The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 07/19/2021 - Best of The Herd

Episode Date: July 19, 2021

Colin ponders the question that if Giannis leads the Milwaukee Bucks to a NBA Championship tomorrow night, are we seeing the beginning of a new dynasty in the East? Nick Wright made an extremely accurate statement about free throws being overrated and volume shines for a reason in every aspect of life. With the release of Space Jam 2, its already turned into Jordan VS LeBron again but we all know there is no competition between the two. Plus, another riveting edition of: "Where Colin was Right & Wrong!"Guest: Cedric Ceballos Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, 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 the show. 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. For 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make

sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening to The Best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Here we go on a loaded Monday live in Los Angeles.

It's the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we're on iHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and SF1, and one hour from right now, 10 a.m. Pacific, 1 p.m. Eastern. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong, plenty of both. It is great to have you in. Joy, on another eventful voyage around North America this weekend. She is back after a trip in Vegas.

I'm sure did you gamble at all? I didn't gamble a lot, but I did not win. Great food. Great food city. Yep. We went to SDK, which is always great, very consistent. Yes. In the Cosmo.

And it was a great time. been to the catch? To catch? Catch. Yes. The catch. I haven't been to catch in Vegas. I've been to catch in L.A., though. I love catch. Yes. It's great restaurant. That's fun. All right, let's start with this. There's been this feeling in the NBA with a lot of fans. And it's a real thing that the only way to get a dynasty in this league, or even when a championship, is to attract superstars to your glamorous city. Miami's done it multiple times. Lakers have done it. Lakers have

done it multiple times, and leaves a lot of people in the NBA feeling left out. Well, the Dallas Mavericks, and that's a big city too, and it's got some glamour, but they did it another way. They drafted Dirk Novitsky from overseas, developed him, and then eventually surrounded him for one year with all the right pieces, and they won a title. Proving you can do it that way, too. But that felt like sort of a one-off, right? And then there's Milwaukee. And they're doing it the Dallas way too. Find Janus, be patient, loyal, develop, get the right coach, and add some pieces, B, B plus pieces that anybody could get.

You know, Portland could get a PJ Tucker. Memphis could get a Drew Holiday, Bobby Portis. The difference with Milwaukee, though, is this the new dynasty. And I know it sounds crazy. But to be a dynasty, you have to get to the finals every year. Look at the East this morning. Boston feels like they're in a rebuild, right? Philadelphia, you saw the stories last week.

They're breaking up the band. Simmons and Embed will be no longer. Miami, lightning in a bottle last year, not really close. Here you have Janus, a defensive player of the year, a two-time MVP and probably finals MVP by tomorrow night. And that's just entering the last three years into the data bank. And unlike old LeBron, Janus is not brand obsessed. Like old brittle KD, he's not a wanderer, nor is he bothered by social media or media

criticism. Unlike increasingly old and increasingly brittle, Kyrie, he's not strange. young and healthy, honest, let's play word association. Humble, grateful, healthy, loyal, focused. Is this the new dynasty? Is this the new face of the leak? It would be a very different kind of superstar, not brand obsessed, not a wanderer, healthy every night,

discourages ego. By the way, you can do it both ways, and I watch both ways. Been watching the NBA for 40 years. I love my Sonics back in the 70s. They were more like Milwaukee. And I love the Healds. I love the Warriors. The Brooklyn Nets give us lots of content.

But the Milwaukee way for most of this league is more relatable. Most cities aren't cool. Most fans aren't either, and they know it. say what you will about LeBron James, but the NBA has lost over 50% of its ratings. I'm not one of them, but many of you are over the last three years. 50%. And in fact, when you dig deeper into the data, it indicates that local TV ratings are very strong in markets where teams draft and develop the players. There's a sense we're all in this together.

We'll support you, Janus, when you're not great. We're with you, Janus, when you are. We're with you, Janus, when you disappoint us the last two years. And we celebrate together by tomorrow night. Lakers' ratings with LeBron and A.D., Brooklyn's with K.D. Hardin and Kyrie were in the dumper. Look it up. The jazz weren't. The Bucks weren't.

The Spurs weren't. The Warriors weren't. Maybe Janus is exactly what the league needs. Maybe Milwaukee is what the league needs. And I am not anti-mobility. You've listened to me for years, many of you. I am pro-mobility in my own life. I celebrate LeBron going to Miami back to Cleveland and L.A.

But for a lot of fans, there's a disconnect. Not talking about brand, not mentally a wanderer, a little more loyal, discourages ego. Yannas had an interesting quote this past weekend, and I felt that it resonated with a lot of fans.

I figured out, like, a mindset to have that, like, when you focus on the past, that's your ego, I did this. We were able to beat this team for all. I did this in the past. I want that in the past. And when I'm focusing in the future is my pride.

like, yeah, next game, game five, I do this and this and this. You know, I'm going down. That's your pride talking. Like, it doesn't happen. Like, you're right here. And I kind of like try to focus in the, you know, in the moment, in the present. And that's humility. That's being humbled.

That could work too. Maybe that's time to run the league. Maybe this face and this personality, grateful and humble, there's room for that too. interesting stuff. I want to shift to free throws. I pick Phoenix to win the series. And one of the reasons I picked Phoenix to win the series was free throws. I said, I think these two teams are going to be in close games. Phoenix is one of the best free throw shooting teams in the league. In Milwaukee, Yannis can't hit him. And that was one of the things I said last week. Like these games are going to be four and five point games. I mean, even the other night, we felt Milwaukee kind of dominated it. Look at the

final score. It's four or five point games. tomorrow night. It's a four or five points spread. They're close games. So I said Phoenix hits free throws. Milwaukee star Yonnas can't. And then Nick Wright, you know him. Nick Wright said something yesterday to me last night in a podcast.

And it was one of those. Nick said, free throws are overrated. What? Come on. That's outrageous. You should be suspended for that. I think he's right. The Lakers dynasty was built on Shaq.

He couldn't hit free throws. The Spurs dynasty was built on Duncan, nor could he. LeBron's number one liability the last 15 years, the free throw line. Sometimes he dreads it. And Janus looks like he'll be the finals MVP. Dominating bigs get to the free throw line so often, increasingly in a very finesse league that is efficiency the most important thing. Is it okay for Janice to go 10 for 20 if DeAndre Aiton's only going 6 for 6?

Janice has 66 free throws in this series. He's made 39. Second is Devin Booker with 29. DeAndre Aitin's third was 17. Yes, Chris Paul is an unbelievable free throw shooter. But the sons rely on. on jump shots and don't get to the line they did in all season. And Chris Paul is worn out by the physicality of Drew Holiday.

He's not getting there either. That Yonis is so physical and so aggressive that he initiates so much contact. He just gets to the free throw line so often. So that if he shoots 58%, he's still hitting 12 to 13 a night out of 23. It trumps everybody else's five for six and six for seven. Nobody thinks McDonald's has the best burgers, but they make the most money on volume. It's the Walmart, the Target, the Costco strategy. We sell everything.

Buy it from your bananas to your blouses, to your shoes, to your kayaks, to your detergent. We sell everything. They don't maybe have your favorite detergent. It's not that perfect kayak or perfect pair of socks, but you can go there and you get everything. everything about analytics is efficiency. That's what analytics are in baseball and football. A smarter way to do things. That's what technology largely is.

We can do everything in our phone now. Don't always have to get into our car. We can door dash it and comes to our house. It's just easier and more efficient. I don't have to go to the store. And I'm for efficiency too. But sometimes it just gets trumped by volume. bigger, stronger, more, sometimes trumps efficiency.

Milwaukee's a bigger, older, stronger team. Janus is simply longer, stronger, and more aggressive, and he doesn't shoot 80% at the free throw line. But he has lived there through the finals. And that has trumped his efficiency. They should win this title, and I believe they will tomorrow night. Props to Nick Wright Who blew my mind with that.

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

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So if you've ever supported me

or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard 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 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 hard way. Open your free, our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the hard way and listen now. When a season comes to its conclusion, you look back and think, oh, I should have seen it, should have seen it coming. So I've liked, I've, I've, bizarrely, joy is my witness. I picked Milwaukee to win it all. And the two reasons I picked Milwaukee to win it all months ago was we've dismissed them. There'll be no pressure. I believe that.

And their players, look at their roster, don't get hurt. In a condensed season, everybody was falling apart. So this morning, I could say, told you so. But I did pick Phoenix to win this series. And it's really interesting as I watch this come to a conclusion. And I do think Milwaukee wins convincingly tomorrow. And I think they're just leaning on Phoenix. and Phoenix is a small basketball team that looks tired and shot.

But go back to every Sun series. They went up on the Lakers, 1-0. They went up on Denver, 4-0. They swept him. They went up on the Clippers, 2-0, and they went up on the Bucks 2-0. Interesting, all four series. Look at the last three series for the Bucks. They fell behind to Brooklyn, 0-2.

They fell behind, remember Trey Young, Big Knight, 01 to Atlanta. They fell behind to Phoenix, 02. and it looks like they're going to win all of them. Now, why would that be? Well, Phoenix, very young, very athletic, very up-tempo, very fast, jumps on you. It takes a game to sort of recalibrate. They also tend to play at home. They played at home in all those games.

They're great at home. And they came into every series, the more rested team. In a condensed season, that matters. How about the Bucks? Well, the Bucks are an old team. They're a veteran team. They're a team built on size and power and strength. It doesn't blow you away.

But over the course of a series, Atlanta, Brooklyn, the sons, we've seen the same thing. They just dominate you on the glass. They beat you up physically. And when you look at this series, Chris Paul looks every day of 36 years old. DeAndre Aiton is just. exhausted. He feels like he's on an island fighting off all their bigs, Brooke Lopez and Bobby Portis and Janice and Devin Booker's just trying to save everybody and trying to score 45 a night. Are the sons essentially the Miami heat of last year? One star, Jimmy Butler, Chris Paul,

surrounded by a bunch of really talented young guys playing with a ton of energy. They jump on leads with teams, up-tempo, a lot of jumpers, rely on them. And then in the end, the Lakers who had size and LeBron and Dwight Howard, Javail McGee, and Anthony Davis, lean on the kids. The adults lean on the kids and wear them out because that's what I'm seeing now. What we know about the NBA, the grown-ups beat the kids, even when the kids take a series lead, and even when the kids are really talented. I mean, you go look right now at the size of Milwaukee.

They are per player, two inches taller, and 25 pounds heavier per player, on average. That's what the Lakers were last year against Miami. By the way, the previous year, Toronto, Sergei Botka, Mark Eaton, Pascal Sey Akum, Kawhi Leonard, big physical, Mark Gassall, big powerful. physical teams. Don't necessarily shoot the three great. Leaning on a finals opponent over the course of four games

and five games and six games, the adults, the bigger, stronger, older adults wear out the kids. Mark Gassal, Pascal Seaccom, Serge Abaka, Kauai Leonard. They did it to the NBA three years ago in Toronto. Lakers did it last year. Bucks are doing it this year. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd.

in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, I'm Doug Gottlieb. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches, we talk to players, we tell you stories. You download it,

you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Gottlieb on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, Forever 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 I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, 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 Podcast, or we're 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 was 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, so... 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. from 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 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, Keer Gaines, is 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. You know, I want to talk about the Michael Jordan thing. So LeBron James has gone out and made, I don't think the world was clamoring for space jam too.

You know, the first one made about 40, 50 million and that was Michael. But it does show something. I've been very pro LeBron. I know as friends. I'm a huge fan of Rich Paul and Mav Carter. I know those guys. I like him. I like the branding.

I like his story. I like everything about him. But it's pretty remarkable that Michael Jordan has not played basketball in 18 years and has been out of his prime, the zenith of it, for 25. His shoes still outsell LeBron. His movies better than LeBron. And his documentary essentially was the talk of America in sports. Think about his documentary.

His documentary. So this is old video we've already seen averaged 5.6 million viewers per episode. That's more people that watch the Sons-Lakers average game. 25-year-old footage on Michael Jordan. On Netflix, Netflix ran the last dance. It got 25 million viewers. That is three times what the NBA football. finals today are averaging.

I always said this about Michael Jordan. He was the trifecta. He was the best player. He was kind of the best looking player. And he was the most glamorous. Only Muhammad Ali has had that. I mean, when Muhammad Ali was coming up, he looked like a model. He fought like a superstar.

And he was funny. It's like timeout. He did poems and stuff. He was doing lyrical stuff and poems and stuff. You're like, timeout, time out, time out. time out. That's what like people that have a microphone on stage do. You can't do that. Oh, no, he was doing it constantly. Michael, there's nothing like Michael, except Ali. And there's nothing like Ali except Michael. Now, the difference is one was very political and one was a sort of

anti-political. You know, Michael wanted to stay out of that stuff, right? Like, you know, Republicans buy sneakers too, I think was what he said. But there was also something about Michael that I very few athletes have had. Every athlete wants to be cool. Joe Namath was cool. Michael Jordan was cool. Derek Jeter was cool. A lot of guys want to be cool.

I think LeBron would kind of like to be because I think all athletes kind of want to be cool. But Michael had something that I don't think LeBron's ever had. And that there was a coolness without trying with Michael Jordan that I don't think I've ever seen. I mean, even the late Muhammad Ali, you know, he knew what he was doing. And he was really antagonizing Howard Kosell and he was antagonizing the media and he would come out with poems. But, I mean, it's just, it's remarkable to me that we are 25 years out of Michael Jordan's Prime.

And his documentary is getting three times the audience of the NBA finals today. And by the way, it's been a good finals. These games have been great. This is not been a bad. This is no, these are not blowout. games. These are crazy flawed teams, a young, exciting team out West, a Midwestern team, which is inartistic and clunky, but easy to root for. Right now, Michael Jordan's shoes this year will make five times as much as LeBron's shoes. It's, I'm going to tell you, I always tell

the story. I'd probably tell it two or three times a year. When Michael Jordan, when I was covering the NBA, I was like in Portland, Oregon, and it was the older Michael, you know. But, but when Michael would come to town, and this was at the beginning of his career, the middle of his career, and at the end of his career, it was the lead story on your local news station. It wasn't a sports story.

They would send me the sports guy out to lead the news. Michael Jordan was in town. And as great as LeBron is, and the movie's out, and he's got his shoes, he's got his pizza and he's got, you know, he's got his,

apparently he's got tequila now. Whatevs? I'm all for it. Mogul stage. I don't resent any of it. We will never, it's unparalleled. We will, listen, 25 years from now, we will not be talking about LeBron the way we are Michael Jordan.

It's just unbelievable. As Space Jam comes out, it's unbelievable. LeBron's once again compared to Michael. And people like Michael's version of the movie better than LeBron's. I mean, it's just nothing in my life ever been like it. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Colin was right where Colin was wrong.

Brought to you by Jersey Mike's subs. Grilled portabella mushroom in Swiss. Fresh ingredients make it. Jersey mics be a sub above. Here we go. Where Colin was right? Well, we said all season long that Drew Holiday was one of the great acquisitions by any NBA team. Smart veteran could give you points, plays defense.

and boy, has he been a pickup? Last two games, he's had the key defensive play that the Aleut Dionis. Remember the game previously? Chris Paul hits the floor. He picks it up. Game five, he had 13 assists, great defense over 20 points, and he has worn down Chris Paul.

He's been a great pickup for Milwaukee and a huge difference maker in this series. Where Colin was wrong. Well, I had Chris Paul, before the series, I ranked the top 10 players in this series. I had Chris Paul number one, and his productivity has dropped off a cliff, mostly because a bigger, stronger Drew Holiday has worn him down. He has also been at times disengaged early in games as if he's saving it for the fourth quarter. But make no doubt about it, Yannis would be the MVP today,

and you could make an argument, Chris Middleton or Booker would be number two. Where Colin was right? Well, we started preaching it last week. The Buck's physicality, even though the series was tied, we said Milwaukee's bigger and it's starting to wear down Phoenix. They look tired and fatigued. And we also said that age becomes a bigger factor in a series the longer it goes because the series gets more situational. There's more pressure. And generally, younger NBA players shrink when they get tight and older veterans don't.

So we pointed out last week, the physicality is. starting to become the factor in the series. Where Colin was wrong. But I said a month ago, the Western Conference Finals were the finals. Remember that? I said, Suns Clippers is the finals. Well, boy, was I wrong, because I think Milwaukee would beat both. You know, this is not the NCAA.

If it was, Phoenix would be champs. It's not one game. It's not two. The reality with the NBA, refs, once you get to the conference finals and finals, let the fellas play. That's why the advantage is generally to older, more physical teams once you get to the conference finals, and that's what we have here. Where Colin was right?

Well, when LeBron came to Los Angeles, of the four teams that he narrowed it down to, the Lakers were the least talented team. And I said, LeBron, Mr. Basketball-centric guy, has become a mogul. Basketball's 50%, business is the other 50. And I get it. He had the money. He had the respect and he had the rings. Space Jam.

You saw him on the sidelines at Phoenix with his own brand of tequila under his leg. I do not begrudge LeBron at all. The bottom line is most of these great players like Magic, like Michael, especially, are underpaid for about 75% of their careers, right? Because they're better than anybody thinks they could possibly be in their mid to late 20s, Magic and MJ were. And then at the end, they're making business. deals. And that's what LeBron's done. And he has a title. I don't think he's going to get a second. By the way, Don Cheadle

is supposed to be great in that movie. Who do I say as the best actor in America, Joy? Don Cito. Don Cito. And if I met him, I would say, hi, Don Cito. Where Colin was wrong. Last week, 50 plus executives, coaches, and players

voted on top 10 quarterbacks. I'll be damned. Dack is seven. I've never thought of Dak is a top 10 guy. I've always put him in kind of the 12-13s, better than Kirk Cousins, not sure he's as good as Derek Carr. You know, kind of that 12-13 space, he doesn't have a great arm. It's okay. He's athletic, but he's not like Kyler Murray athletic or, you know, Russell Wilson athletic.

But you know what? I got to say it. Bottom line is the reason I have the Cowboys going to the playoffs this year is Dak. I ain't the defense. It's not the head coach. It's not that old offensive line. there's something to be said about being a quarterback is more than arm. It's about intangibles, intelligence, leadership, toughness, guile,

and Dak got that stuff coming out his ears. Where Colin was right. I predicted that Damian Lillard, when the trade rumors came out last week, Damian Lillard would say it's not true, but he would keep the door open. Damian Lillard said it's not true, but he kept the door open. He said, essentially, he put the blazers on the clock. this was to put pressure on the blazers to make a move. Now, I do not know what move that would be.

I think they could go to Philadelphia, get Ben Simmons. They'd have to give up C.J. McCullough and something else probably. But Dame did what we expected, which is he didn't want to take the glare away from the Olympics. He's not a selfish guy. He's got good self-awareness here. He's not going to take, as they say, the shade away from the Olympics. But he made it very clear, we got to get better. I don't have an interest being a one and done guy in the NBA playoffs.

Where Colin was right. Ben Simmons officially is on the trade block. Darry, the GM said a couple of weeks ago, and I gave myself a wrong. This guy's the future. And I'm like, all right, I don't buy it for a second. Well, Sham Sharanya last week broke the story, somebody we trust implicitly. That yes, Philadelphia is engaging teams in Ben Simmons, which they should, by the way. Ben Simmons don't work and they don't like each other.

And Ben Simmons does have value. I think on Golden State, he could be a really interesting piece. But we never bought into the, you know, Daryl Morey. He's part of our future. He shouldn't be part of your future. It doesn't work. It doesn't fit. He can't be on a team with a dominant big that sits in the lane.

He needs it open because that's where he scores. Colin right, Colin wrong on a Monday. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Sedric Sabalos is now joining us live. So let's go back. Let's go back. You played a couple years with Dirk Novitsky. Let's go back, Cedric.

You were more established. Your game was more refined at that time. Let's go back to Dirk. What do you recall about him? How raw was he? Very raw. I think the biggest thing about Dirk was his worth ethic. I mean, a lot of pressure was put on him.

I don't know if you guys remember as soon as they drafted. After them, Milwaukee did, and they traded him for Robert Tractor trailer to the Mavericks. Don Nelson, Sr. stated that he's going to win workier of the year. This kid is going to win wicket a year, and he put a lot of pressure on the guy. So I think he came in, like, wow, like, slow down. I don't even know if I really want to be here, you know, even though he got drafted. Then he started working every day. I'm an old school guy that was brought up by the Magics and KJs and Barclays.

So training and putting myself in a position to get better each time, that was something that a rebuilding organization, as the Mavericks were at that time, they weren't a part of that. But I'm on one end. Dirk is on the other with Kiki Van dewey, with Dale Harris, with Donny Nelson Jr.,

with Dirk's trainer and his teachers. And they're getting him better, even though, you know, like certain nights, we play a great Carl Malone, you know, a guy who's just going to pound Dirk and, you know, put him in the world. We're in. But he had to do all that work before the game.

I mean, three workouts. And then, you know, sometimes Dirk would even go in and file twice just so he'll be in file trouble to get his rest, knowing that he got to go third and fourth quarter against a guy like Carl Malone. You know, it's interesting. So same with Yannis, who's not the shooter. He's not the offensive player initially. Dirk was.

But he's a bigger, stronger body. He's a better defensive player. And, I mean, I said this morning, you can make an argument if he wins tomorrow night. In three years, he's been an MVP twice, a defensive player of the year and the finals MVP if he wins tomorrow night. Could I make the argument by tomorrow night he's the face of the NBA? Janice is. It's going to be tough to call him the face of the NBA in Milwaukee. No disrespect to the Midwest there.

But it's just, it's really hard to get him on every single channel on the pictures. I mean, LeBron is still going to be that guy out there, even though at the age of the high 30s for him, I think it's a progression period. And I love the fact that he's not willing to leave to go get a bigger sneaker deal or be on camera all the time or being seen walking red carpets and all that stuff.

It's just a hardworking guy. And a lot of people really don't understand the reasons of why he's going to stay. I think he's got a great deal with Millwell. walkie, a great relationship. I thought, you know, he's playing with his brother. Who doesn't want to, you know, have a, be able to play with your brother on the same team? That's a bonus right there.

You know, whether he's capable of being in the league or not, that has nothing to do with it. That's just that familiar face. And he's got a great team that day building around him. I don't think the prediction of being, of Janice, of being as big as he is now when they first drafted the guy, they really thought they had somebody young and athletic and really a great work, I think. But I think at progression, the way he has put himself on the upper echelina, being an MVP, being so humble, putting his team on his back when they need him, being a two-way player. People forget that about this guy.

He's a great defender. And now he's adding another dimension to his game, which is offensive passing. Yeah, no, there's no question. His work ethic, you can see it every year. You know, to LeBron's credit, LeBron kept getting better every year. He came in, he wasn't very good defensively. Then he developed the three-point shot. Then he had a back-to-the-basket low-post game that was exposed against Dallas in the finals.

You know, it is interesting. You played in this league a long time, and you're a big body. You were a big slender body in college. I watched you play live against you and LV. You were a slender body. You got bigger and stronger because you're doing NBA nutrition, NBA weight rooms for eight or nine years. And I watched this series. Phoenix looks so small.

There are all these young guys. I feel bad for D'Andre Aiton. Go back to your career. Cedric, the refs swallow the whistles in conference finals and finals. They want the players to win it. I think that has been a huge bonus for Milwaukee in this finals. Yeah, you know, those Fullerton days, a good thing to NCAA changed the rules because I was starving most of those days. That's probably why I was so skinny.

I didn't have no money to buy myself food. But I think that it does help out a physical team like Milwaukee. I talked earlier to you about losing. losing a big man when they went down with the injury. This is huge because you don't have that replacement when Aiton comes in to get physical to give up five or six foul. Right. That'll wear Janus down a little bit.

That'll wear Lopez down a little bit. Those things can be detrimental. And then a lot of factor that everybody is really ignoring. Game one, game two, the Phoenix won. Janus was not healthy. That's right. He was not healthy. Once he got healthy and his mentality got aggressive,

with his knee, hypersinic knee, then he started just giving Phoenix Sun's problems. And I think that's been the biggest turnaround after going down to zero. Yeah, you know, it's interesting, Cedric, now that you mentioned it, the healthier team has won almost every series. So Sarich got hurt. And by the now, I'm not saying it would change the series, but he was a big body. So I had picked Milwaukee to win about two months ago. And the reason I said it was, I sound smart today, but I said all their stars, none of them get hurt.

And in a condensed season, everybody's getting hurt. Well, isn't it ironic? And it's not a huge injury, but Sorich is a body. He's a big and he's hurt. You know, it's interesting with Phoenix. I could make the argument. I don't know if it would be a good one. They're a little like Miami.

They're young. They have one star, but it's a little bit of a lightning in a bottle season. And I can make the argument with Phoenix. They were healthy all year. The guys all played together. But Chris Paul's getting older. Do you think, we know Milwaukee. is going to be very good in the East next year, whether they win or not.

But when you look at Phoenix, are they the Miami Heat, a one-and-done-and-dunner lightning in a bottle, or do you think they're back next year battling for the finals? Well, you have to go back to the – when you talked about the injuries first, Colin, you know, look at Phoenix. I mean, AD goes down with the Lakers. Yeah. You know, they win that series. And then they move on, you know, to a –

Denver. A clipper team. Denver. Jamal Murray. He's got Murray out. Yep. You know, then Kauai is that. out. You know, they've advanced

because of injuries and now they've got themselves in a situation where they're injured. And I think they don't become a one and done team if depends on their star Devin Booker's emotion. If they lose tonight, or game seven, and Devin Booker's emotions

carry on into summer. It's going to be a short summer for them. And then on into the next season, I think they have a chance to get back. The emotions, what I mean is, is it going to hurt? Is he going to walk away with, I'm the next Kobe. I'm a believe the press.

I'm going to believe what everybody's saying. And I'm satisfied by scoring a couple 40-point games. I'm satisfied for everybody knows that I'm dangerous and I'm that new dude. Or is he going to walk away like, yo, I got my ball strip in game five. I can't rely on any other people to do this. I got to make sure my other counterparts are ready and their mentality is ready. I think that's going to be the difference. Miami didn't come back after Jimmy Butler's getting them to the four.

finals. I think because, you know, the heroes and everybody else kind of read their press. Yeah. We said about our 93 team. After we went to the finals, we had three guys that opened restaurants. We had this, we had that. We had so many people that was like, hey, we're satisfied by being number two to Michael Jordan.

That is, it kind of made the team a little detrimental. So I think that's what's going to happen. If Devin Booker's emotions are hurt to a point where he's. He doesn't take, like Kobe didn't, didn't take time off. If you wanted to be the next Kobe, go right back into the lab, not only for yourself, but also for your teammates, encourage them to get better. And I don't know if CP comes back, if he goes on an opportunity to chase a ring elsewhere, if he even comes back to Phoenix.

Yeah. Great stuff. I had no idea. So you guys got to the finals, lost to MJ, and three guys open restaurants. Were any of the restaurants good? Well, yeah, you know, Dan Marley's restaurants are still up and kicking. and all around the valley. I don't think Franks and Danny Angels are up anywhere,

but yeah, it was a tough scenario. Yeah, great seeing you, Cedric. I love having you on the show, man. Good luck. Anytime. 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, Bantor. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds, I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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

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84's 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.

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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.