The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Jul 31, 2020

Episode Date: July 31, 2020

The return of the NBA looks fantasticColin recaps the Lakers-Clippers game last nightThe Pelicans need to stop putting Zion Williamson on minute restrictionsMost people complaining about NBA players kneeling are simply miserable peopleThe Buccaneers could very well make it to the Super BowlGuest: 5 time NBA All-Star Chris Webber 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. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard 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 a year, 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.

84 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. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care what I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clifford Taylor the 4th.

You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes,

follow at Clifford and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Thanks for listening to the Best of Heard podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday. From 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1, find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com Or stream us live every day on the iHeart radio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the Heard. with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

Ah, here we go on a glorious sports-saturated Friday live in Los Angeles. This is a happy place. This is the hurt. I'll speak for Joy Tater today. It is a happy place wherever you may be and however you may be listening. On any device, we're on Fox Sports Radio. We're right here on F.S. one. I am speaking for Joy Taylor today, even though I have not spoken yet to Joy Taylor.

Today is a happy day in the show. Oh, wasn't that wonderful yesterday? Oh, my God. I was a little emotional. I ate like a mobster last night. Yeah, you had a good night. Steaks and yelling and screaming. I had buddies texting me during the game. They're like, this is great. And I'm like, now they're going to come over tonight. We're going to watch NBA, MLS. It was just so great. You know what I ate last night? What? Lemon pepper wings. Oh, it's your favorite. Not from Magic City, though.

They're not the Lou Will. Well, those are supposed to be good, too. So let's start with this. Lakers beat the Clippers. There's two truths about the Lakers. One is really good, and one was fine last night, but it's troublesome. Let's start with this. Their chemistry has been great all year.

LeBron and AD just work. It just works. Vogel. LeBron. Frank's done a great job. Dion Waiters doesn't fit anywhere. He fits there. Dwight Howard's been odd for years.

He's kind of important. Javelle McGee is a fascinating player. He's crucial for them on the defensive end. Alex Caruso and his headband work really well with LeBron. Their chemistry is excellent. It was right where they did. And it was great in the first week. You know, listen, LeBron and DeWate are best friends.

It took a month and a half for them to get it together. And by the end of that first year, they still didn't have it together. This thing works. Okay. And it shouldn't, on paper, it is a reality show. It's the odd balls of the NBA and J.R. Smith and waiters and Javail and Dwight Howard. Who's Alex Caruso and his headband? But it works.

And when you juxtaposed that against the Clippers last night, their chemistry was not good. They had more turnovers than assists. LeBron really frustrated them defensively in a couple late possessions. Paul George was great last night. He was stupendous. But he kind of felt sometimes he was doing it by himself. I didn't like kind of their offensive situational basketball. I felt they were off last night.

And none of it was pretty early. LeBron really struggled for much of the game. But the Lakers chemistry is, it's really a credit to Vogel and LeBron. It shouldn't be this good. On paper, this roster has so many parts that don't look like they fit, and they do. I mean, Dionne Waiters drives me nuts. Last night, it was really important. And here's the second thing with the Lakers, that's a truth.

They got a pattern. They get carried by Anthony Davis early, and then he disappears and LeBron carries him late. And that was good enough last night. LeBron was very good late. A couple of big baskets, couple of great assists, two great defensive stops. Anthony Davis this year shoots 53% from the field in the first three quarters. He shoots 40% in the fourth. He just dries up.

But he's a monster for the first three quarters. He may be the best player in the NBA, quarters one, two, and three. And last night he had 32 in the first three quarters. You know what he had in the fourth? Nothing. So here's my two takeaways. Their chemistry is great and it matters. And they got to figure out this Anthony Davis thing.

Because for years everybody said he's kind of soft. This is what people complained about. Where is he? Where's the dog? Playoffs are about dog. It's about veteran players getting in your face. Kevin Garnett, Duane Wade, tough guys, LeBron, Kauai, getting in your face. A lot of guys get, they just don't have dog in them.

They're talented, they don't got dog in them. This league, Pippin' had dog, Michael had dog, Bird had it, Magic had it. The Lake Kobe had it. It matters. Four games against the Clippers this year. Listen to this. Anthony Davis's fourth quarters. And remember, this is a top five offensive player in the league.

This is a great talent. I mean, you watched last night. When he's in his game, it's, it's, it's, lights out. You can't stop him. Clippers, fourth quarter, four games, Anthony Davis, 0, 4, 4, and 2 points. The hell? That is a problem.

This is why I don't consider him a championship team. Now, it worked last night because Lou Williams didn't play. Best six man in the league. Montrez, Harold's size, 19 a game. He didn't play. The Lakers bench outscored the Clippers last night.

It's not the way it's going to work if they keep playing. But I I will say this, wildly fun. LeBron, who struggled early, was tremendous late. He had that shot he missed, follow-up shot. He had a couple of huge assists. LeBron did something last night that was really impressive. 17th year in the NBA, two huge defensive stops.

In fact, it's either the last or the second of the last possession, he stopped Kauai and Paul George. 17th year in the NBA. Even great players, after about years. 12 in the NBA, they stopped playing D. Like D is somebody else's problem. Once you got like MVP's, a lot of money, it's like, I gave you 12 years of defense. I'm done playing.

Even the great guys. I mean, Kobe was a nine-time-all defense. The last four years, he was done with the defense. He had his cash. He had his titles. He had his legacy. I'm kind of done with the defensive end. LeBron last night was huge late on the defense event.

And it was a great night of NBA. Now, now I'm frustrated. Now this is getting out of hand. Zion Williamson was on a minute's restriction. This isn't like he's not a football player on concussion protocol. He's not a baseball pitcher off Tommy John surgery. Zion was on a minute restriction. This is bulldoze parenting by the pelicans.

We talked about this yesterday. There's a term called helicopter parenting when parents hover over their kids to make sure they're safe. The new term is bulldoze parenting. where you just clear a path for your kids. Pelicans. You need to win these games. You're not in the playoffs yet. You've got to win these games.

You had the game. Zion wasn't on the floor at the end. Put him in for two minutes. It's not dealing with concussion protocol. He's not a Tommy John surgery case. Put him in the game. Alvin Gentry, his coach, protecting him, disgusted.

We wish we could have played him down with strats, but, you know, he had used the minutes that was given to us. So, you know, that's just, you know, that's the way it is. I mean, we weren't going to stick him back out there. You know, our medical people said that we played him in the minutes that was allowed us to play him. Was his conditioning that bad? Because he had, he had, let me look this up real quick. Didn't he have like 15 points in 13 minutes?

Not that bad of shape. Maybe it was 13 points in 15 minutes. Either way, not that bad of shape. Here's the other thing. Brandon Ingram is the all-star for this team. Zion's the MVP. When he was on the floor this year, they're plus 11. He's off there, minus 4.

That is a monster swing. He's the MVP. He has a physicality that Brandon Ingram does not have. They're just certain people. Joy talked about it yesterday, walk into the room and kind of own it. Zion walks into the room. It's like, damn, even in NBA circles. It doesn't look like anybody else.

there is a physical presence with him that is so crucial, put him back in the game. They need the wins. Here's the other thing. So Zion off a real injury. Now it's just because he's not in perfect shape. And for the record, I don't think anybody's in great shape yet. So Zion in college, he got hurt. Remember at Duke?

He was out of Mug. He came back for the ACC tournament. I looked this up this morning. You know how many minutes he played in the first three games back? 36, 35, and 40. MVP of the ACC attorney. You got him stopping at 15? Because he's got a little belly.

Is anybody in great shape now? I mean, seriously, this isn't Tommy John. This isn't concussion protocol. Just put him in for the last 90 seconds. You had that game and gave it away to Utah. Utah's in the playoffs. They're going to be fine. Pelicans need those Ws.

And again, this is this bulldozing parenting, this protecting Zion. Listen, NBA travel stinks. Oh, wait. There is no NBA travel. Like, I get the NBA travel. Veteran players don't want to play back-to-backs. Totally get it.

82 games, winter, I get it. Guy plays, you know, if you're a star in the NBA and play 72, I'm good with it. People did that forever until they gave it a nickname, load management. But the worst part of the NBA, the travel, there is no travel. You play, go on a stairmaster, go to your room, get a catered meal. This is personal coaching, shooting coaches, personal training. Listen, I'm not asking you to play Zion 39, but 15. How do you get in shape?

You play your way into shape. He's good. We can go up to 20 minutes. We're good. And last night, that was your game, Pelicans. That was your game. This isn't Steven Strasbourg. This isn't pitcher limits.

I get pitcher limits. I do. I get young pitcher, Strasbourg. Let's watch his arm. Let's not go to 200 innings. I get those. I get people. Concussion protocol.

Like, you know, one more week. I get all that stuff. I get if he had an ACL tear. I get it. This is because, yeah, he needs a few more days on the treadmill. Last night, I'd have said, what's the clock say, 2.15? Boom, back in.

Because when he's on the floor, he may not be the all-star yet on this team. He's the MVP. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, CliverTaylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined.

And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast, it's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me, or you're just chasing down a dream,

this is right what you need to be. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at 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. And 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's 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, Tript Fantine, 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 hard way. Open your free

our heart radio app, search learn the hard way and listen now. So, I thought last night, I watched the second half of the Utah Jazz Pelican game and then I watched

the entire, every basket Lakers Clippers game. I thought it was fantastic. I thought it was 90% of the real thing, 95%. I thought the intensity was through the roof.

NBA had a great night. I'm watching baseball kind of sputter around with cancellations and, you know, postponements and, you know, COVID stuff. And I'm watching the NBA last night and two games, lots of stars, both came down to the final shot. The look of it is absolutely fantastic. I mean, I am shocked how good it is. Every friend I have that already likes the NBA, don't pretend you like the NBA criticizing it. You were never into it. Go to your last 100 posts on the NBA.

It was fantastic. The intensity was, I thought it was, I had to remind myself more than once. It was not a playoff game. I mean, the games were intense. Guys were into it. LeBron barking at the reps. I keep forgetting we got eight of these warm-up games into the playoffs.

I thought it was fantastic. It felt like a playoff game. There's a couple, two or three things I have watched so far in the pandemic that have felt like, the real thing. I think the UFC fights feel like the real thing. I thought last night felt like the real thing. And let me just say, I think MLS has done a very

good job. But UFC and the NBA have an advantage. They're both indoors, and they're both loud. UFC is guys on the ground fighting, pushing, pumping. And announcers, there's constant action in UFC, so you have to constantly describe

it. Basketball is indoors. The octagon and an NBA court, there's a spotlight on it, not the crowd. In the NBA, there's constant action. There's no pauses. So the play-by-play guys never stop. That's the sneakers. There's the arguing.

So this visceral connection I have to it, it's visual, it's audio, UFC in basketball. You're getting constant play-by-play, constant noise, sneakers, punches, Octicon, banging around. And I'm in. I'm just, I am into it. There's not a lot of pauses in UFC. If it is, if you're pausing, you're getting hit.

In basketball, there's not a lot of pauses. I imagine, you know, hockey may have some of this too. I haven't watched the hockey yet, but I thought overall it was really, really good. I'm kind of blown away by the MLS. I'm kind of blown away by UFC, blown away by NASCAR. I've really been blown away by all of it.

I just sit there and I'm like, tip of the cap. I'm seeing people struggle in the airlines. I'm seeing all sorts of industries not get it right. Sports and tech are flourishing. Here's LeBron after. We're two teams in the same city, you know, and two teams that's fighting for one common goal and that's to win a championship

and bring it to the city of Los Angeles and their respective fan base. So, you know, you have just so many competitors on the floor. You know, so, you know, going out there and represent the Purple and Gold, representing Laker Nation, and those guys doing the same thing for their fan base, no matter what the cause is,

no matter what the bubble is, no fans or fans, basketball, is basketball and competitive spirit is competitive spirit. So we got right back to, you know, right back to where we left off. And I'll say it again, one of the advantages for the bubble, NBA travel is a schloid. It is hard. There is no travel. I thought the energy of the players last night was spectacular.

I mean, I'm watching Utah and New Orleans and I'm sitting there. I have to remind myself, it. felt like a playoff game. I mean, New Orleans has to get in. Utah has to save their spot because they don't want to have to open up against, you know, like the Clipper or the Lakers. So, listen, man, a lot of people have impressed me. You can sit around and complain during the pandemic.

And the media's got a lot of people that wake up looking for problems. I like people who seek solutions and I am blown away by how many smart men and women in this country are flourishing during this. God, I couldn't believe how good it was last night. I can't believe how good the MLS is. I can't believe UFC went to an island and how many fights I watched. You know, you can wake up unhappy or wake up and marvel at the talent in this country. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific.

Great to have you back on a sports saturated Friday. I don't say many clever things ever on this show. But I have a saying I use all the time at home. It's mine. I'm proud of it. So here goes. I tell my kids this all the time. My daughter specifically,

don't allow people with no life to ruin yours. Laugh at their misery. They're miserable people. Not many in America, but there's too many. If you want to complain about something, you're a farmer and you don't feel the subsidies are fair. I've got your back. You're a renter, and the landlord suddenly doubles the cost.

Damn right, you should be mad. You're in your 70s. You go to the pharmacy one day. They've jacked the prices 45%. Be pissed, I would be. Be loud, proud, I got your back. But there are people in America that complain about things they don't even care about. Like the NBA, players kneeled last night, and conservatives imploded.

let's be honest, your last 40 tweets, you don't like the league. You're just miserable. The NBA is the one league in America, just the one you have to tolerate this one, where the stars are powerful black voices, socially and culturally. It's the one

and their best player for 15 years, much more than MJ Magic or Bird, is socially deft, socially skilled, and stuff matters to him based on what he's seen and lived. You don't have to watch it. I'm not telling you to love the NBA. I don't watch a lot of college basketball. But if you go to Spokane, Washington, or Lawrence, Kansas, or Syracuse,

or Raleigh, North Carolina, people love college basketball. I'm not going to talk you out of it. You watch what you want to watch. You vote for who you want to vote for. but I don't complain about college basketball because I have no real passion for it other than four or five programs where I have a buddy who coaches.

But people complaining about the kneeling last night. You don't even watch it. You're just miserable. You just want to complain. I hear this all the time. Colin, the hypocrisy of the China situation. Really, you stay up at night thinking about that. You're on a Friday night with your wife,

having some Mexican food and a couple of margaritas hoping things turn out good. for you. You've been married 27 years. You get very few special nights. You start talking about NBA-China bureaucracy with your wife. Let me just put it this way. Romance killer. May want to talk about something else. Like the next trip, another honeymoon, getting remarried, buying her a nice bracelet or something. You don't talk about this stuff. You don't care about this stuff. You've never loved the NBA. It's not for you. I get it. I found that out in college. I grew up on the coast of Washington State, next to a cannery.

Okay? There was a football team we played. It was in Oysterville. That's how I grew up, clams, oysters. I thought everybody liked them. I didn't travel much as a kid. And then I went to Eastern Washington University, which was cattle country. And I went out to a nice dinner once with friends.

Eight guys at the table, all from Spokane. I ordered seafood. They all went, ugh, God, yeah. And I like, doesn't everybody like salmon? Oh, the smell of it. And I'm like, oh, wait, not everybody thinks like me. My life experience was different than their life experience growing up around cattle farms. And that's okay.

Nobody's saying you have to love the NBA, but it's a unique league culturally. It's stylistic. It's culturally relevant. And it stars are black men who have voices in this country. Many of you, no other league do you rush to wear what they wear? It doesn't happen in football. I've never once said, I've got to get Tom Brady. shoes. These are people that matter. They have voices. They're culturally significant. And the star

LeBron James has decided much more than previous stars, more than a Wilter, an MJ or a bird. There are things that matter to him in his community based on what he lived and saw. If you don't want to watch the league, I'm, bro, I got your back. I'm not into college basketball's regular season. I like the final four. But if you're complaining about a league you don't really watch or care about, you've thought. You've into the category, which I've always told my daughter, don't let people with no life ruin yours. Last night, the ratings doubled. Studies continue to indicate an increasing number of Americans.

I believe it's now over 50% are comfortable with players kneeling and are comfortable with Black Lives Matter. It's not even about being on the right side of history. I hear that all the time. I want to be on the right side of history. I want to be on the right side of now. That's what I want to be on the right side. I won't be here for the history. I want to be on the right side of now.

Right side of now is compassion and empathy and enjoying life and being happy and celebrating people outside our little cylinders. I saw the kneeling. All right. And then I watched the game. But I love the NBA. I get it.

If you don't, I'm all good. But stop, guy that never watches it. telling me how outraged you are about China. All leagues have a blind eye. NFL concussions, baseball steroids. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the I-Hard Radio app.

Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Let me start with this. Zion Williamson's on a minutes restriction. Lord. He's not in perfect shape. He's good. And he doesn't play good defense. By the way, the people bagging on it, Bukers like, he doesn't play good defense.

Find me the rookies that do. LeBron was not a great defender early on. First of all, you go from high school basketball, college basketball to the NBA. Do you know how few guys in college basketball can create their own shot? There's 370 programs, 15, maybe two. You go to the NBA, half the league can create their own shot. So to trying to defend NBA guys is no day at the beach. But he's on a minute restrictions.

restriction because he's not in good shape. Whatevs? He's fine. But here's what's funny. Or interesting to me. I think Zion's going to have a lot more team success than LeBron in his first seven years. Now, I do not think he's LeBron the player. No, he's not. He's not that good. He doesn't see the floor quite like LeBron. Didn't have the handles. I mean, let's just, you know, he's not LeBron. But there's a lot there. There's a lot of Blake Griffin, a lot of Carl Malone, a lot of Charles Barkley. There's a 15-year all-star

if he can stay healthy. No doubt. I love Zion. But the difference is is the Pelicans had Anthony Davis and they traded him. Cleveland didn't have that. Cleveland just stunk. The Anthony Davis trade has given them 22-year-old Brandon Ingram, All-Star,

22-year-old Lonzo Ball, 12 points this year. And they also have Drew Holliday who's made an all-star team and is a veteran 20-point guy. So Zion's got two young. One of them's an all-star players to grow with. LeBron didn't have that early. And he's got a veteran

grown-up and Drew Holliday who plays on both ends as a real player. I mean, LeBron, I mean, do you remember what LeBron's first seven years were like? It was Mo Williams and kind of a disappointing Drew Gooden and ancient Shaq, Jamario Moon. It was a lot of...

LeBron had one reliable guy, a big guy, Zedrunas, Ilgouskas. Good energy, good body, smart guy, ran hard, played both ends, limited offensively, but a very nice player, no headcase stuff, like a real player. And he made one All-Star team, I think. And that was it. And then it was an owner that wasn't ideal, bad GMs, a litany of coaches. The Pelicans have a real GM that's respected. Alvin Gentry's bounced around, but very respected. They have an owner that's a football owner, but very supportive of the basketball.

Brandon Ingram's now an all-star at 22. Lonzo Ball's a nice fit for Zion's game. He's not going to hog up shots. Zion's better than y'all thought. And Drew Halliday can ball. I think this is a real team. I think that I think when I look at the Pelicans, I don't think it's going to be, I think it's going to be much better than the Anthony Davis Pelicans

because I think this kid has a physical dimension to him that elevates everybody. It's almost like you always feel like if you go out with guys and one of the guys you're with is a tough guy, everybody has more confidence. You can be like a smart aleck at a bar if one of the guys is a big tough guy. You go with a football player, an offensive lineman to a bar. You talk a little more smack. Like Zion is the guy that walks in and when he's on the floor, everybody's chest puffs out a little more with the pelicans. Brandon Ingram's an All-Star. You don't feel like that way.

But Zion gives you a certain confidence. LeBron did that. And I think this roster is really good. I think it's really interesting. They also have most of their good players with the Pelicans shoot well. Brandon Ingram, 38% on threes. J.J. Reddick, 45%. Lanzo's gotten better, 38%.

Drew Holiday, 36, Josh Hart, 35. And Zion's a way better three-point shooter than anybody thought. And it is now a shooter's league. So I think Zion's going to win a lot of games. I think they're going to win a lot of games. That's why I wouldn't helicopter parent him and not put him in the last two minutes of the game last night. put him in, let him play. All right.

This is a bigger deal than you think. You see what Tom Brady got today? Oh, Shady McCoy is it. I'll play there. Shady McCoy was part of the Kansas City Chiefs kind of Troika running back group. Last year, 500 yards, four touchdowns, average 4.6 yards of carry.

Shady can play. You're not going to give him 25 carries, but he can play. Very good rotational running back. Historically, he can catch. He may not be. Zeke, but he can, he's not Christian McCaffrey, but he had 28 receptions last year. I'm going to say it right now. Tampa Bay to the Super Bowl is not crazy.

It's not crazy, and I'll tell you why. Think about the teams that are supposed to block them. Seattle, bad O-line, worse D-line. Seattle's become Russell Wilson as a life preserver. Philadelphia, like him, but Carson Wentz, can he stay healthy? Green Bay got out gained last year. Vegas and Foxbat have them winning three less, three fewer games this year. Saints, Drew Breeze is 41.

They don't throw the ball vertically. Last year, I want you to think about this. You're not going to believe it when I say this. Do you know only two teams scored more last year than Tampa? Baltimore and San Francisco. That was it. And that was with the interceptions, the James. How many points did they give away?

Just think about who do you think would be? in their way. San Francisco. That's reasonable, right? Like we know Baltimore and Kansas City, they go play a lot in the next 10 years. San Francisco's fair. San Francisco plays in the toughest division in football. There's a real chance. Super Bowl losing teams. A little hangover come down a smidge. We think Arizona's going to be better. Seattle. Got Jamal Adams could be a little better. Rams, we think, will be better. And they were nine and seven. Tampa Bay's got a team in their Division. Carolina's total rebuild. I mean, Atlanta you can't trust. San Francisco and Tampa meet, and Tampa's got home field advantage. Just say it out loud. Tom Brady, Jimmy Garoppolo.

Brady's got better weapons and is it at home. Really? Is that crazy? Am I crazy on that? Because I just watched the Super Bowl where there was a team with a great offense and a pretty good defense. play a great defense and a pretty good offense and the offense won. And more and more and more and more I'm watching football. And I'm seeing the great offense score a lot of points on the great defense.

Remember that great New England defense that Philadelphia ate up? Listen, offense is now score. New England kept Kansas City and Mahomes down for about three quarters a couple years ago. San Francisco kept them down for offenses score. They eventually score. Tom Brady, the weapons here now, they got three backs, three tight ends, two big time wide receivers,

they're going to lead the NFL in offense. Hell, they were third last year as a turnover machine with James Winston. So if you start looking at the roadblocks for Seattle or for Tampa, all right, San Francisco, in a much tougher division could come in 10 and 6, you know, Tampa goes 11 and 5. I get Brady at home with the weapons. You get Garoppolo on the road. By the way, Tom's going to have a lot of motivation to beat the kid who, you know, Belichick wanted to bail on Tom earlier for.

So I look at Shady McCoy and I'm like, this is what the Miami Heat did. Gronk's like, you know, it's funny. I don't know Gronk well, but I know people who know Gronk. Gronk was retired. He was not going to come back. Gronk was done. This was not like a Gronk.

saw Brady sign and Gronk being Gronk is like Tampa, jet skis, no state tax, I miss playing. Gronk kind of like went, yeah, I'll do it. By the way, Shadies looking down there thinking, no state tax, about done. Why don't I want to play with Tom Brady? This is what LeBron and D. Wade, Bosch did in Miami. Guys were like, Miami. It's a winter league. The water's aqua.

This would be fun. Your agent's like, yeah, of course I want you to play. Go down there. get on television in May and June, get your shoe deals and endorsements. You want to be on television May and June for the NBA. Believe me, agents want to put their players in places where they're on TV for the shoe deals. You don't think agents look at this and think. In COVID year, Brady, Tampa, highest scoring offense,

Gronk was done. I'll play. Shady. Other options. I'll play. I'm just saying it's not the craziest thing in the world. It's not. not crazy. I mean, you go look at how much success far have had, a play from the Super Bowl.

Joe Montana had. These, Peyton Manning, like this, these guys that go, remember, Peyton Manning cherry picked where he wanted to go. Tom Brady looked at all the weapons and said, I like Tampa. We were all like Tampa. And then you looked at it about a week later, we were all like, oh, yeah, Tampa. Drop back, tight ends, backs. They solved their problem on the right side of the offensive line with Tristan Worf's? I don't know. I don't think it's crazy. I don't. Nick Wright last night was crazy. That's not crazy.

Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the I-Hard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes,

creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be.

Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at 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 a little kill? 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 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 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. Thank you for 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 podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase

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

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, 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 Hardway and listen now. Chris Weber.

one of the top three college basketball players, I think I've ever seen. Rookie of the year, a bunch of NBA All-Star teams, 15 years. C-Web, TNT analyst. What up? What are you doing, C-Web? How are things? Hey, everything is great, man. How are you doing?

Thanks for having me on. You bet. I was saying last night, the Lakers chemistry surprises me. AD and LeBron work. Caruso works. Dion Waders drives me nuts, but it kind of works. Why do you think LeBron and AD's chemistry is so good so fast? What, explain that to me?

Well, you're a historian. You know the game, and you talk about it in different ways. And if you think about back to, remember in Cleveland, everybody thought getting, I'm not talking about J.R. Smith today, but everybody thought, you know, J.R. Smith and those guys wasn't going to help him. And myself and other people thought you needed a couple crazy guys around you, because really all you want to do is manage. You just want to manage the personality.

But you want guys to get a tech when you can. You know, he's the ambassador. You want guys to file. And so the pick and roll game, the fact that they've been courting each other, the LeBron and AD for a year. The fact that, you know, if you really look at that game, LeBron was 16 points, I mean, AD really held them,

and LeBron could do his thing at the end, especially on the defensive end. So one, I think it's because you have two top five players in this league. And then two, you know, when you have guys, everybody sleeps on where Shack calls the others, your teammates, role players. And when you have guys like that, just think about who the Lakers have had.

I mean, to the bane of my existence, whether it's horror, Fisher, Grant, guys that come in and know their roles and they're experts at it. And I think that when you come into LA as a role player, you better have your focus up because more is expected of you as a role player there than any other franchise. Are you worried, Chris, that Anthony Davis in four games against the Clippers has virtually disappeared in all four quarters. And you know this, Chris.

Some guys get tight late. Some guys are talented. They don't have a lot of dog. He has just dried up. four times against the Clippers in the fourth quarter he did last night. Concerned it all about that. You know, well, first I have to full disclosure, I think the Clippers are going to win the championship.

So that's who I picked. And the fact that they didn't have the number one scoring tandem, maybe the first teammates to get six men of the year together, co-six men of the year, really got to think about that. That's at least, you know, at least low-side seven boards. you know, that's at least a couple of files there. So what I think is that LeBron and AD are going to have to do everything to win. Everybody's going to criticize LeBron every minute of the game because he can't take any plays off.

And the same with AD. And when you really think about it, when you have Harold in and you have one more big body and it's not Noah a guy trying to get in shape of the season, and then you cause problems on the pick and roll on the other end. So that's what Noah didn't do. He wasn't, you know, causing any problems on the other end defensively. And when you have those two guys, it's going to be tough. So Caruso, those guys are playing great, but I don't see how they're going to keep that up.

A lot of that's going to be on Dwight Howard and Javelle McGee defensively because if not, I don't know how they're going to be able to keep pace. So Zion's on a minute restriction thing. And I was like, man, it feels like a helicopter parent. It's not like he's coming off Tommy John or concussion protocol. I mean, even in college, after he got hurt, he came back and played 37 minutes in three straight games and won the MVP in the ACC tournament. What do you make of the minute restrictions on Zion?

I agree with the expert on the show. I agree with Joy, when she said earlier, because it feels kind of weird to me, and I had some players. I had some ex-players call me, and don't get me wrong, ex-players call all the time for different reasons, to vent, to relive, just because they ticked off. But more than a few called me last night,

and two of the comments, two of the main topic, where you guys are letting them off the hook. If this was anyone else that wasn't so caught in shape. And then the next one was, you know, if I'm a player, you know, come hell of high water, I'm a player, especially in the last minutes where all we're playing for, you know, is a playoff spot. Right. Those are the kind of two things that I kept, you know, defending.

Because I'm like, he must be hurt because in my point of view, It's no way, like you talked about dogs earlier, the ones like AI, the ones that play and get criticized for going three for 25, they're the only ones that'll do it. Curry's the only one that'll go three for 25 because he thinks he's going to make the next one. So you need those personalities. And I think it must be something serious because, like you're saying, it's a helicopter parent, but you know they want to make the playoffs. I mean, it seems like that's why we have this good tight race right now is to see if the pelicans can make it. So in my heart, I know he wants to play, but I don't understand that. So I have this theory.

I told Joy and Rick Buecker, and Buehker thinks I'm nuts, but I said, the NBA travel is a schloid. I mean, baseball, you go into a city for four days, NFL, eight road games, NBA's winter, cold, turbulence, late night, van to the hotel. And now we don't have that. I thought the energy last night from the players was unbelievable. So everybody's going to tell me they're not going to be very good. they're going to be rusty.

I don't know, Chris, if you would have never had to travel, only play home games in the NBA. I wonder if some of these guys, some of these old guys are like, they're going to like, they're going to like, I don't have to be in bands and road trips. Your take on the bubble experience. Yeah, and at least the next year, well, to tell the truth, we were always, when I played, was a little jealous of the baseball schedule.

Because the baseball schedule, you're in town for a week. Now, it's no way you really can do that. that in basketball, but we just meant the way that you could move about. And so you're right. That's why I do think LeBron with his experience, how Grady plays, all that, all the things you can talk about LeBron has an advantage. And so I wouldn't be surprised, even though I didn't pick him if they won, because there is no travel. And everybody out there, you know this. I mean, the travel and come back and do a show, and it takes, travel takes more out of you than a tough practice a lot of times, especially after a loss, especially when think about if you have any injuries. And so if your leg is swollen,

If you go on the plane, that's more pain. That's an ice machine. Just the inconvenience of it getting into a hotel room, unpacking, ordering your food at two in the morning. So I do think the bubble is better for wild personality, better for the introvert, better for guys that really want to win, better for guys that don't want to be there because if you're not focused now, when are you going to be? So I got to ask you a Yonis question, and I've said this. Yonis is great. but if Chris Middleton, who I think is a good player being paid great money, I have no bitterness, I hope you guys all make a fortune.

But if Middleton struggles like he did last year against Toronto, and Yannis can't get to the finals, and you know how the media is like, come on, man, where's hardware? You're just sitting there in Milwaukee. It's not even a free agent market. Do you think there's a possibility that if Chris Middleton holds the key for Yannis and his free agency going forward? I would like to say Chris Middleton could be the key, but it's the GM's fault if they let that happen and don't stay there, you know, and don't make a move.

So I agree. That's why as great as LeBron has done, I feel that Janus is the NBC with the best record, maybe defensive player of the year. AD's the leading score on the Lakers. And so look at what he's done without, you know, and I don't consider Millington, in my opinion, the true number two. I just don't. And that's not his fault. He could be a great number three somewhere. Yeah.

He's not a number two. I agree. And I think the Bud does a great job coaching. Their system and their team is one of the deepest. And I think that's why them and Denver should have an advantage. But yeah, I mean, if Yonnas calls, you know, but called me, I would just say, you're going to want to play today. You have to play with the best teammates you can because at the end of the day,

they're going to look back. They're not going to care that it was a super team over here. They aren't going to care that. a guy traded a player to his best friend or they used to be teammates and they want they're not going to care about that they're going to care that you win one and so it's really about does he trust the ownership and GM to make that happen because from my experience not in sacramental but from my experience the frustration with small market teams the players there is that those teams don't have enough balls to go get someone else big and that's the only reason why you

stay small in a lot of players eyes that's why okay okay wasn't a small market, even though it was. They didn't play like that when they drafted those great players. So I would be worried about that if I was on a shoot. You got to make it a point. You can't act cool. You can't say, oh, we don't discuss it with our players. Not when people are discussing with LeBron or asking Kauai who you want to play with.

You see what the Clippers did? Yeah. You know, so, no, I agree 100%. But it wouldn't be on Middleton, it would be on his play. But it would be on management because they're the ones that are in total control of who stays and go. Good stuff, Chris Weber today. So you just, so now you just, what are you doing today? You just kind of hanging, waiting for games?

Waiting for the playoffs. I was just watching the old game the other night. I'm trying to grow a beer since my beer never connects. I'm looking crazy and just working out, man. Trying to stay busy in the meantime. I'm trying to keep a good schedule, so I don't go crazy or lose anything. NBA on TNT, our friend, Chris. I love talking to you, man.

Thanks for coming by. Hey, same here. Thanks, thanks for having. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and Friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win.

A win is a win. I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me. Clifford Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, my basketball and college football journey, or my career in sports media. Well, now I'm bringing all of that excitement

to my brand new podcast, The Clifers Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled conversations with athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. So let's get to it. Listen to the Cliford show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. On The Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay and I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, 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.

84 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. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.