering on all the action. Get all the info@sportsgamblingpodcast.com slash Madden that’s Sports Gambling, podcast.com/madden we’re also brought to you mate. ACE per head aches is the leader in pay pred providers and they make it super easy to start your own Sports book plus is offering up to six weeks, three of our days per head.com/s G P. That’s ACE per head.com/s G. P you’re listening to the Sports Gambling Podcast exclusively on the GPS.
Speaker 1 (1m 8s):
Speaker 2 (1m 40s):
Speaker 0 (1m 43s): welcome everyone to the Sports. Gambling Podcast I’m Sean stacking them in agreement with my partner and Picks Ryan real money. Kramer, what’s happening? Crime dog.
Speaker 3 (1m 54s): It’s April 28th 5:04 PM here on the West coast. And I am looking at a football preview sheet. Are you kidding me? I mean Sean I was a big believer in Santa Claus for the first, I don’t know what, eight, nine, 10 years of my life, but I don’t think Santa Claus ever brought football and spring to the people.
Speaker 0 (2m 20s): Yeah, it’s, it’s funny we’re doing this Madden Mayhem simulation and it’s, it’s, it started out with DGN madness, our virtual March madness tournament and now we’re doing it Week. First off, we created an awesome thing, a 32 team, NFL single game of elimination tournament. Are you kidding me? Uh, and of course we’re going to be doing the play by play. The tournament starts Thursday night, 5:00 PM Pacific, 7:00 PM Pacific for the late game. It’s just, I mean, this is something that kinda came around because sports were taken away from us, but now it’s become, to me, it’s become a sport in and of it in and of its own.
Like I’m trying to do the math in my head. If we would have had a normal Sports calendar, I still would have found time to get in and bet on this tournament. Do the play by play. Like, I mean this is just awesome. I know we would have had NBA playoffs right now, but I think there’s always room for a Madden tournament as well. I,
Speaker 3 (3m 20s): the couple of things I’m learning about myself. One, I am not struggling with isolation compared to some people
Speaker 0 (3m 27s): and for that reason, am I upset about this? Like, uh,
Speaker 3 (3m 32s): good and happy. I think we’ve found an area that we can come back to year in and year out and maybe we started having a simulated football tournament for March madness or April, whatever we Madden MAYhem every year because I’m interested in, we got new players in there. We got the rosters updated all the draft Picks free agents, the rookies Sean breaking news
Speaker 0 (3m 59s): to a Herbert and
Speaker 3 (4m 4s): mr burrow himself will be named the starting quarterbacks for Madden.
Speaker 0 (4m 8s): Mayhem yeah, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s going to be awesome. I’m really looking forward to the tournament and I were going to give her a Picks here in a little bit. And then, uh, second part of this show, we have an awesome interview with Steve Lavin former college basketball coach, current college basketball analyst and uh, that was really fun. He Steve is a gray, some wisdom on us drop some. He was very, he was more Zen than I thought going into the interview. Wisdom, have the right word.
Sean draft a lot of whiz wisdoms on us and uh, it was a great interview, so stay tuned for that. But uh, Kramer hit me with the NFL music. Let’s get the juices flowing for the library.
Speaker 3 (4m 51s): You know, I even practiced looking at this board of yours and I still to this day have no clue what your color scheme has to do with anything. It’s unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (5m 3s): There we go.
Speaker 4 (5m 11s): Madden MAYhem is of course, coming in to participate in Madden. Mayhem. You gotta be signed up over at MyBookie, daddy G, he’s a promo code SGP to play winning and paid any deposit bonus up to $1,000 are you kidding me? And if that wasn’t enough, we’re going to be giving away $10,000 in my bookie credits. Of course, you have to have a signed up, fill out your bracket, get that done over at MyBookie, daddy G, all the info.
And of course to fill out your bracket, all you gotta do is go to Sports Gambling, podcast.com/madden Sports Gambling, podcast.com/madden Kramer where they have their future Betts for our Madden tournament. Up which is awesome. They have future beds. It’s true. It’s your bed. They have that. The prop bets. Of course, if you watch the preview game deviled the Adams for a touchdown scored that hit plus 700 I mean if you did an over in dog parlay, I think that probably would have paid like five, six to one.
So tons of options
Speaker 0 (6m 17s): out to make a ton of cash. And we’re really just giving back so much money. I mean, the government gives you one, a lousy 1200 bucks. We got $10,000 we’re giving you. And if that wasn’t enough, the a person with our, our favorite Madden MAYhem uh, post on social media, their Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag Madden Mayhem the best post will win our TD pot prize. So, however many a touchdown scored in the first two games of Madden MAYhem times that times a $10.
So 10 touchdowns scores to give him a million dollars. Yeah, we’ll see. We’ll see how high it gets. But throw in social media posts, tag it. Hashtag Madden MAYhem let’s get to it. Kramer. I mean, There the future’s coming out. I was gonna say, are we going to throw out some futures? We like hell yeah. And of course the, the futures are up over at MyBookie dot. AIG. I be in the Homer that am in spite of, of the fact that they made a horrific draft pick and 53 drafting Jalen hurts ruining my, my buddy Blake texted me and said, this ruined his core and tin.
And, uh, I’ve listened to like six hours of people trying to rationalize their shit on this pack and I still, I still can’t figure it out. We actually have a, uh, a celebrity, uh, a uh, uh, former NFL quarterback scheduled the call in tomorrow, a former NFC East superstar quarterback scheduled to interview. I’d love to get his take on that grammar. Uh, hopefully it doesn’t flake, but the dude’s seems pretty reliable even though they, they wasted the number 53 pick on Jalen hurts.
Jalen rager we already saw in the same game I watched while you were giving me a haircut, we already saw rager getting involved scoring a touchdown, the Eagles at plus 2,500. I, I really liked that. And if you look at the bracket, which of course Sports Gambling, podcast.com/madden as all of the bracket and time, I mean the NFC East, the Eagles won it last year. I think they have a good, great chance to get out of the NFC East again. And that’s how the bracket is being broken down where you’re playing.
The one that’s playing the four in the division two play in the three, et cetera. So the first game against the Redskins, then they played the winter for the giants Cowboys. That’s easy. And then they play the winter or the NFC West. Maybe it gets a little tougher with a 40 Niners Seahawks. But I think their path here to get down to the final four, isn’t that insane? And we, uh, we have an article up here on Sports Gambling package it, this is a new contributor.
Jim Leahy. Uh, he wrote an article saying six tips for Madden simulation betting and how I cashed out $6,000. He went on, he went on an awesome tear even at some DJ and madness. But one of the, um, one of the things he said was like mobile quarterbacks whence obviously a mobile quarterback. And then a, another, uh, another, uh, another little tip, I picked up a will Mormon again, contributor. He was, he did a list of like 20 sneaky good players and Madden that you wouldn’t think were good, but are actually really good.
Number one on his list was Al Sean Jeffrey, who probably won’t actually be on the Eagles, but for whatever reason, the SIM data, the Madden, uh, loves him. So, and I think he had a pretty good game. The, the one similar to the game I watched against the giants, and again, 25 to One, I’m all over that. I’ll give you an AFC one. But Kramer, you of course have a team rating with this roster of an 81. Just for those out there who kinda understand the rating scheme, this roster with the updates.
I guess this guy is super into realism. Uh, and he essentially, like every team has between like an 83 and a 75, it’s pretty tightly coupled. So you know what that means. Sean we’re gonna have upsets baby and dogs will be barking. And Sean I wanted to be prepared to talk about these types of things. So I knew you might, I know you might come in with an Hey Al Sean Jeffery, he could be a sleeper in the game. So I wanted to have the game up in front of me and I, I do right now and I’m going to pull up the Eagles cause I, I, Al Sean is insanely good in this game, in the regular, in the regular.
He still in the game. So I looked at the Eagles. Uh, it, it, they also have good one. Now remember they picked him up in the deal as well. And that’s the other thing is cause you know, I’ll show in Jeffrey and Markey’s Goodwin both injury problems and this is, this is Madden and there are no injuries. Everyone’s 100% healthy, uh, and at least until the game kicks off for it, just for reference, some of the other, some of the favorites here, uh, to win Madden. Mayhem saints are a plus 400 chiefs plus 400.
They got their ass kicked by the Packers in the preview game, 40 Niners plus six 50 Ravens plus 500 Cowboys and maybe the public money is already pouring in here, but the Cowboys are eight to one. Uh, I’m assuming they have CD lamps, so maybe that’s part of a of the formula there, but huge difference between the Cowboys at eight to one and the Eagles 25 to one. It feels like there’s some value there. I would say by rating your top tier of teams, and these were all the 80 threes are going to be Kansas city, green Bay, Dallas, Baltimore, and San Francisco.
The next tier after that you’re 80 twos
Speaker 3 (11m 54s): in new Orleans, Indianapolis. Who by the way, that, that’s a nice team. Seattle, Pittsburgh. And then, then the next here of what I would say is probably like contending teams is the 81 group, which is Minnesota and Philly of the 80 group, Tennessee, Buffalo charger’s in fact. So it look out for the chargers. They upset city over there. I would say that that’s kind of like your pool of contenders. So if you look at those teams and you look at a price that pops out to you, obviously to me the bills at 35 to One Bacon, they can very easily get out of their division.
Now of course, remember the Patriots know Tom Brady because we have the updated rosters. Patriots are only a 79 so I really like the Buffalo bills at 35 to One just playing the game theory because guess what Brian Hoyer, not scary, not enough to take down the Cay metric. Another team that I would point to just based on the fact that remember they have to get out of their division. It is this chargers team. They are a four seat in the game.
They’re rated in 80 granted they have to take on the chiefs, but we just watched this chief’s team look vulnerable against the Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. So you know what really cracks me up the most Sean is breaking down the CPU player.
Speaker 0 (13m 19s): Well it really is. I do lose myself because I feel the same kind of a verbal crutches I use to kind of give analysis on players and make my case for Picks and applies the Madden as well. You mentioned the Indianapolis Colts as as a highly rated team. Again, I’m a sucker for this Colts team. I think the CPU will love having to force Buckner There they had a great draft so they added some talent. They’re probably not that low on a Phillip rivers.
Phil burger’s comes in stabilize that team Colts 25 to One to come out of the AFC. And you’re starting off with that wild. I mean, you know the AFC South. Sure the Titans were dominant, but I don’t know if that game translates to Madden. Maybe Derek Henry just maybe he just goes off, but the CPU Titans, they don’t, they haven’t been called out. They haven’t like put Tennessee on their back. So the Colts at 25 to one and then one more, uh, as far as like long shot, um, future bet that I really like, and again, they’re going to have to probably beat the chiefs but give me the Denver Broncos 50 to one maybe had, I mean they added a
It takes a punt return back and in
Speaker 3 (14m 45s): reality, and I think I missed a couple of teams, Atlanta 81 Tampa 82 new Orleans 82 all in that upper tier but is an I is actually an 81. I missed that. You mean in Las Vegas? I’m sorry, Las Vegas miswrote that on my sheet Denver is a 79. But of course we know that homefield in matter of advantage will matter. And I think the big thing that I’ve noticed kind of the correlation between what you’re going to hear in spreads, what you’re going to see in the future prices and what you’re going to see matter in terms of driving the rating of these teams.
It’s all about the quarterback. And I think when you ha, when you look at Denver, uh, you look at the, the rookies, you look at Daniel Jo and the giant, the weakness that these teams have is that quarterback rating is in that, that 70 of that low to mid seventies range. And that in many cases I think is really the difference between the good teams and the bad teams. I feel like John Madden you’re pointing out the obvious. But yeah. So just to circle back, if I, if you’re asking me for some long shots, I’m saying Buffalo, I’m saying Indi and I’m saying the chargers fit the bill for the absolute long shots.
But if I’m, I’m penciling a team that I think has a legit shot to win. Again, we saw the chip on CPU, Aaron Rogers shoulder and this is a team. They are rated 83 w One they are tied for the highest rating. They are 15 to one period. Wow. And I think we saw the motivation that this dude has on his shoulders after will Jordan loved getting the PT. That’s what I want to know. We’ll have to blow off the check in with the, uh, the CPU beat report writers on that. Sean are we ready to just talk about games and they’ll do it the right here.
Giants on it. A one C of the little Steve seems seems offensive.
Speaker 0 (16m 32s): Yeah. No, I love these. I mean for these futures, the mid range, I mean like Pittsburgh 22 to one. I mean I I through Eagles, Colts and Broncos, those are my, those are my three. But I think if you’re going to go future, I wouldn’t take anything. I mean pack you made a good case for the Packers of 15 to one, but anything under a enter that I think you just stay away and take a couple of long shots. Maybe one AFC, one NFC.
Speaker 3 (16m 57s): All right. Sean let’s get to it tipping off. I’m just kidding. Kicking off. Thursday night football, we have a doubleheader Sean 8:00 PM on the East coast, 5:00 PM on the West coast. The Los Angeles chargers. They head to Kansas city to take on the CPU chiefs coming off that Superbowl. And more importantly, dud of a preview game. Sean you wouldn’t believe it. The chiefs are laying 10 and a half minus 600 on the money line.
Chargers are plus three 25 50 and a half is the total.
Speaker 0 (17m 39s): Yeah. I mean, uh, I’ll have to go, I’m gonna I’ll, I’ll go, uh, I’ll start this off. Kramer, give me the chargers plus 10 and a half that Kansas city chiefs defense. It was just, I think the chargers. Pretty solid draft. Uh, I’m a, I’m a Herbert fan. We’ll see what, what is he, do you have his rating in front of you? If not, it’s no big deal, but I think 10 and a half the way that the Kansas city chiefs defense has been playing in Madden and we even saw it in the playoffs. They got down big, uh, a number of times 71.
Yeah. So I think it’s tough for teams to come back from huge deficits in Madden and just the theory of mine, it doesn’t seem like they, it doesn’t seem like they understand the hurry up offense as much as they should. I don’t think they’ve quite figured out the clock management or maybe it’s just recency bias where the Kansas city chiefs wore bad in that preview game with their clock managing. And maybe it’s that realistic cause of course you have Andy Reed. I’ll take the chargers plus 10 and a half. I mean that defense, uh, could be legit.
I mean Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, all the, again, the, the charger’s biggest problem usually is guys not staying healthy, not an issue here in Madden MAYhem so 10 and a half feels way too high.
Speaker 3 (18m 57s): Uh, it certainly is a big spread considering the Delta here of 83 to 80. It does feel a little bit, uh, that we’re not talking about a purely linear scale here in the rating Sean the further out the way, the way that I’ve watched these games, I kind of drew a baseline right in that 70, I would say an average team is probably rated around 79 in the further you get away from a 79, the the, the, the, the more drastic it becomes. I will say again, the quarterback is such a critical position.
While. I don’t love, are we just straight up going? Uh, are we doing draft style where you pick one? I pick one so I’ll share priority on the next ones. All right. Uh, I, I don’t love the fact that I’m getting the chiefs here minus 10 and a half, but they just got their ass kicked on national television Sean and they’re going to come out. And again, massive discrepancy in the quarterback position. Will the charger’s defense be enough? We’ll see. I will point out, you mentioned it.
I think we fully anticipate to see some weirdness around clock management, especially with Andy Reid’s CPU body in there who very, very smelled. Uh, but I think all in all of the chiefs, too much offense. If the chargers fall behind, it could be trouble here. Next up, Thursday night, 10:00 PM on the East coast, 7:00 PM in the West coast. We had the CPU mile high where John Gruden in the Los Vegas Raiders. I apologize for listing them as the Oakland Raiders are out of the carrier, have they officially moved the Las Vegas though?
Speaker 0 (20m 34s): Well they are the, there was a big thing where the NFL officially changed them to the Las Vegas Raiders. But again, with this whole Cove in 19 bullshit, I, I don’t know if the stadium actually opens, uh, maybe they play some at Sam Boyd stadium out there. We’ll see what happens. But yes, they are the Las Vegas Raiders Kramer,
Speaker 3 (20m 54s): the Las Vegas Raiders had the CPU mile high to take on the Denver Broncos who have properly armed. Mr drew lock. Mine is for and a half of the Raiders on the road here. Sean minus two 10 on the Moneyline plus one 45 as the money line of, of uh, for the Broncos. 45 and a half is the total. Uh, I mean I don’t, I don’t love, I don’t love either side of this. And the Raiders, the Raiders are 81 versus the Broncos 79.
And I know you like the future. So I’m going to put you in a bad spot spot. I’m going to take the Denver Broncos catching the points at home here and I’m going to offer you a trade to give me the chargers. I would say Denver. I like the opportunity they have at home. I like the fact that they have Melvin Gordon, Melvin Gordon and uh, our guy Phillip Lindsey in the backfield. Uh, once again though I think lock’s low rating could be a scary proposition.
All of that being said, they are at home. Too much disrespect here and it’s an early season game. We’ve seen, we’ve seen the CPU Broncos take advantage of that elevation. We’re not sure
Speaker 0 (22m 9s): they’re not going to be conditioned. The shortened off season. No. OTA is no team activities. All right, I’ll make a case here for the Oakland Raiders. Raiders. Oh, sorry. I mean, you know, the law of the Los Vegas Raiders, LVR baby, um, uh, and I think Henry rugs there was, yeah. And I wouldn’t even look to, uh, Henry rugs first touchdown. Uh, maybe, maybe Derek Carr finally decides to throw the ball down field.
I think that could be big. I know they got a, that the cornerback early, they drafted in the first round as well. Uh, some people said it was a bit of a reach, but I think the drew lock turnovers are what could really carry this Las Vegas Raiders team. And we forgot about Josh Jacobs. Jacobs is a fricking handful coming out of the backfield. Uh, so you throw rugs on the outside there, that outside speed that really opens things underneath. So yeah, give me, give me Oakland minus four and a half.
The road shock There you, you will see, uh,
Speaker 3 (23m 15s): you, you will see some speed from this rate or, and you will see the star. I should point out on Josh Jacobs because you know that guy really, really solid P, I mean, didn’t have any part and hard knocks and he still just came through in a big, big way. Uh, what I was doing while you were doing that Sean because I do think rugs as one of the hive, the rookies, we got a highlight and I think any team that drafted a skill position is going to have a nicer upgrade because we see here and while you know, Nelson Aguilar staring at me in the depth chart right now, not, not a good thing, but rugs is sitting there rated a 77 with 98 speed.
That could be a problem
Speaker 0 (23m 56s): that’s going to create some big plays. And again, probably we’ll see what the price the market at over at MyBookie dot. AIG promo code SGP. But uh, yeah, I mean I could see you getting 12 to one 15 to one on rager first touchdown.
Speaker 3 (24m 11s): But again, my theory and I, again, I haven’t, I haven’t watched enough of these games with point spreads to have outcomes, but my theory is that the quarterback position is going to matter. And I use that argument to my favor in the first game. I did it in the second game. So let’s go Friday. We move over to the NFC South Sean where Tom Brady, top of the top of Bay, Brady and the Buck’s head to Atlanta, Tampa Bray in Tampa Bray to take on the CPU Falcons where the Falcons are seven point home dogs plus two 25 on the money line bucks minus 451 and a half is the total
Speaker 0 (24m 55s): John. Oh, all right. What do I do here? I’ll take uh, some point home dog division game. Are you kidding me? Give me the Atlanta Falcons plus seven. I mean obviously I’m worried about uh, Tampa’s receiving weapons but they still have a decent number of holes there on defense. And you get Maddie ice at home. Julio Jones, who’s garden, Julio Jones on this Buck’s team. I mean granted the bucks were putting a lot of bad situations cause of Jamison’s turnovers, but still that defensive backfield has a bunch of holes in, I love the work of the pickup, but seven point road favorite is just comical here.
I think they’re expecting a lot of public action and that’s why this number is so high. I normally don’t like bet in the Falcons, but at plus seven is a home dog. I’m all over it.
Speaker 3 (25m 43s): And, and don’t forget Todd Gurley, while his rating has been adjusted nicely because he’s not the same player he was, he is still on this team. I think probably a wise pick to take the points here. But are you kidding me? Sean you’re going to go against the most exciting team in all of simulations. The CPU, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Gronk house
Speaker 0 (26m 5s): ski. Come on. Sean I know, I know. I’ll be getting a text message from a boy. Gronk saying, dude, what are you after the episode drops, just yelling at me for going against him and Tampa Bray. But yeah, I’ll go. I do some point home dog division game. Are you kidding me with this? The Atlanta team being rated as high as they are.
Speaker 3 (26m 26s): Gronk is rated a 91. I, I’ll give me Tom Brady
Speaker 0 (26m 31s): the day. I mean, he’s lost a ton of weight. I’m sure he’s packing it on and completely compliant fashion. But uh, 91 still, eh. Well, and again, Crohn’s is, the issue is injuries and they don’t exist coming in to this game. So naturally huge value there,
Speaker 3 (26m 49s): the way they’re all healthy coming in in the game. But there is a chance we see an injury in the game, unlike basketball Sean the nightcap for the NFC South day Friday, 10:00 PM on the East coast, 7:00 PM on the West coast. Carolina led by the Butler Sean. They’re heading to new Orleans to take on Jamis Winston in the new law look, saints, the saints are 13 and a half point favorites minus seven 50 on the money line. 400 for the Panthers.
52 and a half is the total. Should have pointed this out. Tampa Bay in 82, Atlanta and 81. Carolina a 77 new Orleans and 80 to one of the bigger discrepancies we’ll see all first round. Yet we have Christian McCaffrey who is just absolutely electric in his CPU form. Sean
Speaker 0 (27m 44s): yeah. Well I was giving you a, I was giving you, I thought you had first dibs on One
Speaker 3 (27m 49s): so take care of it. Well then if I’m getting first dibs, um, I’m going to take the points, I’m gonna take the points with pushing that Caffrey. Uh, he showed me how to find the back door before Sean and, uh, why would I possibly want to go against my man Teddy Bridgewater, who knows the playbook CPU Teddy Bridgewater is in a revenge spot here, knows what the saints are going to be doing and Oh, by the way, just in time for Madden MAYhem the CPU saints sign known degenerate Jamis Winston to completely undo their locker room.
Yeah, give me the Panthers in the points.
Speaker 0 (28m 29s): Yeah, I’m going, I’m going saints here cause we’re taking the opposite. But I think the case for the saints is a pretty easy one. And it’s that, uh, Michael Thomas, I mean, you saw what Davante Adams did on that, in that preview game. The number one receiver had three touchdowns. And I wouldn’t be surprised if this Saint’s team just picks apart this Carolina Panthers defense and really lights it up. I think they, uh, have a chance to be the highest scoring team, uh, of this first round.
And certainly the spread reflects it a little high at 13 and a half, but they’re coming off a bad loss themselves. They’d lost the Kirk cousins at home in a big spot and that is embarrassing. Drew Brees, they signed two quarterbacks. Can we talk about that? How, I mean I haven’t looked at all of the cap numbers, but how do they have a taste of Hill deal that’s like not cheap? Drew Brees and James Swainston, there’s, they’re spending like 60 million on the quarterback position alone. What the hell are they doing?
Speaker 3 (29m 30s): Some Hill deal was some sort of caption in arrogance I thought, yeah, yeah, there’s gotta be some something, but more importantly, how does no one else Jamis Winston three and a half million dollars or whatever he got. Yeah, and say how we’re the Patriots not rolling out Jay, how, if you are the Patriots, how do you not sign cam noon and Jamis Winston for three and a half million dollars each
Speaker 0 (29m 55s): if you the Eagles is wasting the 53rd pick on Jalen hurts. Sign Jamis Winston, get that man baptized. You’re telling me he couldn’t use a little bit of the Lord. A little bit of the, you know, the God group, uh, that Wentz has going. I’d much rather take Jamie’s Swinson in three and half million dollars and the 53rd overall pick. Then some fucking Jalen hurts
Speaker 3 (30m 22s): next game on Saturday, May 2nd 8:00 PM on the East coast, five BM on the West coast. We have the AFC East opening game. The dolphins who are rated a whopping 76 Sean, one of the lowest rated team’s in the game, even with two. Uh, they had to new England to take on the Patriots who are only rated to 79 Sean the Patriots only a four point favorite minus one 95 on the money line and plus one 44 of the dolphins, 44 and a half of the total two was in horrors in
Speaker 0 (31m 1s): your weight horrors, horrors, starting from the Patriots. Hoyer is the starter over stood up? Are we, we, do we have to make a call here? Oh no, I just, it sounded like cinemas more of the, uh, add more of the inside track on starting. But, uh, nevertheless all go,
Speaker 3 (31m 19s): I didn’t want to adjust anything here. Cause Hoyer is he out rates that him a whopping 63 to 60. So neither
Speaker 0 (31m 27s): the quarterback any good could be an ugly one here. I’ll take Miami plus for my reasoning here is uh, you know, like a, like pointed as as pointed out over@sportsgamblingpodcast.com, uh, by new contributor, uh, Jim Leahy, uh, you know, the mobile quarterbacks you gotta lean mobile quarterback to, uh, I think he was running in the ability as athleticism. They probably haven’t fully factored in the hip injury. Uh, and, and if he does get hurt in game enter Ryan fits magic.
This team isn’t afraid to go into new England. And when, I mean, I mean, you could argue that that was the end of their dynasty right there when the dolphins drove down to knock them out of the two seat. I think Miami has the confidence you need to win and Foxborough give me Miami plus four feels like a field goal game. Happily going to take four points.
Speaker 3 (32m 23s): Yeah. Alright. Remember Josh Rosen also stole on the roster. He could get some, some, some CPU action. So you’re telling me I only got to lay for points with bill Bellicheck in the new England Patriots at night. Angela, come on minus four. Yeah, I have a feeling the Patriots will win this game because of coaching special teams and defense Sean locked down defense, the nightcap 10:00 PM on the East coast, 7:00 PM on the West coast.
The New York jets had the Buffalo to take on Josh Allen, Stefan Diggs in the Buffalo bills. Bills are minus six and a half of minus three 50 on the money line. Jets plus 243 and a half is the total, the lowest total of the first weekend as far as the opening numbers. Sean Oh boy. Uh, you, you got your first pick. I’m going to take my second pick and that is this Buffalo Bill’s team. I am all in on these guys’, the ratings of course.
Buffalo and 80 of jets, a 77 I love that. I don’t have to lay seven and I just, this team just feels littered with talent. If Josh Allen can just get it done. And as you’ve been pointing out to me the entire day in the mobile quarterback, Josh Allen, uh, I’ve even watched in Sims him not slide. Lot of the quarterbacks are very slide happy in this game. Not Josh Allen. And he’s going for the going for glory. He sees that they have a nice path for victory here. He knows that they’re 35 to one, because the, the CPU is a neural net processor as Colby likes to say.
Speaker 0 (34m 4s): I love this spot here. I’m going to, I’m on the jets here. I’m glad you picked the, uh, Bill’s Kramer love this Jet’s team getting six and a half. We forget Sam Darnold was seven and six as a starter last year. Kind of got overlooked. Uh, I don’t think they have mano factored into Madden so I don’t expect him to, maybe, maybe it flares up in the second half and then we’re in trouble. But I think he keeps him in that game. I love the addition of Paramin. Um, MCI Beck did, and I know you think he’s going to be a bus, but a giant dude like that that’ll give Donald some time to make some passes.
Downfield I’d love to see what a Denzel Mims does in this game, the baler kid, a second round pick for the jets. So I think those additions could be helpful. And again, I think this could be kind of an ugly game. Turnovers will be the difference if a Allen doesn’t turn the ball over. I think the bills may be wind, but I still, I still think he’s going to turn it over enough to keep the cover in place and give me the jets plus six and a half.
Speaker 3 (35m 10s): I like it. I think that that felt like the first one that we were organically on the different side of a Sean, which is never a good sign for anyone’s Picks when we’re agreeing wholeheartedly. Last night of week one of Madden MAYhem Sunday 8:00 PM on the East coast, 5:00 PM on the West coast, the Detroit lions, they traveled to green Bay to take on the Packers who will start, will it be Rogers? Will it be love Packers laying eight and a half minus four 50 on the money line. Detroit is plus two 50, 47 and a half is the total the rating 78 for Detroit green Bay 83 pretty wide discrepancy here.
Sean you get the first pick. Tell me you’re going to go with your boy toy.
Speaker 0 (35m 53s): Go pack go. Yeah, you got to take green Bay here. Good teas opportunity, Kramer and a minus eight and a half. I just don’t think this lion’s defense can slow the Packers down, especially at home. And granted they didn’t really help them that out. Help them out that much with the draft but we saw it in the preview game. They don’t need that much help. I mean, you know, Lazard had a good game. Jimmy Graham was getting involved. The Vontay Adams went off.
Aaron Jones, uh, ran the ball pretty well there for awhile. So green Bay is going to light up the scoreboard and I mean they got, they beat the, the one, the turnover battle against the chiefs. I think they can do that again against the Detroit lions. So yeah, green Bay minus minus eight and a half all day.
Speaker 3 (36m 40s): Yeah, I’m here. Here’s the thing with Detroit, when it comes to playing the Packers, they know how to cover a spread. They know how to lose a close game. You look over the last couple years, 20 I mean, th th the hail Mary happened against Detroit. Let, let’s talk about that. I think if you look back through their last five match-ups, the lions would have covered every single one.
I believe I’m using Wikipedia as the source right now. I’m trying to Follow reference. I really thought you were going to take Detroit. A real is prepared. I just figured you were a dog happy this year. A new man. Uh, yeah,
Speaker 0 (37m 23s): no, I, I, I mean I got a lot of dogs, lot of good dogs, even a couple big dogs, but I’m not going against green Bay. Minus eight and a half. Saw it. We saw it in that preview game for DJ in madness. Don’t let the Freeview game steer you in different directions. You made a great case for green Bay at 15 to one to one that at all. Yeah, I think they’re just gonna destroy Detroit and they’re gonna get out of their division in pretty good shape.
Speaker 3 (37m 49s): Green Bay wins by the touchdown. Let’s go at Chicago. Nightcap 10:00 PM East coast, 7:00 PM on the West coast. Chicago heads to Minnesota to take on the CPU. Vikings in the spaceship. Sean Vikings minus six and a half, three minus three 50 on the money line, plus 200 for the bears. 45 and a half is the total. A little bit lower totals in the AFCs than I’ve seen North as compared to the, uh, the other divisions we covered.
Sean it’s my pick here. The rating discrepancy. Vikings 81, Chicago’s 79. Again, I think you got to lay a touchdown here. Mitchell. Trebatowsky thank he’s to be named the starter. I think he’s the starter. I actually haven’t looked, uh, but I, I believe he has a higher rating, so I, I’m just not betting wait a second. Scratch that. Sean it’s Kurt cousin’s in prime time.
Gimme the bears.
Speaker 0 (38m 52s): Ah, man. Well as, as pointed out another in that, uh, in that six tips for a Madden simulation caching, um, uh, Jim points out or sorry. Yeah, yeah. Jim points out that uh, Mitch Stravinsky’s like more like Mitch Vick cause cause I guess how elusive he is. Ah, in this game. So you go with the bears. There I’ll ride, I’ll ride with the Minnesota Vikings. I’ll go with the, I’ll go with my boy Zimmer.
I don’t know if they, they worked in some virtual dip a for him to be working on on the sideline there. That’d be pretty bad ass. But the Vikings at home, this is actually low pressure game since it is simulated. The Curt cousin CPU won’t know, but it won’t know it’s primetime and won’t completely blow this up. Yeah. The villain. Um, you know, they brought in Justin Jefferson who I think is probably a good fit for them in Minnesota. And you’re going against mr bisky. Like I, I know I just made a case that he could, he could scramble over the place, but when you go into the space ship, things get wonky and a crowd noise could be an issue.
So yeah. Give me your Minnesota Vikings here. Mine is six and a half at home. Oh, how’d that feel? Sean it felt gross. I definitely, I definitely liked the bears better, but there’s a, there’s a case to be made for the Viking, so I’ll ride with it.
Speaker 3 (40m 15s): More of a macro question. How’d that feel? Picking in football games?
Speaker 0 (40m 19s): Oh, it felt awesome. It felt great.
Speaker 3 (40m 21s): Felt awesome. Did we do enough games to do a lock dog teas?
Speaker 0 (40m 28s): Yep. Let’s do it. Kramer. Eight games. Come on, man.
Speaker 3 (40m 34s): It’s been a while since we’ve heard that. Do you want to go first or shall I? I’ll let you go first. Kramer a. All right, well let, let’s, uh, let’s start with, with the certainty, man. I, you know, I probably would lock up the charge nurse in all honesty. I, that’s, that’s the one I really liked. But if you’re a, I gotta lock up one of the games I took. Oh, let’s, let’s do it. I hate to do this, but let’s lock up Tom Brady in the middle and the bucks against this Falcons team.
I think this offense is going to be off the charts. We’re going to be talking about the bucks as a tournament contender after this game and Sean that. What was that price on? The bucks
Speaker 0 (41m 18s): of the box were low. I think there were like eight to one
Speaker 3 (41m 21s): for a reason. They’re not going out in the first weekend. Give me the bucks. Mine is seven from my dog. The other is some juicy ones here. And the price on Denver probably isn’t enough for Sean to Greenlight that as a dog. Are you going to Greenlight that?
Speaker 0 (41m 37s): It’s four and a half. It’s plus one 45. Yeah, that’s fine.
Speaker 3 (41m 40s): You know what? Christian McCaffrey, he’s rated 99. Let’s go big for the, for the
Speaker 0 (42m 13s): all right for me. I’ll take that its the first game. But chargers getting 10 and a half. Are you kidding me? That’s way too high with this Kansas city defense. What we’ve seen out of them so far, lock that up for my dog, Sammy D give me the jets plus 200 against the Buffalo bills and for my teas. Give me the Viking’s down to a half of the green Bay down to two and a half and uh, also throw in Atlanta plus 13 and a half that I, I think the, sorry, just 13.
That’s, I think that the number is a little too high to begin with. So Atlanta plus 13, green Bay minus two and a half in Minnesota minus a half.
Speaker 3 (42m 58s): Sean, number one thing you’re looking forward to,
Speaker 0 (43m 3s): uh, getting really drunk and doing a play by play. Oh he’s uh, always a dream show. I actually forgot. I would have a, in the Steve Lavin interview, which we’re about to hear, I should have asked him, you know, one broadcast through another for some advice on play by play, but we didn’t, we didn’t get to that covered a lot of ground. Did not get to that. What are you most excited for Kramer?
Speaker 3 (43m 25s): Oh, well, I mean, I do have two handles of whiskey come from, of Jamison coming from Costco. For some reason Jamie was and still not sponsoring the goddamn Podcast pay attention. Jamison. Well, let me finish my goddamn set and Sean I was about to tell you what I’m excited for. I’m excited for football. You know, we, we just listened to Roger Goodell and NFL Network heads and in all these people for the better part of three days, talk about how important it is to do this together.
Sean to recover as a country, as a unit to, to rise up. And you know, I, I think we, we know at least a couple people have risen up over here at the Sports Gambling Podcast and brought you goddamn football again. So you’re welcome. I love that. I have an excuse to drink whiskey. I love that. I have an excuse to go out into the garage and watch football and bet and ah, I, you know, I feel it. I feel that, that, that, that it’s that feeling in your chest when you got, when the dicer in the air shot.
That’s what I need. I need that. I’m a junkie.
Speaker 0 (44m 31s): Oh yeah. And make sure you, uh, get your bracket in. Sports Gambling podcast.com/madden MyBookie daddy G promo code S G P for that sweet deposit bonus before we, uh, head over to Steve. Lavin of course, make sure you check out ACE per head. That’s right. ACE per head. They’re offering their paper ed services. They’re even getting involved in the SIM game. Perfect. Time to start your own Sports book. Get ahead of the rush, which will be a one Sports open. Up UFC is happening.
I’m sure we’ll be doing a UFC podcast next week. It looks like it’s actually gonna happen this time. So perfect time to start booking some UFC action. And again, Gough’s coming up on basketball, hopefully right around the corner. And if you sign up over at
Speaker 6 (45m 35s): Joining us on the line. Former head basketball coach at UCLA in st John’s. Currently college basketball analysts for facts Sports, CBS and Turner Steve Lavin coach Lavin. How’s it going man?
Speaker 7 (45m 46s): Terrific. Great to be with you guys.
Speaker 6 (45m 48s): Yeah. Appreciate you calling it. And how you, how you making do right now with the Corenti, what does a, what does the college basketball analyst and former coach get into, uh, when you’re locked down like this?
Speaker 7 (45m 59s): Well, number one, I’m sure like you guys, just making sure that we adhere it to the guidelines and stay up to date. You know, I watched the news CNN during the day and early evening and then switched to the Netflix for a little entertainment, ah, in the later part of the evenings. And, um, there are some paths, some areas, uh, here in Northern California where, uh, you can get out and it’s not frequented by the crowds.
And so it was an opportunity to get a little fresh air, a little movement. Umm, but for the most part we just adhere to the guidelines and stay home, stay safe and stay up to date. And, um, definitely the change of pace, you know, things slow down and it’s a time for reflection. Um, and also gratitude, uh, for the people on the front lines. Just the courage that they demonstrate on daily basis. And I’m grateful to have so many warriors that are out there trying to save lives and draw some inspiration from that.
Speaker 6 (47m 4s): For sure. Do you, uh, when you’re not watching Netflix, do you ever have the urge to throw on an old game that you coach? Maybe an old, uh, you know, a nice March madness swing? Do you ever go back and watch old tape?
Speaker 7 (47m 16s): Well, it’s interesting you mentioned that, you know, during these last four or five weeks, um, I’ve had some time to open up boxes. I’m in particular, there’s some from my mother and father, um, who passed away, um, you know, over this last decade, my mother in 2018 and my father of 2013 and this has been the first time I’ve been able to open up some of the boxes and the memorabilia and clippings and, uh, game tickets of the day had saved.
And so that’s really been an interesting experience going all the way back to high school in college, uh, as a player, but then through the Purdue years, the UCLA years, the broadcasting seasons and um, of course st John’s as well.
Speaker 8 (48m 7s): Wait, your father coached too, right.
Speaker 7 (48m 10s): My father was actually an English literature philosophy, poetry teacher and a writer. He was an educator for 47 years, um, at every level. Sir Francis Drake high school, a college and we’re in here in Northern California, Dominican college, Cal Berkeley, UC Berkeley, um, sift, go state as well. And he was an author. He wrote books on writing and composition. Uh, but he played basketball at Saint Ignatius high school out here in San Francisco and also the university of San Francisco.
But, uh, he was an intellect and really interested in ideas and that was influenced by the Jesuits, uh, from his education, uh, growing up the Catholic in San Francisco. Um, but I went another route and decided kind of pursue teaching, uh, through coaching, through basketball,
Speaker 8 (48m 58s): well, in those San Francisco basketball teams, just to paint it to our audience. I think those San Francisco basketball teams are really good back then, right?
Speaker 7 (49m 6s): Yeah, they worked kind of the, you know, Gonzaga before Gonzaga, the university of San Francisco, obviously with bill Russell and Casey Jones back to back championships, 60 straight wins under Phil Wolpert when Russell and Casey Jones were there. And then even in the sixties and seventies, players like Phil Smith, Kevin, Rostani, Eric ferns in, um, you know, just a number of, of bill Cartwright.
Speaker 8 (49m 33s): Well, yeah, of course
Speaker 7 (49m 34s): more contemporary, but Winford Boines was the player. I’m in New Jersey, so yeah, San Francisco on the West really had a role and for years. And then coach Wooden’s Bruins started in 1964 or five, had their dominant, you know, 12 year run, really was like 63, 64 through 1975 when coach wooden retired. But people forget a coach wooden was, didn’t win his first national championship until he was 53 years old. He’d been at UCLA for 15 seasons at that point.
You know, Cal Berkeley under Pete Newell was having success. University of San Francisco was having success first and our Pete Newell laid under Phil Wolpert, but then once coach wooden got to go on from 63 64 through 1975, but there was no looking back, no more dominant program. And the history of baskets
Speaker 8 (50m 21s): and coach wooden, much like yourself, Purdue background then UCLA, correct.
Speaker 7 (50m 27s): Yeah, the boiler maker,
Speaker 6 (50m 28s): uh, you know, he was from Martinsville, Indiana and he played for piggy Lambert, uh, at Purdue from 1928 to 32. I was a three-time all American. Of course, he’s in the hall of fame, both as a player, uh, and also a coach. He’s one of the handful to have achieved that. And, uh, after Purdue, he started his teaching career at Dayton high school in Kentucky and in South and central high school in Indiana. Uh, he, he was in the service, uh, with the Navy and um, and Indiana state was division two when coach wooden was there as a head coach and then he came out to UCLA and had that 27 year run, uh, but really kind of worked his craft.
And again, all those different stops as an English teacher coach at Dayton high school in Turkey as well as South end. And then in Indiana state he was, he was mastering his craft. It took him time all time. A great coach for sure. You talk about your transition from teaching into coaching. I, uh, I heard a interview where Kevin Bacon he credited you as, uh, helping him kind of learn how to play basketball or play basketball better for the movie, the air up there.
What is that? Is that true and what was that like coaching Kevin Bacon for?
Speaker 7 (51m 47s): Oh, that was such an interesting experience. I was an assistant coach at the time. I was UCLA 12 years total. Fives and assistant seven as a head coach and a, when you’re working your way up the ranks of you gotta be crafty, you gotta have some hustle in your game. And so I worked kids out, uh, in the off season. Um, I traveled and spoke at basketball camps. Uh, our family started basketball camp as well. I traveled some, uh, to Asia to work with, um, you know, various teams.
Uh, Samsung electronics had a basketball team. I worked with them in Korea, uh, the Japanese basketball association as well, and, uh, even how to stop in Hong Kong and China. So, but in the spirit, in the vein of, of looking for ways to try and generate some dollars, uh, so you could survive in Southern California and be able to pay the rent and have some food on the frigerator. One of the opportunities was working with Kevin Bacon on that film Air up there and he had just come off, if I’m not mistaken, of winning an Academy award for best supporting actor.
A few good men. Yeah. The movie with Jack Nicholson in it
Speaker 6 (52m 53s): classic,
Speaker 7 (52m 54s): the cruise and company. So, uh, he was a gentlemen and enjoyed the time spent with him and was just trying to work on the basics like you would with anyone that’s picking up a new sport. So footwork and jump stops and body balance and a right hand and left hand layups and a working on his forearm in terms of his shooting technique, his shooting mechanics.
Speaker 6 (53m 16s): How does the quick learner Kevin sorry, two. How was Kevin? Bacon and I had a lefthanded lap.
Speaker 7 (53m 25s): Nope. Um,
Speaker 6 (53m 26s): he needed some reps. Did you ever
Speaker 7 (53m 31s): was his attitude? You know, he, he really took it seriously. He wanted to get better and it really speaks to the way he approached his craft as an actor. And so not surprising that he’s had the career that he’s had because I think that’s the way he approaches everything. Trying to refine the elevate and improve upon and also dropping into that role in wanting to know what it was like to be in an assistant coach and then eventually became a head coach in the film. I think that’s how it finishes if I’m not mistaken.
Speaker 6 (54m 2s): Yeah, I think so. And I always had that kind of thought when it comes, especially to college sports and primarily the couch Sports what’s the percentage breakdown of time spent coming up with game plans and actually coaching the kids and then your percentage time spent recruiting because it almost seems like recruiting these kids and getting them to your program is another full time job in and of itself. What’s the split when you were coaching and what is it like now?
Speaker 7 (54m 30s): No, I’d say it really is dependent upon the year. For instance, if you know your roster has balance in each class, then it’s a bit more balanced in terms of the amount of time spent on recruiting. I had a unique situation at st John’s where I inherited a program that had 10 or 11 seniors. And so after our first season we didn’t have one player going into year number two with a single minute of division one experience.
The only player we had was Malique stiff, who’s our attorney player from that first season. Now that I coach at st John’s. But he transferred after the Christmas break between semesters. And so, um, in that case, you know, we had 13 scholarships and, uh, I think we signed six or seven players in the first recruiting class of included, you know, the Angela Harris and Phil green, uh, sir Dominick pointer, uh, God’s gift. Um, Nordeen Lindsey, um, among some others, Carr, Samson.
Um, and then we had to come right back, I think with another five players in the next recruiting class. Uh, and then those players when they were juniors and seniors broke through for another NCAA tournament. My final season at st John’s. So in those first two years, uh, at st John’s, I’d say 65 to 70% of my time was spent on recruiting, uh, because of the necessity to have the lift. And, uh, it ended up being the youngest team in school history of st John’s. Uh, we had a couple of junior college players, but of course they hadn’t played a minute of division one basketball.
And so that was kind of an anomaly. It probably hasn’t happened in the history of basketball would be like taking over.
Speaker 6 (56m 16s): Right. And they didn’t have the grad transfer then. Right.
Speaker 7 (56m 21s): You, we didn’t have the grad transfers. No, we had a couple of players that did transfer it and max Hooper who transferred from Harvard and sat out of a, played a couple years for us before transferring as a grad transfer to Oakland university where he had a nice finish to his career. And now max is working with the LA Lakers.
Speaker 3 (56m 38s): You know, before this, this Corona virus hit, I know the NCA was going to vote on this transfer role where you can transfer without sitting out a year at any time. I think it’s going to happen inevitably. How do you feel about that?
Speaker 7 (56m 51s): I think like you said, inevitably, uh, evolution, you know, how we adjust and adapt. Umm, that’s one of the wonderful things about Sports in its purest form is a metaphor for life. And there are a number of virtues, skills and abilities aptitudes that we can develop, uh, through our participation in sport and yet they can sustain us, um, beyond sport, beyond our playing career for the rest of our lives. And so you just have to adjust, I think.
Um, it was something that was inevitable. Um, like so many of the changes that were seeing the amateur model for decades, uh, didn’t change or adapt or evolve at the necessary pace. And then when you don’t have evolution, eventually you have a revolution. And that’s not just with the NCAA, that’s not just with our country, but the entire world and the history of this world. It’s all about evolving to change, whether it’s technology, the information age, uh, the three point line and basketball are now these transfer rules.
And so as a coach, what you try and do is set a good example for your players and be able to adjust to the trends and be able to adjust to circumstances you’re dealing with.
Speaker 3 (58m 3s): Well, will you talk, you talk about adjusting and you’ve, you’ve done that throughout your career coaching in like the Heartland in the middle of the country and on each coast in the biggest cities, which, which style, which stylistically, which campus do you like the most? Which environment do you like the most?
Speaker 7 (58m 22s): For me, it’s a great question. I mean, I think the way I’m wired, the way I was raised is to be grateful. Um, you know, we’re born and we have our first breath and, um, you know, eventually, uh, we have our last breath and we pass away and everything in between is an opportunity to be grateful for the gift of the present. And so when I was hired at Perdu in the big 10 conference, um, as a graduate assistant coach, you know, the learn from Jean Katie and at the time, those were the golden years of the big 10, yet we had to nail when the light jut Heath code of Michigan state, Bobby Knight at Indiana.
Bill foster just come over from Duke, was in Northwestern, Tom Davis at Iowa, just the name of few. And uh, so I was happy at Purdue, uh, learning from the best in the business, taking notes as an apprentice, uh, and then being at UCLA 12 years, learn from John Wooden, uh, coach Herrick as well, and brought me to UCLA. And that boiler maker with coach wooden was one of the things was very helpful and eventually becoming the head coach.
First I was in the interim coach and UCLA became the permanent head coach for seven years. And without coach would and that tie back to Purdue and the big 10 and the state of Indiana. I never become a rookie, 32 year old coach. But the New York symbol, energy empire state of mind is no joke. It’s not just the lyrics and in the song, but uh, it’s palpable. Uh, Madison square garden, uh, the energy people in New York love basketball, appreciate good basketball, whether it’s give and go pick and roll or the back door cutter playing good defense and rotating to take a charge.
They’ll get out of their seats and show their appreciation. The garden, if you’re hustling, that’s for burns and getting after it. So I love New York. The culture, the diversity, the ethnicity, the energy of that city of the architecture, uh, is lights out. So I basically, you know, if I’m coaching basketball, which is the passion and something I loved to do, I enjoy, uh, wherever I’m coaching. So, uh, each of the stops for different reasons were really special.
Speaker 6 (1h 0m 30s): You say it’s a, it’s a passion, uh, coaching basketball. What do you think has to happen to get you back at a school? A coach and up again,
Speaker 7 (1h 0m 38s): you know, it’s really about a good fit. You know, I was at ESPN, ABC for seven years between coaching stops a UCLA in st John’s and I’m at one point I fought broadcasting might be what takes me to the finish line professionally. Uh, but then st John’s came knocking and the guard and the big East New York city, great recruiting base, uh, history, tradition, um, as good as it gets. And that’s what brought me back. So it’s really about a good fit in terms of the people, uh, you know, what their vision of the mission statement, uh, the way they view the basketball program and its role on the campus.
Uh, if I’m in alignment with the leadership at university, that makes a good marriage. And so I’d really is about fit, you know, just like any aspect of life, you want to find out where you can add value and, uh, and be supported in a way that you can be successful. And so if that came along, I’d be open to return to coaching. But if broadcasting takes me to the finish line, I’m also going to be grateful for that opportunity cause I’m enjoying the work at Fox sports and being able to cover the NCAA tournament, uh, with CBS and Turner come March.
Speaker 6 (1h 1m 51s): Yeah. Uh, w Hey, when you mentioned, uh, you were, when you were at Purdue with Jean Katie, legendary coach, you know, your rivals were where the Hoosier is and Bobby Knight, how was that? I mean, that’s, that’s gotta be, you’re going up against it. At the time, you know, Bobby Knight was the, uh, you know, the coach that couldn’t be stopped in a way. Um, how was that experience?
Speaker 7 (1h 2m 10s): No, that was big 10 basketball at its best during that era. I think the golden years of the big 10 were those, you know, mid eighties through the mid nineties, because of those coaches that we talked about and those personalities where at their respective universities a for decades I was a different era. We don’t see that as often. There’s, you know, Mike Shashefski of Jim Bay, I’m Jim Calhoun, lute Olson, you know, coaches there, what their university’s for 20, 25 years.
Jay right now I think is moving up towards 18 seasons with Villanova. Tom is, I had the great run in the Baton from Judd Heath coat and those two really have been at Michigan state for what’s coming up on 40 plus years, if I’m not mistaken. So being in the big 10 during that golden era, watching the personalities of a Bob night and a Jean Katie go at it, a fan’s in the big 10 in the state of Indiana are as good as it gets, a rabid fans that have an appreciation for the history of the game.
And so, um, it was just unique. It’s bananas in terms of the passion that’s on display in that, uh, Purdue, Indiana rivalry. And I consider myself fortunate to participate as an assistant coach and then to cover it as a broadcaster, which I’ve been able to do a number of times as well.
Speaker 6 (1h 3m 32s): Yeah. And unfortunately you weren’t able to cover March madness like everyone else. It got canceled. Uh, what do you think about the NCA coming in and not giving the spring athletes an extra year of eligibility? Do you agree with that decision?
Speaker 7 (1h 3m 48s): Well, I think the reason it happened, uh, was the logistics. I don’t think it could have been executed. So even if they chose to do it, I think it could have been a calamity. Uh, there could have been lawsuits and all kinds of issues. And while it’s heartbreaking that there were players in their senior year, uh, they weren’t able to participate not only in March madness but in other sports, um, on both the men’s and women’s side. And so while it’s heartbreaking, uh, we are this unfortunate set of circumstances.
A pandemic is serious on the, even though I love sports and as a coach and a competitor and as a broadcaster would of loved to have seen, you know, seniors go out and they deserve. But I think in some ways it, you know, the world teaches us things. Stepping back, taking a deep breath, uh, putting priorities in their proper order. And when we’re talking about life or death, that’s supersedes a pandemic supersedes March madness. And so I still think there are lessons to be learned or gleaned even from unfortunate, horrifying experiences like the Corona virus.
Speaker 6 (1h 4m 58s): Well, and do you see any scenario grant, let’s just say everything seems to get back on track. They’re able to open colleges in the fall. They’re able to start the college basketball season on time. Again, that’s, you know, optimistic and it’s tough to predict any of this stuff right now. Do you think there’s any chance they do a, uh, like a fall March madness or some sort of Bob Huggins was pushing for that? Yeah. Do you think, do you think Bob Huggins is onto something or are you, or is it just kind of crazy throwing that out there?
Speaker 7 (1h 5m 29s): Well, for starters, Bob Huggins, one of my favorite people and all the college basketball, tennis, the, I refer to him as the Robert Mitchum of college basketball coaches are rugged individualists. Not afraid to speak his mind and loved the way he was play. But in this situation, I think it’s a wonderful idea, but the execution I think would be a possible given the logistics again and um, reliability issues.
And, and I just think we’re, as we say, in that new normal and that new normal is going to be informed, uh, literally by the hour, not just the days. Uh, but as we gain more information about this virus that we know so little about, it’s really in its infancy, which is the frightening idea or concept to get our minds wrapped around that. But we have to just be in prudence and really make informed decisions as we go along. And again, I’d love to see the March madness in the fall, but I’m not sure, or even close to really being able to execute and deliver on a promise like that.
Speaker 6 (1h 6m 38s): When you speak in about the, uh, the new normal and it ended appears maybe we’re entering a new normal with a highly recruited high school coach, basketball players opting to take a NBA G league contract and pick up $500,000 instead of going to college basketball, do you think that’s going to hurt the college basketball game or is it going to weed out some of the one and dones and bring back for your players? And in a weird way, make college basketball stronger. Which way do you see it going?
Speaker 7 (1h 7m 6s): No, I think it’ll be a mixed bag. There’s going to be some players obviously that we all would of loved to have had an opportunity to watch play in college. Um, but I also think it’s going to put more of an emphasis, more of a spotlight on upperclassmen. Um, players stay in school for three or four years, uh, who we have an opportunity to get to know as they grow. Uh, young people who grow up and blossom right before our eyes because they are on the stage, the college basketball presents.
Um, but I think the NCAA, uh, with the NAPC with USA basketball is gonna put their heads together and they’re going to try and continue to figure out ways to make the college experience attractive to the elite players in the country. It doesn’t mean there won’t be some that go right out of high school and, you know, bypass the college experience. Uh, but I do think, um, it’s incumbent upon us to find ways given the changing culture, uh, to retain some of the best players and make sure that they are in college.
I mean, think how different basketball would be a magic Johnson or Larry Bird hadn’t gone to college and not only they change elevate, uh, the college basketball game in its popularity, but then couple of years later in the NBA, they changed in the elevator, the popularity of the professional basketball if the highest level in this world. So we still want to make sure that we get enough in the magic Johnsons, the Carmelo Anthony’s, the Larry bird’s the pervious Ellison’s, the adjacent kids, those players come in and transform a program.
Elevator programs as freshmen.
Speaker 8 (1h 8m 54s): Yeah. Uh, no coach, you’ve been on both sides of the, of March madness essentially. You know, and I know that both these things have to like, you know what, probably you probably wake up in the middle of the night wondering, Hey, you know, you got the tire set and the game winner at Missouri or against Missouri, not at Missouri. And you got, you know, you’ve been on the other side of that spectrum where, where, you know, with the Princeton or in Detroit, which bothers you more to this day when you reflect and be like, Oh man, you know, like,
Speaker 7 (1h 9m 22s): it’s a good question. I’d say for different reasons. Again, um, they’re almost different categories. You know, NCAA tournament games have more significance because it’s a one and done scenario. And so if you make a run to the national championship, to the elite eight, ah, to the final for that special, that’s a unique kind of rare Air uh, in terms of being able to experience something like that. So the 95 national championship is so special.
Um, and yet I’d also say a road winds in tough environments are something you look back on fondly and also your rivalry games. I’d say those, the three areas when I looked back on my career or the games that were biggest or most significant or memorable or the NCAA tournament games, uh, rivalry games, uh, and then winning on the road to go to chapel Hill and beat Carolina are going to Purdue Macarena and knock them off. Those are special, you know, Stanford or USC in a rivalry game, obviously special given its cross town rivalry on the history of the USC and UCLA, Perdue in Indiana as you mentioned.
Um, so, and you remember the first round of losses. I mean you go back and review, you know, what you could have done differently in terms of the substitution or maybe switch into his own earlier or spring of the full court press on it in a different time on the game or Byrne in the time out or not using that time out. And again, that’s why sports is a metaphor for life. If we look back on the arc of our life, there’s decisions. You make that workout, there’s decisions you make that don’t work out, but it’s what you learn along the way that matters most. And that’s what wisdom of life experience is about.
So I’d say the tie us and me, you know, Missouri mad dash game winner, uh, up there in Boise is something that will always rank near the top in terms of special moments in a basketball career.
Speaker 6 (1h 11m 20s): The w when it comes to, to kind of locking in a recruit, you do you have like a GoTo closer line? Like what do I gotta do to put you in a st John’s a Jersey? Like, do you have a line get you throw it at the end or really sum things up or your final sales pitch to the player.
Speaker 7 (1h 11m 38s): You know, it’s interesting. Every coach is different. And you know, my teachers, my parents, uh, coach wooden, coach Katie really emphasized, be true to myself. Um, you know, be authentic, be real, uh, listen and drop into that moment with that family. And that prospect is support group, uh, whether it’s in the home, uh, during the home visit or whether they are on campus or whether your on the phone. And, uh, I apply that regardless of recruiting.
I just think that’s the better way, which is the authenticity and being yourself. Because a young people in particular have an antenna and they’ll see through phony if your presentation is canned and um, it’s one that’s, you know, used over and over regardless.
Speaker 6 (1h 12m 30s): You sound like a used car salesman.
Speaker 7 (1h 12m 32s): In what way?
Speaker 6 (1h 12m 34s): Yeah. They that’ll turn them off.
Speaker 7 (1h 12m 37s): Exactly. And so it’s all about connection, establishing trust and rapport. And even if a player choose another university, you want them to do well because that’s someone you spent some time with and at least in my case, you know, built the relationship with and um, so I didn’t rely on kind of hook, line and sinker or you know, uh, cliches. Um, instead I just liked to ask questions and listen and that will inform how we could better deliver an experience, whether it was at Purdue or UCLA or st John’s and, um, young student that’s interested in broadcasting or journalism.
Uh, when I sit down or talk to them, I’m going to ask a lot of questions and elicit responses that’ll help me move in a more informed manner to help that young person or get them closer to their potential or their goals or aspirations or at least closer to their full expression of potential. Cause none of us are perfect, but, uh, we’re striving, we’re trying to get better. And that’s what this experience is between our first breath. And our last is trying to make the most of our time here.
Speaker 8 (1h 13m 44s): Yeah, yeah, exactly. Well said, coach. Now, now you know, obviously you spend a lot of time at UCLA, Mick Cronin in inches year one. You know, I know they had, you know, they had Alfred previously and things in work out with Steve Alford. So Mick Cronin comes in it and to start the year, I mean they were kind of a all over the place. I feel like losing to Cal state Fullerton was really, you know, a big let down for that for the UCLA fans. We live in Los Angeles here. So, uh, we’re not, I live not far from Westwood and uh, he was really turning that program around.
It’s a shame we didn’t get the see March. It’s really a shame we didn’t get to see March because he was really turning that around in year one. What’s your, what’s your thoughts on Mick Cronin at UCLA?
Speaker 7 (1h 14m 24s): Well, high marks for Mick Cronin, if you look at the last half of this past college basketball season, he be in the national coach of the year. And in particular a given, it was his inaugural season and the team had their struggles and that’s a tough town in a tough environment coach and under 11 national championship banners and the legacy, the gold standard, the John Wooden created UCLA is second to none in sport, not just basketball. And the fact that he was able to get his team off the map after some really tough losses, some eyesores and had them, the hottest team in the pack, 12 coming down the stretch play in terrific defense and a cohesive brand of authentic and sharing the basketball.
And you could see that group started to really play well in concert at both ends of the floor. They were tied together and so he would have been national coach of the year. If you look at the sample size of the second half of this past season, uh, so high marks, uh, he’s the recruiter and he’s adapted well and then the hope is that they can stay with someone for a sustained amount of time and if he can stay there a decade or more, I think he could really get it going.
That’s a big gift because obviously it’s a unique situation there in my book, uh, as good a job as there is in the country. But it comes with a certain set of challenges and mix at a point in his career in terms of his age and his prior stops and his mentors where he can manage and navigate and I think have a chance to be there for a sustained amount of time if the university backs him through some down years. Even if you have a losing streak or two losing seasons, you’ve gotta stay the course the way there were.
No, the did with Jay. Right. Because it led to two national titles in the last five seasons and they were ready to fire him at one point. The leadership of Villanova was strong enough to stay with Jay and it’s paid big dividends. Same with Tony Bennett. Uh, there were some years he struggled but now got a national championship and uh, has been dominant.
Speaker 8 (1h 16m 37s): They were, and they were coming on too.
Speaker 7 (1h 16m 39s): Coach and UCC.
Speaker 8 (1h 16m 41s): Yeah. They were coming on much like UCLA live in the second half of the year. But you know, it’s funny how that works out because uh, you know, the off season for UCLA last year, they originally were going to hire Rick Barnes in then it was a Jamie Dixon of TCU and it just seemed like, you know, this is crazy wild goose chase and you know, they finally get Mick Cronin and I read, you know, a lot of the publications out here were kind of bashing the, the, the S the coaching search. And I thought it was potentially a blessing in disguise. And I really wish we could’ve seen the season shake out
Speaker 6 (1h 17m 10s): because I feel like UCLA would of been a thorn in anyone’s side of the way they were playing in March.
Speaker 7 (1h 17m 15s): Well they took care of the basketball, uh, by the end of the year of you weren’t turning the ball over that it hurt them at certain points earlier on the season and then they were defending in a way that allowed them to get a string of stops or shutouts. And then they started to get some easy baskets off of their defense cause they, you’d get out of the open court, uh, tiger Campbell, uh, was improving in terms of his decision making, his judgments, playing with more confidence seats. You got the afterburners go in as well once he was at full strength and you got to see his ability to separate, uh, from defenders and be able to create off the balance and made good judgments off the dribble penetration.
So there’s no doubt UCLA would of been a handful for anyone to play. They also impose their preferred bone style of play. Now, that’s what Nick has done for the years. I faced him when I was in the old big East back in 2010, 11, 12, and he was in Cincinnati at the time. And that he’s evolving and growing as a coach because he’s interested and he comes from a basketball family. He’s going to adjust and adapt. Like one of the things we talked about earlier, you’re in the podcast and that’s the key is you gotta be flexible and be nimble in your thinking and things don’t always work out like you think they are, but you gotta be able to pivot and that move in the direction that it’s going to put your team in a competitive situation or advantage
Speaker 6 (1h 18m 36s): coach. There’s a, uh, there’s a great documentary on HBO called the scheme where they’re kind of exploring, uh, players getting paid in college basketball. Uh, did you see the documentary and do you think there’s anything that can be done to kind of clean up that aspect of, uh, college sports?
Speaker 7 (1h 18m 54s): Well, I think like any industry, um, you know, obviously this most recent FBI investigation and the trials that came as a result, um, because of the wire taps and, uh, the attempt to the FBI to clean up college basketball, it’s salacious. That’s why there’s documentaries and we might even see books or movies, umm, on this chapter in college basketball history. Uh, I think like any industry, um, law medicine, uh, government, uh, there’s gonna always be a degree of, um, this steps, uh, scandals.
Uh, and that just comes with the territory. I think now in the information in the 24 hour news cycle, uh, Twitter, Instagram, maybe it’s magnified and the salaciousness and the sexiness of these headlines. But the reality is there’s been an element of that in the history of all sports and all industries. Um, and obviously at the moment, if the latest news write the, gets the attention and I think the NCAA of the ABC USA basketball, um, they’re working, you know, 24 on trying to protect this game, but also grow it and evolve it.
And, uh, there’s the socioeconomic implications, um, because of the NCAA, the revenue that’s generated. Uh, and then also student athletes. Uh, they’ve come from situations, from their socioeconomic perspective. Um, that’s led to this revolution. And so I think what will come out of this, um, even if we look at the brand likeness, uh, element, uh, similar to the way the Olympics had to adjust and they were able to do it, people thought it would be the end of the Olympics and was popularity, but the Olympics are doing as well as ever.
Speaker 6 (1h 20m 50s): And we are a, we’re based out of Southern California. I know you lived in Venice, California for a long time. Lot of characters there. What’s kinda the, the craziest thing you saw living in Venice for a time?
Speaker 7 (1h 21m 3s): You know, it’s interesting. I loved my time in Venice and I think the most interesting element was seeing the change through the years. I arrived in Southern California in 1991 and obviously a real change from West Lafayette, Indiana to Southern California. And then us in particular. But I love the energy. There’s aspects of Venice or I was residing, other reminds me of Northern California parts of San Francisco, Berkley in particular, and a similar to what I loved about New York.
Um, different, obviously other sides of the country and the weather preferable in California. But I enjoyed the change when I was in New York. And, uh, with Venice, it’s just the mics of the beach life, the beach culture, but also the artists and that kind of creative energy, uh, the pulse that’s created from that. And, uh, the mix of old Venice and new Venice, uh, what’s happening right now, even though, uh, it’s sad to see a lot of the old Venice residents, um, shop owners and artists get pushed out because Abbott Kenny’s become the sexy street in America as they say, the designers and all the top chefs and people coming in.
Um, and that part’s heartbreaking cause I seen that change and there’s people, you know, have been affected by the change. And of course with the technology and the boom, the tapping and in Southern California in that respect, that’s changed things. But again, this is a consistent theme, right? We’re talking about basketball, the Olympics, the NCAA or Venice beach or the Corona virus. Um, it’s about how do you adjust, use ingenuity. And that’s what’s happening right now is people are forced to begin to think differently and think creatively and work in a cohesive manner, uh, to problem solve.
And that’s what’s going on with the Corona virus. And that’s what’s going on with college basketball. And, uh, those are themes that transcend the outcome of a game or championship season or what a coach is. Record is, uh, but their more lasting kind of universals that are more important. It’s a skein, uh, beyond one season or a new cycle.
Speaker 6 (1h 23m 24s): Well, uh, Steve appreciate you calling in and uh, make sure you give Steve Lavin a Follow on Twitter at Steve Lavin 64 and on Instagram as well. Also Steve Lavin 64 and then, uh, check out all of his work on Fox sports, CVS and Turner coach. Appreciate you calling in. And uh, that was a lot of fun. Yeah,
Speaker 7 (1h 23m 44s): really, really enjoyed it, fellows. Let’s do it again.
Speaker 6 (1h 23m 47s): That’s for sure. Definitely looking forward to hearing you. Uh, call college basketball. This, uh, well, hopefully. Hopefully this one. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (1h 23m 55s): Yeah. If not, if not, we’ll do a weekly check and I’ll be your man in the field of here in Northern California.
Speaker 6 (1h 23m 60s): Done. There we go. That sounds awesome. Love it. That sounds great. Coach. Be safe. Stay home and be safe. Thanks Steve. Appreciate it.
Speaker 0 (1h 24m 9s): Thanks again to Steve Lavin for calling into the show. Make sure you enter your bracket for Madden MAYhem chance of $10,000 in my bookie credits. That’s Sports Gambling, podcast.com/madden get yourself in the running for the TD cash by doing the social posts. Hashtag Madden Mayhem and give us the five star reviews. Come on, we’re keeping you. We’re keeping you going in the quarantine. Perfect time to spread the word on the podcast. I appreciate all the word you guys do on spreading the word, but you know, this is the perfect time.
Get people hooked on the podcast. They don’t think their sports going on. They’re wrong. We’re simulating them and we’re a, we’re betting on them. We’re doing play by play. We’re doing it all. Thank you for participating in the Sports Gambling Podcast I am Sean stacking the money green and he is Ryan
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