The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 06/29/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: June 29, 2021

Colin praises Paul George for his recent run in the playoffs and keeping the Clippers alive in the postseason after Kawhi Leonard's injury. He critiques Scottie Pippen for his comments about Phil Jackson and why he needs to properly frame his NBA career alongside Michael Jordan. He also ranks his top 10 sidekicks in the history of sports and you'll be shocked to find out where Pippen ends up. Plus, NBA All Star Cedric Ceballos joins the show to describe Pippen's career and if the Suns have what it takes to close out the Clippers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok's podcast network on TikTok. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Oh, here we go on a Tuesday, live in Los Angeles. L.A. is feeling pretty good about itself this morning. It's the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening. Iheart radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. What?

A crazy NBA final I watched last night. since the final. I'm sorry, Milwaukee, Atlanta. That's the final. We are watching the finals. It's a great finals. It just happens to be, you know, out west. Just like the Yankee Red Sox series for years and years was the World Series. Just like the SEC Championship is the College of World Championship two out of four years. Joy, how are you? That was great. That was fantastic. These series have had everything. So it's a lot of, a lot of physicality in this Suns Club series. Old dudes beat the kids last night. Old dudes. So I want to start the show using a word I'll use two or three or five times here in the next few minutes.

And the word is available. Who are your best friends? Do they have the fanciest cars? Did they go to the coolest prep schools? Or are they available in times of crisis for you and your family? Kawhi Leonard is not available again for the Clippers and Paul George just pulled off one of the greatest halves in NBA playoff history. But Paul George isn't just about last night when Paul George had a stinker earlier in the series. There he was. First guy to talk to the media. Available on the bad nights too.

A lot of people in the end. NBA want to be paid like ones, demand to be ones, but they don't want to do all the one stuff. Paul George is a two, right? Maybe he's the one on this team. 83% field goals, 75% on threes, 100% on free throws in the second half against a very good son's team. The truth is, Paul and Kauai are very similar. In fact, I could make the argument.

Paul George is the closest thing to Kauai in the league. Strong, wiry players, same size, great wing defenders, went to California non-power basketball schools. Both chose the clippers over the Lakers. But one is viewed Kauai as clutch and Paul as viewed as inconsistent. Does availability matter? That feels like a clutch asset to me. Kauai is missing again, and here is Paul George, and listen to this stat,

who has played 130 more minutes than the next closest NBA playoff player. One of the reasons Michael Jordan's flu game is so iconic, because Michael had 102 fever and was available. Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Kauai Leonard. Yeah, I know it's injuries, but it's more than fair to say, I don't know if they'll be available. Sometimes Kauai, Kyrie are not available emotionally. Anthony Davis, sometimes not available physically.

I think we have to kind of reboot how we think about clutch. Are you showing up to work? Well, it's injuries. Yes, I'm not disputing that, but being hurt a lot makes you less of a reliable teammate. I look at these playoffs and I'm like, let's go to Paul George, Mr. Inconsistent. The three biggest games for Paul George in these playoffs, game seven against Dallas, he played 44 minutes, 22 points, 10 assists, six rebounds. Game six, close out game against Utah, 46 minutes. 28, 7, and 9, game 5 against the Suns, 41 minutes, 41 points, 13 rebound, 6 assists.

In those three games, he missed one total free throw. Paul has his bad moments, but they sure don't seem to be in the biggest spots. And what I like about Paul George is not just that he gives you 45 minutes every time there's a big game. He plays defense in every big game. He gives you physicality in every big game. He talks, win or lose after every big game. There's just an availability quotient to him. He is there mentally ready to go.

He's there physically ready to go. And I can't simultaneously criticize Anthony Davis-Kyrie and then not give Paul George credit for what he is and they're not. Ready to play 45 minutes. Every big game. Here's a stat for you. So last night was the 8th. 18th Clipper playoff game, right?

Paul George has 20 plus points in all of them. Four guys have done that ever. K.D. Kobe, M.J. and Paul George. Like, we got to reboot a little bit what we think clutch is. And it's not just his points. Paul's always there. Always there. Good or bad.

45 minutes. Great defense. Incredible effort. Talk to the media afterwards, take the bullets when they're flying, and it's not a shot at Kauai. I know he got hurt, but Popovich got tired of him. Toronto could never figure him out. Last year, the chemistry was terrible with him.

He's nonverbal and communicative. That's part of being available. He's not available that way. Paul George is. Boogie Cousins summed up and defended Paul George after last night's Clipper Win and Paul George performance. I don't know where this trolling the shit has come from

whereas the internet controls the narrative about these players it's becoming foolish man like I said earlier in the year that's one of the most special players that ever laced his shoes up get his dude as flowers man I don't understand the slander

it's it's becoming quite silly now and from that I want to segue into another story about availability So during the summer when there were no sports, Joy and I talked a lot about Michael Jordan's 10-part documentary. Michael Jordan, you could do another 10-part documentary. I'd watch that too.

He's a fascinating guy, probably the best basketball player of the world's ever had. LeBron Magic certainly get arguments. But when Michael did that 10-part documentary, no question. It took Michael's view of the dynasty. But I was there throughout it, and it was a truthful documentary, leaning, like all documentaries,

on the person who controlled the documentary. Scotty Pippen thought he was minimized in the documentary, and therefore now has written a book to avenge those feelings. Scotty's book is not accurate. It's a lot of BS. It's a lot of reaching for stuff that didn't really exist. Yesterday, he was on Dan Patrick's show, he was criticizing Phil Jackson because when Michael left, it was Scotty's team. Remember that? Michael went and played baseball, Scotty's team.

And in that first year, they got to the playoffs. They were a very good team, by the way. They were still very good team on 55 regular season games. Year before, they won only 57 regular season games won the title. And at the end of the biggest game of the year, Phil Jackson did not draw the play up. for Scottie Pippin. If you knew that Scottie Pippen had been with the Bulls from 87, battled through the pistons and every other team that we had to get to those three championships,

wouldn't you give Scotty Pippen one opportunity to get a last second shot without Michael Jordan? Like one year without Michael Jordan, can I get one shot? Like, I'm doing all the dirty work. That's BS. They actually drew up two plays for Scottie Pippen. Pippin, and he missed on both. Therefore, they finally went to this shot. Sorry, radio audience.

Tony Coo Coach, now that wasn't the shot, but they'd gone throughout that game to Pippin twice. First of all, let's acknowledge this. Kyrie and Kevin Love did not get a lot of credit for the Cavs title. LeBron did. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played with Magic on the Showtime Lakers. They're known as Magic Showtime Lakers. They're known as magic showtime Lakers and Kareem's the leading score in league history. So let's be honest.

When you play with a magic and a Michael and a LeBron, you get minimized. They're called magic Showtime Lakers. Many people believe Kareem's the best player ever if you really go to stats and numbers and longevity and defense and offense and unstoppable. It's magic showtime Lakers. Karee hit the big shot for the Cavs. It's LeBron's title with the Cavs. That's the reality of it. So Scotty is never going to get the love that he probably deserves because Michael was the best player and the most glamorous and the coolest and had the biggest shoe deal.

So that's just the reality of playing with the greatest Batman ever. You get minimized as a Robin. But I covered Scotty for a couple years in Portland. And here's the part that Scotty doesn't want to talk about. Scotty always wanted to be viewed as a one, paid like a one, get all the accessories of a one, the respectable one. But if he played poorly, he wouldn't be around for the tough questions. That's part of being a one. Availability.

Paul George, availability. You want to be a one. You got to be ready to play. Ready to talk about failure. ready, regardless of how you feel the flu game, you got to be there. Scotty, and I've seen this a lot in pro sports. A lot of people want to be seen as a one, talked about as a one, paid as a one, but they don't want to do all the one stuff.

And the longer Pippin took control of the Bulls after Michael left, the more he unraveled. And here's another thing that's not talked about when I covered Scotty. the idea that Phil Jackson did not draw a play-up for him. That's very interesting. Scotty was never a closer. He was just an incredible player and an incredible athlete. But I covered the best non-final series, I believe, ever. Lakers, Blazers, went seven.

That's the iconic Kobe to Shack slam dunk. As in behind the basket, I covered that series. Unbelievable. There for every minute of every game. Best series, non-final series have ever seen. So if Phil Jackson is racist, and that was the insinuation for not drawing up a play for Scotty Pippen instead Coo-coach, though Phil drew up a couple for Scotty. Go to that game seven. Scotty was three for ten.

I thought he's a one. Do you know what he was in the fourth quarter of that game as a blazer for the Blazers against the Lakers? He was 0 for 3 and a minus 17 in the fourth quarter. Mike Dunlevee didn't draw plays for Scotty Pippen. Because that wasn't what Scotty was. Scotty was a slasher, a hustler, a defender, a great athlete. He's not the guy you drew up plays for. In that Blazer-Laker series, go to the fourth quarter, I'm there.

They drew him up for Steve Smith. They drew him up for Arvetus. They drew him up for Rashid Wallace, I think six, seven shots. They didn't draw any up for Scotty. Scotty's not the guy. In fact, when you drew a play-up for Scotty, it was mostly to soothe his ego, to make sure he felt included, not because he was the best option. He was never the best option for the final shot with the Bulls. It was MJ1. Sometimes it was Kerr. It was Paxon. Sometimes it was Koo-coach. Those are great shooters.

Scotty never was. Ron Harper was actually, some could argue, a better, as a reserve, a better pure offensive talent than Scottie. so Michael Jordan's documentary was a Michael leaning version of the truth Scotty's book from what I can tell sounds like a lot of misremembering Phil Jackson loves Scotty but everybody's always understood the term Robin comes from Scotty Pippin he was not available the minute it was Scotty's team Michael goes play his baseball. It's Scotty's team. There are people in Chicago that still refer to him as 1.8.

1.8 seconds left. Scotty wouldn't go into a game. Playoff game. Why? Because Phil wouldn't draw the playoff game. 1.8. That is some of his legacy. So there's a big difference between Michael's documentary, which leans Michael.

It's his documentary, right? And Scottie's book, which feels like it was written to avenge him being minimized, which he has a right to do. He's going to make the media rounds. But I just don't feel like I should elevate or extend these Scotty stories, which just aren't true. I was there in Portland. I covered him. Want to be paid like a one. They want to be a one. And there's a lot that comes with that. And some players are simply better served to be Robbins. Great Robbins. A lot of money in being a Robin. A lot of fame in being a Robin, really good life being a Robin.

But boy wonder isn't Batman. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions,

my journey from basketball to college football or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

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

double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye They said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little count? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, this is the second episode where we've discussed, correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line.

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapy. Careers, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

And we're still chasing it, and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust.

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the Hardway. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Scotty Pippin's got a new book, as Rick Buecker said, it should be called Axta Grind. He writes a book because Michael Jordan did the 10-part documentary, which was wonderful. And to me, Jordan's documentary was accurate, but it did lean toward Michael's direction.

That's what documentaries do. You know, what was that one that was really popular, making a murderer? It leaned toward the victim. A lot of it, the documentarians lean toward the victim. My wife's like, oh, I can't believe he's in jail. And I'm like, he tortured animals. I'm over. The reality is whoever does the documentary, it ain't journalism, folks, their documentaries.

It leans toward the person making the documentary. Michael's documentary leaned toward Michael. But I lived through it, and it was accurate. It just was a little more favorable to Michael than it was anybody else. Whereas Scotty's book feels like Axtagrined. Now, we were talking about the term, and Joy and I agree, Scotty's always been viewed exactly as he should be viewed. A great Robin. Now, there's always been the feeling he's the best Robin of all time.

I've said that. So I went this morning and really examined this. Who are the best Robbins of all time? What does that mean if you just turn to our show and don't understand what that term means? It means on a great team, you were the second best player or the second most noteworthy player. So the greatest Robin of all time is actually Kobe Bryant. during the Shaq Kobe rivalry, Shaq was the greater player,

and if it wasn't for free throws, he would have gotten all the shots late. Shaq, it was Shaq's team. Now, Kobe's a five-time NBA champ, a two-time finals MVP, one of the ten best players I've seen. But in that dynasty, Kobe was viewed as the two.

He was very, very young. That's the best Robin ever. The second best is Jerry Rice, viewed as the best wide receiver ever. He has the most receiving yards in NFL history. and the most touchdown receptions in NFL history, but it was Montana's dynasty. Nobody disputes that.

Montana was the MVP in Super Bowls. Jerry Rice was the second greatest robin of all time. The third is Mark Messier, yes, I know hockey. When he was in Edmonton, that was one of the great hockey teams of all time, the dynasty in Edmonton. Gretzky, the great one, was number one. Messier was one of the top five players in the sport, maybe top three. He was the two.

Six-time Stanley Cup champ, five with the Oilers. He goes then and becomes the Batman with the Rangers and leads them to a Stanley Cup final. One of the great tough guys ever could skate, tough, could score. Mark Messier, third best Robin ever. Four, and this is weird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Yes, the leading score in league history was a Robin on the Showtime Lakers. When you watch the highlights of the Showtime Lakers, it's almost all magic. It's often other Lakers beyond Kareem.

Kareem is a six-time MVP most ever in NBA history, one of the great defenders, the most unstoppable shot. But on the Showtime Lakers, it was really Magic's team. The fifth best Robin of all time is, I know it's weird, Bill Belichick. We can now say it was 60-40 minimum Brady over Belichick. So Bill struggled to win in Cleveland without Brady. He could not win early in New England without Brady. and he could not win last year without Brady.

Tom wins New England. Tom leaves win Super Bowl in Tampa. Belichick is the greatest, fifth-greatest Robin of all time. Number six, the beloved Dwayne Wade. On the Heedles, he was a Robin. 13-time All-Star, top 20, 25 player of all time, was never a great shooter. He was always kind of the soul of a team, but he wasn't as dominating when Shaq came and they won, not as dominating physically as LeBron when they won.

He's the sixth best Robin of all time. Now, sometimes he was asked to, like Kareem, to be a Batman, but in the greatest moments for the heat, he's been a Robin. Number seven, I know I'm going way back, Lou Gehrig. He actually won two MVPs, one of them playing with Babe Ruth. He was a six-time World Series champ. He was the Yankee captain for about six, seven years. on those teams with Ruth, there were moments he was actually the better player.

Number eight would be John Stockton, right? Carl Malone ends up top five score of all time. John made 10 NBA All-Star teams. It's interesting. We never talk about him in the Robin conversation. He's one of the top five point guards ever, probably behind Magic, Steph, Isaiah Thomas. Then you get into the John Stockton conversation. Rock Solid only played with Carl Malone as a star.

Number nine, I think you'd have to say Gronk, arguably the greatest tight end of all time, five-time pro-bowler, all with Brady. The Brady to Gronk is the most prolific touchdown duo in NFL history with 14. Nobody's ever had more touchdowns in the NFL that the quarterback to receiver thing, that's number one, 14, Gromk. And then number 10, I think you put in Scotty Pippen. because we started using the term with him. He's also a six-time champ.

He's also a seven-time All-Star. I would argue he was a much better defensive player than he actually was a skilled offensive player. But he was a great Robin. And he always understood. It was Michael's team. Michael got the last shot. For the record, Tony Kukko isn't the only guy to get the last shot.

Often when he was on the floor, Kerr got the last shot. Paxon got the last shot. Sometimes Kuko got the shot. but Scottie qualifies. To me is the 10th best Robin of all time. And I don't think it's a shot. Now, some people aren't robins their entire career. Mark Messier became the guy in New York.

But if you're telling me for an extended period of time, I mean, Kobe was a Robin for like four years. He was like, he was, in fact, I would say Del Harris before Phil Jackson, Kobe was the Robin for like five to six years. And then Shaq leaves. Then they get Gasol. and then the rest of his career, he's the guy. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd,

weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me, three-time Pro Bowl of LaVarrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? Along with my fellow Pro Bowler, T.J. Hushman Zada, and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on game.

We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up on Game with me, LaVar Arington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast from. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying.

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

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show, isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do

a little camp? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode. where we've discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now.

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

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast,

learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Let's bring in Cedric Sabalos, 11 years in the NBA. He played with stars. He was an all-star. He was a slam dunk champ. He averaged 15 in his career, now a Maverick's employee.

Cedric's, it's an interesting conversation that to be an NBA player, you were probably a great high schooler, a great AAU. Fullerton, you were great. Then you go to the NBA and somebody says, hey, you're going to be a three. And it's like, whoa, whoa, I'm not right for that. So I do have sympathy for Scotty Pippen in that. Not only was Michael a one, he was the one of all times. Do you think sometimes being Pippin was harder than we acknowledge? Well, first, AAU in high school, I didn't get to play at all.

I was the bench rider, so don't put me in that mix. Late bloomer here, late bloomer here. But I think the wonderful thing about the comparisons, one, Michael Jordan is the greatest. So he's up there. But you're Robin sometimes get depleted because Michael's so great. Scotty, personally, to me and probably to a lot of others in that error, was the hardest person, one, to guard or to be guarded by. me wrong, I average 20 plus points

over Scotty by playing him and Charles Barkley said if we had said we had won in 93 but the guy could guard everybody from the point guard to the five. He could play every position. He had a decent shot. He stretched it out to three sometimes. He could drive. He can leap.

He could defend. He can stop people. I even put him in a position where the 91 series when they won their first championship the movement to make him guard Magic Johnson was the problematic cause of them after they lost game one. Magic couldn't do as much as he can do because of Scotty.

But I think his robin abilities do get depleted because Michael was so high. But for me, Scottie was one of those guys, Spreewell, one of those guys, and a double team with Larry Johnson and Stacey Augman. I did just so hard playing against those individuals, but Scotty was at my top of my list. Now, Scottie says Michael's selfish, and I said this last hour, Cedric, is that when you identify a great talent, it could be. Mark Zuckerberg with Facebook. It could be Elon Musk. It could be LeBron. When you identify at a fairly early age, wow, Jeff Bezos, that's a genius. Then what starts to happen is you start building

around this person's mind or this person's athletic ability. Like LeBron James. 14 years old, people said, I remember reading a story about it. There's this kid in Akron named LeBron James. He's 14. everything from that point forward is how do we groove his path to make him great? So whenever I hear, well, this star is selfish. I'm like, well, yeah, I'm going to give guys who are great selfish. You played with players. Do players understand that the one sometimes is selfish and everything is built around him? Or is that hard to deal with?

No, no, it depends on the Robbins, so to speak, that are playing with that Batman. Yeah, Michael Jordan was selfish, but he had to be. He had to be to take his game to the next level. Same with Kobe Bryant. Same with Shaquil. Same with Karim Abdul-Jabbar. All of those players had to have some selfishness to go deep inside themselves to go, okay, I'm not going to let us lose.

That's a selfish remark right there. I am not going to let us lose, and I'm going to will this team. That's a situation where those are the elite. But you also have teammates to understand that. And some teammates don't want that attention. You know, you talk about John Stockton. John was a tremendous defender, a great person, a tremendous teammate, very hard playing guy. But I don't think he wanted any stardom.

He wanted to sneak in the back door, put in his uniform, play hard, and then sneak out the back door. And could care less who, you know, if you knew who he was or not. Scotty Pittman is one of the elite players. And it's unfortunate that he played a great part of his career, his best years. with the wonderful Michael Jordan. So let's go to the Clipper's Sons. I felt like watching that game last night. It was the old dudes against the young upstart kids.

And the old dudes just leaned on them. And you start looking at Batum and Paul George and Patrick Beverly. And you've been in those games. And I thought the sons, this was the biggest game for everybody there except Jay Crowder. And I thought they were tight. Cedric, I thought the sons were tight. Did you? Well, the pressure I thought was on the Suns to try to close that out and all the fame.

I love the way Chris Paul really got out of the 3-1 narrative. Like, don't talk to me about it. I've been there, I've done that, I understand that. I think they really went for the home run instead of just getting on base. You saw every play. You know, you had Cam come in when he made a bucket. The threes were up and he was hooping and hollering. You know, Booker made a bucket.

He was hooping. I think that really got away from him. But the most important thing, like you said, it was Crowler. You know, where was he last night? His opposite ability, now I don't think he's going to go score 20, but I think making the right passes, making the precision shot was hurting. And then for the clipper side, I thought a couple of things that I saw in Brooklyn's game seven against Milwaukee.

Kevin Durant was out of gas and he's a jump shooter. Janice was a driver. I think that's why Janice kind of overtook Kevin. They both played a lot of minutes in that game. Nash didn't pull out Durant. It seemed like when he needed that jump shot, he didn't have the legs. to get to the basket to finish to do what he had to do. Paul George, when he missed those free throws and don't get me wrong,

they could have been a switch. It could have been 3-1 right now. Paul makes free throws and, you know, I text Jerry West about this all the time. And he understands that if he had his legs under her, he might have had a better chance to make those free throws. I thought when they took him out in the fourth quarter and Mark Jackson and Van Gundy was like, why is Paul not in the game? I thought that rest got him enough energy and enough break to stretch it out.

I love the way cousins came in and played and kept his cool head. He had a couple incidents where he could have pushed and got a technical and Morris. That's just the way they play. But I thought the way that they handled the minutes of Paul George kept his legs. He was fresh. Now, you're saying the first quarter, he was really not there. I thought he was kind of pacing himself and getting everybody else going because late in the game, you watch this series.

It's all up to PG and Jackson. and it's up to Chris Paul and Devin Booker going one-on-one trying to find ways to score the basketball. And all four of those individuals need their legs in the fourth quarter late. Cedric, it's interesting. We view Paul as a great two. But availability matters. Kyrie's availability. Anthony Davis's availability.

Kauai's availability. To me, they're great twos. They're super talented twos. LeBron, always there. Kobe's career prime. Always there. Michael always there. Malone always there.

I look at Paul George. He's always there, and he gives you about 26 in these games. Is Paul just a lower-end one, or do you view him as a two in this league? He could be both. He was a one in Indiana. I thought he was aggressive, maybe a one-and-a-half at O KC. You know, he had Russell Westbrook there. And I think it's the same thing here.

I think they went with a one-and-a-halfs here. I mean, Kauai, when he's on the basketball court, obviously he does great things and tremendous things as he did against my Mavericks in that wonderful series. But, you know, when he's not there, Paul can take over. He can be the guy that doesn't touch the ball until five seconds left to go in the shot clock and still knock down shots, still be effective on defense. I think that's the versatile tile position that they got, you know, when they required both of these individuals. So I think he can be a two, but he is very dominant, but he needs to stay consistent, you know, when it comes to the first quarter to,

the fourth quarter when he's at the one. I love talking to you, Cedric. You've been around, you know these games, you know these teams really well. Cedric Saballo's former NBA All-Star over a decade in the NBA. And I always appreciate you stopping by the show. I get smarter. Thanks, man. No problem, man. Talk to you later. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. So here's an NBA trade, which should be taken seriously.

We are getting to that point, free agency period. The Warriors, according to John Hollinger of the Athletic, are expected to use James Wiseman. That's the guy they picked last year, the big, who's incredibly raw but talented, and the Warriors number seven picked this year in a trade for a star player. They're going to move off Wiseman. They're going to use one of their two early draft picks. They're seven and they're 14. They're seven and get a star.

He suggests Pascal Seaccombe of Toronto. This trade should be taken seriously because it's about the. timeline. Steph, you got to get him guys that can help him now. Wiseman is a kid. Steph needs a guy that can drop 19-9 tomorrow night. That's what Clay can do. Dremont, they're all in the same timeline. Wiseman's not on the timeline. He's perfect for Toronto because their timeline is, let's rebuild. So Yacombe, value is down a little bit because this year, he was underwhelming. So he's out there. And timeline matters. Remember this. LeBron.

Remember when he went to Cleveland, he could have had the number one pick Andrew Wiggins. He chose Kevin Love, who people thought had a lower ceiling. Why? Because Kevin and LeBron's timeline matched up. Kevin could get him 24 and 10 that night. Wiggins was a kid. So that matters. Here's something else.

Timelines matter. By the way, if they did that deal, the Golden State starting five would be Steph, Clay, Wiggins, Draymond, Green, and Pascal Seaccom. That's a top three starting five in the NBA. Now, it'd be expensive, and I do think they'd eventually move Wiggins. If they had to move anybody, he's really expensive and mostly just a score. Doesn't really feel like a part of the culture. You know, he just gives you points.

But this is a team that has been willing through the years to go over the salary cap and pay that fee. So there's something there if they made that move. But that's what it would look like. And that's why we say for Dame and Portland, you better get moving because that's what the Warriors could look like next year. Kauai's back with the Clippers. They'll be good. LeBron and AD long offseason, they'll be good. That's what Golden State's going to look like.

Dallas is going to try to get a two to go with Luca with Porzingis and Hardaway. So if you're Dame and you're looking at that, you're not close. You weren't close to beat in Denver. So that's why, for Damien Lillard, Golden State is a move away with a 7 and a 14 and James Wiseman. Anybody rebuilding, they can go get a B-plus player. And so how comes about a B-plus player. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app.

The NFL network had something where they listed the most complete NFL teams heading into the 2021 season. And they put Cleveland 1, Tampa 2, Kansas City 3, Chargers 4 and Buffalo 5. First of all, Cleveland does not do well with expectations. That's not good. The other thing, you've got to be careful with Cleveland. Cleveland's got a lot of big names. A lot of big names. OBJ, Baker, Kareem Hunt,

Jedavian Clowny. Yeah, OBJ is never healthy. The Browns were better when Baker threw less last year. Kareem Hunt's a backup, and Clowny's inconsistent and hurt a lot. So you've got to be careful here. When I look at Buffalo, Tampa, Kansas City, I have proven performers in big games

and quarterbacks I've seen at the highest level takeover games. That's not what Cleveland is. You know what Cleveland's a little bit like, and most of the country will not understand this reference. If you're in Los Angeles, you totally will. We have a music festival in the desert called Coachella. Coachella sounds great. A lot of big names.

You take your cool, attractive friends. You take them out to the desert. going to party in the desert. Ow! The girls are beautiful with their cowboy hats, and the guys are cool, and everybody goes out there, and then, like, three days in,

it's like, wow, it's 108. There's 150,000 people. You can't get close. The bathroom situation is regrettable. I'm sorry, but I don't want to live in a tent. And the cool people aren't nearly as cool as you thought when there are six rum drinks in on the third day. And then you're like, okay, I've done this like three years.

I'm done with Coachella. Cleveland Browns have a little bit of a feel. Like there's a lot of cool stuff there, a lot of cool people. But if Miles Garrett got hurt, who on that defense do you rely on? Sheldon Richardson, they moved him. Denzel Ward, love him, always hurt. Janavian Clowny, the poster is better than the reality, right? He's one of those classic.

The movie posters better than the movie. He's a great player in spots. So John Johnson, if Miles Garrett had an injury and had to miss a month, who do you rely on defensively. I like their new secondary, but it's a bunch of kids and a bunch of new people. So I don't know what they are. You've got to be careful about Cleveland. When you're listing the teams that are ready to win, Kansas City is ready to win a Super Bowl. San Francisco if Garoppolo's upright, is ready to win a Super Bowl. Tampa just won a Super Bowl. Kansas City, Buffalo, now that they went and attacked their defensive line, they're ready

to win a Super Bowl. Cleveland, I think Baltimore, adding receivers, is ready to win a Super Bowl. Cleveland got a little Coachella. Sounds big. It sounds like the greatest time of your life. After a couple years and a few rum drinks and five days in the tent, you're like, it's time to go home now and take a shower. And I can't really hear because I'm like way, way, way back. And anybody's seen a bathroom.

Oh, by the way, we can't get cell service. That's another incident. That's another issue at Coachella. 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 Lever, help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, S&L'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 podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all,

embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. It was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the Fourth. seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

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