059: John Baumann

Episode 059 is with Texas songwriter John Baumann where we play the parts of Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe for an NBA-centric episode about Spurs & Mavs fandom and what we expect from the following NBA season.

Interview Transcript

Note: Transcripts aren’t always accurate since they are computer automated and haven’t been edited for spelling, grammar, etc.

Thomas Mooney 0:03

Everyone, welcome to episode number 59 of the new slang podcast. I'm Thomas Mooney, and today's guest is john Baumann, the beloved Texas singer songwriter. I caught up with john, this past Friday when he was here in town. I'll go and give you a warning though, on this, this episode. This isn't a music centric episode at all. It's basically an entire hour of us talking about basketball, and the upcoming NBA season. For those unfamiliar, john is a diehard spurs fan. I'm a diehard Mavericks fan. So we get into what we're really like most excited about this upcoming year of NBA basketball, who our surprise teams are and some specific thoughts on the Bron James moving to LA and Kevin Durant and Yanis if he's going to make that major leap and become one of the I don't know top three players in the league. We preview our like our own teams, the Spurs and the Mavericks and so on. So if you're in the basketball, you'll probably love this episode. If you're not well, I don't know we'll have another episode coming soon that you'll probably enjoy more. Before going on with this episode though. It's obviously been a minute since the last episode of the new slang podcast. there's been plenty of changes and untimely news excetera since the last episode, for starters, I'm not at wide open country anymore. Long story short, they kind of just like let go their entire staff. So yeah, since this is an NBA podcast, I'll go ahead and borrow a phrase from the great LeBron James. I'm looking to take my talents somewhere. We'll see where they are. That's to be determined. But I'll let y'all know where you can read more of my writing once that find a home I guess. It's kind of like the sense where we are interviewing john here. It's kind of like that Baumann line too soon for accolades and too late to quit. Yeah, I'm just kind of at this point. I'm a lifer when it comes to music journalism. And that's just, you know, I'm not really great at anything else. So yeah, maybe I need to, I've been trying to update all my resumes and stuff. Maybe I should add some really, really nice quotes from from songwriters at the end of my resume. Kind of like a lot of what a lot of bands do with their press releases. They'll have like, super nice quotes from other musicians, other songwriters. So yeah, if you're a musician, and you want to send me a really nice quote about me as a journalist, you can go ahead and get a hold of me. They can't hurt right. So anyways, before we get on to this conversation with john, let me go in and say that this episode is brought to you by the blue light here in Lubbock. And then the new recently opened, I guess it's like a soft open what they would call it. The new blue light in deep ellum in Dallas. It's called Blue Light Dallas. The one here in Lubbock is currently in the middle of their famed fall singer songwriter competition. It's every Monday night for the finale taking place. Monday, November 5. doors opened at 8pm for each of those songwriter nights. For the finals, there will be 15 songwriters looking to win basically, three songwriters from each of the prelim rounds. Those would be the 15 at the the finals, it was a really pretty, pretty high honor to be crowned a a winner, you know, past winners have been guys like Kenapa Mira and Zach Wilkerson and Jerry serrana who is the host of songwriter night now, Jacob for Starfire on the mountain there's a lot of a lot of a great talent who have won the songwriter competition and there's also a lot of guys who who didn't win but you see their name now everywhere people like Paul coffin and Grady Spencer and now a lot of other people. As you know, blue light has been a staple of the Texas Music Music circuit for a while now. They have always kind of had like their ear to to hear great talent and you know, just kind of delivering helping out, up and coming acts as well. It's steeped in tradition and

but so at the same time really growing and evolving and expanding. Obviously with that blue light Dallas. Here in Lubbock. You have a whole lot of really Great bands coming through a lot of hometown talent. Dalton Domino, gritty Spencer in the word Charlie shafter Starfire on the mountain, Ross Cooper and Brandon Adams are all playing in these next coming weeks. Red Shea hand. He's doing something really cool in November, the very first week of November. He's playing back to back nights a doubleheader. Later in the month, David Ramirez is coming. And then also in early December, you'll want to write this one down. We're taking mental note. Whenever you do, American aquarium and Jamie Lynn Wilson, December eighth, you mark that one down for sure. As a great night of music. Blue Light Dallas, as I've said 100 times now is looking really promising as well. They had a I guess what you would call a soft open. A lot of businesses do this now. Business businesses do that. Now. This a soft opening. I don't know if they're technically like official open yet. But that was with a Dalton Domino, Brandon Adams. One night, Charlie shafter. The next night. And yeah, they have a bunch of really great acts coming through as well. Adam hood, Ronnie Parker, one of my buddies that you'll need to check out his slot headcount. He's playing there in a couple of weeks, and he's playing the one here in Lubbock as well. It's a really great singer songwriter Americana band that you'll want to check out. For more information and dates head over to blue light Lubbock calm and the blue light Dallas calm. That's blue light Lubbock calm and the blue light Dallas calm. If you're wanting to advertise here in this spot right here on the newslink podcast, send an email over to Newsline. dot editors@gmail.com. New slang

Unknown Speaker 6:54

dot editors@gmail.com.

Thomas Mooney 6:56

You know a lot of folks, they'll always ask me, Hey, what are you listening to you right now? And I don't know. I'm just really bad at that question. For whatever reason, I almost always blank on what new bands I'm listening to when new artists with new records and if you're into that kind of stuff, you can just go ahead and just subscribe to one of my Spotify playlist called Tom loonies cup of coffee. I'll leave a link in the description. That's just really a like a cup of coffee of what I what I've been listening to. But since we're going to be giving recommendations here in this spot, the record that you need to be buying right now, this week that are coming out this week, are jumping over rocks by Jamie Lynn Wilson, new freedom blues by town mountain there's a really great collab with town mountain and Tyler Childers on that record carousel by Carson mckown and hard times and white lines by whitey Morgan. You should also check out Belle plains malice, mercy, grief and wrath and dirty river boys his mess of starlight. Those two came out last week. And yeah, again, you can find them all on my cup of coffee playlist. Last thing you've heard it said 1000 100 million times. But rate the podcast on iTunes, give it five stars, tell your friends about it and tell them to do the same. Then you guys can talk about what we talked about on the podcast. We'll give you guys something to do for social media. You can follow follow me at underscore new slang. Twitter is probably the most fun of those but I'm also We're also on Instagram and Facebook and so on the new slang the new slang theme song is black horses by Brisson Phillips if you don't know Breslin, he's the one who painted all the stuff at blue light. He's also the guitarist for no dry county that a really great record earlier this year called panhandle music. Anyways, he's a just a really talented artist. Guitarist. Visual Art is kind of his thing right now. So go ahead and check out his art on Instagram at Blue bonnet. He has some really great prints and paintings for sell to really really great investment if you're into that kind of stuff. So go check out his stuff. Yeah, enough rambling here is john Bauman, talking about the San Antonio Spurs and in NBA basketball in general.

It's gonna probably like you said just a minute ago, drives some people nuts, though, to shut off but this is this podcast is not for them this episode specifically. But if you're like a basketball fan You like some basketball talk? This is like the perfect one for you by two guys who kind of like, aren't Zach Lowe and Bill Simmons, but music version maybe? I don't know. I think

John Baumann 10:12

this is my fifth time to be on here. And I think that's a record. Yeah, you probably had the record right now. I've got the record right now.

Thomas Mooney 10:19

Your your mind Mark Stein, to my Bill Simmons. I'm glad to be here. Okay, so obviously your spurs fan. Yeah. The kawhi stuff. I know we've talked a little bit about it, but like not on a podcast or anything. What was like your, your general thoughts on on just the entire situation as a whole.

John Baumann 10:44

It kept me up late at night for the last year until it was resolved. I was going on Reddit NBA and you know, looking all through Twitter and ESPN and comments section of pages just trying to get every conspiracy I could I was paying attention with Jalen Rose was saying, I listened to Bill Simmons podcast all the time. I didn't like any of the signs I was getting. It was really, really frustrating. Because as a spurs fan, and a spurs fan out there will agree we've never dealt with anything like this. When the Spurs shipped them out, they did it two o'clock in the morning to Toronto. And then a few weeks later, I ordered a shirt which I sent you a picture of it's a black t shirt, and it's got the word COVID or COVID or on it. And it says now like a person who leaves their team because he listens to his uncle, also a trader, and I don't wear their shirt, but it was one of those $25 things, you know, it just felt right. But it was really, really frustrating. Really, really frustrating.

Thomas Mooney 11:43

Right? I think the I guess like in the back of my head, I always just thought this is gonna get resolved. It's gonna get resolved. Because this is the Spurs. He'll sign a frickin Supermax con $219 million. That just really never happened. I'm actually surprised by how good of a deal they got for him. Because he's basically out for an entire year. And they got the Rosen Yeah, yeah, I mean, that's, that's a pretty good haul.

John Baumann 12:16

Yeah, Jaco Pirtle, um, it's a giant gamble on behalf of the Raptors, but I think they're going to be great. I think kawhi is, honestly He's my He's my MVP choice. I think at the end of this year, like I think it's, I think it'd be worth putting some money on like kawhi to win the, the MVP, but yeah, it's a huge gamble by the Raptors. I'll be honest. You know, he brought the Spurs and my initial thought was, well, our season ended before I even started because deshante Murray tore his ACL. And this was supposed to be his third year breakout year and I was like, really excited. I mean, as excited as you can be in the aftermath of acquired tre. But I did watch the game against silver rolls. And I know it's overreaction time in the sports world after one game or one week or whatever. But I liked what I saw. I liked what I saw from Omar and and I kind of got excited about it. But the truth is, I think who I was gonna go down as an all time all time all time great. And it just sucks to lose him.

Thomas Mooney 13:13

Right? Well, the thing is, is like you guys, Murray is out. Lonnie Walker doesn't have an injury as well.

John Baumann 13:19

Yeah, he's out four to six weeks and Derrick White, who replaced the shanties out so we're down three guards before the season even started so it's not great and when Vegas pins you at 42 and a half over under wins I mean, there's 82 games in a season we haven't to be a 500 team that's like screw this let's just tank and get a high draft pick but it's also like you know, everyone's getting older on that team as always, right?

Thomas Mooney 13:42

Well, I always I look back at when you just if you just look at the roster, you still have to all stars Yeah. And that for what it's worth typically gets you a playoff seed. Yeah, even in the West. The West is hard this year. Yeah, but I still think that's like a seven eight seat and I know like spurs fans aren't used to now we're not it's very spacey but I mean, that's the way of life for a lot of teams. You know?

John Baumann 14:08

Yeah, it's really weird to be like, I hate to use Word and metal meddling are middling, we're middle the road team and it's a bummer but we've had years in the past where you know, Popovich will sit the guys in a crucial game down the stretch and we'll go from a third seed to a seventh seed because of one game and I think last year was kind of reminiscent of that too. And you know, that in my attitude the best team is whoever has the best player in the hole. Whoever has the best player is usually going to win the game right now. I don't you know, level Marcus I love tomorrow but we just don't stack up we're going to be seventh or eighth seed. I don't I don't think we'll be I think we'll get in the tourney but I don't think we'll do much damage and we're a first round exit team probably.

Thomas Mooney 14:51

Yeah. I mean, that's sometimes that's what it is. Yeah. Which is first off I'm relishing goodness. I love this. Yeah. The The mere fact that spurs fans are bitching about a seventh or eighth seat or

John Baumann 15:03

it's been a it's been a weird year in San Antonio. I knew it was a weird year. You know, I follow them on Facebook and everything and they were doing this thing where instead of buying the franchise players jersey in the Spurs gift shop, it was get your own name branded on the back of a spurs jersey. And I was just like, you know, that's a sign of a franchise that doesn't have something player to wrap around, you know? Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 15:27

And I mean, like, what's crazy about the Spurs right now, too, is that it seems like Manny retiring is like the Oh, yeah. Manny retired. Yeah, you don't really think like that should be probably the biggest thing and spurs them in any other year. But it feels like that's on the back burner or like, is an afterthought in a way because of the quiet stuff. The injury bugs.

John Baumann 15:48

It's been such a strange year and like we can't even like, honestly, people say it's a house that our CPU for built or pop built or Duncan built, I think when Duncan loved it was a sign of the times to come because it's really just kind of gone downhill from there. And that's a relative statement. But like, we lost kawhi Tony went to Charlotte and Manu retired and just completely bizarre. But yeah, the Manu thing has been a little quiet. But at the same time, you know, what's the point of being a 41 year old basketball player on a eight seed that's gonna get bounced in the first round. It's kind of like, go live your life? Not at all. I love Derek. I was having a conversation with somebody about Derek's twitter twitter game the other day, and we thought it was great. He doesn't tweet much. But when he does, it's

Thomas Mooney 16:30

Yeah, it's good. He's really great. Yeah, are obviously I'm a massive fan. Our final preseason game was in Charlotte. Yeah. And it's so strange. It's obviously Tony's playing there. But he's also on the off the bench. Yeah, backing up. Kimble Walker.

And

I don't know it's so weird.

John Baumann 16:51

Yeah, it's funny this to know that he took that role because I think, well, at least from what I understood is when he left, he thought he was going to be more of a lead figure in that. And maybe not starting, but maybe starting for the Hornets. And he's not starting he's doing probably exactly to be doing for the Spurs. You know what he'd be

Thomas Mooney 17:09

starting for the Spurs now

John Baumann 17:10

he wouldn't be part but it is strange. And

Thomas Mooney 17:14

but who's the who's the coach for the Charlotte? He's old spurs guy. Isn't there like a San Antonio connection there,

John Baumann 17:20

but you won't WiFi. If we were real podcasters we would know.

Thomas Mooney 17:23

I know. I just can't think what his name is. He's Oh, yeah, it's James Borrego.

Yeah, yeah.

Not we didn't even use Wi Fi. There we go.

John Baumann 17:31

It's the best Baumann brand for you. Yes, James perrigo. So you know that Tony kept talking about the Michael Jordan effect. Like he wanted to go work with Michael and MJ Now obviously, he's got his French The French Connection over there. I don't know who the player is. Like on on. Nicolas Nicolas, but to him Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 17:55

I was stuck on the Jordan thing because I'm like, Jordan is not a great now. I mean, he's probably a decent owner in that but like as far as evaluating talent. It's always like that like if you notice their IQ their every draft pick they have they've had has been like a four year blue blood college starter. Yeah, they picked like Zeller you like Zeller, and they've picked Frank Kaminsky like a bunch of like

John Baumann 18:28

Yeah, why do you Yeah, they were on top they were on top going in in the March Madness tournament. But they get to the NBA and it's different different world. Yeah, Jordans a funny character because like, you know, he's famously private and doesn't take a stance and like just with this last hurricane that came through like he actually donated I think a million or a couple million bucks and it's like, that's unheard of for him like he's trying to be more proactive but it's like Jeter you know? It's like how good are these guys is being owners and managers and talent evaluators Elway you know always got a Super Bowl a couple Super Bowl runs to his name as a GM but even still, it's like athletes tough tough to evaluate talent.

Thomas Mooney 19:01

Yeah, but the thing with LA I don't know if this is I feel like a lot of this stuff is overblown as far as the he was a great quarterback. But he's really bad at evaluating quarterback talent. I don't I think there was like a it doesn't matter that he was a Hall of Fame quarterback. It matters that he's as far as him being the president of Yankees or whatever, because, well, who did he pick in the fourth round a couple years ago. And they're like third string still. Obviously, he picked brockhaus we

John Baumann 19:33

broke the B pick the rocket ship whose guy's name starts with a P.

Thomas Mooney 19:37

what his name is, Paxton Lynch There you go. Yeah, Paxton Lynch is probably out of the league. But I mean, I don't know it's it's interesting. How do these guys like morph into after after being like an alpha? Yeah, like toward for 40 years of their life. Like you I always case, Jordan I guess he played up until he's 40. Yeah, at least like 35 or 40 something when he retired.

John Baumann 20:07

I don't know, I want to say Upper 30s. But it's got to be a hellacious transition to make. Granted these guys are making millions of dollars and have car dealerships and restaurants and things like that. So it softens the blow a little bit, but I like watching I haven't watched Coby show on ESPN but like

Thomas Mooney 20:25

Oscar winning, yeah.

John Baumann 20:29

Watch Coby size up some plays and tell you what's caught on like, sure. That sounds like a fun way to kill some time.

Thomas Mooney 20:34

Yeah, so like who is your we're gonna do like the who's who's the team that you're excited to watch? Other than the Spurs? Um, do you have like a league pass team?

John Baumann 20:45

I don't have a league pass team. This is gonna sound really weird but like I kind of feel like this about the Cleveland Browns a little bit because I watched Hard Knocks I watch Hard Knocks every year it's my favorite six weeks of of the year like every Tuesday night watch Hard Knocks this year watch the Browns like kind of got hooked attach the Browns just I know they're underdogs, but I want them to do well. It's kind of same thing with like Toronto. And this is gonna sound so weird as a spurs fan, but like I just want to watch and see what happens with kawhi see how dominant he is if he re aggravates anything? How does Danny green interact? So I would probably put them in there. I think that probably be the be the team which is which is which is back afterwards first person fantasy at a time like this.

Thomas Mooney 21:27

Did you see okay, there was a play last Toronto game khoy dunk the ball. Yeah, he caught it with his other hand before it fell to the ground. Did you see this? No, I didn't. It's so funny looking. Because like no one ever does this. But he one hand tomahawks it and before like it leaves a net and is falling and he catches it with his other hand before we like falling back down. And like she sets it sets it down and it's

John Baumann 21:49

the deeds of free. Yeah, he's a total freak. And it doesn't surprise me and that's what sucks about him not being spurs anymore is we don't get any more of those incredible moments. It's just the dude can be everywhere this reason they call him a claw the octopus like he's just got giant wingspan is

Thomas Mooney 22:02

the wingspan. Best nickname I've heard and no one like I didn't take what is it quarter? Know what I mean? That was funny. But this was, I guess, one of the years against the heat. King Slayer. Ah, I thought that was like, I don't know, I heard it a few times on Twitter. And wow, that was a fucking amazing knitting.

John Baumann 22:23

It isn't. It is an amazing nickname. There's that one scene where lebrons at the free throw line in the finals. And he turns around because choirs coming back and he's like, damn it. You can just see it on his face. And it's just like, Man, that dude has his number. Like he's just I I know he's on this version more. So I can't sound like a total Homer but like, I don't think there's a better player in the league than kawhi. I just don't. All around. I mean, it's Kevin Durant a better defender than kawhi. Leonard.

Thomas Mooney 22:51

No, but I would say he's like, better offensive or not. Sometimes a lot of the times like your offensive, like you can have a way more of an impact offensive on offense than Yeah.

John Baumann 23:02

Katie's killer man. I hate definitely watching another team play basketball and you just know that all their gunslingers around and like, they're dropping buckets, and they're just gonna keep going. It's like you don't even stand a chance. Just get this weird pit feeling in your stomach. And Kevin is one of those guys.

Thomas Mooney 23:20

Let's see. I'm a massive fan, obviously. Yeah. So that 300 times now, but I've always loved watching the warriors. Yeah, I liked watching the words before they they back when it was even with Mark Jackson. He didn't have like the the ball movement as you did with curry the first year when they won the championship. But they've always been really, really great to watch. Yeah, and of course, and then they start winning. And then all of a sudden, you know, Duran jumps Thunder ship. Yeah, to go there. And then you have a bunch of thunder fans who get real butthurt about it. Which I mean,

John Baumann 23:56

if I lived in Northern California, I would be all about it. Hell if I lived in like any of the Northwest or the western states. I'd be like on board with the Warriors because it's fun basketball. They're dominant. They got swagger, like they're, they're great. It's awesome. But like when you're not when you're a Dallas Mavs or spurs or rockets fan, you watch them it just and you're like, well, sweet. devastate is devastating. It's devastating. It's demoralizing, because you're like you were so screwed against this team.

Thomas Mooney 24:24

Every team is for me at least what I always do is I'll be watching with like, if this this this this and this happened. Like we may have we may have a chance. Yeah. And it feels like sometimes the Warriors especially last year, when they were just kind of like just muddling through this. Yeah, just getting ready to for the playoffs. It feels like a cat toy with a mouse. It's just like, totally Hey, can we all like shoot left handed this game? Exactly. Obviously don't they don't do that shit. But it feels like they couldn't still have a chance to win.

John Baumann 24:54

Yeah, they could and then they do something like signed to Marcus cousins. And you're like, Oh great. The The machine just got stronger. Yeah, you know,

Thomas Mooney 25:02

I saw that obviously NBA Twitter. Yeah, yeah. Um, I don't I'm not is like, holy shit. This cancelled the season. Like a lot of people were

John Baumann 25:14

well, he can't even play till January February.

Thomas Mooney 25:16

That's the thing. It's like he can't play for a long time to the Warriors are probably gonna win anyways. Yeah, it's not like and three. It's not like they would be able to resign him

John Baumann 25:29

it's like having a party and then there's this dude down the street and you're like, Hey, we're gonna have a party tonight. It's the last one of the summer come through come like we know you're like not we in our group have come in throw down with us one last time and we'll all get a ring together and go our separate ways we go to college. Like that's what the market says to me. Or probably to the words that's what it feels like. Just like hey, you want to take a like a money cut and come Come play for a badass team get the hell out of New Orleans. Come on. I

Thomas Mooney 25:55

mean, like, with New Orleans, they weren't they weren't offering him a max. They were offering them basically like the I would never have a max. Why that I was in the Mavericks would weren't gonna offer him the max. Because obviously there's been a whole lot of talk with the markets come into today Dallas. Yeah, a long time. We signed his younger brother to the D league team a couple years ago. And of course, you know, this is when Boogie was still in the kings. It's like, the trades gonna happen. It's gonna happen. And then of course nothing happens but

John Baumann 26:29

did y'all and DeAndre Jordan is here. Yeah, we have. Cool. Yeah, I need a Mavs debrief. I think two people the world NATO Mavs debrief maps deep

Thomas Mooney 26:37

maps debrief. Well, we got Luca.

John Baumann 26:40

I know. That's great. That's fantastic. Atlanta is so stupid. I would they do that? Did y'all draft cherry on and then y'all traded y'all swap? Well,

Thomas Mooney 26:49

I hate whenever, like, when people say like, technically, Atlanta drafted Luka, we drafted Trey young, but it's like, No, we traded like that deal was already in place. Yeah. Before. Yeah. You know what I mean? So technically, he wore the Atlanta Hawks hat, but he was an AV all along, you know, same with Trey. And so yeah, we got Luca. And he didn't play any summer league. And I'm one of those do to watch his summer league. Yeah, find the stream. Why didn't he play summer league? Because he had just like

John Baumann 27:22

the he didn't even finish out his contract over in Europe

Thomas Mooney 27:24

was added like in they had just like won the championship in some euro League, not like the because there's like two leagues in Europe as far as like what they can play in. Right. So he just had just finished out a game or the playoffs, right? So within 48 hours or something like that. He was like named MVP. Well, he's

John Baumann 27:47

in ball shape. You know, finals. A lot of these guys have finished playing and marks that haven't been been dicking around or whatever, might not be in good ball shape. He's in shape. Well, he just might be a little

Thomas Mooney 27:56

he's not in shape anymore. Okay, cuz like this is what happened. So he got drafted, he'd played upwards to like 80 something games and like 365 year calendar, they calendar, you know, yeah. 80 something games in that time period, he comes over gets drafted. So they're like, we're not gonna put him in summer league. Oh, Workout, some do some practices, but no. No playing. And then he took off for like three weeks and kind of just didn't follow him on Instagram. What was he up to on the gram? He plays a bunch of fortnight, a bunch of fortnight? Because he's like, 1919. Yeah, you got to remember that sometimes. So a lot of fortnite a lot of his car. And a lot of like this dog him and his girlfriend own that kind of shit. A lot of Dennis Smith Jr. and him hanging out. Which is cool. That was like that's a really, I think a lot of times it's overblown about chemistry when it comes to like, oh, how are these two young guys gonna handle? It's like, they'll be fine. Yeah, I mean, they're gonna work out but it's gonna work out. So yeah, he's he's a little overweight right now. It looks like somebody called him like he looks like a 711 he looks like he works at seven oh my god. That's hilarious. Somebody started calling him so well. I feel like an idiot now but the ball the ball shaped comments I thought he's in he's in shape but like it's in the same playing shape. He's he wasn't a

John Baumann 29:22

nail took an owl against the Portland Trailblazers on night one sons,

Thomas Mooney 29:26

sons, eight and eight is great.

John Baumann 29:30

I would love to live in Phoenix and play ball for them. Like that sounds weird, but like they got some they got some inner turmoil from the management ranks, but

Thomas Mooney 29:39

because they have horrible ownership. Yeah. Sarver hired their GM, like a week before the season started. Yeah, that's not good. And this is something that like, there's such a mess the franchise where they brought it up during the telecast. They had farro fired Earl Watson, like a week into the season last year. Head Coach Yeah, they That's like back to back like super important fucking people in the franchise getting fired a week before a week after. But they're they look loaded. I mean,

John Baumann 30:10

yeah, they've been able to they've been able to draft and reload and reload, reload. Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 30:14

Even their their bad picks they they've traded away like they traded marquees Chris away. Yeah. He was like a sixth pick. Now they picked dragon bender. Now who another 19 year old kid now, but him TJ Warren, Josh Jackson, Aiden. If you give them enough shots, I know you're gonna like hit on somebody. Right? Yeah. But yeah, Devin Booker went off. He was just like jacking through,

John Baumann 30:42

not how you want to start the season?

Thomas Mooney 30:44

No, because like, Dennis Smith looked real shaky now after like a pretty good preseason. Of course, it's always it's just preseason. But you know, those are signs he was hitting a lot of jumpers off of pick and roll. That looked really good. That was a way better step.

John Baumann 31:04

I think naturally, all these teams that come out of the gate, and they're just, they don't have their sea legs, and they're just excited. And a lot of wrestlers. It's like week one of the NFL season. It's just like, it's hard to get it going. It's probably a big sentiment.

Thomas Mooney 31:16

Another thing and this is this is not an excuse, but we were in China this year.

John Baumann 31:21

Yeah. It's like the Warriors last year in the Warriors that Yeah,

Thomas Mooney 31:24

I talk about that all the time. Look at Philly, like Philly, in that first game against Boston looked pretty bad.

John Baumann 31:30

They did. Were they in China? Yeah. played in China. Well, they always talk about the warriors and I even knew the words were in China last year, but it's like that really? Like, takes it out of you dude. And like, jet lag is a mofo and, you know, meet and greets and all that stuff and publicity. It's like, Oh my god, you know? Yeah, of course. They didn't kick it into gear until like, the New Year,

Thomas Mooney 31:49

you know. And I think next year during preseason teams are gonna be going to India to Wow. So there's gonna be at least like four teams. Yeah. China, India. That's the growing market. The NBA

John Baumann 32:01

is so weird, because it's like it's dominated by the West. We've got a few marquee teams in the east. I'm going to say Philadelphia, Boston and Toronto right now. I take Cleveland out now. We have three marquee teams in the east. We got a you got six to eight in the West. I met him I might be generous. But it's like I'm only paying attention to Western Conference basketball. And those three Eastern Conference teams like I don't care about the horns. I don't care about the Orlando Magic. You know, it's just the Brooklyn Nets. I'll tell you who else is gonna be interesting this year. That might make the marquee conversation for me. Is the the Milwaukee Bucks. Yanis. Yeah. And that's, and they got Mike budenholzer. And he's a spurs guy.

Thomas Mooney 32:41

That's a coach thing. Yeah. Because Jason Kidd was a horrible coach.

Yeah. He. I don't

know. Like, is

John Baumann 32:50

he funemployed right now or does he have a job?

Thomas Mooney 32:52

I don't I don't think he's anywhere. Yeah. He. I swear like ESPN or TNT has to pick them up at some point. Maybe he's really bad on TV. I don't know. But yeah, Milwaukee, with bud throwing, even if he was like, thrown in a half assed offense, yeah, they would be so much better. But like they're gonna be swinging the ball around. Yeah, it's like, obviously, whenever he was with the Hawks, they didn't have like they had Horford and Millsap who were like, they're all stars, but they're like, not

John Baumann 33:31

there on the bat. They're on that team. They're on the wrong side of the the age bracket to decline.

Thomas Mooney 33:36

Yeah. And of course, like that, they were able to win 60 plus games with, I would say above average talent. Right, right. With the honest like, he's a top five guy.

John Baumann 33:47

Yeah. We might have, you know, Hawaii stays in, in Toronto, which I don't know. They loved him like that opening ceremony. And I mean that that stadium was as his two elbows compared to the at&t Center where there was plant which is not good for the club. Lots of open seats, like that place was packed. And he's gonna feel that fire but you know, the eastern juggernaut competition might be quiet and yon is going at it for the next five years.

Thomas Mooney 34:13

Yeah. Okay, so if you're a Boston, would you like you guys, if you're Boston, you have like a solid 10 man rotation right now? Oh, yeah. Would you like trade a couple those guys trying to get like an Anthony Davis, or I don't know who else is really halfway available? What would you try and get like a guy like, Anthony Davis,

John Baumann 34:35

I'd obviously see what you got this year, because you got to you gotta you gotta give the Gordon Hayward thing and Gordon's gonna take some time to get his sea legs to I think he was skittish in the first night. You got to give that some time. But for a player like Anthony Davis barring injury setbacks, which he does seem to be prone to. I think it's worth it. Hell yeah. He's an athlete. And you know, New Orleans is not going to make they're just not they're not going to make the turn. anytime soon the west to competitive and they don't have the infrastructure down there or the talent and it but hell yeah I give this year round but here's here's what I think's gonna happen things can be Toronto and Boston the West Conference Finals Eastern Conference Finals Pardon me. I mean if that's the way it stacks up, which I hope it does, but I

Thomas Mooney 35:16

think so as well because I do like Philly I like Ben Simmons it's amazing how this guy does not have a jump shot but is able to get to the rim no matter did not having the that thread

John Baumann 35:27

I didn't start watching him until first round of playoffs last year or the last few games last season and I was blown away at his court vision and his sense of where players were in setting setting I was it was beautiful man is like when you when you're a basketball player growing up and you're playing the game and you're not a big dominant big man like the best way to be great players to have great court visions and see the see it see the open man and move the ball around and he was brilliant. Yeah. Brilliant. I

Thomas Mooney 35:53

just don't i don't think they have enough though.

John Baumann 35:55

I don't know if I was I don't know if I did the Jolyon bead. I think jolin beads, like hubris is getting in like his Instagram presence. I sometimes wonder if that's going to cloud his vision, you know?

Thomas Mooney 36:09

Yeah. I can see that happening. But also like from an X's and O's aspect. Yeah. I don't know if I like the if your two best players are mbeadh and Simmons, were both are not outside threats at all. Yeah. And they kind of like take up the same kind of real estate on the court. Yeah. Because there's going to be times where Ben Simmons wants to go down low. And of course in bead is a low there's there's the full equation to Yeah, with looks so bad whenever we played him Really? Yeah, it he was he looked pretty off. That's

John Baumann 36:44

that's other than the kawhi story. That's the most bizarre storyline from last year's NBA season. You know, I'm a big believer and things start at the top and some theories on the Spurs kind of whole breakdown and this goes deep like this. I'm a conspiracy theorist. Conspiracy Theory guy so like, pure Holt and his wife got divorced. The team knows who's gonna own the team. Like that's the very top and like sometimes I wonder if that stuff just ripples down? Which that doesn't really do the basketball but that being said, like the whole call Angelo thing and now like them taking forever to hire measure, like freakin hire Sam hinkie back dude. Hire Sam hinkie back like he built the damn thing. Bring him back. What are y'all doing? I can't hire Elton brand. Is Elton brand. Yeah.

What are they doing?

Thomas Mooney 37:31

I can't wait so he gets hired by another team because I think that

John Baumann 37:38

dude real quick jolin bead was wearing a shirt I saw on his Instagram like a year ago and it was a shirt said Sam hinkie died for our sins

Unknown Speaker 37:49

It's so good.

Thomas Mooney 37:51

I think whatever team like hires Thank you though. Just be patient for some time and let him go to understand you know that like this is a yeah a process Yeah, if you will. It is it is a process I don't know I think it goes back to like with pinky it's all about the get as many shots as you can right? Yeah. Because the the draft is just rolling dice. You don't really know there's like there's obviously guys like LeBron Yeah. But like everyone else is you're just rolling dice. So

John Baumann 38:28

he's fascinating character shots. I've been to this website before and he's got all these different ideas for for startup corporations and he's like please email me if you have any insight or expertise in these these all these out of the box you know 21st century ideas and like this dude is a brilliant thinker man you know like anybody be lucky to have him I think he did some I think he was doing or is doing some consulting with the Denver Broncos I could be wrong but he's just doing some consulting work but you know, last year of anything and the whole call Angela thing was like you know that is

Thomas Mooney 38:56

that's a great it's a great like you Stranger Than Fiction. Think like declares no if you had asked me to make

John Baumann 39:03

I think we were talking about this we're texting about this last Yeah, last spring and the summer was in the summer.

Thomas Mooney 39:08

Yeah, because the ringer article is the one that broke it and it was like have you read this? What the fuck happened?

John Baumann 39:15

I had a I had a group thread or a different texture with like three or four of my friends you included just like are we is starting to the fiction Are we really reading this? Like how does this happen? The ghost the burner like anybody who has a burner Twitter account whether it's Roger Goodell his wife or Brian call Angelo it's like you You people have some serious problems. Oh, yeah has a problem with the burner set, man I get it. You know, nobody wants to nobody nobody likes to get lambasted in the media but there's nothing burner accounts pretty, pretty pathetic, right?

Thomas Mooney 39:52

I just okay, this goes back to just a one more thing on Katie. I know he soft. He's thin skinned. But But like, he's, he's not as bad as like a lot of thunder fans make him out to be he's not a snake is what I would say,

John Baumann 40:08

Man, I really I really dig the dude. I think there's a lot of emotions going on up there and I think there's a really powerful brain like I just think he's a smart dude, do you think he's invested his money while he's participating in Silicon Valley game? He's like, screw it. I want to go win titles want to go to Golden State? Screw it, everybody thinks but I think he also. I like that kind of the boldness of it all.

You know, I think he's leaving after this year. Yeah, I do too. Which I think is I think it'd be good and he's good first legacy. He's

like the LeBron moved to LA. I can't think of a more perfect move for a basketball players legacy than what LeBron just did.

Thomas Mooney 40:40

I honestly, I thought there was like one more. Maybe one did better. What I thought there was like maybe one place better for LeBron,

John Baumann 40:49

San Antonio, Dallas. That was another thing. I have a friend. We were talking and we we were just convinced he was coming to San Antonio. And I put this thing on Twitter. And everyone was like, What are you smoking did and you know smokeable here and there. But obviously, people thought I was insane. And looking back now I'm like, Why don't don't tweet that dumb hats?

Thomas Mooney 41:13

Yeah. I don't know. I think that whenever like deontae sign the first time. Yeah, there was there's there was buzz that Katie was really impressed by all the shit we were doing. Yeah. And that he may have wanted to come to Dallas that next season. But then of course Dr. Dre backs out for left with nobody. So that's my one like that was that's a great What if, hey, you'll always have 2011 that's all I have to hang my hat on. We have to hold on to that. Now. I understand. I understand. What I always hate though now is there's little slight revisionist history on 2011. Yeah, from a lot of guys saying, oh, he Miami should have won that still. There's no way like they like there's this aspect of Dirk and the Mavs being lucky. And it's like no, go back and watch those games. Yeah, like, when Dallas figured it out Dallas like, there was no way they were gonna lose that series.

John Baumann 42:11

Yeah, I understand that. I guess the other day, you can always see a scoreboard also. But I think of the 2005 and 2007. Mainly that I think as a 2007 Western Conference Finals between Phoenix San Antonio when it was it was Tim Donaghy or there was all the allegations about reps throwing the game for San Antonio and stuff like that. And it's like, well, those were two of our five titles. And if they're jinxed a little bit kind of New England Patriots style, kind of like yeah, tainted a little bit. It definitely it definitely does. But that's you don't have a cheating allegation or a gambling allegation.

Thomas Mooney 42:44

You have just but the the, the what ifs for the Dallas are.

For me, at least that I always go back to is obviously Oh, six finals. That's like where Dwayne Wade got every fucking call. Yeah, yeah. But then oh for Dallas Mavericks versus San Antonio gets injured. And like sets up the entire series. And I always thought like, we had a great team there. Yes, Finley Nash. Yeah, Van exel. And I think we lost four to the finals, Western finals. And then also, this is the recent one. This is a whenever Vince at that corner three to beat San Antonio in the first round. Yeah, game three. That series went game seven games. And I always thought like, if we were able to beat y'all in six games, if we were able to win in six games. There was like, that's the if we were able to win in six games. We could have like really gone on there's no way we're gonna win the game seven as I'm saying. Yeah, against y'all. And then y'all like basically swept every other series that year.

John Baumann 44:02

What it's a real a real pain in the ass. I mean, I go back to game one of West Conference Finals 2016 with with kawhi going down because of the Zaza thing it was like, we probably would have. Somebody told me there's like we probably would have lost in seven games, and they're probably right, but dammit, if we didn't have the Warriors number up 23 in the fourth quarter, I mean, it was like, you know, jump mighty Giant Slayer over here, you know? Well, of course, there's

Thomas Mooney 44:30

there's the realen shot is the worst. That's the one where you go, Oh, my God, I still can't believe he made that. Yeah,

John Baumann 44:36

I've said this on this podcast before but I remember watching that game is on my buddy's house. And I was about to take a giant poll of Jamison to celebrate and I remember I was Batman's going up, take the poll and a railing made a shot and I put the bottle down it just catch misery. Yeah. I was bummed for about six months after that.

Thomas Mooney 44:55

Yeah. And it's it's always the

John Baumann 44:59

same tortious sports is a weird because it's like, I feel like a fool like I'm a grown ass man. But like, the Spurs are the one team like, you know, I've got football connections, college football connections and some pro football connections like teams you love and things like that. But like the Spurs is the one team where it's like, man they can they'll get gutted.

Thomas Mooney 45:17

Yeah, well, I was gonna say it's like, it's the losses that stay with you way more than the wins. Yeah, for sure. Because I don't I think of 2011 and it's like, oh, that's really good for Dirk. That's good for kid. Chandler. Like think of all these guys without that ring. Yeah, how their legacies Look, man,

John Baumann 45:35

I can think of nothing more at one if I was a pro athlete than to have like, fuck having a good career. I want to ring. You know, like, I love how Drew Bledsoe like Drew Bledsoe had, like a middle of the road career. But he got a ring even as a backup, but he was instrumental in that AFC game to get them to get them over the hump. And it's like, you know, that dude's got a winery now and has a ring. You know, it's like a beautiful thing.

Thomas Mooney 45:55

Yeah. The thing too, about what I find strange, though, and all that is in basketball, more specifically than other sports. Do we hold the ring thing? over someone said, like, think of like Barkley. Like Yeah, like Barclays become a meme in some ways. Yeah. Because of the the TNT prix and half time and insight. Well,

John Baumann 46:23

yeah, when you're gonna become a judge, not just the talking head, but like a giant controversial talking head. Yeah, dude, you set yourself up for that all the time.

Thomas Mooney 46:31

Yeah. But like, also, I like I just hate whenever like Shaq and Kenny are like, our opinions matter a little bit more, because we have rings. And it's like,

John Baumann 46:41

yeah, yeah. I mean, arguably, Kenny was always a role player for sure. Yeah, you know, and Shaq in some ways, was a real player. Do you know I mean, he was. I can't think back on my memories. Not gonna have to think back on those Laker titles with Kobe. But those first three are definitely

Thomas Mooney 46:58

like Shaq. Yeah, yeah. Shaq's always the guy who he could have been like, he could be undoubtably the number one. All Time sinner of all time. Yeah. Had he like just been 100% about basketball. And he was never that he was like, 90%. Yeah, maybe not even. Maybe not even Yeah, maybe not. Maybe 90 is generous. But you know, he's a larger than life guy. Yeah. You know what's interesting, though? We're talking about the whole barkery thing. Barkley, What's strange about Barkley now, is that when he first got that gig, he was this like, breath of fresh air. Yeah. And now he's, he is the media. Yeah. Like he's 20. Like, they were like talking about this like 20 years on the job now. Yeah. For the anniversary. Yeah. And he's, he's the, the regular take now. Yeah. His tapes. They all feel old. And stale. Yeah. Turn into the old guy. He was like, going up against and a lot of ways.

John Baumann 48:08

I just want to see him. See him swinging a golf club. Yeah, that's my favorite thing.

Thomas Mooney 48:12

He was on a. Dan Patrick the other day talking about. They talked, they mentioned foltz. It was the jump shot, right. He's like, you know, a lot of people were comparing this to golf player, a golfer getting the yips and he's like, you're talking to the wrong guy. We know. He was like, No, because Barkley talks about like, how he he basically has the hips and now it's just something he's never been able to get over. Right. And so like, it was like, you know, at one time I was okay golf player. And I've never been able to ever get over that ever. Which is crazy to think like, and you see him swing like on, like any YouTube stuff. It's

John Baumann 48:52

amazing. It's it's hysterical. Every time he's in a program or like a celebrity golf tournament. It's like, Oh, my God, this this, this golf swing is going viral.

Thomas Mooney 49:00

The thing is, it's, I swear you could find somebody off the street who'd never played golf before. Who could have a smoother swing?

John Baumann 49:07

No, no questions, I think oh, no question. I mean, I would argue any of my friends that shooting the hundreds would have a better golf game than barley would. Now it's strange, but

Thomas Mooney 49:19

yeah. Anyways, Dallas Mavs Luka, Dennis Smith, Jr. They're going to bring us the title one day. Well, I hope so man like Luke is like, have you watched an even play?

John Baumann 49:30

I I watched some YouTube highlights of him playing over in Europe and was impressed and was so happy. He is much of a spurs fan as I am. I was happy for you guys. His passing is and I don't think Trey was going to pan out at all. Honestly, that's Cal dodged a bullet. That's it. Okay.

Thomas Mooney 49:48

If we had gotten to that pick, we went to pick Trey young anyways. Yeah, we would have I think this is what had been a bad pick to I think we would have picked mo bomba. Yeah, but Regardless,

Luca,

I think he's the he's one of those kind of players who makes passing fun. What makes guys want to run court? Yeah, he said guys, like Dwight Powell has like benefited already just by running down the court. Right. And he's just one of those guys who he's kind of like in that Manou kind of like, Ron kind of way where you can just see the court. And he sees it right before it happens. You know,

John Baumann 50:29

how old is he? 19? Yeah, so he'll be around for a long time.

Thomas Mooney 50:34

He's 20 in like, December or January, so I'm like, Yeah, well, he's

John Baumann 50:39

your he's your bridge to the future. And that's a beautiful thing. And you need it. Yeah, you need something to build on our two guys. Luca and Dennis.

Thomas Mooney 50:47

If you combine their ages, they're still live in Dirk.

John Baumann 50:50

I love it. Is there? What's dirt? 41

Thomas Mooney 50:53

Yeah, he'll be 41

John Baumann 50:54

this year. This is gonna be the last go around for dark.

Thomas Mooney 50:58

It has I think it has to be and I kind of hope it is. Yes. Like, sometimes you just seem running down court and you're like, Oh my god, dude. Yeah.

John Baumann 51:07

It's It's rough watching palghat saw on the Spurs like he's a giant do a great race. Yeah, he's just like a giant defensive liability. I'm not saying Doug is gonna wash enough dirt but like, dirt is like now comes off the bench. And it's like, you know, we're so much better with Jaco Pirtle. And Jaco was like 20 years old, you know, like he only played one season for Toronto, but it's like, we might have a future stud possibly in that guy. But you know Paul's a liability and it's it's weird watching these guys get old.

Thomas Mooney 51:37

Yeah, the only guy who doesn't age is Jamal Crawford. He's like 35 or something like that. But yes, I got JJ baru that we still have JJ I love that guy. Yeah, he's I've never seen him in person but as far as like,

John Baumann 51:53

solo closer we talk in warrior Celtics we talk in warriors Raptors, what do we think?

Thomas Mooney 51:59

I think it's got to be I think Boston's gonna think Boston's gonna do it. I mean, it

John Baumann 52:10

Yeah, I think boss let's go over on their on the Lakers. 51

Thomas Mooney 52:16

under. Okay, I think under I think they're like a 48 Wow. 47

John Baumann 52:23

they're gonna be fun to watch. I'm actually kind of like, excited to what they're gonna get a lot of primetime games like, right. I'm excited to watch him. I you know, and the whole core thing was going down. I was like, I don't want to ship kawhi to LA because I don't want another super team in the West. I'm so sick of the super team stuff. But I think it's just the way it is now until there's a new collective bargaining agreement yada yada. But I really like Kyle Kuzma. I thought he was a baller. And I know that he wasn't the guy. They were floating to us. They're floating. What was the guy for the Lakers? No, it wasn't Lonzo as the other other young guy there Tommy Berninger.

Thomas Mooney 52:57

Ingram is he's gonna be a stud. Yeah, he is. But there's just something about kouzes game that seemed fluid and yeah, he's he could score and he could score inside he could shoot and just in kind of like a complete player. But this is this is one of those little It was not a big story. But it was it was story in the offseason is that? So Lonzo ball and Kyle Kuzma. rookies together? Yeah. Good buddies. But they were like roasting each other on social media all the time. Yeah. And the front office had to step in and be like, y'all can't do this. Well, that's the same thing happened with Nick Young and too far down. The

John Baumann 53:36

line was a D'Angelo is one. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's the same. They can't they can't repeat history. The front office needs to step in. Yeah, that's that's another thing and like, I get it. Everyone's on their phones. These days. Social media is a new type of player coming in. It's a millennial player, and I'm a millennial. You're a millennial, arguably, whatever, like how or whatever that term is, means. But like, these players, man, they're like, I follow all this person on social media. I'm like, God of pops all this shit, which he does. He probably does. Yeah, it's sort of like like Lani, like a deshante. There's some videos of the Johnson his girlfriend, he's like, locking her up in his bedroom. She's like, screaming at him. And he's like playing a joke on her. But it's sort of comes off as like, slightly on the domestic abuse side. Like just it's a little bit uncomfortable. And I'm like, yeah, bro, this is not spurs way. But it's like, you know what? Yeah, times are changing.

Thomas Mooney 54:22

You know, most definitely. I just think going back to the Lakers, I think they're, they're going to have some skids because they don't have really great outside shooting at all. They have their like, what is it like a trio basically of old veterans who are kind of always been cast offs, anyway, yeah. like Michael Beasley, I guess for then Beasley Rondo. Rondo. Yeah, Lance. The eighth graders. Stephenson.

John Baumann 54:50

Yep. And McGee. Yeah. Do you fail to help you build such a character to be? Did you fail slam dunk YouTube videos on my favorite video.

Thomas Mooney 55:00

He's ridiculous. He's a man for like two seasons. Oh, man,

John Baumann 55:03

there's some highlights of him in Denver, like doing some time doing some big dogs, windmill dogs, like, bounce off the back of room and go all the way back to his brilliant. Yeah.

Thomas Mooney 55:12

One of my favorite with him is, is when he's in Washington,

he like,

I guess he's on offense, they're on offense. And they lose the ball. And he's like running. And he like, ends up in the stands. And then he starts running back down court to go on defense. But like, the wizard sets restyle on the ball already. And john was like, bouncing it like outside the three point line. And he runs past them, and was like, What the fuck, man? Really?

John Baumann 55:44

So that's a team that'll never get together? The the wizards the wizards? Yeah, I'll do this is the thing with the NBA. It's just middling teams.

Thomas Mooney 55:54

But also like, what are you supposed to do after like, I get the whole middling thing, right? Yeah. You're right. What are you supposed to do? What are you supposed to do? Especially if you've never won, or you've not won in like 30 years? Because like, you guys obviously have won more championships.

John Baumann 56:10

And that's the period I'm the worst person talks about

Thomas Mooney 56:13

Dallas and San Antonio had by 20 years of solid rivalry. Well, yeah, but also just like straight making the playoffs. Yeah. And he, like, it just feels weird to be a like, what are you supposed to tell like a Milwaukee fan? Or like a

John Baumann 56:33

child to do some like crazy, pray for pray for the second coming or a Yanis? You know, or that's all you that's all I can do? You know,

Thomas Mooney 56:40

you know, like, what do you I guess? Sounds it's kind of a bad example, because they had some, like, What

John Baumann 56:46

does Sacramento gonna do? Yeah. You know, like, how long can they support a basketball team? They've already had issues supporting a basketball team. They're like, I think

Thomas Mooney 56:53

they have a arena being built as recently built. So they're gonna be there for a while, but

John Baumann 56:59

it's weird. The NBA markets funny. It's like why does Why is there a team in Memphis but not a team in Nashville? why their team in Sacramento Bonanza Seattle? Like, and I can kind of understand the New Orleans case.

Thomas Mooney 57:10

But it's that's the smallest market I think, is it? Yeah. Yeah. The thing that's probably the best example of any of those is New Orleans. Oh, yeah. Because they they've never been a winner. And they've only been there for a while but like so not putting a winner out. Are you supposed to like tank? New Orleans should really looking for a player like Anthony Davis? Yeah.

John Baumann 57:35

Yeah, that's true. So we're a quick New Orleans should be called the jazz and the jazz should be the jazz should be the Lakers. Because it's all like okay, and the Lakers should be Showtime. Los Angeles Showtime or something like that? Yeah, just saying something I've been holding on to for a while and you're gonna like start a actually pelicans does make sense because it's like the state bird of Louisiana. So I you know, I can I can see that. But sorry. Sorry to derail this has been something I've noticed

Thomas Mooney 58:04

if you were like doing an expansion team. And you can't just pick Seattle SuperSonics. Now that's gonna be the next one. But the next one after that.

John Baumann 58:12

It has to be like a badass whale or something like that. Like what it like the Vancouver Canucks are like, they're like the Kinect Kinect is Canadian. But it's like their logo is like that. Orca like that. totem pole, Orca? I don't know. I don't know what you do for Seattle? No,

Thomas Mooney 58:26

I think like, once you had to get the team, they'll be the SuperSonics. But saying like the one after that. If you were in charge of like, Oh, you know, you're consulting somebody to bring a team. And it's got to be Seattle specific. No, I'm saying like, with with in mind that Seattle is already going to be a team. That'll be a team. And yeah, so the next one after that to make it 32 teams. Oh, you're talking about marketing in the United States? Would you where would you go? Would you call him?

John Baumann 58:54

I think Nashville is a really natural spot. I think it's odd that they're three hours from Memphis, so that sort of cancels them out. And if it was, anything with Nashville is like how do you brand a basketball team in a country music city? It's like the Nashville g chords. You know? Like, that's not even Chris Stapleton. Yeah, there you go. The Nashville stables is godly.

Thomas Mooney 59:19

I think you can do Vancouver though. You could do Vancouver. What about Vegas? I think Vegas is a natural spot. I

John Baumann 59:25

think I think Vegas is kind of especially with the NBA embracing gambling. I mean, they're gonna they've got a they've got a hockey team. They're about to have a football team. They're gonna probably have a basketball team soon. But and I don't I'm not interested in taking teams away from markets, but I'm like, Yeah, I don't think that's it's not good. It's not good. I mean, could I couldn't like I have these panic attacks that the Spurs are gonna leave San Antonio one day because it's like we're small market and we have no other pro sports and like how in the new NBA it's like nobody wants to complain in South Texas. Right? They want to go to LA the ad I listen to podcasts every day. They said The NBA player when season's over, they all converge on La and hang out there. They live there for the summer and they go run out nightclubs new bottle service. I bet that's that sounds amazing. I don't want to go to fucking South Texas, you know?

Thomas Mooney 1:00:10

Yeah. The thing is like you're talking about super teams earlier. Yeah. I think the the way the NBA cure super teams is by creating two more teams at least. Yeah, I think that's a good point. That's how they do it. I think that's a good point. Um, it'll probably be Vegas, though. Yeah, I think Las Vegas. I hope it's something cheesy. Like the the Las Vegas Strip or something.

John Baumann 1:00:35

galley? That'd be great. I mean, politically correct. two aces, the aces that could work. Golden Knights is a pretty bad name for

Thomas Mooney 1:00:43

that is a great name.

John Baumann 1:00:45

And, you know, you can do the Raiders anywhere. Like that's a brand that just travels. Brooklyn Nets should have changed their name to it could be like the black Jack's or something like that. Or are like I have any card. Any court face card, you know,

Thomas Mooney 1:01:00

because Brooklyn whenever Brooklyn move or when New Jersey moved to Brooklyn. Yeah, they had a mascot a new mascot called like the Brooklyn Knight. Yeah. And it was like, it sounds a whole lot cooler than it was. Yeah, but it was absolutely. And it's like, Did you guys should have just changed his name to the Brooklyn Knights? Yeah, cool.

Yeah. But yeah,

that's but I digress.

John Baumann 1:01:23

Now. It's fair. There's a lot of teams out there Like what? Like Sacramento Kings, like, how Sacramento has a team like they should be not the tree huggers. But like, and there's nothing you can't do like a green name, but like the Kings would be a badass name for a Las Vegas team. Yeah, like Las Vegas kings or the Las Vegas. Las Vegas jesters. Like that could be cool, but

Unknown Speaker 1:01:45

I don't know.

Thomas Mooney 1:01:45

I think we need more teams without SS though. At the end. We need more teams in the east to be good. Yeah,

John Baumann 1:01:52

I mean, it's just just boring. I love it because it pad stats like spurs play in Brooklyn or Knights counters. The w you know, we're gonna go three and one against them over the season. You know?

Thomas Mooney 1:02:02

Yeah. Well, they The thing is, is that I think it should just go one through 16 for playoffs. I need to. I'm glad you brought that up mica even season.

John Baumann 1:02:13

I'm 100% agreement and glad you brought that up. Because when that idea got floated last year, I was so excited. I was like, hell yeah, let's go. Let's one through 16 through two through two beats two takes on 15 314. So on. I think that's the way to go. Cuz this is annoying. I mean, this the balance of power has been. I mean, who in the East has won a title since 2000. Other than the Miami Heat, calves, but love the Cavs? So it's been LeBron teams and Boston.

Thomas Mooney 1:02:43

Boston one.

John Baumann 1:02:44

I mean, the last they did they got one. So we have to we have to do we have to Eastern Detroit. Detroit with three. We have three over the last 18 years. So but I mean, ever since Jordan, ever since George got the last tile 99. The East has not been dominant. And it makes for it makes for poor competition. I think it's like screw it dude. The West current finals, the NBA Finals for all intents and purposes.

Thomas Mooney 1:03:06

Yeah. Plus, I also hate when like a team in the West is basically a nine seed like they're the night. And they're 48. And

John Baumann 1:03:17

yeah. And then in the east. Yeah. They're they they won 10 more games than an Eastern see.

Thomas Mooney 1:03:24

Yeah. One year Golden State. It was the year after Golden State beat Dallas. So it had to be Oh, seven. Golden State was it was gonna be it was like the ninth team and they had they were like a 50 win team.

John Baumann 1:03:37

Yeah, it's insane. It's like It's like a it's like a win, win the Pats they won. They went 10 and six with a with castle and they didn't get in, like, how does this happen? But just the circumstances of the year but yeah, you know, I think the NBA it's like if you're gonna embrace gambling, can we please embrace a one through 16 but it totally knows the whole conference thing doesn't you know, you can still have conferences, but it's right. I don't know.

Thomas Mooney 1:04:06

But divisions don't matter anymore. We still have divisions. No, it's

John Baumann 1:04:10

Yeah, it's not like a football where it's like you got to beat the team to your division to to really, really stake your claim. Yeah, it's it's it's weird.

Thomas Mooney 1:04:18

Yeah, I don't know. So So who are you? I said Golden State and Boston. Are you

John Baumann 1:04:24

going to say Boston? Um, Golden State out of the West for sure. I think there'll be challenged by I just don't think Houston's gonna have the same firepower. I don't think so. And I don't I've never been a believer in OKC.

Thomas Mooney 1:04:42

My my wildcard. Yeah. For the West is the Utah Jazz. Okay, like that. Yeah. tough team. well coached well rounded. They've always kind of given them. Yeah, it's with length. Yeah, go bear. So long. Yeah, I like that. But I still Don't think that's like, I think they're like, maybe they can give them a game. Maybe two, they're like a player away. Yeah. Yeah. You told you they're a solid three seed.

John Baumann 1:05:11

I don't pay enough attention either one of those teams, but you know, I watch these teams when the Spurs playing because I do you know, I've like a fox sports Southwest so I watch almost every single spurs game that I can. And I watch other teams and dude Utah and Denver two teams that have struggled over the last 20 years are really grounded in a form. So okay, I like I like the Utah pick. So obviously Golden State is coming out. And like I said before, man, I'm coming down to Boston or Toronto. I just think Toronto might be able to do it. And I just say that because I'll take kawhi over any player on the Celtics in a one on one what you're bringing it down to Yeah, yeah, well, the

Thomas Mooney 1:05:51

thing is what what works really well. insurances favorite too, is that kawhi would be guarding Tatum. Yeah, just take Tatum out. Yeah, no matter what Bill Simmons says, yeah, oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. You'd be out right there like he's not gonna be the dominant score in that in that series. But then it comes down to

John Baumann 1:06:14

coaching bench role players on stuff you know, coaching I side Boston bench, I probably side Boston, but atmosphere. I mean, dude, I just we might have a seven game Eastern Conference Finals. Maybe we revisit this conversation in the you know, in the early summer next year, but yeah, let me let me just say, I'm gonna take a gun in my head right now. I'm gonna say Golden State, Toronto and qyz. MVP. Bold and unpopular, but

Thomas Mooney 1:06:40

I've heard great things about Pascal siakam. So I mean, he's that.

John Baumann 1:06:45

Yeah. He's supposed to be the I was one guy I was hoping to get Yeah. So we'll see. Man. I've

Thomas Mooney 1:06:50

been saying Dream on comparisons. Oh, yeah. So

John Baumann 1:06:55

well, it's it's a long season, man. I'm more than ready for the Warriors rain to be over with. Like, I'm over. I'm over in Katy leaves next year. Yeah. New York. Maybe?

Thomas Mooney 1:07:06

I think New York or Oklahoma. No kidding. When that be nice. He wouldn't have any room

John Baumann 1:07:13

but it'd be funny. The good old days harden. Westbrook Durant. I know. MVP. Could you imagine Sam Presti man to hang on to that? You know, I gave can't keep a good man down.

Thomas Mooney 1:07:29

Yeah, the thing is, I was like with Presti is like, you know, you give him a little bit more street cred because the Wu Tang clan reference.

John Baumann 1:07:38

I need to check that out after this, George. Well, yeah, inference This is all for not ultimately, because we already know the Golden State's won the title. So you know.

Thomas Mooney 1:07:49

Yeah. I also think that Stephanie to Finals MVP. Yeah, he should have had that first one. Yeah, they gave it to Andre Iguodala. And in hindsight, I think a lot of people go oh, you know, we should probably do that stuff.

John Baumann 1:08:06

Yeah, but I love Steph, he's a great ballplayer but the swagger is just too much for me to see a guy kicking so much ass it's like God, man just put you on your mouthpiece like that. But I honestly if I was playing that way, I'd be the same way. I'd be like, yeah, so Alright. Thanks everybody for listening to this. I know you probably didn't want to but you're good sports. Get it bunch

Transcribed by https://otter.ai