- 2 weeks ago
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Oh, no. Is that George Volpe in shortstop?
00:04Just when I think I love my Yankees again, and we have our shortstop, here we are again.
00:11My guy, the New York sports guy.
00:13Alex Day is going to join me right here in studio to talk about that and all things New York
00:17sports in just a few minutes.
00:19Chris Sale had the best outing of the 2026 baseball season last night.
00:23And I've got lots of quarterback questions as the NFL preseason comes to a close this weekend.
00:29Kylie Jenner had something to say about being a fan of the world champion Knicks.
00:33And so do I.
00:35Shine Time starts right now.
00:42I don't know. It's something I'm trying to figure out.
00:45Obviously, it's not acceptable.
00:47It can't happen at this level.
00:50If you make your pitchers have to get extra outs, it just makes it way harder on us.
00:55Other teams are going to capitalize.
00:56So, yeah, it's something we're definitely going to have to clean up.
00:59And, yeah, I've got to be better tomorrow.
01:01No.
01:02No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,
01:08no, six, six straight games where George Lombard Jr. has made an error.
01:16Six, and as someone who has been light years ahead of the curve on Anthony Volpe stinks, I mean, look
01:26at that.
01:26That's the largest font we can give you.
01:29Six errors.
01:31What the hell is going on here?
01:34I mean, are you kidding me?
01:36And Lombard is my guy.
01:39Now, there is a portion of this, obviously, where I blame Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone.
01:45Because if they weren't so cocky, arrogant, ignorant, egotistical on Volpe, Lombard would have been up much earlier where he
01:58can work out the kicks, handle the pressure.
02:02He's 20 years old playing shortstop for the New York Yankees.
02:06And, obviously, that debut that he had, man, we anointed him.
02:11I mean, we were prepping for Cooperstown.
02:13We were ready to go.
02:14And I'm only exaggerating by a little bit.
02:18But here's what's alarming, and here's what I said then.
02:22And why I begged Volpe at the end of the day, Volpe to go down and Lombard to go up
02:27when you start talking about the Yankees shortstop.
02:29The defense was supposed to be automatic.
02:32You figured it would take him a minute.
02:34He would struggle a little bit.
02:36In terms of the offense at the big league level.
02:40But George Lombard, Jr., as great a glove as you can find, according to anyone who ever saw him play.
02:47So that, at the end of the day, is alarming.
02:50It's nerve-wracking because, yeah, I mean, this is as brilliant as it gets on the back page of the
03:00New York Post today.
03:02George of the Bungle, my goodness.
03:05You figured it might take him a minute to hit at the big league level, but the defense is going
03:08to be automatic.
03:09And that means it's between the ears.
03:15Aaron Judge says that he, at the end of the day, is going to be up, and he's not going
03:21to have any kind of minor league rehab assignment.
03:24And that's great because the calendar, at the end of the day, is not on the side of the New
03:32York Yankees.
03:33And I love this from Judge, and I love that this is the plan, and I think he'll be back.
03:37I think this is the time frame, the weekend of September 11th, the series against the Mets, the Subway Series.
03:44I think that's when you want to see Judge, at the end of the day, back in the lineup, doing
03:49Aaron Judge things.
03:51Fine.
03:52Losing the series to Houston stole my soul because I despise the Houston Astros, the cheating fraud Astros.
04:02And the fact that the Yankees had this unbelievable, tremendous week last week, just absolutely incredible.
04:10And they take the series against Baltimore, and they take the series against Toronto.
04:16Vibes are high.
04:16And you got the two-hated rivals this week with the Astros and the Red Sox.
04:20And then you lose the series to a bad Astros team.
04:24Man, that really, that injured me.
04:28But, as I walk to work in midtown Manhattan, and the sun is shining, there's nothing like Yankees-Red Sox.
04:38As a diehard baseball fan, diehard Yankees fan, this is it.
04:43And I am jazzed, and I am juiced.
04:46The Yankees, the Red Sox, the best, most intense rivalry in all of baseball in the South Bronx.
04:53Game one tonight, you're going to see Max Fried come back for the Yankees on Saturday in one of the
04:59doubleheader games.
05:00I can't wait.
05:01This is unbelievable.
05:03This is sensational.
05:04And I am so amped for the Yankees and the Red Sox.
05:09You look at the pitching matchups for this series, and I just, I'm obsessed with what we're going to have
05:14on the bump tonight.
05:16Cam Schlittler going up against his hometown team.
05:20And, listen, he has been able to, last year in the playoffs, stick it to the Boston Red Sox.
05:26So, the Yankees are saying to be announced, and that's official for game two, we're not going to give you
05:33something that's not factual, but all signs point to that being the spot where Max Fried is on the mound.
05:42So, and it's very difficult in baseball to sweep a doubleheader, three out of four.
05:48I think the New York Yankees will be able to take three or four and take this series for the
05:53Boston Red Sox.
05:54Because when you look at it from a Yankees standpoint, this is huge.
05:59Because they're only two games up on the Boston Red Sox when you take a look at the standings.
06:05And that's a big deal.
06:07Because right now, the Yankees would be the four seed.
06:11Boston, the five seed.
06:13And that means in the wild card rounds that whoever's the higher seed gets every single game at home.
06:19Best two out of three.
06:20So, the Yankees finishing ahead of Boston is huge.
06:26Frankly, I think the Yankees win that series if it's at home.
06:29I think the Red Sox would have a leg up if the series, the wild card round, was in Boston.
06:36I'll tell you what I really want.
06:37I'm not getting off this.
06:38I want the Yankees, when it's all said and done, to win the division.
06:43I still think it's possible.
06:45I think the Yankees are better than Boston.
06:47I think the Yankees are better than Tampa.
06:51So, this series has a ton of juice.
06:55There's nothing like Yankees, Red Sox.
06:57I love that Major League Baseball put this series in late August.
07:03I know some baseball fans like, oh, give me more Yankees, Red Sox in middle or late September.
07:10That's football season.
07:12This is where you maximize buzz for baseball.
07:16Yankees, Red Sox, you had that rain out earlier in the season.
07:19So, you get four games in three days.
07:21I mean, this is going to be an absolute bonanza.
07:25Box office in the Bronx.
07:26I can't wait for it.
07:27I want the Yankees, when we reconvene after Labor Day, I want them to be within two games
07:35of Tampa.
07:36And I think that is more than possible and probable.
07:39That's my demands of the New York Yankees.
07:42So, I think that you're going to see the Yankees take three out of four.
07:46I'm obviously concerned about George Lombard Jr. and where he is mentally right now.
07:52And he might need, you know, one of those games on Saturday off, give him a bit of a
07:57mental blow.
07:58I don't think that that's, you know, far-fetched here when it comes to getting his mind right
08:04so he can get back to being sure-handed at shortstop.
08:07I am amped for this one.
08:09But we're raising the bar.
08:10Just because the Yankees lost this series and how they lost to Houston, I'm not lowering
08:15it.
08:15There's nothing like Yankees, Red Sox.
08:17This is the best rivalry in all of sports.
08:20Better than any other rivalry you could throw at me in professional or collegiate sports.
08:25And it matters.
08:26And it's incredible.
08:28And it's great theater.
08:29And it's great drama.
08:31And based upon pitching matchups and how the Yankees have been playing.
08:36Three or four.
08:37That's what I expect.
08:39That's what I demand from my New York Yankees against the rival Boston Red Sox.
08:45Meanwhile, last night in Atlanta, Chris Sale may have had the performance of the year in
08:49Major League Baseball.
08:51Yeah, he pitched a great game.
08:53I mean, yeah, he did his thing.
08:56I mean, it sucks being on this side.
08:58I've been on the other side seeing it.
09:00So I know it's pretty cool from their perspective.
09:03But from us, I mean, there's, I mean, sometimes there's nothing really you can do.
09:08He's feeling good throwing strikes.
09:10I mean, as he always does throw strikes and try to scratch across one.
09:14But it's just hard to do.
09:15And when you're facing the best, you've got to bring your best.
09:18And, you know, tonight it worked out.
09:23Absolutely spectacular stuff from Chris Sale last night.
09:26And I want you to take a look at this line, right?
09:29And I want you to consider a couple of things here.
09:32As I make the case, this was, without question, the single best performance by a pitcher in
09:41Major League Baseball this season.
09:44Okay?
09:45A complete game shutout against the defending champs, a team that I still believe is going
09:51to win the World Series, the big bad L.A. Dodgers.
09:54Nine innings, complete game.
09:56You look at 11 strikeouts, zero walks.
10:02This was to bust out the brooms and sweep away the L.A. Dodgers.
10:08You have Yamamoto on the other side, gave up that homer in the first, and then he settled
10:14down and he was brilliant.
10:16Didn't give up another run.
10:17Which meant that every pitch that Chris Sale threw last night mattered, which equaled
10:24the sweaty quotient and the intensity attached.
10:27This was a nationally televised game.
10:30Kenny Albert on the call on FS1, so everybody got to see it.
10:34Man, this was amazing theater and drama.
10:37And Walt Weiss considered pulling him after eight.
10:41Sale looked his skipper in the eye and said, I got this.
10:45And Walt Weiss, who is old school, said, you got it.
10:50And what I loved about it, okay, when you take a look at what transpired, Freddie Freeman,
10:56the former Brave, he got a hit in the ninth inning.
11:00And Walt Weiss didn't waver.
11:03Walt Weiss didn't waffle.
11:05Walt Weiss didn't go to the bullpen and say, oh, let's get about.
11:09He let Chris Sale deal with that.
11:12And he said, let's go.
11:14Your game, big dog.
11:16Get it done.
11:17My mount, my game, my intensity level.
11:21Chris Sale, unbelievable.
11:24He got three straight outs, and that's how we get here when you take a look at the standings
11:29for the National League at the top and how huge this is.
11:33I mean, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers, the Braves, the battle right now when you look
11:39at it for the one seed, the two seed.
11:42Remember, seed one and two get a bye.
11:44Seed three is going to have to play a really good team when you look at it in the National
11:49League wild card in the first round.
11:51Team one and two don't have to play in the wild card round.
11:54So I thought, all things considered, who they were playing, how that unfolded, no pitcher
12:01in baseball had a better performance than what we saw.
12:05The intensity level, everything that goes into it, the shots of Chris Sale's kid, his
12:12son, in the stands, when his dad came out on the mound for the ninth inning, and the son's
12:17going nuts, man, not to go all cliche on you, that's what it's all about.
12:23I'm a throwback.
12:25Sometimes you got to take that clicker for the pitch count and just stick it where the
12:28sun don't shine.
12:30That was what baseball's all about.
12:33Listen, I love the Dodgers.
12:34I'm obsessed with the Dodgers.
12:36I'm not going to overreact to the Dodgers.
12:37School Bowl pitches against Detroit tonight, that's kind of fun.
12:41We'll always pick the Dodgers to win everything.
12:44That was the Braves' way of saying, you know what?
12:48We're alive.
12:49We're alive and well, and we don't fear anybody.
12:53The bullpen got a night off.
12:55The way that that resonates with the fans, everybody in the clubhouse, man, you got to
13:02love sports.
13:03That was my favorite, most dominant outing by any pitcher in baseball all year long.
13:09That was an unbelievable ball game.
13:12Great theater, great drama, just great stuff.
13:15Up next, it's Tab of New York Minutes.
13:17I've got a very special guest in the house to join me right here in the Shine Time studio,
13:22the New York sports guy himself, Alex Day.
13:26We're going to talk Yankees, Knicks, Giants, all things New York sports, next on Shine Time.
13:37We've got a great guest joining us for some New York Minutes, someone who's been one of
13:41the most entertaining and insightful voices covering New York sports.
13:44He's got opinions, passion, and he's never afraid to tell you exactly what he thinks.
13:49He's built a huge following by bringing just unique perspective, incredible personality,
13:55and knowledge to New York sports fans every single day.
13:59Please welcome New York sports content creator and Yes Network host, my guy, the great Alex
14:04Day to the show.
14:05Alex, it's great to have you in the studio.
14:07Thank you so much, Adam.
14:08I appreciate being here and love the show.
14:11Honored to be on here.
14:12We've got a lot to talk about.
14:13A lot to talk about.
14:14Let's start with our Yankees because honestly, I'm Yankees obsessed.
14:19And last week, I felt like this was the best week the Yankees have had in a minute since
14:25Judge got hurt.
14:27Losing to the Astros is always going to be upsetting to me.
14:30Fired up about the series with the Red Sox.
14:33I think we could take three or four.
14:35How do you feel about the Yankees?
14:36The Yankees need to take three out of four.
14:39The Red Sox are right on the coattails of the Yankees.
14:41And when you think about the arc of the Red Sox season, there's really the first half,
14:45which is before they played the Yankees at Fenway Park, and then after they played the
14:49Yankees and swept the Yankees at Fenway Park.
14:52This weekend has to be the nail in the coffin for the Red Sox trying to chase the Yankees for
14:57the first wildcard spot.
14:58After this weekend, I want the Yankees to only be thinking about the division, which I know
15:02they are already, but the Red Sox are chasing the first wildcard spot.
15:06I don't want to have to be in that wildcard round for three games at Yankees Stadium.
15:10I know the Yankees won last year in that situation.
15:13I'd like to avoid playing in that series and have our rotation lined up as we would like
15:18for the ALDS.
15:19We're on the exact same page, and I think this is realistic here.
15:22I want to see the Yankees dissing themselves from Boston.
15:25I think the Yankees are better than Tampa Bay.
15:28The winner of the division is going to get the one seed, get home field advantage.
15:32I don't want to play in the first round in the wildcard round.
15:35They'll go yogi on you.
15:36You can't lose if you don't play.
15:38So that, to me, is huge here.
15:40But we've got to talk about our guy, George Lombard Jr., because I have been ahead of
15:47the curve on Volpe, and I needed him banished to the minors in the worst possible way.
15:52I was so excited for George Lombard Jr. to be here.
15:55The debut was unbelievable.
15:58Six straight games with an error.
16:00I still think he's going to be fine, going to be great.
16:03Defense should be there.
16:05What's going on?
16:06Is it crazy to say I'm not worried about George Lombard Jr.?
16:09I don't think so.
16:09Because he passes the eye test, he looks like a shortstop.
16:13He looks like one of those big cats, like a puma or a leopard playing the position.
16:17You know, since, really, Didi, the Yankees have had smaller shortstops.
16:22They don't look like shortstops.
16:23Glaber looked like a second baseman.
16:25I've always thought Volpe looked more like a second baseman.
16:29IKF, second baseman.
16:31Lombard's a shortstop.
16:32I think his first week playing with the Yankees, maybe he was playing a little bit above how he
16:37normally is.
16:38This week, it's, I would say, clearly in his head.
16:41And I think the interesting part is, after the first week, there were so many conversations
16:45about his makeup.
16:46This kid looks calm.
16:47He looks collected.
16:49He hits a homer in his debut.
16:52You know, hey, the bat's going to have to catch up to the glove.
16:54But look, he's hitting and he's fielding.
16:57We knew he was going to field.
16:58Think about how different the conversation is now.
17:00So, if we're going to talk about his makeup like that a week ago, I'm not ready to tear
17:05him down and have any questions about the future.
17:07With that being said, there's a lot of pressure on him this weekend because this is a huge
17:12weekend for the Yankees.
17:13No player has had errors in seven straight games since, I think, like 1905 or something.
17:18I can't believe we're having this conversation.
17:20I can't believe we're having this conversation when you're talking about a guy who has the
17:23best defensive run saved a week ago in the first week of his career.
17:27So, I think the answer is somewhere in the middle.
17:30And I think he'll be fine this weekend.
17:31But he needs to get out of his own head.
17:33I'm with you.
17:34And I'm also not worried whether it's this weekend or big picture.
17:38And survive the Red Sox series.
17:39And then I think he'll be fine.
17:41I love sports hate.
17:43As fans, it's good to hate.
17:44We eat it up.
17:45That's how we got into it.
17:46Who do you hate more, Red Sox or Astros?
17:51Whew.
17:52I hate the Astros more.
17:53Yeah, me too.
17:54I hate the Astros more.
17:55And really, hating the Red Sox will always be part of my identity.
17:59Your DNA, yep.
18:01Totally.
18:01And, you know, probably for the rest of my life, it'll be the Red Sox.
18:05As long as Altuve's in the Astros jersey, you know, still seeing Correa play, still seeing Bregman play.
18:12I know they're not wearing the Astros jersey.
18:14Seeing A.J. Finch in the Detroit dugout makes me sick.
18:18Makes me sick.
18:19I'll boost Springer when he's with Toronto and he comes back.
18:23I hate all those guys.
18:24And I feel that they never got their due.
18:26They got a slap on the wrist during a COVID season.
18:29I think Altuve was wearing the buzzer in 2019.
18:32I think their fans are unapologetic.
18:34And for the Red Sox, who really haven't done anything since 2018, mostly because John Henry isn't spending, you know,
18:41it's really more about their fans than who's wearing the jersey now.
18:44Who do you really hate on the Red Sox right now?
18:46It's tough to hate them.
18:47No.
18:47And to your point, I was at—
18:49Well, it's funny.
18:51I—one of my crazy—it's not even a crazy take.
18:53I love the Sonny Gray trade.
18:54When they made it—and Sonny Gray's been phenomenal everywhere except in New York.
18:59And then he comes out and says, well, I was lying to my agent—to Cashman.
19:02My agent lied.
19:03I didn't want to be here.
19:04So, yes, we boo Sonny Gray.
19:06To your point, though, I was at the stadium on Sunday.
19:09Springer steps in the batter's box.
19:10Just it's instant boos.
19:12That's the way it works for me, for you, for all Yankees fans.
19:15I was working for the organization in 2017.
19:18And it's like the line from Miracle.
19:20They took a ring off my finger.
19:22You don't understand.
19:22They took a ring—you know, I really—I really hate them.
19:25I do, and I—I never felt like they got their due.
19:28This has been a wild Yankee season.
19:30Yeah.
19:31I still think in this weird, weak, wide-open American League, with their pitching, even
19:38with flaws, even with questions, they make the World Series.
19:42What's your take?
19:43I agree, but they're going to have to pitch themselves there.
19:46I think this week has given me a lot of optimism about the lineup, because we knew—we know
19:51that having Schlittler, Freed, Cole, Rodon, that's about as strong of a one through four.
19:57It looks like Weathers will be in the bullpen.
19:58It looks like probably Warren will be in the bullpen.
20:01Probably Schmidt will be in the bullpen.
20:02I'm still angry they didn't get more bullpen acquisitions during the trade deadline.
20:07This falls on the lineup.
20:09It really does.
20:10They need to get to the World Series.
20:12This American League is weak.
20:13If you make it to the World Series, you lose to the Dodgers.
20:17That's a whole separate conversation.
20:19If you don't get out of the American League, you have no one to blame but yourselves.
20:23And I think they know that, and I think they're up for the task.
20:26Your content from All-Timer's Day was just incredible.
20:30As, you know, someone who used to go to All-Timer's Day with my mom and dad growing up,
20:34I mean, I couldn't get enough of it.
20:36And Hideki Matsui, that interview you did with him was incredible.
20:40He's one of my all-time favorites.
20:41Did you have a favorite interview that you conducted on All-Timer's Day?
20:45I would say it was Matsui, but seeing a lot of those guys who I grew up loving who won
20:51World Series with the Yankees
20:53or were part of those early 2000s teams, meeting Alfonso Soriano.
20:58He gets lost in the shuffle sometimes.
21:00That's a great one.
21:01Absolutely.
21:02And how great he was when he came back in that 2013 season.
21:06By the way, he looks like he could still play.
21:08I've gotten a chance to know David Cohn a little bit working with the Yes Network.
21:11It was great talking to him.
21:13And the energy of Nick Swisher is always palpable.
21:15But Godzilla, and talking about his debut in 03, I wish I could have talked to him longer,
21:21talked about, you know, his postseason in 09, especially the World Series against Philly.
21:26But that is a larger-than-life figure.
21:29So many Yankee legends.
21:30And the team does an amazing job of honoring them.
21:33And we as Yankee fans, we always love our legends and role players and guys who step up when it
21:39matters the most.
21:39Do you have an underrated Yankee?
21:43When you start thinking of your fandom as a Yankee fan, someone who you think holds a special place or
21:50is underrated in the court of public opinion?
21:53It always bothers me that it's called the core four.
21:55Because for me, my favorite player as a kid was Bernie Williams.
21:59Yes.
21:59I mean, of course, it was Jeter.
22:00Jeter is my hero.
22:01But Bernie was the first jersey I got.
22:04Bernie was a guy who had the power and the speed.
22:07You talk about legendary Yankee centerfielders.
22:10And, of course, you'll say Mantle and DiMaggio.
22:14Bernie's on that Mount Rushmore of Yankee centerfielders.
22:17And just because he won four, not five, you're going to call it different.
22:21You know, he's right in that group with me, for me, with Pettit and Moe and Jeter and Fasada.
22:27I feel the same way.
22:28So it's hard to call Bernie underrated.
22:30But the core four gets a lot of publicity.
22:33Bernie should be part of that group.
22:34I think also just from, I think from a lineup perspective, how many, I always loved the utility player who
22:42was on the team.
22:42Whether it was Garty before he became established player or during the 2000s, it was Louis Soho or Enrique Wilson.
22:52You know, those kind of guys who were bottom of the order and kept innings going.
22:56And you could play them at second or third or either corner outfield.
23:00Shane Spencer.
23:02Those kind of guys were the glue guys.
23:04And we've seen, especially from the Knicks or the Giants or any championship team, you need guys like that to
23:12have a winning team.
23:13So we'll always love the big guys.
23:15I also love the role players.
23:16Let's get into the Knicks.
23:17And your Knicks content was unbelievable.
23:21I mean, are you still buzzing like I am?
23:24This feels like house money for the Yankees and Giants this year.
23:28I never thought I would say it.
23:30But I think I can speak on behalf of all New Yorkers where we felt like this was never going
23:34to happen in our lifetime.
23:36And not only to do it, but the way they did it where somewhat of an unheralded team, hey, do
23:43the Knicks have a star?
23:44It turns out they do.
23:45He was a second-round draft pick who believed in playing for the Knicks.
23:49It's a lot of guys with chips on their shoulder.
23:52And they wanted to come to New York and be part of something special and to dominate in the playoffs
23:57and to have all these comeback wins, Game 1 against Cleveland, Game 4 against Cleveland,
24:02all the games against the Spurs, of course Game 5.
24:05To do it and the way they did it, it's hard to imagine a more memorable championship really ever
24:13or moving on in the future.
24:15We never thought as Knicks fans we would see it.
24:18It was the most likable team you could ever have.
24:21And everyone in the city, every Knicks fan, every level of Knicks fan, every age of Knicks fan just absolutely
24:26loved it.
24:27And, of course, the most likable superstar.
24:29You interviewed Jalen Brunson.
24:31What was that like?
24:33Amazing.
24:34Amazing.
24:34Now, I first interviewed Jalen two years ago.
24:36I did this segment with him called the High School Teammate Quiz, and he loved it.
24:40I hadn't seen him in two years.
24:41I walked in the room.
24:42I was prepared to reintroduce myself, say, hey, we did this interview.
24:46And he remembered me, and remember the interview said he rewatched the first one a lot.
24:50So that was pretty cool.
24:52And I think what's exciting about interviewing someone like him is not only his stature in this city,
24:58and he is larger than life, but he's the quiet captain.
25:02He's under the radar.
25:03So I like a challenge like that, getting someone to open up, show their personality.
25:07I did a segment with him where I wrote down the transcript of all four of his championships.
25:12That was amazing.
25:14High school, two college, and one with the Knicks.
25:17He loved it.
25:18And what was even cooler was I met Mike Breen at Brunson's Charity Golf Invitational,
25:23and Breen said he had seen it and how much it meant to him.
25:27So it was a really special full circle thing where, you know, getting to hear that from one of my
25:33idols in Mike Breen
25:34about our, you know, the king of New York, Jalen Brunson, it's been a special summer.
25:39And he is the king of New York.
25:41And I made the comparison early on Derek Jeter and Jalen Brunson.
25:46Now, Brunson had to win for the ultimate comparison.
25:50Now I think it's legit.
25:52You buy it?
25:52I do buy it.
25:54I will say it's for different reasons.
25:56For Brunson, he had a weight on his shoulders that I don't think Jeter ever had.
26:01But for Jeter to do it year after year, and we'll see about Brunson, Brunson and the Knicks are now
26:07the target.
26:08They are now the hunted.
26:10And it'll be interesting to see how the Knicks handle that this year and years to come
26:15when they are the champions and they are getting teams best every night.
26:18I think that's what made Jeter so special was not just in those big moments,
26:22but being able to do it time and time again and win when you are expected to.
26:28There are two ways to become a legend in the city.
26:31Jeter did both.
26:32Brunson did one, and we'll see about the other.
26:34Listen, Brunson's unbelievable.
26:36And I think there are a lot of reasons why the Knicks' regular season, Alex,
26:40can be better this year than last year.
26:42I expect bridges and towns in a good way to take a breath.
26:45They're entrenched, right?
26:46They don't have to prove it, quote-unquote, in terms of justifying the trades.
26:51I think the Knicks are the team to beat.
26:52Now, the East is loaded.
26:54Philly, we all saw what transpired.
26:56We'll see what happens.
26:57Not scared.
26:58So get into that because I'm not scared.
27:01Look, I'm not an Embiid guy at all, and I have called him a losing ball player, my words.
27:06I've hated him since 2024.
27:07Yeah.
27:07I can't believe I was a fan.
27:08It was like Wemby this year where I'm like,
27:10I can't believe I was a fan of this guy before.
27:11And then he shows his cards in the playoffs, and you're like,
27:15ah, this guy's a dirty player.
27:16So who, are you scared of anyone in the East?
27:19I'm really not.
27:20There's one team that bothers me, and it's Indiana.
27:24I want revenge on Indiana and Halliburton and two years ago,
27:28and going back to Reggie, going back to 2013 when the Knicks had an outstanding season
27:34with Carmelo Anthony, and then they lose in the second round to Roy Hibbert's Pacers,
27:38and then, of course, two years ago.
27:41I think Indiana is going to be a sneaky problem for the Knicks.
27:44For the Sixers, so much has to go right.
27:46Embiid has never been healthy at that time of year.
27:50LeBron will probably be healthy, but he's also 43,
27:53and you're taking the ball out of some of your younger players' hands.
27:57To me, when I see the Knicks face the Sixers,
27:59I'm more worried about Maxie and Edgecombe and the speed and athleticism
28:03and how they get downhill in transition.
28:05They're going to be playing a much slower brand of basketball.
28:07I think a lot has to go right for them.
28:10I mean, Boston, I think they'll be similar to last year,
28:13and I think the Knicks are still the team to be in the East.
28:16I really do, and I love having the same six, you know, same starting five.
28:22Deuce is back.
28:25Alvarado's back.
28:26Clarkson's back.
28:27Run it back.
28:27Let's go.
28:28Run it back.
28:28Run it back.
28:29As long as Brunson's wrist is okay, I'm okay, too.
28:32Let's talk about the Giants.
28:34You're all in on Jackson Dart?
28:35Oh, yeah.
28:36I am all in on Jackson Dart.
28:37I think he needs to stay on the field.
28:40There's an art to that.
28:41He's got to be available.
28:41The best ability is availability.
28:43Yep.
28:44He needs to stay on the field.
28:46Scadaboo needs to stay on the field.
28:48There's so many reasons to be excited about the Giants.
28:51There's some things that scare me about the Giants as well,
28:53where you can very easily see how this thing goes left.
28:56I don't think it will, but an example is I love their pass rush.
29:00I think that front seven is spectacular.
29:02You have Carter, Reese looks like the real deal in these preseason games.
29:08Of course, you have Burns,
29:09and I think Thibodeau will have a lot to prove in his contract year.
29:13What about the run defense?
29:14What if teams run on first down,
29:16and now you're in a second and manageable,
29:18and you can't get into that third and long
29:20and pin your ears back and rush the passer?
29:22So now you're taking a strength away.
29:24So I think the Giants have so many things to look forward to,
29:28but they also have some holes, whether it's at the cornerback position,
29:31whether it's about wide receiver depth and the health of Malik Nabors,
29:35where this could also be a transition year
29:37before they really take their big leap in two years.
29:40But, Adam, I'm thinking nine-plus wins.
29:43I really am.
29:44So we're on the same page, and I keep saying eight to ten.
29:48Yeah.
29:48Right, that's been the range.
29:50Vegas has them at seven.
29:51Yeah, and I take the over.
29:52Already did.
29:53Absolutely.
29:54Bang the over on the Giants.
29:56Already did.
29:56On two different sportsbooks.
29:57I'm sure, without question.
29:59It's a lock, right?
30:01Now, Harbaugh's phenomenal,
30:03and I love the fact that there's now adults in charge,
30:06and Harbaugh's got a Hall of Fame resume.
30:09I think they're close to being a playoff team.
30:12The Giants, for a while now, have been both bad
30:14and also kind of boring to watch.
30:17Yep.
30:18So I think the Giants are going to be exciting.
30:20I think they're going to play meaningful football in December.
30:24I think they're going to have a real shot to make the playoffs.
30:27I've got them, and we'll lock in our picks over the next couple of weeks.
30:30I think they're probably on the outside looking in,
30:35but I'm raising the bar on my expectations for this team.
30:38You said four words there that meant a lot to me.
30:42Meaningful football in December.
30:44You go to MetLife Stadium in December,
30:46or after Thanksgiving the last couple years,
30:48it looks like a spirit Halloween store after October.
30:52It is bad there.
30:53You know Giants ownership does not enjoy that.
30:56You know that players don't like that,
30:58and they look up, and they see empty stands there,
31:00and it's 20 degrees, and the Giants are getting beat to death.
31:05They need to be playing meaningful football, competitive football,
31:09past Thanksgiving.
31:10And this is kind of a shallow take,
31:12but think about how many games the Giants blew by just ineptitude last year.
31:16Yeah, 100%.
31:17Where it's coaching, it's time management,
31:19it's knowing the situation.
31:22If one or two of those go the other way,
31:24actually, if more than one or two of those go the other way,
31:27you're talking about a very different season last year,
31:30you would think Harbaugh closes a lot of those holes
31:33that the Giants just could not figure out last year with Daybol and Kafka.
31:37The Calvin Austin injury killed me,
31:40because Harbaugh really won him on the team,
31:42coached against him in those Baltimore and Pittsburgh battles.
31:45So here it is, Odell Beckham Jr.,
31:47and I've been outspoken against Odell on the Giants.
31:51And look, he was a street-free agent.
31:53Didn't even make it through the first round of free agency, if you will.
31:57I think there's a real shot now he makes the team.
32:00I don't have any expectations.
32:03What's your take on Beckham?
32:04I'm excited to have Odell,
32:06and I think this is the goal for Odell for this year.
32:10You get 10 snaps a game.
32:12You're going to be in the slot.
32:14Third down, red zone.
32:16Give me your best 10 slants.
32:17We've seen in these clips, he can make a guy miss just like he used to be able to.
32:22That first step is still elite.
32:24He obviously is not the same player that he once was,
32:27which was an unbelievable talent.
32:30Hey, third and five, go pick up a first down.
32:33Third and seven, third and goal from the seven,
32:37give us a little inside-out move and punch it in for us,
32:40because I still think one-on-one situations in the slot, he's still dangerous.
32:45I think guys like Malachi Fields will be relied on way heavier than someone like Odell
32:51or, of course, neighbors.
32:53And I think Darnell Mooney will be important to stretch the field.
32:56We'll see what happens here with Slayton.
32:58But Odell, I think for about 8 to 10, 12 snaps a game,
33:02get us some big first downs and third and goal, third and short.
33:06I want you to go back in sports history in New York for a second.
33:10Okay.
33:10Who would be, if they were playing today,
33:14the greatest influencer content creator if they were a current New York athlete?
33:23You know, A-Rod would have been a headline machine.
33:27If A-Rod had a phone when he first came over here in 03, 04, actually 04,
33:34if A-Rod had a cell phone and Instagram in 04, maybe sliding a couple balls to Cameron Diaz.
33:43I mean, he was already all over page six here in 04.
33:47Could really throw gas on that fire if he was a content creator back in the day.
33:52Do you have a favorite New York City sports fan base?
33:57And which fan base gets the most engagement from you?
34:01I think Knicks fans just showed us a lot.
34:03And I've always felt that New York is a Yankees and Knicks town,
34:07where Mets fans are very passionate, but I feel like it's more of a Yankees town.
34:12As big of a Giants fan as I am,
34:15the Giants do not mean as much to New York as the Yankees and Knicks.
34:18It's different.
34:18It's different.
34:19You know, team play is in New Jersey.
34:21It's not as much of a football town like Chicago, if you want.
34:25For me, I would say Yankees fans are the most interesting
34:29because if you are of a certain age, you expect the Yankees to win.
34:33I've seen Yankees World Series.
34:35You've seen Yankees World Series.
34:37It's World Series or bust.
34:38It's the Steinbrunner way.
34:40If you're not winning, if you're not winning at all, the season's a failure.
34:43But also, if you're a college-age Yankees fan, you've never seen a World Series.
34:49That sucks.
34:50So, having this weird pull of the expectation to win every year,
34:56while if you are 22 years old, you do not remember the Yankees winning in 2009.
35:03So, there is that certain desperation that almost feels like how Knicks fans do.
35:08It's weird.
35:09So, to me, and I was always like a Yankees kid, and, you know, I've worked with the organization.
35:14But, for me, I would say the Yankees are the most intriguing.
35:18All right.
35:19Last one for you.
35:20Which New York athlete all time would you love to get a cup of coffee with, grab a beer with,
35:27eat dinner with?
35:28Give us one New York athlete.
35:31I think Michael Strahan would be my answer.
35:34And it would be tempting to say Jeter, and I've actually really never spent time with Jeter.
35:38But Jeter is much more reserved.
35:40I think Strahan, from not only winning in 07, and that, to me, was really the first championship I remember.
35:47And, you know, Strahan doing the stomp you out in Super Bowl XLII.
35:53But also how he pivoted to his career in media and really became a Hall of Famer in two different
35:59industries.
36:00Two things that I'm passionate about, sports and media.
36:03So, I think that is someone who's figured it out and always brings the most energy.
36:09Someone like Jeter, harder to get stuff out of.
36:12Strahan, I feel like you know what you're going to get from Strahan when you talk to him.
36:15You can catch him across all social media platforms covering New York sports, as well as on the Yes Network.
36:20Our guy, the great Alex Day.
36:22Great stuff.
36:23Thank you so much, Adam.
36:24This was unbelievable.
36:25Another lackluster performance last night for some Fernando Mendoza.
36:29So, why am I still backing him to start week one?
36:33Plus, what did Kylie Jenner say about my Knicks that got my attention?
36:37Find out next on Shine Time.
36:39He needs another three preseason games.
36:42You know, all those rookies do.
36:43And now that the season's starting, you know, that, you know, the practice reps get smaller.
36:49And that's just, that's just life.
36:50But us as coaches, we've got to get them ready to play and keep developing them.
36:54I would love them limited games for development.
36:56And, you know, evidently there is toll that takes on the body.
37:00But my body feels great.
37:02And however, I need to respect my other teammates for laying their body out on the line every single play.
37:07Like I try to do, it's a little, sometimes a little bit more situational in my position.
37:11But the more reps and the more games would be fantastic.
37:14If there were three more preseason games that I could do, I would do.
37:19Well, unfortunately, Fernando Mendoza does not have three more preseason games to figure it out.
37:25Now, Clint Kubiak would not commit to a quarterback after last night's preseason finale.
37:30Now, I've been banging the drum for Mendoza to start week one since he was drafted.
37:38I still think he should start.
37:40I still don't think Kirk Cousins could play.
37:42I just left my drum at home because look at the numbers for Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza.
37:50And Cousins was solid.
37:55Mendoza was not.
37:57Look at the difference here.
37:58The interception, which was a bad throw over the middle.
38:01And he has just been getting peppered with pressure and has not reacted well.
38:08And what you want is for your young quarterback to look the parts in the preseason.
38:15Now, the week one opponent is Miami.
38:18And I think it's still the right thing to do to start Fernando Mendoza.
38:23Because if you beat Miami, gain experience against Miami, even if you win by being a game manager.
38:29And listen, it sounds like, you know, there's a real shot.
38:33Ashton Gentry is going to be healthy enough to play in week number one.
38:36You know, let's Mendoza feel the energy of Raider Nation.
38:40Let him play with Brock Bowers.
38:42Let him play behind Linderbaum at center.
38:44I still think that'd be the right thing.
38:47I just can't scream about it.
38:49Now, you got to beat the Dolphins.
38:51We've won, right?
38:52You have to be able to get that dub.
38:54You have to be able to win that game.
38:55Let's be crystal clear about that.
38:57I firmly believe that.
38:59That that is, you know, I don't want to sit here and call it a must-win game.
39:03But the Dolphins are arguably the worst team in the NFL this year.
39:08And they've had a miserable preseason.
39:10So I think that last night, sadly, for someone like me, was unfortunately the end of the dream.
39:19Because Mendoza did not play well.
39:23But I still have monster hopes for Mendoza this season.
39:28Like, in theory, we should be talking about a legit Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite.
39:33Even if he doesn't start the season.
39:35It's a weird year for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
39:37So we haven't changed our expectations for how Mendoza plays.
39:42He's going to play.
39:43The only question is when.
39:45Just wish you looked better in the games that don't count.
39:49You know who did look great last night?
39:51How about Justin Herbert?
39:52Did you see that 65-yard bomb he completed for a touchdown to Quinton Johnson?
40:00That was, without question, the throw of the preseason.
40:06And listen, that's where you dream.
40:09That's where you believe.
40:10And I know, on the previous series, you saw Herbert just absolutely botch the handoff and fumble everything with O'Mary
40:20and Hampton.
40:21And that was a mess.
40:22And I didn't like any of that.
40:23And that was weird.
40:24And bam!
40:25Then he comes back and throws that bomb.
40:27So here's what I want to see.
40:30You know what's on the screen right there?
40:32Those are numbers from a really good to great quarterback.
40:35What I want to see is an MVP candidate.
40:40That's my goal, my expectation for Justin Herbert.
40:45I want, with Mike McDaniel calling the plays, and you saw a sign last night with that bomb that he
40:50threw to Quinton Johnson.
40:52I want to see Justin Herbert, who's been really good to great, who's been a miserable playoff performer.
40:58I'm obsessed with Herbert and his talent and his upside, enough in terms of hypotheticals.
41:05It's reality time.
41:06It's go time.
41:08And I want to see Justin Herbert with Mike McDaniel now in as the offensive coordinator,
41:13with Rashawn Slater back as the left tackle, with Joe Ault healthy at right tackle,
41:19with even the Joku now playing tight end, with Jim Harbaugh coaching this team,
41:24with a defense that's loaded with dudes.
41:26I want to see the Chargers win the division because of Justin Herbert.
41:34I want to see him become truly a great, elite, MVP caliber quarterback.
41:41Anything less this year is going to be a disappointment.
41:43And I love Herbert.
41:46That's what I want to see from the guy on their center for the Chargers this year.
41:50On the other side last night at SoFi, Ty Simpson did it once again.
41:54He shines for the Rams.
41:57Look, his preseason performance has been outstanding.
42:01And this matters because flip side, right, we just got done talking about Fernando Mendoza,
42:08who didn't look good going up against vanilla defenses and backups.
42:12Considering how controversial and stunning this pick was, this is kind of what you needed to see.
42:2047 to 60, three touchdowns, zero interceptions.
42:25I mean, Ty Simpson, letting it rip.
42:29Like, that's kind of a big deal.
42:31He looked like a first-round draft pick.
42:34Now, I still think, you know, Matthew Stafford, you know, is going to be genius this year.
42:39Rams are loaded.
42:40He's thinking Rams Super Bowl.
42:41Everything that goes into the equation, this team's ready to rock and roll.
42:45So the goal is you don't see Simpson this year, maybe not even next year.
42:50I think Stafford's got a couple of great years left in the tank.
42:53I don't think there's any doubt about it.
42:54But if you're a Rams fan, this was energizing and sure as hell beats the alternative.
43:00Now, that wasn't the most interesting thing that happened with the Rams yesterday.
43:07They reacquired wideout Tutu Atwell from the Dolphins in a trade.
43:12When asked if this signaled the Rams anticipating Puka Nakua missing games due to a suspension,
43:19Sean McVay said there is absolutely no correlation.
43:22And I love Sean McVay, and I believe Sean McVay,
43:27but I think that they love Tutu Atwell.
43:30I've talked to McVay about this, and Tutu knows the offense, knows McVay, knows Matthew Stafford.
43:35He can certainly stretch the field.
43:38I mean, there's a shot here based upon the offseason that Puka Nakua gets suspended for a game of two.
43:43So I think that bringing in Tutu Atwell as someone who gives you good, solid receiver depth,
43:51I think that's great.
43:52I think that's legit.
43:54I also think that Puka Nakua not being there for a game or two this season is definitely possible.
44:04So this is a solid flyer and insurance here in case Nakua gets suspended.
44:10One last quarterback topic for the week.
44:12Could the Steelers really keep four on their roster?
44:17Do you feel like you've had four quarterbacks that have earned Rob's response?
44:22I mean, I think that's a very accurate evaluation on your part.
44:27Yeah, I feel good about the quarterback room.
44:30I've been saying it for quite some time.
44:32They've showed it on the field.
44:33So, you know, we've got two veterans that we can win with.
44:37And we've got two young guys that we're real excited about their future.
44:41So I love Mike McCarthy.
44:44I don't agree with this.
44:47Aaron Rodgers is the starter.
44:49I think he's going to have a terrific season.
44:51I think that the Steelers are going to make the playoffs.
44:54Mason Rudolph, to me, is the perfect backup quarterback because he's been around the block.
44:59And if, you know, something happens to Rodgers, you trust that Mason Rudolph can go into a road
45:05game in the AFC North and the moment won't be too big.
45:09Maybe he doesn't light up the scoreboard, but keeps it nice and even.
45:13That's what you want in a backup.
45:15Look, I've never been a Drew Aller guy.
45:18Drew Aller is certainly, you know, someone that Pittsburgh Steelers fans are excited about.
45:23Mike McCarthy, who is a quarterback whisperer, drafted Drew Aller, made him his guy.
45:27So if that's the case, and, you know, Drew Aller lit up the preseason in preseason game number one,
45:34very average and nondescript in preseason game two and three.
45:38I was never a Will Howard fan.
45:41Let's be crystal clear about that in terms of being a legit quarterback in the NFL.
45:47So why, if you don't have this juggernaut roster, why would you keep four quarterbacks?
45:54Maybe, Mike says that, to see if they can trade Will Howard this weekend for a day three draft pick,
46:03a sixth round draft pick.
46:05We'll see.
46:06I would be disappointed if the Steelers kept four quarterbacks.
46:12It's not like this roster is, you know, going to be confused here with, you know,
46:16the Belichick-Brady Patriots in any way, shape, or form.
46:19I think you could find another way to spend a valuable roster spot than keeping Will Howard or Drew Aller
46:26doesn't make any sense.
46:29But wait, there's more.
46:30I never was into it unless it was, like, someone was married or dating someone.
46:36And then I would watch it.
46:38But no, I was never really into it.
46:40Sometimes for the finals, like, I would watch.
46:43It wasn't until I went to my first Knicks game that I fell in love.
46:47Like, there's something about the energy in the stadium and MSG and being there.
46:54And it was so much fun.
46:56And I just, and then I followed them for, you know, those two seasons for that.
47:01And then to win, I mean, I'm, like, the luckiest Knicks fan because I feel like I am a new
47:07Knicks fan, you know.
47:09And you got to see.
47:10And I got to see them win.
47:11Yeah.
47:11So, it was really cool and so fun.
47:16So, I saw this clip of Kylie Jenner.
47:19And honestly, I'm obsessed.
47:22I can't get enough.
47:23And I love Kylie.
47:26I, she's one of us.
47:28She's a Knicks fan.
47:29And she admits, obviously, a new Knicks fan.
47:32And she's obviously dating Timothee Chalamet, who is as amazing and diehard a Knicks fan as you could ever encounter.
47:40And that's, you know, an average Knicks fan down the street or a celebrity.
47:44It doesn't get any more real than Chalamet.
47:47And Kylie's become a real Knicks fan.
47:51I mean, that's just it.
47:53Maybe you have a significant other or you have a friend who has become a big-time fan of the
47:59Knicks based upon being around the Knicks.
48:02And, of course, she's there.
48:03She's courtside.
48:04She's picking out her outfits.
48:06I can't get enough of this.
48:08Kylie Jenner has become a real Knicks fan.
48:12And I watched that whole interview.
48:14She talked about how even when she's not with Chalamet, if they're traveling for work, she's watching road games.
48:22She's finding the Knicks, watching the Knicks.
48:25Kylie, welcome home.
48:27I love it.
48:28The other side of the equation, listen, how great is Chalamet?
48:33I mean, is there anyone right now in life who's winning more than Timothee Chalamet?
48:41He is just, when you think about it, right, I love Kylie Jenner, but I really love Timmy.
48:48Timmy is everything right now.
48:51In terms of a sports fan, in terms of celebrity, in terms of an actor, in terms of, you know,
49:00being with Kylie at all these events.
49:02I mean, all the Knicks gravitate towards Chalamet.
49:05He gravitates towards the Knicks.
49:07He's there at the parade.
49:08He grew up in New York City.
49:11Stone's throw from where we do the show at the New York Post.
49:15He is New York.
49:17I mean, this, when you think about it, is everything.
49:20And the Kylie-Chalamet relationship, I got to be honest with you.
49:25I think they're in love.
49:27I'm rooting for them.
49:29They are officially New York's basketball couple.
49:33That's what we're talking about here.
49:35For a whole generation, I want this to work.
49:39I believe in their love.
49:41I believe in Knicks in five.
49:43And Kylie and Chalamet forever.
49:47That right there, that's the show.
49:48If you missed any portion of the show, just do what I do and rewatch the show over and over
49:52and over again.
49:53Go to our new YouTube page, at Shine Time.
49:57We'll see you tomorrow on Shine Time.
Comments