The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 06/08/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: June 8, 2021

Colin explains why the Nets are perfectly made to be successful in today’s offensive friendly NBA. He argues in favor of Aaron Rodgers skipping OTAs and minicamp after winning the MVP last season. He also ranks his top 10 players in the NBA playoffs and tells you why this 2-time MVP was left off the list. Plus, former Packers WR James Jones joins the show tell Colin how the Green Bay front office can repair their relationship with Rodgers.   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. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. American Soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramers sending on the only, score at the chip. Score!

I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Boca. On our podcast, inside American soccer, you'll get the real storylines, the biggest decisions, and the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarter. quarter finals are potentially a great run into the semifinals. Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was.

Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro. And these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of Family Secrets. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. and he went out the front door and he jumped in a car and drove off and that was the last time I saw him. Listen to season 14 of Family Secrets

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 Heard with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go on a Tuesday. All ready to roll live in Los Angeles. It's the herd.

Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. It is great to have you in. Yonis is a two-time MVP. Chris Paul can't get nominated. You see what happened last night? It's why we call the MVP a useless award. Joey Taylor.

Good morning. Yeah, the internet couldn't wait to tell me a couple days ago how ridiculous that take was. So I'm sure we're going to catch it today. But I already agree. Well, I mean, you could certainly, let's start with this, you could blame the head coach. That's like a cottage industry. Blame Mike Boodenholzer. I tend to not blame the coach.

But I think in this instance, he's done nothing to adjust. I mean, the game was over like six minutes in. I think Boudenhulzer is on his way out. That's why I said, fire Brad Stevens at your peril. By the way, if you're wondering why the Celtics move Brad Stevens upstairs, this is it. Because he would take over for Boudintholder, and the Celtics would have to face Brad Stevens for the next seven years.

That's a different day and a different rant. But, I mean, it's not Boodenholzer's fault, nor would it be Brad Stevens' fault if he coached the Bucks, that Chris Middleton is now 13 for 43, and Drew Holiday, who's a very good player, can't stay in front of Kyrie Irving. Good luck, nobody can. Milwaukee does not have the ammo and a very weak game plan. This feels like Tom Brady last year in New England, where he's screaming at receivers, they just don't have enough ammo, and you're trying to beat Kansas City.

You know, we say it in the NFL all the time, and it's kind of understood now. Like, we don't even argue this anymore. when all else fails, like draft a wide receiver. They're just so much more valuable than a linebacker in today's game. If you've got a coaching opening, hire an offensive guy. Yeah, but Sean McVeigh is only 32. Higher an offensive guy. Just figure it out later.

Dak Prescott, 40 million, half the league thinks makes complete sense. Like, we understand that in football. the rules have changed. It's almost negligence. If you don't draft a wide receiver every year, I'd argue too. I mean, look at what Green Bay not drafting a receiver has done to the Aaron Rogers Packers relationship. It's an offensive league.

Well, this is what is happening in the NBA. Now, they took the hand check away over a decade ago. You can't use your forearm to lean on guys. But now the game is so international. Basketball is so international, there is an explosion of offensive. basketball talent in the world right now, coupled with the defensive limitations. It's a picks and screens, even if you're a great defensive player, you can't stay on your guy.

When all else fails, just draft offense. I mean, Katie Kyrie and Hardin, for the first time ever, a basketball team in the playoffs, the playoffs is where the good defensive teams are in the playoffs, is going to shoot 90% from the free throw line, 42% from three threes, and 50% percent. percent from field goal range. Two's. That's never happened before. I mean, Trey Young, a flawed player who doesn't really care about defense, is carrying

Atlanta. You can't stop John Morant. Zion is breaking Wilts Chamberlain's records. Luca is breaking Michael Jordan's records. Dame is breaking everybody's records. And Steph is breaking Dame's records. You can't stop anybody. We understand in football, hire an offensive coach.

I mean, Tib's, great defensive coach. Knicks, great chemistry, great defense, can't compete in the playoffs. Brooklyn is a poor defensive team, not even top 20, irrelevant. We just got to come to terms with basketball right now, the world's best basketball players, and it is a world's game. Monies with the offense, the coaching monies with the offense, the playing money, the bench money, the assistant money, Steve Nash has never coached. Dan Tony, doesn't matter.

Offense. That's the name of the game. Get more players. This entire series has been such an advertisement for offensive basketball. I mean, Milwaukee does everything right. They play defense. They've got their chemistry. They've got the veteran coach.

They've got health. None of it matters. Just throw Katie and Blake Griffin and Kyrie and Hardin, although he hasn't played much yet. They'll just figure it out and they'll win. And I just think we just got to come to terms with it. When Trey Young got drafted, I remember just hearing people. He can't play defense. He's too small.

He's got attitude. It doesn't matter. You can't stop him. It doesn't matter. I mean, like there were a lot of people argued, Jail over Zion. Can we both make this argument? They're both unstoppable.

Zion's breaking Wilt's records. Jha will blow through all of Westbrook's records. So, I mean, I just, I think when you, when you see what's happening with analytics and basketball is, I mean, this is really an amazing thing. Durant and Kyrie Irving, two games against the Bucks, 60% from the field, 50% or 7, 57% from three point line. And if you notice this, I noticed it a lot, not only with Steph Curry, but you're really noticing it now with Damien Lillard's out of the playoffs. You notice it with Luca, is that it used to be when guys hit threes, they were close to the line. They're not even close to the line.

They're closer to the logo. And this is what is happening in the NFL. is that young players globally in basketball see where the money is on shooting three. So that's all they do. Young kids always start trends. Well, it's the same thing in high school football. The great kids all want to play quarterback and wide receiver. California has 39 million people.

On average, the last five years, two legitimate big-time running backs. Each year, 25 wide receivers, eight top quarterback. Everybody comes to California to get the quarterbacks. Michigan does. Pack 12 schools do. Alabama just did. Clemson just did. Notre Dame just did.

The California is a culture center, is a trend center in this nation. The kids here are smart. They're no money in running back. Money's a quarterback and wide receiver. You can't believe how many great quarterbacks and wide receivers there are. And you watch basketball right now and you watch football. The money's in wide receiver, not running back. The money's in offense.

Hell with defense. I don't want to hear it anymore. Stop drafting bigs who can't shoot. Stop worrying about defense. Just go get Tre Young. I mean, Milwaukee does everything right. Can't compete in the series and Hardin's not even playing. Nothing Brooklyn has works in the playoffs.

Bad defense. Rookie head coach. Hardin's hurt. Chemistry that never play together. All blown out because they just got better offensive players. By the way, I'm not against it. I'm here for it. The games are fun.

Okay, so Chris Paul. Oh, Chris Paul. I don't know if anybody remembers. I thought Chris Paul should have been MVP. But the MVP, like the Heisman Trophy, is overwhelmingly useless. It is about stats. And, you know, let's be honest about this, is that in the NBA, you've got to be really good to stars or they shut you out. So Chris Paul's getting old. You don't have to vote him MVP. He's not going to shut you out. but you want to make sure you take care of the stars, all the writers. But last night was a prime example. Denver takes like a 10-point lead in the third quarter.

It's the moment. It's the moment. This is where we need you. This is where the MVP step up. From that point forward, how was Yokic? Not great. He's going to win an MVP. From that point forward, trailing by 10,

Chris Paul went six for six, rest of the game field goals, three for three free throws, one for one on threes. led the sons in points, assist, and let everybody in the building in plus minus. That's called an MVP. Seize the moment. Not about the first quarter, not about the second. And what's really amazing about Chris Paul, and this is not a little thing, it is a massive thing. We all know last year was an exception.

Young guys were good in the bubble, right? The playoffs are about veterans. The playoffs have always been about old guys. LeBron and Kauai and James Hardin and Kevin Durant and Stepkirk. That's what the playoffs have always been about. Dame. Not about kids. Chris Paul goes to Phoenix.

He's playing with kids. DeAndre Aiton's 22. Booker's 24. Cam Johnson's 25. McHale Bridges 24. And what makes that more impressive. So Yokage has been in the Denver system with the head coach for six years. They were out of sorts.

they lost Jamal Marie, right? Chris Paul has been in Phoenix seven months with kids. And add this in a condensed season. This has been a bad year for practice. Like this was the worst practice year in league history. Nobody practiced. Guys, you're playing too many games. You know, every other night you got a game. Have time for practice. Guys are getting rest. And Chris Paul walks in in seven months. And this is what you get. Phoenix has been a disaster for 11 years. Last three, it's all the same guys. Like, does everybody understand what he's doing here? Seven months, bad practice year, condensed schedule, bunch of kids, they're great. We so undervalue in basketball, intelligence and feel for the game, because they're so hard to quantify. It's not a stat.

That guy is smart. Prove it to me. He's got a great feel for the game. He's got a great feel for the game. game. Prove it to me. I don't have a stat for it. Westbrook's got great stats. But Westbrook doesn't play smart basketball all the time. Didn't have a great feel for the game. Chris Paul, new system, new coach, new teammates, young kids. He not only wins, he wins instantly everywhere. New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Phoenix. He goes to Houston, won 65 games with a difficult at times to play with James Harden. So, you know, I've always had this feeling. The smarter people in the world figure stuff out more quickly. Chris Paul's Einstein and the NBA. You can give him a new coach, a new system, condensed schedule, a bunch of kids overnight. I mean, Phoenix was good three weeks

into the regular season. He figures it out. Boy, that is smart. That is having a feel for the game, which you can't quantify. That is being smart. And there's no data for that other than my eyes. It's like Tom Brady. When Tom Brady went to Tampa in 2019, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were the second youngest team in the NFL. Old man Tom goes there, synthesizes all of it. Super Bowl. This is a bunch of kids.

All Phoenix's best players are kids. Chris Paul not only glues it all together, he does it in the first month of the season. In Oklahoma City in the first month, he left, implodes.

It's almost like it's invaluable or most valuable. Chris Ball. All right. Aaron Rogers not showing up to camp. Okay, today's a day I'm going to defend Aaron. Because, you know, all the Packers get, the fans get very upset with me when I don't defend him. Today's a defend Aaron day. I'll talk about that coming up. What do you get when you cross a Mercedes-Benz SUV with a race car? What do you get when you combine the sleek shapeliness of a Mercedes coot with a raw power of F on engineering? chills, goosebumps. You get an engine roar you can feel in your gut.

That's Mercedes AMG. The legendary perfection of Mercedes-Benz cars and trucks fused with the motor sport genius and inspiration of the world's greatest F-1 race team. It doesn't matter if you love the Mercedes of their sedans or the coolness of their coops or the might, the power of a Mercedes SUV. Just three letters on the trunk lid. 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 friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. nice but get that thing that man hell get the flying he running 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 American soccer is about to explode the World Cup is coming Ramos sending on the only score at the chip

I'm Tad Ramos I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balligan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back. The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semi-finals.

The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen to Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. 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 just because we? Yeah. We'll be recapping the big conclusion of the 50th season from the final attempts at gameplay to the desperate pleas of finalists to a bunch of who. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune it at a pod meets Twitter. world for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to Pod Meets Tworold 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. Gorsha 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 House Wise 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. So Aaron Rogers is not expected to join the Green Bay Packers mandatory mini camp.

They could fine him or they could give him an excused absence, which if I was Green Bay, I would do. You know, there's, you know, what's the point? You don't need him there. Let me just say this. In terms of just football, let's just talk football and not personality. It doesn't matter that he's not there. It doesn't matter. Tom Brady, no OTAs, no mini-camp, no pre-season.

New staff won the Super Bowl. Aaron Rogers had no OTAs, no mini-camp, no pre-season, and won the MVP. L.A. Rams coach Sean McVeigh proved it to us. The old Neanderthal ways of football off-season is a bunch of nonsense. If you're a top veteran player, you do not need. to take a snap, a snap in the preseason or a minicamp. Forget OTAs in minicamp and that's all this is that Aaron's missing. The preseason's overrated for Aaron Rogers.

Listen, if you're going to ask players to play now 17 games at a regulated level of violence, cut back on the offseason nonsense for the veterans, Jordan Love needs the snaps. I mean, let's be honest. He needs the snaps. I mean, Andrew Brandt used to work for the Green Bay Packers. He had a tweet this morning that to me said it all. Quote, the Packers would never admit it,

but they'd be fine with Aaron skipping minicamp and some training camp. When Farr have stayed in Mississippi those offseason, we got to see Aaron run the team. Great evaluation period. Packers now do the same with Love. This means nothing. This is all pettiness, right? Aaron is sticking it to them and Green Bay can then stick it to Aaron and find him.

I do think there are these moments in business and life in sports. They're tipping point moments. And I do think when Tom Brady went to Tampa, no preseason won a Super Bowl, it affected two players mostly in the NFL, two other NFC players who have to compete against him, Russell Wilson. Russell's like, time out. got to get me some help. If they can re-sign all these players, you got to get me some help.

Seattle activated it, got him help. Gabe Jackson, new coordinator, new wide receiver, new tight-in, drafted a wide receiver. And I think it affected Aaron Rogers, who said, how am I doing going to OTAs and minicamp? I just won the MVP not doing it. And I'm not getting my way anyway. I mean, my team's not getting me players.

We keep drafting developmental offensive line, developmental tight ends, a running back who's not going to start, a quarterback who's a prospect. So today's a defend errand day. And, you know, this used to be called a hold out. We've got to come up with a new term. Hold on is the new term. If you miss OTA and a mini camp and you're a veteran star, it's not a holdout. It's a hold on.

This really isn't necessary. And by the way, new rule. new rule number three on this show. Maybe it's for Joy's Keeping Count. If you're the MVP and the team drafts your replacement, you can sit out minicamp. Let the new kid get the reps. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

Hey, I'm Doug Gottlie. 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 Ghalib on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano, and our podcast 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 Quint and Whitney 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, after 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. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming.

Ramers sending on the only. I'm Tad Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines. I'm not worried about Policic. I'm not worried about Balagan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in the back.

The biggest decisions. If you're going to look at stats and numbers, he has no shot at making this World Cup team. And the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals. The World Cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen to Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Hey, everyone, it's Ryder Strong and Wilfredel 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. 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? Yeah. 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 who. Ha, ha, who. Again, we are experts. So make sure to tune into Pod Meets Twirled for all our Survivor 50 takes. Listen to PodMeets Twirled 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.

Orsha 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 Housewives 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.

I don't think Aaron Rogers not going to OTAs is anything, and I don't think Aaron Rogers not going to minicamp matters at all. Don't care. He's the MVP. Don't care at all. Don't find him. Don't be petty. Just as an organization. Sometimes individuals are petty. Organizations probably shouldn't be. So ESPN Milwaukee. I take it this is a radio station. There's a guy there named Jason Wildy. And when Aaron talks to local people, he is one of the few guys that Aaron had a relationship with and trusted.

So he had a tweet, this is something. He said, I don't think that Rogers has drawn a line in the sand that says there's no way on God's green earth I'm coming back. So that now makes four people close to Aaron Rogers, guys he talks to, that have all said it's fixable. Jason Wilde, James Jones, who's on our show later, AJ Hawk and John Coon, the fullback. All have said basically the exact same thing.

It's fixable. So that is something. That means Aaron's talking to them. What would fix it? Well, we all know what would fix it. Get rid of the general manager. Not Mark Murphy, but the GM. So, and I said today is a defend Aaron Rogers Day.

Let's simplify Aaron Rogers' anger to just the next 60 seconds on this show. Go look, do it yourself, Google it. It works. Google the last two drafts for the Green Bay Packers. They have drafted a project at quarterback, can't help now, a running back in the second round with no chance to start, six offensive linemen, five are developmental, only the center from Ohio State will play.

and a cornerback in the first round that's a reach. He's not going to be an impact player now. So whereas Josh Allen gets the Stefan Diggs and whereas Patrick Mulhombs gets Joe Tunney in an offensive line that could help now and Brady resigns his guys. And Russell Wilson gets Gerald Everett and Gabe Jackson and Jimmy Garoppolo gets Trent Williams.

All help me now, guys. Aaron's saying, the last two drafts, it's all developmental guys. So I'm not going to go practice with developmental guys because they're not going to make an impact anyway. These guys aren't going to play. So when you draft a project quarterback, a running back that can't start, if you go look, I mean, one of the positions Green Bay, they have a tight end right now, like it was a late round guy that's become great, but he was a developmental guy. So all the other star quarterbacks are getting, help me now guys.

he's getting developmental drafts. Folks, if I needed a producer and Fox gave me an intern, I'd be pissed. If I needed a producer to work on my show tomorrow, I'm not interested in teaching a 23-year-old kid that went to UCLA how to figure this stuff out. Get me a producer now. So Aaron's anger at the GM to me is justified

beyond just the lack of communication skills. It's support Aaron Day on the herd. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHard Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. A couple years ago, it was a few years ago. I think Joy, you were on the show at that time.

60 minutes did a piece on Janus, face of the league. I was like, time out. Dude can't shoot. Come on. It's a shooters league five years ago. I'm like, he's a great player. But come on, let's stop on all the MVP face of the league nonsense. So once again, he is becoming a great regular season player.

but when you can play him night after night after night after night and after night, that's a true test. I mean, you can play Kevin Durant eight nights in a row. You can't stop him. You play Janus over the course of two weeks, six, seven games. There's ways to defend him. That's the gap between Janus and KD. Look at the playoffs so far at Janus is shooting.

Folks, he's a liability with the ball in his hands. He's shooting 50% from the free throw line, 53%, 12% on three-pointers, 33% mid-range. This year, outside of three feet, he shot 33%. So Mike Budenholzer said something else last night after the loss. Here's the Bucks coach. We didn't play very well overall. First quarter, the whole game.

Yeah, so I think we've got to play better from start to end. We need John us to be aggressive. He needs space to operate and work. You know, it's something we've been doing. All year. We got to, you know, just work on it, make the spacing a little better for him, for Drew, for Chris. I'm not a big fan of having my star needing to be told be more aggressive. Nobody's telling LeBron be more aggressive or Dame be more aggressive.

So I never bought into Yonah's face of the league. MVP stuff, it is what it is. You know, it's a stat award. He's a new star player. I don't pay attention to the MVP. Chris Paul would have gotten my vote this year. Steph, I thought, was very valuable. But not only do I not think Janus is the MVP of the league,

I'm going to take out half the teams that didn't make the playoffs. I'm going to take out all the teams that have been in the playoffs and are gone already, like Dallas, Portland, Washington. Of the remaining just, just the remaining players left this morning. That's all we're going to count. I don't have Yonis in my top 10 most valuable. I'll give you my list. Tell me where I'm wrong.

Number one. Kevin Durant. 32 a game, 55% shooting. He is unstoppable. He is the greatest 6-11.5, 7-foot offensive player that's not bad to the basket. I mean, he's Dirk Nevitzky, but significantly better. He's the best player left. He's the most valuable player.

Let's be honest. He gets hurt. They're not winning the championship. championship. James Hardin is missing and they're blowing the bucks out. So when it comes to postseason, I like Hardin, but Hardin has never been a great postseason player. KD, unlike Hardin, does not need the whistle. He needs a ball and a hoop. He's the MVP right now in the playoffs. Number two. Kawhi Leonard, mid-range game doesn't have the three-point ability of KD, but he's a better defender than KD. And KD plays defense. Give KD credit. He'll play defense.

but Kauai doesn't have the offensive range of KD, but he's a better defensive player. And we saw what he did to Luca at the end of that series, so Kauai 2. Number three. Okay, Chris Paul. I'm sorry. Phoenix had the worst record in the NBA the previous five years. You take him off this roster.

It's a bunch of kids. They're not playing anymore. I think he's the most underrated player in the NBA, not point guard, the most underrated player in the NBA in 20 years. I mean, Stockton got love. budget got love, Isaiah got love, Steph gets love. Find me a point guard. He's like a quarterback in the NFL that's a Hall of Famer that doesn't even get nominated

this year for an MVP vote. I mean, give me a break. By the way, second best record in the NBA, for 11 years, they didn't make the playoffs and just blew by the Lakers. Number four. James Hardin. Now, I like Hardin, but he's not playing right now, so I'll put him at four. The other thing I'll say, we know James can score.

he's a little dependent on the whistle. So that's why I think KD in the playoffs is more valuable than Hardin is. Hardin was more valuable in the regular season than KD was. Also, Hardin this year has really been impressive. His distribution numbers are through the roof. So James Hardin has done something I really appreciate. He sensed the room, smart enough to see, hey, they don't need all my scoring. What they need is my distribution here too.

And he's done it. so hard than I have it for. Number five. Not Kyrie Donovan Mitchell. Donovan Mitchell is the only active player to average 20 points a game in the playoffs each of the first four years in the NBA. So he was good when he came into the league. But he's also a very willing defender. He is also the team leader.

So they don't have a second score on this team that can give you 25 a night guaranteed. He's incredibly important to this team. He'll lock you up defensively. He's got leadership skills. He's good late in games and he's a great offensive player. Number six. Kyrie's a greater offensive player, but Kyrie emotionally sometimes doesn't show up, and defensively, he's a liability.

The one thing I'll say about Kyrie, we all know he's a great finisher, the dude does not turn the ball over. Go look at the last five games. To handle the ball as much as Kyrie and never turn it over, tells you how much control and skill he has offensively. But he is, you can attack him defensively. You can't Donovan Mitchell at all. Number seven.

The Joker out of Denver. Listen, he's the only player in the postseason giving you 30 and 10. So he's a point center. He's the best passing big man in the NBA. You have to go back to Bill Walton or Arvita Sabonis. He's incredibly valuable. He's okay in the defensive end. He's not great.

He's okay. They don't have any of their guards. So they got three guards not available. So it's now really leaning on him. And there are limitations. He never looks in good shape. I know he's a pro athlete he is. But he looks worn down a little bit last night late.

Number eight. Trey Young, folks, what do you want to say? The kid is not only carrying a team. Who's the third best player for the Hawks? Seriously. We're in the playoffs. You can name the third best player for every team left. Who's the third best player for the Hawks?

And he's a great road player. So he's a showman. Most young players shrink on the road in the playoffs. Not Trey Young. He's better on the road. in the playoffs. I mean, that is a testament to his confidence and his skill. Number nine. Devin Booker. Again, you'd say Devin's better than Trey, but Devin Booker could not carry his franchise to the second round of the playoffs without Chris Paul. Devin's a great player. Now, the West is tougher

than the East. He's a tremendous offensive player. He'll body up defensively. Not a great defensive player, but he's got pride. He'll play some defense. He also had 47 points in the close-out game against the Lakers. I love that. It was a stand-up moment. Step on the throw to the Lakers. He did 47 points, so he is number nine. Number 10. Joel Embed. Say what you want. He's the closest thing we have to shack.

Torn meniscus. He gets docked a little bit because he played great and couldn't beat Trey Young. That's why I put Trey Young ahead of him. Trey Young played great. M. B. played great. M. B's got better teammates. Trey Young won. That's why he's ahead of him.

Now, where's Yonis on this? Where do you want me to put Janus? And I'm not anti-Yonis, but where do you want me to put him in terms of value? late in games, none of these players late in games, I feel, are a liability. Janus is with four minutes to go. And by the way, I like Janus, but it's become an offensive league. And basketball is now, as great as Michael Jordan was, he didn't have to compete against a lot of European players. You're bringing dudes in like Luca at 22?

I mean, this game now is a, it's the world's game. And I'm here for it. 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. We said earlier today, it doesn't bother us. There's a new rule in our show. If your NFL franchise drafts your replacement in the first round, you don't have to go to minicamp.

Let Jordan Love get the snaps. Aaron won the MVP. He doesn't need the snaps. I wouldn't find him. There are times I've been critical of Aaron Rogers, but increasingly Tom Brady won a Super Bowl. He didn't go to an OTA with a new team. He didn't go to a mini-camp.

He didn't go to pre-season. And he won the Super Bowl. Aaron Rogers doesn't need to be at this stuff to me. And if I was Green Bay, I wouldn't find him because that looks petty. But, you know, again, if you draft my replacement in the first round and move up to get him, and he needs snaps anyway. Jordan Love needs snaps. I'm not going to show up to minicamp.

I have no problem with what. Today is Defend Aaron Day. James Jones played with him for a long time. Eight years in Green Bay, Farvan, Aaron Rogers, joins us now live. So we've been discussing this today is that the truth of the matter is years ago in the NFL, you've got to play preseason.

And then Sean McVeather-Ram said, I'm not going to play my best players in spring season. And it didn't matter. They went eight and no to start the season. OTA mini-camp, if you're going to ask the players to play 17 games, increasingly, I think veteran players should have the right to say, I'm not showing up to some of these mini-camps. Does it bother you at all that Aaron's not there? Not at all, because the most important thing is making sure Aaron Rogers is there for training camp and getting ready for the season.

You don't need to be there for mini-camp. You spoke on it, Kyle. you do not need to be there for minicamp. He's going to show up for minicamp or what? Take two reps on the offensive side of the ball and all the other players are going to get all the reps. There's no need to be there. The most important thing is making sure Aaron Rogers is there for training camp. Mini camp means absolutely nothing.

Even back in the days when I first came in the league, guys weren't showing up for mini camps. And then they tried to put little incentives in your contract to try to make you show up and guys still weren't coming. Listen, OTAs, OTAs mini camp does not matter. As long as you're there for training camp, ready to go, ready to rock. ready to try to go chase the Super Bowl. That's all that matters. And that's all that the Packers should be focused on right now is getting 12 back in there for training camp so they can go chase the Super Bowl. You know, I said this earlier today, too, that I defended Aaron on this, is whereas Mahomes and Allen and Brady and Garapolo are getting immediate help. The last two drafts for Green Bay,

they've drafted a project at quarterback, a second round running back who had no chance of getting major snaps, six offensive line, five of which are developmental. And my takeaway is, Aaron's looking around going, I don't need interns. I need players. This is the part where I defend him. Did he ever voice opinions to you ever, that he was a little frustrated by the organization tends to be all about development and protecting the future, and other guys are getting gifts in free agency and gifts that can help in the draft?

Well, you know, he knows that that's how the Packers been since he's came into the building. They've been a draft and developed organization. And yeah, we only have one Super Bowl to show for it, but we've had a lot of success doing that. And he understands that. But I think for him, the most important thing is it's not about who you're bringing in. I can't control who you draft. I can't control who you bring in a free agency. But what I do want a little input on is the guys that you're letting out of the building.

You know when you got guys like Jordy Nelson's who are willing to take. a pay cut to play. And you're saying, no, get out of here anyway. You're going to play with these guys that we got here. You know what I mean? Sometimes that could tick you off a little bit. Sure. You know, Jordan Nelson can finish census for Aaron Rogers. That's because this other guy can run a little bit fashioning them doesn't mean I'm going to get more success with this other guy. So I think as the guys that's getting out of the building that he's seen walk out of that building and still wanted to be in Green Bay and still could have been key tributers to win in a championship, you know, that you let out of the building. That's what's the most

frustrating part to him, I believe. It's not about you can't control. You can't control. who the organization brings in. They're going to draft who they want to draft. They're going to trade up and get who they want to trade up. You just got to go out there and play ball. But if it's guys that's been in that building that you know what they mean in your team and you see them keep walking out of the building consistently, you know, that's what raises a red flag to you and ticks you off a little bit.

You know, at the end for Farr, there was a little animosity between Fav and the Packers, and there's obviously some animosity with Green Bay and Aaron Rogers. Could I make this argument, James, is that it's the smallest professional market in America. And when you become Farver, Aaron Rogers, literally the most popular, iconic quarterback in the league outside of maybe a Brady or a Peyton Manning at the time, that it's a weird fit anyway. You've gotten bigger than the organization.

And that the Green Bay organization doesn't love that. They don't love when you get so big you feel bigger than them. And there's a little insecurity within the walls of that tiny little town in the Packer organization. organization. Well, they should love it because they've been blessed to go from Brett for Hart to Aaron Rogers and not have to be out there chasing quarterbacks and trying to draft 100 quarterbacks and trying to find the right fit. But yes, you're exactly right. It's a small market. You know, the quarterback absolutely does get bigger than the organization, get bigger than the guys up there. And they want to kind of say, look, we're in control.

We have this thing. And listen, Aaron Rogers is fine with that. He just wants, hey, can you listen to me? Hey, I'm out there on the football field with these guys 24-7. I know what certain guys can do and contribute to this ball club. And it's not just on the football field. It's in the locker room as well. You know, it's not like I'm trying to have more power than you and say, hey, man, this is my team. No, this is your team.

You're the GM. I'm just, let me have a little input on what I see, what I know. I'm with these guys 24-7. But you're exactly right. When you're a quarterback in Green Bay and you have a lot of success like Brett Farb and Aaron Rogers has had, hey, listen, it's their show. At least that's what it's going to look like. And that's how the fans are going to treat it.

but that's not how they went about it. If, I mean, Aaron, basically three or four of his friends, you're one of his closer allies, have all come out and said the same thing. It's fixable, which tells me if they get rid of the GM, he'd come back. If they don't,

what does fixable mean? Does fixable mean the GM has to be gone? Does fixable mean a public apology? When you say it's fixable, how do you fix it? Well, I've talked to Aaron. I talk to him all the time. And he's told me that it's not about the GM. It's not about new money.

It's not about the GM. You know, so when I hear everybody on here say, you know, it's about getting the GM fired and these things. It's not about that. And that's why I say from my conversations having with him, that's why I truly believe that it's fixable. Because what he's told me in the conversations that we have and me knowing Aaron Rogers and being close to Aaron,

I truly believe that it is fixable. You sit down, you go over to things that, and talk about what you need to get ironed out and, you know, what's more important to him and, you know, the organization and things like that. And it's fixable. But it's not about getting the GM fired. And he's told me that, you know, so with that being said, that's why I truly believe it's fixable because he's, he's willing to go in there and make sure they can get this thing right and get it fixable and go out there and put the best football team on the field and try to compete for a championship. And that's why I truly believe that he will be there for training camp. This will get fixed.

and I think the relationship will get much better between him and the gym. So what is his number one beef? His number one beef, what is it? His number one beef is a private conversation on the phone that I can't share with you. No, I mean, like I said before, he doesn't care about who you bring in there. You know, he loves his teammates. He's always out there ready to ride for his teammates. And he wants to keep some of the guys that has been in that building, man, that helps this team win,

whether you think they may be done. You know, like I said before, he's seen a lot of guys walk out of that building and leave and go play very good football. And it goes back. It's not just about this past season. It goes back. It's a lot built up into it.

You know, it goes back to the Charles Wussons, the Clay Matthews, the Julius Peppers, the Jordy Nelson's, you know, the James Joneses. You know, so he just wants to make sure that, you know, a lot of guys like that that may not, you know, be scoring 15 touchdowns or getting 15 sacks or 15. intercessions, but hey, these dudes are big in the locker room for the young fellas. You know, they're key parts of this team to go win the championship.

And I think that's what's most important to him. Jordan Love, another report out today that's not exactly encouraging. Do you believe if Aaron didn't show he would be ready to start week one and be able to win NFL football games? You know, that's a tough question for me because I haven't been there at practice and being able to see Jordan Love go out there and see his development and see how he looks. So that's a tough question for me to answer. Some of the stuff I'm hearing out there, you know, is ups and downs. You know, you have good days. You have bad days. So, you know, you can't expect him to go out there and play

like Aaron Rogers. You know, I think that'll be unfair to the young fella. So I don't know how many games they'll win, how well he'll do if he went out there. But you can't expect him to go out there and win 13 games and be Aaron Rogers and make the throws that Aaron Rogers make. So until I get to see a little bit more of them, whether it's some preseason games, whether we're able to make it out here to training camp and see a little bit more of them. I don't have the answer for that for you. When will you talk to Aaron again? I don't know, man. I don't know. It's not like I'm playing in the Texas and say, hey, let's talk tomorrow or something like that. It just happens, man. So, you know, I'm sure we'll connect again soon.

All right. Just checking. James Jones. Good seeing you, man. All right, man. Thanks for having me. 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 I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. 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 crying. 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 I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on to Ernie Stewart, the chip. Score! I'm Tab Ramos.

I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines, the biggest decisions, and the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tabramos on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Your husband is not who you think he is. Your body is not what you thought it was. Your identity is formed by a secret history. I'm Danny Shapiro,

and these are just a few of the stunning stories I'll be exploring on the 14th season of Family Secrets. He kind of shoved me out of the way and said, move. And he went out the front door, and he jumped in a car and drove off, and that was the last time I saw him. Listen to Season 14 of Family Secrets. on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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