Fadeaways, Fastballs & World Cup Fallout with Daren Briare | FEOTB Ep. 283

The World Cup is over, and I am not handling it well.

For more than a month, there was always a game on. I could wake up, turn on the television and watch countries that may not even agree on where their borders are try to kick each other into international embarrassment.

Now it is gone.

Suddenly, I am expected to go back to normal life, watch old episodes of Batman Beyond and pretend a random Tuesday afternoon does not feel completely empty.

Luckily, the rest of the sports world has stepped up to fill the void.

The NBA offseason has gone completely off the rails. LeBron James has the entire league waiting for him to finish golfing and make another decision. The Raiders finally drafted a quarterback worth talking about. The AFC West is already producing disrespect and delusion months before the season begins. The MLB trade deadline is approaching, and the Colorado Rockies finally developed a good player just in time for everyone to argue about trading him.

For Episode 283, Daren Briare of Fatboy Fadeaway Sports and 7th Inning Stretch returned to the far end of the bench to help Niko and me sort through all of it.

This was Daren’s first appearance since we joined All Gloves Off Sports Media, and we welcomed him to the new era by immediately attacking his Raiders, his Warriors and his continued emotional attachment to professional teams that abandoned Oakland.

That is friendship.

This is the Mile High Sports Madness.

Spain Won the World Cup by Making Argentina Look Powerless

Spain beat Argentina 1–0 in the World Cup final.

That score makes it sound like Argentina was one lucky bounce away from winning.

It was not.

Argentina spent almost the entire match looking like someone had forgotten to tell them which direction the goal was located. Spain controlled the ball, controlled the midfield, controlled the pace and controlled every ounce of hope Argentina thought it had.

Argentina did not record its first shot on target until the 119th minute.

The game was practically over before Argentina finally forced Spain’s goalkeeper to remember he was participating.

Daren compared Spain’s performance to the old Baltimore Ravens defenses, and that was perfect. Spain did not need to score four goals. It did not need constant highlights. It simply removed every option Argentina had until frustration took over.

Messi could not find room.

Julián Álvarez disappeared.

Lautaro Martínez did not change anything.

Argentina’s midfield could not breathe.

Spain did not survive the final.

Spain suffocated it.

For people who only enjoy soccer when someone scores every four minutes, this probably felt boring. For everyone else, it was a tactical beating disguised as a one-goal game.

Spain’s Defense Was Almost Unfair

Spain allowed one goal during the entire tournament.

One.

That is not a typo. That is not a stat from a three-game youth tournament where one team brought 14-year-olds to play against fourth graders.

This was the World Cup.

Spain went through an entire international tournament and allowed fewer goals than some NFL defenses allow touchdowns during one bad Sunday.

Unai Simón was outstanding, even if he occasionally looked like he could have brought a lawn chair and started picking dandelions. His defense rarely allowed opponents to create anything dangerous, but when Spain needed him, he was dependable.

That matters.

Goalkeeping is not only about dramatic saves. It is also communication, positioning and making sure the chaos never reaches your doorstep.

Spain’s midfield deserves just as much credit. Rodri and the players around him turned the center of the field into private property. Opponents could visit, but they were not staying long.

The most frightening part is that Spain did not need its biggest attacking stars to dominate every match.

Lamine Yamal was not carrying the entire offense.

Spain did not depend on one person to rescue it.

The system worked even when the stars were quiet.

That is how you build something sustainable.

Argentina built around one legend and hoped he could perform another miracle.

Spain built a machine.

The machine won.

Argentina Became Impossible to Root For

I entered the World Cup without fully understanding how much I was apparently supposed to hate Argentina.

Niko did not prepare me enough.

I understood the Messi part. Messi is humble, brilliant and far more likable than the other guy people constantly place beside him in the GOAT debate.

What I did not understand was that Argentina would spend the final behaving like an international version of the old Raiders.

Spain controlled the match, and Argentina responded by losing its mind.

The tackles became later.

The confrontations became more frequent.

The players looked more interested in starting a fight than creating a scoring opportunity.

Leandro Paredes appeared to be auditioning for a UFC preliminary card instead of playing in a World Cup final.

There is physical soccer, and then there is whatever Argentina started doing once it realized Spain was not going to give the ball back.

Even Daren, who proudly supports the Raiders and therefore has a higher tolerance for questionable sportsmanship than the average person, admitted it became difficult to defend.

That tells you everything.

Does Argentina’s Behavior Hurt Messi’s Legacy?

This was one of the most interesting questions of the episode.

Messi’s accomplishments are secure. He has won everything there is to win, played at a level almost nobody has ever reached and carried Argentina farther than it deserved to go in this tournament.

His legacy is not suddenly disappearing because his teammates behaved like they had been told yellow cards were collectible souvenirs.

Still, Messi is the leader of the team.

He is also the face of the country’s soccer identity.

When Argentina turns its back during Spain’s trophy celebration, loses its composure and behaves like the final whistle personally offended its ancestors, Messi is not completely separated from that image.

That does not make him responsible for every bad tackle.

It does make the moment part of the final chapter of his international career.

Niko entered the match wearing a Messi jersey and ended it rooting for Spain.

I had no emotional attachment to Spain outside of the fact that it shares the Mediterranean with Italy, and by the end I was ready to start singing Spanish songs I did not know the words to.

Argentina accomplished that.

Messi is still the greatest.

His teammates still made the final difficult to watch.

Both things can be true.

Argentina Asked Too Much From an Aging Messi

Argentina’s offensive strategy seemed to be:

Stay close and wait for Messi to save us.

That plan worked better when Messi was younger and could create something out of nothing for 90 minutes.

He is still brilliant.

He is also human.

Argentina needed Álvarez, Martínez and the midfield to provide help. Instead, Messi spent most of the afternoon surrounded by Spanish shirts with nobody creating enough pressure elsewhere to open the field.

Spain did not simply defend Messi.

Spain removed every reason to defend anyone else.

That allowed them to squeeze the field until Argentina had nowhere to go.

Messi did not fail Argentina.

Argentina failed to give Messi enough help.

The North American World Cup Was a Massive Success

Once we moved beyond the final itself, we graded the entire tournament.

I gave it a 96.

Niko gave it an A-plus.

Daren was impressed by the atmosphere, organization and way North America embraced the world’s biggest sporting event.

This World Cup mattered beyond the final score.

For more than a month, soccer took over the middle of the American day. Offices had games playing. Restaurants filled during lunch. People who normally only watch football when helmets are involved started debating substitutions and defensive formations.

Kids watched Messi, Mbappé, Spain and the United States and will now try copying them at recess.

Physical education teachers are going to spend the beginning of the school year hearing students demand soccer units.

Somewhere, a seventh grader is going to slide into a classmate like Paredes, and a teacher is going to have to explain that Argentina is not the instructional video.

The tournament also allowed international visitors to experience the best parts of American culture:

Air conditioning.

Ice in water.

Ranch dressing.

And fountain drinks large enough to hydrate a small village.

You are welcome, world.

The USMNT Earned a Good Grade—But Not a Perfect One

The United States gave us a tournament worth caring about.

That should not be dismissed.

The team competed, advanced and created real excitement. It also left us wondering what one more victory would have meant.

That is the difference between a good tournament and a historic one.

The USMNT proved it belongs in the conversation.

The next challenge is proving it can consistently win once the tournament reaches the stage where every opponent is dangerous.

I compared the United States to the student who did not read the book, ignored the study guide, skipped the homework and somehow walked into the test and scored a 96.

You are proud.

You are also confused.

The performance raised expectations, which is exactly what progress is supposed to do.

Giannis in Miami Has Changed the Eastern Conference

Once we finished talking soccer, the NBA offseason entered the room like a drunk uncle who had been waiting outside for permission to start yelling.

Giannis Antetokounmpo is now in Miami.

That is not a small move.

That is the kind of transaction that changes how every team in the Eastern Conference views its season.

Miami already had one of the best coaches in basketball. It already had a culture built around conditioning, defense and making every playoff series as uncomfortable as humanly possible.

Now it has Giannis.

When healthy, Giannis remains one of the five best players in the world. He attacks the rim like it personally owes him money, protects the paint and forces opponents to redesign their entire defense.

The Heat did not simply improve.

They became terrifying again.

Boston broke apart part of its championship roster. Philadelphia made major changes. Cleveland still has to prove it can survive the postseason. Detroit and Orlando have talent but have not shown they are ready to win four rounds.

Miami added a former MVP who can control games without making a jump shot.

The rest of the East has a problem.

The Entire NBA Is Waiting for LeBron

LeBron James is a free agent, and the entire league is apparently required to stop functioning until he decides where he wants to play.

Players are unsigned.

Rosters are unfinished.

Front offices are waiting.

Adam Silver is talking about it.

LeBron is somewhere playing golf.

At some point, someone needs to take the club away from him and point toward a contract.

The main destinations are Miami, Philadelphia and Golden State.

Cleveland is the emotional choice.

Each option tells a different story.

Miami: The Ring-Chasing Choice

Miami would give LeBron familiarity, warm weather and an opportunity to play beside Giannis.

He knows the organization. He already won there. He would not need to carry the team every night.

If his goal is one more championship, Miami may be the cleanest answer.

It would also be strange watching him return to the place where he made the first decision after forcing everyone to sit through another decision.

LeBron loves a sequel.

Philadelphia: The Big-City Legacy Choice

Philadelphia may make the most basketball sense.

The 76ers offer talent, a passionate fanbase and a city that would immediately treat LeBron like either a savior or a public enemy depending on whether he missed his first three shots.

There is no middle ground in Philadelphia.

A championship there would add something new to his legacy. He would not simply be joining Curry’s team or returning to Miami.

He would be trying to deliver another major city its long-awaited title.

Golden State: The Entertainment Choice

LeBron and Stephen Curry playing together would be incredible television.

I do not care if they are older.

I do not care if the roster still has holes.

LeBron, Curry and Draymond Green sharing a court would guarantee that people watch.

Daren admitted he would enjoy it because Warriors basketball would immediately become interesting again.

He also admitted it probably would not be enough to win a championship.

That is the problem.

Golden State would need more than the greatest senior-citizen superteam ever assembled.

It would need health, depth and at least one more major move.

Cleveland: The Storybook Choice

Cleveland would complete the circle.

It would also be the hardest place to win.

If LeBron wants his final chapter to be emotional, he goes home.

If he wants another championship, he probably looks elsewhere.

LeBron’s Next Championship Would Belong to Someone Else

This is the uncomfortable truth surrounding every LeBron destination.

If he wins in Golden State, it is still Curry’s title.

If he wins in Miami, Giannis is probably the best player.

If he somehow comes to Denver, it is still Jokić’s team.

If he joins San Antonio, the future belongs to Victor Wembanyama.

LeBron can still contribute to a championship team.

He may no longer be able to own the championship in the way he once did.

That is not disrespect.

That is what happens when a player survives long enough to become a legend while still trying to compete with the next generation.

Did the Nuggets Waste an Opportunity?

The NBA discussion eventually came back to Denver because every basketball discussion eventually comes back to Nikola Jokić.

The Nuggets have the best player in basketball.

That means there is no excuse for wasting seasons.

There was a real argument for making an aggressive move for Jaylen Brown. It would have required sacrificing someone important, possibly Jamal Murray or Aaron Gordon, but that is the kind of uncomfortable decision championship teams eventually face.

Fans become attached to the players who brought them a title.

Front offices have to remain attached to winning the next one.

I am not saying Denver should recklessly destroy its core.

I am saying every move has to be judged through one question:

Does this maximize the years we still have with Nikola Jokić at his peak?

Standing still is still a decision.

Sometimes it is the wrong one.

Fernando Mendoza Gives the Raiders Something Rare: Hope

Daren has been a Raiders fan long enough to recognize false hope.

He was not predicting a division title.

He was not guaranteeing eight wins.

He was not doing the annual fan thing where one good training-camp video becomes evidence that a team is going to the Super Bowl.

He simply admitted the Raiders have hope.

Fernando Mendoza was the No. 1 overall pick after winning the Heisman Trophy, a national championship and completing a perfect season at Indiana.

His rise reminds me of Joe Burrow.

Both entered their final college seasons with questions. Both responded by becoming impossible to ignore.

The Raiders have spent years drafting players at almost every position without finding the quarterback who changes how opponents view them.

Mendoza might finally be that guy.

He will not fix the offensive line by himself.

He cannot create another receiver out of thin air.

He does not automatically close the gap with Denver and Kansas City.

He gives the franchise a direction.

For the Raiders, that counts as progress.

Starting Kirk Cousins Would Be a Waste of Time

The Raiders may open the season with Kirk Cousins at quarterback.

That is wonderful news for Broncos fans.

It is terrible news for Mendoza.

What does starting Cousins for five games accomplish?

Does he turn Las Vegas into a contender?

No.

Does he represent the future?

No.

Does he help the Raiders lose enough games to draft another top player?

Absolutely.

If that is the goal, start Cousins all year. Put him behind that offensive line and let nature take its course.

If the goal is to develop Mendoza, give him the offense immediately.

Let him play at Mile High.

Let him experience Arrowhead.

Let him learn how quickly NFL windows close.

Bo Nix benefited from playing immediately. The mistakes became lessons instead of delayed problems.

Mendoza has Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. He has enough talent around him to begin developing.

Take off the training wheels.

The Raiders are probably not winning the division anyway.

At least learn something useful.

Three AFC West Predictions, Three Different Levels of Delusion

The national projections placed Kansas City and Los Angeles at the top of the division, Denver third and Las Vegas fourth.

Naturally, none of us agreed.

Daren’s AFC West Prediction

1. Los Angeles Chargers
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Denver Broncos
4. Las Vegas Raiders

Niko’s AFC West Prediction

1. Denver Broncos
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Las Vegas Raiders
4. Los Angeles Chargers

Jimmy’s AFC West Prediction

1. Denver Broncos
2. Kansas City Chiefs
3. Los Angeles Chargers
4. Las Vegas Raiders

Daren believes this could finally be the Chargers’ year.

People have said that sentence every summer since electricity was invented.

The Chargers are always one healthy offensive line, one improved defense and one emotionally stable fourth quarter away from becoming champions.

They are the official team of the word if.

If Rashawn Slater stays healthy.

If Joe Alt stays healthy.

If Justin Herbert gets protection.

If the defense performs.

If the organization does not suddenly transform into a shopping cart with one broken wheel.

Niko put the Chargers last because he is tired of building predictions around hypotheticals.

I put Denver first because the Broncos already proved something.

They won the division.

Bo Nix has played meaningful football.

The defense is legitimate.

Kansas City still has Patrick Mahomes, so anyone confidently placing the Chiefs outside the top two is either brave or in need of medical attention.

The AFC West finally has several teams worth discussing.

Even the Raiders have something resembling a plan.

That may be the biggest surprise of all.

Daren Is All In on Milwaukee

When we reached baseball, Daren made his position clear.

He believes in the Brewers.

Milwaukee has pitching, bullpen depth and the kind of organizational competence Rockies fans should study like an ancient lost civilization.

The Brewers do not need to dominate every headline.

They simply keep winning.

I still have trouble picking against the Dodgers.

Los Angeles has enough talent to survive injuries, cold stretches and whatever random disaster would destroy a normal team.

Philadelphia belongs in the conversation too.

Milwaukee may be the team I want to believe in.

The Dodgers remain the team I expect to see at the end.

Coors Field Is Baseball’s Best Ballpark and a Pitcher’s Worst Nightmare

Coors Field is beautiful.

It is also where pitching statistics go to die.

A routine mistake in another city becomes a home run in Denver. Breaking pitches move differently. Fly balls carry. Pitchers have to alter the way they attack hitters, and every number they produce is immediately placed beside the phrase “but he pitches at Coors.”

Why would an elite pitcher voluntarily choose that?

The Rockies cannot build a pitching staff the same way other franchises do.

They need pitchers suited for altitude. They need ground-ball specialists, smart pitch sequencing and players mentally prepared to give up a home run without emotionally collapsing.

They also need to score constantly.

Coors Field should be a home-field advantage.

Too often, it becomes a tourist attraction filled with visiting fans who are excited to watch their team score 12 runs.

The stadium is still one of the best places to watch baseball.

The organization playing inside it remains the problem.

The Rockies Finally Developed a Star—So Naturally We Want to Trade Him

Hunter Goodman hit three home runs in one game and reached 30 home runs for the season.

He became the first Rockies player to hit 30 since 2018.

For one brief moment, Colorado baseball had something purely enjoyable.

Then Niko and Daren decided we should trade him.

This is what being a Rockies fan has become.

The organization finally grows a flower, and everyone immediately starts debating whether we should dig it up before winter kills it.

The Logical Argument: Trade Hunter Goodman

Niko and Daren are not saying Goodman is bad.

They are saying the Rockies are bad.

That distinction matters.

Goodman is entering his prime. Colorado does not appear close to competing. If the Rockies hold him through several more losing seasons, they risk repeating the same story they have already written with nearly every talented player in franchise history.

Develop him.

Fail to build around him.

Wait too long.

Receive less value later.

Watch him succeed somewhere else.

If Goodman can bring back multiple prospects who fit the next competitive window, trading him may be the smartest baseball decision.

That sentence makes me want to throw something.

It may still be true.

My Argument: Keep the One Good Thing We Have

I understand the logic.

I reject the emotional surrender.

Hunter Goodman is the first Rockies player in years who has made fans genuinely care.

He is hitting home runs.

He is selling jerseys.

He is giving people a reason to turn on games involving a team that may still lose more than 100 times.

At some point, an organization has to keep somebody.

A rebuild cannot become a permanent excuse to trade every talented player the moment he becomes valuable.

Eventually, the Rockies have to identify a player and say:

This is one of the people we are building around.

Goodman may never play in a meaningful postseason game in Colorado.

That is not his failure.

It is the organization’s responsibility to change that.

If the Rockies have a real plan, extend him.

If they have no plan, trade him now and admit exactly what this franchise is.

What they cannot do is keep drifting until Goodman reaches free agency and leaves for almost nothing.

That would be the most Rockies outcome possible.

VS: The Moments That Made Us Sports Fans

This week’s VS segment was personal.

We were not trying to select the five greatest moments in sports history.

We selected the moments that mattered most to us.

That is an important difference.

A moment does not have to change sports history to change your life.

Sometimes it is a championship.

Sometimes it is a kick.

Sometimes it is a draft pick during a Taco Bell commercial.

Sometimes it is helping clear an opposing sideline in Las Vegas.

Sports are weird.

That is why we love them.

My Top Five Sports Moments

5. Niko, Gabe and I Clear a Sideline in Las Vegas

Was this a nationally televised event?

No.

Should we be proud of everything that happened?

Also no.

Do I remember it more clearly than some professional championship games?

Absolutely.

We were playing in a youth football tournament in Las Vegas when things escalated on the opposing sideline. Niko got caught in the middle of it, Gabe and I went over, and somehow the three of us made it back across the field.

Years later, Niko can admit that he helped create the problem.

He was chirping.

He was pushing.

Most importantly, he was doing it on their sideline.

That was the strategic error.

Still, whether Niko was right or wrong, I was getting him out of there.

That is why it made the list.

4. Nazem Kadri’s Hat Trick Against St. Louis

Kadri entered that game after receiving racist abuse and threats following the previous matchup.

He answered with three goals.

That was not just a great playoff performance.

That was a player refusing to be intimidated during a Stanley Cup run.

Colorado fans will remember the goals.

The context is what made them matter.

3. The Kick Six

There are plays you recognize immediately from two words.

The Kick Six is one of them.

Alabama missed the field goal. Auburn returned it. The stadium detonated, and one of the greatest calls in college football history became part of the moment.

I have watched it countless times.

I still do not understand how Alabama failed to cover the return.

2. Evan McPherson Sends Cincinnati to the Super Bowl

The Bengals had never reached the Super Bowl during my lifetime.

Then McPherson walked into Arrowhead and ended the wait.

I remember the kick.

I remember the celebration.

I remember the feeling that something I had only watched other fanbases experience had finally happened to us.

It may be the only Bengals Super Bowl appearance I ever experience.

I probably should not say that out loud.

1. Matt Holliday Slides Into Home

Rocktober begins here.

Did Holliday touch the plate?

It no longer matters.

The umpire said safe.

Coors Field exploded.

The Rockies entered the postseason, and Colorado experienced the greatest run in franchise history.

That moment is not simply my favorite Rockies memory.

It is the moment that explains why so many of us remain emotionally attached to this team despite everything it has done to us since.

Daren’s Top Five Sports Moments

5. Scott Hatteberg Completes Oakland’s 20-Game Winning Streak

People know the scene from Moneyball.

Daren remembers the actual team.

He watched those Athletics constantly. The streak represented an era when Oakland baseball was central to his sports life.

That makes the moment bigger than the movie.

4. The Music City Miracle

One return changed a playoff game and created an argument that has lasted for decades.

Forward pass or lateral?

Titans fans already know the answer they want.

3. Vince Young’s Fourth-Down Touchdown

Fourth-and-five.

National championship on the line.

Young kept the ball and ran into history.

The 2006 Rose Bowl remains one of the greatest college football games ever played, and that touchdown was the perfect ending.

2. David Tyree’s Helmet Catch

The catch ruined New England’s pursuit of perfection and changed the Super Bowl.

Tyree pinned the ball against his helmet while being dragged to the ground.

Nothing about it should have worked.

That is why it remains unforgettable.

1. Klay Thompson’s 11 Three-Pointers in Game 6

Game 6 Klay became a basketball character.

Golden State appeared finished against Oklahoma City until Thompson began launching shots from places normal humans should not attempt them.

The Warriors survived.

The Thunder never recovered.

Niko’s Top Five Sports Moments

5. Nikola Jokić Is Drafted During a Taco Bell Commercial

The greatest player in Nuggets history entered the NBA while viewers watched a fast-food commercial.

That is perfect.

Jokić went from an ignored second-round pick to the greatest player the franchise has ever had.

The Taco Bell commercial is now part of Denver sports history.

4. Peyton Manning Chooses Denver

One of the greatest quarterbacks ever chose the Broncos.

Not Tennessee.

Not San Francisco.

Denver.

The signing immediately changed the expectations surrounding the organization and produced one of the greatest offenses football has ever seen.

3. The United States Wins Olympic Hockey Gold

A golden goal created an instant American sports memory and added another chapter to the country’s Olympic hockey history.

2. The Broncos Win Super Bowl 50

Von Miller attacked Cam Newton.

Denver’s defense controlled the game.

Peyton Manning left football as a champion.

For Broncos fans, it was the perfect ending to an era.

1. The Nuggets Win the 2023 NBA Championship

Niko’s memory was Michael Porter Jr. hitting the corner three and realizing the confetti was about to fall.

The Nuggets had spent decades searching for that moment.

Then it happened.

Denver was an NBA champion.

The chase was over.

Daren’s Player and Benchwarmer of the Week

Player of the Week: Josh Kerr

Josh Kerr ran a 3:42 mile and broke a world record that had stood since 1999.

I do not enjoy driving a mile in 3:42.

Running it should not be possible.

Daren has completed distance races and still could not understand the speed required to accomplish it.

Josh Kerr made history.

That is an easy Player of the Week.

Benchwarmer of the Week: LeBron James

Daren’s issue was not LeBron’s talent.

It was the drama.

The NBA cannot finish its offseason because everybody is waiting for LeBron to make another decision.

Rich Paul is talking.

The commissioner is talking.

Teams are waiting.

Fans are guessing.

LeBron is taking his time.

We have watched this movie before.

Make the decision.

Niko’s Player and Benchwarmer of the Week

Player of the Week: Unai Simón

Spain allowed one goal during the entire World Cup.

Simón may not have faced constant pressure, but he led the defense, remained reliable and handled the opportunities opponents created.

You do not apologize for a quiet afternoon when the reason it was quiet is that your team controlled everything.

One goal allowed.

World champion.

Player of the Week.

Benchwarmer of the Week: Ibrahima Konaté

Konaté left Liverpool looking for something bigger and spent most of the tournament watching from the bench.

Then he finally played in the third-place match and helped allow three goals in the first half.

That is not the statement performance he wanted.

Niko has been a Liverpool fan for approximately three weeks, which made the betrayal even more painful.

My Player and Benchwarmer of the Week

Player of the Week: Hunter Goodman

Three home runs in one game.

Thirty home runs on the season.

The first Rockies player to reach 30 since 2018.

Colorado baseball has not produced many reasons to feel good lately.

Goodman gave us one.

Whether he remains a Rockie or eventually becomes another star wearing a Yankees or Dodgers uniform, he deserves recognition for what he is doing right now.

I may have to buy the jersey before the Rockies find a way to ruin this.

Benchwarmer of the Week: Leandro Paredes

Paredes represented everything wrong with Argentina’s response to losing.

Instead of helping his team find an equalizer, he helped turn the end of the final into a fight.

That is not passion.

That is not toughness.

That is losing without dignity.

Hit up Dana White.

Call Jake Paul.

Find an influencer boxing card.

Just stop pretending that behavior belongs in a World Cup final.

Final Verdict

Episode 283 covered almost everything.

Spain proved that discipline and structure can dominate a tournament.

Argentina proved that having the greatest player alive does not automatically make you likable.

Giannis changed the Eastern Conference.

LeBron put the entire NBA offseason on pause.

Fernando Mendoza gave Raiders fans the dangerous emotion known as hope.

The AFC West produced three completely different predictions.

Hunter Goodman forced Rockies fans to decide whether they would rather keep the first exciting player they have had in years or trade him before the organization wastes his prime.

Then we finished with the moments that explain why we keep coming back.

The lists were different.

The memories were different.

The impact was the same.

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Should the Rockies trade Hunter Goodman?

Where should LeBron go?

Should the Raiders start Fernando Mendoza immediately?

And what sports moment would be No. 1 on your list?

If you do not stay down and you never quit, come sit on The Far End of the Bench.