Tradition's Finest Episode 130 - The "no-pitch" Episode

Welcome Back to the Tradition's Finest Podcast! Episode 130 - The "no-pitch" Episode includes a discussion of the following sports-related topics: - NCAA: News & Storylines - - NCAA Women's College Basketball Final Four & National Championship Review: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and recap the 2026 NCAAW College Basketball Tournament's Final Four as well as the National Championship game - - and discuss a few of the most noteworthy storylines across the sport - - The following NCAAW college basketball game(s) are discussed in greater detail in this segment: NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UConn Huskies - - Ta'Niya Latson scored 16 points and Agot Makeer added 14 points as South Carolina played stifling defense to stun UConn 62-48 last Friday night, ending the Huskies' 54-game winning streak, and advancing to the women's NCAA Tournament national championship game - - South Carolina (36-3) would be looking for its fourth national championship, as their other three (3) have come in the last decade under HC Dawn Staley, whereas UConn (38-1) entered the Women's Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history, and for the third straight time left without a national title - as the Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals - - **NOTE: The Huskies' 48 points were the fewest points UConn had scored since putting up 49 in a national championship game loss to Staley's Gamecocks in 2022 - - The Huskies and Gamecocks played last season (2025) for the national title and UConn came away with the 82-59 rout for the program's 12th national championship - and they also beat South Carolina handily during the 2024-25 regular season - - "Handshake Wars?:" In the final seconds of South Carolina's upset win over UConn, Huskies HC Geno Auriemma & Gamecocks HC Dawn Staley had a heated exchange, and traded words at midcourt and had to be separated, in what was not a very good look for Auriemma - - When asked by ESPN reporter Holly Rowe what instigated the exchange, Staley responded: "I have no idea. But I'll let you know this: I'm of integrity. I'm of integrity. So, if I did something wrong to Geno, I had no idea what I did. I guess he thought I didn't shake his hand at the beginning of the game." - - ESPN's broadcast actually showed footage of Staley appearing to shake Auriemma's hand prior to tipoff, albeit brief - - When asked about the exchange postgame, Auriemma said it was customary for coaches to meet at half court prior to the game - as a separate clip from earlier in the broadcast showed Auriemma waiting for Staley at a different point before the game: "The protocol is, before the game, you meet at half court," Auriemma said. "The two coaches meet at half court and they shake hands. They announce it on the loudspeaker. I waited there for like three (3) minutes. I said what I said, and obviously she didn't like it. I just told the truth." - - Auriemma was not only fired up after the game, as during an interview with Holly Rowe on the sideline prior to the start of the 4th QTR, he ripped the game's officiating, declaring the free-throw disparity between the two sides as "ridiculous," and openly criticized the play of the Gamecocks after a UConn player's jersey was ripped - he also implied that Staley had used inappropriate language that was aimed at the officials, but was not punished for it - - On the following Saturday, UConn HC Geno Auriemma released a brief statement apologizing for the heated exchange: "There's no excuse for how I handled the end of the game versus South Carolina. It's unlike what I do and what our standard is here in Connecticut. I want to apologize to the staff and the team at South Carolina. It was uncalled for in how I reacted. The story should be how well South Carolina played, and I don't want my actions to detract from that. I've had a great relationship with their staff, and I sincerely want to apologize to them." - - While his apology seemed sincere, you can't help but notice that there is one particular name that is missing from Auriemma's statement: Dawn Staley! - - South Carolina HC Dawn Staley said Tuesday that she had spoken to Auriemma and suggested that everyone "turn the page" after their midcourt argument at the Final Four fueled a firestorm of controversy and could've shed a negative light on Auriemma's legacy. . .Q: What are your thoughts on South Carolina's dominant victory over UConn in the NCAA Women's Final Four last Friday night to end the Huskies' 54-game winning streak dating back to last season? Following his explanation at the postgame conference, what were your thoughts on Geno Auriemma's actions/outburst at midcourt? How much of it do you think was really related to Staley not following what he referred to as 'the protocol?' . . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 Texas Longhorns vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - Center Lauren Betts finished the game with 16 points and made a huge block late, as UCLA withstood a last-ditch effort by Texas on Friday night for a 51-44 win to reach the NCAA Women's College Basketball National Championship Game for the first time in program history - - Manhandled by the eventual national champion, UConn, in their first Final Four appearance a year ago, the Bruins (36-1) dominated their way to another national semifinal with the best season in school history - - A chance at a first national title game appearance had to go through the only team to apply a blemish to their imperfect record this season: Overpowered in their first meeting, the Bruins turned the tables on Texas (35-4) in the national semifinal, shutting down All-American guard Madison Booker while building a 13-point lead midway through the 4th QTR - - Meanwhile, the Longhorns, who are one of the nation's best defensive teams this season, flexed their defensive prowess during a 12-2 run that cut UCLA's lead to 47-44, but Lauren Betts came in clutch, swatting the Texas' run to halt, as she blocked Booker's shot with 20 seconds left, as well as Kiki Rice's two clutch FTs, which sent HC Cori Close's crew into the title game - - The grinding win earned the Bruins a spot in the following Sunday's national title game against fellow No.1 seed South Carolina, the three-time champs, who ended reigning champion UConn's undefeated season and left Huskies' coach Geno Auriemma fuming - as so was Texas guard Madison Booker after a brutal finish to what was otherwise a stellar season, as she hit her first shot of the game, but missed her next 17 & finished with six (6) points on 3-of-23 (13%) shooting. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCLA's impressive win over the SEC Conference champions, Texas Longhorns, on Friday night to advance to the NCAA Women's national title game? Thoughts on guard Madison Booker's poor shooting performance?. . .NCAA Women's Basketball Championship - National Championship Game: No.1 South Carolina Gamecocks vs. No.1 UCLA Bruins - - This one was for Cori Close and Lauren Betts and all the current players wearing UCLA on their jerseys, but it was also for Ann Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry and John Wooden, and every Bruin who poured effort into what would become the first NCAA championship in UCLA women's basketball history: The senior-laden Bruins beat South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday in the national title game, and they did it the same way they had won all season - with a dominating inside presence, an unselfish offensive approach & a suffocating defense - that handed Dawn Staley & the Gamecocks their second-worst loss in NCAA tournament history - - **NOTE: The 28-point margin of victory was the third largest in a Division I women's championship final game - - UCLA never trailed, opening a double-digit lead at the end of the 1st QTR en route to its 31st straight win to make program history, as star center Lauren Betts was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after the game - - In her 15th season at the helm, Bruins HC Cori Close pulled off what many didn't believe was possible at one of most storied basketball programs in the country, as UCLA last won a national title in women's college basketball in 1978 in the AIAW, when Meyers Drysdale & Denise Curry led the way - whereas John Wooden won 10 titles as the HC of the men's college basketball program, and set a standard that other coaches on the Los Angeles campus wanted to follow - - In this one-sided affair, five (5) UCLA players finished the game in double figures, as Betts finished with 14 points & 11 rebounds, but UCLA senior Gabriela Jaquez - the younger sister of former Bruin and now Miami Heat basketball player Jamie Jaquez - who was perhaps the most impactful player in this game, as she not only found open shots but also fed her teammates & got inside the paint to grab one rebound after another - finished with a fantastic stat line of 21 points, 10 rebounds and five (5) assists in a performance that will not soon be forgotten - - South Carolina, meanwhile in the first half, shot 9-of-35, as forward Joyce Edwards was 1-of-6 from the field with two points - as it was the Gamecocks' worst FG percentage in any half of any game since December 2022, when they shot 26% in the first half against South Dakota State - - The Gamecocks ended this game shooting 29% from the field, as their three (3) best players - Edwards, Ta'Niya Latson & Raven Johnson - finished the game with a combined 15 points on 5-of-22 shooting - - **NOTE: South Carolina became the first team to lose consecutive national championship game appearances by at least 15 points each. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UCLA's first women's basketball national championship in program history? Was this South Carolina group somewhat distracted by the noise/controversy surrounding the on-the-court drama between their HC Dawn Staley and UConn HC Geno Auriemma? Or was it just the Bruins' night?. . .NCAA Men's College Basketball: "[Note 2] SELF:" Kansas men's head basketball coach Bill Self is set to return to the sideline for the Jayhawks for the 2026-27 college basketball season, he announced last Wednesday - - Self released a statement indicating that he remains "focused and committed to Kansas," and "competing for a national championship." - - His announcement comes more than a week after Self indicated that he would discuss his coaching future with his immediate family after dealing with multiple health-related issues in recent years, as the decision came with "renewed clarity and the ongoing support from our administration," Self said in his statement - - Self's announcement certainly sent a collective exhale around Lawrence, where the Hall of Fame coach has won two national championships, and reached four (4) Final Fours since arriving in 2003 - - His return is significant for the sport, as he's one of the country's most noted coaches, as he is responsible for 855 wins across a 33-year coaching career spanning Oral Roberts, Tulsa, Illinois & Kansas - - Self, 63, spent significant time this week discussing his health & future with people close to him before arriving at the decision to return next season - - Self's decision to return comes just days before college basketball programs are getting ready to set their rosters for the 2026-27 season, as the NCAA transfer portal officially opened on Tuesday, the day after the men's national championship game. . Q: What are your thoughts on Bill Self's announcement and/or decision to return to Lawrence for the 2026-27 college basketball season?. . ."UNC Malone:" North Carolina's search for its' next head coach has landed in an unexpected place, as the Tar Heels hired longtime NBA HC Michael Malone as the school's next head basketball coach, sources informed ESPN - - Malone is an NBA champion from his time spent with the Denver Nuggets, and won 510 games in 12 seasons as a head coach, as he is one of the most respected tacticians in the NBA, and has spent the past 10+ months as an ESPN analyst - - Malone will inherit a Tar Heels team that has been seeking a head coaching replacement for nearly two weeks following the firing of Hubert Davis - - With college basketball becoming more like professional basketball every year, UNC gets a respected X's-and-O's coach who worked in the NBA for nearly a quarter century as a head coach and assistant, as he was at the helm for the Denver Nuggets for 10 years, going 471-327 in that span, as he has coached a total of 904 games as an NBA HC, including two seasons with the Sacramento Kings - - **UPDATE: Malone is set for a yearly average of more than $8.3 million across a six-year contract, sources confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel on Tuesday evening, which places him among the top five (5) highest-paid coaches in D-I college basketball - - UNC had previously been linked to multiple high-profile college coaches, including Michigan's Dusty May, Arizona's Tommy Lloyd, and Iowa State's T.J. Otzelberger, but after all three (3) publicly committed & signed contract extensions to remain at their current school, the Tar Heels turned to Malone, who led the Nuggets to their only NBA championship in 2023, prior to being fired in Denver last April, and after which point, he joined ESPN as an NBA analyst a month afterwards, whereas his predecessor, Hubert Davis, was fired by UNC on March 24, just five (5) days after the Tar Heels squandered a 19-point lead in their first-round NCAA tournament loss to No.11 seed VCU - as it marked the second consecutive season that UNC lost its NCAA Tournament opener under Davis, who went 125-54 in five (5) seasons coaching his alma mater. . .Q: What are your thoughts on North Carolina's hire of former and longtime NBA head coach Michael Malone as the Tar Heels' next head basketball coach?. . .2025-26 College Basketball Season Awards: The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Sunday that Duke's Cameron Boozer has won the 2026 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, honoring the freshman as the most outstanding men's college basketball player, as Boozer won the award over finalists Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), and Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan) - - Boozer led Duke in scoring, rebounding, and assists, while averaging 22.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 55.6% from the field - - **NOTE: Cameron Boozer becomes the 10th Duke player to win a Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy, which is the most by any program since the award was first presented in 1969 - - Past Blue Devil winners include Cooper Flagg (2025), Zion Williamson (2019), JJ Redick (2006), Jason Williams (2002), Shane Battier (2001), Elton Brand (1999), Christian Laettner (1992), Danny Ferry (1989), and Johnny Dawkins (1986) - - It is also the 14th men's basketball award for Duke, as former head coach Mike Krzyzewski (aka "Coach K") was named Coach of the Year in 1989, 1992, and 1999, while being honored as the 2025 Naismith Outstanding Contributor to Men's Basketball Award winner - - Boozer becomes just the fifth freshman to win the award, and is the third Duke freshman to win, following Flagg & Williamson, with the other freshman that won the trophy being Anthony Davis (Kentucky, 2012) & Kevin Durant (Texas, 2007). . .Q: What are your thoughts on Duke's Cameron Boozer being awarded the 2026 AP Player of the Year?. . .Arizona HC Tommy Lloyd was named the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year, while Florida's Rueben Chinyelu earned the 2026 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Award Presented by Molecule - - Lloyd becomes the first men's or women's coach or player from the University of Arizona to win a season-based Naismith Award - - **NOTE: This is the fifth time in the Award's 40-year history that the winner has come from the Big 12 Conference, but the first time that the coach has not been from the state of Kansas, as previous conference winners include Jerome Tang (Kansas State, 2023), while the other three (3) are from the University of Kansas: Bill Self (2012), Roy Williams (1997), and Larry Brown(1988) - - The remaining 2026 finalists for the award were Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg, Michigan's Dusty May, and Duke's Jon Scheyer. . Q: What are your thoughts on Arizona's Tommy Lloyd being awarded the 2026 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year?. . .Center Rueben Chinyelu became the first player or coach from the University of Florida to win a Naismith Award, as the other finalists for the DPOY award included Flory Bidunga (Kansas), Zuby Ejiofor (St. John's), and Joseph Tugler (Houston), who was also a finalist in 2025 - - As one of the top rebounders & rim protectors in men's college basketball, Chinyelu helped the Gators become one of the top defensive teams in the nation - - **NOTE: He is the second player in the nine-year history of the award to win from an SEC school, following Auburn's Walker Kessler in 2022. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Florida's Rueben Chinyelu being awarded the 2026 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year trophy?. . .NCAA Men's College Basketball Final Four & National Championship Review: In this particular segment, JD & Spencer review and recap the 2026 NCAAM College Basketball Tournament's Final Four as well as the National Championship game - - and discuss a few of the most noteworthy storylines across the sport - - The following NCAAM college basketball game(s) are discussed in greater detail in this segment: NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.2 UConn Huskies vs. No.3 Illinois Fighting Illini - - Fabolous freshman Braylon Mullins made another last-minute 3-pointer - his only basket of the second half - and Dan Hurley's Huskies muscled their way past Illinois 71-62 on Saturday to reach their third national championship game in four (4) years - - Center Tarris Reed Jr. finished the game with 17 points & 11 rebounds while Mullins finished with 15 points for the Huskies (34-5) who rode their strong inside play and tough defense to their 19th straight victory in the Sweet Sixteen or later rounds of the NCAA Tournament - - Now, UConn would await the winner of the other Final Four matchup between No.1 Michigan and No.1 Arizona with a chance to win their seventh national title, all since 1999, as Hurley would attempt to become the only active HC with more than two championships - - After eliminating the NCAA Tournament's No.1 overall seed, Duke Blue Devils, with a 35-foot 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining, Mullins was equally as effective in the Final Four matchup against Illinois, as after Silas Demary Jr. secured an offensive rebound, he hit a catch-and-shoot 3 with 52 seconds left that gave UConn a 66-59 lead, and thwarted Illinois' late push - - UConn needed the outstanding play of Mullins on a night in which star forward Alex Karaban struggled with this shot, as he finished the game with nine (9) points on 1-of-8 shooting, while adding four (4) rebounds & four (4) assists, as he tied Hurley's brother, Bobby, for No.2 in career March Madness victories by a player with 18 - - With one more victory, UConn would've broke a tie with North Carolina & move into third place alone in national titles, trailing only UCLA (11) & Kentucky (8) - - Meanwhile, freshman guard Keaton Wagler recorded 20 points & eight (8) rebounds to lead the Fighting Illini (28-9), who reached their first Final Four since losing in the championship game to UNC in 2005 - - **NOTE: Illinois' Wagler & UConn's Mullins became the first pair of freshmen to top 15 points in a Men's Final Four game since Michael Jordan (UNC) and Patrick Ewing (Georgetown) in 1982 - - Center Tomislav Ivisic finished with 16 points and seven (7) rebounds for the Illini, who couldn't replicate the blueprint that carried them to double-digit victories over Penn, VCU, Houston and Iowa - as Illinois made just 3 of 14 3-pointers in the first half & finished 6 of 26 from beyond the arc - - UConn took full advantage even though the Huskies struggled with their shot, as they had two long scoring droughts, that took up nearly six (6) minutes in the first half and more than six (6) minutes in the second - The latter of which allowed Illinois to charge back from its biggest deficit of the season, 57-43 with 9:43 left to play, to pull within 57-53 with 5:03 remaining - but the Huskies answered & closed it out at the free-throw line for their fifth straight win in the series, as UConn beat Illinois 74-61 on Nov. 28 in Madison Square Garden - and now the Huskies have held the Illini to their two lowest scoring totals & shooting percentages of the season. . .Q: What are your thoughts on UConn's performance & impressive win over Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini?. . .NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - Final Four: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.1 Arizona Wildcats - - Game of the Year?. . .This wasn't even the game of the night! - - Michigan overpowered early & humbled the 'Cats for 40 long minutes Saturday, turning their highly anticipated Final Four matchup into a 91-73 Wolverines dunkfest-slash-highlight reel, as junior center Aday Mara scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine (9) rebounds - - About the only question in this one concerned the health of Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a first-team All-American, who landed on an Arizona player's foot, rolled his ankle and sprained his knee, but still recorded 11 points over 14 minutes - - This one was over in about the first five (5) minutes: **NOTE: The Blue blew threw their fifth straight March Madness opponent by double digits while becoming the first team to break 90 points five (5) times in a single tournament - - It was all quite a shock, considering Michigan and Arizona came in with the nation's top two defenses, a pair of top-five offenses and somewhere between eight (8) & a dozen NBA stars between them. . .but it was the Wolverines (36-3) who looked like pros, running to a double-digit lead only 5:31 into the contest, then swatting & slamming Arizona into oblivion, as the game plan against the Big 12 champion Wildcats (36-3) couldn't have worked any better: Michigan packed the paint on defense, basically giving the team that averaged the fifth-fewest 3-point attempts in the country this year free rein from long distance, then daring Arizona to create inside. . .and the Wildcats failed at both! - - Forward Koa Peat was quiet, finishing the game with 16 points & 11 rebounds, for Arizona, which shot 6 for 17 from 3, 36% overall and had two assists & nine (9) turnovers over a first half that ended with them trailing 48-32 - - Sparkplug guard Jaden Bradley picked up his fourth foul 94 seconds into the second half & finished with 13 points, most of which came in extended garbage time - - Arizona's only two losses before this were by four (4) and three (3) points back in February, as the Wildcats trailed by nine (9) less than 2:30 into this one - - Making it all the more impressive for Michigan was that it started this runaway without Lendeborg, who committed two fouls within five (5) seconds of each other less than 90 seconds into the game, however, he did return in the second half and recorded two quick 3s, to push Michigan's lead past 20, but he returned to the bench - and stationary bike - for good with 5:19 left, enough time to rest to get ready for UConn, which was going for its third title in four (4) seasons, while Michigan was vying for only the program's second championship (1989) - - Freshman Trey McKenney made four (4) 3s and had 16 points for the Wolverines, whereas guard Elliot Cadeau overcame a bout with his nut allergy to compile a crazy stat line: 13 points, 10 assists, six (6) turnovers, five (5) rebounds & four (4) steals on 5-for-17 shooting - even with that, Michigan finished 47.8% from the floor and 12 for 27 from 3. . .Q: How shocked were you that Michigan was able to dominate the Arizona Wildcats in this highly anticipated matchup of No.1 seeds?. . .NCAA Men's Basketball Championship - National Championship Game: No.1 Michigan Wolverines vs. No.2 UConn Huskies - - From the point that Michigan defeated Gonzaga by 40 points in the title game of the Player's Era Championship back in November, they were the most dominant team in the country, and they ended Monday night the same way they looked on Thanksgiving Eve of last year: as the best team in college basketball: Michigan (37-3) put an exclamation point on a historic season in Monday's national championship game, defeating UConn 69-63, as guard Elliot Cadeau was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 19 points - as Michigan pulled away on free throws, making 25 its 28 attempts at the line - - The opening half was a grind, as Michigan struggled to find its rhythm early, opening 0-for-8 from 3-point range, while UConn's interior defense controlled the paint - - Despite shooting 5-for-15 from deep, the Huskies made their presence felt at the rim, altering shots & limiting second-chance looks, however, injuries played a pivotal role throughout this game, and while PG Solo Ball was dealing with an ankle injury, he provided the Huskies a spark with three (3) 3-pointers and 11 points for the game - Meanwhile, forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who was dealing with an MCL and ankle injury, struggled to find the bottom of the net, finishing 4 of 13 from the field - - While Michigan wasn't as dominant as it had been early on in the NCAA Tournament, it's strength all season - size, length & more size - were the difference-makers again on Monday night, as the Wolverines finally broke through from deep in the second half, when Cadeau knocked down the team's first 3-pointer after an 0-for-11 start, the moment that helped fuel a surge, pushing the Wolverines to their largest lead of the game at 11 points. .but UConn refused to go away without a fight: The Huskies cut the deficit to four (4) with under eight (8) minutes to play, but it was quickly erased by a momentum-shifting dunk by C Aday Mara, that brought their bench to life and tightened the game down the stretch - - While Michigan went on a 6-0 run, UConn suffered a two-minute scoring drought with fewer than six (6) minutes to go - - The Huskies did, however, manage to get within four (4) with just 37 seconds remaining after Solo Ball hit a 3-pointer off the backboard, making it 67-63 - - Though Roddy Gayle Jr. then missed a pair of FTs, UConn forward Alex Karaban couldn't hit a 3-point shot to cut the deficit to one - as Karaban did lead the Huskies (34-6) with 17 points & was one of three (3) UConn players with three (3) 3-pointers - however, the teams combined to shoot just 11 of 48 from deep, including Michigan's 2 of 15 - - In the end, Michigan ended both its long wait for a national title - the program's first championship since 1989 - and also the Big Ten's, giving the conference it's first men's basketball title since its "little brother" Michigan State won it all in 2000. . .Q: What are your thoughts on Michigan's dominance throughout this year's NCAA Tournament? What are your biggest takeaways from the national title game? The 2025-26 regular season?. . . - NBA - - "OKC x 3:" The Oklahoma City Thunder joined some exclusive company on Wednesday night by accomplishing one goal on their checklist while defending their championship: The Thunder clinched the NBA's best record and top seed with Wednesday night's 128-110 road win over the L.A. Clippers - - **NOTE: It's the third straight season Oklahoma City earned the Western Conference's No.1 seed, as the Thunder became only the sixth team with a three-season streak as a top playoff seed since the NBA went to a 16-team playoff format in 1983-84, according to ESPN Research - The other five (5) teams include the following: (1) the 1984-88 Boston Celtics, (2) the 1984-90 Los Angeles Lakers, (3) the 1996-98 Chicago Bulls, (4) the 2008-10 Lakers and the (5) 2015-17 Golden State Warriors - all of which won multiple NBA championships in that span - - The Thunder, who have combined for 132 regular-season wins in the past two seasons, are attempting to become only the fifth team in NBA history to have the league's best overall record and win the championship in back-to-back seasons, as the feat was last accomplished by the Michael Jordan-led Bulls in 1995-96 and 1996-97. . .Q: What are your thoughts on OKC's dominance in the NBA over the past three (3) seasons? Do you think that the Thunder will repeat at champions this year?. . . - NFL - - The Las Vegas Raiders agreed to terms with Kirk Cousins last Thursday afternoon, just two days after new HC Klint Kubiak expressed that he wanted to add another veteran QB to the roster - - Thursday's deal comes less than a month after Cousins was released by the Atlanta Falcons, who parted ways with the QB two years after signing him to a four-year, $180 million contract - - The Falcons will reportedly pay Cousins $8.7 million in 2026 while the Raiders will pay another $1.3 million, per ESPN's Adam Schefter - Las Vegas has also agreed to pay Cousins a fully guaranteed $10 million roster bonus on the third day of the 2027 new league year - - Cousins' agent announced the deal, which will pay the four-time Pro Bowler $20 million in guaranteed money in 2026 - - **NOTE: It will mark the 11th consecutive season that Kirk Cousins' contract will be fully guaranteed - - The deal also includes a club option for two years at $80 million and could be worth up to $172 million over five (5) years, although only the $20 million this year is fully guaranteed - - Cousins, 37, will join a Raiders squad that is widely expected to select former Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft later this month - - Kubiak and GM John Spytek, who were among those in attendance last Wednesday to scout Mendoza at Indiana's Pro Day, have said on multiple occasions that they would prefer to not start a young, inexperienced QB right away this season - - Prior to adding Cousins, Aidan O'Connell was the sole QB on Las Vegas' roster after the team traded Geno Smith to the New York Jets last month, as the move reunites Cousins with Kubiak, who was the QBs coach and OC for three (3) seasons for the Minnesota Vikings - - As fourth-round pick by Washington in the 2012 draft, Cousins has passed for over 44,000 yards with 298 TDs and 131 INTs in 14 seasons. . .Q: What are your thoughts on the Las Vegas Raiders' acquisition of veteran QB Kirk Cousins? If they do, in fact, draft QB Fernando Mendoza with the No.1 overall pick, do you expect Kirk Cousins to be the Raiders QB for the season opener?. . . Thanks for Listening!