The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Jan 24, 2020

Episode Date: January 24, 2020

Doug Gottlieb fills in for Colin and explains why Tom Brady has no other legitimate options for 2020 other than staying with the Patriots. He thinks the media has it wrong about the level of trust the 49ers have in Jimmy Garoppolo. Plus, Fox Sports NBA Analyst Ric Bucher talks about why LeBron James is wrong that the Lakers can win a title without adding another piece and why Zion's weight is a major issue moving forward. 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,

breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source, the athletes themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

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

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. 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, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season, and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. you just understood.

That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Mark keep coming to her. He's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs.

This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeartRadio 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 SportsRadio.com

or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching herd. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowherd on Fox Sports Radio. What up? Welcome in. This is the herd, wherever you may be, and however you may be listening to this show. Thanks so much for making it part of your day. Live from Los Angeles, I'm Doug Gottlieb going in for Colin Cowherd.

Who's having a ski day? Nothing says toughness, grittiness, and the feeling of sports. fans like a good ski day in Park City. Just kidding, Colin, enjoy the slopes. We'll see you in South Beach. Welcome in. We got a lot to get to. Michael Rappaport's going to join us.

Rich Hornberger's going to join us. Rick Buecker's going to join us. Talk a little about LeBron. Last night getting a win in Brooklyn. All the dignitaries were there. We'll talk about his comments afterwards. Eli Manning just officially retired as a member of the New York Giants in 15 minutes. I will explain why.

why Eli Manning is incredibly admirable, admirable for his career, which will but should not end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We got some Clippers chemistry issues. We've got a lot to get to. And Zion Williamson plays again coming up tonight. Well, let's talk Tom Brady, though, because apparently the New England Patriots have put Tom Brady on the clock.

Now, there's a couple of different issues with Brady in regards to deciding sooner rather than later what his future will be. There's a March cutoff for the end of the football year. The end of the football year is the middle of March. And in order for the Patriots to bury some of what would be a signing bonus on a new contract in this year, he has to do it sooner rather than later. So there's some logistics to it. But then there's just a reality to, hey, dude,

we can't go and bring in other quarterbacks and make other offers unless we know what you're going to do. Forget about the draft, which is after free agency. It's the opposite, obviously, of the NBA, which makes the NBA free agency even more interesting. But we've seen this before with the NFL, where a quarterback will sign and we think he's the guy, and then they'll make a move in the NFL draft

to get another guy who's the heir apparent, and then there's kind of a dead man walking feel to the start. That's not Tom Brady. You may draft the heir apparent, decide with Tom Brady now. And I think what the Patriots are doing by telling Tom Brady, hey, man, we need to know middle of March because otherwise we can't pursue other opportunities is one, a little bit of respect. Hey, you get right of first refusal. But two, it's calling Brady's bluff. Right. Like, look, Tom Brady technically could work in Indy because it's indoors.

have a good offensive line. But do you think for one second, and we'll get to Giselle and we'll get to Giselle, but do you think for one second that Tom Brady is going to play in the dome that was built for Peyton Manning? You think does anybody actually believe that? If that's not happen, Tom Brady would put on many a jersey, he'll never put on a Jets jersey, never put on a Bills jersey, and he never put on a Colts jersey, and I don't think he's put on a Broncos jersey, right? A Niners jersey was the most possible because as he grew up idolizing Joe Montana and grew up in the Bay Area. But sorry, that's been taken by his heir apparent, right? His understudy.

So he's not going to Indy. He's not going to Tampa. This isn't a shot at Tampa. Tampa's great. But it's at the wrong body of water even for the state of Florida. He's not going to a place that close to the Redneck Riviera and bringing Giselle and the whole tribe down there. That Philip Rivers, maybe. Tom Brady doesn't play in Tampa.

And oh yeah, by the way, they're the worst and the least prestigious team in that division. And it's in the NFC South. It's a better weather version of Buffalo in terms of the amount of attention paid to it nationally. He ain't going there. He ain't going to Indy. He is a superstar. He is an icon. He is a brand.

And so the only places are New York. LA, and maybe Vegas. And the Vegas thing does make sense on paper. You're like, hey, what do old stars go and do when they're trying to collect one last check in perpetuity? You go to Vegas, right? Brittany's there. She plays. You know, Garth had this incredible show that he did, you know, several times a year.

When it's not just Wayne Newton and all of the other old-time stars, this is what people have done for years. You go and do a show in Vegas, collect a check. but do we really think that you're going to go from the Patriots to the Raiders, an organization that has had one successful year in the last 18, 19? That even though John Gruden may love him and love quarterbacks and want to move mountains, he's the opposite of what John Gruden technically likes in the lack of athleticism and foot speed at quarterback for play actions for movement in around the pocket. Plus, you're just not that good.

in addition to Vegas being a little bit off-brand form, even if it fits this time in his career in comparison to this time in entertainer's career, you're going to go to the Raiders in Vegas and play from Mark Davis? And oh yeah, by the way, Tom Brady's a guy who likes it, how he likes it, and recreating that in Vegas with the Raiders and John Gruden and his strong opinions, that feels more like a hypothesis than a theory

that will actually prove out to be true. And then you got the Chargers. Look, I believe I'm the only living Charger fan who is on national or even local broadcast, right? Like, there are, like, this is, I'm in an empty room. Where's Joy today? It's because I said we're having a meeting of Chargers fans. That's why the studio is empty.

The Chargers are, and again, this is from an avid charger fan who knows people in the front office and the players and the coaches and loves the roster that they have. The Chargers are the fifth most important NFL team in Los Angeles. Raiders are one, Cowboys are two, Rams are probably three, Niners are four, Chargers are five. And I didn't even stack in USC football, Dodger baseball, Laker Basketball, and they're fighting now in tooth and nail with the Clippers.

So you're taking a team that lacks NFL relevancy with a town that doesn't really love the NFL yet. By the way, the Steelers probably more popular in Los Angeles than the Chargers are. The Packers probably more, the Chiefs possibly more popular. All right, enough. I got friends of the Chargers. Like, we get it. Nobody likes us. Okay.

The only thing that makes sense, well, two things that make sense about the charges, they do have some dudes to throw to. They might have the best dudes to throw to in all of the NFL. They got a nasty pass rush. I don't know if they can block for them. They got a play caller who's been calling plays for like five games. But the only thing that makes sense is technically

it's in L.A. Right? And they'll actually play in Los Angeles. Unlike the Angels, they'll play in Los Angeles, but they'll have as much resonance as the angels in Los Angeles. Like that one just doesn't that gentleman just doesn't feel like it makes sense. So why would Brady go to Vegas? Why would Brady float it out there? Listen to listen to all

possibilities. Because Tom Brady, just like any of these guys, has an ego. And between his ego, his wife's ego, the people around him's ego, like, look, dude, you've been taken less for a long time. With the idea in mind, they're going to put people around you to make you look great. And it has worked for a long time. But now, in your time of most need, look what they put around you. Right?

You got Nikiel Harry who didn't play half the year. then couldn't remember what he was supposed to do the other half. You got Julian Edelman who, you know, now he's having another surgery. He's in his 30s. He's already getting popped for PEDs because he's just trying to keep up with the athleticism of the position. They were surprised by Rob Gruncowski's retirement, even though Grunk thought about retiring the year before. What were you surprised by? And they haven't been able, you know, Antonio Brown lasted for five seconds.

Josh Gordon lasted a lot longer than anybody had him in the overrunner, but he's, not there. There's nobody there. You want me to come back to work? You're going to have to pay me. This isn't about changing jobs, and the Patriots know it. Patriots know this is about the bottom line. This is about money. I've done the right thing by you. Now you've got to do the right thing by me. I'm the Jordan of the sport. Remember what Michael Jordan got. His last two years was in Chicago. $30 million. That's when back guys are the best players were making in the fives and the sixes. He made 30 because he was underpaid most of his career. That's what Tom Brady wants. And the Patriots are calling his bluff. I'm sure the Patriots have given him kind of some sort

of structure of what they're thinking and for how long they're thinking it. Hey dude, let us know. Because they know that with Josh McDaniel not going anywhere, where's he going to go? He's going to go and build a new offense? It's not what he does. I know that Peyton did that in Denver, but Peyton was the offensive coordinator when he was in Indy. And he told them when they were punting and when they weren't punting. That's never been Tom Brady. He's worked in partnership with Josh McDaniels, with exception when Josh was gone to Denver. They've worked hand in hand.

And those guys together have built this incredible dynasty. And at this point his career, the Patriots are like, you're not breaking that up. You're not starting all over. You're not teaching an entire offensive staff a new verbiage. a new way of doing things. If McDaniel's got the job in Dallas, okay, I'm listening. Right? I'm listening.

Because they have a great offensive line. They have a running game. They have some guys that can catch the football. They're playing indoors. That helps his arm strength. That stuff kind of makes sense. And the branding makes sense. Cowboys, Brady, morph them together.

You know, those things make sense. The charges don't make sense. Look, I know Kyrie signed with Brooklyn and Kauai signed with the Clippers. Okay, but we're talking about the most established brand in the National Football League. One synonymous with championships. Tom Brady doesn't play another season to play another season. He plays another season to win another championship. And what's the place that he's most likely to achieve those goals?

It's in New England. Where the Jets are still the Jets, Buffalo still doesn't think they have. have a real quarterback, even if they got a playoff team. Hey, Miami's a year away from being a year away. And he still got Josh and even devoid of talent outside the numbers last year. They won 12 games and he had the ball down one with a chance to drive down and win another one. The Patriots are calling Brady's bluff.

They know he has no other options. And they know it's all about money. And they know that Tom Brady doesn't want to make it about money. He's never going to mention being about money. He wants to be Jeter and playing Kobe and play in one spot, but he wants to have that Michael Jordan-like payday at the end of it. Because then it makes sense to Giselle, then it makes sense to his ego, then it makes sense to the rest of the league.

All right, well, he stuck around for one last big payday and take one more shout of winning championship. And my guess is the Patriots are sitting there going like, you know, we had Jimmy G, he's shown that he's a Super Bowl guy, we got you for two Super Bowls, You're starting to fade. We need, you may be worth all of that, but we can't spend all of that

because at this point in your career, you're actually not as good as you were when you were making less and achieving more. The Patriots are calling the bluff of Tom Brady. Let us know, big boy. You want to come? Here's your offer. It's reasonable.

You'll end up a Patriot for life. If you don't, just let us know, and we'll be on to Cincinnati. 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. 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 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on Earth, or are you a good person because you're afraid?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free, our heart radio app, Search learn the hard way and listen now. 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 want you to wave at her. What? Where's he at?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than me.

I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hippocrat, I'll be changing lives. helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian! I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man.

If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Oh, cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream, cream a chicken suit. This is help from a hypocrite. the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coultera podcast network available on the IHart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Today it became official.

Eli Manning is now a retiree. Here's Eli talking about his career. From the very first moment, I did it my way. I couldn't be someone other than who I am. Undoubtedly, I would have made the fans. the media, even the front office more comfortable if I was a more rah-rah guy. But that's not me. Ultimately, I choose to believe that my teammates and the fans learned to appreciate that.

They knew what they got was pure, unadulterated Eli. For most of my life, people have called me easy. Believe me, there is nothing easy about today. Wellington Mera always said, once a giant, always a giant. For me, it's only a giant. Thank you so much. Yeah, I'm not sure about that one. For me, it's only, I know what he's getting at.

He's getting at that he's probably had opportunities the last couple of years to leave, to walk away, and he chose not to do so. There's a very dignified manner in which Eli has always carried himself. Look, it's not his fault that his brother is considered, if not the greatest, one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. We have gotten this place where suddenly now, because Brady won a Super Bowl last year, that we stopped talking about Peyton. And maybe it's because Peyton did not have nearly the postseason success. But when Peyton retired, there was a lot of people who know a lot more about football than you and me that were like, Peyton Man, he might be the greatest ever. I don't think he is, but he's in that least a conversation.

It's not Eli. Eli should be judged on his own legacy. And it is a dignified legacy. It is a classy legacy. Fairly emotionless, which he discussed today. He's not a rah-rah guy. He's not an up guy. He's not a down guy. There's a little bit of throwback to him

in which he did throw the ball downfield. He did throw it to the other team at times. But what I love about the Eli legacy is he's clutch. Well, I guess, was the only clutch when they won? He was not, like, we get to this point with guys that we respect, to guys that we like that we won't even mention the negative side to it. It's like politicians with stats that go against them. They won't even share them.

I mentioned this yesterday when I was here with Colin, which is like, okay, he's big game clutch. That was what happened the two years in which they went on Super Bowl runs. They were in the playoffs four other times. They lost all four of the first games in which they played. Was it then in which he wasn't clutch? I struggle with that. You know?

both of those Super Bowls that he won the MVP in, it was as much because of his performance as they couldn't find one of the defensive linemen to truly give it to, right? Had they given it to, let's give the MVP award to the New York Giants Pass Rush. Like that would have been, everybody would like, yeah, that kind of makes sense. That makes sense. Eli Manning might have purported himself in as classy or even more classy manner than Peyton Manning. He never let the media get to him. Fans get to him.

The turnovers get to him per se. All these things are accurate. He only played for one team. And I said this before and I'll say it again. He's going to get into the Hall of Fame. But none of those things should be the reasons that he gets into the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame should be reserved for the absolute best of the best of the best. The best of the best of the best.

And if you want to sit there and go like, yeah, he had an above average career, but he won two super pool, so that puts him in like, okay, if that's, if the strongest part of your argument is that he won two supero MVPs, that's a strong argument. But if he was so clutch, or maybe if he was so good, why do they only have five double-digit win seasons? 16 years, five double-digit win seasons. again, I'm not talking about 14 win years or 15 win years or the 16 win year that Tom Brady had. I'm not talking about playing in the Super Bowl and losing the Super Bowl.

Heck, playing in a conference championship game. He did it twice. He won twice. But there are plenty of years in which he didn't even appear in the playoffs or couldn't win a playoff game. I struggle with the he's clutch, but only in those two years. Right? because I always thought that if you're clutch, well, you're, like the Derek Jeter thing is this.

Derek Jeter has, I believe, almost the exact same, if not the exact same batting average in the playoffs as he does the regular season. He's the same guy. Pressure seemingly didn't affect him. If you think Derek Jeter is the greatest shortstop ever, or you think he's 10th or whatever, what you can't say about Derek Jeter is that pressure affected him

because we have a huge sample size, And sample size tells us that he was basically the same guy in the playoffs he was the regular season, which is kind of by definition clutch or the ability to be just solid. We think of clutch as being slightly better in the most important situations. And I could point out different instances where Jeter was. But Eli wasn't. Or maybe he was.

In the regular season, he was a 500 quarterback. And the postseason, he was a slightly above 500 quarterback. It's kind of who he is. And that usually does not reserve you. a spot in Canton at the Hall of Fame. But he was classy. He was kind of understated. He did carry the weight

of the manning name and of being the little brother of Payton, which is a lot. And playing in New York is a lot. And it's good for something. Does that put you in the Hall of Fame? I think it will. I don't think it should. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd.

Weekdays at noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Jimmy Garapolo has been asked about his lack of past attempts in the playoffs. those far. Chris, remember Terry Bradshaw, who's good, Terry Bradshaw bust his own chops all the time, right?

He talks about, he's talked long, in long-winded fashion about his own inadequacies as a passer and makes fun of how smart he is and whatever. And so when he busts his chops about his arm, not being tired, winning the N.C. championship, it's what anybody would notice.

I went through eight pass attempts. Here's Jimmy G. talking about his lack of past attempts in the playoffs so far. Everyone has different ways to get motivated and very similar to Sherman. I do the same thing. You know, I hear all the stuff and everything. But it's just you can't, you know, you can't put that all out there all the time. It's just, you know, you have to do with it what you will and take it for what it is.

Just, you know, at the end of the day, you got to go out there and play football. Got to go out there and play football. They had two negative plays running the football against the Green Bay Packers. Two. Two. 27 pass attempts in two playoff games. Three run plays for everyone past him. They are, they are sheltering.

They are hiding him. They are, he is there, Trent Dilfer. By the way, it's a friend of the program. They're scared of Garoppolo. Look, Jimmy G. is only thrown it 16 times since he threw a pick in the division round game. I think some of this is you have to learn from your own past. Not just Garoppolo's past, but Kyle Shanahan.

And what was he criticized so roundly for when he was in Atlanta, and they're up 28 to 3, right? Just run the football, stay ahead of the chains, kick a field goal, you're up 31 to 3. The game is over, Kyle, instead of, you know, trying to score points and dust the Patriots off and put a half a hundred on the board. They haven't trailed neither one of these games.

When they were tied with the Vikings, they had 15 plus plays and 12 run plays. They are constructed this way. You don't think Kyle Shanahan learned from his dad? How did his dad win two super bowls? Running the football. Outside zone. What, they have seven running backs.

Is that what we calculated before the show? Seven consecutive running backs with a thousand yards. Right? Some you remember like Terrell Davis in the Hall of Fame. Some you've forgotten like Ruben Drones. Remember Ruben Drones and Mike Anderson? Didn't they have Clinton Portis one year as well? This is how his dad won.

This was the mistake he made when he was his in Atlanta. And if he's forgotten about those mistakes, yeah, his quarterback threw a pick and put him in a bad spot against the Vikings. And as much as we think of, Jimmy G., he's not terribly experienced. He's never started. This is his first full year he started in the National Football League. They're scared to let him throw. No, they're just doing what smart. Do they trust him? I don't know. They trust the running game. They ran for 286 yards. I don't know if he's heard this stat, but the Niners are actually really good when they let him throw, too. They're 10 and 0 when he throws for 275 yards or more. That does not line up with the rest of the

National Football League. In the regular season, they had slightly more pass attempts than run attempts, and this is for a number one seed, 476 to 449. They have balance, and they have taken what the defense has given them. And on Sunday, the Packers gave them as much as they wanted running the football. Look, I understand third and eight, you know, third and eight early in the game against the Packers. They could have thrown the football. Instead, they run it and they get a touchdown on it. But it was merely more of the fact that they ran it. But if you want to use gross stats and volume of runs, bro, you weren't watching that game.

That was a game which at every moment you thought they should run it. And the only times they threw it were late to Kittle. And it worked once and they got a bogus pass interference call the second time. if you can't stop me, why would I stop doing it? Two negative plays. Two. They just absolutely, and it was a complete mismatch for the style that the Packers want you to drop back and throw 30 times.

The Smith boys are designed to, their team is designed to get a lead early, pin their ears back, rush the passer. That's the opposite of how the, that's the opposite of what the Niners did. We're not going to play into your strength. So if you want to say that they don't trust him, that they're scared to use him, that they're going to, that's fine, but that means you didn't watch the regular season. You didn't watch them go into New Orleans and uncork Jimmy G. And let him go out and win a game on the road in one of the toughest, if not the toughest environment in the national football league. Kyle Shannon learned from his dad.

He'd learned from his own mistakes. He learned from his own quarterback. And he's in the Super Bowl. And that game, though it felt like it could have gotten, he was getting close there with about eight and a half to go. and Rogers got them within two scores. That was the closest they got in the second half, which two scores. We really criticizing a gameplay?

Like this is media narrative. We got too long to focus on this game. It was like, yeah, he threw the ball eight times. Eight. That's not a lack of trust. That's an understanding the time, the score, the momentum of the game, and that they can't stop you. if you want to know a team that doesn't trust their quarterback

Blake Bortles was playing magnificent football for the Jaguars. This is going back three seasons ago, right? Three years ago. They go into Pittsburgh and he plays the game of his life. Wins a shootout. So they're up, I think, 14 in the first half against the Patriots. They get the ball back with 59 seconds to go. On the road in Foxboro. the Jaguars take a knee twice running the locker room with the league. That is not trusting your quarterback.

That is not trusting your quarterback. When the other team can't stop you and you're dominating at the point of attack, when the Packers can't seem to set the edge and every time they do, they're too far up field and they're just one cut and cutting it back. When a running back has more success in one, game than he had his entire career in college. You just feed the hot hand. You feed him till he burps.

Nothing in sports is more intimidating than when you can't stop a team running the football. That was like a high school game. They beat you left, they beat your right, they beat you up to middle. They beat you left, they beat you right, they beat you up the middle. If you think that's not trusting a quarterback, throw in the tape of the Jaguars with the lead in Foxborough with 59 seconds to go with a quarterback with a hot hand and they take a knee and say, thanks, but no thanks, we'll play in the second half. That's not trusting a quarterback. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeard radio app.

Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where sports slice comes in. 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 live them. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns, Dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person

while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that's two different levels of trust I want you to just really be a good person Join me, Keir 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 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, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to. wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue of 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Edwin Castro, also known as Castro 1021.

And I'm Conkey, his best friend and business manager. And we've got a new show called The 1021 Podcast. I'm taking you behind the scenes on how I became one of Twitch's most popular streamers. We also love sports. And with the World Cup right around the corner, we'll be breaking down the biggest storylines ahead of the big tournament here in the USA. Listen to the 1021 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Rick Buecker joins us.

Of course, you see him on all of our shows here on Fox Sports One. read his work in Bleach Report, longtime NBA writer. All right, let's start with the Lakers from last night. All right, they go and they beat the Nets. And afterwards, LeBron James, do we have that ready? LeBron James was talking about needing whether or not they need another player, need another weapon. This is on Spectrum Sportsnet.

Take a listen. We have enough right now, but it's not about, you know, competing. and worrying about June. It's about worrying about January. And if we continue to get better throughout January, and then we move on to February and continue to get better. And if we continue this trend,

then we'll put ourselves in a position where we can compete for a championship and have a chance. And in this league, and in sports in general, all you want is a chance. So it tells me two things. Okay.

One, he's smarter than Kyrie Irving. Yes. And two, he's learned from his past mistakes. Thank you. That's it. If you're asking me the question that he was asked, do they have enough?

No, they do not. Of course not. They need another piece. But there's no reason for LeBron James with his history or his position with the Lakers to open that can of worms and say, this is what we need. What is the matter with Kyrie Irving?

Like, help me out. And he, for people who haven't been following it. Turn to Dr. Phil. No, but just listen, for people who haven't been following it. So Kyrie, going back like a week ago, said, you know, hey, we don't have enough. Now, he hasn't even played a game with Kevin Durant yet. Right. So who knows?

When he comes back, we're going to be a guy or too short. He named like four other guys. Right. 15 guys in a roster. Didn't me. And Joe Harris and Jared Allen notably not mentioned. Right. Not mentioned.

Right. So then he kind of, well, I should have named all 15 guys, whatever. Like, no. No, he shouldn't. And then he said, you know, Dr. Martin Luther King, you know, was, was, at least. like, dude, please don't liking yourself to Dr. Martin Luther King. Like, we asked you about your team and you said you don't have enough. And then you didn't mention like, I don't know, nine guys currently on the roster.

Like you did this. What's wrong with Kyrie? Well, he said many times that he learned how to lead from LeBron James. He's read a little bit too closely. We've seen LeBron do the same thing. Yes. LeBron will say something. It will not land the way he had intended.

and he will try to revise it and say, well, what I meant was. And then if people aren't buying that, he will turn himself into a victim as far as you guys don't understand what it's like to be me and et cetera, et cetera. So look, I don't know Kyrie well enough to say why he is the way he is. But he acts as someone observing him, he acts like a narcissist. It's always you don't get me. And my view of things, if you don't see it my way, then that's your fault, not my fault. And I think in some ways he doesn't, he sees himself in one way, in one way, and yet doesn't have the ability to actually be the person that he thinks that he is. It's really interesting.

I said this early in the show. The two teams that everyone in the NBA I talked to said had great chemistry last year were the clippers and the nets. Everybody's like, man, they look like they're having fun. Yes. Right? Because the NBA regular season is not fun. They were better than the sum of their parts because of their chemistry in both cases. The sum of their parts was better than the individual pieces.

Exactly right. Right? Yes. Okay. And they look like they're having fun. Like, they're not that much. fun to go and play like the Lakers played New York and then they play Brooklyn and then they play in Philly

you know it's cold and you're like oh more games that don't matter but the Nets and the Clippers somehow made it fun last year for sure okay they both added two superstars the Nets don't have one playing the Clippers occasionally have both playing right but I

just wonder and you know there's a story about the Clippers which I know Pat Beverly said is fake news but I do think there's some reasonable sure there's people who are like man it's a lot with Yes. Kauai sometimes playing, sometimes not playing. Without question, anytime there's a double standard,

there's going to be issues within a team. But the reality is in the NBA, there are always double standards. There are double standards everywhere you go. Superstars, people who drive the bus, are treated differently. They're afforded different things. Now, this is a new situation for the Clippers, and this is where it's different from the Nets, because the expectation is, one, that they're going to win a chance.

championship. And two, you have four guys led by Montres Herald who are on contract years. So is it, is it a problem? No. Is it real? Yes, it is. In that there are some rumblings. There's some discord, but it's not any discord that we haven't seen with the calves or the warriors. The warriors had all of this the last couple of years. Yes, but are they equipped to handle it? That's the big question. That's, we don't know because they haven't climbed the mountain and navigated those issues and then successfully won a championship. But when I look at, I don't see any way in which Montrez-Herald and his desire to get paid doesn't benefit from them winning a championship. So ultimately, when everybody has to put everything aside, I believe that they will.

Rick Buecker joining us in The Hurt. I'm Doug Gottlieb filling in for Colin. Let's dial back, and this does include the clippers. In regards to the Lakers, we both agree they don't have enough. You think Andreo Godalas solves all their problems. I do not. I think there's a reason you've heard Derek Rose. There's a reason you've heard Darren Carlson,

who they wanted in the offseason. LeBron is not a – he can bring the ball up the court. He can start an offense, but he's not a point guard, especially for the most of the game. Rondo's not good enough. I love Caruso. They love Caruso. He's not good enough.

They need a starting caliber point guard who can play with LeBron. Do they not? They do. Honestly, they need both. I don't think that they're one piece away. I think they're two. I think they need another dynamic wing player, particularly a defensive wing player, like an Iguidala, a guy with experience.

Look, I don't know ultimately that they're going to move Kyle Kuzma. I've been told that all the talk about, you know, the discord between him. and LeBron, they realize the problem is Kuzma's contract. You can't get back requisite talent for him because he's paid so less. A rookie contract that's not at the top of the draft. Exactly. So I agree with you and that they need to upgrade at the point guard position. They need another playmaker.

But I would also say that they need both. They do need both. Are they going to get a move done before the trade deadline? I don't know that they're going to make a trade deadline, but I would expect that they're going to pick somebody up. afterward. Yeah, the, the interesting part is going to be, you know, they could have DeMarcus Cousins' roster spot. They could cut him, but that would give them just a depth of point guards that they don't need. And I don't think they're getting rid of Caruso, and I think Quinn Cook can make

some shots and can be the 15th guy. I almost feel like you're not going to bump Rondo down a peg. I think you'd cut Rondo if you get a point guard. Yeah, I also wonder where they are with Quinn Cook and with Avery Bradley. Avery Bradley, to me, feels like the guy who's the odd man out. Because Rajan, you can look at him and say, well, he's got a lot of experience. But he hasn't been good.

I'm not arguing that. Avery Bradley's not playing well. Rajan Rondo's not good anymore. Right? Bradley can play better. Okay. Rondo cannot. But the counter to that is Rajan has been very special in the postseason.

When? When he hasn't been good in the regular season? But when? When was the last time? Chicago. How many years ago was that? How many years ago was that?

I understood. I'm not arguing that. I'm not arguing that. Dude, my space was the bomb. Back when my space was the bomb. Here's the thing. When a guy has that requisite experience and he has it in his DNA,

you at least go, he's done it. For Avery, and no offense to Avery, but Avery has never done. done it. So if I'm going to roll the dice on one or the other, I can at least make a case that Rajan has demonstrated me when the lights are brightest, he has come through. Okay. They're all fighting over Darren Collison. Does he want to go to the Lakers or the Clippers? I would gather by his previous relationship with Doc that he would prefer the Lakers. That would be his first choice. But I would also say, I've been told, that he would take the Clippers

over any other option rather than leaving L.A. Yeah, it's fascinating. Like a guy who grows up in Southern California, plays at UCLA, has a chance to be maybe kind of the savior for the Lakers. If he doesn't take that gig, that would be more surprising than Kauai and Paul George, not playing for the Lakers. But he's a different cat, right? A Jehovah's Witness, a guy who walked away from a $10 million offer to not play for anybody this year.

He still may end up making money back and whatever, but he is clearly, clearly a different cat. our announcements, starters were announced yesterday. You have any problem like with the Jimmy Butler snub? Yeah. Yeah, big time. This is what I don't understand. Why is Jimmy Butler in the front

court? Why do we make him be part of the front court? He should be a starter regardless. You can make him a guard. I mean, we... Who do you take out? Trey Young. Yes. Just... Well, look, my argument against Trey Young is this. Is he better than

many people thought he would be statistically in the NBA? Yes, but his team isn't any good. And if he's the best player and he's an All-Star, they have to be a little bit better. Whereas Jimmy Butler has gone and all a sudden Miami is competitive at the top of the NBA. Now, I don't think that's all Jimmy Butler, but I think a good portion of it is. And the fact that then you use the statistical analysis, which tells you Trey Young is the third worst defender in the NBA and his team loses, that tells you something about the value of the two guys. If we are making the All-Star game all about being entertaining, which is essentially why we have to fan vote.

Trey Young is an all-star. Yes. But if we're using it- So is Zion Williamson, by the way, if we're going by that. Sure, absolutely. But if we're going by, we want to reward the guys who are having the best season, then Jimmy Butler is a starting all-star guard. I'm not going to get, like.

So we have to make a decision. Right. Like, what is it? Because the coaches, the coaches select. on who the best players are. The fans select on who they like and who's the most entertaining. And so we have a conflict

in what the definition of an All-Star is. I think it's where you go with All-Pro more than All-Star, right, don't you? In terms of who's really had... So that's my suggestion is that we just make the All-Star game entertaining. Make it the fan vote. Make it all-fan vote.

Make it like just... just want to see the most exciting players who are going to put the like al-horford god bless him you can be an all-star i do not want to see him yeah we just want we want zach levine yes absolutely right and so can't win a game awesome awesome dunker score he can win some games okay we can have this conversation some other time but then expand the all NBA the all pro teams pick five of them at the end of the year now you're picking the best 25 players in the league and we know what is what uh all right buke i i got to ask So Zion plays two nights. He's going to play again tonight against Denver.

Give me just your impression watching him. He surprised me in being able to do things that I did not expect him to do, passing the ball, his floor vision, the three points shooting. I don't know if that's sustainable, but it was impressive. I was struck by one that he's not in shape after all these months and that he runs like a guy whose feet or his knees or something hurts him as he goes up and down the floor. And it concerns me. And normally I take great issue when load management and protecting players by not playing them is an issue.

After watching him, I had no problem with them sitting him down the last few minutes because I thought he's fatigued. He's not in shape. He's carrying a little too much weight. and he has an injury history. Why is he carrying too much weight? Why would they put him on that basketball floor if he's not at the optimal weight? What is the rush? And why, after all these months, could you not get him into shape?

I can only assume that there's something about his diet or his metabolism that he picks up bad weight easily. Because, again, it's one thing if you're 285 and 6-6. If you're 285 and 6-6 and you've had three injuries basically over the last year, that's a problem. Yeah. Now, have you seen him in person before?

I don't think I have. Okay, so that's one of the things that I think some people are, you know, you see him in highlights, you see him at Duke. I saw him play Duke Louisville in person last year. And when you're watching him warm up,

you're like, wow, he really is. And at the time, people thought he was like 6, 7, you know, and you're like, wow, he really is, six, five, he looks, his build is not that of a basketball player. Right. Like basketball players are not built that thick, you know, from his leg. Like he's, most basketball players have little stick legs, right?

And even when they have broad shoulders and then they have a thin torso, right? And they got that perfect V. He's not that. He's like a block of muscle and probably some fat as well. But I was struck by, I knew he could pass. I know he can play. The shooting is wide open. And obviously that's the stuff that you work on most when you're sitting out.

But the fact that they let him on the floor when he wasn't in, like you can not in basketball shape and lose your wind? That I understand. But I would have thought he'd be 2.45, 250 flying around the court, you know, looking like a guy who would drop 20 pounds. And he didn't. And that alarmed me to where like, is this the

best shape he can get in? Maybe they think just playing him into shape the way that Shaq used to play into shape. The problem is that when you play heavy, that's when you get hurt. And when, yes, when you're not in shape and you're playing heavy and you're picking up the game, 40 games in,

everybody else has been playing for 40 games. Like that doubles the amount that you have to catch up on. Rick Buecker, check him out on. Speak for yourself upcoming. Of course, read his work in The Bleacher Report. Awesome stuff, Buk. Thanks so much. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source

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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, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, rec, my mama want you to wave at her.

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You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.