The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 03/22/2019

Episode Date: March 22, 2019

Colin thinks LeBron James and Doc Rivers have zero things to gain from one another and have nothing to give each other. He wonders how Zion Williamson will fare in the NBA after being coddled at Duke. And he believes the Colts understand how to determine value in players and avoid overpaying for talent.  Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Ah, here we go on a Friday. Good to see you this. Live in Los Angeles is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio on FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me in a Friday. It is absolutely great to be here, a full week of shows. Oh, wait, I missed Wednesday. I had to fly to Seattle.

I got four in this week. Sometimes you come to work. Yes. Good morning. Good morning. joy. You know, it's funny about relationships, like some things that sound good on paper don't work. You would think if you said, these two people, they're really professionally interested. They're both, you know, they're shooting for the stars. They're career driven. They're a power

couple. You know what gets divorced a lot in Los Angeles? Power couples. You're workaholics. You work 80 hours a week, each of you, your two ships passing in the night. It sounds great on paper. She's an attorney. He's a surgeon. They're stars. They never see each other and disconnect. Generally, somebody, the brilliant attorney, the great doctor,

needs somebody that provides something they can't. I, myself, tend to be a little intense. My wife is more social. The ying, the yang, it works. It's perfect, right? Doc and LeBron James sounds good on paper. Doc is one of title. he's smart. LeBron's won several. He's smart. They're both kind of legends in their little

genre, the player or the coach. It wouldn't work. It wouldn't work. LeBron's too rich, too powerful, and too accomplished. He doesn't need anything in that relationship. Well, well, Colin, Doc worked with Kevin Garnett. He worked with Paul Pierce. He worked with Chris Paul. He worked with Blake Griffin. He worked with Ray Allen. They didn't have titles. They needed Doc to get a ring. LeBron's got his. Michael at the end had his. Kobe at the end had his. Kobe was hard to deal with at the end.

LeBron, Kobe, MJ, it wasn't an even relationship. They didn't need. They had everything. And relationships work when both people need something from it, beyond just love. You know, you need to be more social. She provides it. She wants more stability in her life. Maybe he provides it.

This is what happens to superstars who have multiple titles or titles late in their career. Brett Farr, Big Ben, Kobe, they become really hard to coach. Become really hard to coach. Big Ben's now hard to coach. He's got his money. He's got his legacy. He's got his Super Bowl. He's got his rings.

Got his fame. What does he need? In fact, I would say it's often very hard. two coached even superstars who are iconic without titles. Dan Marino and Charles Barkley. They didn't have the rings, but they had the money, and they had the fame, and they had the looks and the personality. They couldn't go anywhere in public.

They didn't have the rings, but asked Jimmy Johnson. Dan Marino was no day at the beach late in his career. And I like Charles Barkley. Never the easiest guy to coach late. the aging champion superstar wealth, titles, rings, what does he need from the relationship? He's got it all. He had a poster on his wall as a kid did LeBron.

He's often surpassed all of those posters. Some would even say Michael Jordan. This sounds great on paper, right? It sounds great. But I don't even think Doc needs LeBron. I think Doc wouldn't fit because Doc's got his money and Doc's got his ring. and Doc's got his fame. Doc's a big deal in Los Angeles.

He golfs and dines with stars. What does he need from LeBron? Neither of these guys needs the other to validate in any way each other. It's hard enough when only one needs the other. When neither needs the other? That's why the Luke Walton LeBron is seen as a disaster, but it actually has some value. I mean, Luke could gain a lot from making it work.

an extension, help his legacy. But too often, stuff that sounds good on paper is really not good on paper. And whenever I see the big divorces in Los Angeles, it's so often the power couple. The ones that work, go look up Paul Newman, Tom Hanks. Somebody takes a little more of a professional front seat. Somebody maybe takes more of the family, the social, the supportive. side seat and it works. Sometimes the woman's in control, sometimes the dude.

But Doc and LeBron to me is a paper relationship that would be a disaster. Zion Williamson is more interesting than any team in this tournament. He's going to play twice this weekend. Later tonight, he's the Duke superstar. Who will go number one in the draft? I think he'll be a great pro. Duke has, by the way, four NBA players. Most of the good teams have one.

We crushed John Calapari for not winning a title when he had that great team years ago. Mike Shoshchewski should win this title. But Zion's going to play twice this weekend. And you know, there's a reputation among Duke players that don't really work in the NBA. They're kind of soft. They're kind of insulated. There's currently 25 Duke players in the NBA. Only four average more than 15 points.

Only ones really elite. Kyrie Irving. Because Duke somewhat insulates you. The best coach, maybe the best staff, the best home court advantage, the best conference, the best teammates, the best swag, one of the great atmospheres, the best program, an unbelievable support system. And from there, as a lottery pick, you go to the Atlanta Hawks or the Orlando Magic,

or potentially the New York Knicks. Duke players have a very spotty NBA record. And the word on the street is always a little soft. I mean, Duke's in a bubble. Duke is a college basketball bubble. You play with the best players. You have the best home court advantage. You have the best coach.

Many would argue you have the best staff. You have the best support system. It is so well run at Duke. And then you go from that, that insolidded, perfect college basketball bubble to the NBA, and you go to a clown show. You go to Cleveland, where LeBron's from there and left it twice. The Knicks, worst owner in sports. There's only four dukees in the NBA averaging over 15, one over 20,

and it's the best college basketball program on the face of the earth. Now, I love Zion as a talent. I would pick him number one. I think people are picking him apart. I think he's got the right game and the right character. But warning when you watch Zion Williamson, he is now comfortable, well-coached, well-supported, perfect teammates, playing in the best offensive system in the sport.

He's now going to go to potentially an awful owner, a terrible roster, a coached about to be fired. And oh, by the way, he will be. seen as a savior in those cities. Well, Zion's got a bum knee. Come on, get out there. We're playing Memphis tonight. Duke players play in an insulated bubble.

That's why for years and years they go to the NBA, they're good, not great. It's like, you know, the old joke. When kids have some fear and there's no system to support you and you have to like John Morant go and carry a program and you're the guy and other guys can't gore and you have to really lead the program and carry it, there is real value in that. And Duke players don't have that. The guy next to me, he's the second pick in the draft. And the wing, he's the fourth pick in the draft.

Our point guard's not nearly as good. He'll go 27th. It'll be interesting to watch Zion twice this weekend. I think he's got everything. He doesn't really have a position in the NBA, but that doesn't bother me. He either did LeBron James. It's more of a positionless NBA. But what I think is interesting is there's two great players in this tournament.

A lot of good teams, no great teams, two great players, John Morant and Zion. Morant comes from a program where he's got to absolutely carry him. And if he's not hot, the team doesn't win. Zion, different situation. All sorts of talent around him. And do guys I always feel are living in a bubble. I'll watch him this weekend. I think he's going to be a star and everybody's going to pick him apart.

But his life's going to be zany for the next six months. He's going to go from this great program to an absolute NBA grease fire. People are saying, oh, I can end up in New York. And I'm like, oh, he could end up in New York. Can't wait to watch. Good to have you in today. I never believed as a kid. My mom was always on diets.

And because of that, my sister and I, we tend to be healthy eaters. mom was like binge and then diet and then candy and then none and it it was this up and down and I and I kind of I remember I used to say as a kid like why don't why don't you just just streamline it and less of this and more of that and more of this and less of that but that's the life I sort of grew up with it was kind of a running joke in the family it was the diet what's the new diet she went through a lot of diets the Miami diet the Atkins diet this diet the new diet the milkshake there was a milkshake diet at one point I'm not joking it's a milkshake I like that one as a kid I like that one as a kid I was all for the milkshake diet. I got the second milkshake. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

By the way, I have a very simple formula. You've probably heard me on this show talk about it before, how to win in the NFL. Get a quarterback, protect your quarterback, and then draft and acquire guys that get their quarterback. It's one, two, three. I think the Colts in the next 10 years are going to be in several Super Bowl, especially after Tom Brady retires.

They've did it perfectly. They have Andrew Luck. They got him healthy. Last year, they went heavy on offensive line rebuild. They nailed it. This year, they're going to draft two pass rushers. And they acquired Justin Houston yesterday, who had nine sacks and 12 games. It's a supplemental grab.

He's not going to play 70% of the snaps. I doubt he plays 60% of the snaps. He's going to play probably 50 to 55% of the snaps. He is a smart veteran, fits the culture. works his tail off, totally coachable. Kansas City got to the point where they felt like for their system with Patrick Mahomes, they're going to have to pay him eventually. He didn't work for them.

He has had some injuries, but I thought he was great for Indianapolis for what they're trying to do. Get a quarterback, protect the quarterback, and then draft guys who can get their quarterback. I love the move, and I love what they're doing. But by the way, I just talked about my mom who was binge diet, binge diet, binge diet, binge diet. My dad was the opposite financially. My dad believed if you always lived the same way, there was no recessions. Don't buy a boat in a sports car in good times because you'll have to sell them in bad times. Just live the same life.

What team spent big in free agency? Jets, Oakland, Cleveland, Lions, losers. What teams sought value even though they had some cap space? Indianapolis, Green Bay, St. Philadelphia did well. Dallas wouldn't spend big money. The Colts get it. The Colts don't binge.

The Colts had the most money in free agency. But that's not their culture. They are constantly seeking value. If you hit the lottery tomorrow, won $15 million, do you walk into a car lot and say, it doesn't matter, completely hose me? No, you're seeking value. That's the culture.

You're not binging than eating chocolates all day. Up down. I made money at my work. New boat, sports car. Cultures are living the same, eating the same, spending the same, regardless of your financial and physical condition. Indianapolis had the most cap space. They could have gone crazy town.

and Mardi Gras. They could have bought four speed boats, jeeps, ski boats, ski trips, private jet. No. No, they sought value even though they didn't have to. This is why Indianapolis, New England, Philadelphia, and the Saints. This is why these teams end up playing at the end of the year. I love what Indianapolis is doing. I love what they're doing. Most cap space in the league and refused. They were patient. Let guys come to them.

Let crazy town people spend big. And once again, look at the teams. Look at the teams in free agency who waited. The Saints wait on Jared Cook. Well run. The Cowboys wait on Randall Cobb. Again, he's a component. He's a part.

He's a supplemental piece. They don't need Randall Cobb to be Green Bay Randall Cobb's first five years. The Cowboys need him to make 58 catches next year and a couple of big ones against the Eagles or in the playoffs late. This is what Justin Houston is. The Colts had the most money and yet didn't buy a speedboat. This is why I like Indy in Philadelphia, in Kansas City, and New England. I don't believe in diets.

And I don't think because you get a raise, you go buy a private jet. the teams that spent big money on free agency. It's like they all got a job promotion. Cleveland, Jets, Oakland, Detroit. By the way, it's not to say I don't think OBJ, it could be interesting with Cleveland. And I do think Lavian Bell is exactly what the Jets need. But I love what they're doing in Indianapolis.

They're my Colts. I honestly feel they're my cults. It's my kind of living. It's my team. Even when they lost to Kansas City, I love them. Well, that's not Big J journalism. You know what? I'm taking a just sabbatical.

Okay. For the Colts. I'm taking a brief hiatus on my journalism. I love what this team is doing. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I Heart Radio app. Kauai Leonard has used the term load management, which I'd never heard of before. It means players are trying to manage their workload. I think it's bad optics.

Kobe Bryant was talking about sitting out NBA games to the athletic, and he said, the only time I took a game off is when I couldn't walk. Kids in the crowd, families in the crowd. This will be the only time they get a chance to see you. They save up for their hard-earned money to watch you perform. So, you know, they want to see you perform in person, and it may be the only game they go to. I know we think that's a very old-school way of looking at things.

And by the way, players get injured. I love George Brett as a kid growing up. George missed 30 baseball games a year because George played so bizarrely hard. He was hurt a lot. And I understand injuries. Kauai Leonard this year has missed 20 games. For kids in Toronto, he's the guy. I think sometimes we really forget this, is that, you know, people in the Midwest,

there is some resentment toward the coasts. And there's resentment toward coastal elites. If you really look at this country, most of the decisions should be made east of Los Siena Boulevard and west of the Hudson. And that means not in New York and L.A., everything in between. And I think when you lose sight of that and you think you're performing for Miami and New York and Boston and Los Angeles and San Francisco, you're missing a big chunk. Oprah's a star because she related with middle-class moms.

And that's why Jay Leno beat Letterman because he related to regular, hardworking people. I go to Laker games. It's not movie stars. It's successful people sometimes, like, you know, the superintendent, the principal, but they don't go every night because they're not rich and wealthy. The people in the front row are, and there's about a hundred of them. And then there's, you know, 8,000 people upstairs. and a handful of people in the corporate boxes.

But, you know, I've said this about LeBron this year. LeBron is disengaged from not only his teammates, but sort of the league. He's gone very Hollywood. You go to the Staples Center. I do. I've been to two Laker games and two Clipper games this year, and it's not Hollywood. That's not what the Staples Center is. Go to a Rams game.

It's not Hollywood. It's not. Go to tail game. This is Los Angeles. right, the epicenter of hipsters in Hollywood. I go to these games, that's not who I see. Because I go eat at these arenas. Outside of these arenas, they have like places to eat, right?

Joy, you do that. And I go eat before I go into these L.A. Glitzy stadiums. There's no movie stars there. There are no movie stars. There's 26-year-old kid. He's got a Laker jersey on. He's not famous. He would die to meet a famous person.

And to be honest, some are just out of college. Some get one ticket a year. And I think LeBron this year has disengaged from almost the league. He's hanging out with the hipsters. And I don't like load management. And I completely think Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan get this. Like when did it become okay to take important days off at work for anybody? I get taking a day off here and there as you're going into the playoffs like we were talking about with Tyree.

But there's no sense in this with LeBron. You're about to go into the off season. Anyway, we were just talking about it with Rob Parker, how many games we went to as kids. It's like one, two. Right. Maybe in your entire childhood. So I just, I think Kobe's right about this. I think there's value here.

And, you know, it's, there is a resentment in America. There's a real resentment toward, like, coastal elites. And the NBA is the NFL is relatable. Players get cut. Players play in bad weather. Players play hurt. That's why, that's one of the many reasons the NFL. NFL's king. You can relate to guys.

The football players got a gut. They're limping around. They get cut. They don't have all the power. Like, that's great. That's gas all the players up. But if you're not relating to the Midwest, you're not relating to a big chunk of the population. And I think the NBA, Adam Silver, is two pro player. Stern was two pro owner.

Adams two pro player. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays at noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Oh, by the way, I, I'm very critical sometimes of Russell Westbrook. Many people say I'm a hater, and I've said, don't hate the dude. Kind of hate his game. Relentless, tunnel vision, doesn't play well with others.

You think he's playing well, but he kind of unravels at the end of every season because he's just an intense dude and intense people. When you add a little bit of pressure to intense people, they're more combustible. But he is a Hall of Famer. He will be, and he is an all-star. I don't think this year. But, you know, we all know he's a good player, but I've never been into his game. And there's always players in sports that I don't like their game.

But, you know, I know how good they are, but I just don't like their game. I don't like Russell Westbrook's game. I think it's hard to play with. So I didn't watch the NBA last night because I was watching college basketball all night long. And so I didn't watch the NBA. But yesterday I criticized OKC and Westbrook for dropping to eighth in the Western Conference. And I said, come on, you got an MVP candidate, a Stephen Adams legit player, Westbrook's going to be a Hall of Famer.

You can't be eighth in the West. And by the way, you're the only team in the West now that's playing like crap. Denver's hot, Houston's hot, San Antonio's hot, Golden State's Golden State, Utah's hot. Clippers are hot. Oklahoma City's a mess. And so I was very critical when they drop from fifth to eighth. But this morning, I looked at the standings and they're fifth again. So I didn't watch the NBA.

So I'd like to congratulate Westbrook on a huge night. if I'm going to criticize them when they drop to eight, I've got to give them a ton of credit for crushing it last night. Joy, who did they play? They didn't play last night, Colin. They just moved up because the jazz lost. There's some tiebreakers, there's some movements. So Westbrook didn't play?

He did not play. He didn't have 40? No, he had zero. How did they move up three spots? Because the jazz lost. And the West is very close. That's why we should not freak out about where the seatings fall at the moment, because every game is changing everything.

moved up more than any single night of the year by not playing. You got it. So Westbrook's actually better not playing than playing. No, that's not how this works. Is that what? No, that's not, that's, that technically in this particular scenario, them not playing benefited them because they did not change. So here the Western Conference standings.

The teams are bunched so closely. Yes. Yesterday, the Jazz were fifth, Spurs, Clippers, Thunder. today. I mean, look at the, look at the records. It's insane. Because of one game. Yes. Now it's Thunder, Spurs, Jazz Clippers. Here's the problem, though. If the Thunder don't get to the four spot, they start and end their first round on the road where they're a 500 team. Like most playoff teams in the NBA, they're not nearly as good. No, you want home court advantage for sure. All right. So, I'll scale back the congratulations a little on Westport. No, no, no, no. I have to... No. They're for the fifth seed for a reason.

Throughout the year they played and got that record, and that's where they've landed this particular moment. All right. Let me shift to somebody I used to compliment all the time, but I think it's had a bad year. The Lakers and LeBron. I saw a story this morning by Bill Orham at theathletic.com, good site, subscription-based. And he was asking questions. Jeannie Bus owns the team. What should she do to turn a it around. What are the questions she should be asking?

I have told you that I think the biggest problem with the Lakers is there's a power struggle. There's too many chefs. You got LeBron's a chef. You got Kobe talking to Rob Palankas a chef. Magic's a chef. And Jeannie Boss owns the team, so she's the primary chef.

There's too many chefs and not enough grinders. There's too many people who stay at five-star hotels and eat five-star meals and there's not enough grinders. And if you know the name of your GM, generally it's bad news, because It means he was successful and got rich doing other stuff before he was GM. Even in glamorous businesses like comedy and social media and Hollywood, grinders win.

Work ethic is still the most important thing. I work with a bunch of people. Our show works really hard. That's the best thing we do. There's makeup and there's hair and there's suits. We grind. Grinding wins, even in funny business, the serious people comedy, win. Chris Rock works hard.

you know, Steve Harvey works hard. Jerry Seinfeld worked hard. Ricky Jervais works hard. Will Ferrell worked hard. And this is the Lakers problem. Magic Johnson, every summer, grabs his two best friends. I won't name them,

both Hollywood stars. They get on a yacht, and they go to Italy with their families for a month. For a month. You know where Darryor Mory, the Houston Rockets is for the next three weeks? Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Slovenia

scouting bench players this is video from his Instagram this is what he's doing there's no yacht there it's hard the Lakers have become Mike Tyson at the end of his career they no longer jab they're going for the knockout punch

they landed one with LeBron and they need two more to win the fight grinding wins not celebrities Mike Tyson early jab, movement, and a knockout punch. Mike Tyson at the end, I covered him. No jab, not in great shape, kind of lazy in his prep,

going to knock you out. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. I bring in my friend. We often bring him in on Fridays. He is dynamic and he is outspoken and he is polarizing. He is our instigator at FS1. Rob Parker. Co-host of the odd couple, Chris Brousard, Weekdays, Fox Sports Radio,

teach a sports commentary at USC. You know that place over there to go all sorts of craziness happening. We got a new president, though. I know. Hey, I didn't take any bribes. I'm just teaching. Okay, so I said this earlier. When I, out of college, I got a job in Las Vegas.

I was a very lucky kid. You know how the first job you get in broadcasting is always like, you know, middle of nowhere. Right. And I didn't make anything, but I got a great job in Las Vegas. And boxing was a big deal. So Tark and you and LV were big, and boxing was big. so I covered Mike Tyson, Sugar Ray Leonard, all that. Mike Tyson started.

He had a jab. His movement was great. He was a great young, teachable, coachable boxer. Then he got rich. And at the end, he had no jab. He went into fights, not in shape. He got lazy. And Mike just went for the knockout punch.

And you can't beat a Vanderholyfield in Lennox Lewis with that kind of work ethic. I look at the Lakers as Tyson, the old Tyson, big brand, a lot of money. a lot of history, but they gave away their best young center to the Clippers. They haven't worked terribly hard. Magic is a wealthy guy, and Kobe's still a wealthy guy. And I look at them as Tyson. They're going for the big swings. They land LeBron knockout.

And they're going for Anthony Davis, knockout. But they don't have a shooter on this roster, and it's 2019. They feel like the old Mike Tyson to me where they made too much money. and they're not putting in the work, and they're going for the big knockout, and I'm not sure they're landing any big star outside of maybe Jimmy Butler. I'm with you. It's the ultimate swing and miss. It really is, and they missed on so many different factors with trying to put this together. Okay, you land LeBron James, but did you realize that he's 34 years old with a lot of mind?

So he has his first really major injury. Then you have a court at your, talking about how great it is, and you look at it like, it's okay. Kuzma's your guy. Right? It's okay, but it's not great. Not special. Right. And then there were a lot of people when they put the team together said, where's the shooting?

Where's the three-point shooting? A lot of people did. I think most of us did. Right? Most people looked at the roster and was like, I don't know about this roster. They had Brooke Lopez let him go. He was a shooter. Exactly.

And instead, you know, Magic talked about he watched all the videotape of the finals and said that, you know, do you need some tough guys to beat the Warriors? It's not all about the shooters. I think that was a miscalculation. And when you look at everything that's happened, and I keep telling you, Paul George not coming, has wrecked everything. Imagine if Paul George was on his team now.

You'd have your shooter and you'd have your second star. You would have that. And then you could add Jimmy Butler or third guy, and then you're really in contention. By the way, and there is a lot of people in the league that feel that Oklahoma's, simply outwork the Lakers in recruiting. There's no doubt about it.

And I think people always think, well, we're the Lakers. We don't have to do anything. You want to play here, don't you? It's Los Angeles. The Sunshine, the history, all the banners. People want to be wooed, Colin. I don't care who you are. How much money you make.

People want to be wanted. And I think that that's where magic miscalculated the Paul George thing. I mean, you can look at Magic now. He's probably considered the flavor-flave of NBA executive. He's flashy, but he hadn't gotten anything done in a long time. Let me go to this. I always thought David Stern, the former NBA commissioner, was too much of an owner's commissioner.

No doubt about it. I feel Adam Silver, the pendulum has swung so far. He's too much of a players commissioner. So Adam Silver extended the All-Star break to benefit. fit the players more rest. I'm okay with it. He said, I'm going to cut back on some back-to-backs. I'm okay with it. These star players have responded by missing more games, including big TV games. Like, Kobe came out yesterday and he said, look, the only time I took a game off is when I couldn't walk. There are kids in the crowd, families. So Rob, I grew up in a small town, didn't have a lot of

money. I would go to one NBA game every three years, and I wanted to see downtown Freddie Brown of the Sonics. And he was always available. let's not forget that a lot of people that go to NBA games, they're not season ticket holders. They're small town people that go to see. Most people aren't in America rich. Most people in America, even in Los Angeles at Laker games, are not movie stars.

They're working class people who go four times a year. Like, I think these stars have taken advantage of a very pro player commissioner. No doubt about it. And I think it's, I told you it borders on consumer, fraud. It really does. You said that last year. Right, from this standpoint. How about the game last week in Milwaukee with Janus didn't play and LeBron didn't pay, didn't play? Tell me there weren't people. That might have been their only game of the year thinking LeBron's coming. It's a big game in March, right? $6,500 seats in Milwaukee. The average ticket price tripled

and Janus and LeBron didn't play. I think that that's a problem. And we know that Popovich was the what was started it. He did. Okay, and he got fine by Stern. I remember him. No, Stirling. By the way, and nobody really cared because they weren't that fascinating. D. Wade would take a day off. We're all like, wait. Spurs guys would take a day off. Nobody cared. But David Stern

was always the owner's commissionaries. Like, time out. We're not doing this to our fans because he would do it about six times a year. And then what happened was because LeBron adopted it, once the best player on the planet decides to start taking days off, other players go,

well if LeBron is okay and cool with taking days off, I'll take some off as well. And they follow the leader. Just like when Michael Jordan played, you know this. He never took off unless he was hurt. His last year at age 40 played all 82

games. That's one of a funny trivia at the bar. Right? I saw his last game in Portland. He was still a great player. He was still he wasn't quite. He was 40 years old. No, but Michael just played. And I think Michael, from his shoes, Michael from his world vision on shoes to his game.

Michael's a businessman. He understood it, though. He did. The fans out there matter, and you can't take advantage of people. People are paying their hard-earned money. You just said it. Most people aren't filthy, rich, and don't care. That might be their only game.

I remember a couple years ago in Memphis, LeBron didn't show up for one of those games, and it was near Christmas. So many kids were in tears. That was their Christmas gift. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen, I grew up in a small town. Joy grew up in the hipster environment in Pittsburgh, and you in New York City, there were guys like me that grew up in the middle of like Hayfield.

How many games you think, even as a kid growing up in New York, did I get to go to a year? How many? One or two, if we were lucky. And most of the time, somebody gave my parents tickets. Do you know what I mean? If we didn't buy tickets. What about you, Joy Taylor, from an amazing family. How many games a year?

NBA games? It's my NBA team in Pittsburgh. Okay, what about... I didn't go to an NBA game until I was an adult. Okay, what about the Steelers? I mean, I didn't really go to Steelers games either. I went to high school football games. See?

I didn't start going to any professional games until my brother started playing. Was it a financial thing or just a geography thing? Yeah, I mean, it's financial thing. Yeah, I mean, it's just three kids in the house. Yeah, same here. You don't have ticket money. You know what I mean? Think about it.

People make it work because it's what they spend their entertainment dollar on, and that's part of what they do, which is why it is important to be able to see the players when you go. Okay, here's something. I think Zion's going to be a really good pro. I always laugh when we all pick apart these young kids. I think he's kind of a positionless player,

which, you know, it's easier to look at a shooting guard and go, but LeBron's position list. A lot of guys in the NBA now. It doesn't bother me. I just think he's a big, strong, fast kid with a beautiful touch. He'll develop an outside shot. But let me ask you this. What if Duke with four NBA players doesn't win?

Do we look at Zion differently? No, we do not. We don't look at it that way because when you talk about a one and done and a single elimination, you can get beat. I'll tell you right here. If Michael Jordan was in a single elimination game, he wouldn't have six championships. He wouldn't be six and oh. Somebody can beat you one night.

Well, yeah, by the way. Or big shot. Zion's a big physical kid. What if you get an official who's calling it tight and one charging foul? He's got two fouls you sit him and then he gets a foul early second half. It depends a lot on officiating. If you're going to call a game close with Duke, Zion's the body that could get three fouls like that.

And then you neutralize him, and then all of a sudden Duke isn't as good. So I agree with that. I don't think you look down on him or think, well, he didn't get a championship. I know 70% of the country is picking Duke because fans do the most obvious takes. Right.

It's just obvious to pick the best player and the Duke tradition. They do have the best team, don't know? No, I get it, but I'm just saying. Do you think he'll be a great pro? I think he'll be a very good pro. I'm not convinced yet. There have been a lot of busts at the top of the NBA draft. Guys, you thought we're going to make it.

You think a very good pro. 24 a game. Yeah, he could do that. But I'll tell you this, if I'm the Knicks and I'm able to sign the two big stars, if I get Duran and Kyrie, I don't, I would trade him to New Orleans and get Anthony Davis. Oh, that'd be a bummer. I would, though. I've seen star players in New Orleans.

It's not good. But I'm just saying, wouldn't you, if you're a Knicks and you're trying to win a championship, remember, the Knicks aren't like most franchises. They don't have to sell tickets. They've been selling tickets for 40 years and having won a championship. I'm not with you that Durant and Kyrie, I think they're both great and they're both flaky. I don't think they win championships. You don't think if you put that with Anthony Davis, they wouldn't have a chance to win a championship?

You've just put together the Olympic team. Yeah, I don't think that's going to, I don't think you're going to get three guys go to any one team. You want to bet some chicken wings on this one? You think you're going to get three stars to the Knicks. I think that if the Knicks get the first overall pick, and they get those two guys assigned is a good chance that they will make a trade with New Orleans. That is a lot of... I'm putting it out there.

You got me? Chicken Wings? You know who I think is going to win the number one pick? Cleveland. And then I think one of the... I don't think Kyrie is going to go to New York. And I don't think Kevin Durant's going to go to New York. I'm not convinced of it.

There's been so much talk about it. But... Where there's smoked is usually five. You're right, but I think it's easy to say stuff. Remember, Draymond, publicly chastised KD, and it was ugly, right? He got personal. Kevin Durant's been a little aloof with the Warriors front office, a little aloof. He also had a really tragedy happen in his family, so let's be thoughtful of KD.

But I think when it gets down to brass tacks, KD is going to go, I've got my third MVP finals. We're building the new arena. play with the greatest organization, probably in NBA history. I'm not going anywhere. I get that, and he'd have a chance to win four in a row, which even the greats have never done, right? So I get that part. But there's also a part of

him wanting to totally validate his career. Oh, God. Yes, you could say, you can poop-poo with Colin. He's going to have to go somewhere, win something with somebody else for people to say because they'll always look at him and say he joined a record-setting

team, right, the words that already had won a championship without him, and granted, while he's going to win three in a row, and I fully expect him to win. I think that he knows deep down. It was almost like Kobe here with Shaq. He had won those three championships, but he knew he would never get the full credit until he could win without Shaq. Shaq was the better player.

He was a more dominant player. When I watched Kobe with Shaq, you know what? I thought Kobe's the closest thing I've ever seen to MJ. Yeah, because he emulated MJ between the bands. The way he talked, if you would have turned on, not look at a picture here, the talk. He imitated Michael Jordan. I never felt Kobe had to validate himself to me with Pal Gasol. I thought Kobe was one of the greatest.

You don't think who would, Shaq was the most dominating player in the NBA. And Kobe was the next Michael Jordan, 90% of Jordan. I'm not one of these that believes Kevin Durant has to leave to validate his career. His career is amazing. I just think. That's like saying Tom Broca had to leave NBC to validate that, you know, he had to be, a peacock. He needed to go to like a Vice television.

I don't believe. You're either great or you're not. I don't need every baseball player to go to Tampa Bay and win a World Series with a race to validate their career. Either you're good. Buster Posey's good. Clayton Kershaw's good. No, I get all that, but there are people. And you even heard crazy people.

Clyde Frazier, who's one of the 50 greatest players of all time, even said that he looks at it like with an asteris, that he joined this great team. And I'm not blaming. I'm not blaming Kevin to. What's Clyde Fraser doing without Willis Reed and Earl Monroe? Bupkus. Well, but he also won two championships and the Knicks haven't won since.

So give him a little bit of credit. By the way, Brown's expectations, I said this earlier. If I said to you there's this great company, Rob. They've been great for 40 years. They just lost one employee. Would you say they're going to be a horrible company? No. That's the Steelers.

If I said there's been a company that's been a grease fire for 20 years, They just added a couple of guys. One can't get healthy. Is it suddenly a great company? Of course not. I don't buy the Brown Super Bowl talk. Yes, you do because it's prisoner of the moment. I think it's ridiculous.

It's just sexy. OBJ, oh my God. Look at all the play. Baker Mayfield. Can we break down last year when they won one game against a team over 500? That was early 12 to 9 against Baltimore with a bad flacko. They beat up on Cincinnati that fired their defensive coordinator during the season. because they were giving up 500 yards a game.

Go look at it. Yeah, Jeff Driscoll was the quarterback. I mean, it's just, this is so ridiculous. Will they be good? And then what happens when the ball isn't mixed around and all these guys aren't satisfied? I just think people are way, way out of bounds with the Browns going to the Super Bowl and all this.

It's ridiculous. The media reports less and roots more than any time in my life. Like the Kaepernick story yesterday, the real numbers came out. It's like about one eighth of what they were reported. Like stop rooting. Like go look at hard data. Cleveland's a poorly run company that added Sheldon Richardson, who's never played up to his contract,

Olivier Vernon's good, not special, and OBG can't stay healthy. By the way, Freddie Kitchens is the head coach. I mean, it could be great. I have no idea. But we don't have a track record of anything. Any of that stuff to really believe that this team is going soon. I get it.

You live in Cleveland. You're excited. that they're relevant and they got some stars. I get all of that as a fan. But the media waving the pom-poms that they're going to the Super Bowl is so ridiculous. It's absolutely ridiculous. All right, he is the instigator.

He's Rob Parker. Good seeing you. Always. Have a great weekend. One more herd. The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its business.

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