With the 2nd Pick, Steve Francis

"Stu-brain" strikes again at the 1998 NBA Entry Draft. The Grizzlies get Mike Bibby, but miss on possibly-franchise-altering players Vince Carter and Paul Pierce.  Stu's narcissism (or crippling insecurity?) once again prevent him from trading Big Country for Steve Nash. No, that is not a typo.  But at least we know it's the last time the Grizzlies will ever draft a point guard with the 2nd overal...

We are back!  B.C.'s Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix joins the podcast to flex his basketball muscles. He's still mad Stu didn't draft Lamar Odom in '99.  Jeremy and Justin hand out the hardware for another tough season in Grizzland.  The awards include The Dave Pratt Award for Worst Take, The Big Country Award for MVP and The Stu Jackson Award for Biggest Disappoinment.   

The Last Dance through the eyes of the Grizzlies. An exhausted Vancouver squad plays hard despite living through an ungodly stretch of seven games in 10 nights (Spoiler alert! They lost all seven). MJ barely breaks a sweat en route to 24. The Big Special Boy goes off once again with 30. AD buried on the bench. Doug West cranks 17 Heinekens. The poisonous fruits of Stu's toxic incompetence are laid...

We chop it up after a big Canadian W. SGA stays loose and has a day. Forget Wemby, we got Nemby. Canadian perimeter defenders giving Spanish guards panic attacks and a bad case of the turnovers. Canada can't clear the defensive glass, but this time, it doesn't matter. 

Another frantic breakdown of a big Canadian W. SGA gets into foul trouble early. No worries, RJ Barrett is a stud. Josh Giddey looks like Larry Bird, then he doesn't. Lu Dort manhandling dudes out there. Canada lays the defensive smack down in the 4th. 

Jeremy breaks down Canada's clutch opening game win against Greece with an epic monologue. SGA and RJ cook. The new bench mob flounders. Giannis keeps the Greeks afloat. Near catastrophe, but Shai pulls it out from the flames. 

Nav Bhatia and his co-author Tamara Baluja join us to discuss their new book 'The Heart of a Superfan: A Memoir of Grit, Love, Family and Basketball'. Nav was a pleasure, aside from the opening moments when he immediately scorched Vancouver Grizzlies fans. That one hurt, Superfan Nav! 

Our Beautiful Baby Boy has a night. Seriously, the Big Guy cooks to the point that Tommy Heinsohn wonders if he's going to anchor a championship team. The Celtics press, then press, then press some more. It totally doesn't work, but then Reef and AD start chucking the ball around. Grizz set an all-time record for post entries in one game (probably not, but maybe!) Blue doing Blue things. A solemn...

Shareef Abdur-Rahim puts one on creepy Karl Malone and carries the squad through an epic 4th quarter. John Stockton reminds us why he's a GOATed PG. Not even lying, the Big Special Boy plays all of the first 36 minutes! Sam Mack treats us to an offensive outburst. Antonio Daniels continues to delight and dismay. Stu still doing Stu things (bad). 

Reef, the Big Boi and even Stu take a quick rest as we detour into the world of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). The Vancouver Bandits are set to tip off their season. We talk to coach and GM Kyle Julius his return to the Bandits' bench, the team's biggest stars, the Elam Ending, Championship Weekend in Langley and Blue Edwards' kid playing in the CEBL! Also! We're giving away tickets...

The Grizz storm the Palace at Auburn Hills. Antonio Daniels looks atrocious but recovers for a memorable moment. Otis Thorpe and the bench mob dominate. We've reached the peak of Mayberry Mountain! The Brian Williams/Bison Dele story is...disquieting. The big special boy puts in some good work. Lindsey Hunter gets his hand stuck in a folding chair. Grant Hill chokes. Jeremy seethes when Justin att...

Shareef looks like a dang all-star and then doesn't. Please enjoy the Otis Thorpe Experience™ (for a limited time only!). In a related matter, Stu makes (another) one of his all-time, pit-of-despair blunders. Dennis Scott and Michael Finley have the Grizzlies seeing stars and some guy says the Mavs are going 97-0. BONUS: Jeremy meets and gambles with Gary Payton, while Justin obtains a piece of ho...

Tim Duncan would've changed everything, but the Grizz couldn't have him. Thanks, Stern. The draft was weak and, sure, the Antonio Daniels pick was fine. Ho hum.  But! Much more interestingly!! History-altering fate once again knocks at Stu Jackson's door. Will he answer? 

George Lynch played 123 games for the Grizzlies between 1996 and 1998. In that time, he logged 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 21 minutes per game. Lynch on the relentless losing in Vancouver: "It was tough. My entire little league, college, high school...until I got to the NBA...I probably hadn't lost more than 60 games in the entirety. Then you get here and you lose 60 games in on...

Jeremy and Justin finish up the 1996-97 season by handing out the hardware for worst take, best remembering, biggest disappointment and MVP. Then, writer/director Kat Jayme joins the podcast for an in-depth interview on her new film 'The Grizzlie Truth'. (She swears we're in it!)

Kobe shows a flash of future greatness. Shaq sits. Chick Hearn insists Shareef should be Rookie of the Year. G-Money returns to form, but crumbles when it matters most. Big Country gets owned in the post by...everyone. Lord Byron gets his revenge. 

Brian Winters is out. Stu says the Grizz need to "attain another culture", but it seems like the same old. Anthony Peeler can't miss a jumper and puts Shawn Bradley on a poster. Kerry Kittles dominates with a career high. 

Shareef drops 34 in his return home to California. G-Money is back in the saddle with a near dub-dub. Big Country puts up nice numbers, but there's a lot of empty calories there. Reef vs. Joe Smith is set to become the Barkley vs. Malone of the 2000's and beyond. 

Reef plays like a seasoned vet. The Big Guy comes through in the clutch. David slays Goliath. If the Grizz beat the best team in the league, does that mean...they're...the best team in the league?

The 1996-97 season is off to a brutal start, but you wouldn't know it from this excellent, all-around team performance. Shareef shows off some signature moves. Peeler is stroking from mid-range. And fans get the Big Country vs. Will Perdue marquee matchup they've been anxiously awaiting.   

Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Ray Allen watch from the green room as the Grizzlies select Shareef Abdur-Rahim 3rd overall in the most stacked draft in NBA history. Justin goes into a tailspin wondering why the Grizzlies didn't trade for Nash at #15. Jeremy builds his ongoing Grizzlies fantasy roster which now includes Greg Ostertag AND the Junkyard Dog. 

Former Vancouver Grizzlies owner Arthur Griffiths joins the show. He raises important questions like 'what if the Grizzlies were actually an arena football team?' and 'what if the Grizzlies didn't get completely screwed by the expansion rules?'. Justin and Jeremy hand out their season one awards.

In the midst of one of the longest losing streaks in NBA history, Country shows up big against the Hawks. But the Grizz D has to cope with a scorching 4th quarter performance from Steve Smith. 

Scott Skiles retires pre-game in Vancouver. G-Money delivers a commanding performance. Blue Edwards hits the improbable game-winner in overtime on an even more improbable pass from the Big Guy. 

The Grizzlies take Big Country with their first ever entry draft pick. But was it as bad a pick as everyone remembers? Well, yes. But not for the reason you're thinking.