Trevor Augustus: We are back of the it's been a minute podcast. I'm your host Trevor Augustus My partner in crime to the left over here is Angus AJ Johnson. What's up, man? We are back. What's going on, bro?

ApplJax: guys what's going on it's been a minute it's been a minute for real what's going on

Trevor Augustus: Yeah Man, we both had we were both kind of stuff going on with it. We had to take care of but uh, we are back don't know a little bit of a sabbatical, but we are we are back in full form It's gonna be it's gonna be a little bit of a shorter episode Today we're kind of busy, but we wanted to get something out because we have not been around to talk and get some stuff caught up on some stuff so This one they ought to be aware before we get started, please like share and subscribe to the It's Been A Minute podcast. are on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts from. Tell everybody you know to listen to the show. We appreciate your watchful eyes and your listening ears,

ApplJax: We certainly do when we raise the bills.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ yeah, most definitely keeps the lights on. Let's get right into it man, let's not waste any more time. Where do you want to go man?

ApplJax: We can talk about this peer shooter. I really wanted to look at your list here. Bleacher reports top 15 peer scores in the NBA. And I just wanted to see your thoughts on that top five, ⁓ or at least that top 10. So as of right now, their top 15 is Steph at one, two is KD.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ yeah.

ApplJax: Michael Jordan is three. Joel Embiid is four. Braun is five. SGA is six. George the Great, Gervin is number seven. Luca Doncias is eight. Nikola Jokic is nine. And then 10 is Kobe. And then obviously rounding out the 15 is Giannis at 11. Caria 12. Shaq at 13. Donovan Mitchell at 14. 15 is the mailman, Carl Malone. So.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: At least that top five like, what are you thinking? Are you agreeing with Stephen Curry at one, Katie at two, Michael Jordan three, or Joel Bean by LeBron? I'm a big Stephen Curry fan, I don't know if I got him at one, man. But let's see what you got to say.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. So this list is... and this is an all time list by the way I don't know who made this list but they gotta be like 15, 16 years old I was looking at this list and I was thinking about who they actually left off before we even get to the rankings I just wrote down a couple of names that they actually left off this list

ApplJax: Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: James Harden is not on this list.

ApplJax: That's crazy.

Trevor Augustus: Dirk is not on this list.

ApplJax: Tim Duncan.

Trevor Augustus: Wait, D-Wade is not on this list. Will's not on this list.

ApplJax: be weighed. Allen Iverson.

Trevor Augustus: AI is not on this list. Elgin Baylor is not on this list. T-Mac. Kyle Korver is not on this list. Bro. Mellow is not on this list. So automatically to me this entire thing is invalid but since we're here now and this is good content we can go ahead and talk about the rankings and how they fall. I don't know why Joylen beads even on here. We're talking about pure score. I don't know why he would even be on the list. SGA, don't, goodness gracious. SGA wins one title and they're ready to give him the throne already. He is like one finals MVP in one ring and it's like they're about to give him the keys to the kingdom.

ApplJax: him and Derrick Henry got the best stiff arm in all of football. So I don't even, you know, we'll leave that at that. I love that offensive call at the end of the game the other day about time.

Trevor Augustus: You ⁓ Listen ⁓ All I say is Michael B. Jordan shouldn't have got that Oscar it should have been SGA Anyway

ApplJax: Exactly. Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: But I don't get how you have Kobe at 10. If we're talking about pure scores. So, and listen, and I'm a LeBron fan, but bro, put a LeBron at five?

ApplJax: So.

Trevor Augustus: Like, okay the top three, I'll give you the top three. Steph, yeah, I can see that. Katie, yes. MJ, yeah. They lost me at Joel Embiid.

ApplJax: So. ⁓

Trevor Augustus: They lost me a little.

ApplJax: Yeah, it is tough. I think when we're talking about pure scores, right? I see what they're doing with the first three. Stephen Curry, KD. ⁓ this is another person that they left off of here, actually. This is going to go along with what I'm about to say. Steph Curry, KD and Michael Jordan are part of the 50-40-90 club, including Dirk Nowinski that's left off, as well as Steve Nash that should have been on here as well.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: And when we're talking about pure score, we're talking about efficiency. It doesn't matter how many times you chuck out the ball, what is the efficiency that they're scoring at? Stephen Curry is a really great score and he has great percentages. Katie as well, Michael Jordan was the original 50-40-90 before Katie and Stephen Curry kind of eclipsed those guys. I'm not familiar with Joel and Bede's free throw percentage, but he does take a lot of height. field goal percentage shots and he makes a lot of LeBron James this year could be a lot better from the free throw chart. I'm not sure. I can see him shooting over 75 % though, but I do know that he is shooting a lot more in a high field goal percentage. He's taking a lot less shots. He's being more of a facilitator rebounding assists. He'll score a lot less, but he'll score efficiently. HDA is very efficient. You may not like the way he scores, but he's very efficient. George is great. was very efficient. Luka has very efficient nights but more than anything he's more as ⁓ quantity than anything. He tends to score a lot with the quantity that he's given. Nikola Jokic has the ball all the time and he contributes to a lot of scoring whether he's scoring or he's assisting in scoring.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: This is my thing with Kobe. Kobe also at one point had, I think the most misfeel goal percentages or misfeel goal attempts as well. It was almost like a Brett Farrick thing where he has like the same amount of touchdowns he has in interceptions. So it's because of the amount of shots that he's taken. So when I look at these names, yes, the intrusive thought is why isn't Kobe top five, but right under Michael. Why is Joel Embiid in the top five? Where's Steve Nash? Where's Derrick?

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: which they, I do believe should be in this. But I think at the current state right now with the players, I even think Janis should be top five or at least top six. Janis is a very efficient player. He takes a lot of high field goal percentage shots right into the basket. And so I think when you think about it this way, the list is not as off. I think it's just not rearranged the way it should be. And there's a couple of players that are left off. I will say that it seemed a little odd though. ⁓ I don't know. Kyre Urban is very efficient. can see that. Shaq was awful from the free throw line. I'm sorry. I don't see why Shaq is in here over Dirk. I don't see why someone like Tim Duncan is not in here. ⁓ I agree with you on the UA. So, this is very, very weird list. Now you know what Bleacher Report likes to do? when they're bored they like one of their 13 year old interns to just write an article and then post it without editing it so you know dude i i is it just me ⁓ i think i have something on my nose yeah is it just me or

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: Was the update before with Bleacher Report a lot better? Isn't the update now awful? it's harder to get through the app and the articles themselves I think are even more trash than they were before. That's just my opinion.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ yeah. ⁓ yeah. Mm-hmm. I mean, it's just the... I don't know. I just think that whoever, like I said, whoever made this, like you said, some 13-year-old intern who was just bored and didn't have nothing else better to do, he got on 2K and he just went down the list of, like, people who can score the basketball. And it's, not necessarily taking in all these other factors because, like you said, field goal...so... Juelin Beach field goal percentage is, no this is just this season, this is not all time. He's averaging 49.5 to 50.1 during this, currently this season. Street throw percentage, hold on.

ApplJax: Be it a percentage or free throws. 49 is a very high gillible percentage. Sorry guys for the sniffling. I don't know how, but biology has just started to raise the record by a day. It's crazy.

Trevor Augustus: Sorry.

ApplJax: Give me one second to my camera mic off to my nose.

Trevor Augustus: Okay. Allergy season, So, Joelle and Bede is averaging 85.4 from the free throw line. So I can see that.

ApplJax: What is the averaging? 84?

Trevor Augustus: 84 which I mean for a man his size that's that's not bad

ApplJax: That's impressive. It's very good. Yeah. And to be honest, I've been very, so go ahead, my bad, I'm sorry.

Trevor Augustus: that's very good my whole thing is if we're talking about like maybe No, I was just saying, if we're talking about in the last 5-10 years, I can maybe see this. But they said this is NBA history. I think that's what got me kinda like... We're talking about in the entire history of the league, all the scores that we have, this is people that they just completely ignored. And then, like you said, the rearranging, the rankings that they have, way they have it is just kind of weird to me.

ApplJax: do believe Bleacher Report is not statistic driven. ESPN and other analytical sites are. I do believe that Bleacher Report is more vote driven. It's more like they'll constantly put up polls, putting player over player. And then after a series of polls, they'll then take the data from those polls and make the list. It's very subjective. It's very opinionated.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: I don't think Bleacher Report is at all statistic driven. ⁓ I mean, you could tell, you could look at a lot of their articles there. It's very ⁓ on the come up reporters. It's small reporters, it's small news stations. It's kind of like, I mean, you have regular content creators on there doing things. ⁓ Bleacher Report is a very, how can I say this? It's like, like if you really want, to listen to all the mainstream stations and read all of the like the ESPN and the FS1s and the Fox Sports and the CBSs and the NBCs of the world, then you download their apps. You download ESPN app. You download the NBA or the NFL app or the MLB app or the NHL app or the MLS app or you download those and they'll give you just that. But if you want something that's more social media driven, that is inclusive with the community to hear what their thoughts are from different fan bases, which means it's going to be more like less, it's going to be, it's going to be less formal. It's going to be kind of more relaxed and not as structured. There's going to be a lot of

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: Boniness out there. There's gonna be a lot of people pretending there's gonna be a lot of people that are trying to post and promote themselves as if they are an ESPN article or editor or something like that or or a researcher or a writer themselves or journalists themselves, but they're just people that have the time to essentially put this together and I've seen it with Bleacher Report. They constantly will pull they'll be like so like say this for instance to get that top five They'll be like LeBron over a Joel and B. And they'd like, who do you guys got for this particular question? And they'd be like, Steph or KD, who do you got for this particular question? And then over a series, they'll literally take all this data and then now they got their list. Steph, KD, Michael Jordan, Joel and B, LeBron, James. And then they go down the list. So that's why I don't really take a lot of this so seriously. Cause that list right there, I mean, we can go, we can make another 15 people of who they left out.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: That should have been. It's kind of crazy,

Trevor Augustus: He's a record. They're almost like...

ApplJax: but I think... ⁓ Go ahead.

Trevor Augustus: I'm gonna say they're almost like pro football focus. You really can't take them seriously.

ApplJax: Yes. Yes. No. I, no, anybody that even tries to have a conversation with me about football that is referencing from pro football focus, I will walk away from you without actually ending the conversation. I, that website, I can't stand it. I can't stand it. And don't get me started on QBRs. Do not get me started on QBR rating. Jesus. And whoever decided the metrics of creating that score is, you're insane. Okay? You need a wife. It's.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, there's no there's no logic. ⁓ goodness gracious Man When did QBR even come out? I don't... Like... That is such an... Because it skews people's judgement.

ApplJax: I think it may be, I can look that up right now.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. I just feel like it skews our judgment somewhat when it comes to parading quarterbacks.

ApplJax: When did UBR start, become a staff? August of 2011. wow, that's actually, it's only 15 years. I thought it came out like maybe the nineties or eighties. It's only 15 years, August, 2011. It was introduced. And who, I guess who, guess who's the proprietary, ⁓ proprietary of that? Guess who, who drove that to be? ESPN. You know why?

Trevor Augustus: Who?

ApplJax: You know why? It's because it gives them content. It gives them content. If they could sit there and pick apart your game with a score of 0 to 100, they now have something to talk about.

Trevor Augustus: What? Yeah.

ApplJax: ridiculous.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Man. But yeah, I don't...

ApplJax: ⁓ and you know, it says it literally was developed by ESPN stats and information group with input from analysts, including Trent Dilfer, John Gruden, and Ron Dworsky. So, and when you see the metrics on there, a lot of them make sense and then some of them make no sense whatsoever. It's because when you're being graded and rated for something, you want it to be based off of everything that's within your control. There's things on that metric that you have no control of so you can play an amazing game and get a very low QBR because of other circumstances that took place in the game. And that QBR could be used against you for contracts, bonuses,

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: incentives isn't this ridiculous.

Trevor Augustus: This is why people love a coach like Dan Campbell who will look at the numbers and analytics and say, yeah, we're going to throw that out. We're going for this. Because what are the eye tests showing me? Some intern that just got this job is writing this little computer, the analytics of, oh, you have this percentage. If you go forward on this down, you have a higher percentage. I'm like, man, what's the eye test showing me? What situation are we in?

ApplJax: Yeah. Or what? Yeah. Yeah. And you know, I think it's going to get, I'm actually glad we kind of pivoted into this is because I believe over time it's going to get to a place where the kicker and the punter is no longer an actual position. They're just a hybrid position that comes from another player that has the skillset. And you know why? Cause I think it's, I think it's a wasted space on the roster. You're telling me that some guy that

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: doesn't even practice with the team. does his own thing and he comes in and he just kicks. Like kicking is very skillful. It's a skilled position. It's a very skilled position. Let's not get that wrong. It's a very, it's just as skillful as like golf or tennis putting it in the right spot. Like it's a very skilled position. However, it's say if I'm an organization, right? The money is becoming tight. I'm trying to pay in contracts are becoming bigger and bigger.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: I'm getting rid of positions and I'm making certain players play hybrid positions. Like for instance, Chad Otrousenko would be able to kick the ball. I think his name is Justin Reed. I'm not sure if that's his last name. Justin's, I believe his first name is Justin or something. He was a safety for the Chiefs. He can kick the ball. I think we're going to see, there's another player in college right now. I'm not sure if he's going to get drafted or not, but I believe he's either a linebacker or a safety linebacker, but he can kick the ball.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: I think there's going to be more players like that in the future is because one, I do think more coaches are going to be like, it's four downs. I have four downs to score or four downs to keep pushing the ball down to score. I'm not going to live in a three down territory when I have four downs. I'm going to use all four of my attempts. And if I have to, if I'm really backed up, I will use one of my players that has the capability of kicking to pump the ball away. Or I will have one of my kickers that have the capability of kicking to kick the ball off. I do think that there's going to be needed a kicker for making field goals. I think that's always going to be needed. And so you either make that particular person that knows how to kick field goals also pump the ball and kick off. Or you just have him kick field goals and you have another skilled player double up on other positions.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: And I'm gonna have to kick as well when he's not fulfilling his other role. I just think it's gonna be a lot more simpler going forward with contracts, being able to stretch money further because you have two less people on the roster. it also just, I think it will go along with the gameplay eventually. I just can't see us eventually continuing to pump the ball every fourth down. I don't care. You could be on their 35 yard line. You could be on their 45 yard line. If you got space and I can drop back, I'm gonna throw it off. And I think more coaches eventually are gonna pick up that and adapt that type of, or adopt that type of a gameplay style like Dan Campbell's doing.

Trevor Augustus: mean, I wouldn't be surprised in my next 20 years if they get rid of kickoffs altogether and field goals. I wouldn't be shocked because the way that the game is going now with like the landing zone and I wouldn't be shocked if they just got rid it. Because I mean, I mean, I guess he's, yeah. Do we really need him? I guess that's what people are asking. Do we really need field goals? But I don't know. I wouldn't be shocked if they do.

ApplJax: Feel good about sure. thing about it is this is this is the thing about the kickoff the kickoff has already lost us through may try to change it to get to bring it back. It has hasn't brought it back so and it's still causing more injuries. So let's just get let's get rid of it. You're right. But with kickoff or but with field goals, there's still a thrill factor about that. There's still game winning field goals. There's still game time field goals that center to overtime. There's still halftime field goals that are 63 yards and more. Those are very thrilling.

Trevor Augustus: it has.

ApplJax: So those still have some type of meaning and stuff like that. ⁓ Also, too, you got to understand Vegas is involved. So you're talking about taking away a certain aspect of gambling. ⁓ And so that's where it of comes into play where, if you can't. You're essentially taking off a thing on the grid because they have a thing for kickers where it's like Mayfield goals or how many points and stuff. And that's money that people are pumping into that. So if you take that position away, then you're taking away ⁓ more money that they could make. So there's going to be some pushback stuff. So now that they got sports gambling into all of this, it's going to be made. Whatever they try to do is always going to be some type of huge pushback.

Trevor Augustus: I also think too, just as another point, think a lot of people look at field goals and game-winning field goals as a team, I'm doing all this work to put myself in a position to score. And I'm ultimately laying the results of the game on one person. And I think it's a very polarizing thing. to put the game on the line based on a person's leg. I think a lot of people don't particularly like that. I I'm indifferent to it. I get that whole point there. Yeah. Because it's like I'm doing all this planning and plotting and planning and trying to put my players in position to win. Like Lamar. And Tyler Loop last year. Lamar did all that. Drove them down to the field, got them there as far as he could.

ApplJax: There's a lot of coaches that don't like kickers.

Trevor Augustus: only for homeboy to miss the field goal. So it's like I get the sentiment. I do understand the sentiment.

ApplJax: I feel bad for Lamar. ⁓

Trevor Augustus: And the year before that when Zay Flowers dropped that, he fumbled the ball too.

ApplJax: Yeah, man. So it's time to get Lamar out of B-more, But, yeah, I mean...

Trevor Augustus: So. Where you see him going?

ApplJax: I wanted to see him in Miami before they blew the whole thing up. I just, I wouldn't, I don't think it's best for him. I think the best spot for him really actually is somewhere like, hmm. Dang. I actually think it would be, it would actually be kind of nice to see him in New York, the Jets. I actually wouldn't mind seeing him try to revamp the Jets. Cause he needs somewhere where like he needs... I tried. I tried. I tried New Jersey. I tried. I really tried. But uh...

Trevor Augustus: They can't escape. Bro, let it go. Let it go. Alright, let it go!

ApplJax: Yeah, I really don't know. ⁓ I can see possibly Arizona. ⁓ Arizona got something special over there. I just want to see him in warm weather too. But I mean, there's not a lot of teams right now. There's a lot of teams that need quarterbacks. There's just not a lot of situations I see him in that would really fit him. so like, I'm just not sure like Chicago already got what they got New York.

Trevor Augustus: Yes. Is it personally?

ApplJax: got what they got on a little hackers guy what they got a Minnesota guy what they got in San Diego San Francisco um Las Vegas is probably going to get Mendoza and I want them to get Mendoza I don't want to see him in Las Vegas um I I think it would be nice to see him in the Bucks but I don't think it would be a good fit whatsoever I just don't think we match his play style at all um he would be nice playing with Bucky though Him, Sean Tucker, Bucky, and then you have a Mecca Abouka, ⁓ Jalen McMillen, ⁓ Tez Johnson. ⁓ He has two quarterbacks or two tight ends, Cade Aten and Devin Culp. You also have ⁓ Polkath and Payne Durham to block for you. And you have, who else do you have? You have Chris Godwin as well. Like I ain't gonna lie, him and Tampa would actually be kind of tough. But I just don't think that we would adapt well to his playing style. Now he could throw.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: I just don't, I can't see Bucks playing running option. It's just not the culture. So I don't know. mean, Jonathan Taylor, maybe the Colts would be nice, but I think, I think they're going to stick with what they have.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, think culturally he would work so well in Atlanta. Before they blew everything up, he would have worked so well in Atlanta. Can you imagine LeR in a Falcons uniform with Kyle Pitts and Algier? Bro.

ApplJax: Yeah, he would. He would work well. I don't want to think about it. I'm a Bucks fan. can't. I can't. That's why I didn't mention it.

Trevor Augustus: Oh yeah, I Also, a second option. He would have worked well culturally in New Orleans too. They're building a nice little squad. And they're building a nice little squad. Yeah. I'm just saying, if you're not fully sold on the trip, I mean you bring Lamar in maybe. I'm just saying.

ApplJax: Yeah, very. They are doing well. They are doing. mean, Tyler Shuck was looking nice at the end of the year. Tyler Shuck was looking real nice. So. Yeah. You can still bring in Lamar, Shuck can sit on the bench. if know, if Shuck, you know, this is the thing. I think they like Shuck though. think Tyler, Tyler Shuck did actually look really nice at the end of the year. I mean, I ain't gonna lie, the Bucks, as a Bucks fan, the NFC South, I'm scared. I mean, we're, definitely on the downward slope and, and Carolina looks very aggressive and promising. Atlanta is just waiting to kind of put the pieces together.

Trevor Augustus: Good luck. Yeah.

ApplJax: I think also Atlanta is very on the verge of blowing up as well. you have, when you have too many pieces and it's not working for a long period of time, it's going to blow up. It's going to blow up in your face. Cause there's going to people that get very frustrated. You see how AJ Brown already gets every now and then what they don't win is you have too much to lose. Like you, you, you're too good and you, and you have, and you're too skillful to be either not being able to contribute to a win or just losing.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: plainly and being like, all right, how do we lose when we have Jaylen, Herd, Saquon, Barkley, have Hall of Fame wide receiver, we have me, you know what mean? So ⁓ I get what it becomes eventually. It's like, all right, we have all these people and it's not working. It blows up. Baltimore right now is in that situation. They have all those people and it blows up every single year at the end. So it's like, I just think that, I think, what's his name? Stefanski is not, I think Stefanski is going to end up killing that whole team.

Trevor Augustus: You know who was like that too? Was Miami.

ApplJax: I really do. That's why I'm not worried about Atlanta whatsoever. And I don't want to see Lamar Jackson being coached by Stefanski.

Trevor Augustus: Nah, that's what I'm saying. Before they blew everything up with the guy who rid of Kurt Cousins and everything I would have liked to see Lamar before they got Stefanski ⁓ What was I going to ⁓ you know who was in that situation? It's the same thing that you were just talking about with getting so much talent is Miami Miami is in that exact same predicament You get, you got, you get

ApplJax: and went absolutely nowhere.

Trevor Augustus: Nope, bro, you get Tyreague and then you got Waddle, you draft Waddle and you try to put the pieces together. A-Chain was, he was running the air of the ball for a while there. They were putting up points. Gosecki, yeah, Gosecki, yeah, he was pretty good. But it's like, put all your, listen. Yeah?

ApplJax: Yeah. Gekki. What was his name? Gekki or something like that? Or what's the title of his name? Gaseki? Gaseki? Yeah. You had Bradley Chubb? You had Bradley Chubb on the... Yeah, like you had some really good defensive ends there.

Trevor Augustus: You put all your chips on the table and you say we're about to go all in. You know, and it just didn't work out.

ApplJax: Yeah. I mean, you had a, you have a, and I said Hall of flame earlier. meant to say Heisman. I forgot who Heisman, Devontae Smith, but I was going to say you have a Heisman tour and then you have Mike McDaniels. And so they're like Mike McDaniels was at the height of his offense where like, was just nothing but like, you know, downhill, you know, it was like a West coast offense, which I believe they're, they're technically an AFC team. So that's why they pay, they play like that.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: And so, I don't know, man, when you have so much working for you and it just doesn't go anywhere, it always blows up. Say that again?

Trevor Augustus: Also, he was was coming that coach McDonald's he was he was in that coaching tree. He was in that Shanahan coaching tree. So it makes sense

ApplJax: And Shannon coached her. So. And where is he at now? He's ⁓ forgot he's OC for who? San Diego. Detroit. San Diego is he OC for Harbaugh, right? And I think he had a I think he I think he had an offer, but then he was still looking for a head coaching job. But I think he ended up inevitably taking the offer.

Trevor Augustus: So. He's an ⁓ Detroit? No San Diego I Let me look it up. I'm just looking at it. Yeah, I think it was. What are you now? That's ⁓ no, Mike McDaniel. Yeah, he's like, Chargers, yeah, he ready.

ApplJax: the charges. And that could work well for them.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, L.A. Thank

ApplJax: So before we get into, go ahead, go ahead, my bad.

Trevor Augustus: I was gonna say one last thing, I feel like if they keep playing around, they might have to come off of Herbert if they can't put it together either.

ApplJax: Harper?

Trevor Augustus: Herbert.

ApplJax: Herbert, ⁓ yeah. mean, and to be honest, before we move on, I was gonna say, you know, and it kind of was gonna lead into my next question. And this actually is your team. I really do think that Herbert and Trevor Lawrence, they're kind of like, you know, they got two more seasons to kind of show us what's up. Very, very nice, savvy quarterbacks, but eventually it's like, okay, you're not getting it done. Yeah, so. ⁓

Trevor Augustus: again.

ApplJax: And then that kind of goes into my next question. What teams do you think have high expectations this year to actually be not only be in the playoffs. ⁓ let's just start there. We don't have to, you know, there's, don't have to start with an expectation for a team to win a Superbowl, but what teams this year I think are going to be highly expected to actually make some noise and actually make the next step into the playoffs. ⁓ I mean, I'll start off with one team. I would love to see a full off season with that Cleveland Browns defense and now Shador in the off season. Like I would love to see, I would love to see him comfortable with a coach that actually wanted to draft him and actually wants the game plan for him. And I would love to see his progression and seeing him, you know, actually make some noise. And I think they could be a wild card team. really do. If that defense plays like it did last year and then

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, that's a good one. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

ApplJax: and you have the door have a full offseason with a coach that's fully behind him. I do think that they could be like a nine and seven or a nine and 18 or a 10 and 16 and make the wild card. What you got?

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. ⁓ my first thought based on your question, I think the one team that's ready to take the next step right now based on what they did in the off seasons, Carolina, they get, they got our, they got our best linebacker too. I was, I'm still sick about that. They got, you know, they got, cause and we're still, we're, we're right now, we are currently still suffering from the bad business that, that,

ApplJax: Mmm. Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: our past general manager did in giving some of these players bad contracts. So now it got to the point where, we had a great season, but based on how the contracts were written, can't pay some of these guys. We couldn't pay Devon Lloyd and ETN. And now I feel like ETN, he's about to do really good in New Orleans. I'm happy for him, but it's like, I think Carolina is right there. hopefully I don't know hopefully Legate can kind of he can play like how he needs to play you know no more listen we all the fun and games are over you you riding on your horse and stuff like that you in videos with Glorilla and all those other stuff that's all cool and all and the antics and the country accent that's cool but it's like alright now you need to start making touchdowns

ApplJax: Yeah Dear and close. Dear and glow.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, go That's cool and all but it's like we need you at the same thing with old boy in Buffalo All that's the other dancing around cool talking about what? You to the thrift store and you got this jacket from where that's all fun and games But teams only gonna deal with that but so much you gotta be able to back it up

ApplJax: Yeah. Yeah, Yeah, because Coleman did do nothing. I saw special in the playoffs last year. ain't gonna lie. He was in the, I thought he was, he was kind of quiet. Not gonna lie.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: Shout out to Colburn.

Trevor Augustus: How do you think Tua's going to do in Atlanta? Take it!

ApplJax: Why- why do you ask me such questions, I'm trying to stay positive. I'm trying to be nice guy today. I'm trying to be real nice. I'm trying to be real- Hey! As a Buccaneers fan, I can't wait to put him on his rocker. I just can't wait to-

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ The look of like the spirit agony the

ApplJax: So it's just... and foremost. Dude, hang it up. You know what mean? Just hang it up. And respectfully, I think every single person, the moment you hang it up, I think we all be like, ⁓ come on, like we'll just humbly embrace you and be like, bro, we've been waiting. We've been waiting, because it's over, bro. It's over. It's unfortunate what happened. It's really sad. Very talented guy. Very talented guy. But it's over. And it's just like before you put yourself at a point where you're no longer able to actually have a full conversation with your kids and wife one day.

Trevor Augustus: PURSE A! YEAH!

ApplJax: Like, were you... You know what mean? Like, just kinda like, just co- It's okay, bro. Become a sports broadcaster. Commentate. Do something. Who?

Trevor Augustus: You know, know, you know who he needs to talk to he needs to talk to Andrew look

ApplJax: Yes. Andrew Luck knew when it was okay to walk away. He said, yeah. He was like, he was like, I came close. I battled with the best of them. I dropped 50 on the best of them. It's time to hang it up, bro. I value my, I value my wife and kids a lot more. know what I mean? So that's why I'm, starting to kind of lose the respect as a man to another man. Cause it's like, bro, it's like, it's very evident that that is affecting your gameplay and also the way you communicate and the way you.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, he's like, you know what? Yeah? It's a wrap.

ApplJax: Arcane like he's still kind of talent. He's still very talented, but it's just like there's a lapse now it's like a it's like a just huge setback and Not only that but it's just like he is so easily prone to them now Now he can just get them just like on any contact. So it's like bro You're you're you're putting yourself on like serious serious danger and it's kind of tough to watch It's actually kind of cringe. I ain't gonna hold you like it's

Trevor Augustus: You know what you know it made me face you know, it made me face poem bro, I saw this man took all he took off on a scramble and Bro thought he was bro thought he was Tim Tebow and went head up against the linebacker. I'm like, what do you do? ⁓ Did we not learn anything to it? Did we not learn anything?

ApplJax: But that's the problem. He doesn't know that he learned it already. Because he didn't hit his head too many times. That's the problem. Y'all mad because y'all say, have you learned anything? He don't know he learned it. He hit his head too many times. Y'all gotta get them up. That's when the team has to, that's what it's called protecting your players, protecting your employees.

Trevor Augustus: Yes

ApplJax: That's what as employers, as managers, as directors, as leaders in the workplace, your whole job is to provide resources for your employees and to create a safe and comfortable work environment. You gotta go get him. You gotta go get him. You gotta go get him, Like, it's done.

Trevor Augustus: Yes. Yes When it first happened like when he the first time it happened and I'm glad the doctor for the Dolphins got fired I'm so glad he got fired like Yeah, cuz my thing is like he went into the tent and They said that ⁓ or we asked him. He said he was fine Bro, he's a professional athlete. What do you expect him to say?

ApplJax: Yeah, why is he playing still? Of course. Dude.

Trevor Augustus: Nah nah my head my hands not scrambled I'm fine. Yeah, we just see you on the ground throwing up gang signs Come on, bro

ApplJax: They had the team rights handled, Talking about I'm fine. He don't even know he playing football. He think he at home. Yeah, of course he gonna say he's fine. This is the problem, right? When I tore my ligament, I tore every single ligament in my right ankle at one time playing basketball. It sounded like knuckles cracking. It was crazy. I hated it. Did I go to the hospital? No, I played for three more hours. And that made it worse.

Trevor Augustus: This would be Oof

ApplJax: That made it worse. When I broke my finger, you could still kind of see swollen cause all the scar tissue that builds up underneath, it's healed now. But did I go to the doctor right away? No, I shot three more threes, made it, made a game winner, thankfully. And then I went to sleep and I woke up to it turning purple and it was swollen as sausage. Basically the point is the athlete is not going to ever put themselves in the best position. The adrenaline is scaring them. They're feeling with adrenaline. Like, like I'm trying to continue to play. Like, no, I'm here to play, I'm here to ball, unless I see my bone out of my body, I'm still gonna play. Like that's the adrenaline. So of course I'm gonna say I'm fine. It is your job as a professional to make sure that you're like, no, you are not fine. You cannot play and you will not play. And I'm taking your helmet. It's like, you know, you're done for today. And it's just like, I don't think they have some of these players best interests in mind. It's just, it's kind of sad. And when you see someone like Tua still playing the game after he gets like, Jackson Dart, Jackson Dart another one. Jackson, Jackson Dart is about to be on his way out. And he's so good. So good. He's about to be another one on the way out. So it's like, ⁓ my gosh.

Trevor Augustus: You know what pisses me off more than anything about that situation is that like the difference like with him in like Tua, they welcome it. They embrace it. That's what pisses me off. Bro.

ApplJax: It's just like Baker. Baker, like the team had to shut down Baker's scrambling. They said, you keep getting hurt, you are hurt. When you get hurt, play like, you know, the performance goes down. We became what we became because Baker played himself into being hurt. He had to stop scrambling. Baker stopped scrambling, had to stay in the pocket and just start running. Same with Lamar. Lamar had to stay in that pocket.

Trevor Augustus: It affects your body and your plate bro. Cam Newton is six foot six 250 pounds. Don't care bro. It affects your play you take all those shots over the course of like ten years That's going to affect how you play Like bro in Jackson. Yeah, Jackson Darn near as big as Cam is Like come on like what we doing?

ApplJax: Yep. It's gonna affect how you walk. here.

Trevor Augustus: But there's a reason There's a reason that Tom Brady played 20 plus years and was in 45 still throwing dots you see him at the dollar on the flag football game he's still throwing dots bro I was like yo hey bro put that bro dots I'm like ay yo hey man get that man a contract put some pads on him man somebody might need some

ApplJax: Cam Newton looked like Zac Efron in High School Musical. Yeah! Yeah, dots. Hey, he was in the pocket. That pocket presence was on point too.

Trevor Augustus: think his non-athleticism is what saved him too. Like Philip Rivers. Philip Rivers was still doing pre-he was still putting up, bro man like 43, 44 years old still putting up 300 yards.

ApplJax: Look how Matthew Stafford prolonged his career. He learned his lesson. Matthew and guess what he got? He got himself a ring. By learning his lesson, knowing his limitations, understanding, okay, I can't do that or I won't be able to continue to play. This is how I have to play. This is my limitations now where I'm at. I'm gonna play this and I'm gonna play as best as I can. What do I do? I go out there and I get a ring. And now I'm a title contender every single year. You know what mean? So.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah Michael B-

ApplJax: It's just you have to you have to mature yourself over time not just mentally but also the way you go about playing the game physically man. It's just those guys man.

Trevor Augustus: Bye. All the great all the great basketball players, whatever they did late in their career. What did Kobe do? He developed a midi and a jump shot What Michael Jordan did with the Wizards? He developed that the median jump shot LeBron when he got to a certain yeah when LeBron got to a certain point where Yeah, he could still drive to the lane and bully people, but you can't do that night in and night out not at his age So what did he do? He started up in a shot? You have to do something

ApplJax: And the three. not at four. And now he got that three. LeBron got a three on him now. LeBron got a three on. He got a three on. Yeah, LeBron got a three on him. Y'all gotta y'all gotta relax to LeBron developed that shot. I'm I'm not saying I'm a hater LeBron. I'm just not also like the hugest fan of LeBron. Not saying I don't have any reason to hate on at all. I'm just not like his biggest fan. like what

Trevor Augustus: Exactly. Yeah, he he got a link in the lab ⁓

ApplJax: I will say like LeBron is someone I think has learned how to mature himself throughout his career and play different stops. And I understand football, basketball is a little different, but it's the same in every aspect of like any sport for any athlete that goes further into their career. You have to kind of adapt of where you're at in that, in your timeframe or in also the landscape of the league. You know, you see that. You know, they know Tua and Jackson Dart now want to go head first. They're going to give them a little contact. They'll knock them out the game. Why not? You got to be real though. You got to be real as professional. If I'm a defender and I'm playing Tua or Jackson Dart, I'm waiting for you to come down here. Now I'm going to smack you. Because this is going to get you out of the game. Now I'm playing the back yard. Now I just destroyed your whole game plan because I know you've stubborn. I know you stubborn. You're going to come throwing your hand at me.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah, why wouldn't you? As soon as you cross that line the line of scrimmage you are no different than Saquon Barkley You are no different than Derek Henry. You are no different than than than than than Charbonneau You are no different than any of you are considered a running man or running back

ApplJax: But you know the problem with that is? Cause you're right, but you know what the problem is? They are different. All you gotta do is slide. All you gotta do is slide. They like to come and run and cross that line as if they are there. They like to cross that line as if they are a-chain. You know, all these other great running backs in the league right now. They like to come head first like David Montgomery and Jonathan Taylor. And guess what? They get smacked every time cause you're not.

Trevor Augustus: Yep. Yeah.

ApplJax: That's why you're told as the quarterback to slide because we need you. You're the person that's supposed to take the least amount of contact. You're not supposed to get hit. If you get hit, the person that allowed you to get hit, we take them out the game. You know what I mean?

Trevor Augustus: No. Well Trevor Lawrence is like what six foot seven and what does he do he still slide Come on you gotta like you gotta be smart, bro ⁓

ApplJax: Still sliding man. We gotta be smart. Yeah, and that's a that's actually the thing that that's kind of crazy, right? You have all these bigger quarterbacks that actually have the capability of running through other players and what are they doing? They're sliding. So why are you someone that's half that size? Think you could just run right into these guys.

Trevor Augustus: Bro, Josh Allen is basically a Cam Newton size. They're basically the same size. Josh Allen, he probably was 6'5", 250, he still slides.

ApplJax: He slides, he jumps over people, and he runs out of bounds. But he don't take a lot of hits. He don't take a lot of hits. That's why they call him Superman. He'd be jumping, flying, trying to get away from contact. He'd be doing everything and all. He don't take a lot of hits. He will fumble though. He will fumble. He will fumble. He will throw a pick. will fumble. Yeah. He will do that though. Yeah, he'll buzz a leaf. He'll come back.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. He don't. Yeah, he will he will throw a pick he will throw a pick every night again, too He'll blow some leaves he'll blow a lot of leaves games, you know, He'll cry cry cry about it during the press conference, but you know, hey, you know, It was so but you know, we love him anyway, you know

ApplJax: He'll come back for some big- that's for some leaves too. It was his fault, but you know. Hey, I love Josh Allen, one of my favorite quarterbacks. He's still one of my, you know, he's one person that like, I actually hope you can make it past the hump, him and Lamar, you know, if one of those guys can make it past the hump. And it was, that was actually I think very disappointing. And I know we didn't plan on talking about this today, but that was very disappointing to see Lamar ⁓ or Josh Allen not do anything with the opportunity that Patrick Mahomes was at home.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, you like that, Yeah.

ApplJax: Like, what are you doing? Like, do you understand that when Ben Roethlisberger finally had his opportunity, he got him one? When Aaron Rodgers finally got an opportunity, he got him one. There's people like Philip Rivers that never got one. It's because Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were taking them all. And even Peyton, Peyton finally got him one. You know, Peyton, Peyton, when he was there, he was like, yeah, I'm gonna give me one because I may never come back. You know what mean? So.

Trevor Augustus: Drew Brees Drew Brees too

ApplJax: Drew Brees like all these one and done guys. That's why Matthew Stafford, Matthew Stafford has a I mean, I think he's been back once but he hasn't got another one. So it's like you have these ⁓ generational guys that are going to go almost every year people expect them to go when they're not there. It is your time to shine, man. You got to make some you got to do what it do. You got to do something.

Trevor Augustus: Bro, it was such a, like, it was so crazy. I'm thinking to myself, all you had to do was get past Trevor Lawrence and Bo Nicks. That's all you had to do. That's it. That's literally it. Joe Burrow was out. Lamar is out. Mahomes is out.

ApplJax: That's not hard. That was another thing. Joe Burrow is out. No. ⁓ my gosh, that's just so aggravating to think about.

Trevor Augustus: Come on, bro.

ApplJax: And then it's gone crazy.

Trevor Augustus: like I think like got you for your I think John like Jonathan was saying eventually the narrative is gonna shift because it's like how many times can we give this opportunity to you and you just you you crap to bed so

ApplJax: Yep, I mean, that's why you saw a couple of different changes of coaches this year. I mean, it's just.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: I mean, this is the thing with Stefanski thing. Say Shador wasn't there and you still had a quarterback meltdown and you still had that good defense. Why is it that you have another good defense, but yet you can't get it together on offense? Probably still would have been dismissed. or he Morris, you have a great team. Why can't you put it together? Dismissed. Mike McDaniels, you had all that superpower. Can't put it together. Can't even control the locker room. You seem disengaged. They don't trust you or listen to you. Dismissed. mean, you also have Todd Bowles that was on the hot seat. He was able to keep his job, unfortunately, for us. You have John Harbaugh. Was it Jim Harbaugh or John Harbaugh? Which one? It was one of the Harbaugh brothers from Baltimore. Jim. so, and I'm, yeah, yeah. And I'm actually happy for him is because I would love to see him in a new scenery. But once again, it's like,

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Jim no John that's yeah

ApplJax: was dismissed. He was he didn't quit. Remember, they said, you know, that that owner was very loud and clear about how he felt. ⁓ And then what's who else? Mike Tomlin, Mike Tomlin, even though he resigned, and they probably were gonna let him go. Mike Tomlin knew his time was coming. And this is not only that, but it's just like, you're not, you're not putting up so there's a lot of coaches this year that kind of were, I mean, there's a big huge shuffle shuffle in this stuff. ⁓

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. My- my only- I'm sorry, guys.

ApplJax: I think with the way that the league is expanding now, I think these coaches are going to have shorter time frame to show success.

Trevor Augustus: do, I will say though, I feel like Raheem kinda got he kinda got shafted a little bit. And I understand like the thing, like the team that he had. And I totally get that, but I feel like they could've gave him at least one more year. That's just me. Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: He did have that locker room. So I kind of have to agree with that. He had the locker room he had. And I just think that it was the GM. think when GM ownership, when they like to get come into play, like, why are you signing Kirk Cudden's to it? I think it was 4-1-60, but then you also dropped a quarterback the same year. Why not go out and get Kirk protection? Why not get him a target? Why not compliment Kirk with a defensive piece on the other end? It just doesn't make sense. Instead, you get his replacement, someone he has to mentor instead of someone that helps him actually get down the field and score. ⁓ I mean, and then after he started to craft the bed, know, Penix comes in, but Penix wasn't ready yet. And then Penix has had two injuries so far. So I'm not necessarily a believer in Penix. think that's like one or two. I think he'll end up going to another team soon and they'll draft another person again.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, and now, shoot, now the entire QB room is like left-handed quarterbacks. That's Tua, Pinnix, and I think that, yeah, who else? Yeah, the third guy in the Tua, I thought that, yeah.

ApplJax: or the mark. Yeah, because we got two in there now. you

Trevor Augustus: But ⁓ but yeah.

ApplJax: world. I don't know, see what tool it does, Let's see what tool it does.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. ⁓ Real quick guys, let's change the gears a little bit. ⁓ J. Cole, is, for the past month or so, he's been ⁓ on this little mini press run giving a couple platforms, different interviews, a couple of clips have gone viral ⁓ highlighting the things that he's ⁓ said and uttered. ⁓ such as the camp, I think he was on Cameron's show and he was on Mellow's podcast and I forgot where else, I think he was in, what's those YouTubers names? ⁓ Lost in Vegas, yeah Lost in and yeah shout out to Lost in so one of the things that really went viral the past week or so was he was on Mellow's podcast and

ApplJax: Yeah. Shout out to Las Vegas, one of my favorite families.

Trevor Augustus: I grabbed a couple of quotes more or less about him being the best rapper and him actually thinking that Cole says on that quote, this is a dude on here that on any given day even my peers are Drake or Kendrick where it's like yo I know any given day I can show up to the studio and give these dudes 80 but I know that they can show up on any day and go to the studio and give me 80 and I might only have like 30 like so if I'm taking on a rap persona when I'm rapping that's what I like to do that's how I like to rap and guess what sometimes I hit the mark and I say stuff and I spit a verse that really might have you believe in that but if you ask me in real life do I walk around like I'm the best rapper alive? Nah like I'm the best to ever know but when I put on that cape like that's how I try to attack stuff and there have been things and moments and verses where I'm writing and I'm like I know y'all not messing with this but in reality do I walk around like there's no other person better than me in real life? So real quick As somebody who does music as well, I completely get what he's saying. I completely understand from that side because rap in itself, hip-hop is... There's a lot of performative elements within music. There's a lot of performative, you know, personas and gimmicks and things of that nature. So I totally...

ApplJax: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. characters.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, yeah exactly. So I totally on that front I get what he's saying completely. I just wish he hadn't said it out loud. That's my biggest thing. Go ahead.

ApplJax: So, okay, and so this is the thing with Day Cole, right? Jake Cole ⁓ is like a sword in the culture right now. And I say this, Jake Cole says a lot of things that people can't necessarily argue with. Some things here and there. But you can only argue with it with your opinion. If we're talking about facts, he says a lot of things that are factual. And with the current state of the culture right now,

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: We don't like that. We love to be opinionated. We love to stand on our opinions. And we love to stand on our stigmatisms and our stereotypes of what we think things should be. And with hip hop, hip hop has this persona of a culture that is a cutthroat, raw individual that has been through it through and through, and we do not show weakness. We may talk about it.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: about the things we went through, but we do not show that we are in a moment of weakness. We do not try to come off as someone that is a lick or someone that's easy to get off on. don't, we, try to like the, the persona of hip hop is someone that has been through tribulations and they have endured those tribulations and they are stronger because of it. And so when people start kind of taking the, the high road, so to speak, or when people try to essentially step out of the character of hip hop when your, when your occupation is in hip hop and you start speaking from more of a logical sense, it can, it can rub a little feathers is because we don't want to see you leave that persona. It's like a WWE character. We don't want to see you outside of that persona. Have you seen, you've seen Dwayne the Rock Johnson and John Cena for years. They're the same person. And probably at home with their kids and you see them on certain podcasts, you see them finally pull it back and you're like, ⁓ this is who they are. But for the most part, when you see them in front of camera, they're holding that same persona. Even as actors now, they're still carrying that same persona of this WWE character because they know that's what people know them for. So that's that's the gripe with, I think, people in the industry. People don't understand that there's a lot you have to live up to in the moment where you kind of step out of your character that you created yourself.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: It is going to be up for lot of criticism. I think Jake Cole in particular is someone that understands himself personally, and he's willing to stand on that. But that person is counterintuitive to the character that he has to play. And so the character that he has to play, because of the character that he's playing, the persona that he's trying to play, we only take those characters seriously.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: when it comes from an authentic place and genuine. Hip-hop is only respected when it comes from authenticity. You can try to do hip-hop and people may like your bars, but when people start to like your music and they start to actually get into the person who's actually giving me this music and we find out that you're fake, you won't make it far. Because in hip-hop, we only respect authenticity and genuineness. So, and that's for the most part about anything. The moment you like something, you go into a store, you like something.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yeah.

ApplJax: And then you go again and you like it again. And then you go again, you like it. All of a sudden you're doing your research on this company. You're like, ⁓ I kind of like this company. I'm going to keep supporting them. The moment you may find out about that company and they're a front for something else that actually stands for something that's fake or something that's not good. For the moment you go, you get a bad experience from that company. You don't go anymore. You don't support it. You don't stand for them anymore. So the thing about Jake Cole is we have gotten to know him. And we've gotten to know the character and he's come across as this humble guy from the streets that talks about street things and how he's been able to get through it. But he's also kind of built up on that character and persona in hip hop of being, you know, this like, I'm also like, you know, one of the best rappers on this guy. I'm that guy. I'm like that. J Cole was known for having a lot of gun bars. You know what mean? For someone that's very humble. A lot of people thought he began a lot of gun bars. So. So after all of that and then you finally put out your story you said there's nothing left for me to tell and then you go around and you do a podcast tour and then you're telling other people that like ⁓ you know, I'm that's just a persona I'm trying to embody but I really don't feel that way for real We can understand it as human beings emotionally and logically but like when we're also hip-hop fans is like, ⁓ I didn't want to hear that. I don't want to that. I don't want to that. No, no, no, no, I don't want to that. yeah, yeah

Trevor Augustus: That's the thing. It's just like with the apology. As a man, I totally get why he did that. I'm like, I agree with you, As a hip-hop fan, what are you doing? What are you doing? What are you doing? No! Thanks, bro.

ApplJax: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. As a man. Yeah. And I totally agree. Yeah, here you go. He's like, he apologized? He apolo-

Trevor Augustus: Pause us! And I heard like

ApplJax: But you know what it is? It's not even the apology. think what people have gotten around is it's not the apology because we know Cole. It's on brand for Cole. What's not on brand and what's not okay is jumping out first and dissing someone and then saying, I'm sorry. Like, I don't want to do this. That's the problem. That was actually the problem. You don't do that in any phase of life. And in hip hop, it definitely comes across as ingenuine and kind of like...

Trevor Augustus: Yeah!

ApplJax: like you kind of scared for real. I think that was what the problem was. And I think even if that was K-Dot, I'd be like, you know, I'm gonna leave my boy alone. I know that's cool. know he's a good person at heart, but I also would have been confused. I'd like, bro, you diss me. You're not even giving me the opportunity to respond for real.

Trevor Augustus: My thing is like and when and hindsight and he's he's acknowledged that it was was it was stupid to think like this He's he said as much that yeah, he shouldn't even had this thought pattern but in the moment back then what was so mind-boggling to me is that His his logic and reasoning for putting out seven-minute drill was that if I don't Say something that ⁓ fans are not gonna want to hear anything else that I have to say Which is like, what? What? Like, it's like he was trying to find a reason to have to respond. Like bro, we didn't care if you didn't respond. He wasn't even really aiming at you.

ApplJax: Yeah. He wasn't. He knew who he wanted. He didn't have any diss songs for you. He had no diss songs for you. You was just... You just caught us stray. You just caught us stray. That's essentially what it is.

Trevor Augustus: He really wasn't aiming at you! EW! He hadn't burned not at all! You got an unfortunate stray and he really didn't say nothing crazy. He just said forget the big three. But he had other bars that were specifically about Drake. He didn't have no bars that may have referenced Cole or anything that we know about Cole. That was specifically about Drake. It just so happened that you did a first person shooter and the whole thing, like you were just kind of in the whole situation. That's all it was.

ApplJax: It's me. There was this rebuttal that Kendrick said though that was probably one of the cleanest rebuttals I've ever said or heard. I think it was on GNX and it was a scheme. It was a scheme where essentially he was, I forgot the bar. I got to get the quote real quick. But Kendrick's scheme, it was like probably one of the best bars and it kind of went over a lot of people's heads where it was, and maybe it was a reach, but it was a scheme where essentially he said, remember when he was says, I guess I Wayne down.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah ⁓ yeah, he's talking about the Wacked Out Murals.

ApplJax: Wacked out mirrors. Yes. And he said, I guess like he had a scheme going to essentially saying, I guess I guess I'll let Wayne down. But like.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ yeah, he said I used to bump the car to three something something Yeah, ⁓ yeah, I know it's okay. Yeah, I know it's can be talking about yeah

ApplJax: He also says something about Nas. No, but he also says something about Nas in that scheme. And I just got to get the actual quote. But the thing, the reason why I really enjoyed that is because I thought it was a two and one two birds in one stone hit at Kendrick and J Cole.

Trevor Augustus: He was talking about some knowledge was the only one that congratulate me

ApplJax: Okay. Thank you. He said, he said, Nas was the only one that congratulated me, but I used to bump the Carter three, some, some, some, guess I Wayne down. Now, mind you, remember, J Cole's whole thing was only his favorite rapper, J Cole's favorite rapper is Nas. And he, and he was in Nas song, that Nas down song was essentially him rapping, where like he was trying to essentially impress Nas, and he was trying to get this congratulations. So

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Get that nausea down there Yeah.

ApplJax: I just thought it was crazy because essentially he was saying that like the person that my biggest fan that I wanted to congratulate me didn't congratulate me. Essentially it was your biggest fan that congratulated me. The person that you were the biggest fan congratulated me. So he said, I guess I let Wayne down, which was a double of saying, guess I let Nas down. And I just like, when I was listening to that, was like, did he just? he just dissed J Cole and Lil Wayne at the same time. It was it was kind of a little bit of a reach, but the way that he had put Nas in there and then said, I guess I let Wayne down. was like, no, that has to be not only a rebuttal to Wayne crying, but also has to be a rebuttal to like Ken or to J Cole of essentially saying, you you let Nas down, but Nas actually reached out to me and congratulated me. You know what mean? So I just man Kendrick Kendrick, you know, his blades are they chrome, they in all chrome.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ man, you guys think about it like that Yeah. Yeah

ApplJax: and they got your name written on it.

Trevor Augustus: my exactly listen man my my whole thing with Kendrick too is like and I think unfortunately and this is where I look at Drake sideways because I'm looking at Drake like bro you knew good will you know good will that Kendrick was not gonna say yes to being on that feature because Cole Cole maintains that like he didn't know all he knew is that the beat came to him

ApplJax: respect

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ Drake may have wanted to die on the record. Okay fine. But there's a reason that Kendrick said, hey did Cole foul? I don't know why you still pretended. Like you basically, this is my opinion, feel like Cole was basically roped into something that he didn't even ask for. I think Cole was just like, ⁓ we just rapping. ⁓ we just rapping, rapping. And then Kendrick was like, nah. This ain't no like, and I think Drake

ApplJax: Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: wanted everybody on the record to try to like do what he does and he basically almost whether it be on purpose or indirectly manipulated Cole into getting into this whole situation to then it makes Cole look funny as if he's picked a side already which is not the case I think Cole is like ⁓ we just rapping rapping but props to him for recognizing that ⁓ we not just rapping

ApplJax: Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: let me get out of here let me get out of yeah hey listen I know good will when when meet the grams drops bro I know that man listen it's like that hey it's the Homer Simpson meme when he goes back into the grass he's like this

ApplJax: Nah. Yeah. I thought we was having fun. Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: I know good will like when when meet the grams drop run I know that man man Cole he rolled over look at his phone and said glad it ain't me went back to right exactly this is Cole this is not for you

ApplJax: ⁓ He let me go hold my child real quick. ⁓ He said, I'll take it. Yeah, he said, yeah, nah, it was getting treacherous. the thing about it too is I do think that there will be a Cole and K Dot verses eventually. And I just think it's because a couple of things. Cole has done a lot of insinuating that K Dot has won. being influenced by algorithms and bots. ⁓ He's also talked about heavily of like just essentially the fallout and not even wanting to do it anyway. And so it kind of does make, you know, for certain fans, will look, it'll make Kendrick look a little crazy in some way. And also do think that like him and K-Dot just kind of throw little jabs at each other now. I think they just throw like little small little tiny jabs at each other. And I just think it really has ⁓ lot to do with just the simple fact that he start like, you know, think Cole was ready to get into it. And when he realized it wasn't just a lyrical exercise, you know, cause I do think that K. Dot and J. Cole will get into a lyrical exercise. You know what mean? You what I would love to see more of? Remember Jonah Lucas and Tory Lane's beats.

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ yeah!

ApplJax: And then they end up dropping songs together and it was fire. And so like that

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, because I remember at end of the song, Jonah was like, let's make a record,

ApplJax: Yeah, that's what saying. I think that's this is the thing. If you're trying to use hip hop as publicity to bring attention to your album rollout. then why not do it that way? Why are you trying to cause division within the community? It's because you will essentially have people that mess with that artist that won't mess with you anymore. And then it just starts to kind of just add this weirdness and whatever. ⁓ Like, you, I thought it was very, very stupid for all those artists to come after Drake. I don't care if you don't feel nice about him or you don't like him. You never made it on the billboard unless you were on a song with him. He is your prime revenue. I mean, don't bite the hand that feeds you, essentially. And a lot of those artists, we haven't really seen them do much since. We haven't seen a lot of these artists do much since. In fact, since the beef, we're being quite honest. Music has been very scarce, man. It's been very, very scarce. And it almost seems like sometimes beefs just really kind of ruin the continuity of the hip hop community. And you see less good music put out. You see a lot of music put out. I just don't see a lot of good music anymore from like the artists that we're used to as well. I know they got older, but dang man, they just become a really, really trash out of it.

Trevor Augustus: think it's just the music has changed. We've become overly saturated. I don't know if it's necessarily because of Drake. Drake, I mean, yeah, he knows how to make a hit, but he's not very gordy in the 70s and 80s. I think music will be fine if he's not on everybody's record. That's just me. Music is in a good place. You have to search for it now.

ApplJax: Yeah. Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: Like even when Drake was hot, you know what he was doing even years ago, streaming still wasn't as popular as it is now. So there's an over saturation in the market. There's so many songs. There's so many things that we have at the palm of our hand. Do I know?

ApplJax: Mm-hmm. You have a noise in the back that's pretty loud. You have a noise in the back that's pretty loud.

Trevor Augustus: I'll change it in post. I'm leaving post. Yeah, it's probably. Yeah, it might be our fan. Yeah, fan or something like that.

ApplJax: Okay. ⁓ is she sleeping? No, that's fine. If you could take the photos, cool. I can still hear you. I just want to let you know. But go ahead. My apology.

Trevor Augustus: okay yeah yeah like we we have like so much music right now at the palm of our hands the just like at one tap but you know i would the only artists i feel like that that would apply like what you are saying is like rick ross and i mean nobody's really checking for rick ross in 2026 let's just be honest the only artist that's that's just

ApplJax: And the weekend did stop music,

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, but I mean I feel like he was gonna stop that on he was gonna stop that regardless

ApplJax: Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: Like if you listen to that album, his last album, he was gonna stop doing music regardless, Drake or not. Who was? He was really good, yeah. He was.

ApplJax: That last album was actually really good. The Weeknd put out a really good album. It was really, really good album. And I'm a huge big fan of The Weeknd, so hearing that the first ever song start at the end of the very last song was amazing, full circle. But yeah, I kind of agree with you though. I there's not too many artists that really haven't done too much. I just feel like in the backgrounds, it really has ruined the continuity of just the community. Because I feel like we're not seeing a lot of...

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, but listen like like we

ApplJax: good collapse anymore. not seeing a lot of artists that used to really put out joint projects together really do that anymore. We're seeing a lot more member rights too.

Trevor Augustus: But I mean that was happening before the video.

ApplJax: Yeah. And that's why once for us, you know, that's why we really needed, sorry, dang, I just said the we were like five times. That's why we were really looking forward to really anticipating Drake's album for all the dogs is because we needed it. You know what mean? And then it was kind of very underwhelming until he put out Scary Hours 3 for all the dogs. And that was like, all right, Drake, that's what we really wanted. And it was and then he went on tour and it was KDOT that essentially

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: system on like that due to first person shooter that came from scary hours three. So until then, you know, we really were kind of sitting in this place where we're like, man, music kind of is kind of getting really boring and starting to die. So ⁓ I did want to talk about something really quickly before we get out based on music. Unless you had anything else to say about the J Cole thing.

Trevor Augustus: All right. ⁓ no, that was it.

ApplJax: ⁓ guys i've been duped I was fooled These ai bots got me

Trevor Augustus: ⁓ boy.

ApplJax: I was on Spotify and ⁓ I love, I'm notorious for doing this every Friday. go to new releases and I like to listen to some new artists. I can find a new artist that I really like to listen to because eventually, ⁓ not that I get tired of all the artists that I listen to now, I just want to be able to continue to add to my catalog and diversify the music I listen to instead of just listening to the same stuff. And so I was on new releases for R &B music and I found two artists that I actually thought were pretty interesting.

Trevor Augustus: Mm-hmm.

ApplJax: And they were really good. And I'm talking about I was excited when you just think of that moment when you find a like your favorite artist they listen to right now. Just think about the moment when you actually start listening to them, how essentially you're excited you are. You're like, dang, this is really good. This is really, really good. And you just start listening to their whole catalog. You're like, dang, yeah, man, I found a new artist. I'm gonna start looking at shows and seeing merch. Maybe I'll support them in the future if I can. And like, and then

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: You get so excited, you may send it to a friend or you send it to your loved one, the person you're dating or marrying and stuff. And that's exactly what I did. I sent it to my girlfriend. You're like, she liked it too. You know, like, man, we should go to a show together. We started talking about, I can't wait to introduce, you know, certain genres of music to our kids one day. that's exciting. That's how excited we are from finding a new artist. So we go to look them up, you know, and then this is what happens. What did I say earlier? When you, when you enjoy something and you constantly consume it, you then start to do your research. And in the background, could you start to gravitate towards that? And so I did my research. said, who is this person? I wanted to look it up on Instagram. I wanted to look it up on Google. I didn't want to see who was the actual, like the face of the actual artist, right? It was AI. I was listening to AI music. I was listening to artificial intelligent music, people that are putting Um, certain sounds and ideas into these functions that are spitting music out and I was disgusted. I felt betrayed. I actually, no, no, no, I was actually like, actually felt a genuine disgust over my body. was like, no way was I normally fooled in dupes, but I supported this for days. I sent it to my girlfriend and she was just as excited. And then I was just highly disappointed.

Trevor Augustus: Hit it.

ApplJax: And I remember looking up, was like, how can I eliminate AI artists from my Spotify list? And so I look it up and I see all these forms. Yeah, you can't. And so I see all these forms about people talking about it, about how they, you know, and then these certain pages up where these people, have certain lists and they're like, this is an updated list, it's editable if you want, you can add. So there's some pages that have like 500 artists that's listed. And these are all the AI artists that are on AI.

Trevor Augustus: can.

ApplJax: Or that are Spotify and other music stream apps. You can block them if you want to or something like that. So, and you really can't. But I just share that story not only to warn everyone, to let people know that when you are listening to someone, try to make sure you're not listening to a machine. ⁓ But you listen to a real someone that actually puts in real work.

Trevor Augustus: Thank you.

ApplJax: Someone actually is trying to share their life story, their actual real emotions with you so that you can enjoy it to get through your day, whatever you're trying to do. Like that's what music is all about, man. Like it's all about keeping each other up. It's a pick me up, man. It's trying to be relatable. There's nothing we have relatable to a machine or to a robot. We could not relate to them. And so try to do your best, man, not to be fooled like me. That's all right.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah.

ApplJax: Pissed me off. was, man, I was pissed. I was like, what? What?

Trevor Augustus: As much as think AI can be a great tool for certain things, but a tool is a tool that you use to get to a certain point. Because I use AI for certain things. But I would never even have ⁓ the inkling of a thought bubble to put my words into ⁓ a machine and type into a prompt.

ApplJax: Mm-hmm. Hehehe.

Trevor Augustus: and put something like that out on streaming. can't, like my integrity is too high.

ApplJax: You know what? It's not only the integrity, which is also as well, but I was going to say it's because two things. One, you actually have worth ethic, and two, you have skill. If you're someone that doesn't have worth ethic or skill, you're going to find a way to cheat in anything you do. these people are cheaters, man. They're not working hard to give you something that's genuine, something that you can relate and feel. They're just giving you something that you think that you can relate and feel to.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. You know, I'm glad you said that word cheaters because this is real quick we I've been For the for my gamers out there who play like games like NBA 2k Bro If I have to get on if I had to turn my PlayStation on and I'm playing 2k And I come to find out that you guys are you guys are cheating you guys are lag switching, but you like you have no life Please go get the job. Go touch grass. Go talk to woman, bro. Do something. Smell the coffee. I don't know. Bro, this is literally, for those who play this game, this is literally the easiest year for shooting that we've ever had in 2K. And I took a break from 2K for like 10 years. I just started playing like last 2K 25. got 26 now. Last game I had before that was like 2K 13.

ApplJax: Yeah, go do something, Yeah, man. Yeah. Yeah.

Trevor Augustus: bro the zens these controllers these zens that like you press a button and it don't matter how like good you are it's gonna register green like bro how like where did we go in gaming and i think it's more of a microcosm of how the world is and how and i hate to even talk about this generation like How they're so willing to take the easy way I remember back in the day, bro Remember like we used to get together and we would have to like look at the buttons on how to play and then like we would have to try to figure out like Okay, how do we do this? Like what button like we got a mic Yes

ApplJax: We didn't have to go through the little tutorial part. We had to go to the practice part and do all the little steps before we make a my player, before we play our first game. Yeah, we were trying to teach ourselves the game.

Trevor Augustus: Before we do all that. And before and but the thing is too like if you failed You just got back up and you did it again. So you got it, Nowadays nowadays you can just get on YouTube and and and and I saw the old man yelling the clouds now, but dude you You can literally bro. Just get on YouTube right now and go through a gameplay commentary or a gameplay walkthrough Yeah, and like you Yeah

ApplJax: Yeah. Yeah, that was my favorite thing to do. That was my favorite thing to do, That's how we knew if we wanted to game and stuff. Yeah, man.

Trevor Augustus: But now it's like I feel like it's Right and the thing is now people are using that to like get like bypass like how to like figure out how to get through a game Well, like what the wild girl gonna be a big you to figure that junk out You better figure it out Like bro you left you in if you don't know how to shoot but you better figure that junk out like what's the point like I was hmm

ApplJax: Yeah, we just have to figure it out. You just play. There was. Nah, I was gonna say there was a point where like when we were watching gameplay, if we didn't get to that point in the game, we shut the gameplay off. We're like, I'm not trying to watch the- like I'm not trying to spoil it. I spent $60 on my game. I'm trying to play it. I'm not trying to see somebody else play it for me. Like what?

Trevor Augustus: Thank you! Right, thank you, what the heck is that? Like, come on, like, on bro, like, wait, wait.

ApplJax: Now the games are $70. Now the games are $69. Like $69.99 so it's coming out to like $74 something, $76 something, you know what mean? Like these games are expensive. Some of these premium deluxe editions are now $100 bro. Like I'm trying to play my game. I'm not trying to see someone else play the game and use it to cheat.

Trevor Augustus: Bro Bro, they don't even have the subscriptions anymore. I remember even with PlayStation, you pay $60 for the entire year. Now it's like $80, $90. And they have tiers. have a... Yeah. And they have, what is it? The Essential, which is what I pay for. Because it's only $10 a month. But now they have a premium. Then they have an extra premium. And then they have some level above that. I'm like... Bro.

ApplJax: Yes. I think it's 120.

Trevor Augustus: You used to be able to pay one flat rate. One flat rate. Yeah.

ApplJax: You should be one package. It was one package. You got all of that stuff for $59.99 for 12 months. It's ridiculous.

Trevor Augustus: now they separated and you know and like this and that's how like everything is now in life everything is a freaking subscription i gotta subscribe and i gotta pay like ⁓ a flat rate every month just man i can go all day talking about it anyway we need to get out here

ApplJax: Yeah, it's ridiculous because yeah, we could talk about this all day and it's just it's really ridiculous out there. man, it's story, you know, just my little story time, the point of the story, man, make sure you're doing a proper research and due diligence and don't get duped out here by AI. And it's not just music. It's in any it's in any field, man. It's in social media. Make sure you don't believe what you're watching on these videos these days. ⁓ Just kind of be

Trevor Augustus: Yeah, please don't.

ApplJax: You know, protect yourself, man. And do research, do proper research. You want to scroll on your phone all day, scroll on the right stuff and inform yourself of the certain things. SkinScare is very, very, um, once again, like you said, very, very useful tool. There's AI to help you create apps for businesses, AI to help you create web pages, AI to help us edit this video that people are going to see. There's, there's all different types of things that we can use it for. But, um, when you have people that are using it to shortcut their way of success to.

Trevor Augustus: AI is getting scary so...

ApplJax: to earn their way to the same salary that you work so hard for every day to earn. That's when we kind of have to, as a community, make sure that we're protecting ourselves, we're constantly warning ourselves about the dangers out there. Crazy.

Trevor Augustus: Yeah. Yep. Well ladies and gentlemen that's our show guys. It's been a fun one man. Like I said we didn't go for too long but we're in about an hour so we just wanted to get this episode out for you guys so we'll be here in a minute man. ⁓ My name is Trevor Augustus and I'm a partner in crime to the left is Angus A.J. Johnson man that is another one in the books we are out peace y'all.

ApplJax: Peace.

Trevor Augustus: Man, that was fun.