A proven model to make homeownership affordable [Economic Architecture Podcast | Episode 38]

Every March, our brackets, the only thing you can think about, do you have symptoms such as constant bracket obsession? Or moderate to severe bracket-related distractions? You may be living with bracket brain. Thankfully, there's ESPN Tournament Challenge, the number one proven way to treat bracket brain right at the source. So this March, download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app, fill out your men's bracket, and get you and your brain in the game. ESPN Tournament Challenge, play the number one bracket game, presented by Allstate. This is the unsportsman-like podcast on ESPN Radio. I'm on a sportsman, my tomorrow morning. It's funny you mentioned that because I got intel that you were added to an unsportsman-like group chat, but haven't contributed yet. People are wondering if it's weird. Are you lurking? I'm lurking in the group chat. I love it. That also means inside information potentially. Where do you loyal- Yeah, to find out. There we go. All the stuff you need an unsportsman-like special. I get that. Maybe they'll put their picks in the chat. You know who knows. Do I need to remove David Dennis Jr. from the chat? A little cross-show snitch action going on here. What? What? Hold on, we need to get to that. That's a clip from Clinton and Friends weekdays, time until New and Eastern Time here on ESPN Radio. Unsportsman-like presented by progressive insurance. Progressive insurance offers 24/7 protection. When you bundle home, auto and motorcycle, learn more at progressive.com. Okay. A couple of things just to review here. As if you missed any of the first couple of hours of the show, Shaham Shahranya joined us. ESPN NBA insider. I'm going to guess what he said. Well, not what he said. What he made small say, which was brilliant by him, is going to become a big thing. He made smalls describe the honest, box-relationship as toxic. Because he said, "Guess a T-word." So he never actually said it. So it couldn't be clipped as his and that the latest with the bucks and yannis is toxic. First day of the NCAA tournament, day parties going on all over the place. People are calling in with some of their darts today, which is awesome. And of course, Lakers are just rolling with seven games in a row here that they have won. But David Dennis Jr.'s infreciecy. So last week, somehow it got brought up. The David Dennis Jr. was not part of the show group chat, which I'm going to be honest. I love David. He should not be part of the group chat, just like we should not be part of his group chat with Mina and their show that they do together. He's been on the show quite frequently. Yes, he has. So it was mostly because I would, you know, this Courtney Cronin, who I've never really heard of before. No, I thought that she was on your group chat. No, just couldn't have that happening. No, she's not. No, there's Kevin Clark. No, there's my or Metcalfe. No, there's anyone else who has sat in for CC recently, right? As he bonds with this child. Correct. So none of them are on the group chat. Smalls felt the need to put you on the group chat. Well, he said he wanted to be added. Yeah. And he did butter me up earlier in the show, saying that me, so David Dennis Jr., cinnamon roll enthusiast. Cinnamon roll. When I have friends who like things, I will go out of my way if I see things that I think they'll like to send it to them. So obviously our phones listen to us. They heard us talk in cinnamon rolls. So now I'm getting all the cinnamon roll content on Instagram. So I've been funneling it to him. The next time you come to New York City, this is the spot. I even went to a place had one of the cinnamon rolls because, you know, the marketing works on me. I'm a sucker. And it was amazing. So I sent it to him. So he said that it was one of the most fruitful new friendships that he's ever had. He buttered me up. And then he asked me to add it to the chat and I added him. But I feel a bit portrayed now. What? By my generosity. So I think you'd be portrayed by the other people who are upset that I'm just in there gathering knowledge, waiting for my time to jump in. No, no. A group chat is supposed to be a safe space and not a place for you to lie and wait and gather information to then tell other people. Well, what I was saying was that I just felt like, you know, it helps me with the takes. It helps me with the takes. It's good takes around the horn. Are his privileges revoked? Do I remove it? Can I just ask one question before we even do that? RIP. How did that get to Clinton in France? Because that sounded like Devon bringing that up on the show. Somebody somebody somebody in the group. Yeah, I'm not the mole here. Somebody in the group. Somebody somebody's talking about something. I heard that Pat like was in the room. And from what I gather, you say Pat was in there and brought it up that Dennis was, David Dennis was part of our group chat. So like, so I think it's Pat. Pat, Pat, this is the new no camera angle change. I love him so much. I'm standing up. Last time I was saying now, there's not a lot of variance from sitting down and standing up. Yeah, it looks about the same. It looks about the same. Joe Vance is loving this. Joe Vance is smiling. I love him. Oh, he's dead. So as we understand this, so David Dennis Jr. added to a group chat that really he shouldn't have been in, not because we don't like him. It just makes no sense. It was we have in a generous heart. Okay. So we added to this group chat. Smalls has a phone in their hand right. I think it's taking me out of the group chat right now as we speak. I feel like that's happening. Well, okay. So then Pat Castello feels the need to share it with Devon Kane who's a producer for Clinton and friends. Ten until New and Eastern time. Then Devon brings it up to you on Clinton's show. Yeah. And then Clinton is taking it back because why are you part of that group chat and not part of this group chat? Well, because I'm the best friend of Clinton and friends. I'm the best friend. You're the best. Are you in their group chat though? I'm in I see I was only I'm only in their Wednesday group chat when I'm on a day specific group chat. They have day specific. That's like a nightmare. That's too much work. Guess what I'm not doing. Days specific group chat. Two minds. I mean the Wednesday group chat. But this all started. This all started because there was questions of mole. Men ship in the Clinton and friends group chat. Oh, because we played a clip. We played a clip of Evan giving his LeBron should be Dremont take. Which is. Which is a take that I've had all season. I was calling them super saying Dremont. And there were some questions about if there was some leakage over to the unsportsman. Like there's just something going on. I think what I'm doing is helping reveal that there's some you know there's some stuff going on. Wait a second. Wait a second. Wait a second. So far in the last minute David Dennis Jr. has accused me of stealing a take of his and said all producers are not trustworthy. I'm just saying. I'm just saying. Yes, you are producers are are quite notoriously untrustworthy. And I think. Whoa. You may have some issues with producers across these shows. Leakin some things to to one another and saying hey, this may be a good idea. Wait a second. Wait a second. And I said all producers are not trustworthy. I'm just saying. I'm just don't. There you know it. They'll put in the heat on me. I'm just saying. Got to throw the heat to some other folks. Just saying. I promise you if I heard you say it, I would give you credit for it. I'm just saying. Maybe somebody from the Clinton show Clinton and friend show leaked the take as their own and said, hey, maybe we should we should talk about this on the show. I'm just saying this would the way producers work. You never know. No, no has a new camera on him. That's true. That's true. But it's the camera. Who did that? Where did it come from? These are good questions. Where is it coming from? Seems like some under the, under the table money, moving across shows. You know, maybe new nose says, hey, give me a little spotlight now. I'll leak some of our, our takes. Who knows? I will say though as the self-described best friend of Clinton and friends. Yeah. Kind of throwing them under the bus, not very best friendly of you. Well, best friends with Clinton. Devon is just a, you can't trust him at all. He's just a small bubble. So this is a strictly producer thing. Yeah, bobbin, bobbin, Devon are just awful. A bobbin is out just from self. Like, he was throwing his, really just one of the most, just, yeah. Just, just, just, rat. This guy, David Dennis, is really playing both sides here. He was on with Clinton yesterday, trash talking us. Now he's trash talking them. We're just, you're trash talking. You're trash talking. You said Devon and Bubba are horrible. They're just, yeah, I don't, yeah. They, they know how to feel about them. They know how to feel about them. Hmm. So you're really buttering up everybody on all shows here. But, but smalls to be fair, we have separate group chats for all the different, like, wonderful fillings that we've had, right? Like, there's one that we have with Corny and Kimberly. Yeah. And there's a side one that me, you, I don't know where that would start from. Me, me, you pad and Kevin Kleiker. Like, that's from a gas station. Yeah, that's a gas station. And I'm not kidding. There's a separate group. That's not it. That one either. See, see, she wasn't here. She wasn't in that day. And Evan, you can explain why in terms of the gas station thing. Yeah, but I missed. Oh, there was a, there was a whole debate as to whether or not you're allowed to leave your car when you're getting gas, like to run into the convenience store at the gas station. And somehow they got into a brawl between me, Kevin Clark, Nuno and Pat, because I think it was, I think it was Nuno. No, yeah, I agree. Right. That said, like, if I'm going to fill up my car with gas and I'm going to run in for two seconds to the convenience store that's right there to buy a drink or something. Either whatever it is in Nuno's case lottery tickets and a newspaper and probably a coffee. You know, it is a hundred year old that he is. That's not like some terrible thing in Kevin and Paterson. Know that's illegal. There's a sign up there. You can't do that. And it was just a ridiculous, and that's how that group chat started. That's not even a joke. Hmm. Which is the dumbest thing ever that you can't do that. But anyway, so yeah, we have a lot of drama. Is he removed? Well, I got, I got a Google Hutter. Do it. Oh, what? What do you mean you've got a Google Hutter? Do it. I'll do it right now. Okay, you do it on his name. Oh, not everybody all that wants goodness gracious. Everybody's just jumping to volunteer to keep you out the group chat. I was being magnificent in the moment. You were being what? [laughs] Unificent. I was. I was. I was being very generous and charitable to him. our friend David Dennis you know, where did the group chat? You know, this would have never happened if you just kept me in the group chat. You would have never had to have your word of they spoiled if I was in the group chat. Well, if you didn't suggest snitching, we wouldn't have had this issue and you're officially removed now. Whoa, whoa, I don't even get an alert. They don't even tell you when you remove from the group chat. You're not there. When you didn't get a notification? I didn't get a like, Dave was not in the group chat anymore. Let me go. It's just, oh, it's not. It's a camp rat removed, David Dennis from the conversation. So what does it say on your end? It says, you left the conversation as if I chose to do it. I've been gaslit by my own phone. I don't leave the conversation. You broke up with me. I didn't break up with the girl. I can't even text you guys. I can't even like, I can't even text anymore. One more thing while we're on total nonsense of not- I'm texting you all individually from the bottom of my heart. It checks you the same thoughts to each person individually. Looking forward to that. Let me just bring up one other thing here. This is a real tweet from someone. I just told the girl at the counter to have a splendid day. How old am I? I'd like now to go live to the person who tweeted this yesterday to explain. So I had an old person moment. Yes, I had to stop into my local pharmacy to grab something, grab a prescription. And they, I guess they put these new, like monitors in front. So like you actually don't give them your name. You have to punch it in. Like, so doing the old person thing. Oh, so when did this start today? With blah, blah, blah, finish. Like, well, you have a splendid day and I walked out and I'm like, what the heck just happened? Splendid. Yeah, I was like, splendid. Don't you splendid? Have a splendid day? I'm like, how old am I? Way to go, Mary Poppins, thanks. Have a splendid day. Splendid day. What was the reaction to the person you said that day? I think she just was like, all right, whatever. Just kept the kept the move and it was like, next line. It was just like, let's go. That's a nice thing to say. I actually love that. You know, I'm gonna have a splendid day. I would take what you do. I'm gonna tell someone today to have a splendid day. I would take what you did over what my wife did recently at a pharmacy where I think she told, she said to the woman, all right, lobby by. She just so used to say that she goes, love you to the woman at the pharmacy. I've been happy for that. You've done that? Oh my God, for sure. She's like, all right, love you. That's so weird. It's so weird. Thanks, love you. To the woman at the pharmacy. Definitely have done that. That's really odd, Bill. I appreciate it. Wow. All right, it is the first day of the NCAA tournaments, of course, and we've been discussing it. Best Sports Day of the Year, we've crowned that during Michelle's madness, right? It is the champion. And we've been hearing from people all day today about their day parties. As small as in David have said, they're dardies that we wanna hear these stories about where you're going. That prove to us as to why it's the best day of the year. At eight o'clock, ESPN, eight o'clock, seven, two, nine, three, seven, seven, six, today NCAA tournaments is it the best sports day of the year and prove to us by your dardies? Like we've heard such great stories today. One guy saying, I'm gonna pick up my son in college. We're gonna go and he's taking the day off from work and my son's taking the day off from school and we're doing all these things. Other people saying, I'm picking up three or four friends and we're gonna kick to Casino, Sports Book and Cino all day. These stories are awesome. And it adds to the hype and the excitement around this day with the NCAA tournament. So we definitely wanna get more of your calls in on that at eight o'clock, ESPN, eight o'clock, seven, two, nine, three, seven, seven, six, is this the best sports day of the year and what are you doing to celebrate? By the way, you could do something to celebrate and that is participate in our tournament challenge that you just have a few more hours left to get in on men's and women's. - You need to make sure to do this. The clock is ticking, filling out brackets with ESPN. It's free and it's easy. Download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app. You can fill out up to 25 men and women's brackets for more chances to win. You can create and join groups to compete against others or join the ESPN Radio Men's and women's groups to play against us. The app also makes it easy to share your champion and final four picks across your social channels. The app provides great info if you want to do a deeper dive on team-by-team previews, expert analysis and historical tournament data. So you build a winning bracket. - Hey sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows and originals across every ESPN network in service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN and limited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up then start streaming in the ESPN app. So all the ESPN all in one place, sign up or activate now. - Every March are brackets the only thing you can think about? Do you have symptoms such as constant bracket obsession or moderate to severe bracket related distractions? Thankfully, there's ESPN Tournament Challenge. The number one proven way to treat bracket brain right at the source. So this March, download the ESPN Tournament Challenge app. Fill out your women's bracket and get you and your brain in the game. ESPN Tournament Challenge play the number one bracket game presented by Capital One. - This is the unsportsman-like podcast on ESPN radio. - We are on sportsman like here on ESPN radio. - ESPN you, we are presented by Progressive Insurance. First day of the NCAA Tournament today, playing game, playing games. First four last night, kind of playing games, right? Miami-A-M Ohio does win, so no drama, no controversy. Like anybody thought, what? - Right pick. - Yeah, well, is it, does that matter? Like, can it be the right pick even if they lost last night? - They're a worthy tournament team, they're in. - There were 31 and one in the regular season and then their conference tournament, they won last night. They beat SMU8979, Prairie View, NM beats Lehigh. So those are your two last, first four teams in. So we have the beginning of the tournament today. I'm getting ripped on by our show because of the fact that I love upsets on Thursday and Friday as in today and tomorrow, but not the rest of the tournament. Like cool, let's have the Cinderella's today and tomorrow, but let's have the best teams after that. But that's just the way that I am and I understand that it's March Madness and that would not be necessarily the Madness part. - What if it was your team? - Wisconsin. - That was the Cinderella. - Well, I did pick them to go to the Final Four. - No? - After the way they played in the Big Ten tournament, I don't blame you. - Yeah, like I picked them to go to the Final Four and into In the Bracket, go to ESPN.com and the tournament challenge. Like I picked them to go to the Final Four, yes, because they're my team and obviously there's bias there. But also I think they kinda got a lot of the makeup that could make a run with the back court. - Picking at the right time. - Yeah, like there's something about that team right now, but in general, yeah, I mean, I understand what you're saying. Like David Dennis Schindler is a better person to ask about this 'cause his school, David Sin, actually did this. They didn't go to the Final Four, but I guess what was that run like for you? And retroactively does it look weird? Not weird. - I don't look less like a Cinderella run because Steph was on the team. - No, it's still absolutely a Cinderella run. I mean, as great as he was, I mean, nobody knew that at the time. I was a senior. It is a core memory of my life. - Wow. - To have a watch that run for those who do not know. David Sin, it's a small school, it was like 1800 students at the time and they bust us for free. Like the entire Supervised, whoever wanted to go, they bust us to Detroit from Charlotte for free to watch the Sweet 16 and then to watch the Elite Aid game. And it was absolutely still, like 20 years ago, one of the top 10 moments of my entire life that I wouldn't trade it for the world. And I just do not understand the idea of not wanting students to experience something like that. When you have no, like inkling that anything like that is possible for your school. And then for you to be able to have an experience like that, I think we need more of that. It's just an incredible thing for people to experience. - It makes you feel like anything's possible. - Yeah. - Yeah. - I assume they didn't pay for the hotel, right? You had to buy your own hotel and that's fine? - No, I didn't pay a dime. Didn't pay a paid- - That is unbelievable. - They paid for the hotel, they paid for the bus. They did everything it was free. Like it was originally, you know, of course, like most people you pay by packets to do all that stuff. Then like a couple days later, we get emails like, "Nope, nobody has to pay." Just sign up and you get to go. Buses left at like 4 a.m. So other people, not me, I was studying of course. We're like hopping on the bus right from the parties and then you go ride like 12 hours to Detroit, go straight to the game, come back, spend the night in a hotel, spend the night, you know, like the next day we're just hanging out. Then the next day you go watch them in their lead eight and then you head back home. - That's incredible way to have your student. - What a job, I'm Davidson. - Truly, to give those students that experience. And also to give the team some of their fans there. That's incredible. Well done by your school. - Well done, yeah, shout out to, another little like random story. So I was in after the Gonzaga game. I was in the library with Stephen. And his teacher, I think, and mate, like would not excuse, like he's doing a turn in the paper. So I was like, "That day's gonna be a good school." And he opens up Facebook. And you know, like Facebook was a thing. This is like sort of pre everybody on Twitter. - This was like when it was the Facebook? - The one it was the Facebook everybody gets. - The Facebook.com, oh yeah. - The Facebook. And you know, you friend requests were a thing. We were still poking people, pushing the button, poking people. - Oh yeah. - He had an infinity sign next to his friend request. He was like, "What is happening here?" All of a sudden he had an infinity sign. I'd never forget that. - That is an incredible story. What an anecdote. So overnight. This is why we love Cinderella's have. - I'm not saying I don't, I just don't want them past a certain point. You just want all of that to be erased. None of that to happen ever again. - No, no, no, just some. Just some. Bobby and Philly joins us on in sports from like here on ESPN radio. Morning Bobby. - Good morning guys, good morning. Hope y'all are having a splendid day. (laughing) >> Yeah, nice. >> I want to clarify, I'm a guy that called yesterday, Andrew at the Atlanta Hawks fans, and just let you guys know as an update, I'm even more angry today. So that's where we're at today, but we have college who's going on. I work for an IT department here in Philly. We have about 20,000 kids in our school district, and we're shutting the whole IT department down at 11 o'clock today. Not taking any tickets, not doing any work, just going to watch ball the rest of the day. >> See, that's what it is. >> That's really cool. >> See, this is why today is, and thank you for the call. This is why today is going to be confirmed a million times over with some of these great stories as the best sports day of the year. Because you have the guy that runs the IT department, shutting down an entire IT department, which by the way, that doesn't sound good for the students. >> Doesn't sound great. >> No, if it's an industry. >> Don't run on his parade. >> He's trying to dirty with this puzzle, right? >> Yeah, all right. >> What was his problem with Atlanta Hawks fans? >> He's just angry with the Hawks fans celebrating too much, I guess. Brian in Texas, listening on Sirius XM80, morning, Brian. >> Morning, guys. Hope you guys have a very outstanding morning. >> Hey, I'm a government employee and usually where keeping an eye on the culture of America going on right now. But no, today the office TV will be on March Madness. >> Wow. >> Okay, so wait, the office TV is normally on what besides obviously ESPN. What else are they on? >> You know, just the local news, you know. >> Local news, let's keep on. >> What do you mean? >> Yeah, CNN, just the normal news outlets, but not today. Today will be March Madness Day on the office TV. >> All right, so government employees are saying we don't care as much about the governmental work we care about college basketball today. Again, there's like, this is, it's only, it's almost Michelle's Madness at 7 a.m. Eastern was well worth doing the best sports day of the year, but it almost retroactively feels laughable because of how great these stories are. >> Yeah. >> But this is so obviously the day. It's a dirty day, as you say, a party day during the day. >> The day and the sun just like took it over the top. >> I'm glad, imagine if we had to pick something else and then this dad calls and says, I know. >> I know. >> I'm from the drop of the sun and it felt terrible. >> Doc in North Carolina listening on serious XM80. Morning, Doc. >> Hi, how are you doing? I got something to say about the gas station debacle. >> Yeah. >> There's, I have three daughters and one of the things that I live by is I tell them to make things easy for others. So, sitting at the gas pump and running, having your car, sitting at the gas pump and running to the convenience store, is not making it easy for others. So if you're in a group like my family, the girls who dump out going to the store get something out pump gas and then when I'm done, I'll park and go inside. Even if I'm by myself, I'll pump gas and then park and then go inside. You can't be blocking the pump for everybody else. >> Wait a second, Doc. Doc, wait, I have a counter to this. Easy for others, if I'm going to be pumping gas for five minutes, just to make argument sake. I'm making it easy for others that during the five minutes, I'm running into the convenience store and I'm going to pay money for something that they have and thus that store is going to make more money off of me and thus the easy for others is whoever owns it and whoever's employed there are going to have more of an opportunity to continue to be employed there because there's more money coming in. If you don't let me leave the pump and go in, in minute six, I'm out the door, I'm not going to park and go in. So you're losing money off of me. So if we're going to operate the easy for others thing that I'm doing that. >> You don't know what the variables are inside. What if you go inside, there's a line, the cash here's got to change the receipt, paperwork, you know, like there's a lot of variables so why don't you just wait after you pump, park and then go inside. >> I may not have the time. I may want to get into where I'm getting to to watch NCAA tournament today. So I may not have the time to do that. So that's my answer to that question. Got four friends in the sedan, five of y'all packed in. Somebody's got to go. >> Right, we're going to go to the casino to watch the games. Just saying, what? >> Nothing. I just, I don't drive anymore so I don't really have a lot to contribute here. >> Thanks, boss. It is tournament time in college basketball where teams battle through surprises and upsets until only to remain and truly it's anyone's game. Where regardless of who makes it to the final round, one thing's for certain. It takes the most talented people to build these incredible teams. Same goes when you're hiring. 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It's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey Shore. Someone reports an abandoned car on a bridge. A search gets underway for the missing driver. 19-year-old Sarah Stern. Is it a missing person? Is it a suicide? At this point, nobody knows. Old friendships, buried cash, and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life. I'm Juju Chang from 2020 and ABC Audio. Listen now to Bridge of Lies, wherever you get your podcasts. I think Jede Redick deserves a lot of credit here because whether this was by design or by default or however it happened, they got him to the place that I think is where he's played his best basketball. When he plays more big than he does small, the best years of his career were in Miami, New Merit, like in terms of his basketball. But they haven't played the right position now and he's playing defense. The he is LeBron James. They are the Los Angeles Lakers. And they have won seven games in a row, 124, 116 victory last night over the Houston Rockets. The Lakers are 44 and 25. Rockets dropped to 41 and 27. A low in Michelle Smallman, David Dennis Jr. in 4CC today. Evan Cohen with you. Yes, the Los Angeles Lakers got another win last night. Luca with 40 points, 10 assists, nine rebounds. But the storyline continues to be LeBron's role evolution where now he is that third option so to speak. He only shot the ball 14 times last night, but he had 30 points and he missed only one shot. 13 to 14 from the floor, five rebounds to assist and a steal. LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have been excellent recently. And Smalls kind of invented a term, a company salt when you're complimenting and insulting someone at the same time. I think David Dennis Jr.'s raised expectations about the Los Angeles Lakers can truly be deemed a company salt. David Dennis Jr. Take us through where you were with the Lakers prior to this winning streak and where you are now with them. I was a first round out on this Lakers team about, you know, up until about a couple of weeks ago, maybe a week ago. And now I'm elevating their ceiling guys to a second round exit. Wow. That's a company salt. Does it? Definitely. Because a lot of people are asking the question that Charles Barkley told us that inside the NBA over the weekend at ESPN, an ABC, don't do it. Are they contenders, right? Don't ask the question. Everyone's asking the question. And David is saying, no, I'm going to compliment them. They're better than I thought. And they're not contenders. Well, I'm actually going to double the complete salt here because part of it is not that they're better. Part of it is that the West is kind of getting a little worse. Sorry. Part of it is that the rockets just look like an absolute mess, especially in crunch time. Their offense is actually activated. My gag reflex is watching their offense for the last two games. Minnesota has been so up and down. Now Anthony Edwards is out for a couple of weeks. They might fall down to the play in possibly. And then, you know, Denver is just having a really weird season. The injuries. I mean, I think Denver is out of those teams will be a team that I think could pull together a playoff time. But if you look at Minnesota, even if Phoenix meets in there or Houston, the Lakers end up against any of those teams. I think that they could win. I still think Minnesota has a shot against them. But if they go against the Rockets, I would definitely put the Lakers. But I'm not picking the Lakers over San Antonio or O.K.C. And you would have to probably beat one of those teams to make it to the conference finals. I don't think you're doing that. And I don't think they're better than Denver, a playoff time. So, you know, congratulations, Lakers. I think they can make it out the first round. David, wait, I got to go back to something you just said. So part of your increased expectations for the Lakers is that you think the Western conference has gotten worse recently. I think people have to try and put an effort to say negative things about Oklahoma City. Like, I don't think they give us stuff to say. No, you may not like them aesthetically. You may not enjoy their brand of basketball. That's fine, right? That's a style thing that you enjoy or don't enjoy. All of that said, based on what you just said. the thunder don't get to the finals. Did they deserve intent? critique as defending champs to not get back there at 55 and 15 second straight year they've won 55 of their first 70 to start a season. Do they deserve to be ripped if they don't get to the finals barring injury based on what you just said? Well, that's the thing. The barring injury. I'm not sure you can bar the injury because the J. Dub thing is a thing like the guy hasn't played pretty much all season. We don't know when he's going to come back. What he's going to look like. So come playoff time. That is a huge factor. And I would not really critique the thunder for not making the finals because I think if they don't make the finals, one of two things is going to happen. The injury thing is the third. But Wimby ascends to the level that we were thought he would ascend to way earlier than we thought he would get there or Yokech becomes Yokech again and is the best player in the world again and dominates the thunder and gets him out of there. Other than that, I don't see any way that they're not making the finals. So I wouldn't necessarily criticize the thunder in those instances. I would say Wimby, Yokech asserted themselves as the best players in those series by far. And that's how they got past the thunder. So you have three teams total that you can envision in the finals in the West. Yes. Yes. And how many in the East? In the East, I would say three and a possible if I'm doing spades terms. I would say right now Boston is my favorite for sure. And I would say probably maybe the Nix and then Detroit. Cleveland is interested but Cleveland has been bad for a while now without Jared Allen. But I would probably say Celtics, Nix and then probably a gap before we get to Detroit. Okay. So if we get back to where we started here on LeBron because you gave a good overall break that obviously off of this because you're not ready to change your narrative as to LeBron's new role, playing that that Dremont type role that inside out, doing everything other than the scoring, even though we had 30 last night, like six dunks is awesome. It means high efficiency, right? But you're not ready to raise the expectations there. But what is what does it mean now for their future? If like they're doing this well right now, they're playing well together. Do you see a longer run now for you guys of LeBron? This group is it isn't now where we have to start to say regardless of playoff outcome, if they could be like this with some alterations of the roster, why not continue this next year, Smalls? So you're saying even though we've had all this conversation about where LeBron James will end his career and it not being in LA that now based on this new role that he's adopted and the overall team success that they're having recently because of it that maybe this is the best place for him to stay. I'm asking more than saying. I'm basically saying previously to this run. Do you think that this version of what we're seeing and this role that he's in, do you think it's sustainable? Not for 82 games. No, and if you would have told me, if you would have said to me before the season, or if you tell him, if you would have yield right now, hey, by the way, this was JJ and LeBron's plan all along and I said, what do you mean? And they said, yeah, they said they'll get through the first 60 to 65 games and then then he'll start doing the defense first thing for the rest of the season because it's physically more taxing. You do that over 82 at 41 years old, even with his level of iconic greatness. That's just not possible. But this was their plan all along, which I'm not putting that past them at all. It did happen after the time when it was off or the elbow and maybe looked at things differently, whatever it is. I'm just asking the question as to whether or not this is a measure of success where you can think about LeBron and the Lakers uniform next year because of basketball reasons, not because of business reasons or not because of family reasons. Maybe he would have wanted to stay even if it wasn't the best basketball fit because his wife and kids are right there, right, which is certainly under and his businesses are right there. And maybe from the Lakers perspective, it's like, yeah, whether we win a title or not, the LeBron retirement tour, it's going to be really something of interest to us. And we just spent $10 billion on buying this team, Mark Walter and his group. This would kind of be nice little add on dollars that we could get as a result of anything we could do around the LeBron retirement tour that this would no longer just be business and personal. It would be basketball. Could you envision that scenario? I could because there's only so many landing spots that will be suitable for LeBron to end his career. It has to work from a basketball perspective. It has to work from a financial perspective. And it quite frankly has to work from a relevancy perspective. He's not just going to go to any organization and the Lakers could fit all of those things. We just didn't know basketball wise if it would work and if they could be contenders. And I know it's a small sample size, but I am starting to do the thing that Charles Barkley warned us against. I am starting to fall for it a bit. I'm starting to say if LeBron can do this, if he can be this version of himself, it's clearly working for them. And I don't know if I'm ready to say that I think that their actual championship contenders based on the quality of the other teams that we talked about. But I do think that they're in a better position. And I could see him wanting to stay there and them wanting to make it work for him for one final season. David? Yeah, I've moved more so I've sort of barely moved on the Lakers prospect. I've moved more on the, I think that LeBron could play their next season. I mean, if you asked me to all start break, I would have said and did say there's no way this dude's coming back. It just felt so nasty. It felt like this was a divorce waiting to happen. Now there seems to be more camaraderie. It seemed to be playing well together. I mean, part of this is no matter where LeBron goes next season. LeBron is going to be humbling that he's going to have to do. And that is going to be whether it's a reduced role, whether it's reduced money, whether it's those are two things that LeBron James has never done and does not do. And he's facing that for his last year and he's got to decide which one of those is easier to stomach. Being a third option, making less money for a Lakers team. Did you want to go back to Cleveland? Like that seems a little bit less likely with the way Cleveland looks when things go on there. But you'd have to take less money. So to the Warriors and play with staff and just be in his career and a team that he has no real history with and plan going over to another guy's team again. Like these are all there's no real ideal perfect fit to the LeBron narrative that I see for his last year. And it's just a matter of which one he's going to feel okay humbling himself for. So no speculation pure facts. Last 24 hours LeBron James, okay. Flat-out said he's not involved with any of the ownership groups Vegas and Seattle. One is seventh straight game with the Lakers scored 30 points took less than 15 field goals for the seventh time in the month of March and seven games played. He's the three seed. They're a game and a half up on the four seed. He's not thinking about ownership and he's playing better basketball and his team is playing better basketball. Those are just all facts. You can interpret contenders next year, future ownership, whatever you want based on pure actions over words. Well, I guess some of those are words, but actions and words LeBron James is focused on winning games for the Los Angeles Lakers. That's what it seems like right now. What happens next we don't know, but that feels to David's point that feels different than all star break. That feels different than angling for Vegas team that feels different than where is he going to play next year that feels different than the Orlando Sunday night game they had where Luke was like, I don't know if I should shoot it. You shoot it and then him fading away. All of that feels based on facts. They're winning basketball games, playing a better brand of basketball. Facts are when it comes to your taxes, small as has where you should go. Those are the facts. There's only one place that you should go and that's H and R block. Life was full of choices, so choose H and R block. Some big choices, some tiny choices, some that make you wonder how you became the designated adult in your own life. And when you choose an H and R block tax, bro, you're choosing the biggest network of tax experts to ride shotgun with you. For when your big ambitions need help with the little stuff, for when you six figures come from about six different side hustles. Everyone that gaming stream settling turns into an actual revenue stream. At H and R block, they've truly seen it all and they're here to help you make the most out of your money for life outside the block outside the box. Visit hrblock.com to learn more. David Dennis Jr. in for Chris Canty today. Evan Cohen with you. Cam, Javante. Do I do to know what he deserves for me to do to him right now before we get into anything else? I think yes. I think he deserves a little questioning. Yeah. Javante is for his questioning. Yeah. Go for it. So in about 15 minutes, John Stark's next legend is going to be in studio with us. Talk basketball with him. John Stark's every every franchise in every sport has the guy that was great for their franchise that every fan loves growing up even more sometimes than the best player on the team. John will be the first one to tell you Patrick Ewing was the best player on the team breaking news, right? My team. My name is he every fan loves you. Don is has them. Dwayne Wade was the best player on the team. No one's arguing that right? So growing up a lot of my friends loved John Stark's. My wife randomly had a John Stark's poster in her room growing up because he was the guy that everyone could relate to came out and nowhere to be that guy, right? So I go and I was small tonight talking to John in our little producer area back there. And I said, oh yeah, you know, my wife had a poster of you like, you know, you were everybody's favorite. I was like, I'm a fan of you. In what world would I have done that or did do that? All right, so No, I didn't Jovante who says kind as could be was just clowning on you for this. Well, yeah Why don't you say that because I crazy question because first of all you're in a different room, right? So all I hear is my wife you I'm just like I didn't know Like the rest of the part of it actually had a crush would be the thing that I He filled in the blood What especially if you're talking about a poster on the wall? Yeah, like in growing up you just any him are growing up in that time or around that time right like it's that type of thing So it just that's all was it wasn't like I'm trying to be malicious or whatever like it was just like oh I'm like that's like you know different from Evan to actually have the You know like just have the ability or like say what you want to say The option if you want the gumption to be like oh by the way like my wife had a question I mean if she did I'm unaware of that but what that you think that's like the breaking the ice question But would that be so wrong to say who was supposed to harm in that yeah, there's no harm in that David, but why would I say that like if it's like hey, let me me let me meet John Stark for the first time in my life Delete with my wife had a crush on you makes him feel awkward. Okay, but does it does leading with my wife had a poster of you make him feel just as awkward Well, no, he's got an entire team of people with him So we were saying what we just said about how everyone here in New York loves John Stark's Yeah, and and everyone has their John now John starts was an all-star, but everyone has their version of that Right like there again Paul's was the best player on the cardinals undoubtedly when you were there small for me growing up It was Willie McGee everybody in St. Louis a door is will him again obviously he's an excellent baseball player But Aussie Smith is the guy didn't Willie McGee one year lead the ALN NL and batting and quality or come close to it and qualify at Baths for both batting titles in one season when he got traded to the A's mid season I'm pretty sure that's the case He was amazing most importantly small is that you have a crush on him. That's the most important Well, that's the thing when you say someone's poster is on your wall as a young person you admire them and Admiring could be their my idol or could be I'm admiring you because I got a little crush on you I got a little crush. Okay. Well, I made me I just think it's I just think it would have been fine if New nose fan fiction was correct and you did say me now you got to ask your wife now you got to have now you yeah Maybe new no no something you know Instead, you know introducing a little conversation you and your wife gonna have a later Okay, David is junior who is on your wall growing up? Probably just like Michael Jordan and stuff no crush on him, but Yeah, no, I don't know. I feel like we all have a sports crush on Michael Jordan Yeah, everybody has a sports crush on Michael Jordan like a lot of penny hard away on the wall A little shot camp can't stand Michael Jordan Can't stand them cool You can shut up his mic So wait, okay, so your wall was all NBA guys all them work I mean I'm assuming you were asked like a pat a crush on my wall Yeah, you could add that in if you would like no, I never I was never like a crush on the on the wall type of person I like to keep keep my crush is close to the vest. Oh mystery crush. Yeah, mystery crushes, you know, hmm smooth Yeah, yeah, all right. Wait. They're all on my phone now, you know, yeah Shout out to Rihanna by the former screen wallpaper. Oh Good choice dial in Rihanna call it calling all right Rihanna we would love to hear from you. Yeah, what about you have who was on your own Jordan Jordan D brown Not the Illinois D brown the South East D brown the NBA dunk champion. I loved the D brown with the Reebok pumps Yeah, I had a rolling stone cover on my wall. Oh Mr. Axon Janet. Oh, yeah, and Christina Aguilar D brown Michael Jordan Janet Jackson Christina Aguilar. That's what I remember the obvious group the obvious four Yeah, and you you had me a ham I am was my idol Spice girls, okay, I loved them and I was a big Justin Timberlake girl back in the day. Oh, currently. Oh, currently. Yeah, I still think he's very talented He cuz he cuz he is yeah, is that the beta woods? No, but I'm just saying you know, I'm my Affection for him is not going away, but no me a ham was the one for me. She was Everything and still is everything. I think I had the 99 women's team like the entire poster of them and then just a singular of me All right, well John Stark's gonna join us in studio and he's heard all of this. I'm assuming he's still there your wife is thrilled I'm assuming every wife calling. Yeah, no, we're not gonna do that But I'm assuming he's still there and I'm assuming he wants to still come in But I don't know that that's necessarily factual. Did you scare him off? I? Didn't no no did blame no no, not me, but he didn't hear no no He didn't hear them and brought it to air John Stark will join us coming up here. We are unsportsman like presented by Thanks for listening to the unsportsman like podcast on the espion radio You can listen to unsportsman like live weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. Eastern on the espion radio the espion app and on syrias xm Channel 80 you can also watch on the espion to and on the espion you unsportsman like with Evan Canty and Michelle