Can 41-Year-Old LeBron Carry the Lakers? UConn the Most HATED Team?| Pain Points Ep. 18

Cold Open LeBron Doom Talk

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Yeah, it's over. It's over. You know, it's give me a quick little quick little 4-1-4-0. Give me at least one game of LeBron turning back the clock and everybody else, and all of us remembering it fondly. Then we can start the farewell tour next year. This this wasn't how it was supposed to end, y'all. This is not how it was supposed to end.

SPEAKER_03 0:16

Yeah, first run exit.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

And this is Derek Thompson from Pick Em Pros. You can catch us on all podcast platforms, including YouTube and now 104.5 WCCG in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Let's go.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Pick them up, pick them pick embro.

UConn Hate And Hurley Antics

SPEAKER_03 0:47

Welcome back to another five minutes episode. We have a lot of fun today. It's going to be about Yukon because we did just lose in the national championship. So we're going to dive into that. We're also going to talk about South Carolina, SC, next title. We're going to talk about LeBron, like always. And let's just dive into this. Let's talk about our Yukon hate. Is there a lot of hate going on?

SPEAKER_02 1:10

I mean, it's just a bad look on both of their ends. Dan Hurley with the whole ref in the face moment, and then, you know, them going out bad in the championship. We're going to get to Gino and Dawn later, but just that kind of showed a little lack of uncouthness. And, you know, I feel like, you know, I was thinking it was going to be the universe's, you know, A, they hit the game winner, the universe seems to shine on shine on them. I do think it's kind of was the reverse effect where all the cockiness, all the pride and gusto kind of backfired on them in both very hilarious ways. So yeah, it's just Yukon. I don't think they're the most hated program in college basketball. I mean, we're in North Carolina, we're in North Carolina show. You would see Duke every time. It's always going to be the most hatred that we're going to see. But I do think that like there is a bit more of a light shined on both of these coaches and kind of their, I would say, bravado for lack of a better term, that isn't necessarily going to be as appreciated down the line. But where is your where are your guys' thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

I mean, who outside of Connecticut likes Connecticut? I mean, find me somebody. I mean, I don't know, but they clearly are the most hated team, uh, in my eyes. I mean, Dan Hurley. Come on, man. I mean, who's who's rooting for Dan Dan Hurley? I mean, he's the most aggravating coach by far in the men's game. And now we got on the women's side, Gino doing what he did. So yeah, I think they I think they've taken that title away from uh from Duke. So, I mean, Duke back in the day used to be the most hated team, but man, UConn, they're looking they're looking pretty hated to me. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 2:52

Get Breeze take, but I mean, obviously, like you guys said, that was a bad look, but I don't think they're hated. I think everyone still loves Reed and they love Dan Hurley. I don't think they're a hated team. I think I don't know if uh I mean personally, I don't hate them. I don't I don't I don't hate anyone Michigan beats, so nice, nice.

SPEAKER_02 3:15

Except Ohio State. I feel like the Ohio State thing has to be there every time, though. Oh, I always hate Ohio.

SPEAKER_03 3:21

Yeah, I don't hate. I grew up liking Yukon. I always put them in my brackets, and then the one year I don't do a bracket, they go all the way. Um so I don't hate them. I like Yukon.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Hey, I'm on I'm on an island with the hate, with the Yukon hate. So it's okay, dude.

SPEAKER_04 3:36

It's okay. You're on an island a lot. It's okay.

SPEAKER_01 3:42

You know, both uh brackets, men and women. So I'm happy. I'm good.

SPEAKER_03 3:46

Well, shall we move on?

SPEAKER_01 3:47

All right, let's do it.

South Carolina Reload After UCLA Loss

SPEAKER_03 3:48

All right, we're good, we're going good, guys. Good job. All right, South Carolina, South Carolina. That's right next door to you guys.

SPEAKER_02 3:57

All right. Um, I honestly have no it's tough, you know, because you know that they're gonna have a good recruiting class, you know that they're always gonna be in it because of Don's coaching. Hopefully, that loss to UCLA does light another fire under Don. But it's been it again, all the success and with her winning three championships, everybody all of a sudden's like, whoa, she's lost a couple championships. It's a big moment. It's like people lose, but I do think because it's the fashion with how South Carolina has lost, that's kind of made people a little bit more nervous. And the whole thing, there's nothing you can do but run it back, like there's nothing you can do but revamp, but let Dawn cook, let all these great recruits that they're gonna bring in and transfers that they're gonna bring in, really do their thing. There really isn't like nowhere to go from here if you're always a championship contender, and especially the fact that they're still in the dominant program, and because of everything surrounding South Carolina this year with all the doubt and stuff, I do think, and even especially with the moment with Gino, which is why I really wanted the moment for Don this year, because that would have been the big stamp, a big kind of you know, uh polite wave goodbye. I was gonna say something else, but a big polite wave goodbye to Gino in that moment. But yeah, that's where I'm like, there's nothing you can do but just run it back and just trust that Don hasn't, you know.

unknown 5:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:19

Yeah. Well, I mean, I said uh if UConn, the only other team capable of winning the championship this year outside of UConn was UCLA. That's right. Yeah, and uh UCLA man, right on cue again. With their size, that was the only other team that could win the title this year. Uh South Carolina's championship was against UConn. So they fired all their bullets. They were not there emotionally or mentally in that championship game at all. UCLA just ran over them from the opening tip. So that was clearly their their championship. Um, they've got to get some shooting in South Carolina. Like they got to get some shooters. Now, their their best shooter was hurt, um, but they need they need more than that. So Dawn's gonna have to balance that roster out and get some shooting there. Uh, they've got some size again, but until they get some shooting, they're gonna continue to have these um these downfalls. But really happy for UCLA. Um, like their coach, like their program, had a bunch of seniors. Um, that's definitely proving the way across all um, you know, men's and women's ball. You've got to have experienced players. I mean, Michigan had 30 year olds out there, you know. You gotta have older guys out there playing. You can't have the young, you know, you can't have the young, you know, one and dones, fright, you know, freshmen. You can't win that way. You have to have the whole heads out there, and UCLA and Michigan definitely did that this year.

SPEAKER_04 6:54

Perfect. I agree with you. Yeah, you're on the island.

SPEAKER_02 7:02

Yeah, listen, that just was a first off to not take your L graciously, and then first off, the first thing that got me was the complaining about the calls in the middle of the game, and then the whole, oh, like her jersey got torn when we clearly saw her the uh 55 tear of her jersey. I was like, bro, listen, like there has to be a moment as a coach where it's just like let's just lock in and focus, and there it just wasn't there. And to be fair, does that also include uh easy fun, not necessarily taking open shots? Does that include like a bunch of them having defensive lapses? And there was multiple times during that game, there was back-to-back-to-back turnovers and just very bad ball handling. So I get how like that blowed over, but to you now throwing that in another coach, it's just a lack of sportsmanship, and that's not what we need in the game. That is not that is not what we need. We all need you to just be like again, like you know how at least with like the whole Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur thing during what is it the playoffs where he said at the Packers, at least it was in the locker room, at least it was like the South and I caught in the locker room, it was a moment, right? You feel me? Not live in camera as soon as you're done and you're supposed to just be like, Hey, good game, grass, go and go to the championship. Get all your hate out, not out in the public eye. Like, that's just it's it's the unwritten rule as coaching, even with players. You know, you're not gonna necessarily like there have been moments where it's boiled over, and like people have like said, like, oh, I'll meet you in the locker room, oh, we're gonna throw hands, uh uh. But it's like that's always a like unwritten rule, but hey, if it goes that far, we're just gonna handle it in the locker room, we're just gonna handle it at a later date. So I really didn't like that. It was a bad look. I'm glad that Dawn was saying sticking up for herself, and she wasn't she wasn't gonna let him punk her, but it's just it was just a bad look for Gina.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Yeah, she wasn't gonna let her. She wasn't gonna let anybody punk her. You wanna you wanna go next, Brick?

SPEAKER_03 8:58

I'll take this one. Okay, I don't really have too much to say on it, um, but I agree. It's not a good look. It's like you're in the sport world, we all have to be nice. Like, I know like sometimes things are gonna get heated. Like, let's look at let's look at Brooks and LeBron, okay? For them for an example, right? Like, obviously, like there's gonna be some things that happen, but it's also like you wanna be a good example for your players. Like, you should not you should not do that, like that. And it's mean, you know what I mean, known as a mean person. So yeah, but I think maybe one day I think they'll like like um what's it called? Like solve it, like what's that like resolve it, resolve it. And I think they'll be good, and maybe they'll be best friends.

SPEAKER_02 9:37

Yeah, I would I don't know. I take a good bet on that. I don't know though.

Lakers Panic And LeBron Reality

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Yeah, well, to look at the history of it, uh the old head on the show. We gotta look at his relationship with Pat Summit. Because it was icy at best. Um, Pat Summit was running things, you know. She had eight, you know, got to eight championships. Gino came in, took over, ultimately got 12. You know, a lot of those was you know, after she had stepped down. Um, but that relationship was always icy. Um, they did not get along at all. There was a lot of jealousy, a lot of undertones. Um, you know, we don't have to fully go into it, but there's clearly a whole lot of, you know, um male, female, you know, things going on with that. There's clearly a dynamic to where whoever the dominant women's coach is never gets along with Gino. There's a whole lot going there that people don't really want to dive into and and go into, but there's a lot of undertones. There's a lot going on with that. There's a lot of resentment there. Um, and I think a lot of people probably don't like the fact that Gino is the one that's got all the titles and it's the women's game. Um, so and myself included, I mean, you know, I'd rather I'd rather see a woman dominating it than Gino coming in and now all of a sudden, you know, dominating it. That's just me personally. So I'm not speaking for anybody else, but I think that's a lot of it. Um, and so yeah, I don't, you know, it'd be cool if they could, you know, be be nicer friends, but just judging by how it was with him and Pat Summit and the things that have already been said. You heard in Dawn's press conference, she was she she really wasn't sweating. She was like, hey, long as you know, it was it was good to see a nice person win the championship. Somebody that somebody that cares about the game and that's growing the game and just not all about their program. Uh she said it's good to see someone like that with. So yeah, it's uh it's a lot of bad blood there. So man, so we sure do talk about LeBron every show. I wonder why.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

Well, yeah, he was we're not trying to, but this is a big story, y'all. Like, come on. We're finally the three seed, right? You know, and then guess what happens after an OKC game because of Lou Dort having to play against that that wonderful defense out of OKC?

unknown 12:16

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

So I actually have to legitimately rely on LeBron and potentially Ronnie in the first round of the playoffs.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

The person you've been dogging, the person you've been saying, oh, leave our team. I want my team back. You want your team back now, Chris?

SPEAKER_02 12:33

I know. No, I want to be on the couch. I'd rather be mad. I'd rather be the 10th seed. I'd rather us be in the play-in right now. I'm so no, no, we need to be no. I have a 41-year-old man and DeAndre Aiden. That's why Stardate stars on a team on a team in the Western Conference. And yes, that 41-year-old is still LeBron James, but in the Western Conference, we're cooked. It's over, y'all. It's been real, it's been fun. It was a cute season. That Luca MVP little train or whatever was the only highlight we're getting this season, y'all. It's over. We're cooked. We're we are cooked.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

Yeah, isn't he like going to Switzerland? Yeah, Switzerland. Yeah, he's cooked. You guys are done.

SPEAKER_02 13:18

I don't care what you want to inject him with in Switzerland or give to Luca in Switzerland. It's not enough. Because even without Austin Reeves, with Austin Reeves still not being there. Austin Reeves ain't going to Switzerland with him, is he? Is he? Because I I hear nothing about that. It's not happening, y'all. It's been a real good season. I'm happy. Listen, yeah, it's over. It's over. You know, it's give me a quick little, quick little 4-1, 4-0. Give me at least one game of LeBron, turn it back and clock, and everybody else, and all of us remembering it fondly. Then we can start the farewell tour next year. This this wasn't how it was supposed to end, y'all. This is not how it was supposed to end.

SPEAKER_03 13:54

Yeah, first round exit.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

It's over. How y'all feeling?

SPEAKER_01 13:59

Uh I don't know. Well, okay, there's a whole lot that was said there.

SPEAKER_04 14:04

So I'm hurt, man.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

For one, yeah, Luca. Yeah, you hurt.

SPEAKER_04 14:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:11

Luca doesn't need to go to Switzerland. All he gotta do is call LeBron. But anyway, that's a whole nother subject. All right. Um as far as the first round, you know, I think y'all playing the Rockets. So, hey man, you know, LeBron. LeBron can beat the Rockets by himself.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

And Bronny and DeAndre Aiden. This is 41-year-old LeBron. This isn't 2018 LeBron. I have to rely on how old is KD, but he's still KD, and he's like, what, 38? I mean, again, he has been very turnover season. How far did his team go last year? I I get it. I get it. Trust. And again, the one thing with the Rockets is their offense is a little spotty. But again, where else are we getting offense on the Lakers? That's my question. Like Jake La Ravia. Ooh, scary. You got uh Luke Cannard. Lou Connard, cool. So it's just the run of Luke Kennard. Is that is so there's not like we don't need like five more people? Because what is DeAndre Aiden gonna actually put an effort? Are we are we he never knows this? Reese been a sons fan. She knows this.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

That doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_03 15:31

That does not matter. We've all seen it firsthand. That does not matter.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Uh Eric, that's not that's not how it's gonna go, bro. Listen, it's okay. I'm happy for the season we had. We were on the couch.

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I've I've seen this movie before. He's saying all this. LeBron turns back the clock, they're playing the Rockets.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

If we somehow win the series, I I'm I I guess. I guess. Well, I don't think so. I think we're gonna lose the second round anyway. So it's like we might as well just get eliminated because either way, we're gonna play OKC or the Spurs if we win.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

Yeah, good luck. Yeah, you feel me?

SPEAKER_01 16:10

If LeBron again, I know how you are. If LeBron puts him on his back, turns back the clock, gets him out the first round, then they get Reeves and Luca.

SPEAKER_02 16:20

We're still not being OKC or the Spurs. I'm not gonna go. I will be hype. We're still not being Derek. I'm being so honest with you right now. We are not being OKC or the Spurs. I'm like full like the delusion is gone. The delusional Chris was like, Oh, we're gonna go, it's trying to and then we got we got Cook versus the Wolves. Okay, couple since that wolves series. I I I listen, I'm I'm over it. Listen, it's been real, it's been fun. Yeah, all right. I'm not delusional this time. It is we'll see.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

Well, while we're on the playoffs, gotta keep it going.

SPEAKER_02 16:55

Two years old. All right.

SPEAKER_03 16:57

All right, so we'll start it off.

SPEAKER_02 17:00

All right, our X Factors. I'm not gonna lie, my biggest one. I don't know if he's really an X Factor, but it's this is gonna determine how far this team goes. Julius Randle with the Wolves. You gotta listen, you gotta give Ant something. Jaden McDaniels is gonna show has already proven to show up come playoff time. Rudy Gobert, who it's just it's just him on the perimeter that I'm concerned about. But Julius, you gotta give Ant something. You gotta give Ant something. Ant needs an extra boost because Ant's gonna show up regardless. We've seen, you know, come playoff time, that's money time for him. That's where he, you know, gets all the his Michael Jordan comparisons. It has been due to his playoff performances. I'm that is uh my biggest X Factor in the East. We've seen him, you know, now he's starting to swing back. Paul George with the Sixers. I listen, is that he might be playing the Knicks? Listen, PG. I don't know which PG we're gonna see, but I am excited. I just am like he he's raised since that's suspicious, he's turned up. I just like Paul.

SPEAKER_01 18:08

I like that again.

SPEAKER_02 18:09

If Joel doesn't have to take care of the workload, if we can just be PG and Maxi and Edgecombe and be having to be special insperts, I like that. I kinda I I think that could vote very well for the Sixers. Those are my two big X Factors or some of y'all's.

SPEAKER_03 18:26

Uh the fake son staying healthy.

SPEAKER_04 18:29

Yes, that is that's a good one.

SPEAKER_03 18:33

Yeah, and then being the Rockets tonight. I know this won't be aired for a while, but today, April 7th, Tuesday. They have to be the Rockets tonight. They have to, especially because it's a seven grands team.

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Like yeah, that's true. That's true. So they as it stands right now, if they because they'll be in the playing, if they can win that first playing game, which that'll be awesome to be at home. So you have to hit that one up, Bree. Um, if they knock that, if they win that, then they got the Spurs first round.

SPEAKER_03 19:04

That's easy, honestly. They beat the Spurs already twice this season. Please, the Spurs hurt, right? He's out right now. Um, I'm not worried about it. Our team is fully healthy again. Brooks is back, Williams is back. I am worried. Light work, light work, no reaction.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

I would love, love that. Yeah, yeah. Hey, Dylan the villain, come on, let's do it, let's do it. Put some man, somebody, because you know what? He he's the one that would actually do it. Because somebody, like for real, I I don't want to hear Wimby coming up in there talking junk to them. So if Wimby starts doing that, come on, come on, villain. Dylan the villain, put him down, put put him on his back for real.

SPEAKER_03 19:50

Oh, he will him him and Booker together and green, those three, yes, you don't want to mess with them. Those three, and Colin Galebsky. Actually, all of them. You don't want to mess with our team, you don't want you don't want the smoke.

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Okay, that's a great because because Bree, because they have, you know, they've got that playoff experience. Um, you know, Booker's been to the finals, you know, Dylan's been in many battles, you know, all of that. You know, Spurs are green. Hey, uh, Phoenix comes out and is physical with them. Hey, whoo, I would love all of them.

SPEAKER_03 20:23

Everyone should be worried.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

All right, let's see it.

SPEAKER_03 20:26

They beat all the good teams before this season, too. That's why it's not difficult. And every time they did lose to those teams, we were hurt.

SPEAKER_02 20:35

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 20:36

You see what I'm saying? Are you picking up what I'm putting down?

SPEAKER_02 20:39

I guess. I guess we're gonna we're saying there might be a Sun's dark horse run, you know.

SPEAKER_03 20:43

Um I hope so, honestly. I hope so.

SPEAKER_02 20:48

I am going to Arizona for the finals. I'm not going to Arizona.

SPEAKER_03 20:50

Yes, guys, come on out.

SPEAKER_02 20:52

Some way if y'all do make that run.

SPEAKER_04 20:54

Uh yeah, come on out, guys. Come on out.

SPEAKER_01 20:58

It's gonna be yeah, Phoenix has got everything, man. You have the final four, the women got all-star next year.

SPEAKER_03 21:05

Yes, I'm very excited. You guys need to come out for that because that will be yeah, a lot of stuff. Fun, and Phoenix is a lot better than LA.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, for sure, man. Oh, everybody's gonna be having their shows out there and everything. Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be jumping. It's gonna be jumping. Yeah, jumping.

SPEAKER_03 21:23

Yes, it'll be fun.

SPEAKER_01 21:25

All right, well, Breeze, great to have you back. Welcome back.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

I know I'm glad to be back. Sorry, bet.

SPEAKER_01 21:31

Oh no, you're good, you're good. Doing big things. No, you could grow in the brand, growing everything. So, no, no, y'all here. Bring that energy, that fire. We love it. Keep doing your thing, and uh, we'll be uh we'll be back. So, shoot, next time it'll be play in time and then playoffs. So, we're really about to get into it, y'all.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

I'm excited. Yes, yes. Uh yeah, let's get into it, y'all. I I don't see well, Bree. Y'all have y'all dark horse run? I'll be on the Couch just in the lakes. The Lakers will join me shortly.

SPEAKER_01 22:05

So have a good one. All right. All right. We'll see y'all. See y'all till next time.

SPEAKER_04 22:17

So far as Jordan.