Inside The Lockers

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Game time and you're going inside the lockers with JC D. Hawk with 91.5 KUNV Broadcasted live for the campus of UNLV

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And good morning UNLV good morning Vegas good morning USA coming at you live from the campus of UNLV KUNV 91.5 listening to Inside the Lockers, JC and Dee Hawke. We have a special guest with us today. We'll be introducing him in a moment. I'd love to hear your thoughts throughout the show, anything that you want to talk about, anything that we're talking about. You have a comment, call in at 702-895-5868. Of course, when you're driving around, you hit us up on 91.5, but if you're out of town, download us on the mobile app KUNV. Hawke, good morning. We're in studio today. It's been a while since we've been together in one zip code. How you feeling?

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What's going on? What's up, JC? It's good to be back. Good to see you, man. Happy Sunday. Yep. Bright and early.

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Football's already underway. I see the Dolphins have a 7-0 lead, looks like, on the Jacksonville Jaguars. We've got a lot of sports to get to. and a friend of the show, a friend of ours for those of you who NBA aficionados, Jermaine Taylor who all-time leading scorer at UCF just recently was inducted into that school's Hall of Fame and has been a part of the Big Three for a couple of years now. Also Patchwear, you know for those who follow B1 Family, sponsor the show USA Natural Patches and we're gonna be doing a little different today instead of just having a few minute segment as a guest we're gonna have Jermaine be a part of the show and Happy to hear comments on things that we're Hawkeye chopping up again We're gonna have another installment of use from the Hawk Ness. We missed it last week, but Let's get right to basketball being that what kind of basketball centric this morning. So for starters, we already see the WNBA finals different in the sense that the one seed and the two seed are not there. And then I think a lot of people, because of the pedigree of the Mercury with Taurasi having multiple championships, Brittany Griner probably the best center in the league, maybe going to go down as one of the best centers in WNBA history. And yet, Candice Parker and you talk about Adidas that commercials coming out right at the right time Maybe about two weeks before she went on this role and you know, I gotta say I thought I was pretty much up-to-date I did not know that Candice didn't have a championship with the the sky never had a championship before so, you know They'll be having their first championship in history I thought maybe what Cappy or you know years prior Chicago Sky had got a championship. I guess they never won one. And of course, they don't have one yet. You still got to win all five. But they played today. You and I both liked them. Two canceled them out. But, Hawk, speak to me about, and I want to bring Jermaine in. For those of you, again, 32nd overall pick, actually by the Wizards at that time, right? But played with Houston, played with Sacramento. Jermaine, I'm going to fire it right off to you this morning. When a team is in a championship and they lose by 36 points, how can that happen? Especially when you have veterans on the team like a Deanna Taurasi, obviously, you know, Brittany Griners played in the NCHL. I mean, do you just not hear your alarm clock? Like how does that happen, bro? Talk to me.

0:03:39
Yeah, pretty much you just didn't show up to play. I mean, a championship game getting blown out like that, that shouldn't happen.

0:03:46
From the jump. I mean, it's one thing if like the game is close and it kind of goes crazy at the end. They were just smoked right away. As a matter of fact, Hawk, you know, I was telling you when we were talking, like I can't happen, and then I thought about it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Bulls do a number like that on the Jazz back in the day? I think the Jazz scored like 50 points only in a final. It was something crazy. Didn't they get them pretty good during Jordan's run?

0:04:13
I wouldn't be surprised because it was during Jordan's run. Each game, that's why it's a series. I would be... It would stand out more if it was just one game, winner take all, and then that happens because you have to bring it all out for that one game. It's possible because you have adjustments after the game, get back to the drawing board. But still, in all games in a series like that, that's just too many points.

0:04:44
It's incredible.

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I mean, somebody's not focused, not locked in,

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from top to the bottom. Jeez, from the top to the bottom, a whole team. The thing is too, both of you all were stars on your college teams. I'm imagining in a big game, if you get off to that slow start, which can happen, people always say, how is it possible? Look, it's just possible. But there's always that veteran voice. I guess that's the thing that Kobe was famous for, God rest his soul, Jordan was famous for. Somebody who didn't mind, punch a guy in the chest. I know Kevin Hart say, what you chest, but you know, punch a guy in the chest and say, hey, this is the finals. Like, what are y'all doing?

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And at that point, you're not going to worry about nobody's feelings. You're not worrying about any backlash. Like this is not putting people out are blessed and lucky enough to be able to play for a championship. Right? So once you get there on that stage and you see that somebody is not on board or they're lacking, like forget about all the things you did all that season. Now, if we got to come to blows to get somebody to play, I'll deal with that. Mission accomplished. I'll deal with the aftermath.

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I'll drink my champagne with a black eye, but I'm drinking my champagne. First of all, it's a great point that you make because how many teams in history thought they were going to go back? There is no promise to go back. Look at Dan Marino. He went to the Super Bowl. People were already putting this guy three or four chips on his shoulder. It didn't happen. And then you talk about even the Heat, who did win several, but LeBron thought they were just going to book it every year in. And they got there, but they couldn't close several of those deals. They lost to the Mavericks, lost to the Spurs. So there's just no guarantee. But based on what I've seen, and again, we spoke prior to coming live on the air. I just think the Sky have been the better team because even the game that they lost that went into overtime, they kind of had that game. Taurasi kind of got hot in the overtime and it kind of went away, but I like them to close it out. I think Chicago gets their first title ever. I think it's a great story for Kansas Parker who was in the twilight of her career, kind of went home after all that fame on the coast. And also, shout out to the Chicago fans. I mean, gee, sold out. I know it's the championship and stuff like that, but the WNBA, let's keep it real, no matter what the game is, has had a hard time putting those kind of numbers in the seats, and I mean, it's sold out. So that's impressive to me. The other thing I did like, and tell me what you all feel about this, during the Phoenix-Mercury game they were going around in a crowd and there were several NBA guys there. Chris Paul was there supporting, you know, whatever. I mean, Jermaine, when you were at UCF, were there a group of like men's guys, like when the women had a game that they'd go check the game out? Because I remember when I played at Hofstra, respectfully speaking, the women's team was better than us. They got more love because they had more players who were getting more whatever. We were always fiddling around 500 or so. Our team was only going to qualify for the tournament by winning the automatic bid. The Hofstra women's team was good enough to get an at-large bid even though they did get a couple of automatic bids. But at UCF, here you are, you're a star, you have yourself, I know Michael Jordan, some play there. So the men's team got a lot of love and now that the football team has ascended, that whole school's profile is higher. But what about the women's team? Is there that support at UCF and at college the way you saw it?

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Oh yeah, when I was there, we gave them a lot of support just because we were friends. We all lived in the same dorm room. We lived on the first floor, they lived on the second floor, so we saw them every day

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in the training rooms.

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So it was something outside of the court There was a camaraderie there from the hope from the jump

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Yeah, so they supported us and it wasn't like it was something that we were forced to do. We were just friends, right, you know Basketball players we're gonna go come see see what you doing hoopers

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Yeah

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So I mean to see the excitement the way Chris Paul and Devin book was you know jumping around and some other players were there As well, I think that's what the league need. I tell you again not to bring up, you know a Sad sad moment, but I think the WNBA and a lot of people talk about it, you know after the fact I know they spoke about it briefly in the moment, but I think one of the biggest losses for basketball When Kobe Bryant passed was the WNBA because he was starting to really kind of young was coaching his daughter Gigi and he was attending games, he was taking her to games. His profile was, again, they do highlight other NBA players there, but his profile is so magnified and his intensity of the sport. So obviously, we want to see the WNBA continue to flourish. And Griner actually had a dunk the other day. So it's good to see that they're getting that kind of turnout. Talk to us for a moment, I mean congratulations first of all, hear the clap. So having your name immortalized when you go into the Hall of Fame, because that's what it means, right? I mean basically 50 years from now, 100 years from now, that's what a championship does, that's what that kind of does. The all-time leading scorer, the school itself continues to jump up into national conversation as a university in athletics. Congratulations on the night, what did it mean to you? And also, I never asked you, did the number of retirement come with that as well? Is the one in the rafters as well? Can somebody still wear the one temporarily?

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For right now, so I'm actually in school finishing up my degree.

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Congratulations. Thank you, I appreciate it.

0:10:27
Great right there. Once I'm done with that, that's when the process of my jersey getting retired at UCF starts.

0:10:32
I'm looking forward to that.

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So, did they pull you to the side and say, listen, you're 10 credits short. You want this jersey, you've got to get these 10 credits in.

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Well, they didn't do it like that. That's not how I took it, though.

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I'm being honest.

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I mean at the end of the day, I don't know that my degree has helped me do the things I've done in life to be perfectly frank, but I will tell you that there's a part of me that's always glad that I got the degree. It's funny because I got two children and they both have degrees and this was a serious debate. My son at NYU watched a guy from Stanford speak. This is a quick story. So freshman year, he comes to me and says, listen, some professor from Stanford just gave a lecture at NYU, why college is a waste of time. Now this is a professor from Stanford, right? So he's a professor. He's also from a prestigious university and he's talking at a prestigious university to studious kids and he's going, just kids, first of all, I don't know how NYU brings this kid in, right? NYU is charging $60,000 a year so they got to be like waving it off like no, no, no, what are you doing? But he basically was making the argument, here is his argument in a nutshell, that the four years minimum that you waste earning money out into the real world, whatever degree you're going to get will never equal that. But the rub of that is that I guess he did say unless you're specialized. So if you want to be an attorney, if you want to be an accountant where those particular credentials I guess is the word, more than the degree, like you have to get those credentials. But other than that, like if you're there as an art history major, if you're there as a sociology major, like get out. But I'll tell you, I'm going to keep it real, Hawk. You know, when I get resumes at, you know, USA Natural Patches, Now, I've hired people without degrees. I'm not going to say I haven't, but I will tell you what I'm thumbing through them, graduated from, and again, people can even lie on their resume, but I'm not going to lie. I kind of lean toward the graduated from. My only thought being is that if a person could stick it out in college and do a bunch of tasks to get that degree, whatever their degree is in, it just shows a level of responsibility. You obviously were a great player, so you're getting your degree while you're getting an education but you're a businessman, you've done different things. What do you think about players who leave early and have gone back and got that degree, Shaquille O'Neal and stuff like that? What do you think?

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I think it's a matter of just going back to finish something that you started. That you started. And that's what it comes down to.

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That's 100 right there.

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There's no reason Shaquille O'Neal needs a degree. Yeah, you go. But if he wants to set an example for his kids or maybe for his family, maybe somebody like, a lot of times you hear, I'm the first person to go to college or I'm the first person in my family to get a degree. But like for my sake, I know I didn't finish off my degree and I just been prolonging, prolonging, doing piece by piece. And eventually, I'm going to do it. I really feel bad because I told Coach Chaney I was going to get it. I promised him. And of course, he passed away. He won't be able to see me do it, but that's more motivation.

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You and I have that faith.

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He'll see you.

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Oh, that's true. But that's even more motivation to finish off with him. But in different cases, sometimes somebody is not able to finish it off because finances maybe.

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It's a big part of it. It's a big part of it, especially when you're not in scholarship anymore. All of a sudden it's like, hey, $6,000 for those credits. Like, wait a second. They're like, well, you ain't playing basketball here no more. Hold up.

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Hold up.

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You're not putting no buts in your teeth now. Yeah. And I want to amplify on that answer with Shaq because it's not just like when you say Shaq doesn't need it because he's financially well off. Shaq is respected. When Shaq speaks, I listen. This is a man that, in my opinion, also a successful businessman, right? So, I'm not just talking about the money. This is a man who I think has definitely proven himself to be intellectual. You know what I mean? So, you don't need that stamp of a degree. And that's going to cross us into, I think we're going to talk about the vaccines and the NBA and you're going to do something of you from the Hawks' nest, but while we're on still basketball and talking about these men and opinion stuff like that, let's go right to what is the hot topic in the NBA and that's these vaccinations. The big story is that the New York legislature says that to come to the workplace you need to have vaccinations and things of this nature. And because the Brooklyn Nets are, at the end of the day, a company, that's what they are, their employees, meaning their players, must subscribe to certain rules and regulations within the state of New York in addition to the MBA mandate. But even without the MBA mandate, different states have different protocols for working with or without the vaccine and Kyrie Irving has gone on record saying, it's a personal choice and if you all don't want me playing, then that's your decision. I want to play but I'm not going to be forced or quote unquote blackmailed into playing – into getting a vaccination to play because I don't want to do it. We are on the same side on this. Kyrie Irving has maybe had some legitimate criticisms through the years, which has shown up for work on other reasons than the other thing, but in this particular case, I'm with him. What do you think, Hawk?

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Well, first off, let's just say, I'm going to let the viewers know, there will be no views from the Hawks today. We're just going to jump right into it.

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Oh, that's just going to tackle it? My bad, my bad.

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My man that took all my points.

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That's what happens when we talk every day. That's like an Eminem rapper. That's like an Eminem rapper strategy. I come out the gate, so you got nothing to cover. He's just like, uh, uh, uh, uh. Oh, hold on. Hold on.

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Turn off your radio.

0:16:32
Tune back in in 15 minutes for views from the Hawk's Nest.

0:16:35
No, that's my bet.

0:16:36
You know what it is? That's our show. That's what live radio is. We chop it up. We talk about it all the time. But let me lay it down for you, because I don't want to just ruin it like that. So the only thing is that the Views from the Hawk's Nest comes at 7.30. I want you to say your piece. So Hawk and I were talking about vaccinations, and he was saying, My Views from the Hawk's Nest. So with that said, you take it from here, and then we'll chop it up here instead of 7.30.

0:17:07
But go right ahead. So basically, it's been, you know, the climate of this country since the pandemic and everything. COVID, for one, I want to say I know that it's real. We all know that it's real. It's a situation, it's a virus, it sucks.

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Yeah, even if you move to the people who've died from other things and there are inflated numbers, without a doubt, some people have passed away from specifically COVID. So if the number's 20 million people dead and you want to say 10 million of them were dying anyway And then they just said Oh kovat, you know what I do to me is still 10 million that died legitimately from kovat

0:17:46
So I'm with you on that. Go ahead. Yeah, so we agree Everybody's been affected in some way form or fashion, but we tend to sometimes Pit each other against each. Yes, so it's famous for that is vaccinated versus anti vaccinated or anti vaxxers, I mean, at the end of the day, what happened to America being about choice or having the freedom to do...

0:18:12
First of all, that is America. That's what America is supposedly founded on, that you have freedom of choice. I'm with you.

0:18:18
Exactly. So, let's just... it's hard to not bring the politics and all the feelings into it, but let's try to just keep it with the sports part of it. Okay, so you seen how I think cam knew that Everybody knew that he was going to get Cut from the Patriots, but it was not about his play or anything like that He refused to get the vaccine at the time right now since cam has gotten a vaccine That's other because he knows that can't be can't be employed without I can't be nobody's gonna even though I can Especially when a black quarterback and on my down Nobody's going to make that you know, they look at Kaepernick He took a stand and he's hasn't been in the league since right So if you're looking at if you're being looked at as I'm taking a stand or something or going against the grain You definitely are at a already at a disadvantage. You'll be on your way out. But how unfair is that for him to feel like he has to go put something in his body because somebody told him to in order to get a job or keep a job doing something that he loves, something that he's put his life into, putting work into his craft, and then something has nothing to do with the sport, feeling like he has to do this to to be employed. Well we're moving to choice.

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First of all, right now, what's happened, well, first of all, I want to talk about the, and these are the type of conversations that always get spirited with you and I, and I definitely want to hear Jermaine's thoughts, but when you're talking about Cam Newton, it's slightly different. I'm going to tell you why it's slightly different. Because the NFL put in a protocol that if you have COVID, so let's forget the vaccine for a second, if you have COVID, it's a two week so that you can't spread it. Now that's from the doctors, right? The problem is, and this is why it's different than Kyrie, when you're the quarterback, the thinking was in a 16-game season, if he got it, forget about the vaccine for a second, if he got it, just living his life, it's a Tuesday afternoon, he goes out, chopping up with his friends, doesn't know someone's got it, the Patriots are now going to show up for two games with a backup quarterback because even whatever it is protocol he has to sit. That's got nothing to do with the vaccine. So when he elected to and he has that right to not get the vaccine, the teams were like if any quarterback, so let's forget Cam for a second, if any quarterback doesn't want to get the vaccine and then gets it, now two games out of a 16-game season for a quarterback, that's massive. That's huge. So it's a little bit different. I do agree that it became the vaccine about Cam and they didn't do a good enough job in talking about this is our issue. Also you could have had Cam, you know, who said he was willing to go back up to Mac Jones but they felt that the kid would then have this veteran behind him and then the fan base. So there's a lot of reasons why I could appreciate the cut, though I do agree that the vaccination is forced upon these men. The Kyrie Irving is completely different in the sense that it's a five-man sport. In other words, you can roll another guy out there. You've got two Hall of Famers out there, Eddie and Harden and Durant, but the fact that you are telling a guy, and here's one of the things that I thought was interesting. We spoke about this. The senator that comes out and says, so here's my problem with the NBA. Several years ago, they let Magic Johnson play with the virus, a communicable disease. He's playing with HIV. He's on the court playing with HIV when at that point, they still didn't have all the science. They had a lot of science, you know, bodily fluids, etc., etc. As a matter of fact, many of Magic's friends, who then when he learned Karl Malone being the most famous said, I'm not getting on the court if he's on the court. This is Karl Malone. They were friends at one point and put a rift between them because he said, I don't know if you sweat on me if we bump it. Anything can happen. Meanwhile, here's Kyrie Irving who doesn't even have it and you're forcing him to do it. But I just wanted to say that's the difference with Cam Newton. As a quarterback, he would have to sit even if he was just exposed to it. And that's an NFL rule. That's not a, you know, and the two weeks is the CDC protocol that's saying that you

0:22:33
carry it in your blood. So what is the protocol if you are vaccinated and get COVID?

0:22:37
Yeah, the whole thing is, I think, two weeks. You still have to wait two weeks before you're able to interact with anybody because, quote unquote, you can be a spreader. So what they want to have is they want to look.

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So you see where I'm coming from the whole

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thing that's my point you and I want the same point the whole thing is nonsense

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they're gonna miss two weeks look as a quarterback you get it on that this this

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is where it all goes wrong first of all it's gone wrong for me a whole time here's where it's all gone wrong for me they're coming out now saying your booster and this let me tell you something hold up hold up let's talk about vaccines versus what this nonsense is the polio vaccine is a vaccine. You want to know why? Because I haven't heard polio. There is no polio. Just not there.

0:23:23
When's the last time you've seen a kid with chickenpox?

0:23:24
No, chickenpox is different. Measles. Chickenpox is there is no vaccine for. People have chickenpox. But the thing is that when you're talking about COVID and everyone's vaccinated and still getting it, and now you're trying to fix your narrative. Variants and this, that, and the other thing, oh, this is a different strain. Let me tell you something. Y'all just don't know. You don't know what it is, you don't know what it is. And here's the other thing too. It still has not claimed more lives than influenza in the common cold. So at the end of the day, look, there's just stuff that messes people up. Look, I don't know what the numbers are, but how many people dying, and I'm not trying to be funny, how many people dying from drunk driving in the year? Why don't we just in other words in other words? Where does it end? How about we just don't serve alcohol so nobody could ever be drunk driving anymore? Oh, you know what texting and driving is killing people too. Let's let's stop tech In other words, it's just a slippery slope all Kyrie Irving is saying which I completely 100% support I will put this in my body because it's my body and it's forced to. I'm going to say something that people are going to say is a stretch. I don't think it's a stretch. Doesn't a woman have the same right with abortion? I know we're going way off course right now. We're going off course, but this is relevant. In other words, at the end of the day, if it's your body and this is what you're saying you can or can't do to it, and here's the worst part, and this is where I do feel a little sorry for Kyrie. He has said some things that are just a little off, you know, the world is flat and all this kind of stuff, obviously you go up and you see the arch from space, you know, it's not flat. But um, what does that mean?

0:25:01
I'm a flat earther.

0:25:02
I agree with Cary.

0:25:03
You're a flat earther?

0:25:04
I'm a flat earther.

0:25:05
So after you walk off Oregon, you fall off a ledge and go into a pit?

0:25:08
I just don't think that we're on a ball spinning around me. Let's not get it all the way off.

0:25:15
No, no, we're on a ball, Hawk. We're on a ball. If you look at the horizon, it arches. You know what I mean? It's evidence. But my point is, is even though I feel that way, you have your right. You have your place. That's why I'm kind of... You don't see us right now, but we're smiling. That's the thing. We're smiling.

0:25:33
That's the other thing. A flatterer versus this.

0:25:35
Now, let me give you one that's real for me. One that's real for me. You ready? I'm going to say it on radio. I'm going to say it on radio. I'm going to say it with my chest. I don't know that we landed on the moon. I definitely know that we didn't. I definitely see. And I'm going to tell you why. I'm going to tell you why. They still can't have the space shuttle go through the radiation belt. You can't go how can we go to a 55 years ago? We had the technology and now I saw I'm saying we've been back since I'm saying wait a second

0:26:08
But that's what I'm saying like you

0:26:10
Jermaine you and I were talking about this yesterday, so here so here's the thing so Jermaine, and I was speaking about when you have a thought that the pulp that gets pushed out to the public and Then they want you to believe it we were talking about Malcolm X and just different things that they want to push a narrative out. Because so many people push it out, when you're the one, when you're the lone voice, and you and I have a lot of that, you have a lot of that in your personality, which I love about you, you definitely have your style, your way about it. For those of you who don't know, again, I'm going to say this with all respect. Jermaine Taylor is 6'4". You always have your kind of vibe about you. Now you have the dreads and you didn't have them at UCF, but just by that look, some people make a stereotype. We spoke about this. You know what I mean? If you get to know you, it couldn't be any nicer. It couldn't be any more approachable. It couldn't be any more deeply opinionated. And rather than have that, so what is it that you feel the athlete from when you were playing, I mean I know you still play right now, but I'm talking about when you were maybe a, let's do it after the break. What we're going to bring back after the break is when you are a college student and feel like it's hard to have a voice because there's an administration things on you, to a point where now both of you are like in your mid-30s and you kind of can be who you want to be. That's what we want to come back after the break. Inside the Lockers JC D-Hawk and special guest today Jermaine Taylor coming at you in 60 seconds. Stay with us. So we're back on the air and we've gone way off the rails you know but but you know what I don't know that we've gone off the rails and this is what I'm going to bring up to Jermaine. Sports is our culture is it not? How many things come from sports? Look at the men who style, the women who style, look at the voices. At the end of the day, look at Muhammad Ali, that documentary came out where he wasn't going to go fight in Vietnam and almost went to jail but stood strong on his beliefs. But Jermaine, that's what I want to bring up to you because anyone who Googles you, as we're mentioning you on the radio, they're going to see this... I'm going to use the word clean cup because that's what people used to define me as. I had the kind of, you know, I look like I was in the military, I had my hair combed to the side. Clean-cut as opposed to, you know, you go with the goatee. I'm not even white, black, doesn't matter. I'm talking about the whole look of a person's, that goatee, that tatted up, you know, white dude. Everyone writes away, he's putting him in it as a Nazi or he's, you know, he's dangerous, you know. So here you are, you have these pictures of back when you were playing, you know, this clean-cut guy. Now you're, you know, you have this style, but you're still the same humble, well-spoken, well-thought, well-opinionated. What is it now for the pro athlete that this moment has come with all the, really out of hate and out of violence that people are now taking more of a stand? Do you see that this is a momentum thing or do you think maybe this will also fade? Because a lot of times these things have stopped to started right and then they kind of get you know push away and men like Kyrie Irving will not let it be pushed away what do you think and you know Kyrie by personally by the way if I can say that yep what are your thoughts there I mean

0:29:27
I can I can for me you know when I was in college you know you have to like

0:29:31
play this game yeah you know I mean you're playing that game because you're on scholarship and it's kind of like if you break those rules, they can pull it from them. People have got their scholarship pulled for one reason or another, right?

0:29:42
You have to play that game. A lot of athletes, especially myself, I didn't even know I was playing the game.

0:29:48
Oh, man, that's real talk right there.

0:29:50
Yeah, like- That's real talk right there. You're just so used to seeing it and used to things being this way.

0:29:56
Right, you're caught up in the system.

0:29:57
You don't even know you're in the system.

0:29:58
You don't even know.

0:29:59
Right.

0:30:00
It's like the Matrix.

0:30:01
Exactly.

0:30:02
You're a battery, and you don't even know you're a battery.

0:30:04
Oh my God.

0:30:05
And then you hit a point, I hit a point to where I just, I grew up. Like I grew up and I became my own man. Yeah. You can't force me to do stuff, you know, anymore. And I know what's right from wrong, you know what I mean? Like I know what type of environment that I came from and where I come from. You know, I actually hid that for so long. Right. Because where I'm from, everybody has dread. Sure. My grandma had a goatee. Yeah Yeah, I mean, but if I'm being that they're gonna judge me off rip So I spent the whole like a lot of time kind of hiding, you know

0:30:36
Who you who you were comfortable in your own skin trying to portray what they're telling you to be. I'm with you, bro

0:30:41
so now and I'm telling I actually take pride in and out, you know, for example, I went to my ceremony for my Hall of Fame.

0:30:51
Right, it's online for those of you, it's on Instagram. I watched it, it was a touching moment. You all did a great job for, cause it wasn't just you, there was several people that got elected into the Hall of Fame, but again, knowing you personally, knowing the kind of man you are, I was really excited for you.

0:31:07
But if you see those videos, you'll see everybody in there has on suit and ties, and they're just doing what they thought they're supposed to be but me I was wearing what I wanted to wear. I was being myself because I don't like now and I know it's hurt my career like I know for a fact that I am NOT where I know I can be because of me not conforming. Right and

0:31:30
meanwhile you and I spoke about it how many athletes and people at that event came up to you and said man you know what I mean? But here's the problem. They're saying it to you and nobody hears it but you. So it makes you feel good. But as a society and the people out there, they're whispering and murmuring, oh, did you see how he showed up? We let him to all fame. Meanwhile, if they'd let the conversation, Hawk, grow out a little bit, they'd hear that, you know what, a lot more people didn't mind it. A lot of more people were like, no, he was him or she was her. Because a couple of weeks ago when we spoke to Cappy Pondex it was the same kind of thing. That's what really bothers me is that sometimes people feel that they know the conversation but you don't know the conversation. Because they're afraid, and we spoke about this, they don't want to hear the other side of the comment. You know what I mean? They don't want to hear like in other words, if someone's saying something, that's why we were joking just for a minute, the FBI will be waiting for you, but if you are saying something that the establishment doesn't want to be said, they silence you. And that's a Colin Kaepernick situation, right? At the end of the day, one of the things I think really got missed with the Colin Kaepernick situation, I'm going to quote him. He said, I am kneeling because of the injustice of my people, meaning, you know, obviously the, you know, the black and brown, the police and things like that. I want people talking about it, and that's why I'm doing it. Here's the funny thing. Mission accomplished. All anybody wanted to do was then go to you, kneel in front of the flag. He's like, no, hold up a second. Now, unfortunately, somewhere in that, it all got kind of mish-moshed, and then it just became a mess. But had someone been able to, with him, and he said a lot of things eloquently, but I think he needed some other strong voice. And that's where, when you look at the documentary, when Muhammad Ali did his thing, he wasn't by himself.

0:33:28
Definitely wasn't by himself.

0:33:29
Bill Russell came, Jim Brown came, and here's the funny thing too, if you look at those clips, they themselves were, to Jermaine's point, they were playing the game, didn't know they were playing the game, and they walked out of that saying, no, we wanted to ask his brother why he did this, why he did this, and after listening to Muhammad Ali, said, you know what, he's right. Like, maybe we're wrong. And he changed, because again, you've got to understand who Bill Russell and Jim Brown entered at that time. Bill Russell, at that moment, is the greatest basketball player in history, and Jim Brown is, to this day, still considered the best football player. These men were elite in their sport and had respect although it's hard to say anybody with you know other than white skin in the 60s have respect but to the power that they could have they had it and they were united and then they basically all came at Muhammad as a group and said hold up a second you're not fighting for the country that's a lot of a lot of people going to feel a certain way about that. Even other black men had a certain opinion about, hey, wait a second, what do you mean you're not going to fight? But then when he said what he said, why he said how he said and why he was doing it, all of a sudden the whole narrative changed. But it takes that kind of strength and that voice to make a

0:34:42
change. And that's what, and then like you said, like how Kaepernick had a specific reason and what he did it for that got misconstrued and of course completely changed around. Kyrie is basically saying I'm not doing this. He never spoke bad about the vaccine. He didn't never even say he wasn't going to get it. What he said is the fact that people are losing their jobs, their livelihoods and all of this because they're being forced to do this, this is the, he's been the voice for the voiceless. That's right. And they're making a bomb out of this and then I really don't, I really have a, it's a pet peeve of mine, it's really, it's a nerve in my side when I see other, you know, black men tearing down other black men because men in general, human beings period, a human is a human, I've always been like this. I don't see color. And that's kind of like one of those things like of course you see it but I mean the way I live my life is I've never been that one point fingers about it. I'm just saying to say like it's bad enough we've been through enough you know in our culture as a black man. So for the Stephen A. Smiths and the the guys does Why can't you try to understand it opposed to I don't know getting ratings or whatever it is You're tearing this man down for a choice like yeah You were vaccinated and you said you basically said I had to do it so I could keep making my money That's your choice Stephen a but how are you gonna call Kyrie a fool and all of this things? Because he decided not to get it for whatever reason because at the end of the day, the Nets didn't say he had to get it. This is a mandate for New York. But how is it possible that Bradley Bill, who's unvaccinated, nobody's talking about that. He's playing down in Washington. Nobody's talking about that. He didn't get the vaccine, but he can actually play in New York and in San Francisco where Andrew Wiggins, he finally ended up getting it, but he was trying to make a stand. That's when it comes down to like...

0:36:53
The word is hypocrisy. Right. There's way too much hypocrisy. And Jermaine, you and I talk about it all the time that, you know, people try and push what words they want to come out of your mouth. And you have to be able to allow someone to say what they're going to say. Now that doesn't mean you have to agree with it, but you have to respect that right for them to say it. And that's what you spoke about earlier, like where's our America? Because that's what's

0:37:24
bothered me. But JT, you were going to say something. I think all of this is crazy if I'm being honest. Like I don't know if it was in the Bible or somewhere else that I read it, like a nation divided is a nation that's going to fall. Yeah. Well that's divided in every single way. That's Abraham Lincoln. And the thing is, when it comes to like Stephen A. Smith, like I feel like he's doing what he's being paid to do. Like I think a lot of these people who are talking bad about Kyrie and this, I think they're being paid to do this because they want us to get the vaccine. And when you have a guy like Kyrie who's standing up and, you know, he's firm in what he believes and I'm like, now you have to get other people to like bash him and do all this to make him, you know, like discredit him. And that's the same thing with the, when he's talking about the flat earth and stuff. Anytime you talk, cause it's a thing, like if it's a lie, I know if someone's lying to me and I know it's a lie, I'm like, okay, I'm not going to make a big deal out of it.

0:38:19
You just move on from it. Exactly. Why give it any, why give it any love or respect?

0:38:22
At all, like, okay, you say, oh.

0:38:24
This is what really bothers me, fellas. It's one thing when you're talking bad at someone, you have a platform like we're saying Stephen A. Smith. What really bothers me with some of these talking heads is when you're saying something that the dude ain't saying. You feel me on that? In other words, it's one thing. Look, if you're going to talk bad at him, it's the same thing we're talking about. I have to respect that you can say what you want to say. I may not agree with what you're saying, but if Stephen A. and these guys want to come out whether it's ratings or they want to be, whatever it is, but when the man says, the blue dog went to the red store and you're like the green orangutan, he didn't say any of this stuff. What are we talking about? That's what bothers me is when they just start saying stuff that the man ain't saying and that's really kind of what bothers me about this entire thing. At the end of the day, we're still wearing masks when infections are down, hospitalizations are down, and not only that, there is a dozen studies, just like there's other studies saying wear a mask, there's a dozen quote-unquote reputable, I don't even know what reputable is anymore at this point in time because it's all subjective to who writes the biggest check. Once upon a time, FanDuel and DraftKings were gambling sites. All of a sudden, they're attached to the league because you just write a big enough check to be a part of it and you're not a gambling site anymore. And shout out FanDuel and DraftKings because I play it every week. Come sponsor us if you like. We'll mention you. Write us a check.

0:40:03
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando,

0:40:04
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando,

0:40:10
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando,

0:40:11
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando,

0:40:12
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando,

0:40:13
Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, Fando, I'm not saying he is. I like the fact that he ain't budging. That means something to me. You got to have a real kind of mindset to be that kind of dude or woman. I mean, there are women obviously who stood up for their rights and the different things that plague those oppressions. There's an oppression somewhere along the line and all those individuals throughout history whether it was abortion rights or civil rights, Martin Luther King, where someone just basically says, this is wrong and I am not budging on this. Because a lot of people, as you know, don't have that kind of strength. Sometimes you get a little push and you're like, well, okay. I was going to stand up for it, but you know what, I just don't look too good. I do want to bring something up to you that we were talking about earlier about knowing what you know now. You were in the NBA and you are someone who I've seen just tremendous talent. I mean you just have tremendous speed, tremendous agility, can jump through the gym and you have the three point range. You know, there's a guy in the NBA by the name of Wesley Matthews, I see no difference in his game and your game. You may even be a little more athletic and a little more able to penetrate better than he can. He's a good shooter, he's a good defender, I think you'd do all those things. But even you were saying that had you known then as a man and as a veteran what you know now you'd still maybe be even in the league because the different things that were going on it was like don't show this cat up Jermaine, he's the guy we're paying this to, don't do this and that and you instead of like, you know, screw that, you know, instead of being like, you know, screw that, I'm going to ball out because I want my minutes. Instead, you kind of try and conform like you say because you don't have that confidence of voice yet in the moment, right? And in the end, it got you anyway. So my whole thing is this is the way I've always lived my life and you all know me. If I'm gonna go down, I'm going down being me. And let me tell you something, a lot of times I've gone down, but you wanna know why I put my head on the pillow at night? Because I am blunt and like in other words not everybody loves you guys know a lot of people know me. Not everybody loves me and that's fine and I'm a certain way. Let's face it, if you're holding something quiet don't invite me because I'm loud. I'm a bowling ball in the china closet. Stuff's gonna get broken. But the point is, nobody can ever say like he's different. Like every time you meet me, I'm the same dude, right? I'm opinionated, I'm loud on this, but I'm always consistent. That's one of the things I like most about Kyrie, and that's what you're talking about, like who you are now, is that you want to be you in your own skin.

0:43:10
And to be honest, I know that's why I'm not in the NBA right now. I know for a fact that's why I am, because see, a lot of things that Kyrie is doing now, they saw those traits in me a long time ago. You know, when you get into the NBA, you have to take these personality tests. So they already knew what type of person I was. They knew I'm someone who's gonna speak my mind and things like this, but because I was in college and I played the game, I guess that's why I was able to maybe slip by at first.

0:43:38
Yeah, and they wanted to pigeonhole you. And now you're becoming of age, you're coming out and the whole thing. And the funny thing is that I know you. Here's what also bothers me, Hawk. Why is it when a person is deemed opinionated, they're a problem? Can't somebody be opinionated and be intelligent? Can't somebody be opinionated and be thoughtful? Can't somebody be opinionated and be the voice of reason? Like the voice of reason, like can't you, like why is, in other words, does it always have to be that the person who's saying something is the rebel? It doesn't always have to be rebellion.

0:44:14
I think it's like that for, for example, like Kaepernick, like him speaking out and him being himself, it causes a controversy to the football program now. Right. And I believe that just because of how the world is. Like if the world was different, I believe sports and everything else would be different. But because the world is the way it is, they have to like, like for example, I use Iverson. Like Iverson came in wearing braids, he had his chain, he wore, he was himself. Right. And now you're a thug, you're this, you're that. And see, that's been my problem for so long. I come from an environment, like I say, where that's what people are. I can't help it that my uncles, my mom, my aunts, and everyone, I grew up dressed in a certain way.

0:45:01
That's your environment.

0:45:02
Yeah, it's my environment. That's your environment. But I still have the same heart that I have. I still have the mind that I have, my intelligence is what it is. People project it. Yeah. If you can't see that, yeah. That's been literally my whole problem. That's why I grew up and I started like, I don't care what you say if you can't see me for who I am

0:45:16
Then I am messing with you, right? And the funny thing is is we're talking about the NFL and we're coming up on on our pick segment here at the end of the day Everybody's standing for the anthem now. Nobody's kneeling. No way is bringing the story up anymore But you know, I gotta tell you it is color involved. Let me tell you the color that's involved. It ain't black. It ain't white.

0:45:39
It's green.

0:45:40
It's green. It's green.

0:45:42
It's green.

0:45:43
Because when all this started to chatter, kept happening, and guys from the Arizona Cardinals and different dudes, the ratings went down. You know what happens when the ratings went down? You don't get the same advertising revenue because the advertising revenue is directly tied to the ratings. Hey, this show did a 4.3 share. I want $200,000 for that 30 second spot. The year later, when you say the show did 3.6 share, the advertiser says, I give you $150,000 for the spot because less people are watching it. Those are the numbers that are used to make deals in sports. So right away, they said, listen, you all want to have a collective bargaining agreement where you get this percentage of the TV revenue and remember the players are cut in, right? The players are cut in for the TV revenue. So they went to those guys and said, get your group, whatever that means, get your group in line and start standing for the anthem and what we'll do and here's the funny part, we'll throw 10 million, listen to this number, sounds like a big number, not a big number, we'll throw 10 million into social justice. You know what 10 million dollars is to some of these NFL owners? It's sand on the beach. You know what sand on the beach is? You know what I'm saying? Take a cup of sand from any beach. Has the beach been affected? No, it has not been affected. What's $10 million? $10 million would do nothing. You know what I mean? That's probably Jerry Jones' bar bill on his yacht for the year, $10 million. I've seen the parties. You know it isn't $10 million. But this is why this radio show, and radio shows like it, right, public broadcast, NPR. So just so you understand what this radio show is, this radio show is public radio. We're able, in other words, there isn't somebody, of course, we have to follow certain protocols for the university, which hopefully we've done here. No one's cursing or no one's saying, you know, revolt, you know, grab, you know, take up arms and let's start, you know, you know. But the point is, is that once you start becoming the silencer, you no longer have America, you no longer have the freedom, you no longer have the ability to have change. And change is good. Change is good, folks. I mean, when you go on a diet and you go to the gym and you say, I look better, you changed. You know what I mean? When you come home a little earlier, the one of the things I thought was really cool, we'll just leave it at this, the pandemic, a lot of people who had kids said, that's the one, even Tom Brady, right? We sat at the table, we had more family time. You know what I mean? So, you know, there is something to be said for us being a little more civilized as a community rather than how this whole thing started, Hawk, and I thought you hit the nail on the head. Everything is just pitting against each other. You know what I mean? White, black, up, down, gray, left, right, whatever it is, everyone wants a nitpick. You know what? Let a dude wear his hair the way he wants to wear it. Let a dude wear the clothes. Years ago, the last part and then we'll get to it. They used to make, man, your jeans are torn, this and that, and the other thing, ratty. Now they pay $400 for purposely torn jeans.

0:48:53
I'm like, what's going on?

0:48:54
I'm like, what's going on?

0:48:55
I can make them.

0:48:56
Once upon a time it was like they throw you out, you're a vagabond, you're roughing it, whatever it is. Meanwhile, now it's a style, it's a thing. Let's just jump right into it. Jermaine, UCF great football program doing good things. Unfortunately ran into a buzzsaw yesterday. Don't worry it's still better than Hofstra's football which doesn't exist and Temple's football which well it exists but I don't know if it exists. But we're going to jump into our pick segment right quick. Let's start right away with our team's talk. So I'm a giant fan. They're all banged up, they got the Rams coming, now here's the funny thing, I dismissed them a couple of weeks ago and said we won't even pick it and then they go and they beat the Saints. So I won't just gloss over it, but I am picking the Rams to smack the Giants around a little bit even though that is my team, I hate to say it. Hawk, what are you thinking?

0:49:54
Yeah, I got the Rams going, I got them to cover.

0:49:59
Okay, well let's just go right down the line Green Bay Chicago in Chicago Green Bay the favorite Chicago new life with Justin Fields a quarterback

0:50:07
Yeah, and I like just for us actually had a chance to see him play live against the Raiders last week But I think Green Bay Packers gets this one I think of Aaron Rodgers and I'm about to go on their run taking Chicago taking Chicago at home division games

0:50:20
I always like the home team Cincinnati Detroit Detroit begging for a win they are so snake bit but they're playing hard the Bengals no longer the bungles this guy Burrows for real who do you like there? Burrows for real but I just think that

0:50:34
this is the day that the Lions get it

0:50:36
I gotta tell you I'm leaning your way but I think Cincinnati don't take anybody for granted I like Cincinnati uh... the Colts just another team looks like they could be really really special have had a couple of good wins a couple of narrow losses uh... play a Houston team that just, you know, that's a show and a half unto itself. Because we haven't even spoke about the Deshaun Watson situation. What do you think there? I think the Colts get this one at home. I like the Colts. I like the Colts to bounce back. Now here's the big one for me. This is not your home. This is your hometown team. I know we're not your team. You're a Cowboy fan, but Casey in Washington, Mahomes has not been himself. He's not played badly, but at the end of the day, you're looking at a Chiefs team that's 2-3 against a Washington team that also people were expecting a little more out of them, out of their defense anyway, which has not shown up. What do you think for today? Well, I mean, can I confirm, are we retiring Sean Teller's jersey today? You are. Then we're getting that win. Yeah. I gotta tell you, I think that because Mahomes publicly came out and said I got to play better. I think what that means is he's not gonna Just be looking for the chunk plays He's gonna look to methodically move it down the field and when they've done that They've been pretty much unstoppable because the guy is that good I'm gonna go with Casey only because the defense hasn't shown me much and a lot of times with these retirement Jersey Ceremonies they don't go the way they should go case in point Eli Manning, you know had the Jersey retired And you know, then the Giants got retired. So Minnesota, Carolina, the Carolina has put McCaffrey on IR. Minnesota just can't figure them out at all. Who do you like there?

0:52:10
I think at the end of the day the Panthers pull it off at home.

0:52:14
Yeah, I just don't trust Minnesota. You know, Kirk Cousins has played well. Don't trust him. Not sure that I trust Sam Donald either, but I like the hometown team. This is a fun one. Again, a hometown team in a way. Baltimore and the Chargers, I think a lot of NFL fans looking forward to a scoreboard going crazy today. Who do you like there?

0:52:34
I think the Ravens get it at home and I know it's two probably the best quarterbacks that's playing right now as far as production and for sure once again Lamar Jackson is in the MVP. Yeah, yeah and again you talk about

0:52:49
stereotype and here's a bunch of people saying couldn't throw the ball couldn't throw the ball What was he last week 36 for 42? You know and then we want to say in can't throw the balls because again, they're putting the black on me, you know

0:52:59
He's leading the top quarterbacks in yards and the top running backs in Russian yard

0:53:05
Yeah, I think for the last few years between my homes and Russell Wilson that that narrative has been so blown out of the water Let's not even bring that up anymore ever ever don't bring that up men play quarterback period the color Their skin is not indicative of how they can play the position and people have different skill sets within the position, right? Okay, so I like Baltimore there as well Arizona Cleveland Cleveland's without the running back Nick Chubb. I think he's a difference maker. I would have had thought differently if he was in the lineup He's not in the lineup. I like Arizona to stay undefeated.

0:53:37
What about you? I like Arizona too. For some reason, Cleveland is a favorite.

0:53:41
Well I think the hometown team is what it's about. I think in the NFL they say the home, you know, counts for three points they say in the NFL. So in other words, what they're saying is that these two teams are a pick-em. I think that that's kind of accurate. And then you give them the three because they're home. I do think, you talk about scoreboard lighten up, I do think a lot of points in this game, but I like Arizona One of the things we didn't get into today Was the Gruden emails and and you know what that thing is something that will not go away per se so we could bring that up next week for sure and more and more information coming out from it, but But again a team a little bit in turmoil They go on the road to play Denver a division game

0:54:21
What do you think there? I think the Broncos at home gets I think it's too much going on right now in the Raiders organization and watching them, how they played last week and what they go smooth, I think they go on a little losing streak right now.

0:54:36
I'm going to say something right now, if it was the organization, I think there would be turmoil. I think it was directly tied to Gruden and only Gruden. Al Davis, you know, hired Archelle, you know, they have a history of inclusion. There's nothing wrong with that franchise. It didn't come from you. I'm trying to say something.

0:54:54
I'm with you.

0:54:55
I'm feeling you. I'm with you.

0:54:57
I'm going to go with the Raiders.

0:54:58
I think that locker room is going to band together because the Raiders themselves are not complicit in this. I think this is all about Gruden. I think they're going to be okay. Plus, the new coach is Italian so why not. And then we still got a minute left. Let's go to your club and there's a lot to be proud of this year. I gotta tell you. Dallas and New England. New England, they're just well coached. Even the games they lose it just looks like they're in every single game. Who do

0:55:35
you like here? I like the Cowboys winning but I don't think it'd be easy game because just like you said Bill Belichick has always had something He's prepared. They'll be prepared. He's very prepared

0:55:45
I got to tell you it's hard to pick against Dallas, but if the game was in Big D I would definitely go Cowboys. I'm gonna pick the upset here not because I'm not on Dallas not because I don't think they're good I just think New England's getting better. They just seem to be playing well the guy Mac Jones is not turning the ball over I like New England here for the upset. I don't know why I just do Seattle Pittsburgh I think you know obviously with Russell Wilson. That's a different story Russell Wilson's on IR As horrible as Pittsburgh looked I don't see Seattle winning a game without Russell Wilson. I'll take Pittsburgh

0:56:16
Yeah, I'll take Pittsburgh to even though Juju Schuster's out

0:56:20
But now the sexy pic after the way they've been dismantling everybody after the opening losses that Buffalo is people are penciling them in for the Super Bowl. They certainly looked like the best team in the AFC after smacking around Kansas City. Now they play Tennessee, a very physical team, on Monday night. I'm going to take Tennessee because I think Buffalo wanted Kansas City. I got up for that game. I think Buffalo is better than Tennessee. I just think that's a real thing when you got to get up a second week and you go on the road. I'll take Tennessee. Well, listen, it's been another version of Inside the Lockers every Sunday, 7 to 8 a.m. JC and D-Hawk, KUMV 91.5. We thank you for listening. Thank JT, Jermaine Taylor, our guest today. Thank JT, Jermaine Taylor, our guest today. And we are out of here.