The Jason Smith Show with Mike HarmonEven without Jayson Tatum, the Celtics are the champs and still really talented. They certainly have the right to win one game at home. It's fine. Jason explains why the Dallas Cowboys should be on in Primetime every week. Plus, a visit from NFL Insider Jason Cole!
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Why did you welcome everybody to the Celtics postgame show?
It did it? We're gonna talk about it. We're talking about it right now. Celtics postgame Show. I'm I'm absolutely fine. I'm fine. It's fine. This whole thing is fine. Everything's fine, Everything is fine. What did I told you?
Laette is not gonna hit people with the tennis racket like this?
Every time I told you last night, this was absolutely expected. I expected the Knicks to play a game where they thought, well, if we can hang around and keep it close, maybe we can pull it out right, kind of like the Pacers last night. All right, well, but then all of a sudden, the Cavaliers let the Pacers all the way back in the game. But this, if we can stick around, but then, what did I say? The two things? Obviously, the Knicks are gonna have one of those. We're kind of halfway in games. And this is the way it goes with officiating in the NBA. You understand certain games are gonna get officiated a certain way, and I knew coming in. Okay, this is the Celtics game. However you want to say, it's gonna be a gonna get the benefits of the officiating, it's gonna go back to New York. I'm not mad, I'm not upset. I'm not saying, oh good, but I mean Jalen Brunson fouled out a one game all year, and the game where the Knicks can go for the close or he fouls out. I mean, the game's gonna get officiated a certain way. Congratulations Tony Brothers. But I'm fine. I'm not upset that this is how it goes. We'll see you on Friday for game six. It's this is absolutely fine. I expected this result. Everything is going along to according to plan. This is like the point in the movie where the bad guy sees the plan start to get a little weird and he goes everything is as expected.
You know.
It's when Hans Gruber says police intervention was was inevitable. We're gonna use it to our advance. I realize how it ended for Hans Grueber, but police intervention was inevitable. Everything is fine. We stick with the plan. That's kind of where I am right now. Everything is fine, We stick with the plan. I'll see you Friday at the greatest arena on Earth.
Not to be fair, your guy Brunson, a couple of those files, we're just silly falls Yeah no, and a couple of times it was the I'm gonna throw the body into you.
Uh.
They'd seen that on tape, so they were getting out of his way and he was falling around you know, like us sometimes at the end of a wing session where you know the assault intake has taken us out. But it's the curiosity for a game like this. I look, officiating, do with it what you will. Uh you got the game of his life from Mitchell Robinson at the line.
Yeah, oh yeah, yeah, I mean that was Will.
Ferrell dedating James Carville in old school. Yeah, I blacked out. I don't even know what was happening. But you got out, played, out, hustled, And that's not something that you see very often from a Knicks team right.
To where it had well, you saw game I saw it in Game three, but.
That was a lot of you got out shot right. There was a lot of fifty to fifty balls that it's like, we're not doing that same I'm grinded out kind of sequencing that we normally get from the Knicks.
Yeah, but I told you, Look, I told you going into game into game three, it's going to be a game where the Knicks are going to be somewhat happy that they're up to games to none, and they played that way. And I told you last night game game five, this is gonna be the same thing they'll see if they can hang around is see if the Celtics are done, and the Celtics aren't because they're the champs, and of course they're going to go back and not just say we're folding. They had a big night. That a big night, you know. White carried then then Jalen Brown got hot in the second half and you saw the way the game was a fit. Karl Anthony Town started the game with four fouls, right, I expected this again, I'm not mad, this is just I knew the game was going to get officiated this way. Didn't count on Brunson fouling out. But hey, okay, this is how it goes, and I'll see you on Friday night where things will be a little bit different than MSG. I will see you started.
With four and finished with four for talents and that's physical. They allowed a lot to go on in terms of hanging and banging down in the low post, and you lost by twenty five. So you only you can only complain about the officiating so much.
I said, it's a combination of both and it was expected. I've n four. This is not what I'm signed up for.
You broke things to Frostburg as he became a when I signed up this series, it just it.
It's okay. They extended the series on one more day. It's what are you gonna say when it's three to three? It's okay, it's it's it's not gonna be the series one more The Knicks are winning on Friday night. It is a coronation on Friday night at Madison Square.
Here's the question is, well, we're watching this other game. But for your guy Brunson, you know, it was a seven for seventeen effort minus eighteen. Josh Hart bloodied, didn't.
Miss a minute, no eight in the game, didn't miss a minute.
Here, committed to sprint over and our guy that we celebrated last time out, O Gananobi. He was a nice ripe. One for twelve.
Yeah no, not a great night for a time, not a great night. But look, but it also look and it comes down to this too. I'm telling you I'm fine. I'm not gonna suddenly explode, might explod like I'm a robot and suddenly, oh look now, now this is what happens. The Celtics are the champs. They played a great regular season, they were a great team. They have the right to win one game at home in a in a playoff series, I expect the Celtics to win one game at home at least, right, But now, hey, they lost to the Knicks, won the first they won tonight, even without Jason Tatum. Right, they still have a really talented team. They got the sixth man of the Year and Pretrad a couple of really nasty threes like they have. They can win one game at It's okay they win one game at home. If they win one game at home this series, I'm happy. I'm fine, right that they win one game that they certainly have the right to do it.
As long as they don't win that second. Right, Yeah, Derek White with a monster game, would be remiss not to give him a little bit of throwing the flowers his way. Seven to thirteen from three point range, finding the stroke. As this game kind of got away fourth quarter, Brunson had the reach in file, which was clear. It's like, I give it a minute, so coach figures out the rotation and now I'm gonna go give Tony Brothers a piece of my mind. While this goes into a review, even though it was clear as day, you know, he raked across the arm, but it was just, you know, fun little strategy by the veteran, like I'll get that call next time, I'll get the the extra you know, throwing my body around situationally as he would normally get those foul calls. And he got a couple in the fourth before he exited early. But playing the final seven minutes without Brunson, it was tough to watch.
Yeah, yeah, to watch. Yes, no, I mean, look, you get once in a while where Brunson's out and suddenly, you know, McBride comes in and has a big you know, a few minutes. All look at this. It's so unexpected. But yeah, no, and look this gets into the fact we talked about Brunson being a top five NBA player, and not only is he a tough, but he's he's incredibly exciting where you don't realize, oh wow, he makes things really exciting for a guy that's not tall and not fast. It's the knicks are really exciting when he plays. But the reason is because he holds out of the ball. Right, we're really.
Excitlerate to him because he's not tall and he's not fast, just like the rest of us, exactly of us of us.
Who's not tall, who's not fast?
Me?
You're my guy? You are absolutely my guy.
Do you think I'll still trying to stand for Kyler Murray?
You're my guy?
Come on?
But people forget.
Oh.
Yeah, he makes it because he makes big shots in many different ways. No, he doesn't blow by guys and dunk. But he finds a way to get to the hoop and make a big pass or make a big fade away or hit a three when it looks like he has nowhere to get the ball off. He's really really exciting and not people are coming around to it now. So congratulations.
What do you think his over under is on the number of dunks this year?
Ooh for brunts? I don't know. Three. I mean maybe, I mean, really that's a thing when he does it, but I don't, I don't, I don't. I don't know, man. Maybe three.
I mean you just got me thinking how many times have we seen him sky?
I don't know. I don't know, man, But it's funny you think about that. If you google, if you get Jalen brunts and dunks, Oh you have zero matches? Okay, great? Uh Jalen brunts and dunks.
As many people say, just like my dating Friday night.
Yeah, zero match. No, he actually he actually does. He just doesn't dunk a dunk of ton. But he can dunk like he dunked. He dunk pretty well in the past. He just doesn't get a you know, he doesn't. He doesn't really get a chance to. I mean a guy six two, you know, he doesn't. It's got to be a big breakaway dunk where Okay, everything is fine. It's not like I'm gonna he's not gonna tat him his way like I'm going by you and two big giant steps from the from the arc in suddenly it's a dunk. No, it's got to be. Hey, here's a breakaway check behind me, look both way, looking both mirrors, look behind you. Okay, signal come out like that's what it is to have him dunk. But no, but he can dunk.
Okay, Well, I mean now that we've established that, that's a victory. Good game and a half third quarter gets away from you, and then fourth quarter just run away and I'm fine.
I'm fine again. I'm not gonna suddenly go crazy and do my normal all right, but now my real thing, No, no, no, I'm my blood pressure never rose. I was never got upset. I never got angry. No, I never did. The only person who got angry was Pam. Okay, And here's why run away no no, no, no, no, no, no, no no no, because where Because she sat down with me to watch the second half and she goes, how's it going? I said, ah, the Knicks are gonna lose. She goes, okay, But she sits down to watch to watch again with me, and she's playing a game on a computer and I'm watching the game and it's going and and she goes, okay. Either I leave the room where you turn the sound down and I go why she goes, because that is the fifteenth time in the last ten minutes that one of them has mentioned that one of the play by play guys has mentioned the Jason Tatum injury. I'm done. I know he's hurt. I know I'm done. I'm done. How many times is Reggie Miller gonna say that? And I go, you have a good point, but it's a pretty big story, but I get it. You So either I leave or you turn the sound out. So I turn this this is.
Where you run and you pull up the spreadsheet of the average time spent listening and the changes to the rules and everything. It's like, look, we've got to reset repeatedly because that audience is always changing. They're always coming in and going, where's Jason Tatum? Is he ready to take over the game? No, he's not there.
Yeah, where's Jason Jason? No, everybody watching this game knows that Jason Tatum is hurt. Everybody knows, but they But then I started to notice him. We're like, wow, really, that's like they they can't even focus on anything else. Reggie Miller just keeps keeps talking about Jason Tatum. Jason are like okay, Like I didn't think about it because it's kind of look most of the time, and I tell you, when I watch a game being broadcast, the play by play, unless they're breaking down an injury, or they're breaking down a a a questionable call or a foul, like, it's just noise, right, Like, I don't I don't pay as much attention. Everybody gets worked up over who's calling games and who what not. I don't really care because, you know, half the time, unless it's something that that I need to pay attention to, it's just noise. So I didn't really notice and then I'm watching and I turned this because you know, obviously, you know I want to still live with my wife. So I said, okay, well that's good. Reggie Miller can say what he wants. I'm turning the sound all the way up. No, I turned the sound out. But yeah, it really was a consistent, you know, narrative of Okay, I get it, I get it. No, Jason Tatum, I get it.
Some of it is the gravity of the situation, not just the gravity of his injury. And I'm sure they showed the graphic of him with the thumbs up at least three times during the course of the telecast. But it's the idea of excuse making, excuse making slash reason. Hey, you know what if this second half goes to hell, remember Jason Tatum's not there. And then as they pulled away, it's like, hey, let's add the narrative. Let's keep putting the graphic up and speaking into the consciousness. You know, they're ten and two when he doesn't play. So this series is not over. Stay tuned, Stay tuned. We're not anywhere close to don The Knicks still have their hands full even with Jason dam We love Jason Tatum, great player, resert They're dead and two without him.
This is where you know sports fans are so much smarter, because do you remember right before the election, there was a story like like maybe like a week before the election, there was a story that you wouldn't believe the number of searches on a computer that people have in their computer of is Biden running for president? Like people like people, I'm like, are you kidding me? People didn't know that Biden wasn't running, Like the It's a week before the election. How are people searching that?
Right?
And I'm like, okay, Nobody watching this game thought that Jason Tatum was playing. Now, this is how smart sports fans are. Nobody thought, oh, I'll come to why is Tatum not in the game? Oho? Oh they're better off without them, that's right, Yeah, I see the record that yeah, off better. Everybody knew that Jason Tatum was out. This is how smart sports fans are. They all knew you can't you can't be a sports fans. They all knew you still beat again. They're the champs, They're still really good. They have the right to win one game at home, and that's what they did. They won one game at Allatum? Do you congratulations? Whose side do you want? Frostburg? Come on, now, you gotta.
Pick a side, and you're against Boston. You were on my side, his hand in front of his face, going, you can't see me right, you're.
More upset about this loss than I am. You were singing, go New York, Go New York, going Yeah, Okay, there's Friday Night. Friday Night, got bad guys, Friday will party, will order food, I'll have dancers. It'll be That's the way Friday Night. That's gonna be. Man. Yeah, I'm gonna have the dancers.
You can have Jason Tatum dance in a wheelchair for you.
Yeah. No, I actually do have a fun I actually really weirdly. I have a fun wheelchair story for you. I will tell later on the show. Fun wheelchair?
Is it the one from the movie where the guy goes down the stairs.
Friday the thirteenth, Part two, When the guy comes out, it goes all the way down like the five thousand steps. No, ready for a new job? Let Express Employment professionals help. While Express helps people in all industries fine work, our sweet spot is logistics roles and Express never charges job seekers of feet go to Expresspros dot com. That is Expresspros dot com. Well, coming up next, Yes, we'll have more from the NBA Warriors t Wolves. Right now, Tea Wolves going for the closer. They're going to the second quarter with a thirty to twenty three lead over the Warriors. Would have been a ten point lead, but somehow and Edwards misses a layup where all he's got to do is finish, and instead the Warriors take it the other way and get a bucket. But a seven point lead for the Tea Wolves going to the second quarter. But coming up next, it is a big day today in the NFL. It was schedule release day. And you want a great, big hot take, we got it for We got a piping hot schedulely sot take coming your way next. Jason to Mike.
You're listening to Fox Sports Radio, Go New York. Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason's Smiths Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Fox Sports Radio. The Jason smith Show with My best friend Mike Harmon. If you're ready to lose weight, get the expert help a phdweight loss, no injections or prescriptions, fast weight loss results. They work for me and Mike, they'll work for you. We've each lost forty five pounds nearly forty five pounds each since we been doing phdweight loss. Call and schedule a consult today. Visit myphdweightloss dot com. That's my phdweightloss dot com. Minnesota Leeds Golden State right now, thirty eight to thirty one. Early in the second quarter. We'll have more NBA on the way. But of course today NFL schedule release day. And I'll tell you what. There is a There is a not many things in this world, Mike Harmon that are perfect. I mean you'd say, oh, it's perpose pre Nah. Perfect is something that is a little overrated. There's not as much perfection as you think. And that's good because perfection is something big to strive for. And you know, so okay, you know, strive for perfection.
It's the flaws that make us unique and great.
The Chargers minecraft schedule release today is perfection. It is absolute perfection. Could I couldn't get over how good it was when I watched it. I really it is. I mean, if you've played Minecraft for five seconds. It's it's I can't if you've seen the movie, it's perfect and look and you know me, I've played Minecraft for the last ten years, right, I've played tons of Minecraft. All this stuff. It looks like people spent all these time building all the way and I'm sure a lot of it was done with computers and effects. Like I don't know, do you have enough people on Frostburg. You tell me you have people on staff able to build all these Minecraft worlds for seventeen weeks of a season. I don't know that there's enough time. But it is absolute perfection. All the matchups are great, my good when the when Sam Darnold turns from if I'm a Viking into a seahawk and leaves and he's, you know, fit making his uniform. Really it is unbelievable. I want to watch it like five or six, four times because I know it's layered, and I know there's jokes that I miss that I didn't see like the first two or three times, So I'm going to continue to watch it all like, because I know there's stuff I miss that I want to catch.
Is there a brawl in a Starbucks and Minecraft?
Uh?
No, there is no, there is no they they actually they actually have the rapid Port and Shordan Schultz.
When you put the names over the top, you see the uh the logo and you laugh.
Look.
I've never played a minute of Minecraft, and other than seeing numerous previews and commercials, I've not seen the movie either, but I take enough from it. Uh the little jokes that are in Tier. And it was funny because for a moment, I mean, you had the Colts did a Minecraft too, and I was wondering if they got to see some desist, you know, like it was straight out and bring it on like you just stolen on.
Then I'll tell you with the the release. Yeah, Jack blackle Yeah, Jack black will do something. He'll go chicken jockey and fire the fire off the cannon. Yeah, that's how it's gonna work.
H No.
My, that's one of my favorite things is when they preview the game against the Colts, they have all the quarterbacks in a race and then Anthony Richardson runs out of gas. Anthony richards has run out of gas and he walks off the race. Him and Daniel Judges are racing around the Anthony Richardson has run out of gas, he gets out and he.
Walks off at his absolutely Well, yeah, the Colts that actually had Kyler Murray as the chicken jockey. Yeah, oh, I mean they got after it a little bit. Yeah, her cousin's in the chain and you name it if I'm not mistaken, though, Mike, the Colts had to delete their video like an hour after because it had Tyreek Hill getting arrested and getting getting talked to you by the coast guard. Let's put it that way. I I don't know that I didn't have the sound up, so I didn't know if there was a sound effect that went with it or not. But yes, it was a dolphin in a the tube, you know, like being thrown overboard or whatever, with the number ten uh and the coast guards showing up. But yes, it appears that it was deleted fairly quickly thereafter. So if you saw it, let's call it what it is, the Internet's forever. Brad Paisley's song does not lie.
Let's got It's got Mike McDaniel jumping off a boat into the water. He's underwater on a playing field.
Start going straight out of the estranged video, you know, go guns.
And r there it is unbelievable that this is what they got. They got pictures of Pete can you know they're putting up pictures on the walls Pete Carroll with no shirt on. You know they play the Raiders. It's I mean, it's amazing.
Now, It's always one of the most fun things.
Right.
We know the opponents well in advance. I mean, what do you got two variables right? Two wild card teams that come into the mix based on how you finish, but otherwise we know the the sequencing of the divisions and everything else. So to be able to get this much juice and get the creativity involved, right the Bears and the Ben Johnson stuff with a bunch of former Bears greats and current players. You got Alan Iverson shows up for the Bills. I mean, there's just so many different ways to go about it. Severance as done by the Ravens, so you know, a full day of content around two hundred and seventy two items. We just were looking for the sequencing out, but we get some extra juice along the way.
Now with the schedule release today, everybody you know, of course, everybody woke up excited. We're taking a look at where our games are. First thing I saw was, of course the Jets are going to open up with the Steelers. Of course it's gonna be Aaron Rodgers back in New York. Of course that's gonna happen. Of course that's how that's Week one. Steelers at Jets. I hope they get rudolphed. And but here's the thing. No, no, no, here's the thing. This is where I'm gonna get a little bit conspiracy theory on you. Right, did the NFL schedule a maker? Because you know, you do this with a computer, you figure things out. Okay, how much of this is maybe the NFL going, Hey, you want to come back? We still miss you. You're a big star. We everybody spend a lot. We don't want to lose you, don't We don't like losing stars. What if we gave you that first game back in New York, oh, with the Steelers. What what if we did? Could that be enough to entice you to come back and play this year? Because now I think for sure he's gonna come back. He's not gonna miss a chance to not play the Jets Week one. He's not gonna do it. He's go of court. Now that now I'm fully convinced that the Steelers are gonna get him, because how do you how do you say no to that? How do you say no to that? Hey, we'll make that first game for you. And I think the NFL, I'm sure they did that a little bit of a winking and off. They have a sense of humor, they know what they're doing. I'm sure they put that out there. Hey Aaron, yeah, I know you get to play the Jet Jets Steelers like, we don't fix that, that's that's part of the rotation. But hey, how about we do it week one. Hey, it's gonna gain a lot of attention. That's gonna get you to come back in the league. We miss you, Alon, come back and play one hundred percent.
The league knew what they were doing there well, or the nod in the wing that it was already it's already a done deal and just has not been consummated by someone going in front of a microphone going he's bad, right, he's doing the full voldemortes. Oh he's back, And we go through that process where the Michael Jordan, you know, facts of all those years ago, it's I would lean towards the ladder of all right, they already know, and it's just he hasn't had to show up for any type of workouts, so there's no reason to at this point. But here, here's week one's let's do this and just get it out of the way.
What do you say if you come back look at this game, what are you saying? Man, Yes, yes, all right, great.
Yeah, clearly clearly, but they're not going to quit the risk that he says no. So that's why I think it's got to be done, because otherwise you get Rudolph.
Now look now, the big thing from that, there's a lot of big takeaways from the scuttery. Everybody's got their own thoughts with their teams and where they're playing. And of course now congratulations, welcome back Aaron Rodgers. The biggest games that stand out from here, you have the Chiefs and the Eagles have the most stamp the loan games of anybody, which your standalone games on national television right eight and seven. The Cowboys basically they own all the holidays. They're on Thanksgiving Day against the Chiefs right there on Christmas Day. I would put Dallas on every week if I could. I mean, I'm one of those people that doesn't think every team deserves to play nationally televised games. I'm one of those people that thinks you want to get people to watch. Yeah, I know you want to give everybody one game of year as much as you can, but yeah, I'm okay if the Jets don't get a primetime game this year because they deserve it. No, do people want to see the Jets, or they'd rather see the Cowboys one more time? Or the Steelers won more time? Right, or one of the heritage teams. It's where the Lions one more time? Yeah? Great idea with the Chiefs and the Eagles, they are the two of the biggest draws in the NFL, and you see them kind of going that way with Hey, the Lions have two Monday night games. The Cowboys have the Monday night games. They have that they have that the holiday games. I mean it, even if the Cowboys stink, I would put them on seven or eight times. You saw what the ratings were for last year at the Thanksgiving Day game, right highest rated regular season game they saw you had like thirty eight and a half million people watching the Cowboys who were done. No Dak Prescott season was over playing a bad game against a bad team and still, guess what, thirty eight and a half million people watch that game. So yeah, I don't care what the Cowboys record is. I don't care what the Chiefs record is. The Eagles. I would put those high profile teams on as much as possible. I'd give the Lions five or six games because they're bleeping exciting, man, because they score forty some odd points a week, and you want to take advantage of put people on that people want to see, right, I want to see these games. I want to see the best teams, the most exciting teams play. The Steelers should be on all the time, right, the Ravens should be on as much as possible. These are the teams people want to see. And I think the NFL is slowly realizing that, Okay, we can't just put anything on because week one, clearly you could say, well, if we put the me put the Eagles on at home week one, it could be against anybody, doesn't matter. No, we're going to give the Eagles Cowboys because we want to get that forty five million people want to get that streaming record for Week one and start off the season with a bang like the NFL is starting to come around to that, but I would go even further because look, half the teams in the league. Honestly, when you talk about being and having big games that are nationally televised or games on a holiday, they gotta be the teams that people want to see. They got to be the teams to cut through. People always want to see the Steelers, they always want to see the Cowboys want to see the Chiefs, want to see the Ravens, want to see the Bills. That this is just how the cycle of the NFL goes. And maybe in a year, okay, if one of those teams isn't any good, you take them out. But here's an up and coming team that everybody wants to see that you know people are gonna watch. We're gonna throw that right when the Bears go twelve and five this year and win the division and go to the playoffs and Caleb Williams, so it's forty five touchdowns, Bears are going to be on all the time next year, right, everyon want to see Bears Bears, Bears, Bears Bears, and they're gonna have seven standalone games. This is how the NFL needs to do it. I'm sorry if a lot of teams don't get games, but it's okay because you want people outside of the local markets to watch, right, Like Jets and Patriots every year they get a national televised game, they get a Thursday night game every year to people outside of New York and New England really get excited about watching the Jets and the Patriots. Now that the rivalry is Ellen gone, It's gone, Belichick's gone. Either team is any good?
Right?
You're hoping that maybe each of these teams can be a five hundred is team for most of the season and maybe make a dark horse a run of some kind. But really, on a Thursday night, No, you can put better teams on there. Monday night, you put better teams on there. Take that smaller caliber, that smaller group of teams, and just keep rotating them on out there. That's the price you pay for being really good and being teams that people want to see. This is how it goes. This is who should be on all the time.
Yeah, I mean the beauty of it is with the flex opportunities that come in as the season goes on. Right, if the Bears perform as you are putting and speaking into existence here in twenty twenty five. Guess what that number is going to go from three to five or six or whatever it is. Right, there's a couple of tvas on the schedule for later on in the season, depending how well they play, and we'll watch a couple of would be starter squads fall off, right, and the interest level goes to hell. You've got three teams that have zero primetime games this year. Flacco no longer elite, nobody cares about Tyler Shuck and will will Levis is not that guy anymore. Cam Ward. They decided, well, let you work for a year before we see you. Three teams with one primetime game, the Panthers, Colts, and Jaguars, and then you and the Cardinals, each with two primetime games, always subject to change. Chiefs, Cowboys up at the top, Michael Panicks junior and what he could be Detroit's interesting. They've got five, but I had to hang an asterisk to him. I have no idea what to expect from this squad. They're gonna fight like hell because it's Dan Campbell, but they lost both their coordinators and identities on both sides of the ball. Let's see what happens, right, does it continue with all the good feelings, the charge, expectations for big things. The Eagles, we know are going to be in the mix, and they bring emotion and energy even if you don't have a dog in the fight. It's still the app tired of Philadelphia, like the only one that know, it doesn't matter, I'm tired. And Washington gets five because they want to see what Daniels and company are going to be able to do next. So yeah, one of those being against the Bears. See there's the rematch. And there was a pretty cool Uh the Washington schedule release was done by what what's the video game? That's the theme park? Tycoon?
Is that it? I think?
So? Yeah?
So you know they had roller coasters going all over the place and blowing up. So it was a very interesting kind of process. How the Dolphins still have five I don't know, But hey, do we like making fun of McDaniel at this point? I don't. I don't think they hold the same juice. But look.
Like they they were up the last couple of years. Now they're on the downside of five, right, but if they stink this year, okay, Miami, you can take out look Miami is still the sage team, and they're still there's still interest because they score points and they it's still there. But this is the and they're on the downside. If they don't win, you're gonna see them barely on national TV next year.
As as as it should be, mediocrity should be relegated to the ten am Pacific time.
Game time now to find out what's trending in the wide world of sports. So someone who's been called the Minecraft of Fox Sports Radio because she walks around the hall saying, chicken jockey.
Minecraft. It's a video game.
Yeah, I saw.
The Chargers release video, but I don't know what as a video game?
Right?
But is it like a computer video game or like on my phone?
You build the I mean everywhere everywhere?
What are you eighty five years old? I don't know about this Minecraft.
Good for you. You can't know everything I know, and I don't want.
To know Minecraft.
Thank you very much.
It's the biggest movie of the year.
Great Lies Singers was a far better movie.
Two Hours of Life movie events the events. Minecraft is an event.
Okay, sure's your shirt. Did you guys see what the Ravens did for their release video?
Yes?
They did a spoofan Severance, which is an Apple TV show. Did you see what the Cardinals did? The Cardinals?
It was an original rap.
Song performed by their starting linebacker Mac Wilson, who goes by the name rocket Ship. And then did you see what the Jaguars used? Ashton Hall, the guy that went viral for his four am routine with a banana peel and the ice water him. He is what they used and the Jaguar.
I happily missed that. Balan I knew what Minecraft was good. Didn't see that guy?
Let me tell you the fans did not like it.
The comments on there.
Were good Ashton Kutcher schedule for the Ashton so he abandoned the Bears?
Interesting, all right?
Lo about that.
In the NBA, guys, the Warriors are trying to keep their season alive, and right now the Timberwolves are up fifty three to forty seven with about two minutes to go in the first half. Jonathan Kaminga off the bench for the Warriors, has eleven points. Well, Mike Conley and Rudy go Bear ten and eleven points for them as they lead Minnesota in this elimination game. For the Warriors, the Celtics kept their season alive with a one twenty seven to one h two win over The next Game six will be on Friday. Jalen Brown led the way with twenty six points, eight rebounds, and twelve assists. Lou Cornett did elbow Josh Hart on his eyebrow like fourhead Area drew lots of blood. Stayed in the game, but the game was tied at halftime and Boston bulldeway in the second half. When it comes to the NHL, the Panthers crushed the Maple Leaves six to one. They now lead the series three to two. Oilers and Golden Knights in their Game five, It's an elimination game for the Golden Knights and after the first period they are scoreless. In baseball, the Rangers have an eight to three lead over the Rockies. Bottom of the eighth inning, the Shows are edging the Royals four to three. Top of the ninth inning, Xander Bogart's with the three run shot pits the Padres up three to one against the Angels. Also bottom of the fourth show, Hey Otani with a home run for the Dodgers. They're up on the A's to zero. Bottom of the second inning. Earlier today, Aaron Judge hit his fifteenth homer of the season as a Yankees edge the Mariners three.
To two, and the White Sox beat.
The Reds four to two.
Yank to you guys, White Sox win.
Woy he did?
Yeah, that ain't marry much mon Back to back dumbs.
Let's go Jason Smith Mike Harmon live from the Fox Sports or Radio studios. Coming up next, we have the play of the day coming your way, plus the guy who needs a portion of every contract signed by this one position in the NFL. Whenever this one position gets paid, that player should give all kinds of money to this one person because they made it all possible. It's next right here, Jason and Mike Fox Sports Radio.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern, seven pm Pacific, Fox.
Sports Radio, The Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Harmon. Halftime in Minnesota and the Timberwolves are two quarters away from the Western Conference Finals. They lead the Warriors by fifteen sixty two forty seven. We'll have more on this game coming up in a few minutes, but time now for the Play of the Day, brought to you by tire Rack. For over forty years, tire Rack's been helping customers find the right tires for how, what and where they drive, shipped fast and free back by free road hazard protection with convenient installation options like mobile tire installation. Tire rack dot Com is the way tire buying should be. Well in your backs are to the wall, and see I can be like this on the show. I can give credit where credits due, and you beat the Knicks by one hundred, Well, you get to be the play of the day. Dale bridges of.
Physically and it'll be done for Cornets turns himself under the stems to two pits.
Six shots, Crown.
Howser white, Nick Brian closes and Cornett's down Loan Cornet's.
Shut.
Ah.
There it is Kevin Harlan on the call on dat. Luke Cornett off the bench for ten points, nine rebounds, and seven blocks. He is plus twenty for the game. And now I gotta think that Luke Cornett is gonna get all of Christops Porzingis's minutes in Game six, porzingis playing twelve minutes. Whether he's whether he's hurt or ill. He just hasn't looked the same. He has not affected the game at all. I gotta think Cornett's gonna wind up starting for him. In game six. Reggie Miller talked a little bit about that when he wasn't talking about Jason Tatum's injury. But he brought all kinds of energy and a big presence off the bench. So I gotta think when your backs are to the wall, he kind of have to make that move.
Go back to where with porzingis it was the mystery illness and energy. Energy sapped for a while, missed some time, came back and we watched him last game. Didn't have much contribution and looked a step slow, and you hope he's okay. I mean, that's really at the basis of it. But you're finding useful minutes. And Cornette gave them a spark seven block shots. I mean, he was just like a pogo stick, jumping all over the place and creating chaos to where Harlan I don't know that I've heard him that entertained by a non you know, feature headliner, right like the guy who would be in big bold letters at the on Broadway, Like, Hey, this guy off the bench. Look at he's killing it. He's everywhere, Like even hear it in that call there it's another block shot. So yeah, it's just finding those unlikely heroes. We've talked about it for years, you and I on the show. If you're gonna go and try to win substantively in any of these leagues, you need those unsung heroes. Certainly in the NBA. Finding that guy who's deep in the rotation that gives you a spark, gives you the coach a little bit of guts to say, Okay, I got four good minutes, can I get eight? And instead you get a plus twenty night perfect from the field and that energizer on defense, whatever you know, officiating, whatever was going on. Brunson struggled for the game and on down the line. Yeah, they found that spark for one game. Is it enough to spur them to a series win. We can discuss that later on, but for the moment, he is the hero of the day.
So you got more NBA coming up in about ten minutes, but a big shout out because there is one guy who has done more for nobody's done more for more people in the NFL than Saquon Barkley. Today, Derrick Henry, who had a great year lesture, but you wouldn't know it because it was all about Saquon Barkley agrees to a two year, thirty million dollar extension with the Baltimore Ravens. That sets a record for the largest deal in NFL history for a running back over thirty Right, and Henry had a phenomenal year last year, nineteen hundred yards rushing, but clearly he was, you know, an afterthought because of the year Saquon Barkley had, nearly breaking the record for rushing yards in a season leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. Running Backs were starting to come back to the We're starting to come back to running backs. Now, Hey, let's pay running backs every single guy that signs a deal. Dereck Henry included, King Henry included, needs to give some of that money to Saquon Barkley because he single handedly brought running backs back with his year last year. There's other guys that have had big years, run for fifteen hundred yards, but it doesn't change philosophies. Saquon Barkley has changed philosophies, and he's brought money back to the running back position. When you thought running backs getting paid was hell and gone, it was never gonna happen again. Wait a minute, Saquon can show up in his mid twenties, in his late twenties and go and be the best running back in the game and basically carry a team to the super Bowl that's filled with controversy all the way along. Every single guy that signs a big contract should give a porch that to Saquon Barkley because he brought running backs back all by himself.
Well, what's interesting, And we talked about this a bunch as the year developed in Henry for a couple of weeks. You can make the argument was on the Dais and the metal stand in the MVP chase and had a monster year. But all those guys that moved all went to places where A. You trust the infrastructure of the organization, the decision makers time and again, and they'd built the infrastructure by having good offensive lines. So their success not surprising in the slightest the fact that they're breaking the bank again. Good for them again. Good organizations recognizing that, yeah, we can get by with two B B minus running backs and put up numbers that look good. But in terms of difference makers and having to change defenses, bringing safeties down to try to help, which gives us the over the top opportunity or linebackers being sucked up into the line of scrimmage. Yeah, there's only a handful of guys that are able to do that, so you pay them commensurately. But yes, Saquon Barkley your hero, Like he's at the top of.
The pyramid scheme, like you can pay nin Temple as you guys get paid. Hey, we got to get our money. He's at the top of the pyramid. He's at the top of them.
You gotta buy the filters from me.
Give that money to Barkley. Coming up next, we'll talk about the biggest issue in the playoffs the NBA needs to solve right away. This is Fox Sports Radio.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Fox Sports Radio The Jason Smith Show with My best friend Mike Harmon. Be sure to check out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Just search Fox Sports Radio on YouTube. You'll see a whole bunch of video highlights from our shows. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss our very best Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube. Well, here we are late in the third quarter, just under three minutes left to go. The Timberwolves continue to lead the Warriors eighty four sixty eight four Minnesota. Julius Randalls. Yeah, everywhere. He is eight of eleven from the floor. Every time I look up, I feel like he's making a big shot. Nineteen and four tonight he is leading the way. A quiet night for Anthony Edwards just eleven points, but it is a big night from the starting five for the t Wolves. As the Warriors looking for some kind of offense, they are led by Jonathan Kaminga off the bench with seventy n I mean it's good. It's like good and bad news. Hey, Jonathan Kaminga leading the Warriors and scoring. Maybe he's not lost, Maybe he's still gonna be good. Maybe he's someone that hey could be a part of the future. But the downside is Jonathan Kaminga is leading us in points. So there's that.
Well, you're trying to find someone to combat the prowess of Root Go Bear, and now they're battling it out in the box score.
Manzie Belogias will have more on this game and what's trending coming up in a few minutes. But today was NFL Schedule release Day. Time for fans and look and see how many games they think their team can win the first month, Plan those big trips, plan weddings for bye weeks. Joining us now to break it all down, longtime NFL insider. Check them out on the thirty third team Pro Football Hall of Very Good voter on Twitter at Jason Cole sixty two. It is Jason Cole. What's happening? Man? How you Jordan.
Loves Howie's I'm so jacked up. There's nothing, there's nothing like schedule release Day. It's just it's so amazing. I love it, just everything about it. It's fascinating. I love the the CBS live updates. They actually they put live updates on a schedule release. I'm like, it's been known for weeks. It's not a live event. This is not how this works. But okay, if you want to call it live updates, it's it's not an event, but okay, okay, thanks.
The announcement is a live event announcing this is a live event. You're on a love of it with us right now.
No, it's not.
It's not a live event. It's one that like they do over like four days, because like three days ago it's like, oh, you's the your national game. Let's tease it. Like they stretch it out basically over four days. It really is market it's marketing genius. It really is for the NFL to do this the way they do it. But I don't want to do that because I don't want to go any further on this because it's the same silliness every year. But I just wanted top live updates on CBS. I was like, guys, I mean, do you even think about the word you associated with what you're doing? Like just never mind?
You see what Jay Cole just did to us though he just killed our entire Friday show, which was going to be ranking all to seventy two.
Yeah, that's we were going to rank the games from best number one all the way to two seventy two the worst one. We're going to do that and don't say something the Jets don't say that.
Don't know that's that's that's fascinating radio right there.
Yeah, But I do want to ask you Wow, you know what, screw you jerk about that? So, because this is one of the fun things right from from the schedule Week one Steelers at Jets. Okay, Week one, how much of this is the NFL going? Boy really want Aaron Rodgers to keep playing. He's a big deal. He sees it every He's very popular. If we put the Steelers, if we show Aaron, hey, if you signed with the Steelers, you'll get the Jets revenge. Week one? Hey, Aaron, what do you think now? Does it look like you could come back and play football for next year? Because now I'm convinced he's coming back. He's not going to miss a chance to play in that game. He's absolutely going to come back.
Now, Oh, well they know that. Well, no, they already know that the agreement exists, right, so they already know that this is in place. That Roger, I mean, that's undoubtedly they wouldn't They wouldn't have done that without this in place, right, So they're doing that. Yes, it's a perfect way to open the season. It's almost as perfect as having Philadelphia opened the season against the Cowboys at home and to see Jerry Jones like it's almost like you remember that in the in the playoffs when Cleveland lost the playoffs to Denver. You know, back in the late nineteen eighties, and you saw that Art Modell shot where Art Modell has like his his head, you know, like just you know, like pressed up against his hand in misery. Like that's what I kind of feeling. But what Jerry Jones could look like in the opener of the season.
So you're comparing the end of Art Modell with the fumble to Jerry Jones Week one against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It's just the image. It's just the image that will be conjured up because they can lose that game. Yeah, so you met, I really jacked that Eagles team going against the Cowboys, knowing we can beat these guys by thirty, maybe forty if we want to, Like that, God could That's just such an image for you know, the season opener. I can't wait for that.
So spread's only seven, Jacole. So what you're saying is it's only May.
It's only May. It's seven in May, it's gonna be four. But I mean you can get that early action in people still like George Pickens, that's it's only seven.
I'm pushing I'm pushing a lot of chips in on that on the Eagles for there be that way, although they're probably they'll probably let up a little bit of celebration game. They'll get lead in the half and then they'll cruise and win by like ten or thirteen.
No, no, no, no no. If that was anything, if this was Jaguars Eagles to open, I would say, you're absolutely right, they'll come out flat. Just we wanted to sue No, but Yo, you're giving us the Cowboys. Oh we're starting out big. Don't worry now now now you've been shored us starting out big, We're not gonna have a flat start. Forty five seven.
One could have eight hundred yards. It could be like one of the Titan War game sho.
I'm just always argued, when we get the season started and we're so thirsty for anything that that you should just give us all the Jaguars Titans like games that we could possibly put together on a schedule, because you're gonna watch no matter what.
Jacoble Yes, absolutely, I just I'm just thinking.
About those those those eight man football games where you know the running back hey uh sixteen carries four hundred and fifty six yards. And eleven touchdowns.
That's that's the season opener. That's that's gonna have one of those games. He's gonna average forty two yards per carry something like that.
What a day for Saint Quad Barkley. Here it looks like the Cowboys are playing with eight But okay, here there, hey, now speaking of Barkley, Okay, we talked about this earlier in the show.
Quick question, win did the Jets on my first.
Dame a week one? Week one? Justin Fields throws for two hundred, runs for one hundred, We win seventeen fourteen's.
Say, Steelers. Then they got the Bills. That's when they're on the road at the Buccaneers.
Oh, that's a win.
Then they play the Dolphins. That's the one that kind of stands out, doesn't it. Hey, what the Dolphins have five prime time games?
J cole.
I noticed the Bears have two games on Monday Night. That's that's awesome. The league's banking on Caleb Williams has shown something up on him, shown something on the Monday night.
Right, that's it.
Sell, sell, sell, Jason Smith, get back to your your love of Saquon Barkley.
No, you know, because speaking of bark We talked about this earlier. Is that you know you saw Derrick Henry get that big contract today, right, two year extension, thirty million dollars, biggest extension for a running back over the age of thirty. I feel like running backs j Cole should be like a like a pyramid scheme, and and Barkley's at the top, and every other running back that signs a big contract has to funnel money to him because he brought the running back position back getting paid all by himself, Like he's the guy everybody gets paid the next couple of years because of what he did last year. They should give him some of their money.
I should do this. Okay, what are these guys are really averaging? Right? Are they average? Take one deal as what? And even Derrick Henry's deal is they haven't reached twenty million a year, have they, Joe?
But you're talking about an over thirty running back getting thirty million dollars for the next two years. We're going to probably collect all of it.
Yeah, Barclays was.
Not to one, I get I get that, But thirty million dollars collectively is not even what Trey Hendrickson is going to get for an average for single year once he's done with this holdout. So yes, I like the fact that they're bringing the running back position back a little bit, but relative to other positions, they're still getting lapped like crazy, Like they're getting more than doubled by defensive ends and by and and and you know, and you know and wide receivers. Right, so, as much as as much as running backs can feel a little bit better about themselves, they're still trust in the overall market, right, this is just not this is never going to change as long as the NFL Players Association allows, well, what's he to be upward to five, you know, four or five years because you just rought, you just draft your running back and you pay him for four or five years, and then you just he's a disposable part and you get the occasional guy like Derrick Henry who's going to make a little bit of money. Because Derrick Henry is like the most unique running back we've had since what like Earl Campbell in terms of his ability to you know, physically overpower people. I mean even he makes Christian Akoi look like a junior varsity player. That's how physical Dereck Henry is.
Well, let me ask you. You brought up Hendrickson, Is he still a bangle when it's all said none, he and Zach Taylor makeup.
Somebody had a great Well, it's just not Zach Taylor's fault, Like I don't understand, Like Zach Taylor is just the front guy from Mike Brown. Right, Okay, so yeah, I feel bad for Zach Taylor. Like he's he's just taken, like he's fallen on their grenade basically, you know, like Mike Brown said, here, I'm pulling the team on this one. Zack goes go save me for a while, right, and and take on on him on Hendryson in this one, Like that's where this battle really is. And when you paid the two and when you paid the two wide receivers, what did you think that was going to happen with your star defensive Then he's the only defensive player that you have who's worth damn. So you've got to You've got to pay him. Now. Is he going to get thirty Is he going to get over thirty million dollars a year? He should? I mean, he can't a fifteen million dollar figure. He might, it's so low that he might as well accept the fines. The only problem is that the fines are so tough, and that that contract told like you can't you can't wait out the contract. Eventually you have to base whatever your next deal is on that deal because you have to play it out at some point in time. So we're going to have to do something. Mike. It is just such a hard It's such a hard nosed guy. I think somebody said Mike Brown would would let them sit out for seventeen years in order to save seventeen dollars, right, you get.
It with Carson Palmer when okay, well, guys are always going to get Nope, I'm gonna let Carson Palmer said before I finally trade him. There were Palmer in the in the in the early team.
Yeah, I mean he could, he could easily do this. And I also say this, Hendrix didn't as much as he he said, I'm not going to play on this contract. Right, he showed up because he didn't want to be fined. If you're worried about the fines for missing off season camp, didn't you just play your hand out by saying by claiming that you're not going to play this season, you're worried about fine. Now, the fines only get like ten times worse if you're playing to miss any games. So I just think he's played this all wrong. If he was going to if he was going to do this, you know, you do it now and you and you hold that press comp it's away from mini camp and you say, look, these guys are cheap and they won't pay defensive players and have good luck to you, but I'm not showing up until I have a new contract. And you specifically point out and you say, you know Mike Brown's cheap. Everybody knows it. Yeah, even if you paid the wide receivers, you know, you know that he's over all cheap. And look at what we have on defense last year and you're not there. And that's the only way you really put the pressure on Mike Brown.
He's on Twitter at Jason Cole sixty two. That's at Jason Cole sixty two. See you with a thirty third team as well. J Cole, as always, Buddy, appreciated for joining us on on the most holiest of days for you, the schedule.
Day of the NFL day. It's a great day of all time.
It really is, all right, Boddy, there he goes
