The underdog is howling. Stanford Steve and the bear. Oh yes, a home team getting points. What's better than that?
Welcome in to a special Preakness edition of Stanford Steve and the Bear podcast. Middle of May, plenty going on. Feels like we've had a ton go on recently. Bear with the travel and the draft and Tucky Derby.
We got Major League Baseball in full swing. Metz a red hot thanks to the schedule. I'll just say that and Matt Harvey coming to town. Bear's Yankees back on track.
Bear buckling down for the NBA playing games next week. We'll get his thoughts on that. NHL season coming to an end. We both want to share some over-under season win totals there.
And we'll look ahead also with maybe a couple of futures for a little Stanley Cup playoffs. As we get closer, Bears Islanders are alive and well and ready to make a run. I could feel it. They built themselves off out of that bubble.
How you been my man? I've been good. You said your draft was cold but profitable. Derby was, well the Derby was a Derby.
I'm still counting my money that I thought I had from Andale into the quarter bowl. Was it you the day after that you tweeted after the Derby? I still can't believe Mandalou and didn't get there. Now we know why.
You know what's so funny? What I had tweeted is well and someone else out there had started the conversation. This is before the positive test came back. I am in a group, text with a couple of guys and one of the guys sports better, sports better, doesn't get horses at all.
He texted me, who am I rooting for in the Derby for you? So I told him, I got box of Andale and hot drive Shirley, essential quality, dynamic wand, rock your world. So I got that. And then he re- he's like, he's like, text goes through, he tell he reads it, but that's come up.
So why aren't you just betting on Bafford's right in all ports? That was his response before the Derby. It's the perception that's out there. And I guess when you have positives with Domine and Charlotte and justify in recent years, I guess that's kind of warranted.
And then of course, the couple of days later, we see that news and it's going to be interesting to see what winds up happening this week. It feels like this is a little bit different, ultimately, who knows what will come out of it. But the fact that it is the biggest race in the world, the most famous race in the world. And you've had the incidents with Bafford in recent years where he's made up every excuse in the world.
It was a tainted hayer from Jimson weed or my groom took off syrup and peed in the barn or my assistant had a lidocaine patch on his back. Like the California racing board has bought like every excuse. And now are we at a point where it's just like no more. We're done with it.
And there have been people very adamant out there on Twitter about don't bet this weekend, hurt them more. It really matters. And that's in the personal. So you'll see how many people actually go through with boycotting betting in the frickish.
It feels like people kind of are really really fed up now. And one of the problems is the better is ultimately going to be the one that gets screwed regardless of what happens or doesn't happen with that split sample. If the split sample comes back positive, it's going to be okay. Bob Bafford, the owner is going to return the first money.
Mandeloons, the official winner, Medina Spirit, speak you. Like and everybody gets moved up. But at the same time, it's not going to change the official order. If anyone who bet Medina Spirit is saying, you know what, he tested positive.
Here's my 12th to one win second. I'm giving that back and don't give the money to all the Mandeloon betters. That's not going to happen. So that's why people are so pissed off about this.
Well, to see what happens, I will say that second split sample does come back positive. I really don't think there's a reason to expect it not to. Like I wonder if some of these ADWs and everything that's online right now, maybe they refund. Like we've seen some of the sites that have bad beat insurance or, oh, we're going to refund anyone who had a losing ticket on whenever.
Like a good faith PR gesture, anybody that had a Mandeloon bet, maybe they just kind of refund that win back. It's ultimately what's going to happen. It's just going to get better like that. It's going to wait.
So it really doesn't hurt the bottom line for those businesses. So there's my little mini rant on the the gothar test positive, medita spirit, Nandeloon situation. Here's a couple things. To your point about the online and the newer age people and the younger folks that are getting into this and that have seen people get money back because of lining or things going, unfortunately, wrong.
I'm sorry. Welcome to horse racing. If there's ever a sport that just turns their head and just keeps going forward when there's controversy, it's right here with the ponies. Like, you got it.
I mean, you grew up going to the track. I was a very late bloomer. You know, start my serotonin trips when I got home from college. And just to see the lifers and now see, we know that the mindset and the your typical OTB and going to the track guy, they're not on Twitter.
And now you have, you know, you factor in these Twitter people that are just going to cry, you know, whenever they get a chance because they have some characters to write, it's just a face reality. And I'm sorry. It just doesn't work like that. And maybe it will.
And like you said, when you get those other monies back, those people are trying to build their sites because they know you're going to see that money and now you got more action to throw on it. So all in all, it's going to go back into the account and most likely you're going to lose. With that being said, the prequist is here. You know, I thought it was interesting when they pushed back everything a day from Monday to Tuesday.
Like everybody was like, oh, they're not going to let Medina Spira come. And let's be honest, these people want eyeballs on the race. And there's no better way to get that than a controversial winner from the Derby. And the most famous race there is to becoming to Maryland, even though Bob came out and said, he is not coming because he does not want to be like a distraction.
One thing to say before we talk about, I think there were people who actually thought I was serious about when I was like, oh, all of us get paid now with Medina spirit. Like when I was joking about like, that's how that works, right? Like that was like total sarcasm. Like I hope people out there read like we didn't actually think that I thought I was going to be getting paid out of this.
I know that's not how this works. And I know that also, there are people out there looking at trying to file a class action. I think that's actually going to be successful. Who the heck knows?
But I don't know. So you crossed the line. You can't mix. You can't miss sarcasm with gambling Twitter.
That's not a good mix because they're not there. They're not on your level. Well, speaking of getting to that level, I want to go through this field. Let's get the throwouts.
And then we'll just go through that way. I think that's been pretty successful in how we've done it and save some people, hopefully some money on that. So the floor is yours, sir. Ram, the horse from the rail.
I'll give the wing Lucas a ton of credit. And this is kind of where I'll go off and I know the little tangent. Like in barring any injury, there's no reason whatsoever for hot run, surely, mandaloon and essential quality not to be running this weekend. This field sucks.
This field sucks. A horrible field. And that's why I'm going to give the wing Lucas a ton of credit for entering Ram and running him in this race. The horse is 31 outside.
He broke, made it against the maiden claiming. He was a beneficiary of a case collapse on dirty day. What he might not allow in his race. So good for him for running.
He can't win, but good for doing Lucas and the owners for running and giving him a shot. But he is an outsider here. The two horse, keep me in mind, is another plotter. You soundly beaten by a McInnes spirit concert, and Ram Bauer.
He can't win again. He's maybe third or fourth in your tries. Unbridled honor is a horse that I don't like in terms of winning. Plutcher doesn't run many horses in the preakness at all.
He hasn't run once since 2017 and is only one of the nine to finish in the money. Was impeachment back in 2000, which was his first runner. I get a feeling that this is more of a, the field isn't very good. Why not running, try and pick up a check as opposed to running in an N1X, where if you finish third or fourth somehow in the preakness, you're going to get paid more than you would if you win an N1X and you're still going to have that condition after you don't win the preakness.
So he hit the board in the slop against another against King Fury. You won that race as an upset, but he cannot be keeping in this race. Want to go back real quick on keeping in mind. How do you look at keeping in mind, let's say 50 to one in a Derby in Rand 7th.
Is that shorter distance? That's why these closers, are you just saying there's basically not enough time for him or is it more of the quality of the horse? I think it's more of the quality of the horse. He did plot up and did win a great deal with the only way.
I just don't know if he ultimately has that turn of foot. Whereas with a shorter distance, I don't know if his grinding out, plotting style really is going to work in a mile in three sixteenths as opposed to this horse might be better going a little bit longer with more of a pace scenario. First first-preakness for David Cohen to what top keep me mind. It is.
Yeah, like the seven horses is another throwout in my book, France, Gaudiana. I have no idea what to expect here in terms of like, my guess is he's going to have to say who wins because I think Rosario who intrigues me a little bit on him is going to send being that he has the Derby winner on his inside. So probably send impressed from the outside. I mean, I'll have him as part of like an all button, but I don't think this is a horse that can back in when the race.
Rosario is never one. Right. He's never won the preakness. I don't think.
Yes, he would have been on orb who didn't win. I don't think he's won the preakness. He wasn't on track. Was he?
No, I got it right here. Best best finishes coming aboard runners up right on Curlin and 14. Taylor verb and 15 ever fasted 19. Right on Curlin.
He was on a track. But obviously, I know he's one of the Derby and he's a guy who you really want to have in a triple grand race. But I just don't think this horse is the quality of winning this race, even though the race is a is not a great one. Risk taking the nine is the other Chad Brown horse in here.
He's got a great way to win in the in the in the weather is but I prefer a private trade to him. I'll be using him on underneath, but I'm not sure he's a he's aware. So I don't want to go through the other horses. Yeah, I guess I'll kind of lead off with with concert tour.
Yes. The other back horse. Yeah, I don't think he wins. I don't think he can stay the distance.
But it's going to be interesting to see what happens with concert tour is Mike Smith gonna send him because he's the only way he can back during the race is if he sets but him sending potentially softens up backwards. Other horse spirit is correct. And is that going to be the instruction yet go go to the front and duel with unispear into the ground and allow someone to pass on the way or is it going to be the way restoring hope was in the belt in the 2018 ball out with justify or he's just going to kind of run and be this interfering slash blocking back for the way he was for justify and keep the spirit out of harm's way. So it's going to be really, really interesting to see what type of tactics Mike Smith takes on concert tour from the outside here.
It is because I said Mike Smith did not ride well in the Derby at all. I know we had a little bump at the start but there was no excuse for midnight bourbon not to be on the lead in the Derby. It's just kept him wide the entire time and just kind of went around the track and I would think midnight bourbon now is absolutely a piece that there was a jockey change to a rag because the only way that this horse has a chance is to go to the front. Look at his two lifetime wins.
They've all been in front. They've all been in front running fashion. So I would expect a router to use to send midnight bourbon to the front give him and put him into the race and give him an opportunity to run his best even a concert tour doesn't go. So I think mid-night bourbon concerts were both have factors as to who wins the race but I don't think either of them ultimately will be the winner of the race.
Rom Bowers a horse. I get completely devoid of speed but he's run on dirt. He's run on turf. He's run on synthetic.
He's finishing the money in great stakes. He gets play the imprat. I think he's a horse who can get up into the into the exotics and exactly but I remember in each and last eight years that there has been at least one horse at least 10 to one that's crappy exacta and in that span you've had 13 of the 24 trifecta runners has been at least 9 to 1 we get price horses that that run well in the pre-vis so despite the short field despite favorite typically running well you're typically pairing the favorite up with a price horse. I think Rom Bower is someone who you could potentially take a look at as one of those price horses to get into the exact of a horse that I am picking on top of scrun tree.
He and McInan Spirit my book are the two most likely winners. One at first asking in January his first start against winners was in the Gotham on a flooky track where he just got beat and then was three to one in the wood and had a and had a bad trip. He's shown he could be effective for both on the lead or off the lead. Chad Bran and Javier Castellano teamed up to win the pre-vis in 2017 with cloud computing.
Roughly the same price as this one's going to be on the board on the morning line. I think this horse is going to have a very very big say in the outcome and if McInan Spirit doesn't win I think crowded trade for Chad Bran and Javier Castellano and kick off his tables is your most likely winner. All right so you like the other Chad Bran horse and crowded trade. I like that call.
What effects do you get from Midnight Bourbon with the new jockey and seeing how it ran? It's a move that the horse will absolutely be on the lead. Just goes right? I mean no one I know you mentioned it from the Derby before but like that has to be like the most automatic thing you need to see out of a horse is that horse go to the front here in this you know seeing how it didn't react well the way it did in the Derby and you mentioned the smaller field here but that's one thing I have just looking at these ones like that horse has to get to the front.
That's the most definite thing I see of any of these. The narrative and the talk about the Derby is that the positive test in McInan Spirit keeping on going I think which hasn't been talked about nearly as much is how the race just kind of fell apart at the start and really gave Medina Spirit a great chance with Midnight Bourbon not going to the start with Joel Rosario and coming out of the irons for Rock Your World him not being able to make the lead with the other Bob Todd Pudger horse I think he's named Corilline not going to the front. Like he got a softer lead than expected the inside part of the track after an hour and a half of no racing was the best part of the track and everything just kind of went Medina Spirit's way. And I think now he is not going to have everything go with his body.
I think he's going to feel a pace presence and we'll see ultimately what winds up happening. I will say this if you do like him you're probably going to get a better price on him than you normally would because I think there will be people out there that will not bet him because they want to see him lose if he's five to two on the morning line or nine to five on the morning line you will probably get a better price on him because of that narrative. I think concert tour is also in that position to where the other Bafford horse and it's just going to get blasted with money. No one else to choose and people think that they could catch a winner now and maybe being a little bit late to the party with the Bafford idea.
I will admit I did have ended up having the exact in the Derby only because the wife he always likes to throw a little on the triple crown and she's got the mindset. She looked at my numbers. She's like you don't have the Bafford horse. I'm like oh there you go and she had already had in her.
So it was a it was a good day around the house to collect some cash. Sorry I wasn't able to give it out. Sorry. That's okay and that's okay and that's the thing.
Do I want to have a savor exactly because we both like man to lose it. He was one of the best like if he runs on the exact that I want to make sure I had it so I didn't have it for a lot. I did have a an eight seven for for half of what I had for the seven eight. I know people remember but it was it was a hell of a race because that as you said I can't believe man loom didn't get there.
It just strive for stride. You're waiting for that push and just just didn't come. What do you want to do here with the numbers? We got some tries.
We got some exact is a try three with four five six nine with all which is 32 bucks for a buck and then I'm going to play three with all with four five six nine and then I'm going to play three four all three all four. I'm going to press that and I'm going to play a basically the same thing four with three five six nine ten with all and then I'm playing four with all with three five six nine ten and then press four three all four all three basically five kind of two horses I like the most of the media spirit and credit rates. I'm going to make sure I have them single and spots in the tries and then I'm going to make a big exact box three four then I'm going to make an exact a three with five six nine and then I'm going to make an exact a four with five six nine ten play in the both ways and notice I don't have an exact a three ten here that would be the Medina spirit concert tour exact that that I'm not going to play because it's not necessarily going to play very well and it's very rare that you get favorite over second choice in the in the exact the last time the favorite one the pre-kness and the second choice right in second was 1981. So you got to go back 40 years to see the last time you had favorite over second choice.
So does that mean it can't happen? No but I think I think the way the piece is going to set up for the race where concert tour has to go to the front. I think that would basically ruin any chance Medina spirit would have avoiding the race and I am going to avoid playing these three ten. All right that will be your lowest possible winning money from exactly also anything else Saturday you're looking at some horses you like and certain races on the early card.
I was looking at the the race before the other purchase the turf race which I think the name has changed a couple of times. The dinner party I'm not sure sacred life should be this massive 7 to 5 favorite on the morning line. He is a really really paced compromised horse so I don't know if the pace sets up for him in this race so I think you could potentially look at horseing some like a hot ground who is on the rail was second in this race last year when they ran it in in October. So I think he's someone and then if you want to look at the outside with the eight horse by by Melvin Graham motion typically does it very well on this mid-Atlantic circuit and it's the horse it just misverses mid-19 time.
Aquino last out in the first race I think by by Melvin is someone who you can look at and then the other horse that I like this weekend and it's actually a race on Friday is in the hilltop that he love the race on Friday and it's worth the name of Tracy Fleck who is the one horse. You'll see that this horse is technically a maiden and that's probably going to deter people from betting on this horse but she's only 6 to one on the morning line. This is a horse that's actually been disqualified from a win or from a win and the second place finished twice. She won her debut with three to one so you know she was well bet well meant and won her debut in a good maiden race at Gulfstream and then the second race she was coming from off the pace and kind of kind of repeated someone at the start and was de-cued from second and place seventh so like the quick blinkers on which might help straighten her out and she's 6 to one in the morning line.
I think she's someone that if you're looking at the favorite maybe being the five horse bubbles on ice who was a stone clove closer in the race. I think that this is a race where you can maybe get a little bit of value here on that rail horse Tracy Fleck so that's the other horse that I'm going to be betting pretty good on Friday. So I do want to look at the black ice who's in 544 post time Friday afternoon our friends on ABC, NBC Sports Network or whatever Pecock TVG I'm sure you'll you'll if you need to find it you'll find it. The favorite's beautiful gift 9 to 5 I think I saw this morning and look who we have a top Johnny V and it's a Bafford horse.
Yeah amazing. I look at some of the others in here I like to throw out the favorites in these because I do think there's always potential. I've heard people talk about I read on the grass is blue. I look at Lady Traveler with Castellano.
I think it's more than name here but Ice Late with Fletcher is getting plenty of love but I know you had mentioned the Bragg Fox Horse adventuring the 9. Your thoughts when you look at this one? These horses always seem to run well on big stakes days and this is a horse that broke Man and Fairgrounds and won the Bourbon Efra fun last time out. I think this is a horse that I'm very is going to get that pace scenario that she might want and really really enjoy.
Again another horse that really figures is the other one that you mentioned before Lady Traveler. I think the other woman is a guy who pops with with price horses and stakes races, throw that last race if he went out with the 7 for a long distance. That was probably a sprint race just to kind of sharpen her up coming off of the turf. You look at her her race that Ricks and Ricks race in August 16th it ran well and it 12 to 1 and what points another ownership group that likes to run their horses and stakes and Big Dale and one of the other Princess of Gumbel go with Shackleford.
I think Lady Traveler if you're looking for a price horse is probably the one to use. I would like Ice Late a little bit more but I think that the presence of spritz is going to kind of hinder her. If I was not going to get an easier lead I would really really like her and maybe she will now with Luisaia. I definitely use her but I think I'm going to try and beat beautiful gift as well.
I like that. I'll probably play like 6'9", 6'9", with 4'10", with all some type of combination like that. Okay yeah I was thinking some sort of box with 4'5", 6'9". That's what I was looking at and then probably my favorite would be 5'6", 9", a box of nose.
No one we got some decent talent to work with. Do you expect anybody that didn't race in the Derby to come back? Like who would you think that would come back and run in the Belmont? I think it's such a quality.
We'll definitely come back. I would think Manda Loon would definitely come back. I would hold Charlie runs in New York. That would be a great scene and a great opportunity for more promotion for that horse and Japan is a scholarship fund.
I would think running Belmont would be something that Dougal and Elon might choose to do. I think probably Bezos will probably run at the Belmont because people might think that he'll be a horse that might be crying out for a mile and a half. I think he would run. I'm just disappointed that with this field and this quality that the second third and fourth ventures show is not to run.
It's kind of disappointing because and the other thing too is I don't want to put the car before the horse but if this example comes back positive for 15th Spirit and Manda Loon gets put up then you have the asterisk possibility of Manda Loon potentially being considered going for the Shubakra which is like bizarre. What do you got your eyes on here as as we're down in the end of the NHL and NBA and looking ahead to some some playoff runs? What uh NHL? Well I'm sweating a couple NBA things.
Oh let's get to that. I'm sweating the bolts over 29 and a half. I shouldn't have been sweating it but due to the the injuries where they had that massive losing streak but I got three shots to get a game. I got tonight against Toronto.
I got Saturday at Brooklyn who knows if that game is going to mean anything in terms of seating and I got Sunday against Milwaukee and who knows if that game is going to mean anything proceeding. So I guess the good thing is that they don't win either tonight or Saturday against the Nets. I could be in a position to potentially get off the bet on Sunday night because they're sitting right at 29 I know one way he doesn't right. So we'll see but the other one which is another bet that I made a couple weeks back was I went a helping number on the six years to win the Atlantic Division.
I think at the time they had a three and a half game lead on the Nets and the Nets have kind of gotten hot lately and the good thing is I just need them to go to one the rest of the way and they got two games against the Magic. So you would think that they should be able to beat the Magic twice on their home court but if they were to lose tonight against the obvious one a little bit I'm sure. I have to admit I think it could be a sin but I have watched way too much Oklahoma City basketball the last month or so and I will admit we put these things in our site and you know once in a while. Yeah the one that stares me in the face every day though that was the worst to look at was to James Wiseman the one rookie of the year and Kevin Durant's win MVP and I think I looked at every single one of those every day those guys didn't play in a game because of injury but that's the risk you take at betting futures in the beginning but going back to Oklahoma City I did bet the under at the beginning of the year I saw the roster and I just said I don't know how they do it now I will say I did have shy he'll just Alexander on my fantasy squad so I was paying attention to the Thunder and basically gave up on that I had the Rockets under and the Thunder under from start of the season and they were 19 and 24 on March 31st and they've gone what is it one in 22 cents I think.
Is it at all 122? Yeah and I'll admit like it was it was before the Celtics game I did a second on Daily Wager where I just I was I couldn't believe it I totally forgot about it and then I went back and started looking like all right we got started focusing in here on some season wind throws and it sure enough they go out and beat the Celtics and that gets me going because now you're counting down the games they just got through the back to back against the Kings which I had circled which was scary but the Kings helped me out and took care of business and how about the Cavs last night or if I should say how about the Celtics suffering lost and I know Jalen Browns out but still they've they've suffered lost this Oklahoma City and the Cleveland Cavaliers who Cleveland now I believe is on their number and got off of an 11 game losing streak I know they have the Wizards left and I don't know but you went from really looking at a loss the way they were playing so at least you got to push now and maybe something happens here where you get one. There you go maybe you know you get that one I think the Wizards are obviously still trying to clinch they have been insane because as as lucky as I possibly can get with the Thunder I was hoping I was going to get even more lucky with the Wizards I have their number at 34 and obviously everybody knows oh and five two and 13 start three and 12 start and then the COVID happens and they have just been on an incredible run they're must watch to me every night because they can't stop anybody and no one seems to be able to stop them obviously the injury the Bradley Beale has really really hurt them especially in the last two losses not having him at the end of the game and obviously the last two games against the Hawks but they are just they just can't do it fishing games I'm worried about the Gris I got them to make the playoffs which I believe is going to be to make the eight but I will say I went back and I had as good as I feel about the Wizards under coming in I feel horrible about not getting there with the Lakers over with what happened there Pacers I took a chance there that's not going to come in Raptors this is going to be the first time that they're not going to go over their season when it's on a long time thank you Brian Windhorse for that one your check will be hopefully awaiting me as I'll check my mail that you'll send for giving me that losing pick but I will go back on April 8th I bet the next to win the title at two to one no next to win the title at two to one and the next to win the east at minus one ten so we have we have some interest there I bet the next to win the east it like plus one ten I forget at what time and then when it appeared that the Sixers were going to be the one seed I saw them at like plus three seventy five so I'm like you know what I think I play I don't think the Bucks are me I was not the one I'm a walking box basketball this year but but but I think if you're looking at the next two if they have all their players and decide to play are the best team but then you're going to get the Sixers who were probably looking like they were going to be the one seed it plus three seventy five and play against that and who know I think that's a way to kind of guarantee a profit there a couple things there I think at a top three the price I think the Bucks is worth taking a shot to win the east I really yeah I really do I think when you look at the the previous things that happened up to oh we know what happened with the Raptors they go down and lose and then last year in a bubble with the heat it looks like I think they're going to avoid that because I still think the heat are a factor in the way it lines up is Bucks nets in a two three in a second round I think is is fantastic I think the Bucks would much rather play them in a seven game series in that round then have to play the Sixers then and that leaves the option of the heat because when I look at the one two and three when you say Brooklyn Milwaukee and then you look at four five and six and four five and six all the same amount of losses right now it's the heat hawks and nicks I think the heat would give the Sixers fits you have that possibility where you take care of the nets and then maybe maybe that's looking for you but think of the price I think the Bucks are there I don't think the Knicks I mean it's great story I know that your team they're back hopefully the Garden will have as many fans as possible to hear it rocking but I think it's pretty pretty interesting to see like if you get hawks nicks in the first round I could totally see everybody bet and the Knicks and I wouldn't mind taking a piece on the Hawks every time you're in a favorable price with that knowing the popularity of the Knicks and in that on the other side man we are you know Scott's going through the PGA championship next week and it's fascinating to me that we could come back in the middle of the following week and obviously SBN has the Western Conference finals this year and we could already have no Warriors or Lakers in the playoffs so I mean Lakers are in a tough spot here you know we're taping this Thursday morning and they're a game behind the mabs and the blazers but they lost both tiebreakers to each of those teams so they need to win two and either of those two to lose two to get out of that playing game but right now we're set up for the Lakers Warriors 7-8 playing game I know the loser gets another chance to play the winner of the 9-10 so it's pretty fascinating stuff I do expect the quality of ball to step up now that we'll be in the playoffs I do firmly believe that and I'm excited there is there is some doubt I think for the first time in a long time as to who could put together those 16 wins I think about a team like the Sun Suu Chris Paul's another guy get him you get results but can that team with like almost zero playoff experience besides him when I'm saying 12 games I always I always think the team that loses in the finals gets totally thrown out and you know the heat last year for all that was set like that run to the finals was was incredible what they showed and that's why I don't doubt them in this playoff run they have the goods I think Smolsters the most overall coach in all sports with what he's done I know he had the big three but he's been pretty damn impressive with the rosters they've had moving forward does anybody take the jazz seriously as a title contender I think so I do I mean Mitchell's been out and obviously they have good air but like I still get a sense like nobody like nobody's taken the Sun seriously as you can tend to like you just hit on but like no one I don't think many people are taking the jazz seriously because I just think the Clippers and Lakers are gonna be able to flip the switch up I think that's dangerous man because I guess I mean is because last year being at home and in the bubble I watched some of those NBA and like Mitchell's he could take it over man oh no doubt man he is so and they got guys who could hit shots like I don't think they should be dismissed really no I'm like going to point out a while ago on the show like they have a legit four guys they can run pick and roll with and with that you get the pick and pop with Ingles and Bogadovich like that you know so they're they're a tough matchup I will say the Suns if the Suns play the Lakers if they get them in a series that's a really really tough matchup for the Suns because I just think of the size the Lakers bring to the table I'm really interested to see what Drummond brings to the table like is he gonna be able to play are they gonna have to go with Harold more because of the way everybody switches off in getting those bigs on the littles I think a Drummond and I think like a guy like Blake Griffin like what he's been a really really good addition to the net's a guy that I think they're gonna need it I think he has some gas left in the tank and I'm just fascinated to see what what he does as this net scene moves forward knowing how versatile he is and how good of an athlete he is so there's plenty of things to play out I do think the Lakers are playing on some on some you know shaky grounds here with with and I know they have to set guys because of injuries and protocols and stuff like that but like at the beginning of the year I thought Shruder made them better than they were last year and now you haven't seen him for two weeks even though he is expected back LeBron you know we talked about with Winmore since Gosspot you know he's never had one of those those high ankles and it's it's it's it's it's weeks it's taking a while before that so it's it's dicey but I mean I just can't like a Lakers Warriors playing game is fascinating to me um can I ask you a question absolutely say why in two of those four why in the world is the NHL saying the Calgary and Vancouver have to play those three games next week what a playoffs are going on really I mean it can't be because it's because I mean I'm sure it is because something they say it's because of TV and because of money but just let it go yeah let it go you're probably gonna have a bunch of like AHL guys up there anyway you I mean I love I don't know any Vancouver Canucks I'd love about this is my open question to any Vancouver Canucks listening like after like having like 13 games in 21 days and having your team riddled by COVID you got no shot like you just want to like get me done with the year like you really want to play these games it's not like I can't imagine in a 50-16 season that and many contract incentives to potentially be reached maybe a Calgary flames are gonna go over canuck before he's gone through some contracts and correct out some numbers but you can play those games up against the playoffs and I delay that division's playoffs being started to play three meaningless regular season games oh by the way anybody that has uh a flames or Canucks point total under which is an automatic winner right now it's been a winner for a while like you're hoping they're gonna play because you need to play 54 games I think it's the writing in a plot of places for those season point totals to take place so like that's like the gambling storyline with Vancouver and Calgary like if you've got Vancouver and Calgary under you're hoping that they don't play that way you don't lose your bet but if you play Vancouver and Calgary under it's a surefire winner and you're just gonna get a refund if they want to not play them but I can't imagine the league is gonna want to play these games and why? I don't have an answer for it I'm sorry I don't um I wish I did but there's I mean when it all comes down to it and you don't know I would always get some money um in some capacity great news the federal EV rebate is back eligible customers get up to five thousand dollars with the federal EVA TV on select 2027 volt and 2026 equinox EV models visit your local Chevrolet dealer today for more details I gave out one season win total on the uh release the schedule show last night jet's under I'm with you I'm with you what was it six and a half yeah that's six so I mean so I gotta lose on seven obviously I would like to yeah there's a really good chance to get a winless in the division you got to work your quarterback behind a bad offensive line with with an unproven running back room the secondary that that you could probably go out on the field right now and towards like it's gonna be a bit of a rookie court didn't matter who it's gonna be gonna be a bad bad situation so yeah I'm with you there yeah it's just when I started looking into it the idea of and you brought it up the division like Zach Wilson against McDermott Bela Czech in Flores like those guys sort of know what they're doing on defense and I was looking through the resume of of of Michael floor the OC I don't think he's ever called place I don't think he has because he was he was the pass game coordinator with Shanahan in San Francisco and then he was an offensive assistant so you're not trying to handle yeah that combination and now listen you're gonna start somewhere and I get that with a new regime and a new head coach and you're gonna get that a new offense court here's here's here's here's your own pains it's your zero yeah and you've done away the done away the division outside of the division you get braided one Tennessee yeah you got seats you got Tampa you got cults like say one in five of the division given one wing and then you say 0 and 4 in non-division that's nine losses right there yeah no I said I don't see it the issue I had is because I wanted I liked jags over at five and a half it's tough at six um you really I have a rundown schedule but I do I don't know man I honestly think I said last I honestly think they could win the first four games I really do the problem is late in the year they got a back-to-back at New England at Jets and it's in December and we know what things happen there you know um but you know they get Texans they get they I think it's I like who he's gonna throw it I like those receivers on Jacksonville I really do I like it so I think they'll and you know Urban's gonna play to their strengths um yeah I was looking at some of the schedule didn't fully go through my my initial thoughts were swaddle under one position wins last year and out game by the point in their wins ruffled at sack so many times over the last few years the division the boundaries are gonna be better the lands are gonna be better the Cardinals aren't gonna push over Saints Titan Steelers Colts Packers Washington on the road and have a drafted well so that their washers kind of devoid in spots like when the bottom falls out and Seattle and rust can no longer bail them out from the jaws of defeat like the the fall is gonna come fast and it's gonna come hard it's just a matter of when that happens the Seattle Underwood was won for me but I looked at the Steelers Under was another one for me like you know Ben you know Ben's gonna be heard something the off the quarterback situation behind him isn't good they really haven't had a succession plan they're at all the line has had their issues run changing the running game just don't know how much Ben has left you know when they were defeated last year we were really like at any point like this is the best team and they have seen and they can win that I never thought that they're winning games at the kind of really sure lost to be honest with you go to air ahead they got to go to Rambo that go to Buffalo that Tennessee it's both more Cleveland and their division like they've been they and the Patriots have been like the model of consistency and how you should want to franchise and not overreact for a long time they NFL but kind of looks like this might be a year where things potentially could go sideways right might be a lot of calls might be under team as well like you got a reclamation major question quarter back I think okay and then you got you signed Fisher as your left half of coming up with Achilles injury which is a major injury to kind of overcome so like I don't know I think I think the culture may be priced a little bit high too because people are just gonna see Wentz and think he's gonna be the ones that we saw these over the year when they were making playoffs so yeah I just want to see Carson Wentz not mentioned that he's back with Frank Reich once if somebody could do it.
Oh last one our Bruins to win the Cup 12. I mean nobody has been better since the trade deadline. Hall is just I mean he's gonna be everybody I mean you're gonna see you're gonna see more Taylor Hall jerseys at Bruins games now than I think Marching the way he's been welcomed in and the way he's played I like the matchup versus caps caps look I mean we know the issue with hockey injuries nobody's gonna say anything and guys are gonna play her but I mean they're I mean they were there was word of that's good skated the other day obviously is the biggest difference maker maybe in the whole playoffs when you look at the teams and its totality but I think the B's are worth a shot we're gonna mount official pick 12 to 1 when the cup and I feel great about I mean you missed the best price too like I know it's 60. I know it's like they were a lot better than that before that helped right and remember too like you got to go ask who I think there's gonna be a little bit of like a redemption tour narrative for him leading the bubble last year to go home to be with his family which he actually I actually agree that he should have he's gonna be a little bit a little more fire in his belly this year but for the playoffs that Bruins team is the potential line like yeah they're gonna be they're gonna be really hard to beat who comes out of the west have a lancer nice oh oh it's so hard my gut says Colorado is I like the abs better I think they have a few more scoring options and I think they might be a little bit better on defense with McCar and Caves and some of the other guys that they have obviously Grubar and he said be fully healthy and come back and yeah but god that's a the issue there is that that that's a big deal with the one the one in that division getting to play Lewis is opposed to the two see how they'll play Minnesota first record wild certainly a much more difficult opponent than than St.
Louis which I got hotly and wound up making the playoffs but I will I'm gonna stick with my preseason pick of Colorado I'm gonna go with Colorado over the Bruins in the Stanley Cup final in terms of that but these first round playoff series don't you have to like Edmonton I guess Winnipeg I mean I feel bad because Winnipeg would have been a very tough album like the islanders kind of spiral down the stretch since trade deadline and really you saw their level of play drop off like Winnipeg is kind of the same thing and obviously that top line is awesome with Wheeler Connor and Shriekwink but like Lewis and Aylers was a big big injury for them and obviously in net they're still really really good with Helibok he's faced a lot of rubber in the last couple of years so you always have to get to the wall and that's the one advantage where I think they do have an advantage over up Edmonton is in the net but I think other than that you're looking at you're looking at an Euler's team that has so much fire power up front and I think they'll at least be able to get by Winnipeg in that first round all right I think that's gonna do it bear have a great weekend good luck to everybody out there bear take us away that's good that morning lose when you wait you can listen to follow the Stanford Steve in the bear podcast we have you listen to podcast plus don't miss more from Stanford Steve on ESPN Sports in a Westcott Van Pelt and check out the bear on college game day on ESPN