Beef Brothers (Mahorn and Ruland) - 2023 Playoffs,

Welcome to episode four of Beef Brothers. This video will be on YouTube and in podcast format on your listening app of choice. Let's say good day to the iconic duo of 1989 NBA champion and 18 year veteran Rick Mahorn and 1982 or rookie first teamer and two time NBA all star Jeff Ruland. How are we this evening guys? Good Adam, good, thank you. Our episodes begin

with a brief discussion of today's NBA. We'll cover the latest news and hear Ricks and Jeff's opinions. Then we'll turn back the clock as I reminisce about their lives in basketball. Today we'll discuss Jeff's and Rick's interests away from the basketball court and finish with a few listener submitted questions and comments. As you record this, it's the evening of April 13th in the USA. The NBA

play in tournament concludes tomorrow. Before we get there, just a quick recap of the regular season. Milwaukee led the NBA with the best record at 58 and 24 whilst Denver was the best out West at 50. 53 and 29. Our regular season league leaders just for context. Joe L. M. Bede, 33.1 points a game. Demonsa Sabonis had 12.3 rebounds per game and James Harden had 10.7

assists per game. Do you guys have a pick at this stage for who might be the NBA MVP for 2023? For me, I think when I look at it and I try to assess everything and I don't look at who was past MVP's, but I also look at the team's record with them with the best out the best player for me, even though Joel and B

played very well, exceptionally well, Joker as well. They both led their teams in different positions as far as rebounds and and also scoring. I have to give it to Janus onto the Cumpo because I think Janus does so much on the court between blocking shots, rebound and assists. So I'm not taking away the triple double that the Joker has almost did the entire season. And then

I look at Joel and Bede. I'm just healthier this year than last year. I think all eyes are going to go on Joel and B, but my personal opinion if I had a vote, I would do it for Janus. Enter the Cumpo. How about you, Jeff? Well said, Rick. I agree with you on every aspect of that. The fact that they had the best record in

basketball. And people who decided they didn't have Middleton until like the end of the season. And how it is he doesn't get enough fucking credit man. I do love the flavor of guy like that. Yeah, the big man to freak. Yeah, both of those other guys are well-deserved. But the freak don't take nights off and gets it done man on the watch. Almost like Inspector Gadget

horn with them freaking off. Look at the players. And I've seen all of them this this year. And as far as I work with the piston to seeing the way the parody in his league has came to a hit. Don't get me wrong. Milwaukee still got the best record. Denver out West got the best record. But the West is kind of shaky to me. But when

I look at the way the East has played, they have upgraded their game. But totally across the league. And Adam, I know we're going to talk about the playing game, the playing scenarios. I'm looking at two teams to go on the road and win and someone else's house. That's how competitive this is. And I love rules. I think if we had had to play in game

back when we were playing at that time when it was only 16s and we went on a roll where we were 17 out of 18 16. We only lost one game. We're on a roll and we didn't make the playoffs. Yep. No question. parody in the league. It's one train ankle away from balance and polish shifting in every series. So last time we talked, I mentioned

that trade for starting five. But I don't think they won in that trade without the having that bench. And you got to have pension of playoffs. And you talk about everybody's one injury away from not having that top player. We looked at Zion not playing for the rest of the year. I said, OK, but that hurt New Orleans. Well, apparently it did. Last night, now they

have to try to make with this playing game. I like it. The two teams that win, they get to advance with a loser from the eight nine. Gotta go down and win. Man, I like to play in game. And I think with these trades, Dallas not making the playoffs or even not even making the playing game. That's kind of a disappointment for that season having those

two players on the same team. Kyrie is a great player. Big fan wasn't happy with some of the things he says or whatever. But that's on him. He's his own man. I appreciate that. But they gave up a lot, man. They just don't play. And then Luca's sitting there. And I love the guys game. But he's sitting there. Horn. And he's telling everybody, yeah, we got

to play better defense. Well, it starts with you, my man. Yeah. True. I don't think he can guard his own shadow. And then him bringing the ball up every time. It's got to wear you down. It's not a rest for championship. Obviously, I don't think. No, because I'll that the league has this youth. I love that because now you could take that and say, okay, this

usage rate is totally off to charts. The same way, remember, Hardin was doing that in Houston. Triple double or whatever. 50 points, 60 points. But then I go when you're a championship, none of these guys are like Michael Jordan. And this was when the rules change. I look at it. If we played now, you couldn't play defense, but the physicality is gone. But then again, when

the playoffs start to get physical, I saw it last night. I'm looking forward to seeing it tonight that the ref is the kind of letting them play like old school basketball. Yeah. It's why I'm tuning in. I don't watch a lot of regular seating basketball. I got to be honest with you. I couldn't stomach the all-star game. Looks like it's going to be something. Yeah. Yeah.

Australia's own Josh Kitty, copped a cheap shot last night in the midsection. That was a bit un-un-sourge. Now Rick, just quickly nobody. Yeah. Nobody knows the Pistons franchise better than you after five seasons as coach at a 17 and 65 record this year. Dwayne Casey will be moving into a front-offers position, I believe. What's the latest that you've heard on Detroit's search for a head coach

as the draft news? You know, I'm not in that room. I'm not the fly on the wall. It's always going to be speculation. And I think Troy, we will make the best decision moving forward with this team and Aaron Tellan. And just to see even what Coach Casey's point of view will be as well as he moves into that front-offers coach Casey had to deal with.

This year was not a great year. And his last five years haven't been great because you're dealing with younger talent. But we see once younger talent learns how to play and competently get it yesterday. Now he knows what playoff basketball is about. When you get hit like he did, this is playoff basketball. By all means necessary. Not saying it was intentional. But it is part of

basketball. We've been hit in another regions and we didn't hit with a bowl here and there. But we also inflicted pain to other people. That's why we're the beef brothers. And that's why we were slinging a lot of that meat out there. But my two stents in on the coaching thing. And I got a question for Rick after I'm floating out Kenny Ackinson and Jay Wright.

And then Horn did coach Casey hold those guys accountable on the defensive end. The thing that you would see now. I got 37 assistant coaches. I know. I'm trying to coach B-line and when they were down in Washington. Like I said, I'm a fly on the wall. I don't know if it's accountability. I don't know if it's maturity. But it's changed a lot. Rules because when

I look at guys sitting on the bench, even in the playoffs, I'm like, dude, is that all you got? You got just a pair of jeans and a raggedy t-shirt. I mean, I'm looking at it. David Stern, up there. He might be rolling over in his grave right now looking going like, this is what I left where we can see guys and cut off t-shirts and

things like that. I understand. People have identity. But you got also all the coaches are in a uniform. And I think when the pandemic came, this has became part of what coaches remember coach, you used to have to wear suits. And if we had to sit on the bench, we had to wear sports clothes. But man, I'm looking at half this stuff. I'm going to like,

well, okay, I hope they don't show up. There was nobody in the gym when we played on the road. So I wore a just just slacks and a polo shirt. Yeah, some nice shoes. But yeah, I'd rather wear that than a shoot man and coach. But I'm talking about if you're not playing rules. I guess so much gear. Sweetsuits, shorts, socks shoes. It's like they got

so much merchandise that they can use. It's like, well, just wear nice, the zip, the three quarter polo zip. The uniform because it's a nice shoe. And I think it's the best thing to do when you're wearing a shoe. To me, I'm individuality, but that's when you're at home. But when you're on a team, you want to be uniform. Yeah, I don't think you have to

be in the touch sheet. But I agree you got to be a little bit. Fashion off. Yeah, a little bit more. Yeah. Some of those fashion choices are certainly unique. That's for sure. The play in tournament. We've got two games left in the east. Chicago travel to Miami to battle for the right to play the Milwaukee bucks in round one and out West Oklahoma City visit

Minnesota. To fight for the right to take on the nuggets. Who do you think might take out those last two games in the play in just before we touch on the first round matchups guys? If I'm Milwaukee, I want to play Miami. But if I'm playing Chicago, that's a shorter ride. I ain't got to really stay overnight. I could be in in 15 minutes. The way

the Chicago played last night against the Toronto Raptors. They had two guys that kept going in there. Plus the Mara de Roche. The closest daughter became a star. Yes, she did with her screaming at the free throws and guess what? They didn't make free throws. So I look at that and say, well, Chicago should be the bigger team. I do think Miami's got a chip on

his shoulder because they lost at home to Atlanta. And now this is door died. And when I look at Minnesota. I see Rudy go bear coming back. That's going to help them out. I see Minnesota winning again. Jeff, how do you say those lost two games? Well, Miami better friggin rebound. I want to hear BAM tell me how great he is. A great player. He's getting

free rebound. He got their ass waxed on the board. But then I'll rebound the board. They'll be soon exiting the other guy in the out west. The OKC Minnesota. Oh, man. I love those guards. Minnesota's got Rudy back. And my thing was Edward just come so far. I mean, he's on the verge of really becoming a terrific two way player. I know he was a great

player. He's been paying up and he must have been hurting because he didn't do much of anything. If he's healthy and back to normal, I like Minnesota off. So I like Rick those. And they're home. So that's a good thing that playing at home. We've got the matchups for most of the playoffs already decided. We have Brooklyn versus the 76s Atlanta take on Boston. We've got

the next versus Cleveland. And then we're not to be decided versus the bucks. And in the West, we've got Sacramento in the playoffs of the first times since 2006 against the Warriors, the defending champions. So that'll be interesting. Lake is in Memphis. Then we have the Clippers and Sons and to be decided versus the Denver Nuggets in terms of the first round. Much ups guys. What

stands out to you? Perhaps or what's a series or two of note that you'll be most interesting. I got to mind to be the New York mix and the Cleveland Cavaliers. I think that's not be one hunting or other game. Mitchell versus Jalen Brunson. Brunson really opened the door for New York to get there. But Julius Randall's going to have to have the excellent game. And

I think he's going to either let Jalen Brunson drive the car, but he's going to have to finish it because he's going to have to push him through. But down of the Mitchell and that length that they have across the front court for the Cleveland Cavaliers is going to be imposing. I mean, Jared Allen, Mowgli, this is something they want 50 games. And I think that's

going to be to me one of the best games in a four, five matchup and also in our West with Phoenix and the Clippers. I think that's going to be a thing or two. Like I said earlier in our podcast. This is the parody that I've been waiting for. Yeah, it's great. Backtops across the board there. And there's obviously some high octane offense from a lot

of teams that are in the post season. Jeff, what do you think is going to shake out? In the series that we're going to have the beginning this weekend? I'm with the Horn with the New York and the Cleveland series. I think that yeah, Randall's got to be healthy. They's coming back from not playing obviously for a while. And the key for them, I think. I

love Brunson. I mean, I mentioned his name to the Wizards when I work part time there. But the kid Barrett, I think he's the bomber Nixon and wind that series. He's got a common's got to play in all facet, but he just he just doesn't shoot the ball while it's executing percentages. And like the low low 40. So he's got to shoot better for them out

West. I like Phoenix. That's sure he's going to be good. Horn said. It's just to seek all the state. The documentals had a great year. And I love some bonus. And I should have bet that when I traded for him. Because I know he say Foxes stepped it up and and taking his game to another level. But he makes them go. I'm just interested to see

if they're going to take a game or two to figure out that is to play Austin as the war is. I'm just worried about them shooting a bed. I'm not a former coach Mike Brown coach in that team. And then you got Harrison Barnes, a champion from that team. So is it a good parody? Because I think Sacramento just really doesn't play defense. But they can

get that ball up. They can score. And Golden State. Can they get back in transition? It if Curry misses a shot. Even though the Golden State Warriors beat him the last game and scored like 151 points. Is that something that's not going to be good? That they can do on a consistent basis because they're road record of shit. This might be a four to series. But

it's going to be a hard series because it's basically looking in the mirror image of each other, but not having the same personnel. For me with the Warriors, it's what is Wiggins and Peyton going to bring. Wiggins got to get back there first. The part of that shit road record is because he was missing for all that time. I mean, he played on the label in

the finals left here. Jeff, you wanted to talk about the Wizards? Yeah, I just was talking to Rick earlier, a condone from about whether they're talking about signing for Zingus and. And Kuzma and they both had great years, but. Let's be honest. So we're going to pay them $35 40 million and. The team wants 34 35 games. I mean. What's the going rate? You can fair

and say I want to give them 15 million and let them and have a whole bunch of incentives the same football rules. I'm not trying to both them, dude. I'm letting them go. But I'm just saying salary cap increases. You have to spend that money. Fins it on somebody that you're familiar with or somebody else might sign them. They're waiting to see if they're free agents

or if they're option year for the team. I don't know the situation as of yet, but I will digest and it out. But the thing is, Kuzma did have a good year, but hey, it's not about the wins to these. I know you have to spend a certain amount of money on, but my thing is. You're going to get locked these guys in for four more

or five more years each. And you got 35 wins. I mean, come on. Come on, Kuzma on a bad team and not saying that they're really bad, but they're really bad as free teams worse than the many. Hey, when you're making the team, you try to find pieces of role players role players that can adapt. I don't think they adapted to the situation. Kuzma, you know,

I don't think it's good to play well. But did he play well in Dallas? No, did he play well in New York? No. Did he find a home playing with Bradley Biel and us with the bullets? I love. I just look at it as like, okay, what's the grit and grime? I look at the teams and I look at what's your history? Do you know your

history? What's your identity? Rules we have an identity. I know that. I don't know what their identity is. And you know, I'm going to quote the great Anita Ruin. But what would you pay Kai Rieke? Is he of the of reagent too? That's a tough one too. I don't know what they do there, man. I remember when I said time has said, Oh, I just want

the bag. I remember a lot of guys from up here used to say, I'm a free agent. I'm going to get the bag. But don't think you're going to get the bag if you don't win division, making the playoffs. They didn't even come close to me. But that's the GM and all that's the, as I say, that was the governor's. That's what they got to do.

Jeff, a lot of people are not like you and I that says you got to earn it. And then once you earn it, you want to keep it. Everybody's not Yana. It's not to the couple. I don't know how to pay and anybody that performs. Well, the bottom line is you want to win a fucking championship. But if they don't have the pieces and they keep

talking that mess, you got to get the right piece. Listen, Washington is not a destination. Detroit's not this big destination. But when you look at it, what makes the destination is that the winning attitude. When I look at the Miami Heat, maybe they're not tall, but it starts from the top to have a coach. When you establish it, these guys are going to get paid. Somebody

going to pay. No, I hope they can make as much money as they can. I'm not against that at all. I'm just saying the goal is to win. I don't know if I'm going to tie up a billion. I'm both of those do 35 games a year. I love what you're saying, but isn't just about making money. How many uniforms they got out there for the

same team? Five different uniforms, six different uniforms. How many uniforms we had, rules? That's another bizarre thing about your boy Barley about standing in the shower. And why I used to wash my shit in the sink. And someone that I didn't hate. Otherwise, I'll let that thing stink like a mother. See, I'm from the old school rules. You know, I used to wash mine in the

shower. We wash it in the shower. Then I had to worry about washing in the sink. I was ready to go out and party, which is well, that's what I'm saying. I'm thinking Charles goes every night and was getting great. When the fuck did he come home and think jumping a shower at 5 a.m.? That's only on the rule. We didn't have to wash it all.

Come on rules. He had the other night to fight. And when's the last time he want to fight? Hey Adam, we got off. So because get it going. I do appreciate the band. Certainly very entertaining. Is there anything you'd like to further discuss about this current season or the playoffs before we move into a bit of basketball history? This is my last thing on that. Who

will win the sweepstakes? You got 14 that are vying to try and have that percentage point. Who's going to get this young man victor out of France? They want to see what he's going to do. He's going to change the game. What team is going to get him? Who's going to win the sweepstakes? Jeff, how about yourself? I'm a big fan of him. I haven't seen

the other guys. I stored the one guard. School. You talk about school. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Yeah, I'm big fan. Big fan. But that big fellow man. I was watching him handle the rock. If he can stay healthy, he can get a little bit stronger. He's changed the game. Well, he's seven foot four wings man and all he's seven foot four and you look

like that. You need to be seven eight that don't still grow in. Hey, hopefully nobody just runs into him any break. Yeah, that's true. Big guys like that. There's only so much weight they can put off. He needs to get strong. I'm not worried about him. We're going to get him some kangaroo meat from down there. Adam, I'll pack it up. I've said that over to

him. He was sitting at me. I want some of that. Me. Now, we've learned about some of your on court history. What other interests might you have that we may not know about guys that you'd like to talk about. Only interest I have is how much time I could spend with my family because you spend so much time on the road, especially on my part that

you want in home and see what's going on. Make sure everybody's okay. And that's it. And just do some things. Go to lunch. Do it on your time. Not on when you're always on a schedule. That's what I do every year. See some friends spend some time with the families. Instead of spending four and a half hours on the golf course, I rather spend two hours

on the course and the other two and a half at home or riding the bike doing something. Sounds good. How about yourself, Jeff? What are you interested in off court? Well, for the first time in a couple of years I'm healthy. So I enjoy going to the gym. I'm playing golf again. Playing tomorrow. I haven't played in 10 years, but spent time with my daughters who

were all in their third season. I've got two grandkids now. I'm leaving in the morning tomorrow. I have to play golf to spend the weekend up there with them. So I'm right by the beach. I got to the beach during the day. I like to read. I'm going to take a couple road trips this summer. One of them up to Michigan where I'm going to see

my boy, the beaver and this ugly mug right here. I'm going to. I'm going to take the shot at James Edwards while I'm up there. Oh, Boone is black. Take a room for me now. You can stay here and look at all this Rick Mahor stuff on the wall. Gonna hang out in Michigan for a couple weeks. Sounds good, guys. Thank you. Just for elaborating a

little bit there. We've got a few listener questions and comments just before we round out the episode. The great username here, optimistic prime 86. Hi, the beef brothers YouTube channel. He mentions a couple of moments that will break out into two questions. He says, Jeff, I must say you are really great. People need to go back and watch Michael Jordan's first game where he tried his

first NBA dunk on you, but took a little nap instead. What are your recollections of when Jordan did try that first jam and ended up on the floor at Chicago Stadium. Well, Rick and I had seen him that summer playing an exhibition game and give Alex English 52. So we were like, we knew he was going to be something special. But I remember it before the

game talking to Rick about, hey, he's not making a poster out of me. But importantly, we lost the game and I didn't play well, but the bottom line is I still have that jersey from that game. Michael was gracious enough to send it to me. Turned into a thing of his own, anything associated with that game. We weren't getting dunked on by him. What do you

remember about that first game, Rick, that Jordan played against you guys with the bullets? I don't play so many games. I don't even know how I'm playing against Jordan and play offs and things. The thing about it, it didn't matter if it was just Jordan, didn't matter if it was Bird, didn't matter if it was Magic or Isaiah. We're going to knock you on your ass.

He tried to dunk on us. We weren't built for posters. We were built to make posters, putting them right on the ass. If Jeff didn't get him, I would have gotten him. I love it. That's a great answer. That's the truth. We tested a lot of guys' manhoods and a lot of guys didn't pass. Absolutely. That's true. It's a better question, by the way. It's better

unfelted and talk a lot of shit. That's upgraded the question. One other great follow up to that initial question from optimistic prime 86, Rick. I always wondered about when Isaiah Thomas tried climbing that tree and you just laughed. Did Zeke ever say thanks for not swinging back? It's in reference to a game from April of 1990. It actually got wilder towards the end of the game.

We might talk about that in a future episode. What do you recall of that moment where Isaiah did swing that couple of punches your way when you're with the 76ers? It was funny because we clinched that, man. We were like winning the Atlantic Division and Phil, he hasn't done that in a while since the Moses Malone and Dr. J. Error. It was just interesting that he

was so frustrated that we were kicking his ass. That was the thing. When you kick his somebody's ass, they're going to try to do something. But it was just the fact that you know what I said? Hey, he apologizes all the time because he's waiting for me to just knock this shit out of him. No. It's all about competition. He hit me. I hit him. We

just going to fight it out for 48 minutes. But it was always love after the game. We never took anything personal. And that's what you have to and this league. I like to answer that. Please do. I think it's one of the most fucking embarrassing things I've ever fucking seen for a guy that claims to be a tough guy from Chicago. Oh my God. Give me

a fucking break. It was a great comparison. I'm a big fan. I'm not a big fan. I'm a quick story. I don't give a shit what anybody says. We played Rick when he got traded at first game. We had a party. We went to classics and getting a car afterwards after paying the fucking bill. I got stuck with the bill. My wife turns to me and

goes, what's with Rick's franchise? I go, what do you mean, Molly? She goes, well, he hit on me and I go, yeah, I'm going home with that gorgeous big white dude there. What the fuck am I going to tell him? Fucking hell. I didn't know he tried to hit on me. He's always tried to portray like my wife told me like the fucking minute it happened.

So I'm not a big fan. You didn't tell me. I didn't have to tell you. I took care of it. So good. We're doing tell me a piece of shit. I'm trying to punch you. That's embarrassing. Everybody wants to be the bad guy. You got to have big balls to go in there. Back from if you would have grabbed a pipe or a fucking chair. They're

trying to bitch-pap you. It was humiliating enough that we went into the palace and walked ass and not only walked ass in the game, you'd have to fight too. No question. There's actually a video that has more than two and a half million views, which is titled, I've had Thomas Punch's Rick Moth. I'm haunting the head. Mahorn doesn't flinch. So I thought that's quite an appropriate

title there from a good friend of mine actually that I've had on the podcast. Ryan Vanduzen. So it's on his YouTube channel. Now our last comment was from Tommy D via the Beef Brothers YouTube channel. And he says, my beef brothers T shirt was the first shirt I wore after each was cycle in college. My original one is Long Gone. How can I get a beef

brothers T shirt? And further, another guy called Just Ed adds, yeah, mine is Long Gone. And worn out. Do a retro beef brothers T shirt. What is the latest with the T shirts that people might be able to get access to guys? All right, we did it down in Washington. We got some great pub out of it. We dropped a ball. A couple things. You still

can't find it online. We're in the process of developing a website. And we will be selling them to the public. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. We'll update on the channel when we have some more news for you on that front. We'd love your interaction with the show. If you're watching on YouTube, please ask a question or add a comment below. Rick or Jeff can respond in future

episodes. I'll collate your submissions for the next episode. And we hope to ramp up a few more episodes during this post season. Now that Rick's, oh, we will, we will. Oh, I just know that the games that are up there, those shelter games already got 25,000 views. Okay. Of the Austin fans, baby, wish we can hang on that and give them our little assessment of it.

That would be kind of hot. Watch the game commentary on it. I'd like to do that. Yeah. More like after the game, we can talk about it. You know, Adam, it's like you have to the mallets and Alice. Instead of reviewing us, it's more like banter that, you know, I can say that situation was pretty ugly. I could tell them what led up to it. All

the good stuff to it. So they don't know to behind the scene stuff. I'd love to hear that. And I'm sure everybody listening to this would love to. Yeah. Let's do it for sure. Thanks again, Rick and Jeff for your time today. And if there's nothing else, you'd like to add, we'll resume again shortly. Thanks, Adam. Down the road. Horn that we think that we should

have some guys on. It's a really bustle balls. Yeah. We got a few few at all. Hey, no question. Lessons out there. Make sure you tell your friends will be on next week for sure. Power to the people. Stay safe and no. Through me. All right, let's go. All right. Thanks guys. Have a great night. Thank you. All right.