The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd: 06/15/2020

Episode Date: June 15, 2020

With Doug in for Colin. Kyrie Irving's concerns on the NBA returning this season, Cam Newton continuing to get no interests from NFL teams.Guests: Fox Sports host Chris Broussard and Bleacher Report writer Ric Bucher. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio. Welcome in. This is The Herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be making it as part of your day. So it's live from Los Angeles on the IHeart Radio app, Fox Sports Radio, and here on Fox Sports One, welcome in. I'm Doug Gottlie, filling in for Colin Cowherd. Lovely and talented, Joy Taylor alongside.

Joy, how are you? I'm great. How are you? I'm good. I'm good. It is weird. It is still weird to be in June, be home on a Sunday, and to only have golf to watch. Right?

That was, it's supposed to be NBA finals right now, right? There's a lot that's supposed to be going on right now, yeah. There is. But the NBA is interesting because the league which, I think anyone would deem to be the most progressive of the major and even maybe minor professional sports leagues is the one who over the weekend, there was some pushback as to the Orlando bubble plan. Get to that. Should point out to you that Eric Manjini is going to join the show. Chris Broussard will join the show.

Rick Buecker will join the show. I have this thought, I have this thought for you on baseball, a point that I have reached on baseball that in one hour we will share with you, which I think speaks to all of us collectively on Major League Baseball. We'll get to that. But let's start with the fact that no matter what else you think about the NBA, about who the best player is, about who the team to beat is, the voice, the face, the leader of the league is LeBron James. And I point that out because over the weekend, we're actually on a Friday night. And can you imagine, I just like sometimes you got to understand the day and time in which you pick it. But Friday night, there's a phone call. and apparently there's 80 players, some WNBA players who WNBA is going to have a season, they're going to get full compensation, it's going to be in Bradenton, Florida.

I understand why they're kind of collectively bonding together. I do think, though, that too many voices and too many perspectives at times are a bit too much for this particular discussion, but there's 80 players on a call. And one of the dissenting voices as the Orlando bubble plan was none of them than Kyrie Irving. now it should be pointed out that look, Kyrie Irving does have this weird ability to generate a reaction

not based upon always what he says but some of the things he has previously said or the thought that there are some to think, well, the only reason Kyrie wouldn't want to play is he doesn't want LeBron to get another championship. Kyrie, of course, carries the badge of being a flat earther which I don't actually think is what Kyrie Irving is. Cairoirving's flat earth philosophy is more challenging conventional wisdom, right? It's the don't always just believe what you've always been taught because you've always been taught it.

And he uses being a flat earther as an example. The problem with that is it goes directly in the face of science and arguing to the rest of the world something we know to be a scientific provable fact, isn't a scientific provable fact, does cause anything else he says to have us roll our eyes. But when

Kyrie Irving says, hey, look, is it possible that playing this season in Orlando, in a bubble, which takes all of these talented men away from their homes and puts them on TV in an empty arena playing basketball,

does that distract us? us as a country, us as a league, from what's most important long term, which is this push for justice, for equality, for the things that we want to see happen as a country in this time of change. So here's what I want to do, and this is really important. Look, I'm not going to shoot the messenger,

although I can point out that Kyrie Irving is the same. same guy who apparently the week before on a similar call offered no sort of pushback on the Orlando plan and simply want to know would there be booze down there. It's the same Kyrie Irving who's not even going to play in Orlando. Wait, you don't want us to go on a trip and decide a champion even though you're not actually going to play and be on the trip and decide a champion? That strikes me as odd. No, no, no. Look, what so many Americans, not just minorities, but people who, there are others that are disenfranchised. And you had all these gay pride parades yesterday across the country, all black lives matter,

changing the black lives matter for a day. We're seeing change and progress, but in this particular form, hey, we want to be hurt. That's it. That's what black people have been telling white people. It's like, listen, you have to understand your perspective isn't our perspective because you don't live in our world, in our skin on a daily basis. You don't know what it is like. Let me explain to you what it is like.

We're being told, listen. So you know what? I think that's a good plan. Let's listen. Let's listen to what Kyrie Irving's saying. Does he have flaws as a messenger? Sure. Of course he does.

Kaepernick had flaws as a messenger. But what about the message? Is there some validity to the idea that if we're really all in for the cause of changing things, why get distracted and go back? to work and play basketball. Now, my personal perspective, again, I'm a white former basketball player. I don't know what it's like to be a black basketball player, especially one that has

the type of wealth and influence that NBA players, especially superstars like Kyrie and LeBron and others have. But my personal perspective is, especially working in the media, don't you have a greater platform when you're playing six nights a week on national TV across multiple platforms and multiple networks? right? Like, yes, you could dedicate yourself. You could dedicate your life to trying to change the world.

But couldn't you also do that while playing in the NBA? I mean, the perfect example is LeBron James. LeBron James, who has been a champion for social justice going back years, LeBron James, who has fostered change in the school system in Akron. LeBron James is a part of a coalition of star athletes trying to bring about change and pushing people towards voting. And you know what? LeBron James can say that every time he has a postgame interview or in-between interview or no matter what network he's on,

if you're playing in Orlando and you're one of the select few media members who gets to interview LeBron James, it's in LeBron's court if he wants to push people to vote, if he wants to push for continued awareness of social justice reform, right? Like my perspective is, I think it's an ill-thought-out strategy. But it's really, really, to me, an important case study in, are we actually listening? Because if you watch enough, you do realize that no matter what argument you're making, there's a lot of still shouting going on. There's more listening, maybe not enough.

So why don't we use this Kyrie Irving argument? Hey, if we really want to have social justice reform, then being distracted by playing basketball, and going back to work and being on TV, that'll cause people to not watch these protests, not pay attention to so many of these videos, and not pay attention to what's going on, not just in the cities, but in the suburbs, and the chains that we're trying to have take place.

I'm willing to listen. I don't agree with the argument, but again, the exercise and the importance of this time is to not think you have all the answers. Instead, listen to other people's perspective who do not share your own background, your own viewpoints, your own perspective. Joy, let me ask you, when you, Ice Cube tweeted about it, Dwight Howard also was in support of Kyrie Irving. Do you think, is it a, when you hear what Kyrie says, what do you think? Well, I mean, it's important to remember that everyone in the black community doesn't have the same opinion about how to go about things as well.

but we all agree that there has to be change made. In my opinion, I think having a platform is very impactful. I am more powerful with my platform than without it. If Kyrie chooses to not play basketball anymore because he feels like that's going to be more effective, then that's the path that he's going to take and he'll put his efforts towards that. I don't think that that changes the impact

that anyone who does play basketball and continues to talk about it is going to have. I think it's best to continue playing basketball, and using the platform for that purpose. Because in my opinion, while it may take some eyes away from the news, it's just going to redirect those eyes to the sport, in which case they must hear what you have to say. They must listen to you.

They must see you before games. They must hear your interviews before games and after games. You can't avoid it. And for all those people that are out there saying, you know, we're not going to watch sports anymore and sports are canceled and we're not going to watch the NFL anymore, like, Okay, then you just really weren't a sports fan to begin with. I don't believe that.

I don't believe those people. There's a very small percentage of people that I think will, out of principle, stop watching sports. The world's going to pass them by anyway. So to use your platform, to continue to have that platform, that influence that power, the money that comes along with it that can go very far in the community, to me, is what I would do. But I fully understand what Kyrie is saying.

I think that the situation in Orlando is questionable at best. And, I mean, ideal is an understatement. There's nothing ideal about that circumstance. So I'm on both sides of it. I fully understand what Kyrie is saying. I support what he's saying. And if players want to go back and play and they feel like they can use that platform,

as they should use that platform, I'm supportive of that as well. I take what, look, what Pat Beverly said is really powerful in the sport. And Patrick Beverly tweeted out, if LeBron's playing, we're all playing. and here's the tweet if you're watching on Fox Sports One, if you're listening on the IHeart Radio app or Fox Sports Radio,

hoopers say what y'all want. If King James says he's hooping, we all hooping. Not personal, only business, hashtag stay woke. Which I think speaks to while Janus won the MVP last year and may win it this year, while I believe that before injury, Kevin Durant was actually the best basketball player, and James Harden is a great offensive player. and there's a lot. It's still LeBron's league.

He is still the leader, and they are still following him. And one of the flaws to Kyrie's argument is that it's Kyrie presenting it, not just based upon his own history or, you know, with the Celtics fan, if they'll help me back, I'll be back next year or some of the other thing, just last week, right? The same people are on the call, and he's all for it, and now all of a sudden he does a 180. It doesn't, though, take away from what you're pointing.

out, which is, hey, look, we actually have to listen to this and see what is the best path for social justice reform so that people feel like they are being heard. And I'm with you. Well, I disagree. And I also, like I pointed out last week, I think the bubble idea is a terrible idea for different reasons, for more sports reasons than anything, right? Three months in a hotel, you're not going to get your best performance. Hell, two months in a hotel, you're going to hate your best friend because it's just too much time around one another, especially when the rest of the world is opening up. But just the idea of coming back and will I play or will I not play simply based upon what's best for social justice reform? I hear you. Okay. I respect the thought. I just greatly disagree because you and I

share the same perspective. You have a much bigger platform. And oh yeah, by the way, you got a lot more money to spend on whatever causes you want. That it's not your money. It's somebody else's money. that while they're profiting, they're going to continue to continue to shuffle money to you, funnel money to you, and you can use it for all those same causes. Meanwhile, you have a greater platform to share whatever your thoughts are on the right process towards change we should have. Anyway, listen, it's a discussion. That's the big thing.

Are you willing to actually listen to somebody who has a different perspective than you do? It doesn't mean you have to agree with them. but a week in a couple days ago you and I sat nice to show like the the flaw to Drew Breeze's thing was wasn't his perspective on the flag it was I will never agree with anyone who you can't start a sentence that way which is why anyone who's in our position can't say Kyrie come on man right it's Kyrie no his his perspective is X my perspective is Y is why is why willing to listen to X and the answer is yes and yet I still disagree 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 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 Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day but just so y'all know I mean at this point

Mark this is the second episode where we've discussed crack so I'm starting to see that there's a through line We also have AIDS on the table right now so Thank you finishing that sentence I don't think there's a more important

year for black people Really? Yeah for me it's one of the most important years for black people in American history Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts

or wherever you get your podcast 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? 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. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the 4th.

And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, A, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue 42. A rep, my mama wants you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I follow Cam Newton on Instagram, and he's got some great stuff. Like, there's a video that he put on IG yesterday.

It looked like it was at UCLA, if you know anything. But I always do that. When you watch videos, you look at the background, like, where is he? Where is that workout? And Odell Beckham Jr., you can see the OBJ cleats. OBJ has no shirt on. He's throwing the ball to Odell Beckham, Jr., and you're like, oh, that's UCLA.

I see Pauly Pavilion in the background that said, you know, one of UCLA's practice fields, right? And then you see like a UCLA football. Like, oh, hey, I know where that is. Actually, right down the street from where we're broadcasting from. So, look, it's cool. It's set to music. You know, he's got iron sharpens iron.

That's great. It looked really good. Like, no downside to it. But I do think that there's a separation. between social media and the real world. I saw this quote, it is possible for you to work out without it being filmed. It is possible.

There are workouts all over Los Angeles, not just in football and basketball and baseball, that aren't being filmed. Justin Verlander just posted on his Instagram, him throwing in a cage, right? Like guys are working on their games. They are making preparations for some sort of upcoming season. And for Cam Newton, that doesn't have a job who's trying to show that he's healthy and ready,

whenever called upon, can do the job. And if you don't believe me, just ask O'Dell Beckham Jr., one of the elite wide receivers in the NFL, who he's working with and honing his craft with. But Cam Newton doesn't have a job, and there's a litany of reasons why. If the argument is or was, well, it was 19 million, first of all, it's actually not that much in the grand scheme of things if he's legitimately a starting quarterback. Secondly, now it's not a $19 million salary cap number.

It's whatever you want it to be or whatever he's willing to accept. And for Cam Newton, if you talk to people in the league, whether it's the fact they haven't been able to evaluate him because of quarantine, or it's because, hey, look, Carolina had him, allowed him to go through rehab and then released him, Or maybe it's that the Redskins and his former coaching staff chose to bring over his backup instead of Cam Newton,

or that Brandon Bean and Sean McDermott, who are in Buffalo, also used to be part of Carolina's staff. They haven't shown any interest. When people who know you and have worked with you haven't shown any interest. And then other teams are suspicious of the health of your shoulder, which is the most important part of your body if you're a quarterback, especially one as athletic as Cam Newton is, and most definitely was early in his career,

he has to be more of a thrower now, especially once he's 30 years old, and he's had multiple leg operations. Like, he's got to be more of a thrower, and people are wondering, not just if he's healthy, what his throwing motions like, and if he can stay healthy.

It looks cool. But does it really translate the message you want to the rest of the NFL? I think the answer is not really. right if if you're trying to get likes put it on IG if you're trying to get better you should be working with specialists especially and if you're going to put something on like this had to this this is planned out somebody doesn't just follow you around with one of those really cool cameras and film a workout and set it to music you got somebody who's editing and it looks it's movie quality it looks I am not disputing that it looks cool but But if you're trying to sell yourself to an NFL team as being ready, have a specialist working with you. Show us the film of you working on your footwork, your release,

and the ability to replicate time and again the exact same release. Show us that. That's actually working with other elite quarterbacks, working with guys that are making you better, that's actually iron-sharpening iron. This is just two superstar athletes going out and throwing the ball out in a yard. It looks cool and it's fun. but does it actually say to the NFL, hey, I hear you.

I hear that you think I'm not healthy. I hear that you think my throwing motion was a little bit screwy, and that's why I was throwing dirt balls before I had a shoulder operation, and then before they shut me down for the year. And here's what I'm doing to improve my craft as we get ready for this upcoming season. Look, it's not going to be easy for him, and he may be in prime position, because you can love RG3 all you want. If God forbid something happens with Lamar Jackson,

you saw the video that was out there yesterday, you're like, oh, man, something happens to Lamar Jackson, something happens in Buffalo to Josh Allen, something happens to Deshawn Watson, something happens to Dak Prescott, something happens to any legit starting quarterback, the first call you make should be to Cam Newton. It should be.

And so maybe he becomes the country's backup. but between carrying the badge of hey the guys that worked with him to this point have chosen not to employ him Carolina D.C. or in Buffalo the fact that he still is trying to be a social media star and not an NFL star. Like look, all these quarterbacks are working out. They all are. Aaron Rogers is in L.A. is throwing the guys. Don't see it on IG. right? Deshawn Watson is throwing the guys right? Lamar Jackson throwing the guys apparently on a beach and making guys fall and getting tackled by a jet ski causing us all to hold our breath

but they're all doing their work making their preparations. You're the one who's putting out a music video instead of showing us that you can throw showing us that you're honing your craft. Maybe I'm missing what he's trying to show us but I do think there's a disconnect there between trying to be social media popular and showing the NFL world that you're ready to work. One more herd?

The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Let's welcome in Chris Broussard. He's joining us on care of Mercedes-Benz, the best or nothing. And of course, you can hear Chris on the odd couple. He and Rob Parker every afternoon,

West Coast time, 4 o'clock, East Coast time, 7 o'clock on Fox Sports Radio on your iHeart radio app. Chris, in addition to hosting a national radio show and appearing on all of our shows for a long time, you've covered the NBA. Just give me your sense. The call on Friday, how big was, or how loud was Kyrie's voice and his pushback towards the Orlando bubble in comparison to the rest of the call? Doug, yeah, I talked to somebody who was on the call. And from what I'm told,

Kyrie's voice was certainly the strongest. But the notion that Kyrie made this call to convince everybody not to play, from what I'm told is not true. What I'm told is that after they took the vote a week or so ago, which Kyrie voted to play in Orlando, right?

He began having conversations with other players who were telling him they were upset that their voice wasn't heard. It was a lot of players. So he, set up this call so that guys can have their voices heard. He invited pretty much the whole league, including LeBron. And so on the call, Kyrie shared his view that they shouldn't go play in Orlando. But what I'm told is he also said multiple times, this is my, this is how I feel.

But whatever you guys want to do, I'm with it. This is just my feeling. I'm also told he was not the only player who had the sentiment that they shouldn't play. We know it's been reported to why Howard, Avery Bradley, kind of echoed Kyrie's points, but I'm told there were a few other players as well. But Doug, from talking to agents, other players, people in front offices around the league, from what I'm being told, it's all systems go on the NBA plan. If certain guys don't want to play, then fine, they will replace them. obviously they're expanding rosters to 17.

There are players that would love to be signed and haven't yet had a chance in the NBA or were out of the NBA for this season like J.R. Smith, Jamal Crawford, guys like that. And so they are planning to go ahead and play. The only real obstruction to this that I see is if superstars get on board with Kyrie Irvin's thinking and then decide not to play, that's when you've got a problem. or if the numbers are in the hundreds of guys that don't want to play and agree with Kyrie.

Also, it was a smaller point. The main thing was the racial discussion, but the COVID-19 concerns and also concerns about being in the bubble over a long period of time. Some guys, you know, have wives that are pregnant, and they were concerned about, you know, being away from her being in this bubble. So there were other concerns, but it was mainly the social judge. this stuff. He also said that there's a tiered system and only 20 of us are at the top tier. He said he's

included in that. He said something's fishy. I want to get your perspective. As a black man, do you think it's a bad look or it's a distraction from the cause to get back to work to playing NBA basketball in Orlando

at the end of July? I don't think anything's fishy. I don't think there's some conspiracy. see to, I don't know, sequester the black players in Orlando and do something. So I don't think anything's fishy. I do agree with Kyrie's overall sentiment. And I like, not that they shouldn't play, but I like the way he's thinking. Because I have said for the longest that black athletes have a power that they don't

understand. I actually think black athletes have more power than any other group of African Americans to make change in this country because of their popularity, their wealth, their connections to corporate America through endorsements and marketing, and their unique skill set. No one can really do what they do. So that makes them irreplaceable and that gives them a leverage that your average African-American, including politicians, don't have.

So I'm glad he's thinking in terms of let's use our power and our leverage to make systemic change. What I don't like at this point is that I don't see a plan. And I'm told that they have, they do want to talk about some type of plan or demands, but nothing's come out yet. And so just sitting out to sit out, Doug, does not accomplish anything. But I believe that the players should make demands and attach demands or asks, if you will, to their willingness to play.

Adam Silver is a player's commissioner. Sure. The league has said they want to, you know, stand against systemic reasons. racism. What have they done, though? They are better than the other leagues in terms of their internal hiring, but the NFL just committed 250 million over 10 years. I haven't seen anything like that from the NBA. I would like the players to go to the league, Adam Silver and such, and say, look, we would like for the owners in the league to make a real, we want to ask them really to address systemic racism by starting, say, management trainee programs

within their other corporations and companies for African Americans. With the goal being that within a certain period of time, 10% of their management and executive class is African American because 10% of the college graduates in America are black, but we're not getting those positions at the same rate. So they can demand that the NBA or the owners make, contributions, hefty contributions to historically black colleges

and universities, build up their athletic programs so at least basketball-wise, they can compete and a black college or high school star isn't making this huge sacrifice of losing out on training and equipment and technology

if he goes to an HBCU over one of the big predominantly white schools. So I think those are things the players can ask for. as a concession for them to play. Do you believe that any of the stars are willing to not play basketball? Because that's one of the things that Kyrie said is, you know,

the idea of maybe I, maybe I won't play anymore. Do you think there is anyone who feels so strongly that they would walk away from an NBA career for this cause? Well, let me address Kyrie, because I know some of your sentiment is he's, the messenger is kind of different. And there's truth to that. I think Kyrie, if he were talking about COVID or the bubble being reasons they shouldn't play, I wouldn't feel he's qualified for that because he's not playing.

But the racial and social injustice stuff, of course, he's well qualified to speak about that. Now, there are some around the league, Doug. Maybe you've heard it as well that feel like Kyrie just doesn't really want to play. like he's questioning going forward. You know, that's, I've heard that for a while. I don't think he, I think he will play, but there are those who just wonder how much he really wants to play in the future.

So that can put his statement about, I'm willing to give it all up, you know, to heal this land as far as social injustice. So that's legitimate. As far as stars, I think at this very moment, the overwhelming majority, if not all of them are planning on playing.

Everything I've heard about the Lakers, LeBron, A.D., Kauai and Paul George with the Clippers, James Hardin and Russell Westbrook in Houston, Janice Ante Dekulba. Like, everything I've heard is that they all want to play. I did talk with a player last night who said that he is told that some stars on an Eastern Conference playoff team don't want to play,

but he said they will play. He said they really don't want to come back, but they are planning to do so. So I think right now it's full system goal on playing again. I don't know if these recent developments with the recent shooting in Atlanta and Kyrie's call, does this make players think twice or change their minds, or now COVID is surging in Florida and other places? Maybe things like that can change their mind.

But at this very moment, from everything I'm told, it's all systems go. And does it, to me it speaks to, it's still LeBron's it's still his league, right? And Patrick Beverly's tweet was LeBron says he's playing, we're playing,

and as LeBron goes, the league goes. Fair? To some degree. I think more so it is the players understand how much money they stand to lose. And they understand

that they lose a lot of leverage in the new collective bargaining agreement and negotiations that will take place in the future. Their feeling is that if we don't play, the owners may lock us out force of new negotiations and we will not have much leverage in our new agreement and we'll

lose we'll take a step back so and i think that's legitimate i think that is the driving force now because i think if lebron were to join kairy and maybe i'm wrong i he certainly is a powerful voice and i do think a lot of players would think twice uh about joining in that but i also think some players would look at, well, LeBron, I mean, you don't have to make another dime for the rest of your life, and you're set, and your kids and their kids are set. So I think there's always that a lot of these guys only going to be in the league three or four years. A lot of these guys are going to make about a million dollars a year or less. So they're looking at it like, man, I need this money and I need it now. A lot of guys in the league, Doug, live check to check.

And so I think it's more the money that is driving. guys than LeBron not quite being or not being on board with not playing. Last thing, Chris, I got about 30 seconds, 45 seconds for you. My concern with the bubble is quality of play. Like we've seen teams, Lakers, their longest road trip, they played the Bucks last game. They just had no gas in the tank. I just feel like you get to three months in the bubble NBA finals and guys are going

to be tired of each other, right? Like any road trip you take with your butt, you're tired of each other. And the quality of play won't be championship. quality of play, how much concern is there over that? I think that's a legitimate concern. We've talked about the injuries, but look, they're going to be playing every other day. And you better believe that some of these teams

are going to load management at eight games. I would not expect to see Kauai all eight games. So they're going to be playing every other day. That's going to take a toll on their bodies. And so you're absolutely right. Like the quality of play may be low for these. playoffs, which is obviously not great. Chris Broussard, check him out on the odd couple.

That's tonight, 7 o'clock Eastern, 4 o'clock Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, along with our crazy uncle, Rob Parker. Of course, you see him undisputed on all of our other TV shows. Chris, hope you're well. Thanks so much for joining us. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and no. 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 answers. 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 Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really?

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking Tripp Fontaine. Ryan Clark, sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it.

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

I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as 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. What's up, guys?

This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff, like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up To me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. All right, let's get to the Herd Global Satellite Network and bring in Rick Buecker, who of course works for us here.

Rights for Bleacher Report. Buk, what are your sources telling you the reaction was to Kyrie Irving, questioning whether or not it was the right time to come back and play basketball? There was a certain faction of players in the league who were glad that that conversation was being had, that they felt like they hadn't necessarily been heard or had an opportunity to speak. But there was also a great deal of confusion because Kyrie Irving had the opportunity when this conversation first started about coming back to express questions about should they be playing

and whether it was health. Obviously, the timing of this with the death of George Floyd and the rise in the Black Lives Matter movement has changed things. But there's far more question about why is Kyrie doing this and where does he really stand in part because he was on board with going and then was told that he wasn't going to be able to go.

So this is much like, look, I hate to draw the parallel, but it's a lot like Colin Kaepernick. Nobody questions the cause. Nobody questions the intentions. But you can't separate the messenger from the message. and when there's been confusion over what the messenger intends in previous situations, it's going to muddy the waters. And this is just a subject for me that is too important to have the message muddied. I agree with you.

And also I look at LeBron James and the fact that he organized an original call to get guys back to work. And I feel like this is still LeBron's league. And then you look at what Patrick Beverly tweeted, which is, hey, LeBron's playing, we're hooping. That's, you know, we're still in it for the cause for the right reasons. But it does feel like though there, though not everyone is down with LeBron in terms of wanting to play with him, he does kind of lead the league, does he not? Without question.

And that leads to another, I don't know, theory, conspiracy theory, however you want to phrase it. but we know the relationship, the contentious relationship at times between LeBron and Kyrie. The Kyrie has wanted to be seen as being on LeBron's level. So is it possible that Kyrie is raising this simply to be the alternative to LeBron James and LeBron James's position and the ability to say, well, hold on a minute. LeBron may have decided this, but this is what I have to say or this is where I'd like to. to go with it. Understood that it's only a theory. But the truth of the matter is that Kyrie's reputation precedes him. And you can't separate the two. Look, I'm not even sure if LeBron, if LeBron took the stance that Kyrie was taking, it would be more powerful, for sure.

But I don't know that his stand on things because he hasn't necessarily been consistent or he hasn't been clear, that that would be the guy that I would want leading the charge either. And I got me to thinking, like, who would? Who from the NBA would I lean in and listen closely to if they said, you know what, I'm not so sure it's a good idea that we come back and play? And there are a couple of guys. Steph Curry is one. Damien Lillard is another. Victor Oladipo is a third. Mike Conley. And for me, I would listen to Drain. on Green because he may have been contentious and he may be controversial, but he's always been direct in what he believes and how he feels. But certainly the first four guys that I mentioned,

those are the guys that I would want leading the charge. And for anybody who wants to say, like, don't confuse the message with the messenger. Look, that's not the way real life works. Your reputation matters. Your stance on things previously matter. If you want people to trust you and follow you and believe ultimately in your credibility. Yeah. Look, I'm just sitting here. I'm trying to listen, trying to not combine the two and trying to continue to evolve. All right, explain this to me.

I don't think the argument actually holds up, really, right? Like your platform is so much bigger when you're playing. And oh, yeah, by the way, by the time they're playing, other sports are going to be going as well. Like baseball is going to be going. Football is going to be close to going. and so if the idea it's not like it's either the NBA is on or nothing's on that's not really accurate now i have questions about the bubble and whether or not it'll be good for the sport i don't the rest of the world feels like it's opening up so yeah that'll be awkward additionally the the quality

of play buke three months in a hotel and in the third month you're deciding who is the champion of the league i don't know three months in any i don't care how nice the hotel is that does not seem like a smart plan. I've been saying this from the beginning. We need to reset or recalibrate our expectations of what this is going to be. It's going to be labeled playoff basketball, but it's going to be the kind of playoff basketball you would expect if you were playing the playoffs coming directly out of training camp.

We've never seen it before. So I ultimately would expect that this is going to be a rough go. Aside from the fact that you have guys that are going to be performing in very unusual circumstances. No fans. You don't have your facilities to prepare game to game, et cetera.

And so, yes, it is going, but look, there's also just leading the charge to getting back to normalcy that is really important. And so I think it's worth it. It is going to be a hardship on the players. They are going to have the biggest issue.

But look, and maybe I'm being selfish as a sports fan, I'd like to see it happen. And this goes back to what Kyrie was suggesting, which is, okay, so not playing. How does that further your cause? What do you want? If you're going to use that as leverage to improve things,

what is it that you want to see improved? I believe that has to be part of the conversation, understanding what is it that you're going to get out of this if you don't come back and play. Otherwise, it just seems like, okay, we're making a statement, but we're making a statement for what? I want to see real results, ultimately. And if this can get you that, I'm all for not playing.

But you need to tell me what those results are in order for me to fully buy in that it's worth not coming back and playing. Kind of quickly here, Buk, Kenny Atkinson, rumored to be one of the candidates for the New York Knicks job. You combine him with Tom Thibodeau. Thibbs we've seen before. Tibbs is a guy built up the Bulls and, of course, went to Minnesota, cleaned house and made them at least a playoff team. But it wears out its welcome.

He wears down these younger players. But he is a fantastic coach. What about Kenny Atkinson? Could a Brooklyn Nets castoff become the next head coach of the Knicks? I just haven't heard a lot of people talking. And I'm surprised by it. because I was a fan of what Kenny Atkinson did last year. And I thought that the way the Nets played this year particularly seemed to be a hyper-analytic-driven style that didn't always make sense.

I was told that that was really that was Kenny's doing. I thought it was more of a management thing, ownership thing, that was driving that. And so I'm not convinced. I have not heard his name attached with that. And what I don't know is exactly what Leon Rose is looking for in his next head coach. But I would be surprised. Tom Thibodeau and Mark Jackson, there's cachet there with the Knicks fans. And I've been told that that matters.

I don't know that the former Nets coach is going to have the same cachet. even though technically he coached in Brooklyn last we saw him. Yeah. Like I think within the league, the culture they created everyone and the way they played, everybody liked, whereas other names like Mark Jackson would be more like by fans, I don't know if it would be received the same by the players. The whole thing is really, really, as is the coaching market, which generally, all that stuff gets decided in Vegas during Summer League.

Now it'll be in Orlando, but only 22 teams down there. What about the other teams that aren't there like the New York Knicks? Well, I would say this very quickly about Kenny. I was surprised at the reaction that I've heard from people around the league, he's not as highly regarded as I thought he was and as highly regarded as I held him in talking to people around the league. I was surprised by that. And that's what gives me reservation when you talk about him potentially being a candidate

with New York or Chicago or any of the openings. I'm just, I'm not getting the sense that he's as hot a prospect as we thought initially when he left the nets. Rick Buecker, you can check him out, read his work and bleach report. Okay, see him on all of our shows, including Speak for Yourself, which follows this one. Buk, great stuff. Whoever was opening the door looked like one of your golden retrievers. Tell them to stop budding in. Not a golden retriever, but yeah, dog decided to come in halfway through the show.

What is it as a pound puppy? What kind of dog is it? Rescue, indeed. What's the dog's name? That would have been beans. Frank isn't here right now. Franks and beans. Banks and beans. Beans and Franks and beans. Thanks, Fuchs and Beans. You got it. 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. In 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 SportsSlice on the IHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and headwriter, 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.

On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick you here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors.

Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. Before it was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host's Kier Games.

This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.

This is an IHart podcast, Guaranteed Human.