The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/06/2021 - HOUR 3 - Giannis, Lakers

Episode Date: July 6, 2021

Update on Giannis Antetokounmpo for game 1 of the NBA FinalsCould the Lakers get DeMar DeRozan?Guests: BJ Armstrong, Alexi Lalas Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered 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 IHard 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.

Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild. I mean, 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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern,

9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com Or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Herd. You're listening to Fox Sports. Sports Radio. Cremocompany.com.com. Check it out. All new products, body washes, deodorants, CREMO. Cremo. I got to show you a piece of video that really genuinely made me laugh. So after our show today about 2 o'clock, they're having what they call the match, where Brady and Phil

Mickelson take on Aaron Rogers and Bryson DeShambo, who's this kind of ultimate alpha male. And they did this earlier with Brady and Peyton Manning. And it's fun. Tiger and, you know, Phil Mickelson. They're fun. for us last year. Filled like four days. So now it's on a busy day. So it's kind of jammed in between Copa and the NBA finals.

It's not getting quite the buzz and they're doing a little marketing for it. So I just got my hands on this. This is all the guys playing a little game of Jeopardy here. I just want you to watch this tape. He's an NBA owner, a self-taught guitarist,

and has guest starred in both the office and Game of Thrones. He's. He's unhappy with his boss and has no options. Who is Aaron Rogers? Ding, ding, that is correct. Well done. It's a projection, Sam.

I never said I'm unhappy with my boss. I said it, not you. God, I love the new Brady. It's so great. The new Brady is so much fun. I love Aaron's response, too. It was great. That's projecting.

I'm going to end up. You know, here's the weird. thing. I'm going to end up really liking Aaron Rogers. Oh, it is inevitable. Especially because wherever he ends up after the Packers.

I'm going to be rooting for him. Oh, I'm going to root for him. And I think he's going to have a bit of a what we're seeing now with Brady, where he's just in this new released space, where he's just going to speak more freely. You know, to Brady and Rogers credit, although I do think that the environments in New England is a bit more.

you know, tight than it is with the Packers. They're both been company men for, they were both a company man for a long time. Listen, I like smart athletes. I like funny athletes. Aaron's about as smart and as funny when he wants to be as anybody. I think I need to get over my criticism that he's a little prickly. I think I need to get over that. That's on me.

I think I need to get over that with Durant and Aaron. Like I always say, they're a little prickly. I am too. I need to get over that. Well, I don't think you're prickly. I just think it's something that I'm, I don't think, I think people have a right to be prickly. Life's not easy. I mean, I look at Kevin Durant and Aaron Rogers as they're just, they're a little different in their personalities.

That's right. They don't have the families that sometimes can make you a little more flexible. I know, I'm myself, like, I don't have any kids. I don't have a husband. Like, I do whatever I want, whenever I want to do it. But I'm aware other people don't have that lifestyle, you know. I don't even have to be pets. All my plants died.

Like, it's just me, whatever I want to do all the time. And that makes you into a different person. Right. And you look at things differently, and you have a little more time for things that other people don't have time for. So, and you deal with a lot of criticism and kind of have to absorb it. Yeah, and you're by yourself, sometimes with your phone, because you don't have responsibilities as a dad or a, I'm going to retire.

I don't know if I can. I may just, it may slip out. I'm going to retire prickly with Kevin Durant and Aaron Rogers. I don't know. Let's ask B.J. Armstrong. Three-time champ, All-Star. He is the executive vice president managing executive for the Wasserman Media Group, which is a big deal in Los Angeles. Okay, BJ.

Let me ask you about that. So when I say prickly, it makes it sound like Aaron's difficult or Kevin Durant's difficult, but wasn't Michael Jordan prickly a little? Well, I think we like interesting. So we like a little prickly. We like a little, you know, a softer side. We like the tough side. We like all the different sides.

So the fact that Aaron Rogers and Tom Brady and these guys are showing a part of their personality, it just gives new context to our heroes. We see these guys outperforming and so serious all the time. The fact that they have these personalities, you know, it just gives us a sense or a deeper connection than we originally had as a fan. Hey, by the way, you didn't deal with social media. Aaron Rogers and Kevin Durant. Michael didn't.

Maybe there was a newspaper columnist. Smith that made him mad and that he'd shut him out. But do you represent athletes? Do you ever look at athletes and go, oh, thank God, I wasn't around during Twitter? Well, you know, it's interesting. And, you know, I didn't have to deal with this as a former athlete. And in that era, we didn't have to deal with this. But watching guys in particular Charles Barkley deal with and how he relates to social media

and what he's doing and watching that generation, and watching this new generation. So I see the pros and cons of both, but I think having awareness understanding what social media can be for and what it can do, but also understanding the things that you don't want to get on social media. So there's pros and cons to both of them, but, you know, watching my generation look at it, I'm a little bit more hesitant. You know, I tend to like want to, you know, just kind of stand back a little bit, but I definitely see when you can expose that side of yourself. Because it's funny.

Watching Aaron Rogers, it's like, I feel like we get in a sneak peek of him when the camera's not on. Right. So let's talk Bucks and Sun starts tonight. Janus is out for a couple games, and actually the offense was really efficient. And let's talk about that.

You know, Michael Jordan sometimes misses a game. Are there moments in the short term that the star leaves the floor and actually the ball moves better? I mean, you take me to your career sometimes. Not that Michael was a ballstopper, but there are moments when stars leave, and in the short term, teams do just fine, right? Well, in the short term, that is correct, Colin. And the reason being is because those teams that you're playing

don't know how to particularly defend that team. So when you're playing against a Janus team, for instance, you kind of settle into a rhythm of how we have to defend them with Janus because he's going to get the majority of the touches. Suddenly, there's a new team. There's a new game plan. There's guys in positions you have in normally or you're not accustomed to seeing them. So it takes a game or two to get adjusted.

It'll be interesting to see how Phoenix will defend this team, minus Janus, knowing that Janus probably will not be there, possibly for the entire series. Yeah. You know, neither of these teams have like lottery picks. It's a slow build. It's very 1970s, 1980s NBA, where, you know, we, draft well, we develop, we play a bunch of games, and then we insert an old smart veteran

at point guard. I mean, I like that style. You know, BJ, I'm both. I understand the super team, and I'm cool with the development. When you look at the suns in the box, does it take you back a little Phoenix to the 80s and 90s when you weren't so star-driven? Well, it's a traditional way of building a team is what you're talking about. You know, you're talking about Devin Booker. You're talking about DeAndre Aiden, and then you're adding pieces to that. And it gives them the ability to have a long-term approach. When you look at this Phoenix Suns roster, you're saying this team buying, if they can be healthy, you know, for the next five to seven years, they could be making a really, you know, significant championship run here for the next five to seven years,

and particularly with those guys. Then you plug in a Chris Paul. You plug in, you know, Jay Crowder. And suddenly now you have a championship caliber team. So this is how they used to do it. But now, you know, we're in a different era. And we're in a different era now where guys are moving around, free agencies without question, the quickest way to build a team. So I understand both.

But if you want to have long-term success, clearly what the Phoenix Suns have done, they've shown us, along with the Golden State Wars. If you can build it through the draft, if you can take your time, you can have a championship caliber team for a length of time. By the way, it's interesting. Joy and I have discussed this a couple different times. Let's say Devin Booker is the finals MVP. he averaged 33 a game he's great and d'And d'Andre aighton actually goes toe to toe to with yonis and at times outplays him and you're sitting there if you own the sons and you're the GM thinking Chris Paul's getting old he's been hurt and he's expensive if booker and

d'Andre carry this team primarily to the finals do you advocate as a GM for a four-year Chris Paul deal or a three-year Chris Paul deal what what do you do then wow that's that's a that's a big question. That's a that's a big question and that's why those guys get paid the big bucks. I will say this. We can't forget that this team did not make the playoffs last year. They haven't been in the playoffs for the last, what, 10, 12 years or so. And suddenly now with Chris Paul and everything that's come together, certainly they have a team. I know Chris Paul is 36. You know, he, you know, he's at a point guard's age where we all know that some point speed and quickness is going to leave all small guards. However, in today's game and what Chris Paul is able to do is the intangibles. I think Chris has pushed his team over the edge,

in particular his leadership, his stability. And what I love most about Chris Paul is we don't expect him to be that Chris Paul where he has to carry this team with 30, 40 points, night in and night out. He can do it when needy. And Chris Paul has, you know, he's been really like a maestro all year. Well, certainly in his career. But this year, even more so because you can see how well they're playing together. This is a beautiful team. They have a nice inside, outside combination. And those two young players, you mentioned, DeAndre, Aden, and Devin Booker, they look like they're going to be bona fide stars for many years to come. By the way, the Suns only had nine different starting lineups all year. Now, that goes back to your Bulls.

Yes. What was your Bulls starting lineup? Give me, the years you were there, what was the lineup mostly every night? Well, when I first got there, it was John Paxon, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippin, Horace Gratt, and Bill Carwright. I think the stability of having your guys and understanding your role and knowing what you have to do. And the beautiful thing we had with that team was we had a lot of depth and we had two guys who were capable of playing with the starters and on the bench. I mean, with the bench guys and talking about Scotty and Michael. If Scotty had it going early, Michael would play with us and vice versa. So to me, the depth and the combination of having guys who can plug in coming off the bench gives you a really,

two teams in one. And we certainly had that with Michael and Scotty because they were interchangeable. They could play on both sides of the ball. So they were really four players at once. Both up and could play on offense, you know, with the starters and the bench and do so as well with the defense, with the backup guys as well. From the Wasserman Media Group, the All-Star, the champ three times 11 years, BJ Armstrong on a Tuesday.

Great talking to you, BJ. Okay, Colin. Thank you for having me. You bet. Sun's also in Bucks both play about eight, nine guys. So there's some flexibility with both roster. I mean, I'll tell you, Brooke Lopez is a real player. So Brooke Lopez can hit a three.

He can protect the rim. He's a smart guy. He's been in the game forever. For a big, runs the court okay. So Milwaukee's lucky. They've built this team to withstand an injury to their star. Similarly, Phoenix with Cameron Payne has built this team to withstand Chris Paul getting hurt or leaving. So these are well-built teams.

You've got a backup to your star in Brooke Lopez and a backup to your star in Cameron Payne. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast'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 happy. 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 where you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way,

this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations,

stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross

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

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. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Well, a little bit of news on tonight. Yannis has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable. Oh. for game one tonight.

He's still recovering from the hyper-extended knee, suffered in game four of the Eastern Conference finals, but this change on the injury report does indicate he's made some progress towards a return. It's changed the line a little bit. Sons are favored by five and a half now in game one tonight.

So it's a little bit. I still don't believe that we will see him tonight. I don't think if there's really a value in rushing him back for game one. If you expect to have a, back at any point in the season, I mean, I'm sorry, in the series, you want to make sure that he's as close to healthy as possible. You don't want a Kevin Durant's situation where you rush him back and it's an Achilles. So on Fandale, I bet the Sun's to win the series. I don't have,

I don't have, I don't love tonight at the stayaway game. You don't, you know, there's a lot of uncertainty about this game tonight. Yeah, and not that I know what I'm talking about, but you don't have to bet every game. Like, I like the Suns in the series. I like the number, but Tonight, I'll say this. That offense without Janus in half court, the ball moves really well and really quickly, and they play, they were a handful without Janus in the half court. They're not as good in transition where he can be a great finisher, but I think it's a competitive game tonight.

The Suns are favored minus 200 on Fox Betts, bucks plus 160. I would probably save my dollars on tonight's game, not knowing what's going to go on with Janus. I mean, even if the Janus is back, he's not going to be 100%. So what's that going to look like? It's just a very clunky game tonight. There's also styles make fights the first round of a match. Like when McGregor faced Mayweather, the first round was just, you're just like,

remember we were like, what is this going to look like? Some of this is like, what is this going to look like? I need to watch a game. McGregor fight this weekend. Ah, against Dustin. They've split two fights. That's a great watch. That's a great fight.

So Chris Paul is the president of the Players Association, and he defended this season's quick turnaround and more compact schedule. that a lot of people have been very critical of. He stressed that it's a process that allows all players to be involved in the conversations and they are listened to on every detail. About our league and as players is everything is always a conversation.

You know, injuries are always unfortunate. You know, you hate to have them, but, you know, just like when we went to the bubble, everything was discussed as far as to the players and the full body of players. So, you know, if people don't like it, then, you know, everybody got the same opportunity to be a part of all these conversations. That's right.

Well, Abram was obviously very critical. He didn't love it. The compact season and the quick return. He also played in the finals. He also played in the finals. So that's a bit understandable. If he didn't, I don't know that he would have been so critical of it. Look, there was obviously a ton of injuries to a ton of stars.

We had a season like this in the NFL a couple years ago where it was like every star quarterback was injured, it felt like. And then it just kept trickling down. And then all the stars were injured. And it was like, what's happening? It's like sometimes it's just one of those years. There's injuries every single year. And as Chris said, we hate them.

Nobody wants to see anybody injured. Nobody wants to go into any kind of matchup injured. If you're a true competitor, you want to beat the best at their best. That feels like it means more. Now, at the end of the day, there's no asterisk on these championships. Lakers won in the bubble last year. Yes, we're going to acknowledge that it's the bubble championship. But there were different challenges that were involved in that.

And some teams that should have been great and excelled completely. fell apart because it was unprecedented territory and this year is a bit of that as well. No way, let's give Milwaukee and the Sun's credit. They not only had continuity. They have enough depth. Their star gets hurt. They have a cable backup. These teams have earned their way here. Yes. I mean, Janice, Trey Young, James Hardin, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Kaui, Leonard, Jwell & Bede, Chris Paul, Donovan Mitchell, Mike Connolly. This is a lot of big stars that had injuries. It feels like a lot, but we're still dealing with the pandemic. Like there's, there were still fallout from all this and the NBA out of all the leagues had the most to balance and deal with

in the middle of the season and they figured it out in the best way possible it's unfortunate but we'll eventually get to a reset and hopefully everyone will be healthy through those seasons so the Colts opened their wallet to get Carson Wentz this offseason but being big spenders is not how Chris Ballard typically likes to build his roster he said the organization prefers to save their money rather than overpay for someone just because they're the best player available at that time We've got good players out of free agency, and we've been successful. We're just not big fans of right out-the-gate free agency, where you're paying B players A-plus money,

which is going to affect down the line. There's a cost to that. Yeah. I don't think Carson Wentz is that big of a risk. I really don't. I think Carson Wentz, it's a value buy. Like you're getting some value. I don't see the big risk.

He's got his coach back. And by the way, you've got to spend money on quarterback in this league unless you draft Patrick Mahom. So, like, once you're in the 28-year-old quarterback game, Garoppolo, Kirk Cousins, Carson Wentz, you got to spend some money. Well, he's $32 million this year. Yeah. That's what you're going to pay for a starting quarterback.

Yeah. I don't think it's a risk on Carson Wentz. I think it's the best situation imaginable for Carson Wentz. It's just all on Carson Wentz now, because we saw what the Colts did last year. Also, they drafted Michael Pittman and Jonathan Taylor last year. They're both emerging stars and they don't pay him anything. Yep. So they're second round guys.

So again, if you draft well, then you're fine. Their highest paid player after Carson went to $32 million is DeForest Buckner at 21. He's great. Then Ryan Kelly, the center at $12.4 million. He's really good. Kenny Moore at 8.3. Robert Stewart at 10.3. I don't have a problem with any of those dollars.

And Quentin Nelson at 5.9. Every single one of those makes sense. I would pay DeForest Buckner that kind of money. He's a game wrecker. I don't have a problem with any of the contract. Now, with Wentz, you're like, But again, you're not paying Jonathan Taylor, who became a star at the end of the year, and Michael Pittman anything.

I don't think that number is ridiculous. They're not paying Darius Leonard anything. He's unbelievable. And that's what you want to, that's what the market is for a high level starting quarterback, which I think we all think Carson Wentz has that potential. Everything seemed to fall apart in Philadelphia. I don't know that it was all Carson Wentz's fault. I don't like how he handled everything, but it was very clear there was a lot of dysfunction

within those walls. So we'll see what he does this year. But I like that there's different ways to build your team. Some people are more conservative. Some people don't take big risks in free agency. Some people are very aggressive like the Rams. It doesn't have to be one way. And Carson Winch's cap numbers 20 million.

So that's a reasonable number. Especially when you've drafted well, you know, just use discretion. Pay big money infrequently. But if it's an elite delineman, you just pay the money. You just got to pay the money for what they did. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Hurd Lie News. Big personality, polarizing our next guest. Very polarizing. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in 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 Murray. This podcast is special to me as I get a chance to talk to some of the best we'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 encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential.

Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what 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 J.

And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, 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 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. Trip 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 that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person

join me care games is we have real conversations about healing growth fatherhood pressure and purpose on my new podcast learn the hard way open your free iHeart radio app search learn the hard way and listen now he's a national soccer hall of famer for 15 years now he was the first american to play in italy's top division Siri he is our friend he's a former defender for the new us national team for a long time. He was the face of U.S. soccer and a feisty one at that. He's my friend, Alexie Lull. A hairy one.

Yeah. You were all sorts of hairy and feisty. A lot of hair ago. A lot of hair ago. Okay. So let's, first of all, let's talk about this. Copa America semis tonight. The world's best soccer player in a lot of opinions is messy.

He's got a little maradona, but he's got his act together. He maintains his physical condition. He's got the scoring ability. He's got the flair of Pele. There's a lot here to like. But like our Dan Marino, our Charles Barkley, where are the titles? Is he too selfish? No, he's not too selfish.

Look, to your point, no matter what happens, in this Copa America or in the World Cup next year, he is going to go down as arguably the greatest player ever to play the game. The argument comes from a lot of people that he has yet to be in that moment where you raise up that trophy in a major tournament, have the confetti come down and kind of check that box. I think it has been at times a pressure, an albatross, around his neck that he has carried with. Although we are seeing in this tournament, this Copa America, a messy who I think is enjoying, is enjoying his soccer, enjoying playing for Argentina. And that has not always been the case, but it's being played in Brazil.

Brazil right now is a juggernaut. And so if he is to raise that trophy, first off, they have to beat Columbia tonight, and then they would have to face Brazil and beat Brazil. in the legendary Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. And Brazil would be favored. Namar is their star player. For people that don't know international soccer, and you know, we have talked about this, I love international soccer.

My mom was British. I watched World Cups. Johann Croix, I go way back. Namar, what makes him special? If I've never seen him play, I know Messi is an attacker, a score. He can do anything. He is so skilled with a ball in his feet.

Namar is... Namar is the tricks, the flare, the color. And he does it with not just a smile, but a wry grin on his face. And he enjoys embarrassing while he is doing things that make you go ooh and ah.

So, you know, the magic of his touch, of his vision, but more importantly, the audacity. And I guess the beautiful arrogance that we associate with great players in all sports, in that they don't just want to beat you. They want to embarrass you in the process.

And for the entertainment, value of that, that's worth the price of your mission. He's been very, very good this tournament. And as you said, that Messi versus Namar has a possibility of happening in the final this weekend if tonight, Messi and company go through Colombia. When I think of international soccer and I think of the biggest brands, I think of Brazil one and I think of Argentina too, I just haven't got as many championships from Argentina as I, Brazil. What Brazil's always funny, there's always a lot of, and I think this is almost the culture. There is ego and flare. I think it's part of their culture. Sometimes it's been their undoing. Now suddenly it's not. How did they

button things up? I think they recognize that first off, a South American team has not won the World Cup since 2002. And I think collectively South America said, listen, we got to get our act together. We have to, we don't, we're not going to try to be something that we're not, because that flare and that creativity is something that we expect and we want. I don't want to see a pragmatic Brazil or Argentina. And I don't know, maybe you have a better idea in terms of other sports where a team has always had that flare and that excitement and that entertainment, but hasn't quite been able to match it and balance it with a structure. And yes, I guess a pragmatism that ultimately wins championships.

And I think that this Brazil team that we're seeing and this Argentina team that we're seeing is not only built for that in this tournament, but is built for next year when the World Cup comes, which, by the way, you can see here, in 2022 to be successful then. Now, the Kopa tournament does not include the U.S. team. By the way, there was just a tournament, which was a new one called, I think, the nation's tournament, which we won and played very well. Now, and I say this as somebody who there are times U.S. men's national team soccer drives me nuts. Now, I'm going to say something, and I have been a cynic.

I think it's the most young talent we've ever had. I wonder if we're too young to capitalize on it in Dubai, where I think the women's top players, you know, Alex Morgan, they're in their prime. They've been here. I wonder if we're too young, but I will say this with Polisik. He seems much happier with the state of the United States men's team. Is it the coach? I mean, that's just my outward view is he's more joyful now. He's less stressed. He feels happier. I think he's also playing with the generation that he has kind of grown up with.

Instead of Clinton Dempsey. Yeah, I think he feels comfortable right now. There is an opportunity for this generation. And to your point, you know, in 2017, when the U.S. men's national team didn't qualify for the World Cup. Brutal. The lowest point and the biggest failure in U.S.

soccer history, not just U.S. men's soccer history, in U.S. soccer history. And yet now, sitting here today, to your point,

I can't think of a time when we have been more optimistic and excited and confident about the group that we have. But I don't think it's unwarranted, and I don't think

we should expect less just because they're young and inexperienced. And yes, we're looking to 2026, hosting it here in the U.S., but next year in Qatar, you should expect your men's team

to be there and to have a good tournament led by Christian Polisick and Weston McKinney and all this talent that we're talking about. I am no expert, but I will say this. I think it's the most skilled in terms of controlling the ball, energy. And I think the staff, when I watched the nation's tournament, I thought, oh, we're aggressive. And that to me tells me the staff's like, oh, no, we can be aggressive. This is not defensive soccer.

That was my take on. We haven't given up the bravado and the courage. and, for lack of a better word, the Americanness that has always made us being able to compete. But we've married it, like you said, with some really, really good skill. But, you know, I see in this group, and whether it's the group that was in the Nations League or whether it's the group that's going to be in the Gold Cup, which, by the way, kicks off on Saturday here on Fox 2. So we're rolling into a whole other tournament. And to your point, it features the U.S. team.

Yes, by the way, these tournaments now are setups to the World Cup. Now, for the person that's watching, they say, does this qualify you for the World Cup? That's a whole other thing what happens this fall when qualifying starts in order to qualify us for Qatar in 2022. All right. I'm throwing a lot at you. You are very controversial, as my late mother would say, you've got big opinions. That's why we bring on the show. Exactly. Here's one. Okay. Well, I'll be the judge of this. I don't know if it's controversial. It's... United States Women's National Team. Yes. Doesn't win gold in Tokyo. Okay. Because... I don't feel they're quite as dominant. Okay. Didn't in 2016? Didn't they lose in a quarter?

as somebody didn't it? Yeah, yeah. And then they went on to win the World Cup and stuff like... Has the world caught up to us a little? No, a little, but still, you should expect a U.S. women's national team this summer to win gold and then to win the next World Cup, which would be three in a row, given the talent that they have, given how far ahead they are of others. But to your point, things can happen, but this is still going in.

Safe money is putting it on the U.S. Women's National Team. I'd like to retract that statement. It was not meant to be controversial, but I did feel like... Last World Cup, I felt like the world's catching up a little. Yes, absolutely. I mean, they're putting resources into the women's game. We've been doing it for decades and decades and decades, and we have reaped the benefit of the greatest women's nationals team that has ever existed on this planet.

And we expect them to win. They understand that we expect them to win. And more often than not, they win. All right. So the Copa tonight, you get the semis. It's Argentina against Colombia. So I'm going to say just a country, and you give me, you describe their soccer. Because what's fascinating about soccer, every league has a personality.

Every national team does. When I say to you, England. They live in the past in that they feel they invented this sport and that they are deserving of our praise and respect, even though they haven't necessarily done anything. And they have the greatest in terms of entertainment and popularity, the greatest league in the world. EPL. Okay. But this group right now that we're seeing in the year,

is playing and that we will see next year in the World Cup. This is legit. They have had some really, really good players, and I think they're kind of putting it all together. But we've seen this movie before. So you're saying England's pious and arrogant. Where have I seen this? Okay, Germany. Germany is a reflection of their society in that they're very predictable. Structured. Structured, all of those different things. And I know a lot of this is stereotypical. in Germany, for example, has changed over the years, but there is still, at its core, a belief that they are always going to win. They are going to find ways to win the structure and the preparation is going to get them. But this is not a great German team right now.

In a year from now, I think it will be better, but not the greatest German teams that we have seen. Argentina. Argentina is always kind of in the shadow of Brazil and certainly Maradona. And see, this is why we talk about Messi, because, That shadow is long, all right? Messi is a diminutive, left-footed, attacking Argentine, okay? And so until you're actually standing there with a trophy, which is what Maradona did, you are going to pale in comparison.

Is it fair? I'm sorry, that's where you were born, and that's what's going to happen. Argentina, yes, there's the flare, not necessarily the flare relative to Brazil, but a flare and a belief in themselves, but there's also a raw earthiness, I think, to Argentina. Boy, you were good today. You brought your A game. I try, my friend. I'm trying to, you know, make sure that, you know, I bring it for you.

You guys don't get a lot of human beings on this set anymore. So here's to three dimensions. All right. The semis tonight, 830 Eastern FS1. By the way, Discover matches all the cash back. You're earning your credit car first year automatically no limits. And try MDrive from N.com, free shipping 60-day money-back guarantee. So good to see you.

Say hi to the fam. Great to see both of you guys. You look great, and you're doing a great job. Congratulations on all your success. Fruit flies all over the studio today. I know they're back, right? It's crazy here. Exterminators, I'm told, coming tomorrow.

Speak for yourself. It's 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 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.

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm 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 Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but, celebrated. So let's get to it.

Listen to the Clifford show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok 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'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.

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