Hour 2: Interview with LJ Cryer + Should Posey/Vitello Stay?

If you're the type of person who wants data, not assumptions, Prenuvo's whole body scan gives you a deep understanding of your health. Screen for over 500 conditions, including many cancers, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Add blood panels to test over 80 biomarkers, and you've got information about your body you may never have had before. Book your scan at prenuvo.com.

That's P-R-E-N-U-V-O.com.

Hey, it's Jen Hatmaker. Here's what I've learned in midlife. Joy isn't the reward you earn after all the work is done. Joy is the work. That's what this new series on For the Love is all about. The sacred yes. It's choosing delight, rest, and pleasure on purpose. Because saying yes to yourself, that's the thing that finally lets you fill your table with everybody else. Come find your sacred yes with me. Follow and listen to For the Love Wherever you get your podcasts.

Now back to Willard and Dibs.

I love this show, man. You know, 95.7, man. You know, I'm a gamer.

On 95.7 The Game.

Live to Vegas is a fun phrase.

Yes, it is.

Um, and I think this conversation will be fun. About to go live to Vegas. The best we can do without actually being there and, uh, throwing some coin around and watching some ball, but We get to talk to somebody else who's in the midst of all of it.

So hopefully he's indoor because I'm looking now and I believe it's, uh, 109. Oh my God, buck 9.

Oh gosh. Well, let's find out. It's Willard and Dibs, 95.7 The Game. And joining us here on the River Islands guest line is none other than Warriors guard LJ Cryer, live from Vegas. LJ, thanks for coming on, man. How you doing?

I'm doing well. How about you guys?

We're doing great. And we want to talk hoop, but seeing as that just came up, like, what do you guys do to pass the time when you're not on the court in Vegas in the middle of the summer?

Oh man, uh, I just try to hang with my family and stay off my legs. Um, you know, playing a lot of games out here, so just try to be well rested for the games. Um, you know, it's a lot of distractions, uh, casinos, a lot of people around here, but I just try to chill with my family and just, um, watch games in the room just to Prepare myself for the game.

Yeah, get that air conditioning and, uh, let it work for you. Who is out there from your family? Because I was doing some of the research before this interview and everything I saw is tight-knit family, those Cryers. So who's out there for you?

Uh, my parents were out here, uh, they just left, and then, uh, my girlfriend and my kid is out here. So we're just out here, uh, surviving this heat.

I mean, you're 24 years old, LJ, so like you, you, you're allowed to go play craps or something if you wanted to.

Yes, I am. But, uh, I, I try to save all that for when we're done playing.

That's fair enough. Fair enough. All right, listen, let's talk about the playing. Like, uh, this group so far, sure, it's early, but would love to know about you and, and Yaxel and Leones and, and the rest of the guys, some of whom we've gotten to know a little bit over the last Year plus. How are you feeling about your standing within the organization right now?

Uh, I mean, I feel pretty good. Um, you know, I know what, uh, they have planned for me and, uh, the things that I need to be working on and stuff. Uh, clear communication. I feel pretty good.

So you said you know what they've got planned for you. Could you share that? What do they have planned for you?

I mean, I mean, I talked to the coaches and Mike and stuff. So, I mean, I wouldn't— I don't want to share like too much of what we talked about, but there is a plan for me as long as I continue to keep doing what I'm doing, stay healthy, and just keep improving day by day. So as long as I do my part, I feel like I could be on the court and help this team win a lot of games.

And you've done your part. And I want to go back to last year where I was reading the story about the 24-hour period you had where you get called up, you get big minutes, you get your Final Four ring, and you got a chance to spend time with your newborn daughter. Can you flash back to that day and just give us some context about what a whirlwind and what an emotional day that must have been?

Yeah, no, it was crazy because that was like my first game back from having a back injury. And then, like you said, I had a lot of other stuff going on, so I was kind of nervous headed into that game because I hadn't played in a little while. And I thought I was going to be able to play a game or two in like Santa Cruz to get me prepared for when I got called back up, but they were kind of just like, you know, just come out here and just give us what you got. And I ended up playing pretty well in front of my family, so it was definitely a special day. A good way to get my, my feet wet.

LJ Cryer's with us here, Willard and Dibs, 95.7 The Game, live from Vegas. Obviously part of the Summer League team, but we got to know your play a little bit last year as well. What were your impressions like? What can you tell us about being a part of— let's be real, LJ— kind of an iconic locker room, but it's getting late in their game and you're coming in just trying to start your NBA story. What was that experience like for you?

What was it like being around those guys? It was a great experience. Obviously, we all wish that we could have won some more games, but just getting to be around those guys and learn as much as possible and, you know, just being around them, them giving me words of encouragement, encouragement, and then just seeing how they go to work every day has motivated me to become a better player. I felt like last year was a really good year for me just to see how to be a pro and just learn from the best of the best.

Were you able to fight through some of the intimidation of being around Hall of Famers just based on what you did in college and the level of success you had?

I mean, I wasn't really intimidated or starstruck or anything like that. I'm obviously a fan of these guys, but Um, I did come in with like a chip on my shoulder due to, um, the success I had in college, but also, um, not getting drafted. Um, so I had to carry that with me because I felt like no team really wanted me, uh, out coming out of college. So yeah.

LJ, what was that experience like? Take us through the, the lead up to the draft, draft night, and the disappointment.

Um, I mean, obviously we losing the championship, but, um, after that I started doing the pre-draft things like that. End up, um, doing some, um, workouts for some NBA teams. Did about 6 workouts, 7 workouts, and then I had strained my, um, back and, uh, my hamstring in one of the workouts due to like all the flying and stuff and back-to-backs. So I didn't get to work out for like half of the teams like I was planning to, but also didn't get a G League Combine invite or NBA Combine invite. So after my college season, it was kind of like just kind of sitting around waiting for something to happen. So obviously when I watched the draft, I wasn't really expecting to be drafted because I felt like due to me not getting a combine invite, I didn't get to showcase myself one more time in front of the scouts. So I kind of figured that I would go undrafted. But so draft night, after draft night, I got some calls for exhibit tents, things like that. And I kind of had to just choose which place that I felt like I could have a path to elevate. And I felt like Golden State was the best fit for me.

Yeah, it's the best fit for many, including your former rival and your current teammate, Will Richard. Have you guys had any back and forth about that national championship game where you outscored Will, but unfortunately his team outscored yours?

I mean, we talk about it here and there, but you know, it's just friendly banter at the end of the day. You know, they had a hell of a team. I felt like our team was a hell of a team. We led for 39 minutes of the game, something like that. So I mean, it sucks that we didn't get it done, but I mean, it's a hell of an accomplishment for him.

LJ, what have your first impressions of Yaxel Lundeborg been?

He's a great player. I mean, come from a winning program, really fun guy to be around, super talented, shoot the ball way better than what I thought. I mean, I'd never really seen him much in college, but I mean, from, from the looks of it and how he's been playing, looks like he could shoot the ball and then He's very strong, rebounds. So I mean, he does a little bit, a bit of everything. He's super talented.

What's it like on a Summer League team where like Yaxel, he's a lottery pick, he's going to be on the squad? I think you will be and Will as well, but you've got other guys who are kind of fighting for their career. Is it hard to create a cohesive team when you've got some individuals who may be looking out for themselves?

Um, I mean, that's kind of out of our control a little bit. I mean, everyone's going to have people in their ear telling them to do Do more and do certain things, but I feel like you kind of got to listen to what the coaching staff is telling you because at the end of the day, they know they want something out of you and they're looking for certain things. So you can't kind of go off script because if you can try to do more and think you're doing something right, but at the end of the day, if you're not doing what they're looking for, you're kind of hurting yourself. So. Uh, I mean, we have a, a good bond off the court with each other, so I feel like, um, that translates on the court. So we play an unselfish brand of basketball, and we have open communication with the staff and stuff, so everyone knows what, what's expected out of them.

LJ, um, I, I'm sure, as you said, the organization's got a plan for you. At the same time, when you kind of lay a first impression on a coach I would imagine you're, you're hoping that that carries over to the next year. So what was your experience when the whole team was kind of not knowing if Steve Kerr was going to be back? And, and, and what are your thoughts now that he is?

Um, I mean, I was hoping he comes back. I mean, um, since I've met Steve, Steve has been a fan of my game. Um, I mean, I felt like Steve Really liked the way I carried myself. And I really liked how Steve, like his approach to the game and how he coached the team. So having a coach that believes in you, like last year I had a game where I was kind of in a funk, in a slump, and he told me to just keep shooting, like letting them fly. And I feel like as a rookie, not many coaches are going to tell you to do that. So having a coach that just instills confidence in you. It was big for me. So I really wanted him to come back and I'm glad he's back.

Yeah, we're also glad that he's back. And just watching you play in the time you did last year, LJ, you are a walking bucket. So you get to this offseason, what is it that you look at in your game that you need to get better at?

Just keep expanding on the things that I'm good at. Obviously just turn my strengths into like a superpower. So rather than shooting off the catch or shooting off the dribble, they want me to just keep elevating that to where it's even more deadly. And then the main thing this offseason has just been trying to get my body as healthy as possible so I could try to pick up my defensive intensity and just be out there, be more available for the team due to us having a lot of old guys and a lot of guys missing back-to-backs and stuff like that. So the main thing this year has just been they kept it simple for me, just get my body right. Expand on the things that I've been doing well and then just try to pick up the defensive intensity.

Now I call him the other LJ. You, you hearing anything about LeBron James out there?

Oh man, I thought you was talking about LeJay Jones.

That would be the other, other LJ.

He's the third LJ. My bad. Like, you know, second round, like, you know, gotta wait a minute.

Uh, uh, I mean, I've been hearing as much as y'all been hearing, man. Well, you know, some people are like, yeah, he's coming, and then some people are like, nah, he's not coming. Um, I haven't really heard anything, uh, from front office or the players or anything. Uh, we kind of just look on what's trending on social media just like y'all. So yeah.

I mean, what, what's your thought on just this idea, LJ? I mean, In a few months, I guess there's a scenario where you're teammates with Steph Curry and LeBron James.

Uh, that would be crazy, dude. Um, I mean, I've watched LeBron and Steph my whole childhood in the Finals. Um, I used to flip-flop back and forth being a bandwagon fan, um, choosing who I want to win. So having those guys on my team would be crazy because, uh, I mean, Steph is someone you dream about playing with as well as Bron. So, uh, having both of them in the locker room, I don't think anybody can— could ever imagine that.

Uh, LJ Cryer with us here on Willard and Dibs 95.7 The Game. Um, I think as the guys told you, we'd love to, to, to play a little game we like to play called The Big Finish on the way out the door. You ready to go?

Yes, sir, I'm ready.

Okay. All right, LJ Cryer on The Big Finish. Here's how it works, LJ. We give you 2 categories, you pick one, and then we'll ask the questions. Your 2 categories are He's a Cryer, or Houston, We Have a Point Guard. Which one would you like to do?

He's a Cryer.

Okay, He's a Cryer. Question number 1, uh, what movie, book, or song has moved you to tears?

Moved me to tears, uh, probably Missing You by P. Diddy, I think.

Okay, that's a great choice.

That's a really good choice. Where, where's your mind go when you're listening to that?

Um, I remember one of my cousins, his, uh, his dad passed away, uh, when I was in high school. And, um, me and, uh, that cousin in particular grew up together. Uh, we're like really tight, and that's like my brother. So, uh, whenever his dad passed, like, his dad came into his life late, so we met him late. Also, and shortly after he passed away. So just seeing the pain that he had to deal through, I mean, I felt it as well due to us being so close. So I remember at the funeral and stuff like that hearing the song. So it brings me back to that kind of time.

Thank you for sharing. I didn't intend for this to get so heavy, but that's a great reveal. And, you know, it just makes me think about, you know, you— it turns out you are a crier like myself. For me, it's, uh, it's one shining moment every year. I cannot make it through that montage without crying, but that's just my own issue. Uh, question number 2, LJ, are you more likely to cry after a big win or a crushing loss?

Uh, probably a crushing loss. Yeah, I mean, I hate losing, so yeah, I'll definitely say a loss.

How would you describe your emotions after, uh, for example, you guys lost in the national championship game?

Oh man, yeah, that hurt for, for a while, um, due to, you know, not, not being able to ever get that opportunity again. So, um, that was kind of the main thing. Like, some of those other guys got to go back and try to redeem themselves, but that was it for me. So it was real upsetting, but I mean, nothing we could do about it now.

And you did win the Natty at Baylor as a freshman, not playing a ton. Does that— I mean, it obviously counts, but is that something that you look at and you think, well, I would have liked to have one when I was playing a bunch?

Oh yeah, for sure. I definitely wanted that, the second one, because it would have just meant so much more to me. But, you know, I'm appreciative of having won. So Uh, kind of got—

If you're the type of person who wants data, not assumptions, Prenuvo's whole body scan gives you a deep understanding of your health. Screen for over 500 conditions, including many cancers, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Add blood panels to test over 80 biomarkers, and you've got information about your body you may never have had before. Book your scan at prenuvo.com. That's P-R-E-N-U-V-O dot com. On Reddit, true crime doesn't come from journalists; it comes from the victims, the witnesses, and sometimes the suspects themselves. Every Tuesday on Crimes of Reddit, we read these posts out loud. I'm Sabrina Deanna Roga, and I'm Alexis Linkletter. One of us brings the story; the other goes in blind, reacting in real time.

Just like you. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

Listen to and follow Crimes of Reddit, available now wherever you get your podcasts.

I had to look at the bright side. I was like, hey, you can't be greedy. I got one anyway.

All right, last one, LJ. Have you ever used the Crying Jordan meme in a text or on social media?

Uh, no, sir. Um, I couldn't even tell you how that one looked, to be honest.

Are you a social media guy or no?

Uh, sort of. Uh, I'm like on and off of it. Sometimes I deactivate just to clear my mind and, uh, keep the distractions away. So yeah. Yeah.

And I saw from, uh, one of the stories I read about you in high school, your high school coach was mad because people would be coming for you. He'd put— you put up 40 points in a game and people would think you were shooting too much.

Uh, yeah. I mean, it'll be efficient 40 though. So I mean, I've scored 50 points on like 18 shots, 19 shots before. So it's like, I mean, I kind of just got to block out the noise. That's why I stay off social media, because somebody's going to have something to say no matter if you're doing good or bad. So I just try to log off for a little while just to keep my mind clear of other people's opinions.

LJ, stay away from those tables, man. Okay. Thank you for coming on.

For sure. Thanks for having me.

Okay, my man. LJ Cryer with us here on Willard and Dibs, 95.7 The Game. That's a fun guy.

Super fun. And one of my favorite parts about doing the Big Finish is I do like a deep dive, and there was a long article about his high school career. And he still is the all-time leading scorer in the Houston, uh, area down in Houston, Texas. And he's an absolute bucket then. And there was a story about how his dad, when he was 2, Put his—

they—

he like drew a hand on a basketball showing him where the hand placement was supposed to be. And he would go on to shoot 1,000 shots a day as a young kid. And his dad clearly was a college football player. I'm, you know, he didn't drive him like unnecessarily, but he was a motivator. And LJ Cryer has been putting in the work since he was 2.

An efficient 40.

Yes.

I like that. It's like it was an efficient 40.

And he put up 50 and 10 in the final regular season game of his senior year. The internet undefeated.

Yeah, yeah, it is. And, uh, he gonna be on the team. He can be on the team this year.

Um, and he knows it, but he didn't want to say it.

Exactly. Yeah, so more on that in a second. Do want to remind everybody, season tickets available now for Golden State's upcoming '26-'27 season at Chase Center. Go to warriors.com for more information. You can also call 1-888-GSW-HOOP. And hit option 1. Also this Friday the 17th, Thrive City will be hosting a special Blankets and Blockbusters event with a showing of GOAT featuring Steph Curry on the largest outdoor video board in San Francisco. 5 to 8 PM, families are invited to enjoy the movie and explore the interactive kids zone, which includes games, crafts, a special themed photo op station, and more. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP at Chase Center Again, remember earlier when we were like, hey, listen to this and tell us if you can hear a bleep-eating grin on Mike Dunleavy's face? There was a bleep-eating grin on LJ Cryer's face, or in his voice, when we're like, wait, you said the team's got a plan for you. What's the plan? And he's like, well, I can't tell you all about it, but yeah, the plan is, is like, don't suck too much. You're going to be on the team. That's the plan.

That's the plan. And hopefully for LJ, it's not A 2-way deal it might be depending on roster spots and roster flexibility, but they're going to bring him back. And I was reading some of the Steve Kerr quotes that LJ actually referenced when he said, yeah, Steve Kerr has been a big fan of my game. And you go back and read when LJ started to actually get some playing time and Steve Kerr said those very words. I'm a big fan of his game. And the guy can flat out shoot, Mark.

He can shoot and they need shooting. He can shoot and they need shooting. Yep.

And I'm a little surprised he picked, uh, He's a Cryer. I thought that that might be a little bit too close to home.

It's— and it's vulnerable.

It is.

I like that about him. I like that he chose that.

And I think that he is a crier, and I, I know you cry and I cry, and so I feel like I'm an honorary crier. Had he taken the other category— and I'd love to get your answer on this one because NASA has a base in Houston— would you rather travel to outer space Jump out of a plane with a parachute, or spend a week in a submarine?

Oh man, so my dad was on a submarine. My dad was a sonar man in the Navy.

Oh wow.

Yeah, and, um, obviously this is 100 years ago, uh, but like whenever he's talked to me about that, I'm always like, so hell to the no on the submarine. Hell to the no. A submarine? A billion miles down below the— I mean, are you kidding? I don't even really go that deep in the ocean, right? Let alone a submarine. So wait, what are my options again? A sub, travel to outer space, skydiving, or outer space?

Outer space, parachute out of a plane, a perfectly operational working plane, or go on a submarine. And Grandy, I'd love to get your answer after Willard sorts through which one makes him the least sick.

Yeah, they— like, I want to say just like I abstain from all, uh, none of them are really my cup of tea, but I do think that in the end I would wrap my head around jumping out of a plane. I, I do. That all of them have a measure of danger, of course. Then again, so does leaving your house, no doubt, even though we don't feel it on the daily basis. Um, but I, I think most people, the ones who live, have reported, at least in my conversations, that skydiving is like crazy fun, right? Like an amazing experience.

Adrenaline.

I'm sure going to outer space is cool too, but feels like that takes a little longer. And, uh, we're gonna have to go do, you know, like, what— how do we—

G-forces involved.

How do we go to the bathroom up there? Like, what are we doing?

Diaper.

Yeah, I think I'm gonna skydive. I think I'm gonna skydive.

Brandy? Space, easy number 1.

Skydive number 2.

I think number 1 and number 2 is what I was worried about actually with that question. 2.

Uh, I'm with you. I think I, I probably would go, uh, submarine's close though because something about just 7 days of like no one can just bother you. No Twitter, nobody in my mentions. That's the point of space. That's fair.

Yeah, I don't think there's Wi-Fi up there either, right? I mean, do you notice? So 2 of the things you offer—

space, man—

they feel like they're at least a week-long experience. And skydiving is what, I don't know, about 10 minutes?

Man, you gotta go up, fly. Yeah, yeah, fly, jump, a couple hours.

Yep, like we'd be home for lunch, I guess. I think, I think that's what I'm looking for.

Feels to me from a Safety standpoint, the parachute would be the riskiest.

Does it?

Yeah.

What are the percentages on that? I know it feels like it's super dangerous.

We did this before on like bungee jump versus parachute.

Yeah, but I mean, both are very safe. What about parachute versus like, I don't know, driving on the freeway?

Oh, that's way more dangerous, driving on the freeway. Okay, no doubt.

We do that every day.

Yeah, we do.

So Is it really a risk, or is it a, a risk that you don't already inherently take every day?

It's a perceived risk because, you know, you're jumping out of a plane from 20,000 feet or whatever. I guess the real risk would be parachuting from space. That sounds risky to me.

I'm out on that. I'm out.

It's like, I think that's Earth down there. I'm gonna jump.

I'm out.

Yep.

No, I mean, all of them. And I think this is the perception you're tapping into. The one thing that makes us feel okay about driving on the freeway is that there is the chance that if something goes wrong, you're still okay. In the 3 things that you've detailed, yeah, if something goes wrong, that's it. That's it.

It can be. Yeah. That's it.

Well, not like the chute didn't open, but he made it.

Start flapping. Start flapping those wings.

Go on.

Go on.

Submarine. There's a breach.

Go on.

Hold your breath and start swimming.

Uh, Valkyries and the Fever today in Indiana at 5. Listen to it on the free Odyssey app. Just search Valkyries for the action.

Now back to Willard and Dibs.

Yeah, that's a great question because I think that, you know, it's a great question and a hard question to answer.

On 95.7 The Game.

Well, Jay Jones. I mean, nothing against LaJae Jones.

Great response though from LJ Cryer.

The other LJ. He's like, yeah, LaJae Jones. I'm like, no, LeBron James.

That was a perfect response though, because clearly none of them want to say like, yeah, he's coming, or God, I hope he doesn't come because I want to be on this team. But he came back with LaJae Jones. Perfect answer from LJ Cryer.

Uh, 813, I never thought I'd say this, but this whole LeBron thing is making me wish for the time When he sat down on TV on a specific day and just told us already. I was thinking about that the other day. Um, not so— everybody's focused on when, and I'm kind of curious on how.

How?

Yeah.

Well, the how has always been a thing for LeBron, right?

And then how when it comes to the Pope, like, there's white smoke, right? And that means the Cardinals have made their decision. It's a time-honored thing.

Yeah, so one time it was a TV show with, uh, with Jim Gray, and it was hilarious and annoying, uh, but effective, um, and charitable.

Yeah, come to find out, million dollars for the Boys Club.

And then there was the, um, the Players Tribune article. So that was one. And no, we're not like— LeBron's not the numero uno guy in the NBA anymore, but, but still, if it's going to be drawn out like this It doesn't feel like it's just going to be some sort of a Shams bomb. It's not just gonna— like, it just suddenly break, is it?

I don't think so.

Or maybe it will. I, I don't know.

That feels very off-brand for LeBron James. Like, he's big on controlling the message, as he should. And you mentioned this during the crossover, it's called free agency because he's free to go wherever he wants. Probably not back to the Lakers, but Of the other 29, I would bet that 20-something of them are not gonna be the fit. And so yeah, he can ultimately decide when he makes his decision. If he is still mulling it over, then based on this whole idea of a documentary, I think that it'll be some sort of a video piece that then becomes part of the documentary. Doesn't that make the most sense?

Sure. If he's doing a full season of LeBron documentary, and that's what's being rumored, Yeah, but it could also be part of the documentary where we get to see behind the scenes about how the whole thing was leaked to the media or whatever. And, you know, I mean, maybe the whole thing starts with LeBron making a phone call to Shams or Rich Paul, you know, lobs a voice note to Shams or like, I don't know.

The more I know, the more you're laying that out, the more it feels to me like There'll be a trailer that's released for the upcoming season-long LeBron documentary. And at the end of the trailer, you see him on the phone with whatever team and, you know, he whips out the pen and the piece of paper. He's like, yeah, yeah, Mike.

Yeah.

Is this Mike Dunleavy? I'm coming to you, Mike. All right. I'll see you at camp.

This turns a lot of people off, but I don't know if it's just that, like, you know, you and I have been watching sports for, for a long time.

Oh boy.

I just, you know, Stuff that's entertaining, cool, it's entertaining, you know what I mean?

Yeah.

Like, that's— it's partially why I'm just not triggered by the idea of LeBron and Steph teaming up. I think some people are, and I get it, um, but it just— I don't know, I don't know the energy anymore for like, that's not right. Like, I just— it's fine. It'd be great, it'd be great. I just don't— I don't know, I don't have some sort of negative attachment to that idea.

Part of it is, I think, because we're older, but it's also the way it is now in sports where we're gonna swap jerseys after a game. We're gonna, you know, buddy-buddy it up. We're gonna chat. Willie Adamas is gonna chat it up with Mookie Betts on second. And, you know, George Kittle in the Super Bowl is gonna say, hey, your name's George and I'm George. Wow, a couple of Georges. Meanwhile, the ball is just bouncing aimlessly on the field. And so Yeah, it's entertainment, and I think that fans a lot of times take things more seriously in that vein than the players do. Yes, the players want to win, make money, and they're competitive alphas. I get that. But at the end of it, like, LeBron and Draymond Green spent 4 days in Puerto Rico. Does that mean now that we're furious with Draymond? That's the enemy. You're allowed to feel that way. I just don't.

I—

yeah, I don't think they will. I don't think they will at all.

Even today you watch Argentina breaking England's heart, and after the match it's Messi and Harry Kane having moments and throwing it up.

Yeah, how can you not have respect, right? I like— I don't know, that's another thing that it just, it just doesn't bother me, the, the, this idea of, oh, you've got all got to be combatants, like don't, don't fraternize with it. It's like, why would you not? When the game's over, dap it up, man. Like, have some respect. Like, why would you not have respect, right, for what's been achieved by some of the— especially players at this level, at the top level?

Yeah.

If you get to share— if you're a soccer player, you can share the pitch with Leo Messi. I'm gonna soak that in as long as possible, even if I lost, of course. Of course. Yeah, I just don't, I don't know. I'm not wired that way. I don't have an issue with that.

I do think too, with social media and the fact that, you know, all these players have a certain connection with each other, it's not going to be like it was back in the day. And, you know, Juan Marichal and Johnny Roseboro, where he straight up hits the guy with a bat, you know, it just isn't that same level of edge anymore.

510 says, if he doesn't go to the Warriors, what would be the most anticlimactic landing spot for LeBron? I think it's a fun question because I love that this sort of— and again, not everybody is saying this, but there are a number of voices right now saying it's Cleveland or Golden State. And you know this, I felt that way for a month. I'm like, I don't— from the moment he said it's not the Lakers, I don't understand the idea of anyone other than Cleveland or the Warriors. And so my answer to that question will be anyone other than Cleveland. would be if it's not the Warriors, anything other than Cleveland to me will land with a big thud. Like, miss me with Philadelphia and Miami being a story.

Yep.

In what way?

Well, Miami, it's, uh, you know, he's taking his talents back to South Beach.

Oh yeah, and everybody's so tapped in there.

And I do think the Philly, uh, portrait that I've laid out of him in the Apollo Creed outfit from Rocky running up the Rocky steps—

This is so random.

It's theatrical.

But it's random.

Minnesota, would be random.

Totally.

And they're the 5th choice on the Calci board right now at 5%.

I think they're all random. Cleveland, Golden State, random. Those should be the 3 options on Calci. Cleveland, Golden State, whatever.

Right?

That's how I feel.

Cleveland's at 42%, Golden State 25%, Miami 17%, Philly 12% is the way the Calci percentages are currently laying out.

If you, again, if you're talking storytelling, For me, Cleveland, Golden State, meh.

Yeah, I'm with you.

Not buying a ticket to any of the other stuff. Yeah, for me, if that was a movie, I'm not buying a ticket to that movie.

And if it is a movie or a documentary in this case, I can't help but think about Miami. And Giannis is a pretty private guy. I don't know Bam very well other than he—

If you're the type of person who wants data, not assumptions, Prenuvo's whole body scan gives you a deep understanding of your health. Screen for over 500 conditions, including many cancers, autoimmune disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and more. Add blood panels to test over 80 biomarkers, and you've got information about your body you may never have had before. Book your scan at prenuvo.com. That's P-R-E-N-U-V-O dot com.

We have the tech to get food delivered in 15 minutes, but we all have horror stories about buying tickets. The Gametime app gives fans the advantage. Get amazing tickets in just a few taps. Fees are included, so what you see is what you pay. And the Gametime Guarantee means authentic tickets at the best price every time. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets to concerts, sports, comedy, and more with Gametime. Download the Gametime app and create an account for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

Hey there, it's Jill Schlesinger. I'm launching a brand new show.

It's called Money Moves.

Follow and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Apparently has a good right hook.

Bam, bam, bam.

And, uh, like, Spo's been there forever, the head coach. I don't think that he would want to be a part of some dog and pony show, and Pat Riley either. So if this documentary is really a big thing for LeBron James, Miami makes no sense. None.

None. For a bunch of reasons.

Right. But just, I'm thinking about the documentary part of it.

I know, but it's a weird sports town. You know what I mean? When the hell, like, where's the intensity in Miami? What has ever been intense in Miami? He's been there. They won a couple championships. They have a baseball team. Most people there don't know that.

They've won a couple championships.

Did you know that the Dolphins Actually hold the current record for the most years without a playoff victory in the NFL?

Without a victory?

Correct.

The current streak?

Miami Dolphins, 25 years.

Without a dub?

Without a W. Wow. Longer than the Raiders, longer than the Jets. The Miami Dolphins. Is anybody freaking out? No, it's Miami.

Yep.

Yeah, Darius Rucker. Yeah, whatever. You know, Dolphins made me cry. Like, it just— yeah, I, I don't know, man. That, to me, that's a thud. If you see it different, great. Giannis and LeBron in Miami and Bam, whatever. I just don't— I don't— yeah, that doesn't—

A vulnerable Eastern Conference.

That's not compelling to me. I think Cleveland and Golden State are both compelling.

And if he's looking for compelling and entertaining, I agree with you that Golden State, certainly that becomes very entertaining.

Yeah.

Yeah. Okay. Alex Pavlovich can join us in about a half hour. So I've really been searching my, my own thought on this and I'd almost like to explore it with you for a second because I have an opinion and I'm not fully baked on why it's my opinion. You ever have a feeling where I'm like, oh, why do I feel that way? Or do you ever do one of those, you know, where you're like choosing between 2 things?

Yeah.

And, uh, let's say you're at a store and you're looking at— you're like, I don't want to spend too much money. Do I want this shirt or that shirt? And somebody you're with will go, uh, pick this one. And they do that because the definitive nature of picking one— if you immediately are like, oh no, no, no, no, no, They go, well, now you decided. You actually like the idea of losing out on the other one. That helped you decide. It's kind of how I feel here, where the idea of Buster Posey and Tony Vitello and being back next year, just let's explore that concept for a minute. Let's just imagine it.

Okay.

The Giants come out at the— whether it's late in the year or the end of the year, and they announced that Buster Posey and Tony Vitello will both be retained. How does that grab you?

Me personally?

Yeah.

It grabs me in a way of you're just basically telling me that as an ownership group, you don't care about the success of the team because Buster Posey has been not an unmitigated disaster, but it's been a failure. And we did grades the other day and you did the grades on the Giants season. You gave him an F.

Yeah.

And so if you want to assign grades to Buster Posey and Tony Vitello. I think Buster heading into the deadline, still lots that can go his way. It's a D- right now this year. Uh, Hauser and Malley have been failures. Arise has been awesome, and the handling of Eldridge I don't think was great. Casey Schmidt has popped, and that's somebody that he didn't even really tab or draft. And so he's been not good. And then Tony Vitello, I would give him a grade of, uh, probably a D or a D-. And I know he's new to pro ball and all the rest of it. So I look at it this way. If you have a year that has 95 losses, and that's where they're headed, they're headed for 67-95, which would be the 3rd worst record in San Francisco Giants history. And you bring back the skipper and you bring back the president of baseball ops. It doesn't matter what his name is. You're telling me that as an ownership group, you don't really care about the on-field product. You're going to draw $2.75 million. You're going to be one of the worst teams in baseball. Let's just bring the gang back together. So that's the way I look at it.

Okay.

And that's fair. 888-957-9570. How would you feel if the Giants bring Buster Posey and Tony Vitello back again next year? What do you do in college if you get an F in a class?

You retake it.

There you go.

Or you change your major.

Correct.

Or you just decide that you're not going to enroll in school and live in the fraternity house anyway.

Hey, I'm gonna leave the names out of it.

Well, you're looking right at him.

No, no, no. Quick aside. I just heard this story last week. I'm not going to tell you who this was, but let's just say the boyfriend of a family member. I'll go that far.

Okay.

The boyfriend of a family member, a younger family member of mine. He's telling me this story last week. His roommate All right. He just graduated college. He did. And his roommate last year, um, his family lives overseas in Europe. Uh, I think he was Spanish and his family is flying out last summer for graduation. There's one problem. Uh-oh. He didn't tell them over the last 2 years that he stopped going to class.

2 years. So they're coming out expecting a cap and a gown.

Correct. And he hasn't been to class in 2 years.

That's awkward. He just stopped going and never really kind of did anything about it, let alone mention it.

Yeah, they're like, did you drop out? It's like, I don't even know if I officially dropped out. It just didn't go. So all the questions start coming up, like, were the parents still sending money? And they're like, I don't know what the whole deal was with— because it's like, where'd that money go? I don't know what the whole deal was with tuition and everything, but they were definitely helping with rent. And, um, I think he was just working some, or at least maybe he wasn't, right? I thought he was working. I don't know what the hell's going on, but can you imagine? They flew overseas. And I guess the story was, he goes, yeah, he just kind of He kind of got caught in a lie and then he couldn't figure out his way out of it. And I was thinking to myself, if you got caught in that lie and you couldn't figure your way out of it, wouldn't you try to figure your way out of it before they got on the plane?

Yes.

Even if you ran it for 2 years, wouldn't you be like, it's time for me to fall on the sword before they board the plane from Europe headed for Southern California?

Because if you want to continue that lie, Now you're gonna have to get a cap and gown, and what, you're just gonna pretend to be in the graduation? And they're not gonna call your name, so you're not gonna cross the stage.

Ah, Mom, Dad, how's it— yeah, with your palms up like pods. Where's— they forgot me!

They forgot me. That's awkward. But to your point, if you get an F, it doesn't necessarily mean that you go ahead and take the class again. And if you do take the class again, you might get Another F.

So this is why I'm trying to figure out, um, why my opinion is what it is. I, I want the Giants to keep both of them because I want to see them retake the class, and I'm not 100% sure why. Maybe for one it's Buster Posey. Maybe that's part of it. You know, I like— as a Giants fan, I can't ever not like Buster Posey. That's just not even in my It's not in my DNA.

I get it. I take the like/dislike out of it.

Sure, and that's fair. I'm just saying, like, I don't— it's never going to be about that. I'm never going to just pound on a table and be like, you got to get this guy out of the organization as quick as possible. Now, Vitello is a completely different story. We didn't know him from Adam, you know, less than a year ago, and now he's the manager of the Giants. And I think that he's been dealt a really tough hand. Uh, but then B, he's also not played that hand very well. He's made his mistakes, there's no question. It's been wobbly at best at times. Um, but I'm not sort of offended by him as the manager, and I am still curious about this whole idea of college to pro. It's not like he's a jerk and, and, and the stuff that he's doing is just unrecoverable. Um, this may not be the most compelling answer, but I'll never forget something that Farhan Zaidi said at the introductory press conference for, uh, Gabe Kapler.

Nice.

And one thing he said was, we have a lot of data, and I would imagine this is true outside of baseball too, but we have a lot of data that when somebody takes on a job for the very first time, boy, they do a lot better the second time around because you learn from your mistakes. And there's something in me that wants to see if these guys can learn from their mistakes. Now, first and foremost, obviously the trade deadline's coming and they're going to have to do some serious moonwalking in order to Retool this roster. But Buster Posey and Tony Vitello, though we may not have wanted this in these positions at the beginning of the year, are rookies. And we give a little space for rookies to throw up all over themselves and then try to get better. It's kind of part of the deal when it's a player. But we're not, we're not giving these guys that latitude now. And I'm not saying you have to, but I kind of want to. I want to see these guys try again.

Yeah.

I mean, it's not that I don't want to see them try again. I just don't think that either one of them has done well enough to deserve that. And I'm thinking about the news that broke today. My friend Derek Petrak— shout out Contra Costa Country Club, he's a diehard listener— he texted me this morning about Steve Yzerman. He's a Detroit guy. Steve Yzerman is the Buster Posey of the Detroit Red Wings, and he stepped down today as general manager because he's been a disaster. Now, he got more than a year, and this would be what Buster will be, a year and a half.

Yep.

He was hired mid-year last year, right, if I'm not mistaken? And so Buster would have, you know, less time than Yzerman, but it's clear it wasn't working in Detroit, and I don't think it's working here. And he's not the only one that's not Working in the front office and the manager, I do think that, you know, whether or not it, it's better the second time around, maybe that second time around is in 6 years for a different team.

Maybe.

I think this is a mismatch where you've got a veteran team and a rookie manager. You've got a young core of players. You got a veteran group. You've got a manager and a very young coaching staff as well. I think the whole thing is just a total mismatch.

I can't, like, in this moment with what we've seen, I can't disagree. But what I can also say is, um, I think anytime there's turnover in organization, there becomes a learning curve, even if it's just learning each other. I don't want the Giants to have 3 managers in 3 years. I don't think that's good. I think you, you do in a way— now you back up the truck and start over again next year if you change managers. Um, look, you can certainly address this mid-year next year. If it's still going as bad. Um, but Buster had a lot to learn. Tony Vitello had a lot to learn. If we were clear thinking about it at the beginning of the year, we might have actually predicted that rather than being surprised by it. And I, I have this desire in me as a fan to see if they did indeed learn a lot. Everybody has said that all year. They got a lot to learn. Well, let's find out if they did. Let's find out if they did, because the only way to not be a rookie manager and a rookie general manager is come back next year and not be a rookie anymore. And so I like turning the whole thing over again, and now we got to get the players and the chemistry and everything back on course. There may be plenty going on behind the scenes that I don't know, right? And maybe everybody's at each other's throats, and maybe they hate each other, and maybe the locker room was lost, or maybe he never had it in the first place. And if that's the case, that's a decision to be made. Yeah, but I just don't— like, this went sideways in so many ways that I certainly don't put it all on Tony. And I think having a 3rd manager in 3 years might be almost more embarrassing than just, you know, try again.

Yeah, and it would be a 4th manager in 5 years if you go back to the last year of Kapler.

Correct.

Melvin got the 2 and Vitello would get the 1, but I look at everything that's gone on from the beginning of the year through now, and there have been so many things that reek of unprofessional and a guy who's just not in command of the clubhouse. And then you go upstairs to Buster Posey and your offseason moves were Arise and Bader and 2 pitchers who are no longer in the rotation. You didn't address the bullpen. So I don't know if it's Buster, you know, marching to the beat of ownership. And if he thought we're gonna go outside the box and only spend $3 million a year on a rookie manager because, you know, we can do that and the price point is there— that's why Tony or Buster, Buster or Tony, if they both come back, to me it just says ownership, you don't give a crap.

Ah.

This team is terrible. This team on the field is kind of embarrassing. And let's just bring them all back because we don't want to buy out Tony And we don't want to desecrate Buster Posey. And you know what? We got another theater we need to go buy.

I forgot about Harrison Bader.

Bader?

I forgot that he's on the team.

Yep.

All right, the Vitello thing, because this was thrown out earlier, you know, like firing another manager would be kind of embarrassing for the Giants. Would it be embarrassing if Tony left on his own accord? We can get into that, uh, but 888-957-9570. Do you want Buster and Tony Vitello To get more time. We will take your phone calls next. Alex Pavlovich on the Giants beat is 20 minutes away. We're brought to you by Fremont Bank. Here for you, here for good. This is Willard and Dibs.

What if the thing you're listening to right now never got interrupted? What if it could play uninterrupted from room to room on Sonos? What if you start with 2 Sonos speakers just to see how it feels?

What if you really like how it feels and you become a Sonos person who can't stop saying to their friends, what if you start with 2 Sonos speakers just to see how it feels? Because it's not magic, but it's not not magic.

We have the tech to get food delivered in 15 minutes, but we all have horror stories about buying tickets. The Gametime app gives fans the advantage. Get amazing tickets in just a few taps. Fees are included, so what you see is what you pay. And the GameTime Guarantee means authentic tickets at the best price every time. Take the guesswork out of buying tickets to concerts, sports, comedy, and more with GameTime. Download the GameTime app and create an account for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.

I'm Jenna Fischer.

And I'm Angela Kinsey. And we're The Office Ladies. We're still talking about all the hilarious behind-the-scenes details from The Office. With icons from the show like Rainn Wilson, Greg Daniels, Melora Hardin, and so many more. And we can't forget our 2 conversations with Office Ladies superfan Billie Eilish.

Hello!

So join us for brand new episodes every Wednesday. And revisit the Office Rewatch every Monday. Follow and listen to Office Ladies wherever you get your podcasts.