The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 05/28/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: May 28, 2021

After a dominating win over the Suns, Colin realizes what makes the Lakers special in the postseason and if that’s enough to win the championship. He has bad news for one NFL team and who they were hoping would become their new franchise quarterback. He also explains why Aaron Rodgers is quickly losing leverage in his standoff with the Packers organization. Plus, NBA veteran Jim Jackson joins the show to tell Colin why the Clippers might be headed for an early exit from the playoffs.  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 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 I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show.

This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast.

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians,

and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Well, let's talk about Sons Lakers.

You know I would have voted Chris Paul MVP. How do the Sons look when Chris Paul is still playing but not 100%. They are not the same team. But let's talk about the Lakers because if Chris Paul is not going to be 100%, now, the series, there's a couple days off now, Sons Lakers do not play until Sunday. That's great news for the sons. Get an extra day off, get Chris Ball healthy.

He's not there, and they're not the same team. But we all know LeBron's the leader. I talk about this all the time. The NBA is full of talent. There's not very many leaders. LeBron's the leader of the Lakers. And it's money in the bank. You get that leadership every night.

But once again, you see who the Lakers are when Anthony Davis is aggressive. But you don't get that with Anthony Davis every night. So whereas LeBron is the team MVP most valuable, there's got to be some sort of bridge award for Anthony Davis. And I would say he is the team's MIP. He's the most impactful player. That third quarter was everything. Okay, 18 points, five rebounds, played every minute, and they blew Phoenix off the floor. Phoenix is a good team.

Phoenix is a two seed in the West. The Superior Conference of two seed. Phoenix good team. So LeBron's leadership and consistency, again, that's an automatic deposit. You get that every night. I mean, he'll have maybe two halves a year he doesn't play well. So you can always bank on LeBron's consistency and leadership. You get that every night.

But when AD is aggressive, they not only beat teams, they crush good teams. I mean, D'Andre Aiton is a good young big. But AD had a crazy thing happen to his body, and I had a gross spurt in high school. I went from 5-7 to 6-2 over the course of a summer. I never forget my high school basketball coach. Oh, I got myself a quarterback. I got myself a shooting guard. Anthony Davis was 6-3 as a junior in high school.

And then he was basically 6-11 as a senior. So Anthony Davis was a guard. And last night in the third quarter, you can see some of that guard come out. You can see that junior year of high school. For a big, he runs the floor better. He's more fluid. He can handle the ball better. He can put it on the deck and drive.

He can pull up and shoot a jumper, pull back and shoot a three. That's where he is different than other bigs. And DeAndre Aitin's a really good young big. But A.D. just took over the game last night. There's nothing DeAndre Aiton can do. You're talking about in baseball, they call it a five. tool player when a guy can run and hit and steal and power and boy when Anthony Davis is locked in you are looking at a big that can do everything he'll put it on the deck and take you to the

basket he'll drive right through the middle of the lane he can pull back and hit a three he can handle the ball very comfortable runs the floor very fluid athlete I mean he he hits the floor a lot you ever notice that with AD and that's Kevin Durant too Kevin Durant and AD get hurt a lot they hit the floor a lot because they handle the ball so well. They're driving to the basket. Porzingis, by the way, for 7-6. Kind of a slasher at 7-6. Used to be a slasher was 6-7. Porzinga's a slasher at 7-6. So Porzingis and K-D and AD to hit the floor all the time because they're driving. And you got a lot of body. That's why nobody loves a 6-5 running back. You want a small guy that goes through, right? Don't want your legs to expose. AD is big. And he's crashing to the floor all the

time. But part of that is he grew up a guard and had a gross spurt. And so when you watch that third quarter last night, LeBron's the most valuable player. He is, AD is the most impactful player. And if Chris Paul is not ready to go Sunday and at least 90, 95 percent, this series is over, Frank Vogel after the game. A.D., even though he had, you know, was thinged up with his knee and was a little bit hobbled, really committed to what worked for us in game two, which is really running the floor, being the first big down,

putting pressure on their transition defense, and that opened up a lot of driving lanes for Brown, who mentally made the decision, you know, to get downhill and just live in the paint and live at the rim. And he was dominant during that stretch. And, you know, those two guys really reversed the whole course of the game. Yeah, I thought the third quarter for the Lakers was the best they have.

have played since last year in the bubble as a team. That was a great, great quarter of basketball. You're not going to get that every quarter in the NBA. You can't ask athletes to be all engaged and focused like that and play at that level for games. But third quarter was the difference in the game. So, you know, listen, there's a million different reporters and a million different blogs. Everybody's got an opinion. I remember when I grew up, there was the media.

and at the time I was a kid, I wasn't in the media. There was no talk radio. The fans only got a voice with a letter to the editor, a newspaper. That was it when I was like 15, 18. There was no talk radio. Fans didn't get an opinion. Now fans get an opinion everywhere. I could literally talk to our president on Twitter.

You could talk to anybody you wanted. Tom Brady, Phil Mickelson, it's great. But there's also now, because everybody has an opinion, And there's so many media outlets. I didn't grow up. There was no Twitter, obviously. There was no social media. There was no such thing as blogs.

When I was a kid, there was barely cable television. Media is everywhere. So it's important that for me anyway, I'll just speak for me, there are just certain media I listen to, and it's a pretty small group of people I trust. Tom Curran in New England, we've brought him on this show. He's as good a local NFL reporter as the league has. When I used to live in Connecticut, when Tom talked, he broke stories, he was legitimate, he's not surfing for clicks, he knows his stuff, he's never hyperbolic, he just gives you the straight skinny. And a good reporter should be occasionally ticking off local people.

That's the sign of a good report. If everybody loves you, you're a hack. If you're not ticking off local fans a little bit, you're not doing your job. And that's Tom Curran. So Curran comes out at OTAs. He said, I just finished watching Patriots first. OTA. One thing that stands out about Mack Jones new quarterback is his size and lack thereof. Not just compared to Cam Newton. He's shorter than Jared Stidham. He really will need to

fill out his frame as well. His arm isn't really live. You know, these are just observations relative to how far he may need to go. Fortunately, except for the height, the other things can improve. What did I bang on before the draft? Trust your eyes. You only have one chance to make a first impression in life. He looks tiny next to camp. He's smaller than Stidham. Remember I kept saying when Trey Lance walks into the 49ers, you're going to go, ooh, bro, that's a pro athlete. 64, 220. Justin Fields. I kept saying Justin Fields walks into a camp. Even if he's not great at the line of scrimmage for a couple years, you're going to go, ooh, 6'4, big arm. That's a player. That's a baller. Mack Jones is the shortest of all the first round quarterbacks. He's the least athletic.

His arm is not close to a Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Zach Wilson, not close. Worst NFL body. That stuff made Instagram, right? That made social. Now, a Patriot player yesterday, Kendrick Bourne said, oh, quote, he has a lot of swag and confidence. He is a leader. Yeah, so was Tim Tebow. And I heard that about Johnny Mansell had swag. And you could say that about Drew Locke. In the NFL, you need a gift. And the reason you need a gift is because the plays rarely go as they're designed. In fact, Nick Saban and Bill Belichick in their careers have struggled,

not against all quarterbacks, but quarterbacks with a gift. Belichick struggled with Cam three times. Sabin struggled with Johnny Mansell. Johnny, for all his faults, had a gift he could move. Why do you need a gift? Because when the play breaks down, how do you escape? Lamar Jackson's got his legs. Russell Wilson's got his elusiveness.

Cam and Big Ben had their size. Play breaks down, one guy can't take him down. Mahomes and Aaron Rogers, the ability to escape and make any throw, sometimes not looking. The great quarterbacks have a gift that when the play, the line of of scrimmage, a teammate runs the wrong direction, you can do something, you've got an ability to do something to save the play and not only save it, often enhance it. Mack Jones, protection breaks down. Teammate runs the wrong route.

Play is screwed. That happens all the time. Protection breaks down 10 times a game of your 60 plays. Player runs a wrong route or he gets bumped out of his. route that happens in our eight nine times running back can't block the oncoming linebacker misses his assignment players trip fall held up and so you know people can say well what about what's brady's gift well brady played in a much more patient NFL when he broke in 20 years ago you would give guys two and three years to develop tom was not tom didn't have a gift initially now

Tom did get drafted as a 6-4-5-25-pound athlete. Tom Brady walks into a room, that's a big fella. Tom Brady in every room he walks to in America, that's not like if he walks to a corporate event, if Tom Brady goes for a speaking engagement, if he is talking to an advertiser, Tom's the biggest guy in every room, 6.4.5, 225.

Peyton Manning, 6.5, 2, 3rd. I've been at a party with Peyton Manning. he didn't know who I was at the time. Peyton Manning's huge. Peyton Manning doesn't look like the rest of us. I'm tall. I'm 6-2-200 almost. Peyton Manning's way bigger than me.

Heads bigger. His hands are bigger. His chest is bigger. His shoulders are bigger. Got to have a gift. Manning, it was the brain. I mean, Peyton's probably the smartest player that's ever played the game. Probably the smartest single guy that's ever played the game.

He changed the game. Brady was given time in a more patient era to develop into the best pre-snap guy the game currently has. So he's actually, you know, he was drafted by a baseball team. He's bizarrely elusive in the pocket. He's been doing it so long. So this is what I say about Mack Jones is this is why I said, you cannot draft him number three. Now, the Patriots, to their credit, didn't give up any picks, didn't move up, just sat there at 15.

So the Patriots deserve credit. They were not going to give away picks to get him. But this is why he can't go three. Walk in the locker room, guys look around and go like, dude, that body, shirt off, that size. that arm. If Tom Curran says it, I believe it. And Tom Curran's probably getting heat today from Patriot fans. That's why he's good. 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. Embed it. 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 which I'm 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 what 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people.

I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to? I do a little kill. Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84's big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but yeah, yeah, literally. But just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have age.

on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests.

I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross. Because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Now, there's a lot of different, like, terms that if you don't use social media, and I don't use it enough to be too savvy, but you've been ratioed, that's geeky. And there's the flex. There's a term that you use called flex.

You're flexing. And I think there is a difference between a flex and a reminder. So if I go to my social media and I take a picture of my house and the pool, that's a flex, right? That's obnoxious. But in the winter, if I just take a picture of the sunset, which anybody could take a picture of, it is a reminder to a company I used to work for in the middle of a blizzard. Uncle Colin made the right call. That's a reminder.

I can be obnoxious. Tom Brady is hosting OTAs this week without the coaches. He wanted to do that in New England. They wouldn't let him. Tom Brady has made sure everybody in the world sees that Bruce Ariens is allowing him to take Antonio Brown, Gronk, Mike Evans, anybody that wants to show up, Blaine Gabbardt, players only OTAs. They can use the facilities, wait room, field. Bruce Ariens says, no coaches because Brady hates OTAs.

It is not a flex by Brady here. It is a reminder. just posting pictures on Instagram of the beautiful sunset to people who didn't understand you had that option instead of blizzards. Belichick would never allow this. Tom's not flexing.

Tom's not, Tom's not lined up with a Super Bowl trophy in his hand. It's not showing you the rings in his room. He's not doing the standings. It's not a flex. It's a reminder by Tom Brady, that all you had to do was occasionally two, three times a year, say, hey, Tom, good job. Occasionally hit on a wide receiver in the draft.

Let me control the OTAs with players and not have to go through coaching in meaningless OTAs as I've been the best quarterback in the league for the last seven to eight to nine to 10 to 20 years. Big difference. That's not a flex. Tom at the OTAs is a reminder. Had the Patriots just been a little less rigid, they would not have a losing record, they would not be inferior in their own division to Buffalo,

they would not have any chance to beat Kansas City. This little sunset picture. It's nice here, not nice where you're at. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. What's up, everyone. It's me, three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Marriam. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Marryman. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track.

So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it. Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the IHeart Radio app. or wherever you get your podcast. 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, Clifford 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, you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here,

unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode, with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes

about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have

real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. Everything happens for a reason. So yesterday, according to the Sports Business Journal, the ratings came out on Aaron Rogers in Jeopardy. He is not the most popular. Ken Jennings, who was once a contestant, very popular, very good, a whiz. Ken Jennings ratings beat him substantially. So when Ken Jennings was on, they got 10 million viewers. when Aaron was on, they got nine.

Now, a million viewers is a lot. That's something in our business. And 22% of Jeopardy fans, they want Ken Jennings. And that's a lot. And then Aaron Rogers, that was closer to 15%. On the same day, that came down. The Packers leaked it to the media that they're not budging on Aaron Rogers' trade situation. Just wanted to double down on that.

everybody keeps telling me oh i heard a an analyst another network in a colder part of the country tell me oh errands got all the leverage let's think about this he's going to lose 50 million dollars if he retires he's lost the fan base in green bay you you hear that sports radio chatter and now he lost leverage with jeopardy we also know that he sees and he sees and he hears everything. We know that because Mark Schlerath put out just a singular tweet about Denver having interest in Aaron and Aaron immediately DM'd Mark. That is not a criticism of Aaron, but he's not married with a bunch of kids. He's on that social device. He's good with social media. He hears and sees everything. And so, and I want you to just think about this for a second.

Because I've said, I think Green Bay did a lousy job communicating with him. But I remember reading this years ago from, it was a legendary comedian that 99% of you have never heard of. Jackie Gleason. In the 50s and 60s, he was the funniest guy in America. And he was like Tony Soprano if Tony Soprano was funny. He was this just big, tough everything. And I remember reading one time, he said, if he got power, you should never have to use it. It is unspoken.

It is understood. Don't mess with that guy. So when Russell Wilson used his I'm disappointed muscle, I'm deeply disappointed muscle, it was really the first time Russell had ever used that muscle. And Seattle reacted immediately. Aaron has, you know, he was Mr. Go Hawks for eight years. Go Hawks, go Hawks, go Hawks, go Hawks, enough already. And then he exercised the I'm disappointed muscle. And the organization, oh, Mr. Gohawks.

And they worked really quick to give them a deal and get him a better O line. But Aaron now has exercised his, I'm disappointed muscle a dozen times. So Green Bay is used to it, prepared for it. They dealt with it with FAR, they're over it. And now they have more leverage. Aaron doesn't have the leverage. That's why the way he wins this is by having the stomach to deal with it. Leverage is when you don't need a stomach.

I got leverage. When you need a stomach to deal with something, that means you're getting blowback in place. So Aaron's going to lose money. He's already lost the fans, a big chunk of him. Looks like he's going to lose the Jeopardy job. And by the way, not only does Green Bay have his contract, they could franchise tag him for years. So for Aaron to come out on the side he wants to, it's all about does he have the stomach for it?

I don't think he does. I think he likes to be liked more than most athletes. I mean, everybody likes to be like. You like to be like, I like to be liked. Everybody likes to be like. I mean, LeBron James said after that first year in Miami, I don't like being the villain. I don't want to be the villain. I like, I smile when I play basketball.

Magic Johnson didn't want to be a villain. I think sometimes Kobe and Michael Jordan kind of liked it a little bit, but you also like to be liked. I mean, Michael wanted his general manager to like him, right? He loved Phil Jackson because Phil Jackson liked him. He even liked Doug Collins who got fired because Doug liked him. Michael wanted to be like. We all want to be liked. That's why he did the last dance.

I wanted to give you a documentary about his life so you'd watch and talk more. I don't know. I just look at this. And he's not retiring. We got to get over this. Aaron's not retiring. Want 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. The NBA's never had more talent. Don't listen to anybody. It's got more good basketball players and more basketball talent than it's ever had, including the Michael Jordan era. And just give me a minute on this. In the Michael Jordan era, it was a domestic league.

There wasn't all these international players. Now you're searching the globe. for all these players and nutrition's better, training's better, coaching's better. The league's never had anything close to this kind of talent. 6-11 guys were clunky, back to the basket. You didn't want them shooting anything more than a free throw. Hell, guys moving out now, seven-foot guys shooting threes, international players. The league's never had more talent.

But it's also never had less leadership. And I don't blame the players. it's the economics of the sport. Get to the pros. It used to be you would play high school for four years, and you'd have this legendary high school coach, and there was a culture, and he would talk about leadership. He would mold you.

And then you would go to college for four years, and the college coach, you would see it. Sometimes you've got to see it to be it. You'll learn. We all learn, right? How to be a parent, we watch our parents. How to be a leader, you'll watch a leader. So it used to be players would be in this great high school program with this old crusty coach who'd been winning for 30 years, but you sensed culture.

And then you'd go to college and you kind of sensed, oh, that's a, this. Then you go to the NBA and by 23, you're like, yeah, Tim Duncan was a leader. And Patrick Ewing was a leader. Well, because they'd seen it. Well, now it's AAU, which is mostly about that dude can play. Let's bring him on the team. that's not about a culture, that's just just get the best players. And then you spend one year in college max.

Listen, after my freshman year of college, I knew beer better than algebra. And nobody learns anything in one year of college. And then these guys come into the league and you're like, well, they're great players, but they lack leadership. There's about five guys in this league that I would say, oh, that's a great leader. Every team used to have several guys, went to a great high school program, four years, went to a college program, even the great players, Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing, and they were in college for years.

So a prime example is Devin Booker. Devin Booker is filthy talented. I mean, like, insane. But years ago, Scotty Pippen took over for Michael Jordan. Jordan went to baseball. And Scotty was a top 10 player in the league, but he didn't have the emotional makeup to be a number one. And some of it was, you know, when you're a number one, forget the media hovering over

you every night. The other team focuses their game plan specifically to stop you. That's a lot. Do you make other people better? You will be asked now as the team leader. That's a lot. Are you a coach on the floor? That's a lot.

You're asking me to drop 28 and defend and be a couple. It's hard to be a number one. Devin Booker last two games when Chris Paul's limited, worst plus, minus in the series. He's never lacked talent. but I think Devin Booker is a little bit of what the league is now. The most talented I've ever seen it. Everybody can shoot. Everybody can put the ball in the deck.

A lot of guys can, but I don't see the leadership. And listen, Chris Paul, Lakers' sons don't play till Sunday. So they got some time here to get Chris Paul healthy. But what Phoenix looks like, without Chris Paul being as effective, they look like Phoenix the last couple years where they're talented. We're not doubting Booker and we're not doubting DeAndre Aiton. I'm not doubting any of these guys, but I think we have a leadership problem in the NBA. We don't have a talent problem.

We don't have a coaching problem. We don't have a, I mean, I watch these games. These dudes are doing stuff now. It's insane. I remember last time I went to a dunk contest. It was in Los Angeles on a rainy weekend. We had guys jumping over cars, cars, automobiles. Like, talent's not the issue.

But when Chris Paul's off the floor, this is why I said he deserved. to be the MVP. He's an old guy. You know, D. Wade, multiple years in college. Chris Ball, multiple years in college. Steph, multiple years in college. There are exceptions to everything. But Phoenix looks a little, a little bit rudderless without Chris Paul direct in traffic. 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. Jim Jackson, joining us now live. So you called the game last night. You know, it's funny, Jim, because you got a little bit of both.

You grew up going to the high school program, and then you grew up, and then you went to college for years and years. But at the end of your career, you dealt with a lot of what I'm talking about now as guys that just did AAU. You're a college. And I, so I think you're uniquely qualified to talk about this. You broke into the league. Everybody was old school. But the time you left the league, it was becoming a little bit like, dude, you. You played, what, 30 games of college?

And when I look at Phoenix without Chris Paul, I just see a bunch of talent. They feel a little rudderless to me, or am I a little too much here? Well, no, I mean, the core, you got to look at the core part. McKell Bridges had time in college, three years, you know, at Villanova. Cameron Johnson had his time at North Carolina. Devin Booker's anomaly, I mean, and DeAndre Aden, because of the two main guys are the ones that weren't in college. you know, only one year. Now, I mean, there are a number of teams, too, in the league where the leadership aspect,

you're correct on that because they don't have it, a lot of talent, but guys that don't know how to leave. And that's always been the case in a lot of different, I would say, errors of basketball. It just so happened in the era when I came in and even before, because the league was older, you always had that leadership and mentorship on the sideline, coaches, sort of speak, but also the players. So when I came into the league, it was like Derek Harper was my mentor. Okay, when I came in, Terry Davis, these guys that have been in the league for a while,

you know, it was just like, okay, these are the dudes and those. This is how you become a professional. This is how you get through the daily ground, 82 games. But they also led by example because they had been in the league six, seven, eight, nine, you know, almost 10 years. Okay. So it is a big difference in it. And that's the juggle that you have, Colin, when you have,

the leadership being young guys who didn't really have to carry a lot of the load in college. That's right. Okay. For a number of year, not just one. Learning how to be a number one on the big stage is totally different. Kobe had to go through that. Kobe wasn't automatically the best team leader, okay, because he went to high school. He didn't have to carry that load for two or three years and what that felt like,

how to get guys really involved to win and win big in college. He got right to the NBA, and he had to learn and mature. And that still took time. Yeah. You know, it's interesting with the Clippers tonight. I said this. Everybody loses in the NBA. It's no big deal.

But when you get humiliated, that's when guys lose their job. If the Mavs beat the Clippers tonight, it's going to be a sweep. And, you know, listen, we know the Clippers history isn't great. but there was never really any big expectations. It was brief with Chris Paul. But this team was all big expectations. So when failure coincides with expectations, that's when you get humiliation.

And I look, if the Clippers, this could be the biggest game in franchise history. If they do not win tonight, they're going to get swept. Jim, you've been around this league long time. That cabloom, I mean, this thing is, you think Paul George and Quire both, gone, one gone. What do you see happening? Well, this is a little bit closer to me because I covered the clippers all year. So I got to, it wasn't the same as being in on the road, traveling with the team and kind of sitting down with the coaches and players and really getting insight and getting the feel.

But by covering the games all year, I got a really good understanding of what this team is made up. And the biggest trepidation I've always had was when things get tough, who's the voice of reason? And that's the biggest thing because your two best players, are probably your most quietest players on the court. Yeah. I think that's part of the reason why you go and get a Rondo because his voice is loud because he's been there, done that, and guys really respected.

Yeah, this is a critical game. And the reason why is because Dallas, you have to think about it, you go back to the bubble last year, they felt they had a chance to beat the Slipper team, okay? During the course of the year, it was a huge blowout. First game in Mavs played the clip. It was over at halftime, okay? Mabs were up 50 points.

during the year the three games and Mams won, two out of the three. Luca average 30 plus points. Luca's going to get his numbers, okay, in his league, Cald. You can't stop Luca. You can try to make him less efficient, but you can't stop him. What's killing the Clippers defensively is Tim Hardaway, Jr. being able to get a shot. The first game, Dorian Finney Smith.

Now, part of the game plan was to leave some of those guys open and force them to make shots, and they did that. But in the last game, I mean, it was, you know, Jalen Brunton. It was Tim Hardaway, Jr. Guys that you know that can play. Those are the guys that are beating the – Luca's going to beat Luca. And if they lose this game, I mean, all heck is going to break loose in regards to, you know,

just to panic of what the future holds for this Clipper team. I really do. Believe that. By the way, Anthony Davis is much better than Rashid Wallace. but I made the comparison about a week ago. I said when Rashid was dialed in and aggressive, he was a handful. I mean, he went toe to toe with K.G. and Duncan for years. He could defend.

He could hit a three. He was about 70% AD. And I watched that third quarter last night. And you know the story where AD was a guard his junior year. Then he had a gross spurt. And I'm watching him last night, shoot, move. fluid, put the ball in the deck, and I'm like, man, the guy upstairs gave him so much talent. Like, I watched that third quarter, and I thought, nobody in the league's going to beat that.

That nobody in the league's going to beat that team. Do you think LeBron's ever frustrated that he has to cross his fingers to get that AD? Well, I think the league is frustrated because AD is so talented. I'm going to back up a little bit. I play with Rashid, okay, in Portland. Yeah. Keep in mind, Rashid was the number one player. coming out of high school. This was talent, but Rashid didn't really care about being the number

one. He didn't care about making an all-star game. When he wanted to turn it on, he turned it on. It was to blow my mind because he was so talented, could dominate. He could be a perennial All-Star, one of the best power force ever played. But that wasn't his motivation. He loved to play the game the way he wanted to play it, which is nothing wrong with that. I see a lot of similarities with AD in regards to the fact that when he wants to turn it on, he's virtually unstoppable. but then he'll go through those stages where he just wants to be kind of one of the guys. And he has too much talent for that. But Colin, here's the thing.

A Lamar Odom, a guy I'll play with in L.A. for my last year. Kind of the same way. 610 talented, over talented, could dominate to be one of the best. But that was it, I don't know if that was his motivation. And I don't know how you get a guy, a man, to do it. when it's not built within it. And that's the challenge that you have when you're the Lakers. That's why you have to have somebody else around Anthony Davis

in order to carry those games in those days when he's not really going at. Because like you saw this in that third quarter, but also in game two at the beginning of the game, that AD makes this Laker team unbeatable. Yeah. So you did the Knicks-Hawks game two and the gardener was crazy. here's a dilemma if you ran the Knicks. Julius Randall is an effort guy on a championship team.

I think he's your third best player. But you can't take him out of here. You've got to pay him something because he's such, he's the soul of the team. He's a grinder. He's tough. And I look at it and I think the Knicks are going to be in a little dilemma. We're seeing the reality of Julius Randall in the playoffs. He can disappear for halves, a lot.

But he also, he is really deserves, I mean, he's a comeback player of the year. So, and all of a sudden that contract's coming up. What do you do with Julius Randall if you're the Knicks? I mean, you want this momentum to keep going, Jim, because, man, it's kind of attractive. I watch the Knicks now and I think, well, if I was a free agent, that'd be kind of fun. Like the Knicks are back. Yeah. What are realistic expectations with Julius?

What do you do with him going forward? You can't discount what Nate McMillan has done defensively to take Julius Randall out of. Now, it's a lot easier, Colin, to defend a Julius Randall, a power forward than it is a Trey Young, a Steph Curry, you know, guys that have the LeBron James, guys that had the ball in their hand and on the perimeter can shoot and step back and do a lot of different thing. It's a lot more challenging to take away thing. With a Julius Randall, you can shrink the court. you can take away driving lanes.

Things you can do to minimize his effectiveness, and that's what they've done. So I'll give Atlanta a lot more credit for that than Julius Randall not being able to perform. But moving forward, keep in mind, New York has a wealth of money that they can spend, okay? They need to have a viable point guard. Derek Rose is great,

but Derek Rose is 12 years in the league. He's your secondary point guard option. In this league, you need to be, be able to surround a Julius Randall with a point guard that can make plays and knock down shot. Okay? That's the direction that the Knicks have to go. I love what Julius Randall has done.

The growth in this young man has been incredible, not just from a game perspective, but in his mind because last year, he wanted to be number one. He got paid to be number one, but he didn't understand what that meant. This year, he's bought into, it's not about me and my individual goal, is about how good I can be to help the team continue to get better. And that's the kind of attitude you want. You can't get rid of that attitude. The thing that Nix have to do in the organization is surround him with the right guy.

And if that's getting an alpha number one at that point guard or shooting guard, you try to go find them to compliment the young players that you have. Good stuff. Jim Jackson's been doing the Lakers and the NICS. Exciting weekend ahead. You have a great weekend. Smoke a cigar for me and hit a golf club, would you, buddy? Well, I'm going golfing right now, Colin.

I got to guess that. I had a feeling that was the answer. Yeah. All right. Jim Jackson, Fox Sports. A lot of stuff today, scratching the surface. Hustler Turf is one of the largest manufacturers of zero-turn lawnmowers in America from May 17th until May 31st. Hustler Turf is donating $13 for every lawnmower sold to the folds of honor.

That's a nonprofit organization. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. James has lost a lot of finals, but it's not necessarily humiliating. I mean, even when he was swept by the Golden State Warriors, well, that was KD and Clay and Steph and Draymond. Many of you think that's the best team that's ever been. I don't. I think the Chicago Bulls are better.

I think, you know, Shaq and Kobe are probably better. Magic Kareem. But I do think that warrior team is one of the four or five best basketball teams ever assembled. But the Clippers, this is get, this is humiliating. If they lose tonight and get swept, it's the first round. The best player for Dallas, a 23-year-old kid. They don't really have a second star.

And the Clippers wanted to play the Mavericks. That's why they tanked at the end of the year. And when you add expectations to anything, you go from disappointing to humiliating. And so when I look at this Clippers team, this is when owner's. blow stuff up is it's not just losing, but it's losing swiftly first round to a Dallas team that is ascending. They're not supposed to beat the Clippers. Clippers won 47 games resting Kauai and Paul George for 20 games apiece.

I mean, Luca played almost every night. Hardaway is playing almost every night. And they're winning 42 games. So, you know, there is a reason public speaking, they've done studies on this. and polls on this. Public speaking is the number one fear of people. Not even dying. That's two.

Jerry Seinfeld used to tell a joke about it's amazing that death finishes number two to public speaking. So if you go to a funeral, you'd rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. Like people are petrified. Why? Why are they petrified of public speaking? Because you can embarrass yourself. 40% of America, 40% never leaves the area code in which they're born.

People don't want to put themselves out there. Safe, content, live a nice life. Don't take big risks. Big risk can be big swings and misses. So, you know, Bill Buckner, that was humiliating. It changed his life. Chris Weber, the timeout in college. Like Cubs fan, remember he grabs, interferes with the baseball.

Like, that stuff borders on, like, that changes you. It changes the franchise. It changes the venom and the ebb. anger to fans and owners. The Chris Weber timeout, the Steve Bartman ball that kids gone into hiding. He had nobody seen him in 15 years. You start losing in the first round getting swept by Dallas. Steve Balmer is going to get humiliated.

It's humiliating for Ty Lou. Those executives in the front office, the clippers have a huge front office, and they're highly compensated, making more than their Laker counterparts in many instances in the front office. It's ugly. And ugly changes the temperature of the room. Stuff gets blown up and owners don't like it. And owners, rich billionaire buddies are poking fun at him.

And it's like, nah, this doesn't work. So this is, to me, this is the biggest game in the history of the Clippers. Next game, three maps. This is as big as it gets. 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.

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