2 dummies that just watch: a sports podcast between friends by Will Hernandez and LeeJay Parrilla

The Dummies are back as Will and LeeJay kick things off with some everyday frustration (yeah, gas prices are still wild) before jumping straight into the New York Knicks and their up-and-down playoff series with the Atlanta Hawks. When the Knicks keep it simple, they look like the better team… so why do they keep getting in their own way? The guys break down what’s working, what isn’t, and why Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are at the center of everything.

The Dummies dive into a brutal Knicks playoff loss that turned a series they should be controlling into a real fight. Will and Erik break down the Game 2 collapse, Jalen Brunson’s hero-ball issues, Mike Brown’s rotation decisions, and why Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t used nearly enough when the game was on the line. 

With the Mets in a freefall, the Dummies had to vent. And vent we did. Please enjoy this bonus episode as the Dummies rant about what's wrong with the Mets on this current 8-game losing streak. 

This week, the Dummies switch things up with an Around the Horn-style episode as each topic gets thrown on the table and nobody holds back. After a quick recap of Erik’s stressful return trip to New York and the Citi Field experience, the guys dive into three big debates. 

While the Knicks were in the middle of winning a wild one in Atlanta Monday night, the Dummies decided to play a bit of a game. There are a lot of narratives around the Knicks right now as they head into the playoffs, so we decided to play a game of fact or fiction this week.

St. John’s made Duke work for it, but the Red Storm’s season came to an end in the Sweet 16. We break down where the game slipped away, how Duke’s zone changed everything, and why the lack of a true point guard felt like the biggest issue when it mattered most. We also check in on the bracket standings and who still has a shot to win the pool.

The last time the St. John's men's basketball team found themselves in the Sweet 16 was in 1999 when Will and Erik were sophomores at St. John's. Time flies.

Spring Training is over and it's time for some real baseball as the season opens in San Francisco Wednesday night between the Giants and Yankees. The Mets start their season Thursday afternoon at Citi Field against the Pirates.

It's finally time to go dancing!

This week was one of those situations where delaying the podcast a few days actually worked to our benefit! This year's NFL free agency period was insane, and both the Jets and Giants were right in the middle of it. 

We'll be back with a regular episode on Thursday, but please enjoy the audio from our watchalong this past Sunday of the Knicks,Lakers game!

Let's face, this time of the year is tough for sports chatter. So, we figured we'd do something a little bit different: we each came to the table with a topic of our own. 

The NBA Draft has turned the NBA regular season into a “race to the bottom” and the league finally looks ready to do something about it.

Can you believe the Mets and Yankees play baseball this weekend?! It's that time of the year again as New York's baseball teams are in Florida preparing for the 2026 season. 

The NFL season is officially in the books, and Super Bowl 60 is in the rearview mirror. This week on Two Dummies That Just Watch, Will Hernandez and Erik Pimentel recap the big game from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, where the Seattle Seahawks handled the New England Patriots and secured their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. It wasn’t a classic, but it still gave us plenty to chat about—what worked, what didn’t, and what it means heading into next season.

On this episode of Two Dummies That Just Watch, we kick things off with the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame voting controversy — and how the process may have kept Bill Belichick out on the first ballot (including the “80% / 40-of-50 selectors” detail and why the Hall put out a warning about leaks). We also get into the Eli Manning debate and what “first ballot” really means in the NFL context. 

The Mets’ offseason picture finally comes into focus heading into Port St. Lucie: Bo Bichette arrives, the Mets land a true top-of-the-rotation starter by trading for Freddy Peralta, and we run through the rest of the additions (Devin Williams, Luis Robert Jr., Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, Luke Weaver, Luis Garcia, Vidal Bruján, Craig Kimbrel) while reacting to one big headline: Vegas now has the Mets favored to win the NL East, as well as a top favorite to win the World Series.

It’s official: John Harbaugh is the new head coach of the New York Giants.

Pitchers & catchers are less than 30 days away from reporting, but the Mets’ 2026 roster still feels unfinished. The 2 Dummies break down what’s left to fix, what big-name free agents are still out there, and whether the national perception of the Mets matches reality outside NYC.

Let's face it: it hasn't been great for New Jersey NFL football the last decade outside of a fluke Giants playoff berth. These franchises are down, and down bad. That being said, what does each team need to do to improve?

This is it! It's our last episode of the year as the 2 Dummies are on holiday break until January 5. That being said, it's a bit of a different show this week as we wind down the year. We have a smorgasbord of topics to get into including, Jeff McNeil's trade to the A's, the aftermath of the Knicks winning the NBA Cup, and some quick thoughts on the Giants and Jets.

You know the drill by now. But before we get into our best bets for Week 16, Erik and Will check in on what's going on with the Giants as far as their future head coach search and what to do with that top draft pick.

LeeJay preached patience when the Knicks started the season 2-3. He asked everyone to hold off on their judgement until after 25 games. Well, here we are and the Knicks are 18-7 and have won 9 of their last 10 games as they get set to play the Spurs for the NBA Cup Tuesday night. Will peppers LeeJay with some questions about the Knicks season so far.

Week 15 in the NFL is shaping up to be an important one for a lot of teams. And we already got a glimpse of that Thursday night as the Tampa Bay Bucs lost to the Atlanta Falcons on a last second field goal. 

The title says it all. We also did an emergency podcast Tuesday after word got out that Edwin Diaz was signing a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. But then Wednesday happened and word got around that Pete Alonso, the Mets' franchise leader in homers, is set to sign a 5-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles. Just exactly what the hell is happening in Flushing?! The Dummies discuss.

After we recorded last week, we learned that the Mets signed Devin Williams to a 3-year, $51 million deal. Right now, he's the Mets closer. But was it a mistake for the Mets to chase Williams first without first resigning Edwin Diaz? The Dummies discuss. 

We've come to a point with the New York Giants that the things happening off the field are more interesting than the games themselves. Will and Erik chat about the Giants' loss to the Patriots Monday night, whether Jaxson Dart is going to get himself killed, and what the hell is going on with Abdul Carter.

We know the MLB offseason is about to be filled with hotstove chatter with the Winter Meetings set to start next week, but the Mets have a lot of drama surrounding them in the offseason. While we recorded before the Devin Williams news broke, we discussed the recent New York Post report about Francisco Lindor. This guy continues to be a problem. 

We decided that we're doing something different this week, and for the rest of the regular season: we're not going to give best bets for the local teams. 

Well, it's the episode that we've been putting off for weeks and it's finally here as we take a look back at the 2025 Mets season. And wouldn't you know it, we had a trade to discuss that fit nicely with the conversation as New York made its first major move of the offseason by trading Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for Marcus Semien. 

It's going to be really difficult for the Dummies to watch the local teams again this season. This is what happens when your teams are absolute trash year after year after year. While the Dummies gave their picks for the local teams for Week 12, they might be doing something other than watching the Jets and Giants on Sunday. 

Depending on who you ask, the New York Knicks are either heading in the right direction or the sky is falling. LeeJay thinks the worries are complete nonsense as we dive into how the Knicks are doing so far this season as they just started a 5-game road trip.

It's that time of the week again for the 2 Dummies as we're back with best bets for Week 11. 

Well, it finally happened: the New York Giants fired Brian Daboll as their head coach! But, it comes with caveats.

Before we made our picks for Week 10, we had to take some time to discuss the NFL trading deadline action. And boy, was it something. 

The New York Giants have started 2-7 for the third straight season, but yet head coach Brian Daboll STILL has a job. Why and how is this the case? Will Hernandez and Erik Pimentel break down Big Blue's latest debacle.

Week 9 marks the halfway point of the 2025 NFL season, and it's been unpredictable at times. And our best bets have sometimes mirrored the season!

The New York Jets' long national nightmare is over! They finally won a game, and did so in Cincinnati Sunday against the Bengals just hours after learning of the passing of franchise legend Nick Mangold. Is LeeJay now optimistic the Jets can win enough games to not call the season a complete disaster?

We're about at the halfway point of the 2025 NFL season! It's time for Week 8, which also means it's time for another edition of our new weekly episode during the season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

Can you believe a new NBA season is upon us? It seems like yesterday when we were just discussing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers, there are a lot of expectations on New York to make it to the NBA Finals, even win it. As for the Brooklyn Nets? Well, we don't know what the hell is going on with them. 

We're quickly approaching the halfway point of the 2025 NFL season! It's time for Week 7, which also means it's time for another edition of our new weekly episode during the season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

The New York Jets remain the sole winless team in the NFL as they continue to find ways to lose week in and week out. LeeJay didn't necessarily want to discuss the Week 6 loss to the Broncos in London. But he thinks head coach Aaron Glenn needs to make a change at quarterback because Justin Fields ain't it.

The New York Giants beat the Eagles on Thursday Night Football. We repeat: the New York Giants beat the Eagles on Thursday Night Football. Will Hernandez and Erik Pimentel are on hand to break it all down as the G-Men improve to 2-4 on the year.

What more can the Dummies say about the Giants and Jets. The teams are a combined 1-9 to start the 2025 NFL season. How much more can the Dummies take?

Can you believe it's already Week 5 of the 2025 season?! Well, that means it's time for another edition of our new weekly episode during the season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

Despite everything that happened with the Mets during the 2025 season, they still had a chance to make the playoffs with a win Sunday in Miami against the Marlins. But New York couldn't even muster a single run in a 4-0 loss. Erik Pimentel is back this week with Will Hernandez as we give our initial raw thoughts on the season.

It's Week 4 of the NFL, and that means it's time for another edition of our new weekly episode during the season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

The 2025 NFL season is almost a quarter of the way finished, and the Giants and Jets are already in a freefall. Both teams are 0-3 to start the season and it's hard to see when things will get better. Erik joins Will and LeeJay this week to discuss. 

It's Week 3 of the NFL, and that means it's time for another edition of our new weekly episode during the season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

Week 2 of the NFL season is here, and boy oh boy, things are already looking grim for both New Jersey teams. The Giants lost a heartbreaker in Dallas, while New York's true NFL team beat down the Jets at the Meadowlands. The 2 Dummies react!

We're back with another edition of our new weekly episode during the NFL season as we give our best bets for you gambling heathens!

Well, we made it to Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. And depending on who your team is, you might be in for a long season. Both the Jets and Giants are hoping for some improvement in 2025. But, can it happen? The Dummies are back to break down how they saw things and both the Jets and the Giants lost in Week 1. We also look at what stood out to us in Week 1, and well as all of the hoopla surrounding Arch Manning.

Welcome to a new supplement episode of the podcast that will see the Dummies pick the New York local games from a betting perspective, as well as three games each we're following. 

The 2025 NFL season kicks off a week from today, and the 2 Dummies are here to discuss what we expect from the Giants, Jets, and the rest of the league. 

Last week, Little League International put out a statement about betting on Little League World Series games. Apparently, there are offshore gambling sites that allow for such a thing, and of course, degenerates will be degenerates. Will, LeeJay, and Erik assemble to discuss the situation.

We had to do it. 

The Mets and Yankees both made trades at last week's deadline in an effort to boost their respective teams. But the results haven't exactly been great as both the Mets and Yankees continue to struggle. LeeJay is back this week, but we also have a special segment with Larry Fleisher to discuss everything that went down with the Yankees.

The MLB trade deadline has come and gone and both the Mets and Yankees made moves to fortify themselves for the last two months of the season, with the hopes of winning a World Series in 2025.

Editor's note: We had some minor technical difficulties this week, so no timestamps this week. We apologize in advance!

It was a mixed bag for New York Mets fans this past weekend. On Saturday, the Mets retired David Wright's No. 5 in an emotional pregame ceremony that reminded fans of his greatness, but also what could've been. And around all of this, the Mets lost 2 of 3 from the Reds.

Editor's note: We had some minor technical difficulties this week, and we apologize in advance!

While it's not official, Mike Brown is set to become the next New York Knicks head coach. He wasn't exactly on the top of anyone's list when this search began, but he will lead the Knicks going forward. Despite a healthy winning record, some people believe Brown isn't as good of a coach as that record indicates. The 2 Dummies dive in.

There used to be a time when the NBA Draft was much-see TV. Now? Not so much. Will barely watched it last week, while LeeJay didn't watch it at all. Still, there was much to discuss this week about the draft, why the Brooklyn Nets did what they did, R.J. Luis, and some general NBA notes.

During the offseason, the 2 Dummies continuously questioned how the Mets were building their starting pitching rotation. And through the first two months of the season, we were proven wrong. But the Mets have hit a rough patch, and the starting pitching is a big reason why.

The New York Mets are in their first official rut of the season as they were swept by the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend at Citi Field. While it's not time to panic, it is time to act. Joining the show this week to fill in for LeeJay is a new dummy, Will's good friend Erik! Erik believe the Mets shouldn't wait until the trade deadline to make moves, especially after the blockbuster trade Sunday between the Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants. 

The New York Knicks have been a running topic the past several weeks on the podcast, and for good reason. And now that New York has a vacancy at the head coach position, it'll be in the news just a bit longer. LeeJay is getting a little tired of the constant Knicks chatter, but the 2 Dummies discuss them one more time in depth this week. At least for now. 

In a span of 72 hours, the future of the New York Knicks franchise might have changed forever. On Saturday night, they lost to the Pacers, which ended an impressive playoff run that say them reach the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. On Tuesday, New York decided to part ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau after 5 seasons with the team. So, now what? The 2 Dummies break it all down in one of the biggest sports stories of the year in New York City. 

We figured we had the time to jump on the horn quick to chat about Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the Knicks beat the Pacers to take the series back to Indiana on Saturday. Enjoy this bonus episode!

The Knicks entered Sunday night's game against the Indiana Pacers with their backs against a wall down 0-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. New York even got down in the game by 20 points. But Karl Anthony-Towns had other plans as New York roared back to capture Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The 2 Dummies discuss. Elsewhere in this shorter episode, the Dummies discuss all things Mets, and chat about the issue with Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh. 

The NFL knows how to make a scene with every little thing, and last week was no different when the King revealed the 2025 schedule for the entire league. Of course, the 2 Dummies had a lot to say about various aspects of the schedule, specifically how things will play out with the New York Giants. 

The New York Knicks are on the verge of clinching a spot in the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in since the 1999-2000 season. They beat the Celtics in Game 4 of the semifinals at Madison Square Garden Monday night, and Boston will likely be without its best players for the remainder of the series. The 2 Dummies break it all down. Elsewhere, we chat about what the NBA Draft used to be as the Mavericks won the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. We also get into some early NFL chatter as we await the full schedule. Our halftime topic this week dives into our hibachi experiences from this past weekend. On the other side of the break, it's all baseball as we discuss Rafael Devers, dumb MLB marketing, the Mets, and the Yankees. And finally, our Mt. Rushmore this week is about our favorite sports commercials. No timestamps this week due to a recording snafu!

The Knicks find themselves in the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the third season in a row. But, standing in their way are the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. After an exhausting first round series against the Detroit Pistons, what will New York need to do to get over the hump against Boston? In another discussion on the impact of NIL on college sports, the 2 Dummies discuss Shaq as the new general manager at Sacramento State. Our halftime topic is a "familiar" one: 100 men vs. a gorilla! On the other side of the break, it's all baseball as the 2 Dummies discuss a variety of topics. Finally, it's our Mt. Rushmore of breakfast meals.

The 2025 NFL Draft is behind us, and it was a memorable one for all the wrong reasons, at least for one Shedeur Sanders. The 2 Dummies get into what has become a contentious topic the last few days. The Knicks won Game 4 in their series against the Pistons, and did so in what some people believe was a controversial fashion. If you're actually watching these games, there was nothing controversial about it. The 2 Dummies also chat baseball and get into the issue with Devin Williams as the Yankees closer, and the current Mets bullpen woes. 

For weeks, the 2 Dummies wondered what the New York Giants would do in the 2025 NFL Draft. Would they draft a quarterback if they were available at the third overall pick? But as the weeks went on, the strategy changed and defense became a priority. Well, the Giants got it both ways Thursday night as they drafted Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart. Wild. The 2 Dummies break it all down in this extra episode. We also chat about the Knicks and they beat the Pistons Thursday night to take a 2-1 lead in Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs.

The Knicks opened their NBA playoffs campaign Saturday night with a come-from-behind win over the Pistons in Game 1, but it was a much different tune in Game 2 as Detroit held off New York to tie the series 1-1. The 2 Dummies recorded this podcast in a couple of different parts to account for Game 2 Monday night, and we break it all down. In other NBA happenings, Steve Kerr thinks the NBA season is too long, and has even written to the commissioner about his concerns. The 2 Dummies aren't fans of reducing the NBA season. We're just two days from the NFL Draft and the focus continues to be on what the Giants will do with the overall third pick. Our halftime topic this week is about the ridiculous reaction to the recent celebrity space trip. On the other side of the break, Will plays a game with LeeJay about who has the best chance to reach 3,000 hits. We also chat about the silly Juan Soto controversy, and Will gets a gut check from LeeJay about the college basketball transfer portal issue. No timestamps this week!

We're nine days away from the 2025 NFL Draft, so the 2 Dummies figured they'd discuss what they expect from the Giants and Jets next week. The general consensus is that we still don't know what the hell the Giants are doing.

With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Knicks appear poised to make a deep run in the playoffs. They went 2-0 over the weekend to clinch back-to-back 50-win seasons, the first time they've accomplished that feat in 30 years. The 2 Dummies discuss that milestone, and chat a bit about the Knicks' past and look forward to the future. 

The weather is slowly getting warmer and that can only mean one thing: baseball is back!

The St. John's men's basketball team had an historical 2024-2025 season after 25 years of false starts and missed potential. But the Red Storm's magical ride came to an abrupt halt Saturday afternoon and they lost in the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. And it wasn't pretty. The 2 Dummies break it all down. 

It's that time of the year as the men's NCAA Tournament gets underway in full force this week. And it's a special time in New York City as the St. John's Red Storm are a No. 2 seed in this year's Big Dance. The 2 Dummies are locked into the tournament as we give our predictions for the road to the Final Four.

The Knicks, Mets, and Yankees each are facing significant injuries to their respective squads, which has becoming a recurring theme in New York. 

The New York Giants this offseason often seem like a team without a plan. It seems like they're...desperate. There's no question at this point the Giants made a mistake not drafting a QB last year in a draft that had many viable options. And now they're scrambling for a solution in a pivotal year for the franchise.

One aspect of the Mets offseason the 2 Dummies discussed at length in previous episodes was the lack of confidence in the starting pitching rotation. And now New York has even more issues as two starters will begin the season on the IL. The 2 Dummies break it all down, as well as the limited options available. 

With the 2024 NFL season now behind us, it's time to look ahead a bit and figure out what's in store for New Jers...um, New York football. Both the Giants and Jets are in the market for new quarterbacks, with each team having a unique situation. The 2 Dummies gives their picks for future QBs in New York. 

Super Bowl 59 between Kansas City and Philadelphia turned out to be a no contest as the Eagles dominated the Chiefs to win their second Super Bowl in franchise history. The 2 Dummies give their thoughts on what turned out to be a boring night in more ways than one. 

It's that time of the year as the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles are set to meet in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. The Chiefs are trying to make history with a third straight title while the Eagles are attempting to stop that streak for their second Super Bowl win in seven years. The 2 Dummies have a Super Bowl 59 preview and pick their winners. 

The New York Jets have found their men as they hired Aaron Glenn as the franchise's new head coach while Darren Mougey takes the reins as the general manager. Glenn came off well Monday during his introductory press conference. So, what so the 2 Dummies think, especially the Jets fan in LeeJay.

We're 18 days from pitchers and catchers reporting to Arizona and Florida, respectively. But despite the Mets making the biggest splash of the winter with the Juan Soto signing, New York remains relatively quiet. Yes, A.J. Minter is a nice signing. However, this team feels incomplete. And what the hell is going on with Pete Alonso? The 2 Dummies discuss.

The 2 Dummies were eagerly anticipating this past weekend's slate of NFL wild card playoff games. Unfortunately, it was a dud with the exception of the Sunday night game between the Commanders and Buccaneers. We discuss the fallout of the weekend, and boy is there fallout.

The 2 Dummies are back for their first episode of 2025, and boy, do they have a lot to discuss regarding the Giants and Jets.

Well, this is the final episode of the podcast for the year. This week, we've shared a collection of our best segments in 2024. Spoiler alert: there's a lot of NFL chatter!

Rickey Henderson was someone who was near and dear to the hearts of the 2 Dummies, so when we got word of his passing over the weekend, we took some time to start the show with our memories of the greatest base stealer of all time.

The 2 Dummies had a completely different format coming into this episode, but then The Athletic dropped a bombshell of an article about the clown show that is the New York Jets.

What was once thought as impossible became reality Sunday night as Juan Soto agreed to a record-breaking contract to join the New York Mets. The 2 Dummies spent a lot of time this episode talk about the Soto signing from the different perspectives of both Mets and Yankees fans.

It's Major League Baseball hot stove season, and boy has it been slow. And that's because everyone seems to be waiting on Juan Soto to make a decision. Right now, it's apparently between the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, and Blue Jays. The 2 Dummies discuss the Soto situation as the Mets actually do make a move to address the starting rotation. In other baseball chatter, the Dummies discuss the aftermath of Shoei Ohtani winning the MVP, and then we get into a dreadful-sounding proposed rule for MLB.

The 2 Dummies have spent a lot of time on the podcast dissecting the Giants and Jets in every way imaginable So this week, we're dedicating an entire episode to discussing these two franchises in depth for the last time this year. The main segment this week is all about what we would do as the general manager of our respective favorite team.

Last week, LeeJay said something about the Colts' Anthony Richardson that sparked an idea in Will. It's actually something the 2 Dummies have spoken about before. So, Will used some help from ChatGPT to guide our main segment this week about the NFL's current problem with underdeveloped quarterbacks.

Let's face it: The New York Football Giants are a complete mess right now. They lost to the lowly Carolina Panthers last Sunday in Germany. Daniel Jones is awful. And Brain Daboll and Joe Schoen appear clueless. The 2 Dummies break it all down and tell you what they're seeing with the franchise.

We've welcomed a new Dummy into the fold as Larry Fleisher joins Will in this episode to discuss the Yankees and what went down in the World Series, the aftermath of it all, Juan Soto, and free agent targets. As a sports freelance writer, Larry has been covering the Yankees for close to two decades. 

We're through the first two months of the NFL season, so we thought it would be a great time for the 2 Dummies to look back at the storylines they were focused on heading into the season. That's our main topic this week, and let's just say they got some things right, and some things wrong.