Approx 5 minute read:

📔 Custom shoes are cool

💰 The East preview

🎵 The most hilarious go-kart race

🎴 Skateboard P & Push coffee dreams

I don’t know about you but my podcast rotation these days has been mad dry. Like no good guests are doing podcasts these days or maybe because it’s September and people need to get back into the swing of things?

Either way, I didn’t make this playlist for you this week, I made it for myself cuz I ain’t got no podcasts to listen to at the moment so I need new music.

The good part (or bad part depending on how you look at it) about this playlist is it’s all the same kind of hiphop so if you’re down with the boom boom bap type shiii then you’ll be down with this.

Type shiii.

So for all of you non-Toronto folks, our city is officially buzzing with Kawhi coming back.

Who knows what happens with this team now but everyone is seeing 2019 sparkles in their eyes all over again.

The Eastern Conference is back.

The Knicks are the team to beat but I keep seeing Celtics Celtics Celtics everywhere.  Yes, we know Jason Tatum is back.  And yes we know you picked up Mitchell Robinson and Paul George (haha suckers), but Robinson isn’t some X factor difference maker like these publications are making him out to be.  Great in the playoffs last year but filling the void that Jaylen Brown left is not what he’s gonna do...and don’t get me started on PG13 lol.

Cavs and Pistons are still gonna be up there but I feel like the Cavs are one injury away from being a lower seed in the conference, there’s no depth on that team, the Raptors should’ve beat them in the playoffs last year.  I’m excited to see Cade Cunningham come back with an even bigger chip on his shoulder - the Pistons should still come out the East the 1st seed and learn their lesson from last year’s playoffs.

Orlando is a sleeper pick for a bunch of people too, why?  Cuz Banchero and Wagner will be even better this year but this team needs to stay healthy.

Hot take: I don’t think Philly upgraded over the off season.  Jaylen Brown comes off his best season statistically and joins a couple of the biggest egos in the league.  I love Maxey, easily top 3 PG’s in the league right now but between Brown, Bron, and Embiid, everyone is gonna be wanting the ball.  If this unit figures out how to play “together” then they’re easily giving the Knicks a run for their money.  But look what Bron did with Luka in LA...nothing.  Other than Kyrie...and I guess Wade and Bosh for a couple seasons, Bron doesn’t do well with other superstars.

I’m curious to see how the Pacers do with a healthy Haliburton, it’s basically the same team from their 2025 finals run so maybe a real sleeper this year.  Will Giannis give us reasons to pay closer attention to the Heat?  Let’s see!  And the Hawks, who let’s not forget, actually made the Knicks worry a bit last post season, could also be another in the east to get hot and go on a run too, let’s see what Mr. Wine himself CJ McCollum does (I made up that name, I know he has his own vineyard).

Last season we showed signs that the young guys we brought in over the years were starting to mature. Jamal Shead and CMB should be absolute threats this year on top of Kawhi, Scottie Barnes, RJ Barett and Quickley (if dude can just stay healthy).  I don’t think it’s unrealistic to see the Raptors go deep in the playoffs this year buuuuut let’s see.  I smell a massive year for Scottie Barnes tho, there’s no one who can guard that guy in the NBA.

Next week I’ll do the West but let’s be honest, Wemby is coming for everyone and I CANNOT wait.

I didn’t realize how competitive I was in racing until I took my kids to the go kart track in Niagara Falls.  

My 8 yr old had to sit beside me as I basically tried to pass every single kart on the track, taking corners as tight as possible until the kart would wobble.

...none of it was actually a race.  In fact it’s all just tourists looking to have a good time, meanwhile you have this 6’4 guy who can barely fit in the kart with his kid taking turns without braking lol. 

Red Bull recently ran a Max vs 100 race.  Max being the 4 time F1 world champion Max Verstappen.

100 drivers had 30 laps to fend off Max where if he passed them, they were instantly eliminated.  After the first lap 63 drivers had already been eliminated LOL.  

It took Max 17 laps total to eliminate everyone and effectively win the race. 

The whole thing was hilarious, looked like a giant game of Mario Kart.  Max weaved in and out of corners reminding me of my own Niagara Speedway driving, while the other karts putt puttered along.  

I assume all the karts were calibrated the same way but Max def looked faster than everyone else. 

You can catch the full race on Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited.  Or just watch the highlights here - it’s so hilarious.

Now Imma speak on this one purely from a high level stand point because I’ve never had a cup of coffee in my life...had a sip of my dad’s coffee when I was about 10, hated the taste and decided it was stupid for me to acquire the taste of something I didn’t like to begin with.

(We’ll ignore my love of beer for a minute)

I’m not about to get into the domino effect it creates in life when you don’t drink coffee or like it for that matter - you can do the math on that one.

Pharrell and Pusha T have come out with a brand based on one of the most classic songs with one of the most classic beats of all time.

Grindin.  (you know what I keep in the linin’)

Man, we used to walk through the hallways in high school and bang on the lockers to make the beat lol.  

I digress.  Grindin coffee, which was originally served at Tyler the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw for the past couple of years, became a hit at the festival.  Then Pharrell came across Lavazza who instantly wanted to partner on the coffee, obviously.

Tbh, I’m more interested in what else comes out of this besides coffee.  At Camp Flog Gnaw, Push was also selling Grindin Coffee x Carhartt merch. 

You know Pharrell is inevitably going to weave one of his brands into the coffee at some point and all of the sudden you’re gonna get Louis V x Grindin coffee bags or HumanMade x Grindin tees or something - in which case I will insta-cop.

For now the merch is a couple tees, sweatshirts, dad hats, and a mug - alongside their $20 bags of coffee.  Is $22 a lot?  Is it worth it?  I don’t drink the stuff so I have no clue.

You can find all this stuff on Grindincoffee.com.