The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/05/2021 - HOUR 1 - Giannis, Luka, Rodgers

Episode Date: July 5, 2021

In this hour of The Herd with Colin Cowherd, Colin separates Milwaukee Buck star Giannis Antetokounmpo's long-term value from Giannis in the short term or in a single series. The proof is reflected in the Bucks' Eastern Conference Finals success without Giannis. Also, Colin is floored by Dallas Maverick star Luka Dončić's ability to get his sparsely populated home country of Slovenia to the Olympics. Plus, FS1 NBA analyst Ric Bucher discusses the Milwaukee Bucks without Giannis.  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.

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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. 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. 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional

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9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHart Radio app by searching Herd. Fox Sports Radio. Welcome in live in LA. I think the fireworks just decided to come. Just stopped a couple hours ago. It's the herd wherever you may be.

However you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Hope you had a great 4th of July weekend. Those fireworks were playing. Joy tells me I was out by 9.30. Joy tells me they went 10, 11 midnight last night. So we hope you got a good night sleep. You're up and ready around the country. It was funny.

I sent out a social media post last night. I'm like, this is the loudest I've ever heard fireworks in Los Angeles. And I got tweets from all over America. And they're like, no, in Denver, it's in Texas, in Florida, in Philadelphia. It was wild last night. It's always wild for Fourth of July. But you and I have lived a couple different places. L.A. does fireworks different, guys.

Like, every single city block in Los Angeles is setting off fireworks. If it's Fourth of July, New Year, if it is a championship. Nobody does it like L.A. I'm sure you think it's loud, but this is Los Angeles. They like fireworks. Yes. Well, it's great to have you in a Monday.

One hour from now where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong, plenty of both. You know, we all know there are certain things that are good for us. Big picture long term. 401Ks. You should invest in those, right? Long term, don't pull the money out. But short term,

Sometimes you can blow through the budget. Just go have a great family vacation. That's what the kids are going to remember 50 years from now. Spend a little more than you're comfortable with on the family vacation. Big picture, eat your vegetables. Short term, it's hot out. It's August. It's July.

I want ice cream. You know, if you live in a northern climate, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Illinois, SUV, makes sense. But there's probably about 30 days a year in those climates. The convertible is way cooler and a lot more fun. Just because something is great over an extended period of time doesn't mean it always feels right, works the best, or makes you feel better. And that's the Milwaukee Bucks and Janus.

He has a physical presence over the course of an 82 game. schedule. Yanis is going to block a lot of shots, get you a lot of easy baskets. He's absolutely a franchise player. But short term in a series situationally, got to be honest, Milwaukee's offense without him for a couple of games against Atlanta was smoother. The ball movement was excellent. This happens all the time. It's not just Yonis. you get to the playoffs and basketball changes. The officials let more go. That's hurt James Harden.

Carl Malone, players who needed the whistle. They were great players that you'd love to have in your franchise. But sometimes there was a better teammate in a moment in the playoffs than Malone or James Hardin. Maybe on the same roster, right? And the bucks have fallen into a trap. All right. Yonis is our best athlete. he's our best player. So we've got to get the ball.

He's got to be playing late. And that's just not the truth. He's your best defensive player. He's your great rim protector. He's unbelievable in transition. But in the half-court offense, sometimes he gets in the way. Drew Holliday needs his space.

Chris Middleton needs to know he can be the number one guy and not worry about getting it to Janus. That's what Charles Barkley talked about, got some pushback, but I think he's actually. actually right. I hate to say this. I think the best thing happened to the Milwaukee Bucks was Janice getting hurt because they have unleashed Drew Holiday, the aggressive Drew Holiday. I think he's going to be fantastic in the finals against Chris Paul,

as much as I love Chris Paul. If, and if, if, if Yonis is 85 to 90 percent, I'm going to go with Milwaukee. Now, I like Phoenix. I think they have a better coach. I think they're healthier. They're more rested. They have home court advantage. And they have clearly defined roles.

Chris Paul is the setup guy. Devon Booker's the score. DeAndre Aiton's the pick and roll guy with Chris. Jay Crowder's the three and D guy. You get the same style, the same production, the same efficiency, the same urgency every night. I like Phoenix rather quickly in the series. But there's something to be said if Janus was 80% and you didn't play him quite as much, it would let Chris Middleton and Drew Holliday flourish.

And I think there's an argument to be made. What we know about these playoffs, when basketball becomes situational, half-court offense really important, who can hurt their team? Westbrook, Simmons, and Janus can't shoot. You need shot makers. That's why Chris Middleton actually situationally, late in games, is a better player for the bucks than Yannis. Now, over the course of a season, Yonis gets you so many easy baskets. He's such a great defender.

He's so good in transition. You don't coach the same way. You know, your team flies into town, especially this year in a condensed year. You watch an hour of film. It's really difficult to prepare for the physical dimension of a Westbrook in his prime. or a Janus. But you get into situational half-court basketball, and Chris Middleton, he's a guy that worries me.

It's not Janus. I'd love Janus to shoot. And then I'll foul him and put him in the free throw line late. So I like Phoenix over Milwaukee, but I think it's something, it's not a criticism of Janus. It is a reality of life. We know you've got to eat your vegetables, but some hot days you just want a beer, ice cream.

We know you put in the 401K, but sometimes for the family's sake, dad's all stressed out, just going a big vacation. SUVs are more valuable in the north, but a convertible is better on like 30 days. And I look at Janice and I think sometimes when he's off the floor,

it's weird to say, two-time MVP, they're better offensively. Ball moves better. Middleton feels empowered. Drew Holiday feels empowered, but I'll still take Phoenix. So this is a real thing. I don't talk about Slovenia basketball much. They have 2 million people.

They're the size of New Mexico. They have never made the Olympics. It is a tiny country. And if you look at the teams that will play basketball in the Olympics, men's basketball, America, we have 330 million people. And Japan has 126 million people. And then there's like Italy was 60 million and Germany with 83 and Nigeria has over 200 million people and Spain's got 50 million people and Argentina's got 46, 45 million people. and Slovenia has two. And Luca has carried them to the Olympics.

And they beat Lithuania. Now think about that. Lithuania has put 14 guys in the NBA. Lithuania, after maybe Spain? I mean, you talk about international basketball powers. Us? Lithuania, Spain? It is a short list.

And they beat them. Or should I say, Luca beat them. What's really fascinating about this, Luca came into this league at 20 and averaged 21 points a game. He's now at 29, and his efficiency numbers better every year.

He is, along with LeBron and Magic Johnson, the best 22-year-old basketball player I've ever seen in my life. And this just doubles down on the fact that Mark Cuban has got real pressure on him. He's already fired his coach, and he's already fired his general manager. Now he's got to find him a player.

And this is not like Dirk Novitsky, and I'll tell you why. Because first of all, Dirk wasn't this good this early. Second of all, Dirk was a more agreeable personality, not as feisty. The other thing was when Dirk Novitsky entered the NBA, it was different. And this was something that was discussed in the league. International players, even if they were good, kind of considered themselves, visitors to America, they played basketball, but they didn't like to demand trades.

International players, that wasn't the game. They came to the states, they'd play for a team, and they wanted to be great citizens and great teammates, but it's changed now. International players have a lot of pull, and they're unbelievably talented, and they're going to let you hear their opinion, as they should. So, Luca,

not only by international player standards, by basketball player standards, has an opinion and wants to win now. And he's so great now, you can't worry about drafting people around him. He's too good. These guys like Trey Young and Luca, they're not going to sit around and wait for some kid from Creighton or Gonzaga to get good. You've got to put stars around him. And Luca, unlike Dirk, isn't just going to be a good guy and develop and take one for the team and wait until he gets the – it's not going to work that way.

you are looking at the best young player in the world. Luca Dantage, the best young basketball player in the world that just got Slovenia, past Lithuania. The only thing I can even compare it to, and it's probably a poor comparison, and I'm old enough to have seen it, is when Larry Bird carried Indiana State into the championship game against Magic Johnson and Michigan State. Michigan State was a basketball power, head coach. Judd Heathcote.

It was Magic Johnson. They had another player, Greg Kelsey or Greg Kelsey. I forget the name of the player. But Michigan State had really good players. And Larry Bird took Indiana State, the sycamores. I think they're still called that. I'm not sure if it's still a university. Larry Bird took him to the championship.

And it was like, who, what? I remember the baby blue uniforms. They had the weird Indiana State logo. It was like, what? This was a what? That's how good Luca is. And so I do think Mark Cuban, new coach, new GM, understands the urgency with this. But it's a remarkable story.

Can you imagine New Mexico, get the best players in New Mexico, compete against the world, and they would get into the Olympics. It's insane the accomplishment. Luca talked about winning a gold medal or an NBA championship. What would mean more to you? A gold medal would have been I would say gold medal with Slovenia or NBA championship with a man. I would say gold matter with Slovenia.

You play for your country and that's something that really, really. But I wouldn't mind both. Yeah. Either would mark Cuban. So that's the story to keep your eye on. Coming up next on a Monday, the stories are fun and I do like talking about them. but the Aaron Rogers

Green Bay Packer situation, I think it's over and the team won. And we'll talk about that coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement

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

mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space. For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right what you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-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 kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

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

We also have AIDS on the table right now. Now you're 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 Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness, this month. I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in

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

Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Welcome back. It's the herd. on a Monday, thanks so much this holiday weekend.

Hope you had a great time. Yesterday is probably a rough day for the animals in the house a little bit. We understand that. It was for my dogs. Got to get them here for fireworks and 4th of July. But I hope you had a great time with your family and your friends at the cookouts around America. And it was so just empowering to me. I watched a lot of sports over the weekend.

I watched MLS. I watched some Dodger games, some baseball games. I just kept my television on over the weekend and just to watch fans in stadiums, the passion. It was really encouraging. It was really great. Put me in a great mood all weekend that sports is back and the sights and the sounds of it were fantastic. Now, a story that we have talked a lot about, and we're kind of waiting for the conclusion of this. We're in that middle period where, ooh, it's a story, not much can happen for a month.

It could be big, right? We're in that part of the movie that's a pretty good movie with a good open and a good finish, but there's like this 12-minute story arc in the middle that doesn't quite connect. And that's the Aaron Rogers story. Jake Plummer, former Bronco quarterback, came out and said, I think he can come into Denver and crush it. There's a story that Denver is still monitoring the Green Bay situation and is still interested in Aaron Rogers. My opinion, they should be.

I think if you put him with that roster, they're very, very interesting. I don't think it guarantees anything. Patrick Mahomes is in that division. Andy Reid's in that division, but it does make that division really fascinating. But here's the thing. These stories sound interesting, both the stories about Denver and Green Bay today, but we've got to be honest about it. The Packers called Aaron's bluff. They're not budging. They're not taking calls. They're not trading him. And they're not going to fire any executives. and they know Aaron and they've had him for 16 years and they know him and they know he doesn't like ugly he doesn't like uncomfortable and the minute this situation got contentious I mean really contentious what happened Aaron went to Hawaii gets away from all the nonsense and send some friends out to become available for press interviews that say stuff like hey it's fixable

and they sue the hot coals you know they kind of bring the temperature day And Green Bay is telling you, we don't think Aaron has the stomach for it. Now, it's different in Seattle with Russell Wilson. Much like Aaron, after Brady won a Super Bowl, Russell was mad. But the difference is this. The reason the Seahawks acted so quickly is Russell really had never complained. I mean, almost to a nauseating fault, go hawks was the answer. Go hawks.

Everything's great here. And so if you're like that in the marriage or a relationship, where you never complain, even during tough times, when you occasionally rarely do, you know, people listen. Oh, oh, she's mad. He's mad. Russell's mad. So the Seahawks immediately reacted to it when Russell's like, I'm upset, here's the four teams, or whoever leaked it. So the second thing is that Russell Wilson complained two weeks after the Super Bowl. So he gave the Seahawks time in free agency to make moves.

He gave the Seahawks the draft to make moves. it's one thing to complain, you know, about the road trip when you're already pulling up to the hotel. It's another thing to complain three weeks out about. You don't like the timing of it. We may want to reconsider rebooking the vacation. So Russell Wilson never complains, did loudly, or his people did, and he gave the Seahawks time to maneuver around his concerns. Aaron is different.

He's never truly happy. so when Aaron complains there are going to be like any relationship where somebody is generally unhappy can be passive aggressive. There's a little bit of an eye roll with it. And the second thing is Aaron did it after free agency and leaked his information through sources the day of the draft. It's a little late. And so Green Bay has decided, you know what this really is?

It's a public tantrum. and how do parents, most parents, handle tantrums? Stay firm, hold your ground, and eventually he'll fall asleep. And I think that's what Green Bay has decided to do. We've seen this before. We know the way you did it. You didn't give us time to do anything. In the end, it's a public tantrum.

We're going to stand our ground, and you're going to come back. Because we have your rights, and we're not going to trade you. and you're not going to give up $30 million. And so when I read this story this morning, you have the two quarterbacks in their mid-30s in this league that are fantastic, Hall of Famers, Russell and Aaron. And whether or not you like one or the other, Russell, who has mostly hidden his feelings,

got the news out there, but it's so rare that he complains that Seattle reacted to it immediately. It's probably a great lesson for all of us and like. If you're going to complain, do it loudly, but do it infrequently. If you do it casually, passive-aggressively, often, it becomes an eye roll. And I think the Packers look at Aaron and just go, we've been through some of this stuff. This is worse, but we've been through some of it. Russell Wilson's case, it was like, uh-oh, he's naming cities.

Sierra and Russell aren't happy. Let's take care of it. And so, I mean, all these stories are great, but I said this three weeks ago with Joy is my witness. when the story got out that Aaron had rejoined the Green Bay Country Club, my takeaway was, well, the time to golf is July, August, and September in Green Bay. He's not holding out. He's going to come. He's going to be great.

He's going to work hard. It'll get Jordan loves some extra snaps. But in the end, all these stories, believe it when I see it. I think he'll be a Packer this year. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Chris Paul revealed after clenching his spot in the NBA finals that he played with the partially torn ligaments in his right hand against the clippers. And he was asked how he'd been working through the injury. CP3 said he thought he dealt with it well, but was happy for some extra rest before the next series. Managed it well, good. These days that we've had off have been really good.

and we all get a chance to rest up a little bit before we get it going again. They're in a pretty good situation. Outside of Chris Paul and a few other minor injuries, they're relatively healthy. Now, he had the issue with his shoulder in the first round against the Lakers and then obviously the COVID situation

in between the second round and now he's reeling at an issue with his hand. But overall, like we knew the issue with the shoulder, in COVID, but, like, didn't find out anything about his hands, and he had an incredible game six. Like, he's played through all of it, and they're pretty healthy. Well, I mean, if you really look at who's left, it's two of the three healthiest teams. Atlanta was healthy except Trey, Milwaukee healthy until the end with Janus, and Phoenix really healthy and Chris Paul Little Injury.

This is something we've discussed sort of ad nauseum. It's like health is becoming a real situation. And also, the NBA, Although it's not football physical or UFC physical, the referees do allow more physical play in the postseason. It's still contact sport. Yeah, and it adds a layer of physicality in the playoffs. Referees historically, watching the league for all the years we have,

they pull back a little in the playoffs. They let the players decide games. And so you've noticed this last five, six years. You know, these players in great shape, and the regular season's a little more casual. the defense isn't quite as intense. And then the playoffs come around and everybody man's up and it's body on body. And you're getting health is now over the last several years.

I mean, let's face it, the Raptors won a title because the Warriors fell apart. And the dynasty in Golden State would not have been as great if Chris Paul didn't get hurt when he and Hardin were together in Houston. So this is not like a new thing. It's not a condensed schedule thing. Like health is determining these NBA playoffs last half decades. Yeah, no, it's not a new thing. And it's why it's kind of hard to point at what it feels like there are more injuries. It feels like the injuries are caused by the short and off season.

And maybe some of them are. But there's always injuries and they always affect the end of the season. And many breaks have to happen for you to win a championship. And sometimes it's the best player in the other team gets injured in the middle of the series or this series before. And they're not 100%. I mean, look at Tray Young. Like that's not a condensed season. It was a complete freak accident.

Well, the last great dynasty we had was Golden State. So they won before Durant got there, and then Kevin gets there, and they're unbelievable. And by the second year, though, the second year of that great team, just think how great that team was. They had Katie, Stefan Clay, in their prime, and Draymond in their prime. I mean, that's an unbelievable team. That's four potential Hall of Famers. By the second year in the playoffs, injuries, you miss a couple guys. You started to see holes in the Warriors.

So even when teams are great, and I don't think either of these teams is all time, great, you were in Miami, you know the Healds very well. They lose the first and the last. Their second championship, they rolled through the league. But even when you get the greatest players, this stuff is hard. Well, also, if you are on a dynasty or great team, you're playing later into the season. And you're going to do that year after year after year. That's why when we talk about LeBron, how many seasons he's played, we have to tag on how much he's played in the postseason as well, because that really adds three more seasons.

to his career, like how many games he's played. And everybody is in LeBron. Like, LeBron is overall an Iron Man. Like, anyone is going to wear down playing that many more games. So the Sons are favored by six in game one, and they are also favored overall, according to Fox Betts, to win the series, minus 182 bucks plus 155. So Trey Young had an incredible run during the playoffs,

but it came to a halt in game three, as we were just discussing when he introduced his foot. He was unable to play in game four and five, but powered through game six. So it was very difficult not being healthy in the last games of the season. For me, not being able to be out there for my team for two games. And then tonight, just wanting to battle and try to fight through it as much as I could. And try to be out there for my team.

It's definitely frustrated not being healthy and not being able to give my full 100%. I feel like we'll be back. And I meant that with my whole heart. I actually think that this Hawks team will be back as well. I mean, that was a freak accident that happened with his ankle. I don't think if he would have gotten injured that they would have lost this series. They were basically in control of the series and Janus was injured. I mean, if Tray Young had an incredible series, 48 points, 15 points in game two, 35 in game three,

didn't play in games four and five, and then came back 14, four and nine in game six. But if he was healthy, I don't know that the Bucks would be in the finals right now. And what they've been able to do since Nate McMillan took over, I mean, they were 14 and 20, 5th worst in the Eastern Conference before he took over as interim coached on March 1st. They went 37 and 19 from there. The Sons are the only team with more wins in that span. Like, Trey Young has arrived. It's clearly his team.

Well, they play eight, nine guys, so it's not. And the gentleman running the team is a former warrior guy. So they took like the number two from Golden State, really smart franchise. And that's what happens a lot of time. You know, you poach balochic, or you poach a dynasty. and what you have is they've done a nice job drafting. They're in a good spot with, you know, cap space going forward. I mean, I don't see any reason why Atlanta,

especially in the East, which has been an uneven, up-for-grabbs conference over the last decade. Why can't they be a perennial top three seed? I don't see why not. And they have the experience now. And they have the confidence now because they've done it. Trey Young, who's already a confident player, has done it at the highest level. He's completely arrived. I think the Hawks are in a great position moving forward.

Yeah. The only team that I think I'm interested to see what Boston does, because I think Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown's good, not special. If they did make a move and got a dame with a Tatum, then it's like, all right, that could change everything in the East. But I don't think that's going to happen. I think Atlanta's going to be a really solid, deep roster, well run for years to come. So we were just discussing Aaron Rogers. The drama continues. Packers' president and CEO Mark Murphy writes a column each month that discusses the team and answers, five fan questions. So in his May post, he focused on the Packers' commitment to Aaron Rogers in 2021 and beyond. Last month, he started a little controversy. He wrote the Rogers situation, it's divided the fan base.

So this month, he didn't mention Rogers at all. Well, he's not there right now, so that's probably best served. Well, training camp starts on July 27th, so that's kind of the next date to pay attention to. That's a couple weeks from now. I think he will be there. I don't know that the Packers have won this long term. I think we have a couple more years to play out to see if they won this. If there is a winner and a loser,

I think if you look at the Patriots Brady situation, Brady's won that situation. If there was a winner and a loser in that situation, Brady won that situation. It doesn't take away anything of what they did. Their dynasty doesn't take anything away from Belichick, except for I think we now give Brady a little more credit than we did Belichick. in this situation, I think that Aaron Rogers gets all of the credit for

what the Packers have done. I mean, even we were talking about Matt LaFleur last week in the ranking of coaches, like, is it Matt LaFleur or is it Aaron Rogers? Like, what did he walk into? I don't know that we'll see who won or lost this, because I don't know how this is going to play out over the next couple years, but I do think we're going to see Aaron Rogers in training camp this year.

Yeah, you know, remember, Brady really didn't have the freedom to leave New England until he did. You know, for years and years, he finally negotiated that deal where he could leave at the end. And he was like, 42, 43. Remember, what is Aaron? Like 36 years old?

So when Tom was Aaron's age, the team controlled it as well. And so this may look unfair, but Brady only, you know, I've said this about the NFL. The franchise tag is the pits for quarterbacks. It stinks for quarterbacks. I am not a big fan of the franchise tag. I understand if you're a defensive back or a receiver or a tight end. It's good for you. And so it's good for the collective.

But if you're a star quarterback and you don't like your organization, and on the open market, you could, 12 teams would come after you like Aaron Rogers. The franchise tag is not good for star quarterbacks. Now, Mahomes got a great situation. Josh Allen's got a great situation. But Aaron, and I think Aaron's is way better than everybody says. Green Bay is a good situation. But, I mean, Aaron feels a little trapped.

Well, Tom Brady was as the greatest quarterback of all time with all those rings until a year ago. Yeah, I don't think that it's an unfavorable. fair situation. I don't really love the word fair, but I don't think it's an unfair situation. I just think that Green Bay is playing a very interesting game because he will eventually be able to leave and are they

going to be set up for their future? And quarterbacks are playing much later into their lives and they used to. So you are taking a gamble of how he leaves and if he is successful somewhere else, like that's, you're betting on yourself there. Listen, there is no

perfect situation. No. I mean, Brady, let's be honest, his last five years in New England, they could not draft skill people. So Brady was carrying an anemic offense, one of the slowest offenses. Aaron, we never have any money. Free agents don't like to be here. You know, Russell Wilson has to play in the toughest division against the best coaches, great defenses. Aaron, Donald, you know, Bosa, and also Pete Carroll, historically offensive lines. not his strength. He's a little bit, I would say, old school in the way he development develops

an offense. Deshawn Watson, it's a grease fire in the organization. So even when you're the greatest quarterback, there is no perfect life. Aaron can't get a free agent. The Seahawks run the ball too much. Brady had no speed on the perimeter last five years. Mahomes is, it's a, that's a bout. That's pretty close. That's got a lot of Joe Montana feel to it, where he has got the coach, the schemes, the speed, the talent, and all that, oh, yeah, this year offseason, they just went and bought the world's best offensive line. So Mahomes, and by the way, once that contract joy starts getting punitive, he won't have all those pieces. So Patrick, enjoy this three-year bubble because even for the all-time grapes, once you start making big money, it's a world of

imperfect, not perfect. Absolutely. Enjoy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. You know, Josh Allen's got it pretty good, but in November, December, it's not actually ideal throwing weather in Buffalo. So it's, you know, I've told my wife this before. Like, like, right now in my career, I'm very happy. Joy and I get along great. We have a great staff. I love my life. I got my dogs. I got my kids. And I'm like, I can't last like this forever. It doesn't. The reality is you got to enjoy the moment when you're a quarterback or anybody in life because companies change. Companies sell. Companies sell. Companies. Companies. buy companies move on.

You have different, you know, things a company wants to focus on. And it's like Aaron, Brady, and Russell. They've all got, I mean, let's be honest. Russell Wilson inherited the best defense in 10 years. They got him a Super Bowl. Aaron has on average

had the best offensive lines in football for the last 20 years, and Brady had the best coach. But I do think, and we've talked about this before, when you are at that elite level, you have very high standards for yourself. And we talk about, you a lot. Pressure, pressure, pressure, pressure. So it's kind of a balancing act of being grateful for the situation that you may have,

while also not becoming complacent, which great players are not generally complacent. They're always trying to get better and they want everything around them to get better. And, you know, with structured situations like salary caps and coaches and organizations, it's not that simple. You can't draw that up. So I understand the conflict that exists with that, with trying to be great and enjoying what you have going on at the moment. But that's the new ones of sports.

Peyton Manning got to choose Denver. Tom mostly got to choose Tampa. Aaron will get traded somewhere. I do wonder if you could ask Aaron privately. If you had Brady situation or Peyton's where you were like you were a free agent and you could choose where would you go. Because deep down, I think before Justin Herbert got there, the charge. Riders roster. By the way, Brady gave that long consideration. Many believe it came down to Tampa and the Chargers. Players in the league know how good the Chargers talent is. Like, everybody in the league is like, when Derwin James is healthy, they got corners. They feel a little bit like the bucks. That's exactly right, Joy. They feel like Tampa. You're like, man, if they, and that's why when Justin Herbert comes in, you're like, oh, wow. The Rams may not own this city. Like, oh, wow. So it would be interesting if Aaron,

was given a choice where he would pick. I think we'll find out eventually. Yeah, I do too. Pretty quick. All right, Colin Wright, calling wrong on this 4th of July weekend into week. Hope you and your family are having a great time. Thanks so much for stopping by. Rick Bueker next, talk about the NBA finals.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. What's up, everyone? It's me three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Marion. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Murrayman. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best who've ever done it on the field or the track. So whether it's talking to a Super Bowl champion or a NASCAR Cup Series champion, the Lights Out podcast will bring it to you the only way I know how to. I'm giving you the best insight from the best who's ever done it.

Listen to Lights Out with Sean Merriman on the IHeart Radio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but in a lot. encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, And the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music.

The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple 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-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 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 crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you 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 Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript 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.

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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 hard way and listen now. Rick Bukers covered the NBA since the early nine days, brought to you by Mercedes-Benz,

the best or nothing. He'll join us live from the Bay Area. So when I look, Charles Barkley said it, and I was saying earlier, there are players that are great players over the course of a season, but situationally in the half-court offense, a Westbrook, a Janus, a Ben Simmons, not great shooters, that they can be a little bit of a liability. And I did think the Buck's offense in the half-court offense, in the half court set was pretty effective against Atlanta without Janus.

Do you think Milwaukee knows in the half court set, sometimes taking him off the floor, lighten, you know, gives Drew Halliday and Middleton opportunities they wouldn't otherwise get, right? Yeah, no, and it also gives opportunities for Brooke Lopez that he normally wouldn't have. He ends up being a largely a three-point shooter to space the floor in order to give Janus room to get into the paint and do what he does. So Brooke Lopez becomes a completely different player, and you saw that in the absence of Janus. Janus is at his best, and the bucks are at their best. When he is actually the screen setter and the roller and doesn't have the ball in his hands,

unless he's catching it below the free throw line, that's when he can be effective because then it's only a dribble or two. He gets two feet into the paint. Now he's his most dangerous. When he's facing up at the top of the key, quite honestly, that always scares me because it's a turnover waiting to happen. And a turnover there is an automatic fast break bucket going the other way. So maybe the encouraging thing for the bucks is seeing how Bobby Portis has played and how Brooke Lopez has played. And it may be a little bit easier to convince Janus that less is more right now and to allow these other guys to shine. Do what he does defensively. Do what he does rebounding the ball. Play below the free throw line. But we're not going to play through you quite as much.

You know, if Chris Paul won the finals and they'll be favored, favored in game one, favored in the series and I like Phoenix. I get more answers than I do questions. With Milwaukee, I feel like I get more questions sometimes than I want I want answers by this time in the season. I like Phoenix. But if Chris won and the sons won, do you think it radically changes his legacy? I do. I do. Now, obviously, it depends on how they win and what kind of role that he plays. I saw something written about that he was the superstars. He was the superstars. who owned the conference finals. And for a guy who didn't play in the first two wins

and had an off game in the third win for the Sons, I can't say that he's the guy who owned the conference finals. I don't know that any player did. But if Chris Paul gives us more performances like he did in game six, or is just that stabilizing factor where we see the difference between them with Chris Paul and without them,

then yes, adding a ring to a guy's line, legacy. However, whatever year you do it, however you end up doing it, changes the impression. I mean, honestly, he's already changed it by getting there. He was considered a great point guard, second round and out in the postseason. By the very nature of getting to the finals, this puts him in a different category. So I do believe that it can have a huge impact. Some of it, though, has to do with how he plays in the finals. And I like the Sons too, but I don't love them. This idea that it's a foregone conclusion that the Sons are going to win this series,

I am not with that at all. I think that it's going to be a very competitive series, and I would not be surprised as the Bucks end up winning it. You know, you could make the argument. It's a transitional year. We've had years with that Dirk team won. we didn't think they were going to run it back. The Raptors team won.

They're not going to run it back. Does this feel transitional to you? Like, oh, LeBron will get healthy. It'll be fine. I don't know. When I look at Phoenix, I'm like, I don't see him going anywhere. This doesn't feel like lightning in a bottle to me. Do you think this is a transitional finals or the league is changing?

It's getting younger. Yeah. And it's going to look a lot more like this for the next several years. I would agree. I do believe it's a transitional time. Who the powers are going to be going forward is a big question mark. LeBron James coming back. I mean, the Lakers, I don't like their future right now. LeBron's not going to get healthier. He's obviously not going to get younger. Anthony Davis is not going to get less injury prone. And I don't know how many resources or assets. Actually, I do. I do know how many assets they have to reconfigure that team in a significant way, and there aren't very many. Now, which of these teams rises to the four? Can the Atlanta Hawks with all their young players, they're good for the next

year or two, but then you have to start making decisions on contracts. The Phoenix Suns, once you pull Chris Paul out of that equation, or you pay him what he wants to be paid, which is an enormous sum, then how is that going to be? to crimp your ability to keep all those other pieces. What we have seen through these playoffs is that depth and versatility has been the winning card for all of these teams. We like to think of these teams as star-driven and they all have stars, but the teams that have been left standing as we moved forward are the teams that have a Bobby Portis coming off the bench, a Danilo Golanari, a Kevin Herder who can give you a game,

a Bogdan Bogdanovich who gives you a game. It has been depth and the ability to play big and small that has made the difference. And so I think the pressure is on the GMs to spend their money wisely and not to go with the old concept of, I just need to get two or three big stars, pay them a boatload of money, and then I'm going back, you know, backfill on everything else. That to me has not been the formula this year. And quite honestly, if you look at how the Toronto Raptors won or even the Lakers last year in the bubble, it wasn't just the star power. It was how's our, you know, what's the quality of our

six, seventh, and eighth man and how do they match up with the opposition? And I believe the same is going to to be true in these finals, that it's going to be a Bobby Portis or a Jay Crowder or some of the players down the line that are going to be the determining factor on who ends up winning. Well, it's interesting. Let's say Chris Paul doesn't have a great finals, and Devin Booker's amazing and DeAndre Aden. They're just amazing. And they win the finals. Then if you own the Sons, you're like, okay, you know, do I want to go four years in on Chris?

Because he's going to be like, to your point, it is a punitive contract. it'll be interesting. If Booker and DeAndre Aiton just own the finals, I could see Phoenix sitting there, Rick and going, okay, Chris, can we get a two-year deal? That's when it gets really interesting. Now, if Chris is just magnificent, 18 points, 12 assists, one turnover. We only have about 45 seconds left. Do you think he'll get a four-year deal, Chris Paul? I do think he will get a four-year deal, and I think it's going to be an albatross around the suns. You're going to reward him for what he's done this year. But he's 36 years old and injury prone. Four years at that number, it is a tough decision, no question. Yeah, good stuff. Rick Buecker. Happy holidays for you, Rick. Thanks for stopping by the show. It, you know, it's funny in a lot of businesses, you know,

in baseball, you have these 10-year deals, and everybody understands the last three years of it are just terrible. Like, even as great as Mookie Betts is, you're probably looking in six years. You'd be like, oh, now Fernando Tatis is different. He's so young. You'd give him a 10-year deal. But, you know, in the NFL, you almost never as a team have to deal very long with a bad contract, maybe a year. In baseball, you build it in. It's going to be three years bad. With Chris Paul, what if the finals are just a showcase for Booker and DeAndre Aiden? And they just crush.

Booker has a 40-point game. And DeAndre Aten is shuts down Yonis, and you're like, now that four years, that's where it's tough in the ownership spot. We love Chris, but injuries, age, this stuff is tough. It's not always easy. Players always want two years more. Owners want two years left, less. You hope you can find that third year and end it there. Okay, hour two next.

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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, 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. 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. Human 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. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardweight with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with.

And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.