The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 04/11/2019

Episode Date: April 11, 2019

Colin thinks LeBron James made it clear that Dwayne Wade is his true family by attending his farewell game rather than helping put out the Lakers fire. He believes Dirk Nowitzki would be drafted number one over Dwayne Wade. He says the Browns fans are great but still don’t hold a candle to the Steelers. And, Magic isn’t handling his first basketball failure well.  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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Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel 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. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions, about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. can do anything. I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart women's

sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last. Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud 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. This is The Herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in Los Angeles. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. Joy Taylor is joining me.

One hour from now, NBA playoffs are all set. I'll line up all the first round matchups. I'll put my opinions out there. Tape them, yell at me, scream at me. I'll line up all the first round playoff matchups in the NBA. They're all set. By the way, it took late into the night on the West Coast to get the Western Conference figured out. It's a crazy night. Joy, how are you? I'm great. How are you? Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. You know when I was in my 20s, friends meant a lot. And I still

have good friends. I have really, really good friends. I've had the same seven, eight people in my life for like 30 years. My parking garage is full. There's no spaces available. I got great friends. but I wouldn't jump in front of a car to save a friend. I would for a family. I'd tell my friend, you're going to get hit by a car. You're stupid. I'd jump in front of a car for my family to save my kids' lives. So would you if you have kids.

Family over friends. My friends know that. They wouldn't jump in front of a car for me either if they got kids and a wife. Yesterday, LeBron chose friends over family. 3,000 miles. Laker House burning down. and all the young Lakers have to answer questions about LeBron. Magic quit, genies hiding, Polinka, Luke Walden, who knows there's futures.

And I know all you young 20-year-olds are like, no, no, come on, man, he and Dee Waiter tight. Yes, and that was a birthday party, not a funeral. It was a celebration that LeBron could have missed. In fact, he could have done both. He could have held a press conference in L.A. from his private jet. He's made $250 million in NBA salary alone and then flown to Brooklyn or fly to Brooklyn get off a plane and go live all over Los Angeles. But the house was burning last night.

Fire in the basement. Flooding. One of your kids is sick. And LeBron chose 3,000 miles away in Brooklyn with a friend at a birthday party. D. Wade would have understood. D. Wade's grown up. D. Wade's an adult. Does LeBron get this?

Does LeBron's guys, do they get this? The symbolism? The optics? LeBron with a superstar buddy. Hasn't that been the knock all year on LeBron? Hey, dude, you may want to put one of your teammates in one of these 38 projects. He's with a superstar buddies, disengaging once again. If I told my wife, if we had a crisis in my house, a crisis in my house, one of the kids was in the hospital.

We just had police. We had a break in. And I told my wife, I love you, baby. My friends have a birthday party. We are tight. I'll get back. She would change the locks on the doors, and she should. Family over friends.

And here's the big problem. LeBron considers DeWade family, not the Lakers. So on LeBron's mind, he did choose family. And that's why this year has been an utter disaster. He has never committed to his teammates. He's never committed. And once he got hurt and was no longer, playing with them for three hours a night.

He had no relationship with any of them. Yesterday, they're all standing up there. The Kyle Kuzmahs, the Lonzo Balls, the Josh Harts, the kids, and they're answering questions about LeBron James. Not right. Family over friends. Yesterday was a perfect moment for LeBron to swoop in, put on the Superman cape, and all the critics like me who have questioned his leadership, hold a press conference 20 minutes at LAX as you're getting on the jet.

Call the local sportscasters. Call the local radio. Do live for 15 minutes and say, hey, I didn't come here just for magic. I came here to win championships. I came here for the Laker fans. I came here for the brand. I came here for the community. I'm going to live here the rest of my life.

We good here. Instead, I got birthday party 3,000 miles away. Which, of course, Dwayne Wade would have totally. understood because Dwayne Wade, one of the great things about him, he's always been about family first, left briefly to Chicago, felt guilty, got right back. Family matters. But in LeBron's world, Chris Paul, Mello, D. Wade, their family. Lakers, these are my friends, kind of, you know. And that's why this has never worked. And that's why it will not work here unless LeBron puts his arms around young guys. Yesterday,

was a great example and a great opportunity for LeBron to talk about the future. And instead, he's 3,000 miles away celebrating the past. Isn't that been the problem all year? Remarkable. I mean, just, by the way, I love D. Wade. I used to love LeBron every day. You listened to me for nine years. And I think Dwayne Wade's final game is awesome.

It's great and should be celebrated. But yesterday was the biggest Laker crisis in maybe a decade, if for no other reason, the symbolism and the optics were terrible. And they could have easily been saved. Let me shift to this. A lot of good stuff today. Last night was the last game for Dirk and D. Wade. One of the things I love about sports,

I love how it's gotten smarter over the last 10 years. Analytics. Now, I believe in analytics and analytics. I want data. I want to be smarter. That's why Belichick remains the king. Nick Saban remains the king. Belichick's Andy Reid, Sean Payton.

They believe in taking care of the guys. But analytics matter. Analytics are just data that makes it easier to win. Now, people will argue Duane Wade is the better player than Dirk Novitsky. And I'm not interested in that argument. But I will tell you this. If they both entered the league today, you would draft Dirk Nwitzky and he would be the better player. It is a shooters league. And he is the only person on the planet you can even compare to Kevin Durant. Basketball has changed. It used to be about power. It used to be about intensity. It used to be

about winning the rebounding battle. It used to be about toughness. Now, length and shooting and spacing. And the three greatest big shooters in league history are Larry Bird, Dirk Novitsky, and Kevin Durant. If they came out today, by the way, this is why the process in Philadelphia, six years and one playoff series win,

because they drafted a bunch of big guys and Ben Simmons that can't shoot. This is why Golden States rebuild worked. They got Steph Curry, Clayton, then acquired Kevin Durant, all great shooters. It's why the Celtics rebuild has been better than the Sixers rebuild, because they got enough shooters, one or two. Sixers have really none that they've drafted.

There's a college football player coming out in the draft. It works this way in all sports. His name is Noah Fant. He plays for Iowa. He's a tied end. 20 years ago, Noah Fants are third, fourth, fifth round pick because he can't block. Now, Noah Fant's going to be a top 10, 12 pick. And mark my words.

He's going to be an uncoverable monster in the NFL. He's too fast for linebackers and too big for corners and safeties. Noah Fant is going to eat the NFL up. I mean like gronk eat it up. He's going to be unstoppable. Ten years ago, you'd say, skinny, can't block. Not a good enough blocker. By the way, in Major League Baseball, home runs, strikeouts, that's what it's about.

Nobody cares about, like, average. Gary Sanchez is a catcher for the Yankees. Gary Sanchez is a lousy defensive catcher. But Gary Sanchez can hit. He jacks out about 35 a year. And why? Because the analytics have changed. Because it's all about dingers.

It's all about jacks. It's all about power. It's all about home runs. It's not about average. It's about knock it out of the park. So Gary Sanchez, 20 years ago, yeah, 20 years ago your catcher had to be Johnny Bench. If he could hit it was great.

Tight ends had to be blockers first and then pass catchers. Now, forget about blocking. In the NBA today, D.Novitsky in a second over D. Wade. Dirk, D. Wittinsky is one of those guys who had a great career. It would have been significantly greater. And he coming to the NBA today. You'd have to take him over D. Wade. Now, D. Wade's more lovable and huggable, and he won titles with Shack.

We watched his college basketball career. So we loved D. Wade from the very beginning. Then he coupled up with Pat Ryan. They had a lot to love about him, plus the good guy. He's a good guy. Dirk played in Germany. We didn't watch him in high school. We didn't watch him in college.

Dallas had a lot of bad teams invisible. Marcellus Wiley talked about this yesterday on Speak for Yourself. Dirk overweight if they came into the league today. The thing is that's tough for Dwayne Wade is someone already did what you did, MJ, and someone was doing what you're doing, Kobe. And then it's like, it's tougher to just say, I'm all in the way. on you, Dway, when I saw that and I'm seeing that. We didn't see Dirk before.

We've never seen Dirk before. And I think because of that uniqueness, it kind of tilts it towards him. Yeah. Everybody in the world today is trying to find Dirk Novitsky. Every scout in the world is anybody got a seven-footer who can hit threes better than our guards and is athletic? Dirk's the only thing on the planet that's ever been close to Kevin Durant. Now, he's not as good as Kevin Durant because he's not as good a defender,

or he's not as athletic. But today they came out, it's the same with Noah Fanon, Iowa. It's the same with Gary Sanchez for the Yanks. Analytics has changed how the value of individuals, Dirk today coming out, my God. I mean, if he was coming out with Zion, ask yourself. There would be people arguing for Dirk over Zion, and I'm not sure they're wrong.

I'm not sure they're wrong. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, AM Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo.

Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking.

Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, 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, Keir Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free, Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world,

he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entire. entirely different worlds. Just how long can their empire survive?

The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them?

On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout, Kate Martin, and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't

feel like. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything.

I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts for wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of I Heart Women's Sports. I don't like me much in Ohio because I, unlike the rest of the American media and people, you know, with mostly a brain, do not think because O'Dell Beckham signed with the Browns and because they were seven and nine last year,

they're going to take the NFL over. Zaney, I think they're just collecting talent. They were seven and nine last year. I think there'll be about nine and seven this year, as long as Odell Beckham stays healthy, but they've got a rookie head coach. And frankly, again, they're really good at skill positions. We'll see how it works out. They're in a division with really well-run organizations, Baltimore and Pittsburgh,

who I think have a chance to both finish ahead of them. Baker Mayfield took a shot at me the other day, very hurtful, very painful for me to endure. As I came out and said, nobody's going to be honest about Cleveland. This thing could be a dumpster fire. Baker Mayfield fired a shot and said, come to Cleveland and ask, oh, If he actually likes it, your source is full of BS and while you're at it, come see if I'm a baby. What I said is he's a kid. He's a baby.

Second year in the league, he's very young, not like an infant. Very, very hurtful, very, very painful. And then, you know, Cleveland's so gassed up now. I just can't get over themselves. I mean, they've already scheduled a Super Bowl parade. A couple days ago, there was a Fox Sports had a Twitter poll on the best fan base. So we put it out there. It's a Twitter poll.

And you might as well have called this the most insecure fan base. base poll because the finalists were Tennessee and Cleveland, insecure NFL fan bases who want everybody to think they're great fans. Neither is a top 10 fan base in my opinion. Let me give you some images, let's say with the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Cleveland Browns in terms of fan participation. The Pittsburgh Steelers lead the NFL in tickets sold for visiting teams. The terrible towel. Maybe you've seen it at Super Bowls where they've literally turned Super Bowl. Bulls, which are supposed to be neutral fields into home field advantages for the Pittsburgh Steelers. No team in the NFL, it's almost collegiate.

In fact, it is, travels to as many road games as Steelers fans. Nobody's close in the NFL. Steeler Nation. Steeler Nation. By the way, several years ago, in San Diego, the Chargers hosted the Steelers. Philip Rivers, San Diego's quarterback, had to go to a silent count at home because there were so many Steeler fans in San Diego. There are images of Cleveland Brown fans, too.

Empty seats, bags on their head, and a bunch of guys from Lima, Ohio in the end zone, wearing masks and barking about nine Budweiser's in. So I don't buy that Cleveland has the best fans. I think Cleveland has low self-esteem with its football franchise, so does Tennessee, so they rush to a Twitter poll and fill it out. If I had to list a top 10 fan base, And I would use a series of things to determine what it is.

I think there are certain things that matter. Loyalty, size. Are you willing to sit in crappy weather? Have you been loyal for 20 years? What is your impact? Do you literally change audibles? Do you force teams to play differently? Things that matter.

Loyalty, size, consistent support, impact. Here's the best, to me, the best fan base is in the NFL, number one, Pittsburgh. and I'm not even sure it's close. The size is massive. They're willing to sit in crappy weather. It's one of the loudest stadiums. They've been loyal for 30-plus years. They travel better than anybody and turn Super Bowls into home field advantages.

Steelers is number one. Number two is Green Bay. Now, again, massive national size, one of the louder stadiums. They're loyal for even bad teams. It's a loud stadium, not the loudest. Not New Orleans or Seattle, but major impact. I'd say Philadelphia is the most underrated their third. It could be after New Orleans, the loudest stadium in the NFL.

The fan base is more regional than national, but, I mean, they had to put a jail in the bottom of their stadium. They get rowdy, they get loud, and it's an intimidating place to play. I'd put Denver 4. Again, because they're in the Rocky Mountains, nobody can even figure out the time zone. They have been filling stadiums forever. I grew up as a kid. The one place you didn't want my Seahawks to go was Denver. You couldn't hear.

An unbelievably loyal fan base and a massive, regional fan base. In the Rockies, they are the team of note. The Cowboys would be number five. It's the largest fan base in the country, but they're not that loyal. It's kind of corporate. They go to a stadium and they're not that loud. When's the last time anybody went to Dallas and said, I can't hear in here. It's just so loud. It's not that loud, but it's massive in terms of size. I don't think it's loyal either. If the Cowboys stunk for five years, the crowds would shrink. I'd put Kansas City number six, loud, it's just not a very big fan base, it's in Kansas City. You don't see a lot of Kansas City Chiefs hats around the country.

That size isn't very big, but it's one of the loudest stadiums. Arrowhead has loyal fan bases. Those people sit through hailstorms. They get the worst winter. Forget snow. They get hail storms. They get lightning strikes, and they just sit there. I'd say the Saints are 7.

Again, it's a small fan base. It's mostly regional. It's the loudest stadium in the NFL. NFL. It changes the way you have to attack the Saints when you go down in New Orleans. That's why nobody wants to go to New Orleans in play. It changes game plans. Loyal for the most part. They've had a little Cleveland in them where there were empty seats and bags on the heads. I would put number eight Seattle, second loudest NFL stadium. They have something called the 12th man for a reason. The weather's also a big advantage. People sit through rain. I've been one of them.

You don't see a lot of snow, but it's sopping wet for about six of those home games and raining sideways. I'd put Chicago at nine. Regional, national fan base. Some people will argue it's a little low, but I've seen empty seats through the years. But in terms of pregame, post-game, celebration, media coverage,

intensity and willingness to be in bad weather, plus it's soldiers loud. And number 10, I'd say Buffalo. To sit through all that bad football for most of the last 20 years, I just think you owe them the responsibility of being on this list. Maybe they, I mean, the parking lot stuff is legendary on the internet. Those are the 10 best fan bases in the National Football League.

Tennessee's not in the top 20. And Cleveland, you got to give me a break. I know everybody's telling you, Odell Beckham and 7 and 9 throw a parade, Mardi Gras. Slow down a little Cleveland. Slow down a little Cleveland. We're not, we're not pretending you don't exist. we all just are considering your owner, your coach,

we're considering your history, the youth of your quarterback, Odell Beckham's injury history. We're all just like pump the brakes a little. You don't, by the way, have the best team in your own division, nor do you have the best fan base. They are very loyal. I've seen a lot of empty seats. The ones that are there very loyal.

I mean, listen, I'm from Pittsburgh, so I have no reason to say. anything nice about Cleveland, as I always tell you. Can you imagine me tell my wife, listen, I cheated on you, but when I'm there, I'm loyal. You know, listen, I'm half the nights I sleep somewhere else. But you know, when I'm home, you're the only one for me. Who wants to go, it's Cleveland. Like, there's not that much going on. They're there. They go to games. Not as much as shit. And to their credit, they have not put a good product out there for a very long time. And they're just excited that they have a quarterback and they have Odo Becum Jr. and Jarvis Landry. Green Bay had 20 years of nothing. That place is, that

They're expanding their stadium now. That poll, did the Cowboys get out of the first round of that poll? I mean, I know we're tough on the Cowboys, but the Cowboys have the biggest brand in all of sports. Yeah, they have the biggest fan base, but it's very corporate. I don't think it's as loyal, and it's never, Dallas is not a loud stadium. It's a cool stadium.

Well, I wouldn't say that the environment there is vicious. It's not an intimidating place to play. Not Kansas City. But I would say, I think Cowboys fans probably need to be a little higher up because it is the biggest brand in all of sports. Like not just... Big. The biggest brand in all of sports.

You're big. Any league. Massive. Gigantic. No, literally it is. I said that's why I put them in the top five. Their size is great. But loyalty, passion, intensity, impact.

I'm just glad that you recognize that Pittsburgh is the best. That's all. I did. 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. Now, heck, I'm going to do it. So I was thinking about this.

I'm a big believer that if you struggle in life, it better prepares you for later in life. Right. Failure, obstacles. I mean, both of us, we haven't discussed this a lot, but I know enough about you and your life wasn't perfect. You've had battles. And it's made you tough. You're tough. Somebody asked me about a couple years ago what I thought of joy.

And I said, joy's tough. No, thank you. Joy's tough. She can handle herself. She's tough. And that's a big thing for me. Because life's about, and I didn't have a perfect childhood, blah, blah, blah.

It's interesting. Magic got a lot of heat right this year in basketball. He quit. I want you to think about this. Magic's basketball life. I don't want to talk about his personal life. I'm just talking basketball. High school, All-American,

goes to Michigan State wins a title. Number one pick. Joins Karim and the Lakers win the title. it's been a lot of success. Not a lot of basketball court failures for magic. LeBron got cut by his high school team. Last two years in college didn't win. Got the you know what kicked out of him for six years in this league before he won.

Had to make his way through two dynasties. One, went to baseball, failed. Came back, won. Then went to Washington failed. And has struggled for Michael Jordan, excuse me. Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan, despite all the six-for-six, has had nothing but obstacles to overcome.

Michael gets laughed, mocked. We roll our eyes at his GM moves, at his ownership stuff. Magic's basketball life has been virtually a book. High School All-American, college title, number one pick, join Kareem, best brand. Not a lot of basketball courts struggle. as great as Michael is cut two years in college didn't win wasn't the number one pick had that chip on his

shoulder third pick beat up physically mentally beat up coaches fired Celtics beat him up pistons beat him up then he wins goes tries baseball sports illustrated media laughs at him is that magics had such a great basketball success story. This failure as a coach and as a president, it's hard for him. I think it's hard. Basketball and magic's just success, success, success, success. Michael Jordan, despite his basketball success, man, there's a lot of failures in there. There's a lot of, you're not good enough. You can't beat them. You get knocked to the ground. You get drafted third. And it's just funny. I was driving to work today and I was thinking, man, if you wrote a book about just basketball.

I'm not talking about personal life. Just basketball. Magic's a story. Michael's career is a road, and there were a lot of potholes, and he overcame a lot of them and was told no, a lot, and lost a lot and beaten up a lot.

And I think it's created this thing with Michael Jordan, where he's got a real resilience running Charlotte. He's... Michael's road is way tougher than you think in basketball. It's been really, Way tougher than people think. And it's created a little bit of a nastiness with Michael, a toughness. I mean, I've known enough people, and I would tell Michael to this to his face.

His Hall of Fame speech was petty. It was like... I told you. Sometimes you got to wait all the way to the end to get him. It's that Andy Dufrain line. Remember that Andy Dufrain line when he had to go through the tunnel to get out? Michael's, that tunnel for Michael was a real thing. Here's Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame speech.

Do you remember this? And then there's Leroyer Smith. Now, you got to think that's a myth. Ler Smith was a guy when I got cut, he made the team on the varsity team. And he's here tonight. He's still the same 6-7 guy. He's not any bigger. Probably his game is about the same.

But he started the whole process for me because when he made the team and I didn't, I wanted to prove not just to Leroy Smith, not just to myself, but to the coach who actually picked Lerro over me. I wanted to make sure you understood you made a mistake, dude. and it's still part of Michael all those failures it's so good i mean it's but it's i mean i'm telling you i mean i think sometimes we forget a how great magic was and how perfect it was who his nickname is magic he literally entered the NBA and they're like uh who's your center kareem i mean kareem was like the unstoppable force of the league jamal wilkes then pretty soon it's the lakers

the bulls were terrible when jordan got there they were terrible when jordan got there they were tear or a laughing stock. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the

internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source.

athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slicelife-Live-12 in the the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. and we don't know when we've done enough.

Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, iHeartRadio app search learn the hard way and listen now.

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across.

When Jacob met Levant this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin

and rising hockey star, Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces. that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki.

The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up.

even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Chris Broussard's upset with me because I'd said earlier today, there was a Twitter poll that had the Cleveland Brown fans as the number one fans in the NFL, and I said it was a Twitter poll, so what it really was is most insecure fan base.

Stop. Rushing to Twitter to say, we're the best, whereas Steeler fans are like, we're the best. We don't need to rush to a Twitter poll. You know I represent the land. The land. I represent the land. And I grew up an avid Steelers fan.

Loved them. Steel Curtin, Lynn Swan, Frank O'Harris, all that. But Cleveland fans are terrific. Cleveland Browns fans are the best. The dog pound is out of this world. And here's the difference. You mentioned the Steelers. You mentioned Green Bay.

Being a Steelers or a Packers fan is like dating the homecoming queen. Everybody wants to date her. She's beautiful. So, of course, you're there, you're loyal. You'll sit through the bad weather, wait for her outside while she's getting her makeup on and to take her out on a date. But being a Browns fan, that's like dating the ugliest girl on campus and you sport her like a champ.

You walk into the cafeteria arm and arm like you got the best looking girl in the world. Who's more loyal in that scenario? The guy with the ugly girl. girl. He doesn't care. He just loves her for who she is. That's the difference. We love the Browns for who they are in the land. Can you get over the land thing? I like the land. I think that's one of the freshest city names out there. My whole life, it was never called the land. Like an hour ago, it's like suddenly it's the land. Who came up with that? You know I got you. My scenario was great. You had to agree with that. I do. I think there's something to be said about fans. That's

why I put Buffalo on the list, because I do think there's something about sitting in lousy weather when your team's not very good. And Buffalo, outside of the Jim Kelly era, has not been very good. We didn't have a Jim Kelly era, though. Cleveland didn't have a Jim Seipp and a Bernie Coy. I remember Brian Seid and a kid. He's pretty good. He's pretty good. Yeah, we got close. Ernest Biner to fumble and all that. Yeah, the Jim Brown era. I wasn't around them, but anyway. All right, let's go. Before we get to the Laker stuff, I want to break down. I'm going to go playoffs. Wait on, let me do the Laker thing first.

Let me do the Laker thing first because I want to get to something. I want you to offer clarity to the audience. Yesterday, I mean, I think LeBron should have said something. I think somebody should have said something. Nobody said anything. Nobody. That doesn't feel like a grown-up business. No, look, LeBron, you're right.

He should have spoken either after the game, Tuesday night, or early Wednesday morning. Say something. I agree. However, what's worse is that Jeannie Bus and Rob Polis. and Rob Polinka didn't say anything. Who's running the organization? I've been talking to people around the league. When they showed up, what was it, Wednesday morning after this,

nobody knew what to do. Nobody knew what to do. The Lakers are run like it's 1983. They're a mom-and-pop operation in a league full of corporations. They're behind in terms of scouting. They're behind in terms of analytics. They're behind in terms of all the technology. You would never think that because they're the glamorous Lakers,

but they've been running on talent. When Shaq and Kobe were there, they ran on the talent of those great players. And that's what they're still doing to this day. And here's, look, there are people that feel like Rob Polinka orchestrated a coup to get magic out of there. Okay, because now obviously he couldn't force Magic to resign,

but magic referred to all the backbiting, the backstabbing, the talk. Clearly a shot at Polinka. No question. throughout the organization, Rob would go all over. Where's magic? Have you seen magic? Magic's not here.

And letting people know magic's never around. Okay, so people, and that got to magic. When you're Magic Johnson, you don't have to put up with backbiting and all that stuff. So magic's out. The feeling is that Rob knows the Lakers are way behind the times. And so now that we'll see if he ends up with the power. But now that he has the power, his plan is. to get them back up to speed like a 2019 organization should be run.

Bring in a GM under him, probably a young, hot GM, because a lot of the older guys don't really like Rob and trust him and may not want to work for him. But bringing a young hot GM, build up the infrastructure of the front office, just like all the other hot teams are, and then Rob will look like the genius. And that would work out for the Lakers because that's what they need. They could go other routes.

We've all heard David Griffin. I think they got to sit down with David Griffin. But David Griffin would probably have to be the president and be able to do whatever he wants. He has LeBron's trust. He knows how to work with Rich Paul. And I'm not saying you don't turn the organization over to LeBron and Rich, but you do have to have their trust.

So I think they should look at him. You know, obviously we threw out Jerry West and, you know, Masay, UJerry, and Toronto, guys like that. But that is what a lot of people are thinking. And now, Rob, if he stays, he's going to build up this infrastructure the way it needs to be for modern day NBA basketball. Here's the other thing. Kobe Bryant is not, he doesn't want to be the president or the GM or anything like that. Okay.

But Kobe Bryant has Jeannie Bus's ear unlike very few people have. I mean, she essentially chose Kobe over magic, which is incredible being how close her in magic. where magic, I believe when Magic and LeBron sat down for that three-hour meeting a few days ago, Magic was like, I want to get rid of Luke, and I want to get rid of Rob Polinka. And then he went to Jeannie to talk about it. And Jeannie, as much as she wanted Luke, she would have let him do that. She was not going to let him get rid of Rob Polinka. Why?

Because of Kobe. So Kobe will always be behind the scenes. Not that he's trying necessarily to manipulate. the situation. But she trusts Kobe, she loves Kobe. She's going to go to Kobe. What do you think about this trade? What do you think about hiring so-and-so? What do you

think? And Kobe's going to have a say. The thing is he's going to have a say removed from the day-to-day operations of what's going on in the league and the NBA. So he won't have the context to know all the other things going on but he's just going to share his opinion.

I don't know that anything's going to get done with the Lakers without Kobe kind of sign it off on it and Jenny thinking Kobe's with it. So they need, look, they need to upgrade. They need to... The mom and pop in a corporate world. That's what they are. That's what they are.

All right, let's go through the playoffs real quick here. Let's start with the Western Conference. Warriors one seed against the Clippers, eight seed, no upset, right? Both shoot three as well. No, Golden State. Okay. Rockets, Jazz. Jazz are very efficient. May be the Boston of the West, well coach, rim-protected. or can't shoot much, Rockets win?

The jazz are scary because, as you say, a rim protector. So what does Houston do? Threes or at the rim. Right. The stuff at the rim is going to be tough. If they run Houston off the three-point line, like San Antonio's done in the past, run them off the three-point line

and make them drive, they're not going to stop at 15 feet and pull up. They're going to go all the way to the rim, and then you got Rudy Gobert, the best rim protector in the league right there. So they can be tough, but I'm going with Houston. I just don't think the jazz have enough shoes.

They're not ready, right. Thunder blazers. Thunder dominated the series. Westbrook get out of the first round. I think he does. Yeah, I like the thunder in this one. Partly because I think the Thunder do have a lot of talent, obviously, even though they kind of ended the season in a spiral.

And Portland's just banged, you know, obviously. CJ McCullough had a knee injuries back, not a hundred. Nurch. So, yeah, they're going out again in the first round. Okay. Nuggets can shoot, and they're deep. but their three best players have never been in the playoffs. Chance the Spurs upset the Nuggets?

I got the Spurs. I got the Spurs pulling off the upset. And probably in six, because it's going to be tough to go there in a game seven and win in Denver. But I think the Spurs. Look, Yolkech is probably the best player on the floor. But the next three. Right, are Lamarcus and Aldridge and DeMarco.

They obviously, as great as Mike Malone is, as a coach, and he's second on my coach of the year ballot. behind Mike Bootenhozer, obviously Pops got the edge. And the big thing is, as you said, experience. And in the playoffs, you need a guy that when all else fails can just break down the defense and get his offense off. Denver doesn't really have that type of guy as good as Yokic is. So I like the spurs for the upset.

Okay, so you got Warriors, Rockets, Thunder, Spurs over the Nuggets. All right, let's go to the East. I'm going to tell you quickly. I got this thunder upsetting, San Antonio, well, I don't know it would be an upset, but beating San Antonio in the next round and Golden State, OKC in the conference finals, Golden State winning. OKC in the Western Conference Finals. Yes.

It's shame to see them upset by Portland. Westbrook is awesome. Say it. Let's go to the East. He's very talented. Let's go to the East. Buck's Pistons, they could, apathy is the only roadblock for Milwaukee. This is a massive.

Blake Griffin, credit to Blake Griffin. I watched the Pistons play about. two weeks ago. Blake's had a great year. He's maybe the third best player in the East, fourth best player in the East. He's had a great year. He has had a very good year. Blake is a great play. Blake should be a Hall of Famer.

Oh, yes. Right, Blake is a great player. But I think we're overstating it. He's in the East. They're the 8th seed. If you're that great in the East, you shouldn't be the A seat. That's all I'm saying. I think he's playing more. He's handling the ball. He's shooting threes more. It's nice. But, you know.

Celtics, Pacers. I think the Pacers, when they lost Victor Oladipo, played with a great deal of heart for about six weeks. And I think they've been sort of unveiled. They don't have enough shot makers. No, no. It's Boston. But it'll be tough, but Boston. Okay.

Raptors over the magic, not close, right? Raptors. Sixers players, Tobias, Simmons, Butler, Embed. Ambide's hurt. Their best four players haven't played that many games together. I think the Sixers are vulnerable. In the first round? Do you know what you're going to get from Tobias Harris and Ben?

Jim Simmons. Are you sure M. Bede's not going to play this weekend? They're beating Brooklyn. They're beating. Now, I agree. The fact that M. Beat is questionable. That, that bothers you. But they'll beat Brooklyn. It might go six. And Brooklyn is well coached, obviously. And they're a little machine. A little house money. I get it. But none of them have been there either. And there's got to be. I don't care what they say. There's got to be a sense of, we had a great, we made it.

You know, like, they're satisfied. I get it. And DeAngel Russell is your leader, and he's at a great year, but I'll take Philly over. I will too, but I think it's uncomfortable. Yeah, if M.B. If M.B.

If this goes, if this goes further. They don't have a lot of shot makers. No. If Reddick's not hitting. The only thing, if M.B. It's not there, and obviously they're not better without him, but you put Ben in the post even more, and Ben can score down there in the post.

Oh, yeah, yeah. And then it's probably a little better floor space and everybody's more comfortable with been down there low and you don't have to worry about Embed on the three. So they'll get by them. But I'm picking Toronto

over Milwaukee in the conference final. What? Because of experience. Look, I hope I'm wrong. I'm pulling for Milwaukee. My two favorite teams in the east are Milwaukee and Philly.

So I would love to see either of them talent wise, yes. I don't trust. Those are my, like I would love to see Milwaukee get to the finals because I think they're length could really give Golden State some problems. Well, they're a great rebounding and great defensive team with a star offensive player. Exactly.

And I think they, and they shoot the three really well. They could give Golden State some problems. So I hope Milwaukee gets there, but they just have no experience at this level. And Toronto obviously has got great experience with Kauai and Danny Green. So I'm going with Toronto to win the east. Hope I'm wrong. Chris Broussard, good stuff, buddy. Good talking to you. Thank you.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the I-Heart Radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo, and every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline.

And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. 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 acapella 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. Life is full of hurdles. So how do you keep going?

On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world. I can do anything.

I can do anything. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest criminal alliance I've ever reported on, a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multi-million dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last?

Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.