The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 05/19/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: May 19, 2021

Colin analyzes Russell Westbrook coming up short in the NBA play-in game and why this is par for the course based on what we’ve seen from Westbrook since Kevin Durant left for Golden State. He defends Celtics head coach Brad Stevens from those saying Boston has underachieved based on some questionable front office moves. He also reveals his NBA stars – NFL quarterback comparisons before the playoffs officially begin. Plus, professional trainer Tim Grover joins the show to talk about working with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant and how that differs from his newest client Russell Wilson.   Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's your responsibility to not just seek help, but to identify that you need help. This is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Tune in to the podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay, and take real steps toward healing, growth, and becoming your best self. From understanding your mental health to doing the work, we break down practical tools, real conversations, and the mindset shifts you need to move forward and thrive. It's time to stop putting your healing on hold. and start doing something about it. Listen to Just Hill with Dr. Jay on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior,

and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast.

Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports. Sports Radio. It's an NBA playoff Wednesday, live in Los Angeles. The herd. You've heard about us. Whatever you may be in, however you may be listening.

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FOS 1. Very excited. Hosted by Jersey Mikes. You know the HARD. Jersey Mikes be a sub above. You get fed today. So it's amazing. There's so many things out there.

We're all on our phones all day, right? So you've got to get my attention. And the only way to get my attention, Joy, is with urgency, things that matter. Of course. So now last night, it just, I felt it all day. Couldn't wait. Wizard, Celtic, sat down, watch every minute. It was like, all right, here we go. Now I get two months into NBA playoff stuff. Tonight Lakers Warriors play.

Can't wait. Can't wait. By the way, I had to go eight hours yesterday without eating because I had a little thing to do at the doctor. That was a huge challenge for you. Big, I'm a nibbler. I eat every 45 minutes. You grace. It was I had to go to a fast food place. Order it before I went.

in because I was so hungry. So when I walked out, I could just eat. It was incredible. I went to Raising Cain's. I'd never been there before. Ooh. Good for you. It was delicious. It was delicious. Yes, we know. Try smelling chicken fingers for 45 minutes in a car and you can't eat them and you're starving. Torture. All right, let's start with this. If you didn't watch the game last night, Jason Tatum scored 50. Game was kind of ugly until the third quarter and, you know, Tatum did what Stars do. Took the game over. In fairness, Bradley Beal was not 100 percent. So I don't take much from the game. These are not championship teams. And, you know, you know, You know, listen, I'm going to talk Westbrook.

Let's just get it out of the way. I'm going to talk Westbrook. And a lot of people, you know, well, you didn't play well last night. He didn't play bad last night. That's what you get in 50% of Russell Westbrook playoff games. That's what he is. Go look it up. Come on.

He was 6 for 18. His playoff career three point percentage is 29%. 39% from the field since he left KD. That's last night is what he is in the playoffs. He's 32, playing basketball since probably seven, eight years old, maybe younger. He's been playing 25 years. He's got no feel for the game. He's got no feel for the game.

I mean, if he was a sports car, he would never downshift. If he was a NASCAR driver, he'd hit every third wall. There's an old saying in football, like, live for another down. Like Philip Rivers, and I loved him, but Philip Rivers, like, didn't understand that. like understand the moment live for another down philip didn't get it russle doesn't get it i mean but since kd left russell westbrook folks he's played 25 playoff games he's won seven he averages he shoots 39% from twos that includes layups and dunks and 29% on threes it's charlie brown kicking the football you guys are always like well well i mean he didn't play well last night

this is what he is what he is playoffs. It's the same thing. He has no feel for the game. And it really is an advertisement for athleticism has its limitations. You can be incredibly athletic. Michael Jordan, LeBron. But Michael Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe had a great feel for the game. They understood the moment. I mean, Michael's the classic example of. Turn it on, turn it off, step into it, lean out of it. Westbrook's got none of it. So when I hear it, well, Westbrook didn't play well last night. No, this is about 50% of his playoff games are five turnovers, a bunch of meaningless

rebounds, he can't hit a three-pointer, and he shoots under 40% on like twos. That's what he is. I mean, it'd be like saying, I mean, Philip Rivers through two interceptions and had a brutal interception late. That's pretty much Philip Rivers' career. You can't tell me. I cannot believe Philip Rivers threw a pick late in the big game. Well, that's on you because that's like half of his big games.

He threw a pick and you'd be like, Philip, what are you doing? You started for like 10, 12 years. So people say, oh, you're anti-Westbrook. We've gotten to a point the media is so soft that if you're honest about players, you're mean. That's what Westbrook's playoff games look like, one out of two. Now, he will light it up at some point in the postseason if they remain. And by the way, the fan boys,

will race to social media to remind me, but that really wasn't a terrible Westbrook game. It was about half of what you see in the postseason. He's played 25 since he's left KD. He's won seven. That's it. Let me defend Brad Stevens. And I don't know. I mean, you know, we know he's a good coach.

Is he a great coach? How many great coaches the NBA have? I mean, Popovich was great. Kerr seems great. I think Spolster is really great, but a lot of good in the NBA, not a lot of great. Phil Jackson was great. Doc Rivers is good. Is he great?

I don't know. But we ask our basketball coaches to do a lot more than our football coaches. We're very unfair to basketball coaches. We ask them to do things that we don't ask football coaches to do. And I'll give you an example. So we think of the Celtics as well-run. I mean, this is a profound organization. 15 first-round picks.

Many of them high picks. They've hit on two. Jalen Brown and Jason Tatum. They have hit on two. And Jason Tatum's a lot better than Jalen Brown. Jalen Brown's good, but he's inconsistent. He's not as consistently great as Jason Tatum. So Brad Stevens, this is what?

You're 7, 8 in the rebuild, and they feel like they're a mile, mile from an NBA championship. You see, in the NFL draft, you get 23-year-old men. They've played college football, minimum three, Mostly four, often five years. Mostly from big programs. They're well coached, training tables, elite staff. Ohio State, Bama, Clemson, Oklahoma.

These kids are ready to play. So I understand accumulating draft picks in the NFL. Like, I get that. In the NBA, you get a 19-year-old, sometimes from high school, overseas, G-League, or briefly, one year of college basketball. meaning he is not physically close to playing, and frankly, who at 19 is ready to play in a professional league? I wouldn't have been. I was pulling fire extinguishers in high school hallways.

Give me a break. In the NBA, we want our coaches to be developers. The hell, you don't have four years to develop people? You get fired. I mean, Boston is an organization without chaos. Danny Aange been there a long time. Rad Stevens a long time. It took Jalen Brown, one of the 15 first round picks that worked four years to pop.

Can you imagine Urban Meyer having to wait for four years until Trevor Lawrence could go 25 of 32 with three touchdowns and no picks? He'd be out of job. He'd be fired. We ask our NBA coaches to be 48% coaches. coach, you know, 12% babysitter, you know, 36% developer of talent. We don't ask our NFL coaches that. You hire an NFL coach. You go, I mean, what you'll see with a lot of NFL general managers, they like drafting

players from Bama, Georgia, Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, the big dogs. Why? Because those are like NFL training tables in college, NFL facilities, NFL weight programs. I mean, those kids are ready to play when they get there. Coach doesn't have to babysit them. These NBA kids can't even drink at the bar. They can't drink at the bar at the Rich Carlton they stay in. And by the way, so 15 first round picks Brad Stevens has had to deal with,

all of them and two have made it. But that's a big ask. That is a big ask for these coaches. I'm watching last night the minute Jason Tatum is off the floor. Boston is painfully untalented. Marcus Smart's one of their best players. He can't shoot. They're painfully untalented.

So I just think, you know, we ask NBA coaches to do things. We do not ask NFL coaches to do. 15 draft picks. Most of them great first round picks high. Hit on two. But we've asked Brad Stevens, you got to develop them. I mean, you wonder why it's a turn style in the NBA for coaches. We're asking them to do things we don't ask football coaches to do.

I mean, good guy, even the way the contracts are set up, you could cut Tom Brady tomorrow. You just have a cap hit. You can cut anybody anytime you want. So in the NBA, you've got to make sure you get along with a star. I mean, Brad Stevens, great coach. Kyrie, flaky Kyrie comes in. It doesn't work. I mean, Kyrie bailed on LeBron.

He thinks the earth is flat. He doesn't work with Brad Stevens. Do we blame Kyrie? No, we blame Brad Stevens. In the NFL, at least the coach is like Antonio Brown's a little off. We blame him. In the NBA, Brad Stevens wins everywhere. He has a bad year with Kyrie.

Kyrie has a history of like just taking sabbaticals midseason, and we're like, ah, it's Kyrie's great. Brad Stevens can't coach. You know, we are tough on NBA coaches. And I'm watching Boston last night. You couldn't take Jason Tatum off the floor. It was like a bad YMCA afternoon. So I don't think either of these teams are championship teams, but before we got everybody run out of town, take a deep breath.

I mean, I was telling my staff this morning is on my staff here, this is nobody's first job. Joy Taylor had done radio in Miami for years, and she was on another show at a network. And then Joy comes in. And my staff, people have worked in New York, L.A. We used to have a writer for Kimmel, The Onion. It's nobody's first job. If I was an NBA coach, I'd have a staff. It's my first job.

Oh, can you go down? No, I can't go. I can't even walk through the bar at the hotel. But the show would be, I mean, it would be a mess. Forget content. I'd be teaching people how to do a show. I mean, Brad Stevens is literally spending his time throughout the last seven years teaching people how to play professional basketball.

That's hard. You don't teach in Alabama guys how to play for old football. They just had Nick Saban. You're not teaching guys out of Clemson and Oklahoma how to play Pro Football. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand-new podcast.

The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes

of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021.

And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports, and with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jared Adano.

You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become... quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast,

hope from a hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends

as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary.

Oh, cream of chicken, suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What is interesting here, professional sports betters, the Lakers are a real popular team. So fans generally bet on favorites.

They bet Peyton Manning, they bet Brady, they bet Yankees. That's what fans do. professional betters often fade the favorites if they think they're overvalued. So the line came out for tonight's game, Lakers by seven, at home. Now it's down to, it was at one point down to four and a half. That tells you professional betters are fading the Lakers big. Why would that be? A lot of it's Anthony Davis's injuries.

I mean, we know LeBron's going to be there and be LeBron. He won't be 100%, but LeBron's going to be fine. I think a lot of this comes down to Anthony Davis. And here's the thing about athletes is how, how. you age as a pro athlete will tell me how committed you were as a young athlete. And Anthony Davis to me feels a little bit like Carmelo Anthony. God gave him gifts. He gives almost nobody.

But by like 33 years old, Mello was in the same draft class as LeBron. By 33 in Oklahoma City, he was a role player. He's going to be a Hall of Famer. He's a role player. There was no grind to Carmelo Anthony. From what I've heard from two sources, Anthony Davis is a lot closer to Big Ben than he is Tom Brady. And he's only 28 years old, and his body is falling apart. Remember the game, Operation as a kid?

Everybody played that game, the little shock thing you'd play Operation. We ran out of room today with Anthony Davis. He's 28 years old. He has fallen apart. And by the way, this is a very crucial year for the Lakers, and I'll tell you why. not only is LeBron getting older, not only is increasingly Anthony Davis's body, he can't get through two weeks,

but Jamal Murray's out this year for Denver. They're not a championship team. Phoenix is probably one year away from going from bad to good to title team. Dallas, Luke is going to develop the stories they're going to go big in free agency and get him a second star. Golden State, Clay Thompson returns.

So the time is now for the Lakers. They don't have a long runway on this thing. Like LeBron now is dealing with injuries. I don't think you'll have as many next year. The condensed schedule has not been an ally of LeBron James. But how you treat your body young is how it deteriorates quickly. I mean, Anthony Davis is 28 men. He can't stay healthy.

This is not. And Biggs, they get hurt early. They get hurt often. So I think it has to be discouraging for LeBron. as I've said, because LeBron and AD fit well together, and AD's an incredibly likable player. And I think LeBron mostly gets along with virtually anybody. I mean, J.R. Smith was cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

And LeBron James put his arms around him, and they got along fine. Kyrie Irving for a couple years, they got along fine. But I think it's discouraging because this was the year off the championship into a condensed schedule. LeBron was going to scale back a little, here's a baton. And AD was not in shape. He came into camp. He was not ready to play.

and now he's falling apart. And I do think LeBron's not going to go public with it. I think it's discouraging. And LeBron knows. Clock's running out. Don't have forever. Schrooter's going to leave. They're not going to resign him.

Anthony Davis is here for the long term. Andre Drummond's leaving. LeBron's going to have to go big free agent market. Steph's got a year or more in Golden State. You can't get him right now. So this is going to be very interesting to watch this. If Anthony Davis goes down with an injury in the next two weeks, like the LeBron stuff,

stuff, it's over. Like there's just no, LeBron's tied to him now. I think he would never say it publicly, but I see a Big Ben thing here. Some guys age great. Mello did not. Big Ben has not. I worry if AD goes down in these playoffs, AD does not. What you put in, you get out later in life with your body as a pro athlete. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Hey, what's up everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up On Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game. We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me. LeVar Ayrington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexicoke Borris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media.

Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told,

and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok.

Hey, I'm Joe Rodano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite, quite the helper myself.

And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to give good advice.

Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice.

One ring is too scary. Oh, cream of chicken. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura podcast network available on the IHartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021. And I'm Conky, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast.

I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I always appreciate people who can keep a secret, which is virtually nobody today. Secure people can keep a secret. They don't have to rush out and tell everybody they know everything. It's like if you can keep a secret, you're securing yourself.

And I know it's hard. Like it's nice to have something nobody else has. Oh, I got information. I got it. I share it with people. I get it. I've done that before. I get it.

The 49ers are amazing. They literally fooled everybody. Like Adam Schaefter, it's Mack Jones. That's who they're taking. And Schaefter had a great relationship with the Shanahan's because he covered them in Denver. They fooled everybody, took Tray Lance. So John Lynch comes. on our show yesterday.

And this is incredible. This is how tight, how covert the Trey Lance Pick was. What Kyle and I did was kind of keep it between us in an effort to give the process to do that it deserved. Fairly early on, Kyle and I had zeroed in on Trey. We wanted to hear people's real opinions. But ultimately, we told our owner the week of

We told the people in the draft room, I think when the second pick was on the board, that's who we were taking. We wanted to see it all the way through. And at the end, it was really the motivation was to let Trey hear it for the first time from us, from no one else. Because I think that's a great surprise that he'll have with him the rest of his life. That is impressive. Jimmy Garoppolo trade, no leaks. Trent Williams, no leaks. Pursued Brady, no leaks.

Trade up to number three, no leaks. getting Trey Lance, no leaks. But I have a theory on this, my conspiracy theory. Just a little one, tiny one. So why did all the best reporters all go to Mack Jones? Well, Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch don't want to burn bridges with media, right? Big name media people. But Mike Shanahan's retired, the legendary coach.

And Mike still talks to all the guys that covered him forever, right? So they use Dad as cover. and dad they call Mike Shanahan he's like boy I'm here and they love Mac Jones who cares if he burns a brink and then Mike can always say well Kyle Kyle told me they lie but Kyle and Lynch stayed away from the media wouldn't talk maybe Mike just threw some breadcrumbs out there and the crows the media crows circled hovered and then attacked I just I don't know if it's right I'm just saying for all the media guys, men and women, to jump on Mac Jones. That's information.

I mean, we were, I was in shock that they took Traylands. But we, let's give out an award. We don't do this very often. Yes. Literally no front office is better. And these have been big moves. Garapolo from Belichick, no leaks. Up to three, no leaks.

Pursued Brady, no leaks. We found out about that later. Trent Williams left tackle. No leaks. We're going to create an award. We're going to create a new product on our show. It will be given, we're going to call it, you've heard of Flex Seal. Oh, yeah, that you like keep the boat afloat with?

No leaks. This is our new product on the herd given to teams that don't leak anything. San Fran Seal, NFL secrets in a can. It stops. Leaks fast. The quietest front office in the National Football League. you put on San Francisco seal, nothing leaks. Because it is hard to keep a small secret, a medium-sized secret.

This stuff is in, and San Francisco is a big city. You got multiple papers, multiple talk radio. Isn't that a good feeling, though, like knowing somebody has a secret for you and they're definitely not going to say anything? Do you have a big secret in your life? I got one right now. Right now? Major.

I could probably pry it out of you. major could change a lot of things. I'm, and I use San Francisco Seal. Not saying a word. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. There's no more LeBron's.

That's it. This is it. So like, there's never going to be a Brady. It ain't happening again. So just think about LeBron James is when he's made the playoffs, nine straight times he's made the finals. Does everybody understand three different teams, different teammates, flaky teammates,

a bunch of coaches, GMs, good owners, terrible owners. And I was just thinking that you got to appreciate it. And I was thinking about as we get into the NBA playoffs, the four or five or six, players in this league. And not all of them I like, you know, or one is my number one guy. But they, the two big stars in America right now are NBA star and quarterback. Ryan Rusillo just said that. That's the world we live in now. NBA stars and quarterbacks in America are royalty. And they all have like somebody in their

other sport that is them. Like for instance, LeBron is Tom Brady. The standard. Uniquely committed. Is beating father time. It makes no sense. Tremendous teammate. Motivating. Elevating. Makes everybody he plays with better. Self-less

over self-ish LeBron and Brady. KD to me, and he's an all-time great, it's Aaron Rogers. Offensively, a freak. Seven-foot is the best shooter in basketball. I mean, does Aaron Rogers

ever not throw off his back foot. And yet he's brilliantly accurate. They play different. Listen, they can take shots at the media. They're very socially media deft. They're aware of it. They don't get along with their team all the time. They don't get along with teammates all the time.

They've got a few injuries piling up. It does concern you about their legacy. But these are people that are literally outliers. They play different. they are different, both a little finicky, both a little passive aggressive. Mahomes in Steph. Joyful, playful, flashy, fun. No question, have changed the game.

When you draft a quarterback now, you're like, well, does he match it with Mahomes? Steph has changed basketball. Not as good as Michael, changed it more than Michael. They landed in the perfect spot. I mean, Golden State. What a perfect place to do. to go. By the way, Kansas City, Andy Reid, all those stars. Very fun, youthful, playful game. Westbrook, who drives me nuts, and Cam Newton who drives me nuts. All-time athletes, both

MVPs, been to the finals, don't win enough, both struggle with accuracy, both have sort of a fashion vibe that is spectacular to people in their sport. They're both very unique. I mean, Cam's a power running quarterback. And Westbrook's the best rebounder is a guard ever. And their games are very different. To me, though, the game has moved away from both a little bit. They haven't aged gracefully. Russell Wilson is Dame, Damian Lillard, both kind of buried in the Pacific Northwest.

Neither ever changes their expression. Win, loser draw. It's the same emotional state, same face, not ideal size. both kind of came out of nowhere. Russell Wilson had a transfer to Wisconsin. Dame was at Weber State. Both are also known for something out of basketball. Dame's probably the league's best like rapper.

Sierra, you know, star, marries Russell Wilson. Both are incredible leaders and both are almost better under pressure. Actually, they love pressure. They're great in it. They're one of those guys where like their heartbeat doesn't raise. as they take the race car around the corner at 200 miles an hour. And that's very unique even for greats. Janus is Lamar Jackson, which is great with a lead, not as great trailing.

They have a specific style. Both MVP's, both great. Neither feels like the face of a league. They were MVP's very early. Both we have real questions with today about postseason success. total one of ones unique stop never been anything even close to lamar jackson and yonis is what's his comp really isn't one i mean ambide is kind of shack dame is kind of step that there is no other there's no comp for yonis big ben to me is a little anthony davis god gave them

great talent um not exactly grinders in the off season haven't been totally committed to working on their body and injuries start piling up at a very young age. Both have a title. Both are better, I believe, as Robin than a Batman. I think Anthony Davis is great as LeBron's 2. I think Big Ben was great. When the Steelers defense ran the show, he came in, handed off a lot, 24 of 25 throws. Now they're having throwing 60 times.

He's over his skis. everybody's got a little bit of somebody the stars that they play like. And I think we should appreciate LeBron James because there's never going to be another LeBron James. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. It is interesting. So the Clippers are, I think, one of the real fascinating teams in the NBA.

We all know there's these contracts. So most of these NBA teams, when they lose, they can't just blow stuff up. I mean, Milwaukee may fire their coach, but they're not going to blow stuff up. We know the Lakers, Dennis Schroeder's probably not coming back. He's going to be too expensive. Andre Drummond's probably not coming back. The team that's fascinating to me is the Clippers. And it's really interesting.

This Clipper experiment, if they get knocked out before the conference finals, they're making big moves. Number one, Steve Balmer owns the team. He's not a patient man. Number two, Kauai is not exactly loyal. And so players show you who they are. Believe them. Same with people.

And Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, LeBron. The reason they're all great players, they're great athletes, but they're great leaders, and they're all very, very verbal. This is the dilemma you get with Kauai. Leonard. He's nonverbal. He's non-communicative. You don't know when he's going to play. He missed 20 games this year. He doesn't talk a lot. He's a little odd. But yet they've made him the star.

So they're not going to get rid of him, although he is a free agent. If he wanted to join Jimmy Butler, they would probably dominate the East for the next several years. So it's, the playoffs interesting. If Brooklyn with three stars wins, does a guy like Kauai look at that who'll be a free agent and go, I can't even trust my second guy, Paul George. Why not just go join Jimmy Butler and Bam on a bayou? So I think if Brooklyn wins, I do think there's going to be guys that look around and go, what's the point? Let's just go join the stars. I don't think Kauai leaves. I think Southern California, born and bred, I think he wants to be here. But if Paul George struggles again in the playoffs, they are blowing this thing up.

They don't have to win the championship. But Paul George struggles, and they're out before the conference finals, it's going to be a whole different looking team next year. And so it is interesting. When you get a franchise player, personality is important. And I've said this before. It's why I wasn't into Johnny Mansell. It's why I've been critical of Cam Newton.

You become the personality of your team. And if you have a cool, calm, collected star, the team feeds off that. Portland feeds off Dame Lillard. They're a pretty good team in crisis. Chris Paul's teams tend to be better defensive teams, latent games, because that's what Chris Paul is. It is hard to build around Kauai. He is so unique and so different and nonverbal.

And you're not, he got his own trainer, may miss 20 games. And so I don't know if this thing's going to work. I really don't know if it's going to work. But, you know, like Jimmy Butler didn't work in two spots, but he's so intense and committed. He worked in Miami because Spolstra's committed. And Riley's committed. And Bamadabai is committed. The culture in Miami is, yeah, we know it's a pretty city.

We're into basketball, two-hour practices. So Kauai worked for a year in Toronto. He worked for a couple in San Antonio. Right now, you're weighing on the clipper thing. I don't know. Does it work? I don't know. I don't know if it does work.

And so I think the clippers are asking the same thing. We're not going to get rid of him, but we got to find either a Batman or a Robin. Because if they get bounced early, then the Kauai thing is your leader is not working. In a city with the Lakers who could win their second championship in two years. And don't kid yourself. The Mets hate when the Yankees win. The White Sox hate when the Cubs win. The Clippers hate when the Lakers win.

Like that there's big difference. I always said big difference between your brother's more successful than you, and he lives next door and he's more successful than you. Lakers Clippers share the same building. So if the Lakers excel and the clippers are out quick, cobloom. I mean, I'd blow this thing up. And I can't wait to watch.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Tim Grover was legendary as Michael Jordan's trainer. He is now Russell Wilson of the. Seahawks trainer. And Russell is in a small group of completely committed athletes physically. LeBron, Russell Wilson, Tom Brady, the great Michael Jordan. It's got a new book out called Winning the 13 Crucial Principles for Achieving Unbeatable Performance. Smart guy, fascinating.

Tim Grover, CEO of Attack Athletics, joins us live. So we were talking during the break about, I asked you if when you were training Michael Jordan, did you train anybody else and you gave me a funny answer? Tell our audience. Oh, Michael always said, he goes, hey, I don't pay Grover to train me. I pay him not to train anybody else. So there's your answer. That is so Michael. You know, it is. It really is.

You know, the thing about Michael that's amazing, Michael, I said this during the break, Michael played hard. He hit the floor. I remember watching him play with my high school coach at the time. And he said, that's not going to last. You can't play like Michael Jordan. You can't go up against seven foot, 275-pound guys. And it's like he did last. He had one injury early in his career.

Was it genetics? Was it the work ethic? I mean, how do you explain, Michael? It's all of those things. But see, what I did was I studied his game. And the things I trained him on was like, all right, Michael, you are falling a lot. Let's teach you how to fall correctly.

Because there is correct ways to fall. And when you do hit the paint, there's areas that are more susceptible to injuries. You know, your wrists, different areas in your back. and so forth. So we emphasize those areas where we knew the impact was going to be. Now, could we ever prevent and guarantee that he wasn't going to get injured? No, but we mimic the training the way he played. And when you do that, it really helps minimize what you're trying to do. It is interesting. I read a story one time about Michael. He could play like 72 rounds of golf in the

humidity. You know, minor league baseball, he would go out and put one of those like tarpey things on, those jackets that create an induced sweat and sitting there in the southern sun for three hours and do batting practice. Were there ever times that you, because you trained Michael for baseball and football, was there ever time with Michael that you said, Michael, take a day off, let your body heal? Yeah, you know what? It was most, we were very in tune with that. And with these great athletes, it's not about the go, go, go.

A lot of times it's about to stop. It's about, hey, you've done enough, take a break, go relax, go play golf, do whatever you, do whatever you need to do. And they have to, so taking a break actually becomes competitive for them. So you just can't tell them to shut it off. You just can't tell them to unwind. These are true winners. They like to be wound up.

So you have to figure out a way for them to relax, but that's still competitive for them. Listen, Carmelo Anthony was in LeBron's draft class, and by 33, he was a role player. And it was pretty well documented that he was not a grinder. Big Ben has not aged as gracefully as Brady, legendarily not a grinder in the offseason. Anthony Davis came into this year for the Lakers, and Anthony Davis was not in shape. He had to play himself into shape.

And so that can be very dangerous because it's so fast at the NBA level. So like when a Michael or a Russell Wilson, when they first day of training camp, Tim, take me there. Do you want them in their best shape or do you want them to have to play about 8 to 10% into game shape? Colin, you said it perfectly. We don't want them at their peak condition, but we want them close enough to it where if they need to dial it up,

they're ready to dial it up. So I've always had all my athletes report into training camp well into above 90% of being ready. You're not going to use, you don't use training camp, you don't use those other things, you don't use OTAs, you don't use pre-season games to get into shape. You use that to work on your time. You use that to work on your game.

You do not use that time to get into shape. I mean, there's a lot of things. You know, I call it the championship hangover, and I've had clients have had this hangover for 12 years now, where they've won that championship, and they still have that hangover about celebrating and not doing the things that are quickly as quick. Once you win that championship, you've got to come back better.

So in order to come back better, you have to actually take off less time, Because if you come back the same player, you're not going to win that championship again. You know, it's the Brady thing. It's hard to get your hands around it. Unbelievable. Is it pliability? Like for him being yoked isn't really essential.

Do you like for a football player that you've trained? And Michael, is the training different in terms of weight, volume, repetition? It's totally different. even when Michael's training for baseball was different than for basketball. And now Russell's training is completely different than what I did for Michael, what I did for Kobe, what I did for Wade and all the basketball players I work with, different muscles, different movement patterns, different recovery, different intensities, different volumes.

It's all different. The areas that are injured more are a lot different. I mean, if you think about a football player, their maximum effort, output is for what, five seconds during the play? Right. Yeah, it's for about, it's for about five seconds. So you have to make that adjustment in the volume of the person's training, how intense the training, how intense the training is. And, you know, in basketball, it's completely different. You know, the rest interval or the maximum output is a lot, is a lot longer. There's a lot more jumping in basketball. And in football, there's a lot more cutting. There's a lot more

planting. There's a lot more head movement. So you have to adjust it. training programs completely different. Now, the foundation may be the same. You know, you have foundation principal exercises that you want everybody to do to prevent injuries so they can have that longevity, so they can have that power outburst. Even Tom Brady said earlier, I think it was last year, a couple of years ago, that he had to incorporate some weight, some more weight training into his, into his training regimen. Because as you get older, listen, the muscles do tend to atrophy a little faster. They do tend to get weaker.

So adjustments are constantly made, not even from year to year to year. It could be from game to game. So here's something my wife and I argue about. She went vegan mostly. She'll have fish once in a while. And I'm like, honey, I look around the pro athletes, not a lot of vegan athletes. I'm like, I'm not saying I'm going to sit around eat steak all day, but I like, I like, last night I had chicken fajitas. I like my chicken.

I like my fish. I grew up on the beach. What do you make when you hear, a vegan? Part of me, I don't want to sound like an old guy, but part of me is like, is it really bad to have a piece of fish? No, it's not bad at all.

I mean, listen, the omega three's, the omega-6, you get from fishes, the anti-inflammatory properties that you get, the things that red meat does for you, the things that chicken does for you. Like obviously, I always go, what works for the athlete? You know, you can't take what

somebody else does and say, hey, because they became a vegan, it's going to, it's going to work for me. Now, as you get older, you know, there's, there's, there's, it's, it's becomes more difficult to digest food. So there might have to be a little transition. But if a person is playing extremely well and this is their nutritional intake, go, go do it. Just go do it. Find out what works for you. winning is different for all of us. It's different for all of us. So you spent 15 years as Michael's trainer, and I've said this before, he had a fondness for Portland because Nike was based in Beaverton. So he was in Portland a lot, and I worked there for years.

And his last game against the Blazers, he was for the Wizards. And he was the best player on the floor. And Portland always loved him. I mean, he was never, it was not like Detroit or Cleveland. Portland loved Michael Jordan. They loved him. They almost felt like he was theirs because he was in Portland, and all the time. And I remember that last game. But take me to the time. So Michael is,

there's young Michael, there's championship Michael, there's baseball Michael, there's championship Michael, then there's retiring in the Wizards. When you, take me to the last year, you train Michael Jordan. Were there things that you noticed like, oh, Michael can't do that anymore, let's do this? Like, was he not as superhuman at the very end? Oh, definitely. You know, listen, Michael wasn't doing all the crazy dunks and so forth. Could he still do some of them? Yes. Did he have the same elevation? Did he have the same first step? No, he didn't. He's just, he's just not. All right. So the emphasis was more put on entry prevention. Our goal for that year was for him to play all 82 games and play at a high, at play at the highest level possible. And we did achieve that.

Obviously, Michael wanted the playoffs. He wanted to keep going. It just didn't happen. But the training regimen did change. And obviously, you know, people forget he had that, he had that injury with that finger with a cigar cutter. Yeah. So those, all those things had to be, had to be adjusted. It had to be adjusted. And the time, the time that was taken off between retirement and when he, when he was playing again. And then there was also when we were doing, when he was playing in the pickup games, Colin, you've heard this story. You know, there was, there was this injury in a pickup game with him and Ron Artesse that set us back quite a bit, set us back quite a bit.

Yeah. You know, it's, I see all these guys now. Tim, I swear every night somebody gets hurt in the NBA. And I think to myself, okay, maybe it's the condensed schedule. But, you know, I mean, Michael was playing every other night. And, you know, by the way, the old guys, they were on commercial flights up at six in the morning, didn't have guys like Tim Grover, ate like nonsense. And I don't remember all the injuries.

Some of this just guys make so much money now. They don't want to play through any tweak and make it worse. And some of it's just, I'm not going to play tonight, though I could. Well, you know what? Also, it's funny. When I played in high school and I played in college, the coach decided how much, who got to play? Now it's the trainers and the statisticians and the person's keeping, and the person that's keeping the log books that decides whether a player is,

healthy or not. And yes, there is some science behind that. But if you tell a person he's not capable of playing or you plant something in their mind, they're going to run with that. There has to be some accountability with this thing. And the training regimen, if you are 610, your training program cannot be the same as an individual who's 6'5, who's 6'5, who's 6 feet. Your training programs are different. Your levers are different. the way you step is different, your center of gravity is different, your angles are different. Those programs have to be unique to those individuals. So if you have a seven-footer who's doing the same program as your point guard, it's not going,

for one of those individuals, it's not going to work. Finally, let's talk about me because I'm very important here, Tim. So I'm 57, and I like an occasional cocktail. So as my trainer, as my one-minute trainer here, is it. it okay to sometimes have two? Or are you going to, if I was, if I, because I work out every day, I, you know, I run three and a half miles, four days a week. I'm going to go lift weights today.

I do that twice a week. How many cocktails is fine and how many is Colin get to bed? Here's a question. Do you drink because you want to or because you have to? That's the first question. Well, I drink because I'm with my wife. She's having wine and I like to flirt. So I like to have a cocktail and flirt.

So the maximum amount of alcohol, depending on what type of alcohol it is, is two glasses a day. Maximum. Maximum. Two glasses a day. That's the maximum output. That's if you're on a workout regimen, if you're on a workout regimen like yourself, if you're not on a workout regimen, it's one. Sounds very. And then drinking, you know, whether you're drinking.

wine or you're drinking tequila or you're drinking beer. They're all different. They're all different. Sounded like to me, Tim, what you said is if I work out harder, I get two is what you just told me. If you work out consistently, if you work out consistently, if you work out consistently, I'll let you have two. And I've got that for free.

The book is called Winning, The Un-Forgiving Race to Greatness. Look at that. Man, I love that. All right. You've aged well. Great seeing you again, Tim. Thank you. Appreciate you. Thank you. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's your responsibility to not just seek help, but to identify that you need help. This is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Tune in to the podcast, Just Healed with Dr. Jay, and take real steps toward healing, growth, and becoming your best self. From understanding your mental health to doing the work, we break down practical tools, real conversations, and the mindset shifts you need to move forward and thrive. It's time to stop putting your healing on whole. and start doing something about it. Listen to Jess Hill with Dr. Jay on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior,

and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast.

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