Celtics lose Robert Williams, Will Smith-Chris Rock Slap, Final-4 Matchups

Dave Clarke: 3:17

Do you want to just fucking get into it? I feel like I can lead us off. Yeah. Do you feel I feel ready?

Rob Kelly: 3:22

Do you say if you're ready, I'm ready bro.

Dave Clarke: 3:26

Go to the bathroom now because I'm not stopping 15 minutes into the ride. That's more that's more of a note from Mike All right welcome into Mr. The boy. Wow, super exciting. I've been gone forever and I'm finally back. I'm had to get married and go on my honeymoon but the guys held it down. I was listening to the shows while I was gone. I'm DK sizzle. I'm here with Bob Kelly on a pretty important night for Celtics basketball. Unless you've been living under a mossy rock for the last few weeks, two months, the Celtics are in at Grand resurgence, Sky skyrocketing up to the very, very top of the Eastern Conference. There was never really a chance to touching the number one seed in the Western Conference, the suns have won like 67 games. So we take our wins when they come. We're currently as as the time of the recording. We're currently in the midst of a game against Miami Heat or who are technically the current one seat. If we can beat them tonight, we should pick them to the one spot again. Which How do you feel about that Bobby? Like I mean, I don't know if we've really concretely talked about the Celtics, since we were sort of lamenting their growing pains as it turns out, they now were and you know, kind of pretty worried about our All Star tandem still. And I feel like I think we've all collectively been proven wrong. I think this this Ema udoka defensive scheme has clicked I think he's gotten the best set of Rob Williams which we'll go on to talk about shortly. And obviously the implications his injuries has, but I think I think this this team basketball, he's got him playing it the fact that he's got them all bought in which was obviously our biggest issue of the end of the Brad Stevens era. What do you think what's changed the most for you and like what what are the what are your top reasons for why you think this is not working?

Rob Kelly: 5:13

Well, it's the defense is the number one reason man it's unbelievable how much of a leap that defense to take number one defense in the NBA and it's and it's not even close. You know what I mean? It's everyone defense by far in the NBA. Yeah, it went from underperforming, got list, effortless defense on some nights to a locked down tenacious, just like there's nothing you can do about a defense. And that's the biggest difference to me. It's crazy man like, so I was going back, I was listening to a couple of our old shows. And each time we talked about it, they just kept climbing in the standing. It's crazy. Like last time we were talking about it, we were like, oh, you know, yeah, it's possible they could get up to the three C, you know, possibly to sheet and all of a sudden two weeks later this run just keeps going. Yeah. And now we're playing for the one seat against Miami man. And it's just, it's it's, it's still mind boggling to me that we're actually playing for the one seat with 10 games to go and Eastern Conference it from where we were at the beginning of the season. It's just night and day. It's unbelievable.

Dave Clarke: 6:17

What do you what do you make of this team's attitude shift? I feel like the thing that we were we were banging our heads against the metaphorical and sometimes literal wall, when we would all talk in the discord is this team just doesn't have a winning mentality down the stretch, they let teams come get them they let you know, they let themselves get in their own heads, etc, etc. What's the reason for all these, like, you know, blowing all these big leads? Now, they don't even look like they're going to give a team a chance to decide to think about getting back into a game. And they look mentally I feel like mentally they just look a lot more, you know, locked in Sure. Like, at the effort like you're mentioning on the defensive side is definitely there but also more grown up. Is that Is that a fair assessment of of what how you've been watching them that they're just not. They're just not letting it happen anymore. They've decided collectively that they're better than that. And they're just not letting that kind of stuff happen. And they're not really given teams a chance. Do you think that that attitude shift has come with a good play? Like where do you think that's come from? And like, have you noticed the same thing?

Rob Kelly: 7:21

Okay, it's night and day, man, and I don't know what change it honestly, it was. I feel like there was there was a moment. I think it was Jaylen brown tweeted something like there's about to be an attitude shift there's about to be

Dave Clarke: 7:33

and you're like I'll believe it when I fucking see it. Yeah,

Rob Kelly: 7:36

but it happened and I don't know what what it was honestly because you're right it really does look like more grown up basketball like used to see maybe it's just a shorter rotation or just the fact that we don't have like trauma waters and like you know what I mean these bombs out there in the last five minutes again, but used to see in that last five minutes like it was like a different team and you know what I mean? Like you get to this Jayson Tatum Jaylen ISO ball moments and you just like see basketball at what makes you want to pound your head against the wall like you said, like that was that was

Dave Clarke: 8:09

it was allergen at the start of the season, like there are the offense like they were at teams could do whatever they want to us, but also, offensively, we could just we just could not get it going. And that leads me to, I think what's going to be the biggest topic and should could and should be the biggest topic of our Celtics chat, which is Robert Williams. You know, he gets injured, torn meniscus. looking promising, though, like a four to six week timeline. I mean, I know I hear you already. And and I know, I've held off a surgery and hoping he I know I get it. And also, I mean, you know, you think back even as far as you can go all the way back to 2010 kg. Kendrick Perkins for that game seven. Jaylen brown last year. You know Gordon Hayward I mean, when it comes to needing guys to step up and be 100% healthy for the playoffs the Celtics luck has been abysmal. And I honestly with probably the exception of Jayson Tatum right now, Robert Williams was the last guy I wanted to see get hurt because I think for and I, you know, for obvious reasons. Anybody who's been watching the Celtics over the past few weeks knows that this floating free safety position that that Robert Williams, which I mean, you know, it seems like a no brainer, right? It just seems like the kind of coaching that it sort of comes from fundamental basketball in a way because it's like well what what do we how do we get the best out of this guy and like what is what are the things this guy brings to the table? He has now and I don't think he always did but he has now a high defensive basketball, IQ and crazy athleticism, crazy athleticism and I think just letting him like bounce around back there. It's a very entertaining to watch on the defensive side of the ball, which on just pure entertainment was kind of all I was asking for from the Celtics team just like be watchable. Please just be watchable. And that's been like an extra thing that's been actually quite watchable about this, this team since before this, even this big streak was watching Robin Williams play that athleticism is now missing from the defensive side of the ball, and you know, I mean they're holding their own right now against Miami but of all teams to miss Robert Williams against and the way this team is this Miami team is currently constituted I would say you know, this is a game where you'd really love to have them what kind of adjustments do you think we're going to have to make in a do we stand a chance in the playoffs? If he doesn't come back? You know, is this the dream die as quickly as it hasn't materialized as we shot up the standards.

Rob Kelly: 10:34

It's so it's in that game we absolutely dominated to is like I didn't even know it You know what happened until all of a sudden I got the update after Robin Williams is being handled or being analyzed, I guess for MCL strain as they call cut, dammit, of all people, man, for an injury to winger to one person that worries me is Rob Williams. You've seen it so many goddamn times. I don't know, maybe it's different now because he's older. He's got Al Horford. Now, I think that's,

Dave Clarke: 11:04

I think, has been really great for him. Yeah. You know what I mean, I really have not been a huge addition to his game. And I think it's like, it allows him to do luxury things in that position. That you know, it wouldn't, he wouldn't normally be afforded. And also, Ally thing is bringing a lot more to the table on the defensive side of the ball than I thought he was going to bring him. I think that you are the rest of Celtics nation thought he was going to bring, I thought he was going to be much more of a role player than he actually kind of came in. He's vital, you know, again, and like and I feel like, I feel like the coaching staff is really getting the best out of their players. And I think it you know, what they did was they looked at the roster and said, What are the each individually what are these guys do best? And how can they best complement each other? And I think the freedom that it gives Rob Williams back there without Horford is absolutely a huge thing.

Rob Kelly: 11:48

I think owl had a big thing to do with you, like you said that defensive IQ does in the past. I think Rob relied a lot on his athleticism, period. You know what I mean? Like he he would have games where he would get caught out of position a lot.

Dave Clarke: 12:02

Yeah. People want to run back on him like, people want to run back.

Rob Kelly: 12:06

ballgame. Right. And you just don't see that anymore. I don't know if maybe it's the system to a setup now.

Dave Clarke: 12:11

But I think slides are better. Like they're better time. Yeah.

Rob Kelly: 12:15

And now has a lot to do with that. I

Dave Clarke: 12:17

think yeah, well, because he's, we don't have to put because the what was the big worry with Rob is he he's not able to guard Joellen beat, you know, he's not going to be able to guard Yiannis, he doesn't eat but he doesn't have to guard the bigs. Now, he gets, you get to put him as like a huge length, athletic defender on what is likely a lot of teams best score at the three, you know what I mean? In that in that kind of high, high post to, to block area, and he just gets to move through that area. So any moves, he can cross the floor so quickly. You know what I mean with like with that athleticism, and now that he knows when to do it, it's just like, oh my god, this is like that. It's it's it's such a huge part of our defensive identity. And I think that's the thing that's worrying and if he makes it back and four weeks, we're good.

Rob Kelly: 13:00

We're golden. Agreed. And so a big reason why he's so key to is it gives all the other defensive players freedom to be aggressive to put the pressure down to, to really, you know what I mean? They don't have to they don't have to play conservative in any way whatsoever. Because they know Rob Williams is they're holding their back and if someone gets a step on him he safety broke their bra. Yeah, and, and you know that that gives us the freedom to put Tatum on dude, like Jada is to put Tatum on and be you know what I mean? He could because Tatum Tatum's athletic enough that he can keep stay with these dudes on the outside. But as soon as they get down into the block, man, that's when Rob is there. And he's like, You know what, he's just a defender on the bathtub. So that's where we're really gonna miss him. The biggest piece, and I can't believe I'm saying this is Greg Williams, man. If Grant Williams can step up, and anyone give you 60 to 70% of what Rob was giving you. I think that you can live without Rob for that first round of the playoffs. I don't think that I don't remember that. I don't either. I don't either.

Dave Clarke: 14:06

I'd rather make Tatum I'd rather make Tatum play the way that Rob was playing, because he's got him on safety and then you just leave grant as a perimeter defender which works. Yeah, you know, it works fine. And then he just doesn't he's just not athletic enough. I just like I think it's gonna be so noticeable if we want to try to play the same game if we don't if we put a guy like Grant Williams in there, because I just think he's gonna get fucking cream. Like I probably rather Daniel Tice, to be honest with you playing that playing that role because it's like he'll play it a little bit more traditionally, but like, like I I agree that I've come around on Grant Williams to like, I don't hate him as much as I did, like, circa you know, one year ago today. Um, I think his like, I think he's improved almost every aspect of his game I think is the most the best thing he's done is he's improved his shooting because I hated every single fucking time he took a shot and he's a little bit better at that now. So you know, we're good.

Rob Kelly: 14:58

They're actually what he said like top 15 in league now. And I think she's really pretty sure shooting

Dave Clarke: 15:05

the three Yeah, he's always been decent shooting the three I feel like his his his decision making is gone better overall, like when he shoots. What again, as a defender, I just I'm not tough 15 in the league really? I'm pretty sure that's pretty crazy. That's what percentage like compliance three foot so he's making much better decisions. Is his

Rob Kelly: 15:26

shooting. He shooting 42% from 343

Dave Clarke: 15:29

Fucking lights

Rob Kelly: 15:30

out. Yeah, it's pretty good.

Dave Clarke: 15:31

That's pretty fucking lights out. Jesus. I didn't know is that good? Um, well, he's making a lot much better decisions. I think he's improved exponentially. I think he's also improved on the defensive side of the ball. I just don't Don't don't seem filling that role to be honest with you. I think you get you need a guy that's still athletic to be able to go in there or a guy who like knows how to play more in the poker be tough, man. Gotta be tight. No, we I mean, it's it's it's tough to replicate. You know what I mean? Unless we had BAM out of bio coming off the bench like he'd be perfect. But like we don't so, you know, it's gonna be a bummer for that first round, but come back.

Rob Kelly: 16:09

Let's put it this way. If we played Brooklyn without Rob Williams in the first round. I don't think we it's gonna be a tough series. I'm not gonna say we're a shot.

Dave Clarke: 16:19

You got to get the one seat. Yeah, right. Like then just get the one seat and we'll be good. Who do we play? Who are likely to be eight Polen

Rob Kelly: 16:26

that will show that's that's that's the problem is Brooklyn might end up in play.

Dave Clarke: 16:29

Here they are right there aren't there. So that's, that's come second. Yeah, just come second, you might wonder you might learn. Because like, I don't think they're gonna catch the Cavs? Wow, Brooklyn. I really like I thought it's all really close to us. All right, well, it goes from 48 to 40 in the top eight, like per wins. So really, anything could happen. I think you just try to win all your games. And you just you try to kind of like come as high as you can. And like be confident that you can beat whatever team you play. I think that's like, you just got to make it simple. Don't worry about the kind of individual like, oh, they won here. They win. They're like, it'll be what it'll be. The playing tournament still has to happen. And that's over on like, what the 15. Right? Yeah. And then we start on the 16th of playoffs start in the 16. That rest will be nice. You know, a little bit of a little bit of rest and see if if Robins can make a good comeback. He says the surgery went well, though. So four weeks. Could you see it?

Rob Kelly: 17:26

I could? Yeah, I mean, I could it just scares me man that April, April 30. Robin Williams back, Robin Williams needs those those lower left, he needs that lower body strike, then that's what makes him Rob Williams. You know, he jumps out he jumps out of a goddamn gym. He comes back he might he might not look the same for a while. It just It scares me that that kind of injury for a big bad and it's Rob Williams. Like I hate to be this guy. But surprised you're

Dave Clarke: 17:51

not optimistic. I thought I was gonna come to you for some optimism in this situation. There is a whole camp. There's a whole camp saying Rob Williams makes it back and we like make a run. So

Rob Kelly: 18:02

listen, it's hard for me to be optimistic about a Rob Williams injury. This has been the thing I know we talked about him every single year. Like if he stays healthy. He's amazing. If he stays healthy, he's awesome. Yeah, but he it's so hard for this dude to stay healthy in the time he's been bro. That's that's what killed me. I went. I went from where the one seed. Let's go. Like I was actually texting one of my buddies. I would need her phone while he like texted me randomly all pumped about the Celtics. I got her year and a half, bro, how about the Celtics and like, literally 12 hours later, Rob Williams was out for four to six times never

Dave Clarke: 18:42

talked to never talked to that guy again. Again, as long as you live.

Rob Kelly: 18:48

So I don't know, if I honestly want to end up I think the three seed might be the best for the Celtics at this point. I know being one seed of GC can be awesome. And the implications are good for morale. It's good for the team and things like that. But if we end up as this three seed, I think we're likely to get the Raptors to Cleveland. And those are the two teams you want to see in that. You know what I mean? Those are the two you want.

Dave Clarke: 19:14

You could fuck you could you could figure out rotations against either? Absolutely. Absolutely. Like you have you have a little bit of a luxury like if you can, if you can, if you're short your rotation is seven guys to start you like make a definite choice seven eight guys to start. And then you just smash them for the first two home games like you get up 40 points on which I could 100% see happening and then it's like, okay, let's like do it. Let's run some scrimmages. You know what I mean? Like, let's see how like Daniel does here. Let's see how like, you know, like, let's like fuck with the guard play a little bit like who wants to be the perimeter over here. You can start doing stuff like that. When you're up by a lot on team, there's no way Brooklyn don't give us a good game, at least in every single, every single one right every single round and also like, you know, Kyrie and KD I mean, like, I know if Mike was here, it'd be like bah bah, bah, bah, bah, like Kyrie and KD like mental midgets, etc, etc. But like there. I'm not sure how much they've given a shit really about the regular season anyway, and they'd like to I feel like they're probably like, I don't know, just like play playing tournament will definitely win. And it will like well, just like see where we're at in the playoffs. You know what I mean? I just don't I know you can't count them out. If

Rob Kelly: 20:20

you they play the Raptors to the Cavs. It's an absolute failure in a disappointment even without Rob Williams if they lose that series. Oh, yeah. No, they have to win that they after they played the Sixers. If they played the nets at they play the man the bulls they should be too. It's really a day play if they end up I guess the Sixers are the nets in that first round. It's gonna be a Battle,

Dave Clarke: 20:42

man, I'd be scared to either of those teams with Rob leaves. If I had to say exactly the Sixers or the or the nets, I'd be nervous in the seven game series at our best. We've been playing great. You know, don't get me wrong, but like those are two like, you know, pretty experienced playoff teams think about it. Like it's it's you know, they're they're no slouches and matchup wise I just think the bees like our biggest problem I think it's very difficult for us to match up and you're 76 years because like, I think when Georgia beads healthy and fit, and like not plain lazy and like you know, like not out of shape and not injured.

Rob Kelly: 21:18

I don't think anybody can really match up with why off Joellen be it is a scary, scary scary man.

Dave Clarke: 21:23

I'm not really sure anybody in the league can match up with him to be honest. Yeah, dude,

Rob Kelly: 21:27

yo, kitch maybe? Okay. Yogesh good.

Dave Clarke: 21:29

Yeah. But it's, I don't, I guess I don't really think about that. Because like, he's kind of a non factor. Yeah. In like the postseason and like in the east. So, yeah, he could be probably could, I think Joelle might have a tough time with him. But like, there's nobody in the East who can fucking do anything with them. So we haven't defended by committee. But like I you know, I would like our chances if we had a because I think we kind of do fuck the six years up, and I think we're a little bit in his head. Like, historically speaking. And I think with Rob Williams, you can like, play that fucking pogo stick game in the back in the frontcourt. And you can like just have him be there. Just like swatting at stuff. And it's the least annoying. You can only mean and then I take the rest of our guys one on one, to be honest with you against the rest of the six years. So with I guess the exception of Harden, but like, you know how that works. I think like I just don't know if he's like, You don't know what harden you're getting? Yeah, yeah, exactly. So that's Trick or treat. So like, Yeah, fuck it. You got to take we put them I put Jim Brown on him and we'll see what happens. Like why not? I don't you know. Um, but yeah, I feel like, I feel like there's reasons to be optimistic, but I'm a little definitely a little bit bummed about the whole Robin Williams situation for sure.

Rob Kelly: 22:39

So I'm sorry to disappoint you and like not not be the shining light. Oh, it's funny. Usually.

Dave Clarke: 22:45

You know, it's fun. I mean, I mean, there's lots of reasons to be happy about how they're playing right

Rob Kelly: 22:49

now. Yeah, it's just it. There's one thing that you can't get me to be optimistic about. It's Rob Williams, Andrew. Yeah, you've been you've been you've been hurt too many times. After all these years, man. It's just you we've seen these these these shining moments of Rob Williams, where you're like, oh my god, let's go. This dude is amazing. You know, and then it's followed by this.

Dave Clarke: 23:08

It's probably Carmen because Marcus smart is out there fucking taking Steph Curry out of contention. Bro. Fucking just like absolutely and Jack just hit chicken. He is diving on the floor for taking his legs out. It's like see always gonna come back to haunt us because we have like that dude on our team. We have that fuckin Enforcer. Um, yeah, all right. Well, fuck it. Fucking just forget it for the rest of that bucket season down. Now it's cool. I think I think it's nice that we're not gonna play the plan tournament. I think it's gonna be fun to watch the season in the postseason. Whoever we get. I'm excited for a basketball postseason anyway. So yeah, I think

Rob Kelly: 23:48

overall, I can't wait to put on those those lucky so I've been holding myself socks in the drawer until the playoffs just just so we can bust them out. And it's gonna be it's gonna be amazing.

Dave Clarke: 23:59

You can't watch them out the last few years because they're not that lucky. If that's the case. I'm gonna save it. Have you been saving them up? For three years? Since we want to share? Yeah, unless you've been unless you've been saving them since 2008. I think maybe then some of the luck my fucker worn up. But yeah, we'll see whatever you can do. Whatever you can do we'd all really appreciate it is collectively a Celtic nation. Um, you want to talk about March Madness. This time on March March Madness a little bit?

Unknown: 24:24

I'm feeling bad.

Dave Clarke: 24:25

How about fucking Will Smith's lap and Chris Rock at the Oscars? That, like everyone out here has it? Has it take about that. Let's talk about a brace age.

Rob Kelly: 24:32

So it's I just I don't listen, I don't blame them. Do you not blame him? I don't prefer Listen, we've all we've all been one 100% over. But he got that look from his girl. And I guarantee you listen, Chris Rock. Will Smith have known each other for a long time. Okay. So I feel like it also was like, I can't believe you're making me. You're putting me in this situation right now. Because if you look at Jay or

Dave Clarke: 25:05

if you are Jada, right? Yeah. Jada Pinkett Smith.

Rob Kelly: 25:08

Yeah, okay, just make sure I wasn't talking about my afro. You look at if you look at Janus face, right? That is a face that every husband, every male, everyone on the face of the earth has seen at one point in their life where you're drinking with your buddies and someone says stupid about something stupid about your girlfriend, or someone says something stupid about your girl. And she gives you that look of are you going to let him say that to me? You don't have a choice, man. Granted,

Dave Clarke: 25:39

not I don't know if I've ever been Hey Baby maybe you know cuz she gave me that look at the front row the Academy Awards I'd be like bitch What the fuck you want me to do about it right now? Ever there's like every everyone in the world is looking at me right I wouldn't do I'm in a tuxedo

Rob Kelly: 25:56

on the night he's gonna win Best Actor to wish just I mean, I just don't

Dave Clarke: 26:00

think it was a smart thing. To be honest he obviously was like overcome by emotion and I get that but he's already he's I was it was a pretty benign joke if you think about it in retrospect. And also you like you also let her just like tell a story on her TV show about how she felt some other dude and you have to swallow that. And I think we all realize that's what this is about. To be honest, like, I think collectively, we understand that there's footage of your wife taking you on her TV show just on like Facebook watch, which is like low key embarrassing. And like, I mean, I don't have a TV show on Facebook watch. But like, if you're like Will Smith's wife like you couldn't get on YouTube, Like come on. Now I get it. They're probably trying to like they probably have a partnership. She probably knows Zuckerberg, they probably have dinner together. It's probably really creepy. It's it's fine. But she takes you on a TV show and like in order to like, basically garner a following she tells a story and are basically held has you help her tell a story of how she fucking cheated on you.

Rob Kelly: 27:01

Right with Tupac, right?

Dave Clarke: 27:03

No, no with this dude that they like invited into their house named August. So I'll say I'm gonna send you this clip to you. I like the pure torture on fucking Will Smith's face when he's when he's like, just like he already knew about it. But like she just wants to talk about another TV show. And I'm like, that's, I think that's this is basically where we're at here. Well, I think that you got a little you have to kind of swallow your pride and your manhood in front of the world once in, you know, from your point of view. And then also Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith that I thought was much worse at the 2016 Oscars because he said something along the lines of like, Jada Pinkett Smith being mad that she isn't invited to the art like that she's invited to the Oscars is like me being mad that I can't get into Rihanna is pants. Like, yeah, I would love to be here but the invites never gonna come and be like something along those lines. Like, nobody fucking was invited Jada Pinkett Smith the Oscars was like the joke basically, the punch line. So I think it's from that and I think like she was like, I fuckin fuck Chris Rock. She's probably said that it privately to will in like, 2016 was like, fucking hate that guy. Got all fucking pissy about it. And then when that happened, plus, he basically got cuckold in front of the entire universe. And then, and then finally, pressure Phil Knight. He's up for Best Actor. He worked really hard on this. On this movie. He's in the front row. He's at smile. He's always fucking smiling too. And I feel like anyone who smiles that much it's got to be bullshit. There's got to go Yeah, and then he just loses his shit and he slaps Chris Rock the whole walk up there yeah, when you should have fucking reconsidered I think cuz like just like just take fucking breath dude. Like just take a breath. And then you know the implications it has unfortunately I think this it casts an unfortunate power of the evening because I think a lot of people are there to enjoy their evening and and fucking win awards and like it became the night that Will Smith slap Chris Rock. Not the night of the like the first ever def guy won an award or you know, like it's just like all these other things happened and it just I just definitely cast like a like a tough and I'm already fucking sick of hearing about it to be quite honest on the internet. So like our our take, I've just decided if the internet if you're listening is the last one. So we're done. Wrapping it up. The memes are funny. So and I put it so so it's just like fuck Chris Fox up there. He's at work.

Rob Kelly: 29:31

A couple of them are funny. I there's there's a few. That's pretty good.

Dave Clarke: 29:35

Yeah. And in on day one on day one, right? Now you're like, it's all the best jokes have been done.

Rob Kelly: 29:42

And they always rehash them too. That's the thing is like, there's always like, seven different posts with the same

Dave Clarke: 29:49

joke. You're like, okay, yeah, I gotta curate my shit better. This is getting out of control. But Chris Rock is outward meeting got smacked in the fucking face. And for everybody. That's very, like emasculating and upsetting like that. There's no way he felt good about that happening to him. You know what I mean? He definitely felt like shit on a night where he was just like there to like, present one award. He wasn't even like hosting. You know,

Rob Kelly: 30:11

he was so surprised to you saw so you saw we'll walk it up. And Chris at first I feel like was almost like pumped. Like he was like using Are you gonna come up and do a bit? Yeah, this is gonna be good. Yeah, it all suddenly got smacked. And he had. I don't know if you saw the scale of him after he got smacked. But he had the most stereotypical Chris rock face honor of like, yeah, right. Like it was just he was shocked man.

Dave Clarke: 30:34

You don't fucking smile. He's

Rob Kelly: 30:35

got Tim institution. You know, open hands, man.

Dave Clarke: 30:39

You know what I mean? He's a fucking American treasure. But I got an understand. Like, he's been fucking doing nothing making us laugh for the last like 30 years he got slapped with a next level at a deck. Also like you look great, but he's like probably in his 50s You know what I mean? Like, slap like a 50 something year old man like in front of people. Openhand

Rob Kelly: 30:57

Will Smith is 52 Isn't it? Yeah, sure.

Dave Clarke: 31:01

But like that's even worse. That's more embarrassing. I mean, like you're growing middle. Yeah, can dodge each other at least that's the other thing. They're very lucky that Chris Rock is the is the is the model of professionalism that he is because I was going to jet if you can't get smacked in the face in front of so many people and not be willing to die. You can't just let that go. You know what I mean? Like, we're all getting arrested. If that happens, we're all getting fucking arrested at the Academy Awards, and it's gonna be so embarrassing. Where it's like, Dude, I can't I can't deescalate the situation now. I'm sorry. You just Openhand smacked a grown man in the face. I have to kill you or die trying. Those are my two options, right? Yeah, anyway. We'll switch.

Rob Kelly: 31:44

His ticket prices went from 42 bucks to 400 in Boston this week, but

Dave Clarke: 31:49

also nobody would have nobody would have fucking said a word about your wife for the remainder of time. Unless you were like already in the news. You just put her in the fucking news cycle. Dude. Everybody's talking about our bald as head. Everybody's making fucking worse jokes in the GI Jane jokes. Also, it's fucking alopecia. It's not like it's, you know, ALS. It's like you okay? You went bald? I'm sorry. That sucks. But it's not like the fucking end of the world.

Rob Kelly: 32:14

It Charlie. Charlie vote away vote isn't crying.

Dave Clarke: 32:17

Yeah, you're fine. You'll be okay. Draw your fucking eyebrows on and like get on. You know, we're gonna be okay. All right, let's move on to March Madness. And

Rob Kelly: 32:26

anyone out there listening to us with alopecia? Yeah,

Dave Clarke: 32:29

sorry. Well, they're probably not like they're probably not like anyone with alopecia probably isn't advocating for people to assault other people on their behalf. Just because they fucking alopecia. You know, I think they're probably okay. Now, the albinos. I don't know about those guys. Like they're their fucking wild card. The Yellow Pages. We might be okay. The adult if we piss off the albinos, we've lost. They're coming. They're coming. I'm telling you, they can organize quickly, and it's difficult to see them. Or maybe it's really easy to see them. I don't know, I guess depends on what room you're in. If you're in an all white room, that'd be tough.

Rob Kelly: 33:07

So we're gonna try going away but he went to UConn. And you know, you guys bought in March Madness. But you know,

Dave Clarke: 33:12

that was a decent transition college basketball. Transition. Alright, well we're in the Final Four. I mean, the juice the juice is here the juice is here and it's worth the squeeze. So who you got? Who like who you were I've even talked to you like how's your your brackets gonna be trash?

Rob Kelly: 33:27

It's it's now just trash. I am in dead last bracket. Like I was looking at I am in last place and like it's so funny for someone who I don't want to say I consider myself a college basketball IQ expert but I think I know college basketball.

Dave Clarke: 33:44

The more I learned about college basketball the worst I do my March Madness bracket. It's unbelievable

Rob Kelly: 33:49

man and like I was doing good with like my my DraftKings pics in college basketball and everything like that as soon as March Madness got here, it just took such a dive bomb. So for the audience out there for I'm going to tell you who I think is gonna win for sure. Please fade this pic as hard as you can it's not gonna happen um but I think Duke lamb in you know you go through

Dave Clarke: 34:17

the context the context of Coach K and everything Yeah, sure.

Rob Kelly: 34:21

It just seems it just seems meant to be at this point. It seems meant to be that we're going to get a so first we're going to get the UNC Duke Final Four game which is is historical. We'll get into that in a second. It's amazing that we're getting this Yeah.

Dave Clarke: 34:36

Especially the Coke a Coach K's last final floor and they're playing at UNC that's I mean if you couldn't have scripted it

Rob Kelly: 34:41

better UNC just beat them to coming into the tournament and UNC are good. Like they're like playing really well. So but do Kansas is going to be the championship to me it just seems meant to be the Duke UNC Blue Bloods rivals you know what I mean? And then do Kansas also blue bloods you know to the best teams historically you know every year in and year out in March Madness and it just seems to be that Coach K is going to take it man and it just coming into this I literally said on the March Madness previous show Ducasse the team to me that I think is gonna crumble under the pressure. were words that I said on that show. I was like, yeah, no first round second round Duke is out of here. Yeah, didn't happen. Here we are. They proved me wrong. And I think they just keep it going man bench er was awesome. That team that team is solid. So I think do takes it just historical significance. I think I think it's gonna play a role here and I think Okay goes on on top. It's what it's what they want. It's what they want, you know?

Dave Clarke: 35:46

Yeah. I feel like yeah, I feel like if that happens, what's his name Ben Chara? He's gonna go number one overall next year, I think like, I think yeah, but I think it's like, you could put you could probably spread the first like three or four picks out. It's like, it's kind of like no, there's no guarantees. I think if he like wins the tournament, I think that makes him the number one overall pick, which means he goes to the magic so we won't hear from him for a few years. But you know, we'll see what happens. No, I think it's been cool. I think there is a little bit of a it's the only time like Dukes ever in the Final Four but you still sort of feel like that and you're getting a nice Cinderella vibe from the for you know, from like from the Final Four matchup because of all this other history, like usually just want an underdog like making it this far. And like, you know, UNC is pretty high seed. I feel like, like Hatton high number wise I mean, so it's like you know, they don't necessarily weren't necessarily pictured to come here. But yeah, I feel like I feel like in the narrative perspective, I think I think seeing Coach K go to the final and seeing him beat Kansas who I hate would be awesome. So I think they'd be great. You're not giving Villanova shot. You're not You're not You're saying there there's no chance they can be Kansas. They just don't have the size. What do you think it is?

Rob Kelly: 36:54

Yeah. It's the size and also them losing a classic of his name right now. They just had a huge injury in the last game, and he's such a key piece and to go Justin Moore. He tore his ACL in the game against you remember where they were just playing? Who they just beat.

Dave Clarke: 37:16

Last round? Yeah. St. Peter's right in Peters. Yes. No, UNC played St. Peter's. Oh, st. Miami.

Rob Kelly: 37:23

Okay, yeah, that game against Miami Justin Moore one out man and he's such a big piece of that offense and that team I don't know if they can overcome that in such a short period of time as anyone can is Nova because the style basketball they play with differentiate which is a USB D potentially anymore with jewel SP with jewel SP but feel like it's been there for 10 years. And in that style basketball play where they just don't turn the ball over. They play such a fundamental style of basketball. But without more man without such a big piece. It gets such a talented Kansas team. I don't know. I just I think it's gonna be tough for them to get by them. We'll see though like I said, judging by how by March Madness thanks to God knows going Chuck

Dave Clarke: 38:11

Yeah, I mean, they have some good players. I just feel like yeah, like Kansas. Yeah, it's tough. It's weird. I feel like anything can happen the Final Four though too. So we could probably we could see Villanova UNC play each other wouldn't be as cool of a story but like I wouldn't be crazy surprised. Did that happen? I think UNC have some like decent matchups against Duke too. I think it's an exciting game. What do they play Saturday? Yeah, it's Saturday, like after noon my time I guess. Evening your time? Um, yeah. I mean, what do you think this means for the for the draft class in the NBA next year. I feel like Jabari Smith's up there that kid from Auburn I think, you know, I know. We're obviously not seeing them in the tournament at this phase of proceedings, but I think like he still looks like a blue chip piece. I'm Chad homerun. J Nivea qimr Anybody jumped out of you that like you maybe like a little bit farther down the draft you'd like to see the Celtics pick up any any crafty guards. You've seen play in this tournament this year.

Rob Kelly: 39:08

You know, my crafty guy. That was I love Jaden Ivey Celtics had no chance of getting him he showed me top five

Dave Clarke: 39:12

pick. I like that kid Johnny Davis from Wisconsin.

Rob Kelly: 39:16

He's pretty good Davis yet? Yeah.

Dave Clarke: 39:17

He's Uh, he's right up your alley.

Rob Kelly: 39:19

He is right up my alley. I actually have Wisconsin going far. Specifically because of John David. Yeah. Hey, did didn't didn't work out. Well, what did they shoot like one of 18 and that game wasn't great. But, ya know, I like Johnny Davis. I also like a card from Murray State. I can't take this name. This is my problem. college basketball. There's so many goddamn teams. Too many names. There's too many do so. But there's a guy for merch that I really like and then for the for that first pick, bro. It's the dude from Auburn. I just think he's such a he's such an athletic freak that I have to borrow. Jabari Smith. Yeah, but I I do have that Nova guy. I'm not meant to probably talk about who's a guard you just talked about? who's just getting ready for Johnny Davis? You know, not John Davis, the guy. That doesn't matter. Um, yeah. I liked that. He's gonna be the number one pick. I don't think there's any doubt about that. Man. You look at the way he plays. He's, he's the kind of guards are he's kind of forward that everyone loves man. stretch forward. He's athletic. If he can develop a solid jump shot, he he's going to be something special in the NBA. 100%

Dave Clarke: 40:37

Yeah. All right. We talked Basketball on the professional level. We talked about it at the college.

Rob Kelly: 40:45

We haven't we've heard from you since was let's transition with football for a minute because you know I just feel like what I want to hear from another struggling football fan someone who's someone who is at another level like Matt

Dave Clarke: 41:00

Brown I'm not I'm not too pissed about the bears offseason to be quite honest with you.

Rob Kelly: 41:03

What about that? Was that Khalil Mack trade? Yeah,

Dave Clarke: 41:06

I Well, okay. I think if you look at it, it's tough what we got back, but you're also asking someone to take a pretty hefty contract for guys. Let's be honest, like in the next two years, he could fall off pretty hard. And I just think they're kind of just accepting that they're not trying to make a run in the next two to three years. They're just going to build and I you know, a lot of the offseason pickups we just we got a lot of people on the cheap you know, we got a lot of like cheap contracts. We got a lot of one years and I think to me, it's like well, it's a new regime. Yeah, have I been languishing and watching this team suck for like a long time? Yes. But a lot of the guys they're bringing in like I like the profile of player um there's a lot of speed there's a lot of athleticism there's a lot of like smart money in in key positions we've liked shoring up the defensive line like outside of Khalil Mack going away I think we've like added some some presence there and some speed and we used we use like some of the some of the money we freed up from that trade to do it um I think we're starting to shift our receiving corps around a little bit to like fit what I think is going to be which seemed like a fucking no brainer to me last year but like a sort of a run pass offensive built around Justin fields with you know you want to you want to front load the season on auction plays kind of like scrambly plays keep them safe protected which we've also made some really good good moves in that area to get to shore up our which I mean we couldn't really gotten much worse honestly the offensive line position but we should we shore it up with some key guys there we got to do for I forget his name from Green Bay which I'm like thrilled about he was like one of their best blockers um, and I fit in also he had a big responsibility protecting like the money he was protecting. So I think like he'll know what he's doing and I think that their their priorities are in the right place. And I think that they realized when they critically on Mac I think they realized it was like well we're not going to win with him. Because like by the time we're ready to win based on what we have here he's gonna be fucking done. He's gonna be shot and we're still gonna have to pay him the fuckin Khalil Mac is a beast money that we're we haven't we have a month. So basically take on this contract for his chargers, you now have like a great two piece of joy Bosa and Khalil Mac looks great for you on paper and you you're in a better position to sort of try to make a run we're building so we need to get into a position where we actually have fucking draft picks because we picked those away to get Khalil Mack in the first place. Which you know, it was fun to watch him Don't get me wrong and he's a beast. But you got to put a guy like that in as a piece that when there's already you know, he's an edge rusher you know? It's great to have an awesome fucking edge rusher it really is. But that's not how you build a winning team. Not a defensive Cornerstone money. Yeah, exactly like and he was getting fucking Cornerstone money and you need to be you need to build from your secondary and stays in it felt like everybody seems to know that, you know, except for you know, the Jets, but you build from your secondary and, and you get speed and athleticism in the secondary because there's fucking speed and athleticism everywhere in the in on wide, wide receiver and running back across the entire NFL now. So yeah, we got it. We got to build from there. And I think we needed that money to do it. And I think they're like, well, we drafted I think a really good quarterback and Justin fields and we need to like, get him good at football. You know, give him like take the pressure off a little bit and put him in winning situations like the fucking way they meant naggy used them at the end of the last season. It's like dude, you have you really been the guy this whole time. It's really been your job the entire fucking time that you need to be the head coach, you don't know what you're doing, like, Oh my God. And it's that thing. It's that head. It's that head coach like, I'm a fucking guru. I'm now overthinking everything, everything. I'm overthinking everything to the point where I'm making the wrong decision about everything. And I don't think it makes him necessarily a terrible coach. But you are a terrible coach, if you're making the fucking decisions that you're making, but it does happen. I've seen it happen because it's like you're just trying to, you know, you're you're just trying to like move the bricks around. And like just hope the water doesn't come in. But like the more you do it, the more you're just getting quicksand. And you know, it was just time for me to go and I think I think we seems like we have a decent front office now. And I like the moves that we're making. How are the Cowboys? What's going on with them? Are they fucking Amari Cooper is gone.

Rob Kelly: 45:25

Randy Gregory is gone. But I

Dave Clarke: 45:27

thought Amari Cooper was like the linchpin of your of your whole plan to win the Super Bowl because like DAX sick when a Marty's healthy what happened? I

Rob Kelly: 45:35

don't know what happened. I don't know. I don't all this age. So we're before performance Before I get into my dismal cowboys okay

Dave Clarke: 45:44

what the new head coach I did last time ever flew ever ever ever flew yeah ever flew on those lands I haven't heard of the live read it a lot but once we get into the season I'll hear people

Rob Kelly: 45:57

first of all I didn't know he was Dallas Cowboys linebackers coach for like 90 was for a long time yeah. Cool guy connection there. Well yeah, I

Dave Clarke: 46:05

mean I didn't love the pic to be honest with you because I I was pretty dead set on the idea that if we were going to get a guy to build back our defensive identity, but like maybe he's hit or miss on the quarterback positions I really would have thought we would have gotten what's his name from the dolphins and he wouldn't be like a fucking quarterbacks coach in in Pittsburgh right now. Yeah, Brian, Brian Flores. Um, that was weird. I you know, I thought if like he his profile of coach, and the kind of coach he is, is the exact same as the guy we got. Except I think he's like, had a more proven pedigree. So I don't know. Like, and you know, maybe we didn't want the hassle. Um, I guess I get that on some level.

Rob Kelly: 46:50

But I do take him trading Mac though, was kind of a reset, where he's like, You know what, I think it's signals that we're starting over. Yeah. 100% where he's like, you know, what we need we need pecs. We have this this guy that this past regime got, we're gonna trade him away for what are they gonna third round pick? Second round

Dave Clarke: 47:08

and the sixth round, right? Which is like a third round pick that like if you combine those two, it's one. Like, Madden and you're doing the trades, you're like, alright, a seventh round. And they're like No, and you're like, all right, a sixth. Yeah, let's

Rob Kelly: 47:24

do all right. A fifth. Shit. I gave him the former NBA NBA NBA 2k trade fighters the best thing in the world.

Dave Clarke: 47:31

Yeah, because if you turn on all the rules, all the basketball realize that these fucking gyms are possible. You're like Jesus Christ. Like you're like there's a 2% luxury tax if you do that, and it's like Dude, how does anyone make trades? And this is like the guys who put this fucking lead together all like chemists or something. So it's bananas.

Rob Kelly: 47:52

Yeah, so cowboys, bro. What tomorrow? I don't know what happened. Were you gonna have to buy him out or something like what was PR is is so talented at turning a player from such a cornerstone and someone that we need to have our offense move in and go to a cap casualty that we can give away for a fifth round pick. Yeah. And that no matter of four months, you know what I mean? Like Amari caught Amari kata, game winning touchdown for the Cowboys against the Vikings. It's not

Dave Clarke: 48:22

like he doesn't still have it right like he's got it he I was pretty shocked. I was surprised just based on the fact that I think he's still got the bits

Rob Kelly: 48:29

it's the cap hit 20 mil a year is why they they got rid of them because 20 mil years at

Dave Clarke: 48:36

least treat them to the organs that Oh, Grand Rounds. Yeah. What's up over there?

Rob Kelly: 48:42

It has to be fun. But this is what you know what? So what I talked about this last week with Mike is like, the NFL was so good at being in the offseason, but somehow still being you

Dave Clarke: 48:57

know, it's become a 12 month sport. It really don't believe somebody it's really great. A great product, apart from all the like that offer. Yeah, yeah.

Rob Kelly: 49:07

It's become. I'm so addicted to it.

Dave Clarke: 49:10

I can't stop. Yo, can I ask you though, before you do the Cowboys? What I was trying to convince Leah that that Mitch to the Steelers is a great move. Because I think that Matt naggy was such a bad coach that I really genuinely believe there's an outside shot that Mitch Trubisky is actually good. And I think what do you think of that move especially I think he's a great fit over there. I think like Palma and he's better than bucket Ben Roethlisberger wasn't his last season right? Like he was terribly in a wet noodle for fucking on.

Rob Kelly: 49:38

I said on the show two weeks ago, or three weeks ago that I thought your biscuit would be a sneaky signing for the Seahawks. And and Mike and Mike and Ray were both like, why are you

Dave Clarke: 49:49

crazy? Dude, I think he's not that bad on I don't think he's that bad

Rob Kelly: 49:53

either. Listen, he brought a bearish team. To 13 and three, yeah, in the next year.

Dave Clarke: 49:59

Well, he was there. I don't know if he brought us but he was there. I know he's the quarterback. I get it. He's the quarterback. So it's like he brought that see I understand what you're saying.

Rob Kelly: 50:11

I think it could be good. Let's uh, you're right. Listen, Ross's Berger was not even a quarterback last year. Okay. Like and they weren't not in seven. So you get someone back there who can actually just manage a game?

Dave Clarke: 50:22

He was like fucking the Trotsky's a joke. He's a fucking joke. I'm like, Dude, I really I think Matt naggy was the true joke of that situation.

Rob Kelly: 50:31

But how many times delay of when you say that right when you used to be sitting there in your in your dismal bears, Mr. burski Matt naggy days where where they lose like 17 to three years of fucking bangles, I guess. Yeah, that bad example right

Dave Clarke: 50:46

now. But you know, I saw him play really well, a few times, I'll just say that, like, I know, it's not a popular opinion, I understand he was the butt of a lot of jokes. And he became sort of the poster boy for this failed Ryan pace, GM era in Chicago. And I also understand that like, but what I think other people need to understand is that like, Chicago, I think has this weird place in the NFL, where everybody still kind of is teasing out their respect for them as a franchise, even though it's been a long time since they've been good. They're never nobody really wants to turn unless you're like a Packers fan or something. The neutral in the NFL doesn't want to turn the bears into a Jets. You know what I mean? Like they're not ready to like, make fun of them to that degree. But Mitch became sort of the poster boy for this, like, they trade it up. And then like, they just these comparisons started leaking in like they could have had to Shawn, which could have Pat mahomes. You know, it's like, if you look at a quarterback draft class, obviously, it was a stupid fucking thing to do. And they put a lot of pressure on him. And he only played one season in college. It was all a little strange, but he's not. I saw him play. Well, I saw him play very, very well, a couple of times. Like I have more than a handful of times 10 I would get I would say, I could go and find 10 Mitch Tripeaks Mitch Trubisky games, where he played really well. Like above average to great not great as in like, great in the Hall of like, NFL quarterbacks just like he had a great game. I'd say at least 10 times. I could probably go find them. But that's probably out of like, I don't know how many games he played for us. Probably like 46 I don't know. I have no fucking clue. So that sounds pretty Correct. That could be 72 I don't fucking know. But like, I don't think he's bad. Qb and I think like the Mitch croissance I think I could see it happening. I would love to get this recorded. Say the Mitch responses possible. And then watch it happen in Pittsburgh who you guys have been shitting on for like three years and I'm forced to defend I think that'd be great.

Rob Kelly: 52:43

I think that's a great way to didn't show up for the midterm. I think that's that's that's such a good way to wrap everything.

Dave Clarke: 52:49

Yeah. All right. Well, that works with Thanks, Bob. That was fun. We chatted Celtics. We chatted Will Smith makin fuckin Chris Rock. We chatted March Madness and Old Faithful we we chatted NFL football. For myself DK sizzle and the real BK Bob Kelly. Thanks for tuning in. Did night.