The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 06/07/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: June 7, 2021

Colin discusses the Clippers advancing to the second round of the playoffs and why this isn’t very impressive for a team with championship aspirations. He explains why the Nets don’t meet the criteria for a typical championship team despite having so much success so far in the playoffs. He also tells you why he was right about Julio Jones and wrong about the Lakers. Plus, NBA Champion Stephen Jackson joins the show to analyze what the Clippers did to turn it around in their series against the Mavericks.   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. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again,

I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to him. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. Listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From I Heart Podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart.

This is for Vietnam. They're pouring patriots all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country, and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon. the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. 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 IHeart Radio app by searching Herd. This is the Best of the Herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. It is a lively Monday. live in Los Angeles, this is The Heard. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1,

one hour from now, plenty of both where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong on a Monday. I got to tell you something, between NBA basketball, between the Logan Paul fight with Mayweather, between the United States men's national team, what a crazy Sunday. That soccer match was nuts, and people throwing water bottles and our guys.

That was nuts. I didn't see all the people talking about how they shouldn't be throwing water bottles and it's not a big deal last night. They were on the souvenir cups. My goodness, they got out of hand. But that was a great, those are great sports weekends. Oh, it was a great Sunday and a great sports weekend. And it's such a pleasure to have you and lots of choices out there.

Well, the Clippers won. They're a strange franchise. This was a strange series. and their superstar is a strange guy. First time ever, both teams lost all their home games for the first six games and then the champ of the series wins the home game, game seven.

And I'm still not sure if I like the Clippers. Love Kauai when he's engaged. Friday, he was LeBron-esque, 45 points, 18 of 25. shooting in an NBA playoff game. Sunday, he was near perfect, 28, 10, and 9. If you go to games 6 and 7,

I mean, this is LeBron in his prime. Kauai shot 100% from the free throw line, 50% on threes, and 70% from the field, and was the top defender guarded Luca. That is LeBron in his prime. But my takeaway is, why did it take this long?

The Clippers won 47 games in the regular season, and that's with Kauai missing 20 and Paul George missing, what, 18? They were the much better team. Their coach, you know, the Clippers want a championship, and their bench is better, and their star is a veteran star, and their number two is better, and they're deeper, and this went seven. I know Clipper fans want to throw a parade today, But because this series went seven, you have to face Utah in Utah tomorrow.

And you're going to lose that. And you're going to be digging yourself out of another hole. You know, Kauai Leonard, we all know this. He started, I mean, it got termed once he did it, load management. Where he just, you're not quite sure if the body's right, he takes 20 games off a year in his prime. Like this is his prime. This isn't LeBron in year 18. This is his prime.

but Kauai also appears to take load management games mentally when he plays, but he's just kind of drifting around, and he's giving you about 65, 70%. He wasn't guarding Luca for the first several games in this series. Didn't LeBrono always just embrace that challenge and say, D. Wade, embrace that challenge. The greats embrace that challenge, the Kevin Garnett's, he's just an interesting cat. So this morning I wake up, and my question is,

do I like the Clippers? No, I just like Kauai when he's completely engaged. He is the best. Get a basket and get a stop guy in the NBA. There's no doubt I've been saying that for years. You need to stop, he's it. You need a basket, he's it. But remember, as your clipper parade is working its way down Main Street,

they lost in the second round last year. And if they lose against Utah, this is a deep, talented, Utah team with home court advantage, great coach. They shoot three points. Unlike Dallas, Utah plays defense. Unlike Dallas, a lot of these stars, Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, they've been around a long time. Now, Utah does not have a match up for Kauai.

So he has got to be engaged. Game one, because this team is much better than Dallas. they've got more star power, more than one guy who can hit a three. I mean, Luca was exhausted by the fourth quarter in most of these games. But this morning, my question is, do I like the Clippers? Not really. I think it's a strange franchise. It was a bizarre series.

It was totally fitting. And Kauai is a different cat. And we are still, as a clipper fan, you're still not out of the woods. they lost round two last year and they got rid of Trez and they fired Doc and if they lose round two of this year, trust me, Cabloom is still around the corner. So I want to talk about the Brooklyn Nets. I didn't know what I should do with my second story today, but I want to talk about the Brooklyn Nets because they're fascinating.

So there's four or five things we know to be true historically in the NBA that you need. We know that this isn't an argument. generally, like to win an NBA championship, you've got to have good chemistry. It helps if your coach has coached in the playoffs before. Health is key. How many teams have we seen upended unravel because of health? And the other thing is you've got to be a top 15 team defensively or you cannot win a championship. It's just the way it works.

In fact, only one team has been out of the top 15 defensively in 30 years won a title. That was the Shaq Kobe team. and they were actually number one in the playoffs defensively, but they were so good and so dominant, they kind of mailed it in defensively in the regular season. So these are the four things that matter. Oh, wait. Brooklyn has none of them.

Kyrie Hardin and KD played eight games total. Hardin's already hurt. Steve Nash has no coaching experience in high school, college, or the pros, and their defense is 23rd. Yet they are so gifted and so skilled they beat a Milwaukee team that has all four of those. How discouraging must that be? I'm watching that game and I'm thinking,

James Hardens out in the first minute, and Brooklyn still almost effortlessly wins that game. Brooklyn is the Tesla of the NBA. Tesla does everything wrong. Elon Musk is crazy. He's a CEO. Now he's doing cryptocurrency. He's smoking.

pot on pod, smoking pot on podcasts. JD Power and associate says you'll have more problems as a Tesla owner in the first three months of owning it than all other 31 automakers in America. It took them 17 years to make a profit, 17 years to make, have a profitable year at Tesla. But every time you look at Tesla stock, you're like, yeah, yeah, it's great. It's been on fire for four years. They do everything wrong, but they have a brilliant guy. Crazy town, but a brilliant guy running the company.

And that is Brooklyn. They don't play really good defense. They don't have their health. They don't have their chemistry. Their coach has no experience. Milwaukee has all that. And they fly through them. And my takeaway is the message that sends to Damian Lillard, to Zion, to Luca,

to a young jaw, Morant is, don't waste your time. Go hook up with A's. Damian Lillard. I mean, that you're going to keep carrying B and C players? I mean, Zion. I mean, I like Lanzo ball too, but Brooklyn's messaging is, you don't have to have the perfect coach, the perfect chemistry. You can take games off.

You don't even have to be healthy. There's a reason we send an all-star team to the Olympics. There's a reason AAU basketball is essentially in Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle, Dallas, Philadelphia, all the best players play on one or two teams. It's just easier. You don't have to have perfect chemistry in AAU. By the way, Kentucky's one of the winningest programs. They don't even have a senior night, just a revolving door of one-year players,

and they win a bunch of games. So the basketball culture in America, the message if Brooklyn wins is chemistry, health, coaching, defense, just go team up with really, really great players. was kind of known that. But increasingly, you know, with a draft, such a crap shoot, because you have no film on these kids, they're all 18 years old, I look around. And even Yonis in Milwaukee. So who's the best player in Milwaukee?

Yonis. Well, he was great. Chris Middleton, 0 for 5 on threes. Chris Middleton's a B. You're trying to sell me as an A. And Chris Middleton didn't show up in game one. KD did. Kiree did.

the former A. Blake Griffin did. Janice did. I mean, I'm telling you, I watch Brooklyn, and my takeaway was, God, everything that matters doesn't matter when you have that much talent. It's Tesla. They do everything wrong. Stock still going through the roof. Maybe it's a bubble.

Maybe it implodes. But that was discouraging if you're Milwaukee. If Hardin is out for game two, if Milwaukee loses game two with the veteran coach, and with the system and the defense and the chemistry and the health. Like, series over. Like that, I'm not sure, even if you go home, I'm not sure you overcome that. 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.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast Point Game is about defying the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. and finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows without Luca and Austin Reeves,

I got to manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense.

And when IT's first, friends stop by like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash will get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that, Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcasts. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the Pod Meets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered Dancing with the Stars, traitors, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by our severe lack of survivor knowledge.

That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough. Did people not like it? Like what was... Yeah. Just because we...

Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion at the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha, hoo. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into PodMeets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes.

Listen to PodMeets Twirl on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know there's a lot to break down. Georgia accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holding Kay Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues.

I like the bougie style of Housewives show. I think it looks like it's going to be interesting. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewise franchise. The drama, the alliances, and the team everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching. it, I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this. At the

end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021.

And I'm Kunky, 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.

We fall for this every time. OBJ goes to Cleveland and, oh my God, it's going to change the world. Actually, he and Baker work worse together than any other tight-in wide receiver combo. And Jarvis Landry's actually the more consistent performer. And it's a running team. But every, oh, B.J to Cleveland's going to change the world. It didn't change anything in the huddle of Cleveland. So Julio Jones, really expensive, still very good.

But out of his prime goes to Tennessee and the interweb implodes. Let me just throw some numbers at you, data and stuff. Julio Jones, 10-year average. And I'm taking five or six years in the middle in his prime. He's no longer there. He's still good, but he's no longer in his prime. 85 catches, six touchdowns. Now, that's with Matt Ryan.

Pretty damn good. Matt Ryan's been an MVP. Ryan Tanyhill never has. Matt Ryan's been to a Super Bowl. Ryan Tanny Hill has not. Matt Ryan had Kyle Shanahan, best offensive coordinator in a decade. Okay. So with that, Julio Jones gives you 85 catches, six touchdowns.

We're adding all that. Well, not really because Tennessee just got rid of Corey Davis. Jets paid a lot for him. Corey Davis last year, 65 catches, five touchdowns. So Julio was 20 catches and a touchdown difference. And Julio Jones is better. I'm not arguing that. But the Titans have a new offensive coordinator.

That will take some time. Julio Jones doesn't have time. He's no longer in his prime. By the way, the Titans have an emerging star at wide receiver, AJ Brown. Yeah, he's going to get a lot of looks. The Titans, 30th in the NFL in percentage of pass plays, it's a run culture. Derek Henry is the team. Julio Jones is great, but Julio Jones to the Titans is like having the best pool in Seattle.

It sounds really cool and there's a handful of days. It's amazing in August, but it doesn't really change your life. It's just not that available. OBJ to Cleveland, if I had to hear another NFL reporter and blogger and media person tell me how it was going to change everything, he could be the ninth most important offensive player. It's Nick Chubb, it's Jarvis Landry, it's the tight ends, it's their amazing offensive line. Expensive, increasingly brittle. Listen, Julio Jones is great.

This is a run culture. Does it make Tennessee better than Kansas City? No. Buffalo, no. Cleveland's roster, not close. I don't think it doesn't make them better than Baltimore. Baltimore appears to have solved their wide receiver issues. So this is, I like Julio Jones.

I think Julio Jones are a really good player. Excellent. But he's out of his prime. Because of his expense, it will limit other things you can do. And Tennessee's O-line is not as good as it was several years ago. They lost their right tackle. They've never replaced him. Their secondary is depending on kids to solve their issues.

Their pass rush is at times completely regrettable. You can sell me on Julio to Tennessee is going to change the temperature of the room. The Colts are winning that division. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches. We talk to players. We tell you stories. You download it. You listen to it. I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the IHeart Radio app.

Apple Podcasts, or ever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast's point game is about defining the odds. Like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luca and Austin Reed. And finding ways to win no matter what. He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before. And he knows. Without Luca and Austin Reeves, I got to manipulate the game.

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's going to be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reid. He has to guard Julius Randall. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on the night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson,

we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers, why he got the ball. Like, you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out. real quick.

Oh, yeah. Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everyone. It's Ryder Strong and Will Ferdell from PodMeets World. And now the PodMeets Twirled podcast. We're two men who were completely clueless to reality TV, who now have covered

Dancing with the Stars, Traders, and we're gearing up for the season finale of Survivor. So, yeah, now we're experts. I know we annoyed a lot of our listeners by, um, our stars. severe lack of survivor knowledge. That is the point of the show. I'm just going to remind you. I have watched some Survivor. I obviously haven't watched enough.

Did people not like it? Like what was just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion in the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of ha-hoo. Ah, ha, who.

Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Tworold on the IHeart Radio 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. 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 Hippocrat, 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 for me. Hippocrat, 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 I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. One of the things that I think worries me about sort of the direction of discussion in America is that everybody goes to social media and everybody's an ist. You're this, you're that, you're racist, you're a bad human being, you're, take a deep breath. It's okay to be theoretical. I want to live in a society where you can throw out ideas and they're ridiculous and they're stupid. But they're just theoretical discussions.

That's how we all grow. And if everybody's petrified to have those discussions, I think it limits us. So, yes, there are clearly bad people on social media and in America, bad actors. We're not disputing that. But we're getting to a point where we're shutting down discussions. and discussions are important that we need to have. Theoretical discussions. Thought conversations that could be absurd.

I do a lot of theories. It's like a running joke at the show. Like, I just have my theories. Half are nonsense. But you benefit, I benefit. It makes us all think, right? I get smarter. Hopefully you get smarter.

So Peter King had one of these, and I totally disagree with it. But I think it's worthy of conversation. Peter's a smart guy. He proposed an Aaron Rogers, Packer, solution. His idea, the Packers commit to trade Aaron Rogers, but the deal will not happen until next spring. So Mark Murphy and Aaron sit down and say, let's play nice for a year and we'll trade you next spring. And they'll find an exit strategy. Okay. First of all, this would work if there was this thing called trust. And Mark Murphy and the front office

doesn't trust Aaron, and Aaron has made it pretty clear. He doesn't trust the Packers front office. This is a very idealistic way to go about things for Peter King, who I do appreciate. First of all, here's why it wouldn't work. Number one is it's all the media would talk about for a year. The media, let's be honest, Joy and I excluded, a lot of times are lazy. It's an easy, low-hanging fruit. It's all they would talk about.

Number two is the division he's in is weak and doesn't have a ton of drama. So this drama would be, I mean, the Packers are always the most interesting team in their division, but now they'd be the most interesting drama in the division. Number three is announcing a deadline when you're going to trade your quarterback kills your leverage. The leverage the Packers have now is, we got Aaron Rogers. Want him, come get him. It is not, please turn in your Aaron Rogers trade assignment and the teacher will grade it and pass out grades in next spring.

This is a thought experiment. It's a proposal. It's theoretical. I love Peter King. But I believe when it comes to divorces, especially ones, I mean, a lot of times people aren't getting along and you go to therapy with a hope of resolution. Folks, we know because Aaron's 37 years old with two collarbone surgeries and his expensive guy, right? He's not going to be there very long.

This is an impending divorce. This is one everybody in the room knows. is going to last one year max. They've ticked off each other. They don't trust each other. So my theory on this is rip the band-aid off. It's all now timing. And since the team, Green Bay, and I don't like this,

I don't like franchise tags for players, but since the team has the power, they own his rights, you can choose when you want to rip the band-aid off. And that's just the reality of the CBA. Aaron's made a good living. Aaron's great. But he has no power here. I mean, if he holds out for a year, he loses over $35 million.

I mean, if he didn't get Jeopardy, you're never going to get that money back. You're never going to get that. That's why they tell college players, if you're great as a junior, go to the pros. You're never going to get that $7, $8 million back, your signing bonus or whatever it is. So to me, this is a rip-the-band-aid situation off. I think Peter King is a little idealistic here. You'd need trust. You don't have it. In a perfect world, it would be nice to say, all right, everybody,

give us your best offer, but when everybody knows, you got to trade somebody. I always say this in the NBA. If a player is unhappy, move him quietly. I'll give you an example. 99% of you don't know this or would not remember this. Lou Al Cinder, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was in Milwaukee. He told the Milwaukee bucks a year before, I want out. Milwaukee didn't leak it.

We didn't have the media back then. Milwaukee got a haul and was competitive for eight to ten years. Why? Nobody knew about it and the bucks worked on that puppy behind the scenes. Now, you can't do that anymore. It's stuff leaks. But when somebody wants out, waiting is never the answer. Just rip it off.

If I was Green Bay, I've said I'd trade him somewhere in the season trading deadline to ensure I get the right conference for him and he doesn't kick our bus. but at least in PR for the first year. 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. Where Colin was right? Anthony Davis has been wearing me out for years and the Sun series summed up his career.

In game one, he was awful. In games two and three, he was amazing. In game four, he was hurt. Game five, he didn't play. Game six, he played briefly. get an off-season commit to your body. It's what I've been told by sources I trust. He just doesn't commit to his body, so his body doesn't commit to him.

You can't be 28 years old, and these are not major injuries. It's nagging stuff. He has never made the commitment a Russell Wilson, a Brady, a LeBron has, and you're seeing the end result. He came into this season out of shape, inexcusable. I know it to condense season. but that's okay for LeBron to use that, not a 28-year-old. Where Colin was wrong. Well, I guess the Clippers did not implode yet.

After losing the first two games at home, I came out and said, a series is over. Brush off your LinkedIn and resumes Clipper executives. Listen, in game six and seven, Kauai was literally perfect. In game six and seven in the fourth quarter, Kauai was seven for seven on field goals, three for three on threes and two for two on free throws.

He was perfect in the fourth quarter. He's not a verbal leader, but when he is engaged mentally and physically, there's just not much out there that compares. Kevin Durant, Kauai, boy, the list is short. He just took over this series in the last two, three games. Where Colin was right? Well, Atlanta got a second round pick essentially for Julio Jones. I said, this is what he is.

would give up a really, really late first round pick for him, like the 28th or 29th pick. But the idea that he was, you know, everybody's like, you got to give a first rounder for him. First of all, he's old, has some injuries, super expensive for a wide receiver. And the NFL, frankly, is now handing us 25 to 30 more than competent wide receivers every year because the NFL now adopts college concepts. I mean, AJ Brown walks in the league for Tennessee, he's a star. So a second round pick, GMs now are very tentative when it comes to wide receivers. DeAndre Hopkins.

We all made fun of Bill O'Brien for a second round pick, but that's overwhelmingly. These GMs now, why pay 23 for Julio Jones? I can pay a million and get a kid from Clemson in the third or fourth round. Where Colin was wrong. Blake Griffin. Where did that come from? That was the best game Blake Griffin has played for in years. I went back.

When he signed with Detroit three years ago, I looked this morning, I said, end of Blake Griffin's career as we know it. And I was right until this weekend. He was sensational. 18 points, 14 rebounds, played a little defense, and hit four threes. Maybe he's relaxed playing in this system. Maybe Steve Nash. I mean, the dude couldn't shoot for most of his career. The confidence, Blake Griffin shot the ball.

in game one, I'm sorry, if that's what you get with Lake Griffin, Brooklyn's in the finals. If that's what you're getting now, that was impressive. Where Colin was right. Mack Jones, Patriot quarterback, ugly OTA, multiple reporters saying his body needs to fill out, his arm isn't very lively. Jarrett Stidham reportedly had a better practice and an OTA than the first round quarterback from Alabama. This is always my concern with Alabama quarterbacks. They never trail in a college game. They always play with a lead. The wide receivers are all first round picks. The offensive line is

all NFL. They never get touched. They always have a great running game behind them. And oh, yeah, they have Nick Saban. So they have the best scheme going into games. That's not the NFL. That is, even with Belichick, Tom Brady had to come from behind a lot. Tom Brady got hit. Tom Brady's wide receivers weren't open. Alabama quarterback play is the opposite of NFL quarterback play, and Mack Jones, so far doesn't look the part. Where Colin was wrong. Well, I said before the year, boy, was I wrong,

Lakers own the offseason. Yeah, that's not true. Dennis Schrooter, who I think is really talented, hot and cold. You don't know what you get. Mark Gassol, playoff. Career Lowe appears to be mostly shot. Montres Harrell got in the doghouse, so he was a complete non-factor.

And I've always liked him as an off-the-bench athletic big. Wesley Matthews, you know, I thought these were hits. And in the end, none of them really fit. And don't expect any of them back. Where Colin was right? I said, Green Bay GM, Mark Murphy, and the GM. Because it's the Midwest and a small town, They're getting letters to their office and emails telling them,

nobody cares about Aaron Rogers. Mark Murphy admitted this weekend, I'll read you the quote. Aaron has divided our fan base. The emails and, quote, letters that I've received, nobody sends letters anymore. I said, I guarantee it. They're getting letters and emails from fans. He said,

the less the both sides say publicly, the better, but we're receiving letters and emails. in the last month, and it is completely divided our fan base. This is why I have said, I would submit to you, Green Bay is playing hardball. They are hearing from local fans who are saying, let him go. He's not us. He's Hollywood. He's abandoned us.

And it is playing a part. We thought it was. There it is. Where Colin was wrong. My NBA face bracket was a disaster. probably the last time we do it. So the entire Western Conference was wrong, 0 for 7. My NBA champ, Laker, Gonzo, this is where I pick.

I think the face bracket's done. O for 7 in the West. I pick teams based on the best player. So we call it the face bracket. And in the history of the face bracket, it's had good tournaments and bad tournaments disaster. May have to shelf it, at least until the NFL season. Where Colin was right?

Well, when LeBron came to L.A., I said, folks, it's going to be 50% basketball and 50% mogul stage. It's not the same. It's not that he's not great, but he's not as agonized when he loses games. He's just not. You can see him on the bench. He lost a first round series, first time ever, and 10 minutes later was talking about his big movie Space Jam. No, I think I'm going to play for the Tune Squad this summer. instead of Olympics.

I think that's my focus on on trying to beat the mom stars or the Goon Squad, we call them now. So it didn't have much success versus Sun. So now I am gearing my attention to the Goon Squad here in July, in mid-July. So I'm going to let the ankle rest for about a month and then I'm going to gear out with Lola Taz,

granny, bugs, you know, and the rest of the cross. crew. So hopefully see y'all have the match. Yeah, that would not be magic or Kobe. That's just not kind of the way the Lakers do it. I don't think Laker fans appreciate that, but it's the reality he had better options. Philly wanted him, Houston, well, everybody wanted him. And in the end, he chose where business would be great. And for the record, it has been great for LeBron. Where Colin was right? Soccer snobs, and that's almost 90% of American soccer fans, hate it when guys like me who aren't as committed as them

can figure things out quickly in this sport. Christian Pulisic is easily the best soccer talent America's had since he was 18 years old. You watched him yesterday against Mexico. He is a ravishing talent. We've never had anything like him. I know Landon Donovan. I like Landon Donovan. Not that.

Pulisic and a band of very young players are the best talent we've ever. I've been watching soccer since Kyle Rote. None of you know who that is, right? That's who they used to push us. It was a big soccer star in America. Kyle Rote Jr. Look it up.

It's not that I knew Pulisic instantly was the best talent, but I was willing to go all in on it. I said, I don't want to hear about Landon Donovan. I don't want to hear about any of these guys. I don't want to hear about Clint Dempsey. Christian Bullisic is so far and away the best American soccer talent we've ever had, And finally, there's three or four other players who are in his galaxy

and why I do believe the next World Cup has the potential. We finally have offensively skilled players. We're not just about our goalie. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. To give you a sense of the urgency the Clippers now need to play for, just think about this. Golden State next year, Clay Thompson comes back. James Wiseman year two, the talented rookie.

Lakers, well, they're going to rebuild this, and both AD and LeBron get the longest offseason they've had in a long time. Utah, they don't have a wing right now to defend Kauai. They know it and will probably trade for one. Nuggets, Jamal Murray comes down. back. Mavs, they're going to find a running mate for Luca at least at the trading deadline next year. So the time is now. Like it's set for the clipper. Utah is an obstacle. Don't have a great wing defender. That you lucked out. The number one seed does not match up with you. Secondly, the Lakers and the Warriors. That was the big obstacle when they put this Paul George Kauai thing

together. The Lakers and the Warriors, they're both out. So of the six best players remaining in the West, I would say Kauai is one. And then you're going to have like your Devin Bookers, your Yokic, your Chris Paul, upheldy, Donovan Mitchell. Paul George is arguably six. So you've got two of the top six players, the only head coach left that's won a title. The Cs have parted for the Clippers walk through. Also, you don't have to face a legendary culture.

The Spurs culture, not in it. Lakers culture out. The Steve Kerr Warriors culture out. It's Utah that always comes up short, Phoenix that hasn't won forever, and Denver, there's never won a title. So you're not facing this powerful system or culture. Everybody's kind of got your culture. Clippers, they come up short. This was, by the way, what the Lakers got last year.

The Lakers got breaks. Remember, the Lakers got a bunch of breaks last year. The Clippers were an obstacle. They fell apart. Houston was an obstacle. The Warriors were an obstacle. They fell apart physically. So you have to understand the urgency of this moment.

This is a really nice parting of the seas for the clippers. The Lakers are out, warriors are out, the big cultures are out, and the jazz don't actually match up with you very well. That's usually not the case. Usually a number one seed's got most of the answers. I like the jazz a lot. They do not defend the wing very well. They may buy next year because it's a well-run organization that generally finds their flaws.

and delivers on it over time. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Stephen Jackson played in the NBA for a long, long time, 15 years in the NBA, six playoff appearances. He joined us now live. So be honest, I did. You know, it's funny, Stephen. To win in the playoffs, there's usually four or five things you need. You know this from San Antonio. You got to play defense. Well, Brooklyn's not great defensively.

You have to have pretty good chemistry. Well, hell, those guys barely play together. You got to have your health. Oh, James Hardin's hurt. You have to have a coach that's been around the block. Steve Nash has never coached even in high school head coach. And I look at Brooklyn, Stephen, and I'm like, they don't have anything you're supposed to need to win in the playoffs,

but they're so ridiculously talented. It's like AAU basketball. They just got more dudes. Could they win this series without James Harden, in your opinion? You also need some luck. Luck is a big part of it, too. Every team that's won a championship has something going, excuse me, going in their favor that didn't have something to do with the game. They definitely have a chance.

You know, when you have KD and Kari on this team, you know, these guys can get it done. But I don't see it being easy or even, it's going to be hard without James. It's put like that. They need James to win this series. I don't see them winning it without James, obviously. They had two games against Milwaukee. The last two games they played in regular season against Milwaukee, they needed James. And that's the reason why they got beat.

I mean, Yonis averaged 40 on the last two games. So he had a great game last game. I think the reason why they won. They run was because of Blake. Blake played. Blake was the enforcer. Blake was physical. Blake was diving on the floor.

And you need somebody to hit them in the mouth. And Blake was that guy. Not having James takes a lot, a big dynamic away from the team because they don't have that playmaker that's going to make plays that's going to get that triple double. And James was a guaranteed triple double. James was my MVP before he got hurt. So even though they have a case. Canadian, Karee, they're going to miss James.

This is going to be a real hard task for them to come out of the series without him. Yeah. Yeah, to your point, James has really been the glue on that franchise. So I was saying this this morning about the Clippers. I know they won the series, but good God, why did it take seven games?

They're better. They're deeper. They've got the championship coach. There's something about the Clippers in Kauai. Maybe that he's nonverbal. He's the opposite of you. You talk. You're emotional.

You emote. I never know what I'm getting from Kauai. Do you trust the Clippers going forward? Yeah, I do. One thing about it, when the playoffs come, regardless of what happened, when it clicks, it clicks. The Clippers really never had an identity. This series, they had to find the identity. Guys found their role.

Role players make big shots and took big shots. Paul George played off Kauai. Kauai is the best player on the team, and Paul George has to be his robin. And I think they're starting to figure out their identity. Talu did a great job of making adjustments games of six and seven. Yeah. That's why they won the series. Rick Hollis, he's my guy, but he didn't make no adjustments.

Luca dominated all year, and they won games all year with a one-man band. You can't do that in the playoffs, and that's the reason why they're at home vacation right now, getting ready to go on a fisher trip. Yeah. You know, Luca, it's interesting because poor Zingas, to me, is just a wildly overpaid three. Hardaway is more of a three. I don't think they have a two. I would be willing with Luca.

And here's kind of how Steve and I think about it. Like Portland's never gotten Dame a two. They keep trying to tell you they got twos. Nerkich isn't a two. I would give up everybody to get Luca a two, but it may take a special kind of player. Where do you think Dallas is at going forward? Are they just going to end up being like the Dirk Mavs,

which is one great guy and a bunch of disqual. disparate parts. Yeah, and I don't think they can afford that right now because you're doing a disservice to Luca and everything he's doing. You have to break that team up and bring some more players in there. You have a team full of average guys. And don't get me wrong, Porzengis is not the only $100 million player in the league that plays like he don't care and don't play with no passion.

The NBA is full of $100 million players that's not really doing nothing in the league. So they need to find some guys that appreciate the game that willing to go out there and put their body on the line and play with passion to give Lucas some help. But you need more than one piece over there. They got a lot of average guys over there in the last couple of games in the series. You know, it's funny, Stephen, the game is so different today than it was 15 years ago.

The minute they took out the hand check, it's not as physical. You can't stay in front of any of these guards now. And a prime example is lamello ball walks into this league and gives you 20 a night. And I'm like, what? And Trey Young, when he broke into this league, my first impression was he can't guard anybody.

He's tiny. And he's a monster. Do you like, I mean, it's almost like now you can win playing finesse basketball. Like the rules have stipulated it. Does that drive you nuts or do you just, I mean, do you like watching the game? I watch Atlanta and I'm like, Trey Young's unstoppable. John Morant's unstoppable. Would you make the league more physical today?

Teams like the Knicks are fun. They got such a low season. They don't have guys that can shoot. Right. Well, I think they took the physicality away from the game. If you see any other time with Trey Young being a small, I'm a big fan of ice tray. But if I was on that team, I'll tell Danny Green, let him come on time, drive to the lane. And I'm going to lay him down.

I'm going to lay them down. Make him hit the floor one good time. That's just a part of the game. It's not being dirty. It's just a part of the game. And the game is so soft. As you see when Brooklyn, when Blake stepped over Janus's brother, him and T. just had a couple words and they gave them both texts.

Like they're taking away the trash talking. They're taking away the fun out of basketball. And that's what you see. You see a lot of soft plays. The guys don't really want to touch guys. But guys like Kauai, he gets it. Guys are so talented today. You can't stop anybody.

You just have to make it difficult for him. And that's what Kau did. That's what Kauai did for Luca to be able to get out this series. Let's go back to the Clippers because I do think, I think Utah is one of those teams we don't talk about. I always compare him to Gonzaga. Until they won a title, nobody's going to trust them. You know what I mean?

Like it doesn't, Gonzaga went 31 and 1, and all we want to talk about is the loss of Baylor, not when they crushed everybody else. But that's fair, because same with Utah. It's like LeBron joked. Nobody picked them when we were kids on video games. Nobody picked Utah guys. Like, I get it.

They don't win the title. I don't think they can stop Kauai. They don't have a wing defender. But I will say this. They shoot the hell out of the three. Unlike Dallas, they defend. They're deep. They're not like Dallas.

They got six guys that can hit a three. Give me your thoughts on that Clippers series with Utah and how, what kind of transpires, Stephen? It's going to be interesting to see what the Clippers big man can do. It's going to be healthy. It's Bucky Coussin's going to get a chance. That's what's going to matter. They're going to have to take Rudy Gober out the game. Obviously, Donovan Mitch is going to be great.

And think about the Utah guard players, they play together. Yeah. All around the wing, they pay together. They share the ball. It's a lot of one-on-one with the clippers, but they're going to need to take Rudy Goldberg out the game, put the Marcus Cousers in there, let the Marcus Couss, bang him up and dunk on them a couple of times. They're going to need everybody, they're going to need their big man in this series. They played a whole bunch of smalls against Dallas because Dallas don't have a dominant big man.

Where Utah does, and I think that's going to be the tell of the series, what big man is more dominant. Finally, when LeBron lost to the Sons, 10 minutes later, he went to the podium and talked for, you know, three or four minutes about Space Jam. And I said, I'm like, man, that ain't Kobe, that ain't Michael. Like, is it a fair criticism to say with LeBron now? He has just moved into basketballs about half of it stage. I mean, I love him as a player, and I think he'll come back and have a good year. But when LeBron did that space jam thing, now I'm an old guy. So I think to myself, oh, that doesn't work for me at all.

Just go do your space jam. Don't do that. Did it bother you at all that he's already moved on? X, it didn't mean anything? Well, I'm one of those guys that knows that Kobe's Kobe Jordan's Jordan. We got to stop expecting LeBron to all of a sudden turning to Joy to Kobe. LeBron is LeBron. They're all great.

But LeBron is so successful in his whole life because he only worries about what he can control. And when you do that, you're happier, you're more at peace, and you get more accomplished. But when you sit around and worry about things you can't control, you don't get anything done. I salute LeBron. It probably wasn't what everybody wanted to hear after a law. all the Lakers fans, but he knows, hey, I can't go take this game back. Let me, I got to go all my life anyway, and I got a movie that I got to promote. Might as well start now.

That's a good take. I like that. Stephen Jackson, great seeing you as always, continued success on your podcast, which is outstanding. Thanks, bud. Thanks, my man. Good to see 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. week, my guest, S&L's Mikey Day and headwriter, 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever

you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was hungry.

You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come in to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This season on Dear Chelsea, with me, Chelsea Handler, we have some fantastic guests, like Amelia Clark. When, like, young people come up to me and they want to be an actor or whatever. My first thing is always, can you think of anything else that you can do? You'd rather be disappointed in. Do that. David O'Yello. I love this podcast, whether it's therapy or relationships or religion or sex or addiction or you just go straight for the guts. Dennis Leary, Gaten Matarazzo from Stranger Things, Tena Monjou, Camilla Morone, Carrie Kenny Silver, and more.

Listen to these episodes of Dear Chelsea on the Ones. iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 of

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