The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 05/01/2019

Episode Date: May 1, 2019

Colin says that James Harden is becoming a regular season star that fades when he gets into the playoffs unlike Kevin Durant or LeBron James.  He thinks the Cowboys moving off of Ezekiel Elliott isn't crazy because they have more important positions to give big contracts to.  Plus, "Tom vs. Time" Director Gotham Chopra comes in studio to talk about his new Steph Curry documentary "Stephen vs. The Game." Presented by Perky Jerky. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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,

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Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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. Oh, we are absolutely loaded. To Wednesday, this in Los Angeles is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening live on iHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, right here on FS1.

Joy Taylor is joining me. We are jammed today. One of my favorite guests, Gotham Chopra. Depock Chopper's son is a filmmaker, a documentarian. He joins us last hour today. He has got great stuff. There's a new documentary with Steph Curry that's out that is amazing. So I'm all fired up for that.

Nick Wright, Bucky Brooks, who I love, NFL draft guy, Mark Medina. Joy, how are you? I'm great. Good morning. Good morning, good morning. I got great stuff today. Watch the Rockets Warriors, Bucks, and the Celtics. Let me start with this. It is very easy in the world we live in today.

I can speak from experience here to get distracted. We got our devices, we got this, we got options. There's never been more stores to shop at. My neighborhood's got 12 different grocery stores. You can go organic, you can go boutique, you can go big. It is options, options, options. It is very easy to get distracted. Stay focused.

New England's focused. Alabama's focused. Focused. Warriors focused. Don't get it twisted. Don't be distracted by the flopping. and the analytics and the letter by the Rockets to the NBA

and Scott Foster do not be distracted. This series between the Warriors and the Rockets and it's over is about Kevin Durant is now significantly better than James Harden. Kevin Durant is the best basketball player in the world

and playing his best basketball now. At the end of the year, he didn't play a lot of minutes. He scaled back. He's rested. He is more efficient and better now in May. James Hardin, who was destroying the world in January, once again comes to the playoffs. Average 36 a game, regular season. Now it's down in the 20s, and he's not shooting the same percentage. I don't want to hear about James Hardin's eye. Steph Curry last night had a dislocated finger. It was gross. It was turned sideways.

Okay. Long before that injury to Hardin's eye, the rockets were a mess and were down by 10. What I'm about to say, I'm not saying it's true. I'm asking you a question. Is it fair to say this? James Hardin has become a better version, a better shooting version of Westbrook. Unbelievably relentless in the regular season. And then he kind of is a different guy.

good, not spectacular in the playoffs. This is not a one-time thing. Last year, James Harden, 45% shooter in the regular season, 37% on threes, shot 41% in the playoffs, and 29% on threes in the playoffs. Hardin and Westbrook. Win the awards, get the glamour, get the attention, spectacular, relentless, dominate January.

And here we go again. Westbrook's out. Hardin doesn't look quite as dynamic. There are NBA players four come to mind that appear to be better in the playoffs. LeBron James, he picks his spots in the regular season, not out to win awards. Kauai Leonard rests lots in the regular season. Kevin Durant scales back, has nothing to prove in the regular season, doesn't try to play for minutes and awards in the regular seasons.

And Kyrie Irving, who got heat for it, but this year missed some games. didn't play as hard in the regular season. It is easy to get distracted. Scott Foster, analytics, referees, everybody's picking on Houston and they're flopping it. No. Kevin Durant's better than Hardin. By a lot.

And Kevin Durant, here we go in May, is playing the best basketball I've ever seen him play. You can blame Scott Foster. You can blame everybody. You can point fingers. Kevin Durant's always been great. He's the greatest version of himself. James Hardin's always been good, became great,

and now it's back to being really, really, really, really good in the playoffs. Remember, game one, Hardin had a chance to hit the shot and missed it. And my argument would be that was their moment. Remember, the Warriors got pushed to six games by the Clippers had played Friday night late, and then had to fly up home and play an early Sunday game. You had the Warriors. That was the moment. And Harden missed because he misses more now than he does in the regular season.

Don't be distracted. All right. I want to shift to this. I'd like the camera squarely on me right now. Thank you. I think Kevin Durant would be out of his mind to leave the Warriors. Coach, former player, Steph Clay, Bob Myers,

New Arena, Silicon Valley, California weather. I don't get it. He wouldn't make any more money in New York. I think it would feel like LeBron going to the Lakers. He'd be great and have a bunch of average young guys around him that nobody else wants. I hope he doesn't go.

I like this Kevin Durant. But let me defend Kevin Durant. Leaving for a second. Kevin Durant has been arguably the best basketball player in the world for 10 years. I say LeBron, but he's a better offensive player, I think, than LeBron. But his entire life of basketball, Kevin Durant has finished second. He did not go number one in the draft. He was number two.

Kevin Durant went behind Greg Oden. Really? Then he goes to Oklahoma City. And Sam Presti puts his arms around Westbrook over Kevin Durant. He's number two. Really? And then he goes to Golden State where he's clearly the best player, but it'll never be as popular as Steph. He's number two.

Really? And then for 10 years, despite his dominance, there's LeBron. He's number two. Really. Even at Nike, his contract, second best. And I'm not saying Kevin Durant thinks about. what I'm going to say. But let me ask you, when it comes to iconic stuff, 25, 30, 40, 50 years later, it usually

works in groups of four. In the NBA, Magic saved the league. MJ made it global. LeBron made it mobile. And Steph revolutionized it. Kevin Durant, he's not on the Mount Rushmore. He's just great. It even works that way with great centers.

Bill Russell was the most accomplished most titles. Wilt was the most statistically dominant. Kareem was the most unstoppable and Shaq was the most physically dominant. Akeem, often better than Shaq? He's just great. It works that way in all sorts of fields. I've worked in radio my entire life. Marconi creates it.

Paul Harvey's the first star. Rush Limbaugh saves AM radio. Howard Stearns. the ultimate bad boy. I was an Imas fan. But does he just qualify as? Great. Generally works in that Mount Rushmore thing we talk about.

Fours. 25, 30 years from now at a bar. I'm not my bar. A bar. I won't be here. Magic saved it. Michael made it global. LeBron made it mobile.

Steph made it a three ball league. Will we just say? say. God damn. Kevin Durant was unbelievable. Akeem was unbelievable. It's even in music. Individual stars, Sinatra, Elvis, Michael Jackson, Elton, John, Whitney. Usually don't get to a fifth.

There are six. It's groups of four. I look at Kevin Durant and I think he's nuts to leave. But he always seems like he finishes second and not only second, but he's better the first. He was better than Greg Oden. He's better than Steph. He shouldn't have the number two current deal at Nike. He's no longer second to LeBron. He shouldn't be number two to Westbrook. Like, I get it. I get when you are the world's best, I can understand the guy thinking, man, would somebody finally say, you the man? I wouldn't, I don't get it, that. But if he went to

New York, unlike LeBron's foray to Los Angeles, which has been at best a mess, and he won in New York. Maybe then he makes the mountain. But I'm watching him last night, and the gap between him and even the amazing James Hardin is substantial. We had the Warriors beatwriter, one of them, Marcus Thompson on our show about three weeks ago. And one of the questions I asked him, I said, like, he's smart, right? like he's going to give the warriors a final chance to sell him, right? Here's what Marcus said about KD. I'm not buying that at the last moment he's sitting at a meeting with somebody and he can't be swayed.

Either way, to stay or go. Because that's his personality. Yeah. He could think it's done right now, whether that's staying or going. I still think later on, like, he can be swayed. Like, he's a guy. He feels everything. He sits in the room.

He's present. He's got to weigh this stuff. we still have three or four more series if they win a championship of data to insert into this equation, right? Like, I don't know, I don't know if even if he thinks he knows the answer. I don't think he knows the answer. I'm not buying it. I think that decision, the more I think about it, is more complicated and confusing and tougher than I at first thought. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific.

on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. 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 Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo SlicLife 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist. Kier Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over

a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on Earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro.

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keir Gaines, is 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. 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 Levin 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 Aihar 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. Don't fill on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it.

An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ledecki. The ability to show 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.

So I feel like, and I don't want to be condescending here, but I feel like we kind of have to, as an audience, we like what Milwaukee's doing, but we have to teach him how this thing works because they haven't been relevant for 30 years in the NBA. So I don't want to be condescending, but this is sort of how it works. A, regular season dominance does not. equal playoff dominance, especially for young, eager teams. That's the way it works. So Milwaukee, you're not going to roll everybody like you did in the regular season. You're young, you're eager, the regular season, seating. It means a lot.

You haven't been good forever. Secondly is, once a team comes into your building, like a Celtic team with banners and stuff, and they roll you in game one, game two is yours. They did all they wanted to do. They got a split. Remember, these two teams met last year in the playoffs. Road team didn't win any games. Okay. Boston's whole goal, get a game and get that.

You know what, out of town. They did last night, barely needed to watch. And I watched, but that was Milwaukee's game. In the NFL and in college football, football in general, the intensity of the regular season and postseason, pretty close. Got to play hard every game, every series, every play. NBA, the intensity, there is a, There is a Grand Canyon gap, regular season to playoffs.

So last night, Boston got rolled. Bill Wocky's, the power outage is over. All sorts of Twitter talk, a lot of talk, a lot of internet yesterday. Last night was Milwaukee's game. Go ask a sports better. You bet Milwaukee. That's their game. That's the way the league works.

Boston, went into your place. And Kyrie, by the way, I'm getting this. Kyrie last night struggled. Okay. And then Chris Middleton. Colin, you said Chris Middleton's not a number two. not in a championship team. He's a three, maybe a four. He's Clay Thompson. It is not as good defensively. And Chris Middleton's had a really good game last night. So what? In college basketball,

you can be a one-game superstar, sudden death. In the NBA, I want three more of those. I want Chris Middleton to be great and shoot 60% on threes, three more times, then we'll talk. He's not an all-star in the West. He's an all-star in the East. So was John Wall. There's a big difference. And by the way, I'm going to bet that Kyrie does not have another stinker like last night over Chris Middleton having three more games like last night. This is the way, not trying to be condescending here, but I said this, Joy was here. I've been saying this. When you get young teams, Milwaukee, Denver, that don't have a lot of playoff experience. The regular season means a lot. Seeding means a lot. Boston, by the way, this year,

seeded fourth. They don't look like a number four seed, do they? By the way, Golden State last year, last 17 games, regular season, 10 and, what was it last year at the end of the season? They were 10 and 17, their last 27 or something. Warriors were terrible at the end of last regular season. I don't have the numbers in front of me. They were terrible. They got rings, they got titles, they got net worth, they got brands. They don't care. There's nothing really to say about last night other than the winner in this three or four days in Milwaukee was Boston. By the way, Kyrie Irving,

everybody's like, yeah, Kyrie Irving. What do you got to say now, Kyrie Irving? Here's what he's got to say now. This is the first time you're in the playoffs as a lone all-star on your team, especially after a game like this. What is the extra burden there and how do you intend to do with it?

There's no extra burden. You know, this is what I signed up for. This is what Boston traded from you for. So this is what you live for. So basketball is fun when it comes, when it comes like this, when you have to respond. And, you know, this is a type of basketball you want to be playing at this time of year. Kyrie Irving will go home, and I assure you, will play really, really good basketball.

It's not to say Chris Middleton's not good. He's an all-star in the east. But I'm going to go with Kyrie Irving is going to be huge in this series and will not be marginalized and will be more dependable over time. This is not March Madness. You got to do it four times in a series to win. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. I am really obsessed about this story about Kevin Durant leaving the Warriors.

I think it would be a huge mistake. I think he's the best basketball player in the world. And I say this, I'm not comparing myself to anybody. I'm just telling you, I've moved cross-country four times. I get the move thing. I've left six-figure jobs, seven-figure jobs, great jobs. I've left. I'm good at the leaving thing and I'm good at summarizing the leaving thing.

Here's what you try not to do. Leave for less money and worse management. That's what I've tried to never do. Okay, try to get better management, more money, more years. I get it. Put aside your ego, your vanity. I want to be this, this, this. Move to better management.

Maybe move for a little more security money. Move for better teammates, you know, better coworkers. That stuff I'm all in on. move because I want to be the man be very careful about that because you can end up being the only man sometimes you want to be the man

Kobe Shaq Kobe wanted to be the man and then Shaq left and Kobe was oh the only man then he got Powell Gasol and he won again so there's a story out that Kevin Durant would consider the Nats, blah blah blah

it's interesting I want to talk about LeBron for a second so LeBron has moved a bunch So let's go look at LeBron's three moves and examine why LeBron James left each time. Because Kevin Durant has watched a lot of how LeBron has done his business. That is indisputable. They used to train early in their careers. Kevin Durant, smart guy, he's watched what LeBron's done.

So let's think and examine LeBron's first move from Cleveland to Miami. Why did he do that? Because he felt trapped. He didn't like the owner. He didn't trust the franchise. guys. They couldn't get him any good stars. So LeBron went Cleveland to Miami because he felt kind of stifled, kind of trapped. He didn't trust the owner. He thought Miami he could finally play with guys who could play near his level. So he left. Now, why did he go back to Cleveland?

Well, that was to restore his image. There was some guilt or something there, but mostly LeBron wanted to restore his image. He didn't like being the villain. He'd wanted to go back to Cleveland. He wanted to restore his image. He also won, and that was cool. And now, why did LeBron leave for Los Angeles? Well, it was clearly not the best roster. It wasn't the hottest team. He could have gone to Houston. He could have gone to Philadelphia. He could have got business reasons. I don't think there's any question now. It certainly wasn't the best basketball roster, not even close, just a bunch of kids. So in review, why did he leave? He left first because he was stifled. He left second to restore his image, and he left third for business. So let's look at

Kevin Durant, who has watched LeBron's moves. Why did Kevin Durant leave Oklahoma City? Oh, he felt stifled, trapped. Oklahoma City has a certain brand. Sam Presti used to work for Popovich. He wanted to be a big star. Billboards around the stadium. They wouldn't let him. Westbrook, hard to play with, wasn't getting the quality efficiency shots, much like LeBron's first move, different people, but he felt trapped. If he leaves now Golden State to New York, what will be the reason? Oh, there's actually two. To repair his image, I can do it myself, and for business. Isn't that interesting?

LeBron left stifled, restore image, business. Kevin would be leaving stifled, repair image, business. The difference is he could do, accomplish two of those things with one move. New York would restore his image. Oh, you don't need other great players. And there's no question. Much as I like San Francisco, winning in New York does feel big. It's not like I don't think winning in Golden State feels small,

but there is a New York component here. I mean, listen, they're just, would we know who Phil Sims is, Eli Manning or bigger, Derek Jeter could be all that and play with the Royals. He wouldn't be Derek Jeter. So I just wanted to throw that out there, is that as crazy as the move is in my worldview for Kevin Durant, uh,

it's got a lot of similarities to, LeBron. Kendrick Perkins played with Durant. He talked about those OKC days yesterday and speak for yourself. He left OKC and he was able to be KD. He was able to be outspoken. And there's no knock on the Thunder organization, but they mimic the Spurs organization. Sam Presti grew up under Greg Popovich. So their culture is a lot different. They run their organization the same way. And so when KD left to go to the state, now you're able to see. Now you're able to see. KD speak out and say different things and go about handling things the way he need to handle it because he's able to do that he has the freedom now.

But what he doesn't have is the restoration of his image. He still gets ripped for joining. And business-wise, he's got his stocks. He's got all his equities and investments in Silicon Valley. He wants to go as big as you can go in New York. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search her 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. 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 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 SportsSlice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced 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. Kier 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, Keir Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. 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 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 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. Like, 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 Abbot. a hurdle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. There's an article out today, are the Cowboys planning a future without Ezekiel Elliott? So the Dallas Cowboys did draft two running backs. They did. They drafted two running backs. It did not

appear to be a position of need of all the positions to draft. That doesn't seem like it would be a priority. Tony Pollard for Memphis was good, but the second best running back for Memphis, and Mike Weber for Ohio State, good early in his career, faded, had some injuries. But the question remains, is this a plan eventually to not be beholden to Ezekiel Elliott? Here's what's interesting about the Cowboys. They have drafted so well recently, they may be trapped. So remember, they're already paying three of their offensive linemen a lot of money.

And they have to pay Jalen Smith in one year. He is as athletic as any linebacker in this league, and he's a free agent in a year. And I haven't even gotten to the big four. Got to pay Zique, got to pay Dach, got to pay Amari Cooper, and you just paid DeMarcus Lawrence. There simply isn't enough money for Dallas. There isn't. I'm not saying they're moving off Zique, but DeMarcus Lawrence got his money.

and my gut feeling is DAC is getting his. And also, DAC was a better quarterback with Amari Cooper. Are the Cowboys sending a little message? I don't know if they are, but I do think you should think about this for a second.

Did the Dallas Cowboys watch the Los Angeles Rams, who, by the way, Stan Cronkey and Jerry Jones are best buds? And did Jerry watch the Rams give Todd Gurley that massive contract see his injury and Gurley and Zeke in my opinion are the two best backs in the league and they're very similar. They can block, they can run, they can catch the ball. They're just workhorses.

But do you feel as good about that Todd Gurley contract that A. if you're a Rams fan? I don't. I don't. And ask yourself this question. What would Belichick do? He wouldn't give the running back a fortune. What would Philadelphia do? They would not give

they're running back a fortune. What would the Steelers do historically well run? Let Lavian Bell walk. What would the Saints do? Let Mark Ingram go. I'm just saying the Cowboys are a little bit of a victim of their own excellence. They have drafted so well in the last three, four years. They have stars. You got to pay all these guys. You got you got Dak, DeMarcus Lawrence. You're paying the offensive line three guys. You're not going to pay Jalen Smith. You watched Jalen Smith last year? Van der Wash and Jalen Smith are the best linebacking duo,

the best young linebacking duo by a notch in the league. Jalen Smith is off the hook. I mean, he is unbelievable. He is a sideline to sideline. I mean, he's like there's an Erlacker except faster look to him. A Hall of Fame talent. So I do think, I don't know if it was a message, but I do think the Cowboys look.

at the Rams and thought, man, when you got to pay a bunch of dudes and you're paying your errand Donald and you got to have to pay golf, you know, you start looking around and that big running back contract, when Gurley got hurt last year, you're like, you're not blaming Gurley, you're like blaming the position. Like that's the reality of that position. So I do think it's something to keep your eye on. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHard Radio app.

I've been waiting for this interview all day. Gotham Choper is an author and a filmmaker, award-winning filmmaker. He did Tom versus Time, obviously. He's got a company with Michael Strayhan and Tom Brady, the religion of sports, sports media company. And he dives deep. He goes to the house.

He goes inside the head of these stars. And the latest is Steph Curry. Stephen versus the game. It's called her. Stephen versus the game. Out tomorrow on Facebook. here's a clip from it. This is Steph talking about Tiger Woods and what he's impressed by.

Here it is. I've never seen a killer instinct like that where you know you're the best, but still like searching for perfection. Like he changed the swing even though he won like six straight tournaments and three majors out of four years. It does like the tiger slam and then changes the swing again because he feels like he can get better and more efficient like that. It's like an inspiration in terms of never really being satisfied.

And we welcome in Gotham Chopra. What are the challenges? The NFL's culture is system over player. There's almost like, hey, Tom, if you do a documentary, you're giving up secrets that Belichick will yell at you about. In the NBA, it's more star-driven. This stuff is understood. Was it easier to do the Steph Curry than the Tom Brady documentary?

I mean, in that way, yes, just because barrier to entry in some ways is tougher in the NFL. But I would say, you know, one of the main challenges with Steph is he's so present in social media. He's 25 million people on Instagram and he's regularly communicating. His wife, who's, you know, pretty prolific on Instagram. So there's a different sort of creative challenges. Like the audience kind of knows. Like they feel like they already know you. Tom, what was really an advantage to us was the scarcity.

Like nobody had ever been inside, and it drove so much fascination with him. People only knew one version of him, you know, the elite quarterback, but they'd never been on the inside. So in that way, I'd say this was tougher because it's like, how do I tell this in a way where something fresh? Is the similarity with, say, a Brady and a Steph, people, despite Brady's greatness, have doubted him. Steph Curry went to Davidson. Did you sense the chip on the shoulder? Is that what drives him? I mean, I think, yes.

Absolutely. So there's always been this sort of David versus Goliath type of thing, you know, this ruining the game now. It's like his new thing. Like people have always sort of doubted him at every stage of his, when he was a little kid, he was too small. Then he couldn't get into like the big time programs. Then he kind of dropped in the draft two other guys, you know, got dropped, two other point guards got drafted ahead of him. Johnny Flynn and Ricky Rubio. I mean, just think about that. Yeah. And so that's always. And so that chip is still on his shoulder. You know, people sort of say, hey, like who's the guy? on this team and even on this current Warriors team. So I think, and that's by and large with elite athletes like Tom, like Steph, they always need to find that edge, especially when they've been so successful. Like how do you keep it going? You know, you mentioned Michael Strayhan.

Like Michael Strayan always told me at the end that I retired because not physically I couldn't do it, because mentally I couldn't find that thing to help motivate me. Tom, 42 years old, is still somehow finding that thing to motivate him and Steph as well. I think I was one of the things that was fascinating with Brady is how, and I don't like this word. I don't think it really means much, but I'll use the word normal. Tom had a fairly pedestrian American life, despite his wealth supermodeling claim. Smoothies, watching film, into his job and kids. You know, he's not a jet setter as much, although they have their Costa Rica stuff.

But there was a certain, there was a certain Middle American ethos or suburban ethos to it. With Steph, I've always felt he's as normal. as a superstar can be. Am I wrong there? No, you know, Steph's the real deal. It's almost like as a storyteller, as a journalist, you come in with a natural skepticism. Right.

You're looking for vulnerability. You're looking for conflict. You're looking for something that doesn't seem right. So you can get under that and expose it in some ways. Steph is like, it's the real deal. And like his family is such a big part. And they're always there. Like his parents are such a part of his life.

still at every game has, you know, yeah, just like everything, you know, is authentic. It feels really, like, real. And, and, and that's refreshing and inspiring in a way. Like, you know, this greatness has a foundation that is, you know, very real. Gotham, Chopra. Tiger's dad wasn't famous. Before we knew Tiger, Joe Montana's dad wasn't. You know, you can go back to Kofax, Mickey Mantle, Tom Brady. Your dad was and Steph's dad was. So when you have strong fathers, did you ever, during this Steph documentary thing, I kind of know where he's going on this family thing because you had a very strong point of view father raising you. Yeah, there's definitely that connection and that similarity.

And Steph and I've kind of talked about that also. But there are also, like, you know, again, looking for that edge in a way. Like, Steph grew up with a very different type of pressure than, say, LeBron. There's so many archetypes. and like there's the single parent version like lift yourself for your bootstraps. LeBron is that archetype. Steph is the other archetype is like growing up again

a relative privilege, you know. BMW, you know. But now that comes with an expectation. Oh, you must be soft. You must your dad, you know, and his parents sort of talk about that. Like that's what people chanted when he was in high school. Daddy can't help you sort of thing.

Wow. So now there was like that was his thing. Oh, now I got to prove myself because everybody has a certain expectation of me. And so you find that to be. And I mean, I relate to that for sure. Yeah. Did you learn something? Was there something there a surprising tidbit? And I'll, and all, like for instance, Tom Brady. There were a couple of things that I was like kind of wow moments. Maybe you had one with Tom. Was there a wow step moment? I think the wow step moment in general is like you would think for this type of excellence on the basketball court, in my opinion, greatest shooter of all time, that there's like, there's a, there's an anatomy to that underneath.

There's like such a consistency. You go to Steph's house after the game. It's like chaos. I mean, three little kids, a wife who's, you know, having her career defining moment right now.

It's like a train station. Like there's so much. He's not worried about like, shoot around the next day. He's worrying about getting the kids to sleep, getting them to school in the morning. Early in the season when we were working on this, Aisha,

his wife was, she's doing her own. She's got a new show coming out on ABC. So she was here in L.A., like taping for like three weeks. He was like Mr. Mom at the same time that he was trying to get the season started. And then he had dealt with an injury. Then there was like team stuff. And it was just like so much going on that like it was interesting to sort of see.

Like there's no moment to kind of evaluate this thing. There's just react to it. Every sport has a different culture. I talked about this already. There's a masculinity to hockey and football. Don't flop and you play hurt. In basketball, in soccer, the soccer star, the NBA star, you flop, there's a finesse, there's an art to it.

You would never play hurt. Don't risk the injury unless it's the finals, right? And I wonder with Steph being a star, he did something that was very rare. Hey, KD, you could be better than me, join us. That is unheard of in the NBA. I mean, it's just fascinating to me. And I think it separates him from even LeBron, even Michael, the willingness to go there. Does dad get credit?

Are there nights where he gets tired of hearing, you know, KD is better than you, actually? I think it's, again, it's another source of motivation for him. You know, like, whose team is this? You know, who defines the culture of this team? He and KD are no question. They're close. Now, let's go there. They are close.

Yeah, for sure. I mean, they're teammates. And they've had this level of success. You can't have that without having a. chemistry. It doesn't mean they agree on everything. It doesn't mean like there aren't flare-ups across an 82 game. Although I would say with Steph, like he's so balanced. I'm not sure. He's sort of the peacemaker that comes in. It feels like that. Yeah, like that helps resolve. And I think the team, the leadership on the team, the coaching staff, management leans on him for that.

Like, they can only do so much, you know, from a management perspective. They need who's the insider, who's the embedded guy like on the bench or in the locker room. So they depend on him. But yeah, I think Steph is still very competitive, and he made sacrifices for sure to bring in KD because he's a bigger picture guy. He's lived in the league almost like his entire life, and he knows how are guys defined at the end. It's about how much they win, not how much, you know, what was their statistics. And so, you know, I think they also all have some perspective right now.

It's like, no matter what happens, this is probably the end of this team, free agency, cap stuff, all of that sort of thing. You just can't do it forever. And so take advantage of this moment. And again, I think that's where he's able to put his ego, which is probably relatively smaller than everyone else is in the league aside, but also for a bigger quest. An award-winning filmmaker, Gotham Chopra, author filmmaker,

grants us a couple of interviews a year, and I absolutely love it. Tom Brady and Steph Curry do not need Gotham Choper to chronicle their life. How do you convince them to get inside the walls of privacy. I mean, it's a function of time, first and foremost. With, you know, Tom, I had the luxury of many years. I'd known him for many years beforehand. You know, what's cool now is, like, there's a credibility. It's like, I've worked with Kobe, then, you know, worked with Tom, even LeBron on a different project. And so, like, that, there's an implicit trust. Like, well, if those guys could do it, I can do it. But then it's just like spending time. It's getting to know the

family. It's not just like, you show up one day and everybody's like, up, you know, like, just kind of opens the doors to you. it's a function of time. And it's also like, it's a very different approach. I'm not like a reporter coming in to do something on Steph. Like, hey, Steph, what is the part of your life you want to share? You're willing to share. You know, like, what's a story you want to tell right now that's going on in your life?

And so it's a partnership, I would say, more than like I'm doing something on one of these guys. You know, it's so interesting. You mentioned Kobe and LeBron. I'm going to throw a theory at you. It just could be totally wrong. but I believe this my entire life, and sometimes it gets me in trouble, that dads matter. Even strong, frustrating dads are valuable. LeBron did not grow up with the classic father figure.

I felt this year with LeBron, and I felt this in, you did shut up and dribble. I don't want my athletes to shut up and dribble, but I did feel there was, LeBron was seeking external validation this year, more than most. By the way, MJ, strong father, never really sought it. Kobe, again, eddingmatic relationship, stronger father. And I looked at LeBron and I thought, LeBron needs me to believe, hey, I drink wine. I get politics. I get business.

And my takeaway is, yeah, I know you're smart. I've seen your whole career. I know you're. Is that a crazy theory? LeBron, to me, is fascinating. Number one, he didn't grow, he grew up in an eddingmatic, chaotic life. and we've never had any problems with him. It's almost unbelievable.

Statistically, he's a complete anomaly. Secondly, this year, this external validation thing, am I overreaching? Am I giving it too much thought? Well, I mean, I can't say I certainly don't know LeBron the way I know Steph now or Tom or those guys. But LeBron is unique in terms of, like, I have spent time obviously with him. He was a big part of Shut Up and Drivel. I interviewed with him, and he's so on it.

He's so sharp, like when you're sitting down with him, he knows, he figures out within the first 60 seconds. So what are you? Oh, let me give it to you. What are you interested in? And so, yeah, there's that. But I think, you know, he needed a new challenge. I think he's looking for something, you know, out there. He's still so committed and loves basketball, but there's all these other things. I mean, you can't be doing what he's been doing since the age of 14. So much is coming at you. Everyone wants you. He's curious. You know, we forget, like, somebody, Sometimes you're with LeBron and you're like, yeah, he's 34, but he feels like he's 54. Yeah. But he's 34. I mean, and he's been so focused on this one thing. And yeah, he's curious about the world. And I think, you know, L.A. is a place that services that curiosity, for sure.

By the way, I just throw that out there. I'm not saying I'm right, but I find the psychology of LeBron fascinating. And by the way, I would tell his friend Maverick Carter, who I know. I would tell him the same thing. I'd say, I'm going to throw something at you telling me if I'm a goofball. You know, David Falk was a legendary attorney and then kind of ran the NBA for years. He tells a story about Michael Jordan, and I always feel this is where LeBron and Michael Jordan are very similar. At one point, when Michael came into the league, Magic was seen as the team guy and Michael is the individual star.

And David Falk and Nike proposed to Michael Jordan. This was a lot of money back then. They said, we're going to give you a million dollars to play Magic one-on-one. and David Falk and Nike thought it was brilliant. And Michael within a minute said, this is an awful idea. He goes, if I lose, I'm no longer the team guy or better than Michael, it kills my brand. And Falk and Nike in the moment said, oh, God, we're idiots. Michael knows his brand better than anybody.

LeBron really, really knows. They said that us about Howard Stern. Nobody knows Howard's audience like Howard. He knows what they like and don't like. I feel like LeBron really knows his fans, which I am. I am won. I just thought there was a detour this year, and it was off-putting. I thought he got so into business. Now, by the way, do Kobe and LeBron have similarities to you?

Yeah, I mean, drive to be the best. And not just in basketball, you know? Really? I mean, look at what Kobe's doing now. I mean, it's amazing. He's won an Oscar. Incredible. He's a New York Times bestseller.

You know, I'd say LeBron, you know, what's unique about LeBron is he's kind of up until this year anyway, like doing both at the same. same time, you know, excelling in business and, you know, continuing to be excellent on the court, you know, the calves. I mean, look, there's a lot of things that happened this year in L.A. And, you know, I was at that Christmas Day game. Like, you know, they were in good shape. And then he got hurt. Yeah. You know, he was a 34-year-old athlete. Like, it's tough. And then now the guys got hurt, you know, it's just like, but they were, you're talking to a Celtics fan. I was not exactly rooting for that. But, like, I was impressed. And then the wheels came off.

Finally a question again on Steph Curry, author, filmmaker Gotham Chopra coming out. Stephen versus the game premieres this Thursday on Facebook watch. Steph's Curry, the journey on and off the court. If today Kevin Durant text Steph Curry, I'm leaving, how would it land on him? How do you think his 24 to 36 hour emotional window? I mean, Steph is the most Zen guy I've ever met, first of all. What do you mean? I mean, so I was a joke with him, you know, he wears his faith on his sleeve.

He's very Christian. It's very devoted. But I always tell him, I'm like, no, man, you're Buddhist. Like, you are so zen. Nothing seems to affect you. Like, win, a loss. Like, he's just so chill. Like, he doesn't overreact to any situation.

I think Steph's not, you know, everybody knows what's coming in terms of free agency. So he's prepared for that. But I also think, you know, he's got a unique connection. When the time comes and I don't know anything for sure, but just by being around, KD, I don't think, I literally don't think he's decided. I think he's one of those guys who's able to. to compartmentalize and focus on this challenge. When the time comes,

Steph is somebody who understands historical context and was the reason, I think, largely, is there, he'll have an argument to make to why he should stay. They know Jordan's got six, and they're hopefully after this year, you know, pretty within striking distance. So I think Steph will make a compelling argument,

but, you know, he'll also be prepared and fine and supportive of a friend if the friend decides he needs to go somewhere else. I mean, it's a business, and these guys get it. I know it's a hackneyed kind of term, the Mount Rushmore, but I always thought there's four guys that have the biggest difference makers in my life in the NBA. Magic saved the league. Michael made it global.

LeBron made it mobile, and Steph revolutionized it. KD's just great. KD's just great. I mean, there's no question in my mind in 10 years from now. We'll be like, LeBron, Michael, KD, like, you know, we'll be having that debate. Because he's, I mean, I get to go to a lot of games right now, And I was at that game, he scored 50 or whatever against the Clippers a couple nights ago. It's like, I've never seen anything.

Because he'll see 6'10. Did you hear after the game, Lou Williams and who were the two players that guarded him? They're like, Patrick Beverly. You know, we tried to stop him. Do you media guys get that we're trying to stop him here? We just can't. Steph says it. I think it's in the second episode.

He calls him a basketball savant. And he's like, you're just around this guy in practice. and you see him trying things, and you're like, wait, he can get better. Like, this is? Like, and that's Steph Curry, one of the greatest fall time to say,

this guy's on another level, you know? Okay, so Facebook, it drops tomorrow. Yes. Okay, give it the title again. Stefan versus the game. Premiers Facebook. How many parts? It'll be six episodes.

Honor to have you on the show. Thank you. I love it here. 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.

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