The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 04/16/2019

Episode Date: April 16, 2019

Colin thinks Kevin Durant won’t survive in New York if he’s already letting Patrick Beverly into his head.  He thinks the Seahawks did the right thing giving Russell Wilson such a huge contract. He’s ready to bet the house that free agents like Kawhi Leonard will end up with the Clippers and not the Lakers if they move to LA.  Plus, NBA Champion Matt Barnes stops by to school Colin on some playoff hoops.  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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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. Ah, here we go on a loaded Tuesday live in Los Angeles. This is The Herd, wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS-Wan, in one hour from now, I'm going to make an announcement. I've never done this.

One hour from now. It is crazy. I can't believe the opportunity tonight. and I'm not going to give it. Oh, I think I know what it is. I cannot believe what's happening. Joy Taylor is joining me. In one hour, I'm going to announce it.

I've never done this before. So in one hour, this is crazy. I think I know what you're talking about. It's a lot of first in that department for you. Yes, there are a lot of first. I cannot believe the opportunity. I want to start with this. You know what, you ever heard this, Joy, when people say,

well, you're rich. You live in a bubble. You've heard that term before, right? And I think it's a very fair criticism of the American media. The American media, the network people, New York, L.A., D.C., they live in a bubble. You know, they don't have real problems and real dilemmas and real obstacles. A lot of Americans have. You live in a bubble.

I think that's a real criticism of the American media. You don't get our pain. You don't see our pain. I agree. I live in a bubble. L.A. by the beach. It's a bubble. Right?

It's not like typical. But does Kevin Durant realize? he lives in a basketball bubble. He's got a coach that used to be a player that handles the media brilliantly. In fact, Steve Kerr was a broadcaster and a good one. He's got a GM that was a player. Bob Meyer, they say, is the egoless general manager. He's one of the only ones in the NBA.

He's got no ego. You're well-funded. Steph Curry's great. You got the bouncer at the bar, Boogie Cousins or Draymond Green to protect you. And you have a very soft media in San Francisco, which the Warriors were so bad for some. long. They're just happy that you're good, historically easy media in San Francisco.

Because Kevin Durant needs insulation. Kevin Durant right now is living in a basketball bubble. He needs to because suddenly 6'1 Patrick Beverly is completely in his head. Patrick Beverly. The best basketball player in the NBA is Kevin Durant. Patrick Beverly is in his head. Last night Durant had nine turnovers and only took eight shots. By the way, his own teammate, Raymond Green got in his head earlier this year. When you go to New York, no Steph, no Clay, no Kerr, no boogie, no, no Dremont, no friendly media, Kevin Durant is so easily disrupted. It's incredible.

This is a guy where a headline in a newspaper in Oklahoma City, remember that Mr. Unreliable, threw him into a tizzy. He was caught with a burner account on Twitter. He regularly gets testing with the San Francisco media, which is, by any standard a pretty easy big market media. It ain't Philly. It ain't Boston. It ain't Chicago.

It's not New York. Last night, Kevin Durant is being disrupted by Patrick Beverly. Okay. So whenever I hear this saying, man, you media people live in a bubble. I'm always like, yeah, there's a lot of truth in that. This is America's basketball bubble. Kevin Durant has a coach that used to be a player in a broad. podcaster, an eagle-less general manager.

Actually, Steph Curry and Clay Thompson are about as eagulless as NBA stars get. You got the bouncer to deal with the tough stuff. Is anybody watching this series? I've always said, the Warriors are the best offensive team in my lifetime. I don't think they're the best basketball team. I think Michael Jordan's Bulls are the best basketball team. And this series is a great example. The Clippers are getting physical with the Warriors and it gives them trouble.

The Rockets got physical with them last year and it got him trouble. I don't even, I mean, I think what would Dennis Rodman, Scotty Pippen, and Michael Jordan do to the Warriors? They'd push them all over the floor. I do think it's the best offensive team I've ever seen. But I just don't think, I mean, it's perfect for today's finesse basketball. But one of the reasons they brought Boogie Cousins to this team, and he is out until the finals, reportedly, after that injury last night, is despite all of his baggage, he's a tough guy. And Wayne Gretzky, you ever notice with Wayne Gretzky's hockey? teams, they always had a tough guy on the team. You mess with Wayne. We'll send our bouncer

over. Wayne Gretzky never played with a team that didn't have a bouncer, didn't have a tough guy, didn't have a little bit of a hockey thug to beat you upside the head if you got in the way of Wayne Gretzky. But, I mean, I'm watching KD and I'm thinking, this is a guy that went sideways with a headline in Oklahoma City who's regularly chirping at the San Francisco media, who had a burner account, who gets upset easily. And Patrick Beverly is, in his skull. I mean, Patrick Beverly

getting Michael Jordan's head, Kobe Bryant's head. Dude, all that stuff's not going to New York with you. Because I've been told

Kevin Durant, the New York's a done deal. Okay. This is the ultimate NBA bubble. New arena, a lot of money, perfect coach,

no ego, great, teammates, got a bouncer. None of that stuff's going to New York. And I mean, even when he gets occasional pushback in San Francisco, he gets testing with the San Francisco media, which is just a bunch of people wanting you to win because they were terrible for 40 years. Okay, let's go to the breaking news.

Kind of breaking last night late. Russell Wilson has signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He is now officially the highest paid NFL player. It was very interesting, by the way. Russell Wilson made up a deadline. There was no real deadline yesterday, for American taxpayers. It was the tax day. But Russell Wilson said, April 15th, you either give me a new deal or I'm never signing

long-term deal. That was reported by Peter King. That was a make-believe day. I mean, the season didn't start last night and you and I missed it. It was just sort of a make-believe deadline. And Seattle completely caved, and they should have. Why? because, as multiple sources have now said, which we broke initially a month ago, Russell Wilson was willing to leave. The word was out, and Seattle and Pete Carroll and John Snyder heard the same stories. Tyron Matthews tweet yesterday, we broke this a month ago.

We said he will go to New York. He is interested in New York. And now creating sort of a fake deadline? I mean, don't these things usually take months and months and months? Russell's like, pay me April 15th, or according to multiple reports, I'm not signing long term. Seattle totally cave. So there's three things I think about this contract.

First of all, Seattle did the right thing. Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan are going to score a bunch of points in this division. You got to play them twice. And Sean McVan, Jared Goff, and that offensive line and Todd Gurley, they're going to score a bunch of points in this division. and you've got to play them twice a year. And my gut feeling is Josh Rosen or probably Kyler Murray and Cliff Kingsbury. They're going to score a bunch of points in this division.

You've got to play them twice. So six games a year in this division, I don't care how good your defense is. With the new NFL rules, you better drop a 28 burger or a 30 burger or you're losing those games. So Seattle did the right thing. The second thing is Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. Their top wide receiver is Doug Baldwin, drafted. He's never had a great tied end in his prime. The offensive

lines in recent years have been awful. They finally hired a legit coach. It's still an offensive line that's average personnel wise, and for many years it was terrible. And running backs, they never replaced Marshawn Lynch. He's had overwhelmingly average weapons. You owed him one.

Big Ben doesn't have average weapons. Ever. Breeze doesn't have average weapons. Philip Rivers doesn't have average weapons. Patrick Mahomes doesn't have average weapons. Patrick Mahomes doesn't have average weapons. Carson Wenz doesn't have average weapons. Aaron Rogers had pretty good weapons.

Always good offensive lines, by the way. Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. But third, and this is really, really a big one. And this is where I was told Russell got married. You marry a woman, strong woman point of view. They talk to you. And this is where Russell Wilson, this was a nonverbal deadline. Since Russell Wilson arrived in Seattle, the 12th man gets the credit, Pete Carroll gets the credit, Richard Sherman gets the credit, Legion of Doom gets the credit.

They were all carrying Russell Wilson, right? That's what you've been led to believe. Short memory, Pete Carroll had been fired twice, went 7-9, 7-9, and was heading into a season with Matt Flynn against, remember those Harbaugh 49er defenses? Yeah, that would have been adorable. Matt Flynn against that defense. And Russell Wilson saved the franchise and saved Pete Carroll's job and saved John Snyder's job and elevated the franchise to a national brand, which it had never been, ever. And now the Seahawks are a national brand. And they're worth probably a billion more today than seven years ago when Russell Wilson arrived.

Seattle did the right thing. They owed him one on weapons. But this was Russell Wilson making a demand and absolutely immediately get. getting his team to cave because he was moving and it was out and Seattle knew it and he deserved it and you owed him one but this has been Russell Wilson's franchise for several years this morning finally it's official he's always deserve more credit than he's received by the way my staff tells me Russell and his beautiful wife Sierra were announcing the new deal last night on social media. Do we have that? Is that the

cozy thing? Can I just watch that? Would you run that, please? Thank you. Hey, Seattle. We got a deal. Go Hawks. Go Hawks. But I'm going to see y'all in the morning. Good night.

Time for y'all go to bed. Finally, we can go to sleep. That's so adorable. He's stunning on him there. Sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. 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. Sports Slice 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 Slices Life 12. and 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,

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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 Levan 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 feel on. 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. when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Great to have you in. So I'm watching the Clippers last night. They're not going to beat

Golden State in a series. It's a seven gamer, it's tied at one. They overcame a 31-point deficit. Largest deficit ever overcome in a playoff game. And the Warriors fell asleep. This is what they do. They do it in the regular season. They generally don't do it at home with a 31-point list. lead. But they did lose boogie cousins, did the warrior, so they don't have a legitimate big. I think that'll hurt him against Houston. I don't think it'll hurt him necessarily against the Clippers, but the Clippers play their butt off. But I'm sitting there thinking, Kauai Leonard bought a $15 million home in Southern California. He's from here. And there's a lot of people over 50% believe he's going to be thinking about the Clippers or Lakers.

If you were sitting watching the Clippers last night, New Quai Leonard, chemistry, coach, roster, toughness, dudes, size. Gosh, it's like they're just missing one piece. A really great two-way player. I mean, if you're Kauai Leonard watching that game, aren't you the only thing they're missing? Right now, the Lakers don't even have a CEO. They don't even have a coach. I mean, just, and couple it with this.

This is a real thing. Zach Lowe and Adrian Ward Janowski, instead of a wojabom, This is a whoa bomb on their podcast. Zach Lowe, reputable guy, well-sourced, said there's a Laker orbit in L.A. And then there's a LeBron orbit. And I've had powerful people in the league tell me, we don't want the person to be from either of those orbits. We don't want the new GM to have any connection to LeBron. My players don't want to have the impression that LeBron is running the team.

Well, that's been amplified because now Magic Johnson's gone. So LeBron absolutely is running the team. What does this do with Ty Lou? If you hire Ty Lou, who's probably the best available candidate, oh, now you got Cleveland guy and LeBron, and then do you sign Anthony Davis because that's a clutch sports LeBron guy? And I'm sitting there watching that game last night. For years and years, the Yankees have always been the organization of note over the Mets

and the Giants over the Jets and the Lakers over the Clippers. But if you compared franchises today, let's stack them up. Location, it's a draw. They both not only play in Los Angeles, but the same basketball facility. And let's go down the line here. And you stack up the Lakers and the Clippers owner. Well, Steve Balmer at this point, the Microsoft gazillionaire, much more stability in ownership. Well, let's go to management.

Again, much more stability right now with the Clippers, Jerry West, their analytics team. Let's go ahead, coach. You could argue this is Doc Rivers' best year. The Lakers don't actually currently have one. Let's go to roster. Well, actually, the Clippers have shooters. You know, shooters, good defensive stoppers. Here's what the Lakers have.

Banners and unrealistic expectations. Those two boxes check, check Lakers win. So I'm sitting there if I'm Kauai Leonard this morning, and I'm watching this Clipper Warrior series. And I'm watching it last night and I'm thinking, God, you know what the Clippers could really use? About a 23 a point, a game two-way dude. Kauai Leonard. I'm not saying he's going to leave Toronto.

But there's a lot of people in Lakerland that think they have a chance to get him. And there's a lot of people in Clipperland who are a little nervous that the Lakers brand is really something. It's Giants over Jets. It's Yankees over Mets. But I tell you, this has been such a great advertisement. Doc Rivers and the Clippers have done such a tremendous job this year. No egos, no whiners, no complainers. Last night, some of their better players didn't get on the floor.

They had a rotation that was working. Their energy, they're laughing, they're fun, they play hard, they play physical. What an advertisement. They're going to lose this series, but what an advertisement for Kauai Leonard or any free agent. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search heard to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Every year I do something called a Blazing Five.

And I don't bet college games. I don't really bet anything. I love betting NFL football. And because I don't believe years ago when I lived in Las Vegas, there was a guy named Lem banker. He was a professional sports gambler. And Lem was kind of a legend. And I remember the advice he gave me early. He said, don't bet everything.

Figure out something you know and love and just bet it. He goes, become a specialist. And so, you know, I'll bet. I'll bet a handful of college football games, the big ones, but I bet the NFL. And I take a lot of pride in it that I've hit close to 60% for about a decade straight. It's hard. Professional handicappers try to get 57.5 to 58. I've gotten 60 once, 55 and above every year. I've never had a bad year.

Last year was a very good year for us. Joy was here. It was about 57-58%. We were absurdly hot in the playoffs. We were really hot in the playoffs to get us close to 60%. We're very proud of that. I don't bet the NBA. I did occasionally years ago, but we have a show on this network called Lock It In.

I'm going to make a bet through Rachel Bonetta, I think, because there is a bet tonight. And by the way, I don't want you to bet this because I'm not an expert on NBA lines and the fluctuation over unders. But I check lines all the time. Oklahoma City, if you don't know how betting works, is getting points tonight. So Portland, the inferior team, who just won game one, is the favorite tonight. What? Vegas made a mistake. Oklahoma City is winning this game.

So Oklahoma City shot 15% for threes. Five for 33. 15%. And we're down by three with five seconds left on the road. And Paul George's shoulder hurt. And Portland's the favorite tonight? The game was seven, eight seconds left was a game. Oklahoma City was terrible.

Paul George, who was my MVP at the All-Star break, Paul George was, let me see the number here, he shot 33% from the floor. And Russell Westbrook, and I'm critical of Russell, he's a roller coaster, but generally if he's not good, he usually bounces back with a pretty good effort. Billy Donovan's a good coach.

Damian Lillard was so hot at one point. I don't think Portland can duplicate that. So let me just, I'm going to just grab, casually grab, get it close up here. I'm going to grab my wallet out of my pants. Just casually, see what I have in it here. Hold on. I just, oh, there's my wallet. That's how you carry your money around.

That's how I carry my. I just have a little bit of money in my wallet. I'm betting all of it on Oklahoma City tonight. I'm going to make a bet. Can I say how much I'm going to bet? Now that would be too tacky. I'm going to bet the most money I've ever bet, not in a sporting event because that would be $1,000.

I did that a couple of times. I'm going to bet the most money I can morally and financially withstand for an NBA game tonight. I do not want anybody else to bet this. Do not. Don't listen to me. I'm just letting you know when you watch the game tonight. What you are going to do with all your money. Daddy has pushed all his chips to the table on Oklahoma City.

On Westbrook. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's a little weird for you. Well, he's not my favorite player. I'm not denying he's talented. Don't you feel like you're teasing karma a little bit with that? No.

No. Daddy's not teasing. Daddy's going all chips in. I am literally just ran. I'm taking every penny in my wallet on Oklahoma City tonight. Please do not listen to me. Don't whine on Twitter if you bet a fortune and can't pay your cable bill. This is on me tonight.

I'm just letting you know authentically. I'm going to do some transparency. I am betting huge on OKC tonight. You don't think it's maybe a trap? No, I don't. I think the guys in Vegas were drunk. I don't think they watched game one. Oklahoma City can't shoot 15% again.

I'm with you on that. You know, I don't want to brag, but this is how, mostly, this is what I just, this is my wallet looks like at all times. I would suggest probably carrying a little less cash And maybe we can all, you know Put our monies together Okay, I'll make a deal If Oklahoma City wins tonight

How about Pizza Party after Wednesday's show? How about that? Uncle Colin buys pizza for the whole staff. Toppings? Oh, slow down. I accept that. Okay.

I cannot wait for tonight. I cannot wait. Sausage and pepperoni. If you win, we'll get you a frozen pizza. You can eat. There we go. All right, let me shift to this. Okay, so Russell Wilton signed the contract.

Now, on this show, most of you think I love the Seahawks and hate the Packers. But I've always believed honesty is the key to this show and transparency. I would have paid Aaron Rogers everything they paid him in Green Bay. And I would have paid Russell Wilson everything they paid him. I would love to get a discount. That's not realistic. Aaron's not made the big boy money yet. He does now.

Russell's not made the big boy money yet in the NFL. He does now. It's easier for Brady, not because of his wife, but because Brady's made all of the millions. Brady's at the end of his career. Tom Brady should take financial concessions now to have a better roster. But I get, I'm not going to ask Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson to never take the big check. That's unfair by me. Russell has earned it. Aaron has earned it. They should take every penny of it. Now, I do think if Aaron's playing nine years from now, Aaron should take concessions to have better corners, a better pass rush and a better right tackle. But Russell

deserves the money and so did Aaron. But I got to tell you, I think Aaron Rogers is in a very good spot, better than Russell Wilson going forward. The Green Bay Packers, realizing two years ago that they were going to have to pay Aaron, got very smart about their defense. Anytime Aaron's had a good defense, Aaron has won big. So two years ago, they drafted a corner out of Washington, Kevin King. This past year, Jair Alexander and Josh Jackson, they drafted. They're cheap, and they're both.

Alexander's a monster player. Then they went out and got mid-level free agents. So they have added six potential starters at a reasonable price going forward. And Green Bay has a history in recent years of drafting very well. So Green Bay knew they were going to pay Aaron. And so they went out and said, we got to get a cheap defense. We got to draft defense, defense, defense. They also have two first round picks this year.

I would not be shocked if Green Bay didn't go back to defense because they have their offensive lines settled. So I think going forward, Aaron's contract is not going to be as bigger roadblock as Russell Wilson's. But I don't blame Russell. Here's what's happened in Seattle. When Pete Carroll left USC and went to the Seahawks, those first three years, 2010, 2011, 2012, Pete knew the college game. He'd recruited all these guys. The Seahawks kicked everybody's butt in the draft.

They were finding guys in the third, fourth, fifth, sixth round. great players, not good. But now as Pete has distanced himself from college, they've not done great. They don't have a Pro Bowl or drafted since 2000. I think it is 2000. Let me look it up here. 2012. Last year's first round pick, I thought they reached on a running back.

It was the richest running back draft in years. There was no reason to take a running back in the first round. There were plenty of good draft picks at running back in the second, third, fourth, and fifth round. I thought they reached. and they only have four draft picks at all this year. They have very little draft capital. So my concern is Aaron's making a fortune, but Green Bay has done a very good job to draft defense

and go mid-level free agents, and I think Aaron's going to have a top-10 defense. I don't think it'll get in the way. In fact, I think Green Bay is going to win their division. Seattle has not drafted particularly well in the last several years. I thought they reached on their first round pick last year, and I think it's going to get in the way of Russell Wilson winning games going forward. I also think he's in the tougher division.

That is not a, I'm not knocking. I'll never ask a pro athlete to not take the first opportunity. Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford, Dak Prescott. I mean, am I supposed to, DAC's been taking a discount for years? Now, I, as a Dallas cowboy owner, would try to get the best deal I could. But if you think DAC's going to take a massive discount, it's very hard for me to tell any pro athlete. I can do this for 30 years. They're doing that for 12.

I'm not going to ask a pro athlete, take discounts. Now, year 9, year 10, year 12, you got rings, you got cash, you got two, you got endorsements, you got commercial. Then, like LeBron now, I think, is in concession territory. Don't squeeze for every penny. You've made $300 million playing basketball. You've made $200 million on shoes. You're going to make another $500 million over the rest of your life at Nike.

Take $6 million less a year and get a shooter. I mean, I think that's just, I think that's part of being a legend. I think you take, now in baseball, there's no salary. But in football and basketball and hockey, you know, if you're a star and you've got $250 million in the bank, get a better right tackle. Get a better wing guard. It'll help you win games and improve your legacy. So the thing about Russell is, I think he deserved it.

I do think it will get in the way over the next three and four years of having that extra slot receiver, having that little better center. I think it'll hurt. I don't think it'll hurt Aaron as much because I think they've done a really good job in Green Bay. defensively building this team. And I think they figured it out about three years ago. They're like, we got to pay Aaron a lot. We've got to get this thing tight.

They've gone heavy defense. And I think Green Bay's got some really, really good young defensive players. Okay. I bet I got a lot. I can't wait to get home and just wait for the game. I'm so excited. So nice to win a thousand dollars. You know, sit around and do mock drafts until the game.

You know, I just reach it in my wallet. You know, this is just like carrying around in cash. This is just like carrying around. I bet every penny of it. I'm going to share my family pictures. That's a little too private. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. 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 story, 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 beaders 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 Slic Life 12 and 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, 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, our heart radio 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'm ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this plant 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 podcasts. 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 Ladeki. 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 IHeart Women's Sports. Matt Barnes, 14 years in the NBA. So Patrick Beverly, you know, a foot shorter, is all in on Kevin Durant.

And I just said this earlier. You've heard the old saying, you know, and people like, what, what? What's the saying I was using when you're, you live in a bubble. People will say about rich people. Well, they live in a bubble. They don't understand the real world. Warriors are a little bit of a basketball bubble. The perfect coach, the perfect GM, Steph's good.

You got the bouncer and Dremont. I look at KD and I think, Patrick Beverly's in your head. You know, when you go to New York, you're not going to have all this insulation you have in San Francisco. Could I make the argument when I watch Patrick Beverly get into KD's head? KD is kind of easy to disrupt sometimes briefly. It depends on how you. I mean, I can understand your argument. You know, he's still averaging 20 to a game.

I think he doesn't get the second T in the first game if it's a close game. I think he kind of did that to send like a little message. I think more than anything, I think the refs are a little too caught up in that matchup. I think they're kind of, this is the playoffs. It's going to be physical. There's going to be some grabbing. There's going to be some pushing. But they're trying to call every tickey tack foul.

And no one wants to see either those guys fouled out. You know, it's better for the game for both those guys to be playing. But, you know, some would say he's in. I don't necessarily think he's in his head. I think Katie, he's been very efficient both games, even though he shot eight times last game. I think he will obviously, the nine turnovers are what really stand out to me.

But for him to foul out the first time ever in his playoff career, like that was a flop right there. That fake little elbow, that was a flop. I think the refs got a little too caught up in the situation. Okay, so the reps are too much into the individual battle. That one-on-one individual battle? I think so. Okay. What do you make of the Clippers? I mean, I got to

tell you. I love it. If I'm Kauai Leonard, Yeah. Aren't they just missing me? To me, what they're doing right now is they're giving the words a hell of a battle, like I thought they would, but they're making themselves the number one destination this summer. You know, they have a great owner, great front office, and Lawrence Frank, Jerry West, you know, one of the better coaches in the league, and they have all their role players set.

The one thing I really liked about Doc when I played there is he always used to tell us to be a star in your role. You know, do what you do the best way you can do it, and you can tell all those. guys are doing that you know you you can't Lou Williams is playing great Harrell's playing great you know the rookie hit a big shot last night you know Gallo's playing Gallo so they are set up I mean they have in that they have a spot for two max free agents so imagine you know imagine I'm just saying you know a Katie and a Kauai going there I mean that would they're there you know they're the 2020 champions he's he Balmer up there with Doc Rivers oh he's going crazy

you know they had a camera on Balmer the whole game and I love that guy you know he's just so into it patiently waiting patiently waiting he couldn't he couldn't hold his excitement at the end. He just had to let it go. It was funny. Yeah. Do they have any chance? I don't think so. I think they're definitely, I definitely think they're going to be respected. And like I said, they're selling themselves as the number one destination. But I don't see the Warriors losing this series. And I just think, you know, if they're fortunate enough to make it as far as they can, it's not going to be easy this third time around. They're going for a three-peat. It's not going to be easy. So it's going to be a battle every single series. Yeah, no, there's a real fatigue. I mean, there's a reason we've never had a four-time chance. champ. I mean, it's, it, Michael Jordan at some point left basketball, and I remember reading stories about it. He was just, he was just emotionally drained from it. It's a star-driven league. So football, Brady can win, win, win, win, win, win, but it's about the system and the coach.

And you can, I always felt this about NBA guys. A football player, Julian Edelman can put on a cap, go to Costa Rica. It can be fine. NBA players can't disappear. LeBron James goes, yeah, I'm going to get a coffee down the street. Who's the 6-9 dude? Oh, which LeBron James. Like basketball is so star-driven that for the greatest players, where is Kevin Durant in what neighborhood can Kevin Durant hide in the off-season? So I do think it just emotionally, it's just draining for these players. Right. Let me shift into this.

Zach Lowe is a legitimate NBA reporter, had a podcast, and Zach Lowe came out and he said on his podcast with Woj, another legitimate guy, a friend of mine, know, these are NBA guys, that agent, it appeared to be an agent told Zach Lowe, Zach Lowe that there's two orbits with the Lakers. The Lakers orbit and then there's the LeBron orbit. And powerful people in the league have said, listen, we don't want, we don't want those orbits. We do not want to send our player to, quote, LeBron's team. So if you hire Ty Lou with LeBron Anthony Davis, it's just LeBron's franchise.

I always push back when people said, nobody wants to play with LeBron. And I thought, come on. Dee Wade did, Bosch did, Kevin Lowe, I don't buy that. but there are tipping points. Could I not at least argue that LeBron sought power, he got it, and it may turn off a lot of dudes?

It's tough to say. I think any great franchise goes through their star players or star players when they're going to do any kind of moves. I just think there's so much uncertain about their front office, whether people think LeBron is running the team, they've handed the keys what it looks like to Rob Palinca.

Throughout the league, he's not very well like or respected, and you hear a lot of stuff about backstabbing when it comes to him. So to me, do you want LeBron? Do you trust LeBron or do you trust Rob or, you know, there's a situation now? So I don't know who is to blame in the situation, but at the end of the day, the players have a say of their agent. Their agent may not like it or want to send them. But at the end of the day.

You're a star. Right. Would you go there? No, I'd go to the Clippers. you go to the clippers. Yeah, if I'm like, if I'm a, if I'm a Kauai or a KB. 23 point a game. Yeah, and I'm about to get max.

No, I'm going to go to the clippers because there's just too much, like I said, uncertainty in the front. The front office scares me more than anything. Winning starts at the top. Absolute top. You can hire the best coach. You can give them another superstar. But if that management is not set in tight and understanding and everyone's on the same page,

you're not going to go, look at the Knicks. You're trying to say in the last, however long they haven't had any good coaches, it starts at the top. You know what I mean? So it's just if the front off is unstable, that scares me more than anything else that you can put together. Okay, so Joy is not going to like this, but I have to say this. Zion Williamson came out yesterday. And Zion Williamson said, I'm going to play in the NBA.

Last year was the best year in my life, which is impossible because he was not paid. And of course, basketball is no fun in college unless you're paid. And I look at this and I think to myself, there's 3007,000. 70 Division I programs. That means there's 4,800 players. Nine will play pro ball. And they have to wait nine months. Insane, right?

I don't think you... Now, by the way, I know we watch Duke and Kentucky and Kansas and the games are sold out. Most of those gyms are empty, and these are not profit centers. I think college basketball was awesome for Zion. Absolutely. I think we've taken college. And I get guys wanting to get paid.

I get it. but Zion Williamson can call for the rest of his life Mike Shoshchewski I need tickets I need swag I need advice I need an agent I need and Mike's going to say yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes I love that Zion Williamson's like I just that was the best time I've ever had my life did you like college 1,000% and we talk about this all the time in this UCLA group chat

outside of having kids it was a dream come true to play in the NBA but the best time of my life was at UCLA more than the NBA yeah absolutely because it's your last And getting to the NBA is a blessing and you get money, but a lot of responsibility comes to that a lot. Like you said, mentally draining. It mentally drained you. I was fortunate enough to play for 14 years.

It's mentally draining to be a professional basketball. Don't get me wrong, we get paid a lot of money. But colleges are kind of your last time in that quote-unquote bubble. When you're with your friends and you're going to class and you're flirting with girls before it all gets real, you know, really real. So I think, you know, Zion was a great shot in the arm for a college basketball as a whole. this year. It was must because to be honest with you, I hadn't watched college basketball. I couldn't tell you how long

I'd watch the tournament, but I would never watch the regular season games. Well, you and the rest of the country. Right. You know what I mean? So he was must watch. Every chance I got him, the twins and I were watching, you know, Zion. Oh, look at him. I love his video. I love watching him play. And I think, you know, this is on another point. This is why I think the NCAA is making a mistake

not letting Lamello ball play college basketball. He'll be much watched to you. The NCAA needs players like this to draw like you said. They're fun. Eyeballs are down, you know, as far as watching college basketball during the regular season. You get a Lamele, you know, Zion was must-watch TV. They broke all kinds of numbers when he was on this year.

And then, like, Lamello would be the same kind of caliber next year of must-watch. You're going to watch all of Lamello's games. So I think they're making a mistake not allowing him to play. Quickly, last year I said, I went a little overboard. I get very emotional, Matt. Sometimes I'm emotional. And last year, Ben Simmons came out. And I said, that's the closest thing to Magic Johnson I've ever seen.

Give me a break. six, ten and a half guards. He's the floor, dribbled. He better defender than Magic was early. And now I watch him and I'm like, what do you do with Ben Simmons? He can't shoot outside of eight feet. What do I do with him? Was I too high and now I'm too low? I watched last night. And yet last night he played well, but God, night tonight I don't know what I get with him. What is Ben Simmons going forward?

I think it's, I think as a whole, we just want everything so fast. You know, what is the second year, third year? Well, second year playing, third year, he got hurt first year. So second year, because you only learn while you're playing. To me, he just has to impose his will. I think he's letting the fact that he can't shoot and what everyone else is saying about it, give him in his head. At the end of the day, he's going to be bigger, stronger than anybody else guarding him. So if they sag off, you've got to attack, make plays for yourself, get to the, can't be afraid to get foul and get to the foul line.

He's not a very good frieth shooter, but you got to embrace getting to the foul line. And then you got to score it. You know what I mean? I think last night was a perfect, he imposed his will. And I put it on Twitter earlier in the day that he needed to impose his will. And that's what he did last night with the triple double. you know, LeBron, it took LeBron a little while to get a jump shot,

although his jump shot was, you know, further ahead than Ben Simmons' jump shot was... Jason Kidd was pretty ugly. But these guys still attacked and made plays. You see at times when Draymond is not filling his shot and they sag off, he's attacking, going into dribble handoffs, throwing lobs. He's still downhill attacking,

putting pressure on the defense. I think Ben Simmons lets people off the hook when he's just very passive with the ball or doesn't want to possibly go to the basket and get foul. So he has to embrace who he is, great player still has work to do obviously with his jump shot but he could still impose his will throughout this uh you know throughout this series and philly as a whole scares me from the standpoint of if they realize how talented they are oh my god outside of golden state name a better starting five

you can't you can't if i give me reddick mbeed butler simmons who am i missing oh on tobias harris yeah but tobias harris people thought was going to get the max for the clippers he's their fourth best player very talented but to answer the beginning of your question what separates you know good from great is consistency, and Ben's not consistent yet. So once he becomes consistent, I just think understands the game more. He's still young. It's still only his second year. But now, like you said, name a better starting five.

If they click, they can easily make the finals. Yeah, I love watching Philly play. They're very fun. They're very fun to watch. Really fun to watch play. His name is Matt Barnes. Good seeing you. One more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHard Radio app. Search Hurd to listen live or on to me. 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 SportsSlice 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 SportsSlic. on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and 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 home.

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. Like, 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.