H20man & Friends Sports Podcast

Howard Waterman
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A podcast covering the world of sports with a focus on strategy. The goal: be entertaining and informative. The hosts each have roughly 50 years of experience following and playing organized sports in the New York/New Jersey metro area. Strong emphasis on NFL football. Good friends and one former sports journalist offer commentary with a pretty good chance of good-natured silliness mixed in. Dedicated to the memory of Steven Waterman, who was a passionate, ultra-knowledgeable sports fan with a great sense of humor who loved the NY Giants, Mets, Rangers and Brooklyn Nets, and adored his daughter, Lea and wife Andrea even more. He passed away unexpectedly in 2022 way, way too soon.

  1. 15h ago

    NBA Finals: Knicks Up 2-0, Games 3 and 4 at MSG

    Segment 1: NBA Finals Recap of Games 1 and 2 (starts at 0:30) Spurs heavy favorites going into the NBA Finals; that changed after Game 1 win by Knicks Knicks sweep games 1 and 2, lead 2-0 going home for games 3 and 4 at MSG Quick comparison of last Knicks-Spurs NBA Finals in 1999 Game 1: Knicks 105, Spurs 95 - 13th straight playoff win, second longest streak in NBA playoff history Scary when Knicks star Jalen Brunson went down twice with knee and ankle injuries; he was money late when it counted most, led all scorers with 30 points (12-31 FG, 2-9 from 3) after rough shooting night KAT played well (18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists) Josh Hart game 1 unsung hero with 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 1 block, despite 3 points scored Knicks turned up defensive intensity when needed in second half Knicks erased another huge deficit -- this time 14 points late in the game Wemby led team with 26 points Game 2: Knicks 105, Spurs 104 Strong start for the Spurs by going to the rim relentlessly, leveraging their speed advantage Coaching mistakes: why let Wemby dribble upcourt? Key turnover late in game, dribbled ball off his foot earlier in contest Wemby took potential game-winning shot (and missed 20-footer) after crucial turnover; needed to get shot off earlier to provide opp for offensive rebound Foul calls clearly one-sided in favor of San Antonio; Spurs very physical Critical call by Knicks bench to challenge non-foul call on OG 3-pointer; call overturned, led to 3 points by OG at the line, for a 100-97 Knicks lead Major issue: Spurs don't have a player they can count on to score outside of Wemby Fox could be that player, clearly impacted by high ankle sprain suffered in Western Conf finals Game 1: 7 points, 3-13 FG, 0-4 from 3 Game 2: 20 points Mitchell Robinson scored 7 points which helped; Bridges four 3-pointers were huge Josh Hart had rough game: 5 fouls, no points Series Observations KAT outplaying Wemby based on the first two games (21 points. 13 rebounds in game 2) Wemby appears tired (emotionally and physically?) since Game 7 win in Western Conf Finals in OKC Knicks D able to make stops and generate extra offensive possessions, though playing inconsistently Spurs forced 16 turnovers and lost Game 2...not a great indicator they can win at MSG, though team came back from 3-2 deficit and beat the defending champs including game 6 in OKC Wemby taking many 3-point shots not the best strategy; want him in the paint for easy buckets, offensive rebounds and creating fouls on Knicks' front line; Wemby through two games: 4-15 from downtown Knicks playoff experience becoming a key factor in this series vs. young, playoff-inexperienced Spurs Knicks larger front line competing well vs taller, leaner San Antonio big men Impressed with KAT's leadership on the court, on the bench (in interviews talks about his late Mom, feeling her energy); KAT's huddle talk much different vs. Wemby's  Segment 2: Preview of Games 3 and 4 (22:00) Spurs streaky shooting, causing turnovers, then running out of gas late in games. Will that continue? San Antonio doesn't need many adjustments, one shot away from being 1-1 Wemby needs to be fresher at crunch time Fox or Champagnie needs to be the No. 2 scorer to take pressure off of Wemby Expect to see more of Dylan Harper Spurs Coach Mitch Johnson's message to his team could be: we beat OKC in Game 7 we came back down 3-2 in that series we let the Knicks win two games on our floor let's get game 3 and then take the series back home Games 3 and 4: Expect foul calls to be more even at MSG than the lopsided ones favoring the Spurs in San Antonio Anticipate Spurs going at KAT to get him in foul trouble early Mike Brown outcoaching Spurs' Mitch Johnson; will that continue?  No team has ever come back from 3-0 down in the NBA Finals and won Game 3 obviously critical for San Antonio; can the Knicks sweep?

    39 min

  2. May 31

    S4 E6: NBA Finals Preview: Knicks vs. Spurs

    Segment 1: Western Conference Finals Observations (starts at 1:00) Spurs' special season continues, coming back from a 3-2 deficit against the defending champs San Antonio had 7 players in double figures, doing a great job spreading the ball OKC players gassed in the 4th quarter, missed two of their key players for Games 6 and 7: guards Jalen Williams (left hammy strain), Ajay Mitchell (left calf/soleus strain...what the heck is a soleus?)  Questionable game plan and coaching by OKC (burned through timeouts early and used up both challenges by mid 3rd quarter), having SGA go 1-on-3 Thunder managed just 14 points from their frontcourt starters -- 7 from their starting forwards combined -- did not get the needed production from the bench including Caruso who had a good series Spurs moved the ball around, very "Knicks-like" though a bit sloppy handling the ball with a lead No love lost between Spurs star center Victor Wemanyama and Chet Holmgren, who was not a factor in Game 7 or the series Segment 2: Knicks on a Historic Playoff Run (14:06) Knicks have won 11 straight playoff wins, all by double digits, won all 3 series on the road Have outscored playoff opponents by 19.4 PPG, best point differential in NBA playoff history Back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years Major changes have worked out: hired Mike Brown the right coach/leader (likely the 7th or 8th choice) to replace Tom Thibodeau after the team made the Eastern Conference Finals last year; sent message to players and fans to raise expectations; and trading for Karl Anthony Towns swapping Julius Randle Knick players stepping up big-time compared to regular season including Mikal Bridges, playing their best basketball Two teams met 3 times during the season, NYK winning the season series 2-1, including the in-season tournament and a dominant 114-89 win at MSG. Segment 3: Key Matchups (21:30): Rematch of the In-Season Tournament Final Wemby vs. Brunson Spurs built completely around Wemby; Knicks bigs KAT and Mitchell Robinson vs. Wemby...critical Knicks don't get in foul trouble early on. Will need both KAT and Robinson to lean on Wemby Jalen Brunson vs. Spurs guards...can Brunson get to his spots and score Knicks offense vs. Wemby: Knicks go the basket well...need to get Wemby away from the rim to open us the Knicks offense. KAT will play a key role here Key question: how effective will Mitchell Robinson be dealing with the broken right pinky Are the Knicks a team of destiny? Check out Nigel's hilarious Sopranos' analogy And Nigel is focused: will not answer any group chat messages while watching the NBA Finals Will Knicks come out flat after a 9 day layoff during most of Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 vs. Cleveland?

    45 min

  3. May 23

    S4 E5: NBA Eastern Conf F Game 1 Thriller, Jets 2026 Season Schedule is Out and...

    Segment 1: Knicks Thrilling Comeback/Cavs Epic Collapse in Game 1, Eastern Conference Finals (starts at 0:36) Knicks rust evident after not playing for 9 days Unbelievable run in the 4th: very "unJets-like" finish for the Knicks Cavs Head Coach Kenny Atkinson inexplicably watched and did nothing as 22-point lead evaporated and the Knicks went on an 18-1 run as Jalen Brunson played 1-1 with an overmatched James Harden Cavs went ice cold and made just 4-18 from the field, showed tired legs in the 4th quarter after back-to-back tough 7-game series Harden 1-8 from 3, missed all of his 3s in the 4th, led team with 8 turnovers Jalen Brunson showed his grit, leadership and will to win; Cavs star Donovan Mitchell not so much and didn't demand the ball like stars do How do you let the one guy (Brunson) you can't let beat you...beat you! Historic comeback ESPN Insights: Knicks probability of winning was 0.1% when down 22 points in the 4th; the past 595 times that has happened, teams went 1-594 in those situations Outscored Cavs 44-11 over the last 13 minutes Segment 2: Concerns after Game 1 (16:40) Knicks 10-32 from 3 point land...can they improve that Cavs 16-50 from downtown, otherwise no comeback..."tired legs can't hit jumpers" How does Cleveland respond Does KAT come back and be a bigger presence on offense and defense (Cavs two bigs tough matchup for KAT) difference between tall and big plays better against smaller big men OG back after long layoff nursing hamstring injury; 2-9 from field, 1-6 from 3, did not look fully comfortable physically Josh Hart: Knicks outscored by 23 in his 31 minutes, tough matchup guarding Donovan Mitchell, on the bench during historic comeback Segment 3: Thoughts on the NY Jets Recently Announced 2026 Season Schedule (27:10) No prime time games on Thursday, Sunday or Monday nights, no international travel All games on Sundays at 1 pm, only two in 4 pm window due to travel teo AZ and CA Love the NFL schedule diss: great bulletin board material, should help motivation after 3 win season  Open on the road in Tennessee Week 1 facing former NY Jets HC Robert Saleh huge game for Jets because Weeks 2-4 they play the NFC North: Green Bay, at Detroit and at Chicago starting 0-4 a real possibility possible good news: Micah Parsons could be placed on PUP list, if so he'll miss first 4 games including Jets as he recovers from torn ACL; Packers 0-5 after Parsons' injury last season Weeks 5-8 easier with 3 home games: Browns, at Patriots, Dolphins and Raiders: if the football gods comply, best case scenario 4-4 record which any Jets fan would take in an NFL heartbeat Week 9: Jets play the Chiefs and possibly former Jets QB now backup QB Justin Fields? Week 10: Bills at MetLife Week 11: Jets first West Coast trip: at LA and play the Chargers Week 12: At Miami Week 13: Bye Week (bye favored over Jets by 3.5) Week 14: Jets host Denver, 7th straight season playing the Broncos in scheduling quirk Not much being reported on Broncos QB Bo Nix's recovery from injury Week 15-18: At Arizona to face new HC Mike Lafleur (Saleh's first OC with Jets), then host Patriots and Vikings, and finish season regular season for 6th straight time in frigid western NY at Buffalo Chiefs TE Travis Kelce final contract: basically a 1-year, $12M deal (3 years, up to $57M), $40M roster bonus in 2028 that likely will not be paid given expected retirement before then Segment 4: Final Thoughts (49:03) Looking forward to preseason to see how the rookies play Jets wins in 2026: over/under 5.5 Expectation Jets QB Geno Smith plays better than horrific QB play last season from Justin Fields given veteran experience, additional offensive weapons and better offensive line than 2025 Raiders Neil cranky Jets let K Nick Folk leave for the Falcons on two-year deal after great 2025 season; underappreciated asset

    55 min

  4. May 8

    S4 E4: Charles Way on the Giants Off-Season/Draft Recap; Giants to Win SB in 202X, Jaxson Dart has chance to be better QB than Lamar Jackson; Geno Smith to Disappoint

    Segment 1: Charles' NFL Stats (0:43): 1995-1999, 75 games played with the Giants, 55 starts, 2,254 All Purpose Yards, 4.0 yards per carry average, 14 TDs Segment 2: Charles Recalls His Very Emotional Draft Day 1995 Experience and some Memorable Experiences his Rookie Season (1:43) Found out he was drafted while watching TV! 6th Round out of U of Virginia; was called afterward by Coach Dan Reeves Mindset going into his first NFL training camp, seeing players he grew up watching, not knowing he would make the team Large Shoulder Pads Story (Self Preservation, like two rams butting heads 20x a game), avoiding stingers Played a string of Hall of Famers rookie year including Reggie White, Ronnie Lott, great story about Derrick Thomas avoiding his blocks; storied Lambeau Field road game, has to block childhood idol Reggie White Discusses his favorite fullbacks at the time; Mike Alstott not welcome in the fullback fraternity because he was more RB than blocker One favorite moment from famous snowball game in 1996 vs Chargers: Charles pancake blocked Hall of Famer LB Junior Seau at goal line Tends to recall his mistakes vs. the successes Segment 3: Insights on Giants Off-Season (17:59) Impressed with off-season moves Likes new Coach John Harbaugh bringing Ravens' culture of toughness especially on D Believes Jaxson Dart has chance of being a better QB than Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Comments about Dexter Lawrence's on-field performance last season Segment 4: Thoughts on the Giants Draft Selections (29:10) No. 5: Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State; part of team's focus on improving the defense, toughness, will be part of young nucleus, potentially akin to Ravens with LB Ray Lewis No. 10: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami: good depth pick; doesn't have to start right away No. 37: Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee: potential lockdown corner similar to what Harbaugh coveted in Baltimore No. 74: Malachi Fields, WR, Notre Dame: big, physical kid, good at contested passes, UVA transfer, size advantage vs. most CBs No. 186: Bobby Jamison-Travis, DT, Auburn: 328-lb run stuffer No. 192: J.C. Davis, OL, Illinois No. 193: Jack Kelly, LB, BYU New reality: many college football players will make MORE money in college than NFL at first Second day picks: very productive, make plays, guys that can play on day one Overall off-season: better team on paper, trying to infuse Harbaugh way into Giants' culture with Ravens twist Can they resurrect former first rounder OL Evan Neal? Better athlete than Mauigoa Charles: why do some coaches get multiple shots at being an NFL coach while others do not? Segment 5: Charles' Thoughts on the NFC East and a Giants Super Bowl Prediction (46:21) Giants good enough to close gap in NFC East Eagles need to part with AJ Brown, and Dallas the same w/Jerry Jones (create distractions) Giants to win Super Bowl in 2028, SB 62 Segment 6: Rapid Fire Round (49:45) Dart franchise QB? Better record Jets or Giants? Will be pleasantly surprised about the defense Question mark for Jets regarding QB; Geno Smith to disappoint, "he's done"

    57 min

  5. Apr 30

    S4 E3 2026 NFL Draft Jets Recap, Insights, Observations

    Segment 1: Jets NFL Draft Insights and Observations (0:41) Key Observations: NFL execs believe the 2027 anticipated draft class will be special; despite all the trades, not one 2027 first rounder was traded Jets chose talented players with college football post-season experience, and focused on size with their OL and DL selections Priority of production over potential in many cases Not sure we have the right head coach, but we have the right GM Goal: come away with 4 starters and playmakers for the Jets...check No. 2 overall pick: Texas Tech Edge David Bailey (vs. Avrell Reese, Ohio State LB); Micah Parsons quoted Bailey was the right choice No. 16: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq (only 4th TE taken by the Jets in first round) and No. 30 Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. provide much needed playmakers for one of the worst offensives in the NFL last season, and a crucial complement to WR Garrett Wilson; Sadiq explosive, versatile: 13 catches for 20+ yards at Oregon last season, chess piece for new OC Frank Reich, who likes using multiple TE sets No. 30: Omar Cooper, Jr. Team traded back into first round, providing 5th year option; led Big 10 with YAC, go-to weapon for college football champs and QB Fernando Mendoza No. 50 (after trade down from No. 44): Indiana CB D'Angelo Ponds. Only one penalty all season. Sure tackler against great competition; 7 INTs in college, blocked two punts; pick 6 against Oregon in college playoffs set the tone for Indiana's rout No third rounder (wince), in trade for former Eagles edge Haason Reddick No. 103: Florida State DT Darrell Jackson, Jr., 6'6" 315 lbs, part of reconstituted D line No. 110: Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, traded up 18 spots and gave up two 4th rounders...head scratcher. Nigel: Belichick model: draft QBs every year, develop and add depth. Neil: worth taking a flyer on him in 4th round No 5th rounder No. 188: Miami G Anez Cooper: played in national championship game, fellow OL Francis Mauigoa (brother of Jets LB) on right side drafted No. 10 overall by the Giants; very good pass blocker: allowed only one QB pressure and no sacks in over 500 pass plays; potential starter with RT sized body to play guard strong pick in 6th round No. 228: Kansas State S VJ Payne: 6-3, 206, good size for a safety, depth in safety room GM Darren Mougey had a plan and executed on it Segment 2: Good, Bad and Ugly Segment (39:30) Good: picks based on results on the field, not at combine; production not just potential, brought in talent playmakers that are winners, postseason experience; D line much better improved; desperatedly had to -- and did -- add WR talent (and TE); provided weapons for new QB Geno Smith Bad: Not much. Gave up too many picks trading up, no LB selected, though tough to address all needs in one draft Ugly: Bailey and Avrell Reese's careers inextricably links. Watch Reese be a superstar and help the Giants win Super Bowls...; trading up 18 spots for a likely backup QB Note: Omar Cooper Jr. played his entire college football career at Indiana. Fernando Mendoza played at Cal before Indiana. Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti coached at JMU (52-9 record), and brought some key starters to Indiana including star CB D'Angelo Ponds Segment 3: Who Had a Better Draft: Jets or Giants (50:13) Cards taking Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 changed the first round, so Reese fell to Giants at No. 5 Very close. Both very good, quality drafts Giants get Reese, No. 10 overall selection of Miami OL Mauigoa and 6-4 WR Malachi Fields, Notre Dame Raiders and Browns had very good drafts Segment 4: (Semi-) Lightning Round (56:20) Jets GM Darren Mougey draft rating Best Jets draft pick: Sadiq (Nigel, HW) and Bailey (Neil) What people are not talking about they should: strong improvements on defense especially the D line and defensive backfield, Reich having weapons to work with...assimilating 10 new coaches 2026 draft class chance to be cornerstones and foundation for next several seasons Impact on NIL on college football players compensation vs. going into NFL draft and potentially less income and guaranteed money Great situation for QB Ty Simpson to learn behind future HOF Matthew Stafford and Rams Coach Sean McVay Do the Jets get out of the AFC East cellar, leapfrog the Dolphins?  AFC West talk, Broncos to revert back to mean (won most games in 4th quarter), KC question mark re: Mahomes injury, Raiders much improved, no one talking about the Chargers Segment 5: What Moves Should the Jets Make Before Training Camp (1:11) Signing vet QB, TE, deal with Breece Hall franchise tag See how shakes loose in training camp Never too many edge rushers April 2026: Vegas oddsmakers: Jets over/under number of wins: 5/5

    1h 19m

  6. Apr 11

    S4 E2 NY Jets 2026 NFL Draft Preview - Special Guest Paul "Boy Green" Esden Jr.

    Guest: Paul "Boy Green" Asden Jr., host, Boy Green Daily Podcast and Heavy.com Jets reporter Segment 1: Background/origin of how Paul's Boy Green Daily Podcast came to be (2:20) Segment 2: Jets Off-Season Review, Insights (3:16) Headline: Unexpected family reunion: QB Geno Smith (drafted by Jets, second stint) and LB Demario Davis (third run w/the team) return Team greatly improved on paper, especially on D, especially with new faces on the D line through trades and free agent signings to fix a porous run defense Great personal story of free agent signee CB Nashon Wright (who led the league in INTs w/5 last season in Chicago) The re-signing of two players that were head scratchers GM Darren "Mougician" Mougey let one of the NFL's best performers at his position walk despite having plenty of salary cap space Segment 3: Jets Draft Philosophy and Strategy (21:34) Paul: conviction, schematic fit and sound decision making How much of a factor will be HC Aaron Glenn's job (in)security impact draft decisions? 3 interesting draft trade scenarios Main reason Jets did not have one interception last season Segment 4: Players to watch and dream/nightmare scenarios (28:15) Avril Reese, David Bailey, Carnell Tate, Sonny Stiles, Caleb Downs Best case scenario, Round 1: double dip to get two of the top 9 players in the draft Two nightmare scenarios, Round 1 (hint: QB) Goal: come away with 4 starters in the draft Importance of the Sauce Gardner trade and potential seismic impact on landing a franchise QB Leverage some draft capital for Joe Burrow? "Risk it to get the biscuit" Cautious optimism Geno Smith will be a competent, confident starter and major upgrade Segment 5: Lightning Round (52:37) Breakout player Veteran most likely to surprise good/bad Will Aaron Glenn be the head coach at the end of the season Concern Aaron Glenn will be calling defensive plays in 2026, plus HC/CEO duties How quickly and well can the head coach assimilate 10 new assistant head coaches including both offensive and defensive coordinators

    59 min

  7. Mar 16

    S4 E1 2026 NFL Off-Season Observations

    Segment 1: 2026 Off-Season is Underway, Observations (starts at 0:55) 4 players designated with franchise tags; Daniel Jones later signed a 2-year deal worth up to $100M with the Colts Free agency signings/trades Raiders very busy traded stud edge rusher Maxx Crosby to Ravens for two no. 1 picks...Baltimore canceled after the physical made three major signings quickly, including signing Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum to the richest center contract in NFL history (annual average average) Ravens lost 7 players on first day, apparently weaker on paper pivoted to sign edge rusher Trey Hendrickson (for less than Crosby's contract) plus they pick those two No. 1s AFC East Dolphins: turning over roster with new GM and head coach including cutting QB Tua Tagovailoa signed Packers backup QB Malik Willis (similar deal Justin Fields received from Jets last off-season) hard to believe: half of 2026 salary cap going to players NOT on the roster and dead money: $151 million! That includes almost $100M hit re: Tua and WR Tyreek Hill departures Patriots: cut WR Stefon Diggs, signed former Packers WR Romeo Doubs (4 years/$80M); signed Jets talented OL Alijah Vera-Tucker to nearly $50M contract despite concerning injury history (played in half the games) Bills: traded for Bears WR DJ Moore, resigned TE Dawson Knox Chiefs big move to fix running game: signed Super Bowl 60 MVP Kenneth Walker III (after we taped this traded for Jets QB Justin Fields for a 2027 6th round draft pick); will be interesting to see how they use Fields and his skill set) NFC  Niners signed likely HOF Bucs WR Mike Evans for less than TB offered Rams traded for Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie to bolster a very strong D Panthers signed two very good defensive players: Eagles edge Jaelen Phillips and Jaguars LB Devin Lloyd Giants very busy with a bunch of moves including bringing on Ravens TE Isaiah Likely, LB Tremaine Edmunds, CB Greg Newsome II, Commanders S Ar'Darius Washington, resigned LB Micah McFadden (good move) Segment 2: Insights on Jets Off-Season Needs and Moves (17:35) Off-Season Objectives rebuild the D signed and traded for two defensive linemen to stuff the run (a massive problem last season) traded for S Minkah Fitzpatrick (3 year, $40M), potential huge upgrade signed two edge rushers from the Bengals and Packers signed LB Demario Davis, 37, third time with team signed CB Nashon Wright from Chicago (tied for NFL lead with 5 interceptions -- 5 more than the entire Jets D last season) head scratcher: DL Micheal Clemons signed massive deal with the Colts after many penalties and other issues find a starting QB traded for QB Geno Smith for minimal draft capital and Raiders paying most of Smith's 2026 contract secure more offensive weapons franchised talented RB Breece Hall signed Raiders LG Dylan Parham; appeared in 64 games, starting 63; expected upgrade over departed LG John Simpson no major WR or TE additions, so we'll look to the draft next month ??? let very consistent K Nick Folk go to Atlanta, weakening Jets lone bright spot last season: special teams assimiliate 10 new assistance coaches including a new offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator which OC Frank Reich will show up? Super Bowl winning OC with the Eagles, or the coach fired in-season in his last two NFL (head) coaching jobs draft capital April 2026 Draft: two No. 1s, four selections in the top 44, 5 in top 103 received a 4th round pick and 5th round selection as compensatory picks for players lost last season including CB DJ Reed ($48M deal in Detroit) Segment 3: Jets QB Room (31:15) Jets approved on paper but... More to do, including adding another veteran QB and potentially drafting one next month, and playoffs at WR, TE Improvements on D, GM Darren Mougey proving very good at trades Combine performance vs. college game tape in terms of draft positioning (the later is more important though some teams fall in love with athleticism) Leave it to the Jets to have the No. 2 overall pick in a draft with only one certifiable college QB worth drafting that high Jets to take similar approach to the Giants trading up last year in the first round for Jaxson Dart? Alabama QB Ty Simpson apparently flying up draft boards, does not fit the bill (only started 15 games) Goal in draft should be to find starters not necessarily reach for a QB Team has a really good opp to refresh team with top talent and improve the team quickly, plus has 3 No. 1 picks in 2027 Hard for Jets fans to realize many agree they like the moves this month so far..."optimistic"? No head scratching moves...yet (although resigning S Andre Cisco after we taped this and giving average TE Jeremy Ruckert $10M for 2 years could qualify) Fans want the team to start winning during the season, not the off-season Discussed some clear ways to determine if they've improved (being competitive in every game, not always playing from behind two good examples to look for) Segment 4: Where will key free agents like WR Tyreek Hill wind up? (52:04) Imagine Hill joining the Eagles offense? Back to KC? Buffalo?  Stefon Diggs? How high will Notre Dame stud RB Jeremiyah Love go in the April Draft? Could be in the top 5

    58 min

  8. Feb 23

    S3 E16: Special Guest NFL Great Eugene Robinson on Sam Darnold, suggested NFL rule changes and Frank Reich as Jets new OC

    Segment 1: Mr. Robinson's NFL Resume/Career Highlights (Starting at 0:50) Walked on to Colgate University's Football team, had academic scholarship; member, Colgate Wrestling Team (leverage and power needed was a strong background for playing football and tackling techniques) inducted into the Colgate University's Hall of Fame  NFL Career 16 seasons: 250 games played, 232 started 57 Career INTs: exceeded by only 11 players, 4 of whom are in the Hall of Fame Seattle: 11 seasons, made the Pro Bowl twice had some great mentors, Dave Brown (RIP) and Kenny Easley (RIP) detailed film study helped him spot and digest tendencies started every game at safety from 1986-1995 (except 2 games in 1989) second all-time leading tackler, second in INTs in franchise history led the NFL interceptions in 1993 (9) named member of the Seahawks' top 50 players Not a fan of some key rules: pass interference calls when d backs do not turn around illegal man downfield change of possession after the offense fumbles into the end zone taunting penalty Suggests creating a new stat: accountability for receivers not catching passes that get intercepted Played in 3 consecutive Super Bowls 31-33 Green Bay (after trade) Reggie White called him and asked him if he wanted to join the Pack went to the Super Bowl both seasons, winning in 1996 vs. the Patriots injuries cost them against Denver; John Elway and RB Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe really tough; huge fan of Elway (all-time great) Atlanta made the Pro Bowl (third time), again started all 32 games those 2 seasons played in third consecutive Super Bowl (very rare!)  made major game-saving play in the NFC Title game, breaking up a sure TD by HOF Randy Moss Carolina finished his playing career in 2000 with the Panthers, starting (you guessed it) every regular season game remained in Charlotte; color analyst on Panthers radio network until 2018 HS Varsity football and wrestling coach Co-host, Charlotte Today on WCNC-TV Segment 2: Super Bowl 60 Observations, Amazing Rise of Sam Darnold (17:40) Defense wins championships (Seattle D dominant) Key strategy: successful pass rush with four D linemen; will see a ton of copycating across the league Surprised Patriots coaching did not help O line stop the pass rush with extra linemen or TEs Darnold made believer of Eugene; rough time in Carolina, then played really well in consecutive years winning 14 games in Minnesota and then with Seattle Darnold great comfort level in Seattle; prediction: Darnold will finish career with Seahawks Segment 3: Top Questions for NY Jets Leading into the Off-Season, Thoughts on Frank Reich (25:02) Eugene a big fan of Reich Very good offensive mind, was OC with Eagles in 2017, great success with Carson Wentz and won the Super Bowl with backup QB Nick Foles Reich well suited to be offensive coordinator; feels he can be successful in the role Advice for HC Aaron Glenn: continuity needed to win especially w/young coaching staff, need time to develop players and coaches; need a strong O line and "dogs" (super talented playmakers) Eugene: don't be dismayed as a Jets fan Segment 4: Observations from around the League (27:02) Carolina Panthers a team on the rise; Bryce Young looking good Best QB option for Jets: trade for Joe Burrow if you can; he has proven himself on the NFL level

    31 min
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About

A podcast covering the world of sports with a focus on strategy. The goal: be entertaining and informative. The hosts each have roughly 50 years of experience following and playing organized sports in the New York/New Jersey metro area. Strong emphasis on NFL football. Good friends and one former sports journalist offer commentary with a pretty good chance of good-natured silliness mixed in. Dedicated to the memory of Steven Waterman, who was a passionate, ultra-knowledgeable sports fan with a great sense of humor who loved the NY Giants, Mets, Rangers and Brooklyn Nets, and adored his daughter, Lea and wife Andrea even more. He passed away unexpectedly in 2022 way, way too soon.

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