The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/06/2021 - HOUR 2 - NBA Finals, Suns

Episode Date: July 6, 2021

The best players in the NBA FinalsA lot of NBA champions have gotten injury breaksThe western conference has been superior for a whileGuest: Greg Jennings Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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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. 84 was a wild.

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It is hour two. We are live, and we are in Los Angeles. This show is called The Herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is tonight. It was moved up smartly and appropriately by the NBA. It was going to start Thursday, and I was totally confused Saturday night when a friend called and said, the final start Tuesday.

I said, no, I am absolutely sure they start Thursday. And he said, I just Googled it. And I said, really? And I googled it. And I went, he said, yeah, they changed it. And it was like, wow. So we get it tonight, which I'm fired up about because I got to talk about it today. And then tomorrow leads our show.

I have a little conspiracy that I'm brewing. Maybe I should run it by you in the break before I air it out. I want to hear it. What is it? I'm going to run by you in the break first. We'll see. It's really bad. I don't run my wacko conspiracy.

theories by you. You don't have to run it by it. I know, but we'll call the segment Joy's Way Out There. Well, I just wonder like, you know, it is two kind of smaller markets. Right. There's not a lot of controversy around either of these teams. Right. So like a week in between games, you know, could lose a little buzz. I don't think that's a conspiracy.

If it's like LeBron, if it's like the Lakers and the Nets, you know. I think it's actually really, we can kind of make stuff up for like a week. That's probably exactly what happened. That's I never even thought. about that. Yeah, there's not going to be a lot of buzz about this. So it's like, let's get to the games. I'm excited to watch. I think it's going to be a great series. Yeah, but we love the league. To get

casual fans in, let's just get to the games. Right. There's going to be no buildup. Ooh, I can't wait to watch. Let's let them play. Yeah, it's not like Kate. And look, I know like Milwaukee and don't get sensitive. I'm fully on this sun's bandwagon. But like, it's not Katie in the Nets and LeBron and the Lakers or Kauai and the Clippers. No, this is not the Avengers. It's more like that wine movie

sideways. This is not the Avengers. It's not action heroes everywhere. It is a nuanced. I think it's a really great story. I think the ratings in Phoenix and Milwaukee will break records locally. I think these teams feel like Utah. They've done it a way. They try to add a piece, but it's a cool way to do it. I like the way they're... I'm okay with both. I like stars. I like super teams, but I like this way too. I like this way too. And I think it's a nice break for fans who've constantly complained about they're not being enough parody and it's always against the smaller markets and they don't get any love. But you know what, Joy,

Phoenix is a little like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They drafted well. They had all these players. Let's bring in the old guy at quarterback. That's what Phoenix did. That's a very good parallel, yeah. Let's bring in the old guy at point guard. It was all sad.

It was young players that just needed a guy and it won it for Tampa. And everybody loved Rusarians, wanted to see him win a championship. Everybody loves money, Williams. We do kind of feel like we're leaning a little son. I apologize. I'm sorry. Sorry, we're walking. We'll talk a lot of badgers during the football season.

All right. So what I do before every championship, big championship, and I get a notepad out, and I say, who are the 10 best players? And generally, if you have more of the 10 best players, you win. And so I went through the Sons and the Bucks this morning, and I ranked him in order, and this is my conclusion. So here are the 10 best players in the final tonight. Number one would be Chris Paul.

By the way, he was great against the Bucks in both games this year. They went two and O did Phoenix. He is the best mid-range shooter in the end. NBA shot 52%. He has 27 assists and one turnover in the fourth quarter this postseason. He's been virtually flawless in the fourth quarter and in backed about closeout games, 35 plus points. He was my MVP or at least runner up for MVP, playing with a chip on his shoulder. You know, he didn't even get nominated for MVP. So I think he is the best player in the series. Number two would be Devin Booker. I think he's the most reliable star score in the series.

can be hot and cold. He's averaging 27 a game in the postseason. He has the most total point over 400 of any player in the finals. You know, he's a basket. He is a terrific young player. He's not totally refined yet, but he's close. He's probably about eight, eight and a half to his 10, but I think he is the, he's a star. He deserves it. He's earned it. And he's my number two. Number three would be Yonis. Now, I think we're only going to get about 80, 85 percent Yonis, but he's the best rim protector in the finals. He's the leading score and rebounder of all the players in the finals. And I think we have to be fair here.

We're not going to get him at 110%. But in transition, he is a tough stop. Now, you can marginalize him in the half-court set, but I would put him number three. Number four, now it gets tougher. I would put Drew Holliday at number four. A little more consistent than Middleton. He has the highest plus-minus of every player in the finals, Every single one, both teams.

He has more assists than anybody in the finals. He's also a veteran player who will put a body on you. When Yannis got hurt earlier this year, he became the leader, and they were a tough out. So he's a guy that, you know, when he can be aggressive, he's a one for some teams in this league, not the great ones, but he can be a one for a couple games in this series, and you're fine. Number five, right behind him, Chris Middleton. He's a shot maker, little inconsistent, but he is averaging 29 and 8 when Yannis was out the last two games.

Listen, to show his value, the bucks are plus 112 when Middleton is on the court in this postseason and minus eight without him. So he becomes, Drew Holliday is not as good a pure shooter as Middleton is. And with Yonis, a free throw liability, Chris becomes very valuable late in games for the bucks. Number six, again, D'Andre Aiton, who is an emerging star in this league, he has the highest field goal percentage, 71% of any player in the postseason with a minimum of 100 attempts, you're going to get over 50% shooting, excellent rim protector, all the Ups from Chris Paul,

tons of energy. Now, you're not going to move out and hit threes, but it does feel like he gives them the necessary muscle they would need for a Brooke Lopez or a Janus. Number seven, a guy I like a lot, Jay Crowder. he's the only guy with any finals experience between both teams. He has the highest offensive rating, true story, among all players in the finals. He's a three and D guy. He can D up.

He's tough. He's smart. He's physical. And he can hit threes. And he always ends up on winning teams. So Jay Crowder is one of those guys. He doesn't get talked about a lot. But I just think he has, that's a guy that won't get the Chris Paul, you know, like extension.

But that's a guy that has a lot more value. you as McAil Bridges builds than I think most people in the NBA get. He's really valuable in this series. Number eight, Brooke Lopez. Now, I have him higher than most would, but he's going to play a lot more. So Brooke can hit a three for you. He's also probably the second best rim protector, arguably with DeAndre Aiton in the finals, been around the league, bit in big games.

And again, he's going to get more minutes. I think Brooke Lopez is going to be a name you hear a lot in this finals. Brooke can play. Brooke's been able to play for a long time. A number nine, McAil Bridges of the Sons. He's a young guy. He's emerging. You get 11 points, four and a half rebounds a game.

He played very well against the bucks in big spots. Now, he's not a star, but again, Milwaukee's a big team. And McAil is going to be asked to do some things defensively. He's a long, thin, long player. He's going to be asked to do some things defensively. They're going to need him in this series to play. some real minutes. And number 10 is Cameron Payne the backup to Chris Paul. Cameron's got an odd game. He's very long. He's very lanky. But he averaged 20 and 9 in two games when Chris was out.

And he's another guy. He can get a bucket. He just is a, he's got a weird game, a little George Gervin to it. He can get you a bucket. And I also think he's a really important guy for the future of this franchise because he will allow them to sign Chris Paul to a long contract and allow Chris Paul to take nights off, allow Chris Paul to play 28 minutes instead of what they're doing in L.A. with the Lakers and LeBron having to play 38 minutes. So I think Cameron Payne, he can spell Chris, you give him time, and he can get you a basket. So when I look at the 10 best players, I have the sons have the best two. They have six of 10.

They have the better coach, home court advantage, healthier, and more rest. And the only player in the finals with the finals experience, I should say. So I do like, as I said, I like the Phoenix Suns in five or six games. I think tonight Milwaukee will hang. And I think Milwaukee, at least in the half-court offense, the ball moves a little better. It moves a little better without Janus. Now, we know long term you want Lonis' physical attributes, his length. But for a game, they're okay.

I think they can hang for a game. I actually think it's going to be a long series. I don't. I'm going to go Sons in seven. All right. That's a long series. Don't get a lot of those seven-game series. I know.

I'm actually hoping for it. So Aaron Rogers yesterday. He has a thing called the match today. He's playing against Tom Brady, Phil Mickelson, Bryson, Deschambo. Deschambo wears me out. But nonetheless, if you want to have 14 eggs for breakfast and protein shakes, knock yourself out. It's a fly on this set.

I'm sorry. And so Aaron talked a lot about mental health and this off-season step back. And I said earlier, he's been in the league for 16 years. he started 13. He's a big star. Kevin Durant, been chasing a goat. Aaron's been chasing a goat. It's a lot of stress on players. And if Aaron wants to disappear for three months, I'm good with it.

Self-reflect, I'm good with it. Greg Jennings, former Packer, Fox Sports Analyst, joins us live. You know, it is interesting. One of the things through the years, Greg, that the NFL does pretty well. Like, baseball can be kind of rigid. Like baseball does what it does. It took it forever to figure out the replay. Little League Baseball figured out the replay before.

for Major League Baseball. The NFL will move off stuff and the catch. They'll just move off stuff. They'll change stuff all the time. And I do think the mental health thing's important here. They're going to reduce the number of preseason games. They're increasingly not asking you guys to go to all the camps offseason. You guys have more power. But I do think Aaron talked about something that's important. He has been a rock star for 13 years. He's like a rock band. He's been touring for 13 years. He's the guy we talk about if they lose. When you were around Farrv and Aaron Rogers. Were there moments that you

looked at them and thought, no, thank you. I like being a wide receiver. I don't have to be the star quarterback. Did you sense the pressure they often went through? Of course, 100%. And it wasn't just on the football field and position based.

It was just overall in life. I remember vividly watching Brett and having him, he having security, go to the grocery store, get his own gas because he couldn't do those things in the normal day to day that we all go out and do uninterrupted or briefly interrupted. Colin, you experienced this. But his level of attraction, celebrity, it just drew so much attention that it was draining. And so I remember telling my wife, I would never want that. And I don't wish it on anyone, but it's a part of what comes with being an icon, being a franchise player of the Green Bay Packers, one of the story franchises in all of sport.

And so it's far beyond just the play of these athletes and these celebrities, these singers, these entertainers. It's the day-to-day that we don't really see that takes a toll. It does feel like Aaron coming out and voicing this. this, it does set the table up for, hey, I'm telling you why I was gone, I'm going to be coming back, but I'm giving you kind of a reason I was gone. I felt a little closure with it. It was like, okay, Aaron's now saying, hey, man, I needed to step back and reevaluate everything. And he's pretty close to just coming into camp and playing football. That's what it felt like to me,

a little bit of closure and answer for all the speculation. Is that fair? That is fair. And I think in addition, it was just a culmination of emotions. When you think about mental health and so many people think that you have to be struggling with a disorder or something like that. But it's emotional. It's physiological. It's your social well-being. So any interaction you have to deal and put up with on a day-to-day basis that creates tension and friction and an emotional drain, it wears on you. And you've got to think about what he's experienced over the last couple of years and what he's experienced over this past year and even going into this off-season.

season. It's a lot on his shoulders as far as wins and losses for the Green Bay Packers, but it's a lot on him just physically taking on the responsibility of what is expected of him outside of his own self and what his standards of expectations are. And so for him to be able to be aware of his mental space, it speaks volumes. And I think more of us should do that and need to do that in order to provide the best us to those around us. You know, it's really funny you say that. You know, I was just, I'm just going to ramble here for a minute. But when I, I don't live very far from work.

And sometimes when I drive home, I see the traffic or on the weekends. And I think, these poor people are in traffic for three hours a day. And it's why I like the Zoom culture working at home and why I have advocated for a four-day work week. I started a little company, a podcast company, and I'd like to make it a four-day schedule for people. in that we ask so much. We have pressure on us to be parents and pressure on us at work.

And the Zoom culture has allowed you athletes to sometimes just do it from home. And I'm like, oh, this is really great. Like I think there's two or three technologies in my life that I really love. FaceTime, I think's amazing. I can talk to my daughter any day of the week if she's not with me. But I think sometimes, I don't think you ever resented it, Greg. But were there times as a pro athlete, you were like, man, I, I've done about every play I can because football is a repetition sport.

Were there times that you in the middle of a season were like, I need a week off? Of course. It happens more than the average fan probably thinks. And I think it's just because of the wear and tear, not just physically but mentally. It is mentally draining to sit in a meeting to be redundant each and every day, but to take away something so that you can get better each week because your opponent. changes from week to week. Who you're facing, who you're lining up against.

They've changed from week to week. So you have to stay mentally locked in, but there is a actual mental pull on you as well. And an emotional pool and a physical draining that takes place. And in order for these players to continue to play at the highest level and at the most optimum level that they can provide each and every one of their organizations and their teammates, they have to take a minute and step back and exhale from time to time. By the way, missing an offseason, will it affect Aaron and his wide receivers, tight ends, backs, anything like that?

No, no, you got to remember. I was a part of the team that ended up going 15 and 1 after we had won the Super Bowl, and everyone talked about all offseason the lack of us getting together and Aaron Rogers not connecting with his receivers in the offseason. We came out. on fire. We didn't repeat, but we were a really good team. And I think for Aaron and for this team, they have so much chemistry already. They're not going to lose that chemistry. They're only going to add to it and what he brings when he's back. Yeah. Finally, he plays the match today against

Mickelson and Brady and Bryson DeShambo and he are on the same team. You have golf with Aaron. Is he a good golfer? Oh, yeah. He's definitely a good golfer, especially around. the green. I remember it's putting is pretty good. I'm not going to say it's lights out because we see professionals putt all the time. But from watching Tom Brady and watching Aaron is definitely a better golfer than Tom. All right. Greg Jennings supporting his former teammate. Great seeing you,

Bud. Like the shirt as always, you come very well appointed to our show. Much respect to you, Greg. Thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah. You know, I was just talking about a four-day work week in this Zoom culture. Like, and you You know this. You've been a witness here. I've been banging on the preseason in the NFL forever. It's just stupid.

To me, two games, a home, a road, and play young guys. And everybody goes, oh, I got to see all the players play. Time out. If you've coached in football for 15 years and you can't, after 18 practices go, dude can't you're a bad coach. You can't coach. I always tell the story. You can spot talent.

Now, there are some fringe marginal guys. but they're not deciding Super Bowls anyway. You can spot me. Patrick Mahomes was at like four practices. And Peter Schroger was texting me going, they got this kid Patrick Mahomes. You're not going to believe what he played. And I'm like, Peter, it's five practices.

He's like, no, you don't understand. Andy Reed and Brett Veach are like, oh my God, we hit the Super Bowl lottery. Like if you can't see talent in five practices, if you need four preseason games, it's a bunch of nonsense. Yeah, it's not for the high level talent. It's not for the veterans. It's not for the old guys. It's for young players, rookie players, and fringe players to see if they're going to make the team.

You don't need four of those games to figure it out. You probably only need two. Maybe you can argue for three. But you're also adding some extra wear and tear on guys that are fringe players to begin with that you might need later in the season when your starters could possibly be injured. So it just doesn't make any sense. Years ago, guys practicing pads all year. Like they hit all year.

And like now everybody's like, like, oh, that was dumb. Like, you will see college football teams by late September. You're out of hitting in practice. Like, let the kids rest. Let them go to class. It's the same thing as always. People are resistant to change.

Yeah. We've always done it this way. It's always worked. Why do we need to change it? Like, this is a possibility there's a better way to do things. It doesn't mean that you did what you did with the information that you had. And now we have new information. So let's change it for the better.

It's just, it's all about change. We talk about this all the time. People are very terrified of change. Yeah. Good stuff. More to come. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, 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 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 Jay 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 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 So Thank you for finishing that. sentence.

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 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, Keer Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Tonight on FS1, the biggest soccer tournament of the year is down to the semifinals. Catch Messi as he leads Argentina against Colombia. The action kicks off tonight at 8.30 Eastern on FS1.

and the Fox Sports app. By the way, Messi is arguably the world's greatest soccer player. Many would say, yes, he is, and also arguably the greatest player of all time. Maradona, Ronaldo, Pela. There's a lot of great players, right? So strangely, Messi does not have, like, a championship attached to his name. He's the ultimate Charles Barkley. You watch him, and you're like, he's amazing.

Where are the titles? The Dan Marino. Like, for a long time, people thought Dan was the most talented quarterback that played in football, you know, up until, like, you know, some Montana's and Brady's. So it's worth watching. It's fun. We're going to have Alexey Lawless on, and he just, he drives people crazy, and that's why I love him. He'll be on later.

Here's Joey with the News. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. Well, the Sun's caught some breaks on their road to the finals in each of their series. At least one of their opponent's star players was out or battling through an injury. But Devin Booker is not trying to hear it from the Sun's critics. on their accomplishment so far this postseason.

We're not here to justify what we're doing to anybody else, for real. I mean, we've had goals for this group and aspirations for this group since day one. And, you know, we keep those in home for that reason. And we compete against each other and we're on the constant pursuit to get better every day. Just locked in at all levels of preparing for this opportunity right here. They should not apologize at all for being healthy and taking advantage of the situation that they're in. Luck favors the prepared. You obviously can't plan for injuries.

I would also point out Chris Paul had a shoulder injury, just played through a hand injury. Booker broke his nose. Booker broke his nose. Chris Paul had a COVID situation. Like they overcome it. Obviously, they didn't have major injuries like Kauai Leonard or whatever Janus is dealing with. Well, they're also a young team, and the truth is young players get hurtless.

I mean, part of it is they're young players that they drafted. are really, really good, so they get a lot of credit for that. I just don't like the idea that, like, injuries have paved the way for you. Like, you still have to win the games. Yeah. And those teams have backup players that are NBA players as well. And if you look at every single

season, every single postseason, somebody gets injured and catches a break. Like, look at Chris Paul and the rockets. Look at the Warriors. By the way, the injuries paved the way for Portland. They couldn't be Denver. Portland had the same advantages. They faced Denver without Jamal Murray, and Portland couldn't do anything with it. So it's like, injuries

He's paved the way for the Washington Wizards. Also, Anthony Davis was injured. He's always injured. Obviously, you couldn't prepare for Jamal Murray's injury, you know, having an ACL tear during the season. But that did happen earlier in the season and the Nuget still got there. And so led the MVP. And Kauai Leonard also gets injured a lot. So it's not like these are, you know, these like a Trey Young situation where he steps on the referee's foot.

Like you can't prepare for that, obviously. Well, I'm going to guarantee you that. I'm going to guarantee you that KD and Kyrie and Kauai will miss a bunch of games next year just because they're older veteran players with a history of getting hurt. Like it happens. We know that's part of their legacy. The sons don't have to apologize for anything. They worked very hard this year. They put it all together.

They've built it the right way and they deserve to be where they are. So the dolphins made it clear this year. They're committed to Tua moving forward as their starting quarterback. He did get some negative attention during minicamp when he threw five interceptions in one practice. Brian Flores came to his defense, said they wanted to it to be aggressive. work through these things during the off season to see what works and what doesn't. And as the dolphins try to take that

next step in Flores his third year with the team, a lot of people are expecting Tua to make a big leap in his sophomore season. He was 6 and 3 as a starter last year. 64% completion percentage. 11 touchdowns, 5 interceptions.

I didn't see anything spectacular from Tua last year. I don't know what to expect from him this year. I know Dolphins fans get mad every time I talk about Tua and saying, you know, he needs three seasons. Like Josh Allen got three seasons. Baker Mayfield got three seasons. Like everybody has had the time.

But we also saw glimpses from Baker where you're like, ooh, well, that's a big time throw. I didn't see a lot of glimpses from Tua. No. But I will also say this. I think the Dolphin situation is more unique than Josh Allen situation and Baker in that they did have that pick. that they traded back out of. If they didn't have that pick, I don't know that I would be that stressed about Tua.

Like, okay, this is the choice that they've made. They've got to ride it out and see what he is and he's got a couple years. But when you had that pick and you traded out of it, that adds extra pressure. Because in a sense, like, those picks still go to Tua. Like, he's the one that they chose not to be aggressive in that spot and leaned into Tua and gave the team to Tua.

So I think that does add added pressure. If they didn't have that pick, then I don't even think anyone would be talking about if Tua is going to work this year or not. I think Miami with Tua at quarterback has the chance to be good and on certain Sundays really good. But can they be great? Because great is what it's going to take to beat Seattle or beat the Rams with Stafford and beat Tampa Bay or beat Buffalo or Kansas City. I think you can win 10 games with Tua. But I think it has to be with a great defense, a great coach, great special teams, consistent running game. And they have some of those things.

Yes. But again, good is actually being good is the worst place you want to be in the NFL, especially now. Like you want to be great or you want to just have a terrible season so that you can make moves. As long as you have good draft picks. Yeah, I mean, I always have believed that in the NBA. I'm not sure I believe that in the NFL. I think if you're terrible, it means you have a systemic cultural issue. It's hard to be.

Sometimes. It's hard to be terrible in the NFL. San Francisco had a million injuries. No, no, I mean, it happens. It's hard to be terrible in the NFL because you have a big roster. You've got to back up everywhere and very rarely can a singular player like a LeBron just carry you. In the NBA, Damien Lillard gets hurt. You can go from good to terrible like in an hour.

But I think you can do that in the NFL too if you lose a certain position. Or multiple positions. Or if you have a year like San Francisco did last year. it's what you don't want to be is perennarily okay. Well, look who's terrible in the NFL. They're all horribly run. Like, Jets, Detroit, for years, Cleveland. Like, if you're terrible in the NFL, it's usually like your owner's bad and he's impatient.

Or you've had a series of bad coaches or things like that. Right. Now, I see what you're saying there. I do think that there, the Tua is in a unique situation where he does have added pressure because of that pick. I think that pick changed things. If they did not have that pick, then no one would be. talking about if two is going to work in the next year.

That's the pick that you made into where you've got to write it out. And the idea is sometimes fans, it's like when people say, well, Josh Allen, people were patient with him. Josh Allen's 6-6 has half their rushing touchdowns, has the biggest arm in the league not named Patrick Mahomes. You walked in and heard. It's almost like if they were singers, you'd walk in and hear Josh Allen's voice and you're like, it's not refined, but God, that is a voice.

That's Whitney Houston. That's like, okay, we'll figure out, we'll get a songwriter for her. But, you know, Whitney Houston, when you first heard her voice, she didn't have hit record. Somebody had to write songs for, right? She needed a coach. Like, that's a different. That's Josh Allen. Like, oh, my Lord.

Tua, you're like, this is okay, boys. Like, even with a great songwriter, I'm not sure he could have a number one album. Like, you know. Where do you want to hear him sing Acapella? Right. So, like, like, the idea that, well, Josh Allen got breaks or, or Mahalms. When you have that level of talent,

you're going to just keep hiring songwriters and play callers to, it's like Lamar Jackson. He's the fastest quarterback in league history. You're going to let this thing play out because there are moments he's virtually unstoppable. I also just don't like being pitched on talent

at this point. Like, doesn't he keep telling me like, oh, well, you know, it's this, it's that, like, can I see it? Well, with Tua, I don't see it. all the town. That's what I'm saying. Like what, what, what am I missing? Am I watching a different game than you're watching? I don't get it. So there are plenty of NFL stars that miss time in 2020 and they're hoping for a comeback this season. And CBS sports ranked the top 10 players

poised to have huge bounce back seasons in 2021. O'Dell was won. He tore his ACL and miss 11 games. Daniel Hunter and neck injury missed the entire season. Julio Jones, Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, Carson Wentz, Joe Mixon, Sequin Barclay, Dak Prescott at 9, and Jimmy Garoppolo at 10. Well, in fact, all of these players except Carson once are coming back from injuries. All right, I was going to say, the number one rebound

player is going to be Matt Stafford, but it's not an injury. He's going to rebound from being invisible for a decade. I think he's going to be... I hope so. I think Matt Stafford's going to have a monster year, but I guess it's not officially, it's a rebound. Like every Lions player, it's just the reality of being a Lions player.

player. You're going to have poor management, poor coaching, no protection. I mean, I cannot wait to watch Matthew Stafford with the Rams. As much as we've talked about him and how much we've been told about him for so many years, I mean, it's similar to Carson-Lent. It's like, you are now in a no-excuse zone. Like, this is, everything is what it's supposed to be. You've got the coach. You've got the offensive line. You've got the receivers. If you want to bet, if you want to bet an MVP, go to your Fandul account and just bet Matt Stafford to an MVP because McVay

McVeigh wants to look right in this trade right? He wants to look right in this. McVeigh is going to make sure they're going to have so many things dialed up for God. He's so excited he's out of tone it down. Like hey Sean stop bragging about Stafford. So when an organization wants the aesthetics to look good, the optics for the media to ensure the trade looks good, they're going to make sure Stafford is well,

to succeed. Because that was a big move. That was a big swing. Yes. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd Lye News. Be sure to catch live editions of the Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio,

FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. What's up, everyone? It's me three-time NFL All-Pro Sean Mariner. And I have a new sports podcast called The Lights Out Podcast with Sean Mariner. 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 IHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast 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 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 Kai had to be able to, 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 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 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 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 Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Discover Matches all the cash back you earn on your credit card. end of the first year, no limit. And automatically go to discover.com slash yes, there's a fruit flies in our studio. Joy and I each are battling them.

And it's quite annoying. So if you see a swatting stuff, there's got to be an open can of fruit or something here. I don't know what is going. It happens like once every six months. There's a crop. Because we're in a sound stage too. So for those of you who don't know what that means,

it's like a big warehouse. Yeah. So the whole back of this building opens up. so like bugs can get in here sometimes. Yeah. And it's just annoying today. It's the worst. I had a spider fall on my face once during undisputed.

Oh, you know, Anne's afraid of spiders. Do you not like spiders? I, I mean, does people like spiders? Insects don't bother me. I'm not as afraid of spiders as I used to be because I lived in a place out here that had a spider infestation. Okay. So I would kill like at least three spiders a day.

All right. So now I'm not as afraid of them. Yeah. But I still don't want them on my face. and one just came down. Like, I was so smooth, though. I didn't want to, because it was like the middle of the debate. I didn't want to like interrupt the, you know, Skip and Shannon are going at it.

Yeah, Skip is rolling. They don't care about a spider on my face. I'm very calm. I got rid of it, but yeah. So Devin Booker was responding yesterday about the critics saying, you know, Phoenix has gotten some injury breaks. And most of what I'm saying here, you remember. First of all, if you go back to Golden State's first title, no KD. They got a huge break.

Kyrie Irving got hurt after game one. Kevin Love missed it for the Cavs 2. And then Matthew Delavadova was playing so many minutes and so exhausted. He was sent to the hospital in the middle of the series for dehydration and exhaustion. They got huge breaks. Toronto is the luckiest team ever. Oh, Canada, how lucky you are. They face the Warriors.

Clay Thompson gets hurt. KD gets hurt. Steff's not 100%. They completely fall apart. They also got the luckiest balance in the hands. history of the NBA in that game seven against the Sixers, be that as it may, the Warriors fell apart in the finals. Warriors were heavily favored, would have beaten them, and they lost. Last year, we have to be fair here. Lakers got a huge break. Old LeBron and Brittle AD got a four-month

pandemic hiatus. Only time in AD's career, like he went a long stretch of playing games, I mean, increasingly, AD doesn't, you know, he gets banged up. LeBron and AD played with an energy. LeBron played with an energy that he has not played with previously in years and after that. LeBron looks so fresh and so ready to go, and you just got to come to terms with it. I'll give you an example of a team that got a lot of breaks. Nobody wants to admit this, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Brady. So you go into a season and, you know, schedules kind of tough early. You got the Saints early and the Packers early and some tough games.

but the buck's late schedule i think it was atlanta twice Detroit and so these teams were out of it they were banged up and they literally took huge first half leads they could rest starters they gained great confidence they got their by week later in the year so Tampa gets a very easy late schedule and then they face Washington oh their quarterbacks hurt they face a backup quarterback. And then they face the Saints again, which is a huge break because the Saints had hammered them twice. It's really hard to tell players, yeah, I know we hammered them twice. We're going to play them a third time.

And then they get Green Bay missing their Pro Bowl left tackle. The coach Matt LaFleur, young coach, makes an inexplicable coaching move late in the game to take the ball out of Aaron Rogers' hands and give it back to Tom Brady. then they get to the Super Bowl. And, you know, two weeks earlier, the left tackle for the Chiefs got hurt. The Chiefs against a very good Tampa pass rush had backup tackles. And, oh, by the way, the Super Bowl was in Tampa. It's just one of those things. They didn't get any breaks early.

I mean, pandemic year, no preseason, no breaks early. And Tampa didn't look very good early. They didn't look very good in September. It didn't look very good in October. It didn't look very good at Chicago. But at the end of the year, it just all. lined up for Tampa Bay. And we don't like to say this,

but unless you're a dominant super team, like let's take the 2017 Warriors, then you can have injuries and just overcome it. But by and large, the margins are all like this. You need a weather break, a health break, a scheduling break. You know, the two best teams I've probably ever seen in my life in basketball, Jordan's Bulls and Magic and Kareem's Lakers.

And there's a lot of people that think magic in his prime, Kareem exiting his prime but still in his prime, would have beaten the Bulls because they would have had literally no answer for Kareem. He would have scored 35 a night. You can certainly make that argument. The Lakers had as many good shooters. They would have had a huge point guard and center advantage over Michael Jordan, where they would have had a wing and a defense advantage.

But if you go back to those Laker teams, and those Bulls teams. Now, those are great. Those are multiple Hall of Fame players. You know how many close finals those guys were in? Those Lakers teams, they didn't win every year. Boston, giving them battles. It was really difficult.

You go back to Jordan and the Bulls playing in Utah. Those were wars. Those were, Michael had some bad, bad games in those series. So, you know, all this stuff is a matter of, you know, it's a little bit of a break unless you're a super team. And even the super teams in sports, they just don't last that long. And football, somebody gets hurt, and the NBA, somebody's feelings get hurt and they break it up. And, you know, when I look at Phoenix and I look at a team that has really earned it, first of all, they drafted well.

Booker and DeAndre Aiton are two home runs, and McAil Bridges, very good. They've developed well, Cameron Payne, McAil Bridges. They've been really smart with their acquisitions, like Jay Crowder. savvy veteran 3-Indie guy, Chris Paul. They've really developed it. They created this year very smartly continuity. They all played all the games. Like they didn't give Chris Paul games off.

Their whole thing was, this is a young team. We've got to build chemistry. And so I look at them and I think to myself, Phoenix has really earned this spot. They drafted well. They developed well. A little bit of a health break, but Booker broke his nose. Chris Paul has had been banged up a couple of times. It's not all gone their way.

And let's be honest about Millwater. One of the reasons that I like Phoenix in this series is Milwaukee's gotten a series of breaks. Now, they did take advantage of it. I forget what their record has been in the East so far, 12 and 5, I think. So they're in the finals, and they've earned it. But with Milwaukee, it's not that they haven't earned it, but there have been some real breaks. LeBron left the East. Kauai left the East.

The Sixers fell apart. The Celtics fell apart. Now, those feel like some. real breaks for Milwaukee. I look at Phoenix and I'm like, I mean, they were the number two seed in the much better West. We've got to be honest here. The West has been better than the East. It's like the SEC and the Big Ten. Go look at the bowl record. Go look at the first round of the draft. The SEC's better. No excuses. It's not to say Ohio State or Wisconsin can't go toe to toe to sometimes. The SEC is better. The West has been significantly better than the East

in the NBA for 20 years. I think the gap has widened. with Kauai and LeBron coming out and the only way for the East to really close the gap is Milwaukee's got to bring everybody back. I think Boston has to make a move with Jalen Brown to get a Bradley Beeler a Dame. That makes them feel like a championship team.

But right now, Toronto has gone down the tubes. Boston's gone down the tubes. Philadelphia, to me, has gone down the tubes. It's Milwaukee. and a lot of that is just breaks. You can make an argument for Milwaukee getting breaks. I don't think you can make a break for, make an argument for Phoenix getting breaks.

I mean, Donovan Mitchell, I mean, Jamal Murray, you know, they still swept them. It's not like, like they took advantage of it.

They swept Denver, a good team. All right. So we're ready to go NBA finals tonight. BJ Armstrong, Alexi Lalas, joining us tonight. I'm in a good mood.

Laker, rumor the Lakers are going to trade for Demar de Rose, and we talked about this earlier. It's something. It's a double. It's something. Well, they need to do something. Yes. And he'd be a great 20-point-a-game third guy to get a bucket. It's not a big trade, but it's a double. It's a solid double. I just think he fits with what LeBron likes to work with and what the Lakers do. And I don't think it's a loss of a trade on the end of the Spurs.

No, they like expiring contracts. tracks, draft picks. And apparently, from what I read this morning, Pop likes. Yeah, so it's fine. They're doing a little rebuilding in San Antonio. Hour three, live in L.A., coming up 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 a 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. 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 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an I-Hart podcast. Guaranteed Human.