47 Comments
Mar 2Liked by Spike Eskin

Great work on the move to substack. As someone who abhors social media i feel this opens up the community even more. Loving the AMA with everyone involved - the light from the ricky star certainly suits you all!

Thoughts on Kate's name for Ricky Council IV - C4? Personally i like it, after losing "the beard" and the "minibus" we need a partner for bball

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Mar 2Liked by Spike Eskin

It's got its charms but it's a little bit of a two-stepper as far as nicknames go.

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He calls himself C4.

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Think it's a pretty good one actually, but I like his name so much I don't want to not say it.

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Also thanks for the kind words!

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Spike, do you only host shows with people whose names rhyme with yours? Hosting the podcast with Mike and now WIP afternoons with Ike.

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Actually, yes.

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So what exactly is the plan next year when Paul George resigns with the Clippers. Embiid and Maxey are a great duo but it feels like we'll basically need the 2014 Spurs bench if they can't get a 3rd star?

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One thing I've learned over the years is just when you think nobody is available, someone becomes available. I don't know what this answer is but I know the answer is not just "resign Tobias on a better contract."

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I just wanted to say "thank you" to AU.

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For anything in particular?

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Just for simply existing.

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Asked this a week or so ago but don’t think it’s been answered yet on the pod: do you guys think that Maxey will start to get more calls now that he’s played in the All-Star game? He drives to the basket so much and I still feel like he generally does not get the calls he deserves. Contrary to what this may perceive, I am notoriously “not a ref guy” and think complaining about calls is useless, but I do feel that Maxey has been slighted a bit for much of his career and have been wondering when/if that will ever change. Doesn’t really seem like it in the most recent games (sent post hornets win)

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He's averaging 5.7 FT per game, and Jalen Brunson is averaging 6.4. Donovan Mitchell is 6.1. Fox is 6.4. The only guys far ahead of him are Dame and Trae. I actually don't think this will change all that much.

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I don't think it's so much rep-based as it is he's a little too small and a little too slithery to get the calls naturally I think -- he's gonna have to look to really initiate/absorb contact more (which he has gotten better at this season, though he's doing it maybe a little less since Embiid's been out) if he wants to be a volume FT guy a la Damian Lillard or Trae Young.

Part of me hopes he doesn't really do it though coz I sorta hate watching those guys for that reason and I want our Tyrese to stay pure and perfect. But maybe a little more would be OK.

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Do you think Morey will strike out on every off-season free agent and split up the money for a third max between Tobias, Melton, and Heild? Cause I do.

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I think there is no chance Harris will be back.

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How much preparation time goes into a pod on average? And Spike do you improvise the ad reads or like work on finding a new slant every time in advance (genuinely impressive, I feel it would be hard to completely improvise)?

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Aside from the normal watching the games, reading stuff, etc... I spend usually about an hour or 90 minutes reading the email and editing the voicemail, then going through stories and ideas for the rundown. Maybe 2 hours per pod?

As for the ad reads, we've had the same sponsors for so long, I know the important stuff by heart, and I sort of improvise the rest, unless I have a particularly insightful story.

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When the Sixers finally win a championship, will it be closer to the Eagles (a city wide celebration and holiday) or Villanova’s (4 blocks along Market Street during lunch hour)? Also, will the poles be greased for it?

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Basketball is a quick ramp up and ramp down, so while the Sixers are nowhere near as popular as the Eagles overall, I think them winning would be something that would be very big in the city. So closer to the Eagles.

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if the sixers starting lineup was all going to warped tour what band would they be most excited to see

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Gym Class Heroes

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Paramore

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What is the correct way to wipe? Sitting or standing?

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Only sitting.

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What would be your ideal realistic starting line up for next season around Maxey and Embiid?

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I'd be happy with keeping Melton and Batum in there (assuming both still have operational bodies) and plugging in one of the ex-Toronto guys (Siakam or Anunoby) for Tobias in the final spot. Or Mikal Bridges of course, if getting him ends up being anywhere near "realistic."

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Gonna need a plan B I think.

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Any chance they keep the first round pick this year?

Regardless the recent skid has definitely boosted it’s value

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Mar 1Liked by Spike Eskin

Could they keep it through the draft? Possibly.

Would that player still be on the roster by the next summer? Pretty unlikely.

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Reactionary to the Celtics game, but do you think Maxey can make an all defensive team at some time in his career?

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He's getting better at defense but a very definitive no from me. The whole goal with almost any player Maxey's height and under is just to get them to the passable range on defense so they're not switch hunted in every playoff game.

Entire list of active players 6'3" and under who have ever made an all defense team -- Derrick White, Victor Oladipo, Mike Conley, Chris Paul. Love Maxey, but he doesn't defend like those guys at their peak.

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This team looks a lot worse without Embiid than the 2018 and 2019 Sixers squads that did pretty well when he was out for long stretches. So why is there any hope they do better than those teams when he returns?

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I think the point is that we all know they can't win without him anyway. The goal isn't to create the team that is pretty good when he's gone, but that is great when he's there. And all complaints aside, all evidence we have this year is they are great when he plays.

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How will the podcast end? Will it end if the Sixers win a championship? When Joel retires? After losing to Doc in the playoffs? Only with the death of Spike and/or Mike? Or is it just the sort of project that will end when it feels done?

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We have talked about this in general terms but never specifically. I would say the last thing you said feels right to me. When we feel like it's done. I don't want to speak for Mike officially but I think it's fair to say we both enjoy it very much, the community around it and our team. When that isn't true anymore I'd like to think we'd stop.

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How do you feel about the Sixers as a play-in team? I’m kinda rooting for it. If we lose, what’s the difference between that and a 2nd round exit? But a win in an elimination game will bring good vibes.

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Probably not the worst thing and the way they are trending now it’s almost a mortal lock. If they’re in that position and Embiid does indeed come back before season end I’d be hard pressed not to like them in any one and done.

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I'd say the difference between that and a 2nd round exit is that the Sixers would likely have to lose twice to get eliminated in the play-in, and thus, would have be eliminated by either the Bulls or the Hawks, both of which would feel terrible. More importantly, they just need to stay out of the 8 seed. Even without the recent history, the Celtics have kind of looked like an unstoppable juggernaut this year. The chances of the Sixers pulling an upset as a 6 or 7 seed against the Knicks or Bucks are far greater than their chance of stunning the Celtics as an 8 seed.

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The Celtics look like a juggernaut every year!

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I'd take this version of their team vs all their past teams since 2017. I underestimated in the offseason how much Porzingis and the way he plays would amplify everyone else on their team. Only way I see them losing in the East is if he gets hurt and/or Jaylen Brown has another catastrophically bad series vs the Heat (which could both very well happen!).

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