The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Best of The Herd for Jun 05, 2020

Episode Date: June 5, 2020

Doug Gottlieb in for ColinThe NBA's plan to return in Orlando is a terrible ideaDoug Isn't buying that Kyle Shanahan thinks Jimmy G can be an all time greatKevin Durant could and should return for the playoffsGuest: Greg Jennings, Super Bowl Champion & Fox Sports NFL Analyst 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. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 is 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. I mean, it was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing.

How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to the best of Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching Heard. This is the best of the herd with Colin Cowher on Fox Sports Radio.

What up? Welcome in. This is The Herd, wherever you may be. And however you may be listening to the show, thanks so much for making us part of your day. Live from Los Angeles, I'm Doug Gottlie, filling in for Colin Cowherd on the IHeart Radio app on Fox Sports Radio. And here, TV side, on Fox Sports One. Hope you're ready for a great weekend. We do have some sports, right?

NASCAR, well, golf, apparently adult league hoop in Oklahoma City. Not quite fully back, but phase two in most places, phase three in others. Welcome in. Greg Jennings is going to join me, and we will talk about Drew Breeze's second apology and his thoughts on a Kyle Shanahan statement about Jimmy G. You're not going to want to miss. One hour from right now, the great. unknown, the great unknown in the upcoming NBA playoffs. Matter of fact, let's start with the NBA

playoffs. Two months ago, Dr. Fauci was all the rave. Two months ago, there were presumably a potential for no sports at all in 2020. Two months ago, people were fixated by the Tiger King. two months ago it was like hey this is kind of cool i'm going for two or three or four walks a day dogs were happy families seemed to slow down a little bit as we actually had conversations at the dinner table which we were all sitting at somebody came up with an idea of a drive-by birthday party whoever you are i salute you two months ago is a hell of an idea remember two months ago maybe two and a half months ago having an NFL draft is a bad idea. It's a bad look, considering we're all under quarantine. Two months ago,

because we found out what this company called Zoom is, people started having Zoom virtual happy hours. It is, in fact, five o'clock somewhere. Two months ago, suddenly you're like, wait, why is everybody going after all the toilet paper? That was all two months ago. Two months ago, it was a really smart idea to have a bubble city where NBA teams could go, finish up the regular season, play in the playoffs, decide a champion. That was two months ago. You know the expression life comes at you fast? Well, Adam Silver in the NBA, they have unleashed a plan that in two months will conclude the NBA season. And so we're supposed to believe that LeBron and Kauai and Janice and the rest of the NBA superstar brethren are going to play at an optimum level

when they're in the same hotel, in the same, not even city, in the same offshoot of a resort for three months. This is not an average plan. This is not a disappointing plan. This is a terrible plan. one, just the idea that anyone wants to spend two or three months in the same hotel room, even if it's a villa. And two, maybe most importantly, but have you looked around? I'm not telling you that we are completely out of the woods with COVID-19. I am not a scientist.

I am not a doctor. I do not know about the second wave. What I do know is that. this was a two-month-old plan that isn't going to go into effect until two months. And what we have seen is mostly very good news where the curve has been flattened and the rest of the world is getting back to work. Meanwhile, if you've watched the NBA, what happens every season to your favorite team? They go on one long road trip, right?

there's the San Antonio famously goes on their road trip, the rodeo road trip, right? That's famous. The Lakers went on like a 14-day road trip. Do you remember who they played at the end of the road trip? They played the Milwaukee Bucks. And do you remember what they all said? No gas, no juice. Have you ever stayed in a hotel for more than a week?

It's kind of cool, right? Because you go down and the concierge guy, you actually know them by name. You have the usual when you sit down for breakfast. You know what time everything's open. You have your favorite people who are dormant. You have your place where you know to pick up the Uber. You have your spots. Trust me, I've done it for the last decade or so,

going to Super Bowls, going to Final Fours. You're in town for about a week. Then you get to about day seven. You're like, you know what I'm ready for? To get the hell home. and that's what's going to happen in the NBA. So in addition to the fact that the level of play is not going to be great, not just because there's no fans,

and because you're going to have a limited amount of juice in the building and for teams because they're staying in the same place and they're playing games that are supposed to mean something, but feel kind of hollow. What happens when a team gets down three games to none, in an NBA best of five playoff series. You know they used to chant one, two, three, Cancun.

Now it's one, two, three, home. Let's get the hell out of here. We collected our per diem. We made some money back. We got ourselves in the second round of the playoffs. Now, I just want to get home because even though I was quarantined with a better part of two months,

being quarantined in a hotel when everybody else in the free world is out and about, including Disney World, which is going to at least be partially open when they're there, is, it's more than laughable, right? You're going to feel like a, like, like you're a bubble boy.

Everyone else is riding their scooters and riding their skateboards and bikes down the street and mom won't let you come out and play. That's what NBA players are going to feel like. Like the first side to it is you took so long to figure out this plan and it's so honestly dated. And I know you're like two months old is dated, but that's the way it works. It's like the same way with music. I know the box is still number.

I think it's still number one, right? My son updates me on this. But my son will be looking at iTunes and on the charts and he'll say, that song's old. I'm like, that song is two months old. That's old, dad. You don't understand how things change. change, right? Because people can make music now in the privacy of their own homes. They have their own setup. They have their own computer. They can mix it. They can send it over to a producer.

Like, all this stuff can be digitally done. You don't need a big, you don't need a big studio anymore to record music. So there's constantly new stuff coming out. That's the same way we should look at ideas with professional sports. Two months ago, don't get me wrong, this was a, this was an idea that had it gone into effect this weekend, you'd be like, you know, that's pretty smart. Just be smart, roll it out. Maybe then leave it up into the possibility of playing in home cities. Forget about the fact they're going to compete against football and lose. Forget about the fact that it compete events college football and probably lose. You're also fighting against the U.S. opening golf.

You name the sporting event World Series, Major League Baseball. If they play, that'll be the time for the playoffs. Forget about all that. Just think about the lack of quality of play. Do you want an NBA championship decided when two teams just can't wait to get the heck out of there? Are playing in an empty arena when by that time, college football is likely to have full or partially full stadiums, the NFL, the same. I understand that the world changes quickly and that as it takes time to turn these massive ships around and figure out a way, to transport what?

It's 35 people in a traveling party. There's 22 teams. 800 people roughly, right? Like, that's a lot of hotel rooms. That's a lot of logistics. I understand. But you have to take a breath and think about it. In sports, when you stay somewhere too long,

like this is not like going out to dinner in Europe where let's just stay for whatever. Like you go in Europe, you go to dinner. It's like 8.39. you don't start eating until 10. You start drinking and you don't walk out until one in the morning. But even then, you really want to be the last one at the party? Three months.

That's how long you would stay in Orlando in the same villa if you're going to win an NBA championship. I'm not saying it doesn't mean a ton to the players. I'm not saying they wouldn't play hard. And that when they won the championship, whoever it is, bucks, Lakers, clippers, it wouldn't be a monumental achievement to overcome, not just the other team, but the coronavirus, the layoff, the build-up, the tournament, playing in a neutral site. All of these things would make it a great achievement.

But a blind man can see this is incredibly flawed, incredibly dated. Ooh, ooh, ooh, I got an idea. I got an idea. What if, what if for your birthday, we have all your friends come and drive by and honk the horns? Yeah, people have been doing that for like two months. We actually can have a birthday party outside with less than 10 people. Ooh, ooh, what if your daughter dies or cuts your hair?

Yeah, I've actually already done that. Got it. we're going to be home for a while. Let's get a puppy. Let's get a puppy. Yeah. Everybody in the neighborhood already got the puppy. They're already house trained.

Like, they're all going for walks. And Little League starting back up. Summer League's hoops starting back up. I watched, I watched Tray Young playing an adult league. You know, there's like a league in Oklahoma City. I was watching on social media. And in addition to the fact that Trey Young, was just torching these dudes like you cannot believe because, well, he's a young all-star NBA player.

Regardless of that part, look in the stance. I understand it probably is a bit too early, but no one in Oklahoma City is wearing a mask. No one is socially distancing. And though the numbers continue to grow, active cases do not mean people in critical condition. there's a lot of asymptomatic people. I'm not declaring it over. I'm not a scientist. I'm not a doctor.

I'm not a governor. I'm not a mayor. None of these things. What I'm telling you, though, is that the world has decided that quarantine on many levels is either ending or has ended. And the only one who hasn't gotten the memo

is the NBA. And they're going to ruin what could be an incredible tournament to conclude their season. to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened.

That's where sports slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves. Their locker room stories, very actions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing.

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

Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we picket 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 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. 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. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I saw this story from Kyle Shanahan. Kyle Shanahan, first he's growing a magnificent quarantine beard. Really, really, really impressive. He's always been a good hat guy. He's got good hair, young, sharp coach who, yes, they blew the 28 to 3 lead in Atlanta, but he did get into 28 to 3 lead.

You know, he made Kirk Cousins into Kirk Cousins, and now he's made Jimmy Garoppolo into a Super Bowl quarterback NFC champion. We've got to remember, though, that Jimmy Garoppolo's future in San Francisco was at least partially in doubt this off-season when Tom Brady's name was bandied about. Brady, of course, grew up in Northern California. He's always wanted to play for the Niners

and thought of finishing his career with the Niners, and John Lynch, of course, is their GM and former colleague here at Fox, admitted that they did kick around the idea of Brady. Here, I believe, in his basement, is the head coach of the Niners, Kyle Shanahan, defending the honor and potential trajectory of his quarterback. When you have to talk to Jimmy about one of the best quarterbacks of all time being available, I know Jimmy has the goal to be that. And I know Jimmy, I believe Jimmy has the ability to be that.

and that's what both of us are going for. And if we can get him there and he has the ability to do it, we're going to be pretty happy with who we have for a long time. Now, look, I believe you could be pretty happy with Jimmy Garapolo. I think you can win with Jimmy Garoppolo. My big hang up on Garoppolo is when he missed Emmanuel Sanders, he missed so badly and missed long. It's an explosive play when you set up and wait for the entire game for a look.

and it could have won you the Super Bowl. It's one thing to miss, but he missed so badly and missed long. Instead, if you miss short, you've got a chance to pass interference. That you have to believe that Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch had a conversation or two or three or five, saying, did he miss that because just in the moment he overthrew it? Or did you miss that because Jimmy Garoppolo is going to throw one bad pick a game, which he did in the Super Bowl? And when push comes to shove, he just doesn't have it.

Not everybody has it. Like, that's the thing that we talk about clutch and, you know, Skip talks about clutch gene and Colin talks about who's clutch, and Nick Wright tries to use stats. But everyone who follows sports understands, and people who play and coach sports understand even more acutely that some guys just don't have it. Whatever the it is to find a way to win games,

that, you know, when push comes to shove, my late father likes to say nutcutting time, right? They just make a play. They just find a way. And some guys don't. That's why wins and losses, though you can't directly correlate a team's wins and losses to a quarterback, you look at one score wins and losses, and you kind of can. So you can tell me that, hey, Jimmy Garoppolo's got a chance to be one of the best of all time. Is that why you let him throw eight times in the NFC championship game?

And you can stop with the, we did what it took to win the game. That game was over at halftime. If Kyle Shanahan now only believed in his quarterback, or maybe he needs to learn from this as a young head coach, to get Jimmy Gropolo to believe in himself, he had to let him throw in the second half. Instead, it becomes the bud of all jokes. Look, if they really thought he had a chance to be one of the greats of all time,

on first and second down with a full boat of timeouts at the end of the first half, wouldn't you have let him throw the football? I understand he had thrown an interception in the first half. If he could be one of the greats of all time and you're playing against the Chief's defense that it's not like the 85 bears, okay? You wouldn't let him throw the football? Your actions tell us that you're not really sure what Jimmy Garoppolo has beneath the hood. That's why you kicked around the idea of Tom Brady.

because though Tom Brady couldn't run the bootlegs, couldn't run the zone blocking scheme, stretch run game, just not that athletic, may not be able to have the type of explosive games that Garoppolo could potentially have in the future. If Jimmy Garapolo has Manuel Sanders

running free in the end zone in the Super Bowl, he gets it a little bit closer than 10 yards. Right? Like you could have kicked the ball closer to Emmanuel Sanders. than what Jimmy Garoppolo throw. Brady might not have it for most of the season, but you do have confidence that when push comes to shove, he has it. You don't know on Garapolo.

No one knows because to this point, we haven't seen it. And until we do, and especially considering how you call plays, please don't go over the top of the praise. Don't tell me one of the best of all time. Every quarterback wants to be one of the all-time greats. You didn't have to say it, and you didn't have to say that I think you can do it because you don't really believe it. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. There is the outside chance, the outside chance, that Kevin Durant comes back and plays this year in the NBA.

And by this year, I mean, whatever we want to call this extension of the regular season, which I don't love because the quality of play probably isn't great and they're going to be sequestered in these either villas or hotel rooms for the better part of two to three months if they're any good. But why wouldn't Kevin Durant play? Right. First of all, if you know anything about Kevin Durant, that dude loves ball.

Basketball is what he does. I know Rich Climman is his business manager and friend and he diversified his portfolio, and he wants to make him into the type of millionaire, billionaire magnate that anyone in the right mind could only dream of becoming, but he has, he's got all that loot, he can spread it around, and he's done very well during his time in Silicon Valley.

But Kevin Durant is a baller, is a hooper. How do you know if you're a hooper? In the back of your card, you got basketball shoes, shorts, basketball, KD does. Scott Brooks, told me a story once. Scotty used to be his coach in Oklahoma City. That after their first playoff run, they played the Lakers, lost the Lakers. And he had his exit meeting the next day. And he said, Kevin, what are you going to do this summer? He's like, I don't know, I just,

I can't wait to get back after. He's like, listen, it's been a long year. I want you to call this travel agent and go fly somewhere, get away. Don't touch a basketball for three weeks for a month. You can watch it, but you've been doing a lot. Your body needs time to heal. Promise me, you'll get away and you won't go. No problem, coach. So Kevin Rand flies home to D.C., and the next day, Scotty Brooks calls him, text him,

no answer, no response. Calls him, text, no answer, no response. Finally, about three and a half hours later, he calls him breathing heavily and says, yeah, I want to get back to you. I was just hooping. he literally finished the NBA season, did his exit meetings the next day, flew back home and the very following, and the following day he was playing ball.

Why? That's Kevin Rand. His post-practice workouts are legendary. It's one of the reasons that both teams that he played with would try and keep their practices shorter because KD not only liked to work out and like to play and like to get better, he liked to get all his guys with him. So keep in mind that's his mindset. And if he doesn't play, he's not going to play competitive basketball until January.

That's 19 months removed from having surgery. Any physical therapist or surgeon will tell you that if he's healthy now, which he was basically pronounced healthy before quarantine, why wouldn't he be healthy through a couple weeks of training camp or a month of training camp and eight ramp-up games. It doesn't mean he has to come out and play 45 minutes and drop 40 points for the Brooklyn Nets to win. But think of how it changes the landscape of the sport. There's also Kyrie Irving, who I know Kyrie Irving is oft injured,

but the injury that he sustained that caused him to finish the rest of his season was a scope on his shoulder. you could have Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant on a team that was already going to the playoffs. You got DeAndre Jordan to protect the rim. You got Spencer Dinwiddie, who's a do-everything guard who can play point, can play two. You add Kevin Durant, like talk about hitting the lottery. Jock Vaughn, who's their interim head coach, could wake up and have the two best players in any series in the Eastern Conference. any series. Kind of interesting

that Caesar's sports book on Wednesday lowered Brooklyn's odds to win a championship from 750 to 1 to 60 to 1. I feel like Brent Musburger. Vegas always knows. Our friends in the desert. Lattery.

All right? Caesar's director of trading Jeff Davis said, quote, I would rather be cautious and deal 61 than get hurt when I hear the news of Kyrie and Durant returning. It's crazy. I don't want to post 150 to 1 odds.

The problem is if you take a bet of a couple thousand dollars, you know, $2,000, it pays $300,000. And you're stuck if Durant is good. Let's remember last year, around this time, game six NBA finals, for a short period of time, the only game he played in, he was the best player in the court. the Warriors didn't lose because Kevin Durant faded. Now, we don't know what he'll look like coming out of an Achilles tendon tear.

But 13 months right now, and it'll be, you know, close to 15 months removed when they'd actually play games, Kevin Rand's good to go. Unless that surgery was butchered, which it wasn't, why wouldn't he be cleared? And since he'll be cleared, the argument against playing cleared players has always been you know, like when Derek Rose, remember when Derek Rose was clear to play right before the end of the regular season, did not play in the playoffs with the Chicago Bulls, and people went crazy. And my point then is the opposite of my point now. Or maybe it's the same point, but it's a different subject.

The point is this, for Derek Rose to sit out the entire year, join the team getting ready for the playoffs, playing the playoffs, that's merging onto the auto bond. that's going zero to 100. Something's going to go wrong, right? Like when you punch your car, that's when you run down your tires. I know, yeah, by the way, you can't really control it if you have a car

that's got a lot of power. But if you slow roll, if you merge into, you know, 10 mile an hour, 15 mile an hour traffic, that's what you have with Kevin Durant. He would be joining the Brooklyn Nets who haven't exactly been active in their own right, not every player has been working out every day.

I'm guessing KD has. One of the things about rehabbing players is some of them been able to use their facilities because they're still rehabbing. So the best player in the NBA over the past, the two previous NBA finals could be healthy. And do you think the NBA wants a healthy scratch? How does that look to their league partners, the TV partners? Zion's going to play.

Kauai might even play that one back-to-back they have. I guarantee 35 wants to play and think of how it changes the landscape. As of now, they would match up with the Toronto Raptors in the first round. And I know Raptor fan, you're sitting there going, Pascal Seaccombe, Kyle Lowry, never underestimate the heart of a champion. Let's go cliche on you. And I would say, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Rand are butter players than anybody you got. and the truth is there isn't a team in the West

that would have two better in the East, excuse me, that would have two better star players and as much as you want, I want to say, look, Brooklyn, this is, it's not right that they would get in. What do me is not right? They were on the roster. Kyrie played some of the season. Do they benefit from the extra time spent away in quarantine?

Sure, but that by no means, that's just luck. This was Adam Silver last night. on inside the NBA talking about the potential return of injured players? We're going to allow it, and I'd only say, Charles, and this has been the back and forth with our teams. There's so much here that's not fair, and I think we were choosing among multiple bad alternatives, given the pandemic we're dealing with.

I think ultimately to that extent a team has a healthy roster, and those players are able to come back, they are eligible to play. The two teams that could and should benefit the most from the time away in quarantine and the training camp and the buildup games, the Brooklyn Nets, because they could have one, Jacques Vaughn didn't get a chance to put in any of his own stuff, right? He's simply running Kenny Atkinson stuff. But you could have Kevin Rand and Kyrie Irving. That's an upgrade.

I love Spencer Dinwiddie. I love Karris Lavert. Those are upgrades. And by the way, those guys don't have to go away. They can still play. They all play together. And then there's the Clippers, right? What were the questions about the Clippers?

Could Paul George, Kauai Leonard stay or be healthy? And what about their cohesion? Because essentially half the season, they didn't play without one or two of their stars. Now you get a second training camp. You get more games to play together. And the likelihood of them all being healthy, huge win. Huge win. If you ask Kevin Durant, he'll want to play.

And if he doesn't play, it's because somebody's holding him out with some thought that he could get injured again. And the truth is, if you asked any doctor, unless the surgery was completely butchered, 15 months with a training camp and some ramp-up games, not having to play every minute and win every game by yourself, he's fine. And if he's fine, and if he plays, and if you add Kyrie Irving, it dramatically changes the Eastern Conference. Want more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. 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. 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. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to SportsSlic on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your

podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 and the TikTok podcast, network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we

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

Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose

on my new podcast, learn the hard way. Open your free, our heart radio app. Search Learn the Hard Way and listen now. 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 a here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was 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, 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. 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? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Let's get to the HARD Global Satellite Network as we welcome in a Super Bowl champion. Friend of the show, you see him on Fox Sports and Fox Sports One. Greg Jennings, looking all swole in front of his jerseys. Greg, look, I want to start with the NBA because you like me, love the league, follow the league, have opinions on the league. and I understand why the preliminary plan was the bubble,

but in addition to other things, like three months with just your dudes around, you're going to end up hating your best friend. Like that doesn't work. I remember I talked to the coaches at Duke one year, and they played in China and Dubai, like in October. And then they lost their own in the NCAA tournament. And I was like, what happened to you guys?

You guys faded down the stretch. He's like, you know what? We were around each other too much. Do you like this plan for the NBA that's been made now? It feels like it's been made two months ago, but it's going to play out in two months. Yeah, I actually do like the plan. And one of the reasons why I would kind of come back at you when it comes to what they're doing and how they're doing it as a destination and the guys being around each other so long for a period of time,

no one in history, or I shouldn't say history, but no one that's playing in the league right now to date has ever gone through something like this and then wanted to play what the sport that they love so desperately and so bad. No one's going to be thinking about, oh man, I'm going to have to spend three months with just the guys. They just want to get back on the hardwood.

Whether there's fans, yes, does that play a role? Of course. but that's not the focus. That's not your mentality right now. You just want an opportunity to accomplish and finish what you set out to do. And that's to potentially win an NBA championship. If you're any team that has a shot, and from what we're seeing the format, so many teams have a shot. So I think it's going to be exciting and they're just going to be simply ecstatic to be back doing what they love to do.

Oh, I think they'll be excited to be back when they have training camp and they have the first eight games and maybe into the playoffs a little bit. But when you start to like you're there for three months, what's the long as you've ever stayed in one hotel? Probably a week and a half, almost two weeks. But Doug, what you have to realize is we're talking as if we haven't all been in one location. Yes, it's been our own homes or for some, Maybe not even, but we've been quarantined already. So this is, this is the norm. I understand, but everyone, but now you're in a world where everyone else isn't quarantined and you're back into quarantine.

I just, I don't know how the, how the mind, how that works with the mind. They're not going to, they're not going to see it as the fact that they're quarantined all over again. They're just, you're just not. You are going to appreciate the fact that we can get back to what is a, glimpse of normality for us and playing a sport that brings so many people so much joy and frees the mind and just becomes an escape for not only us as performers and athletes, but for novice fan, for individuals who look for these outlets to get away from what's going on in our everyday lives. All right. Let's talk about what's going on. Drew Breeze apologized

yesterday in written form. Day he apologized in video form on Instagram. From the answer to a question about flag, protesting the flag, potentially in this coming year, to the apologies. What's your take on the Drew Brees thing?

You know, my take yesterday before he issued the apology was one of, I felt that it was callous and selfish. And then once he issued the apology, I'm again, I'm an individual that will accept that. I am not one that's saying that you forget all of that, but you understand that a guy has the opportunity to either apologize or not apologize. And he took the high road of apology and you must move forward if you're a teammate of Drew Briggs.

Like to me, it struck me as lacking empathy, right? Because he went into almost like a almost like a, almost like. like he was a politician, went into his stock answer about what the flag means to him, which I honest, I'll be honest, he has every right to have the flag mean what the flag means to him. The problem was the timing, the lack of feeling and warmth and understanding of what else is going on. So I think that's, but there are others. And look, I'm not black. So I can't, I don't know how it lands with you. Was it so bad that this will forever change how you look and how others feel about Drew Breeze? Well, I wouldn't say for me personally is going to change my complete

understanding and knowledge of Drew Breeze and relationship, the small relationship that I do have with Drew Breeze, simply because as a teammate, anytime you've spent that amount of time with an individual, you tend to know pretty much who they are or you have an idea of who they are. And in terms of football, Drew made a mistake. and he didn't say anything that was wrong per se, but his timing was not right. And what I mean by that is Drew Breeze is a quarterback. He is playing in an ultimate team sport.

And so if any individual who is on the field with him is thinking of anything outside of winning the game and what we can do to win the game, then he doesn't in that moment want anything. to do with them. And that's, that's all I'm saying when it comes to my vantage point and what I was able to hear and digest from his words. You weren't in the game in that moment, Drew. You, you were talking about something that's not relevant right now. And that's what the, that's what the disappointment for me enters in because Drew, again, as I mentioned, he's an

ultimate team sport player. He's, he's at the top in one of the high. its regarded positions at quarterback, you must remain locked in. And if you participate in which he did to a degree, whatever, in a blackout Tuesday, you, you've identified that you know what's going on. So you know where in the fight. You know what the agenda is. So let's stay focused on the agenda and the task at hand. Yeah, it was interesting because he actually had talked about it in other answers in the same interview. And that he went. to an answer that wasn't really about how the question was asked. And it struck me as odd as well.

Greg Jennings, our guest, long-time wide receiver in the National Football League Super Bowl champion. Of course, colleague here at Fox Sports as an NFL analyst. Let me play with Kyle Shanahan. Kyle Shannon was doing an interview. And he had this to say about Jimmy Garapolo. When you have to talk to Jimmy about one of the best quarterbacks of all time being available, I know Jimmy has the goal to be that.

And I know Jimmy, I believe. Jimmy has the ability to be that. And that's what both of us are going for. And if we can get him there and he has the ability to do it, we're going to be pretty happy with who we have for a long time. So it strikes me that first Drew Brie's backpedaling because of his comment and apologizing. This is the Niners saying like, yeah, we may have talked about Tom Brady,

but we think Jimmy Garapolo can be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. I see the smile. Do you buy it? I don't buy it. I don't buy it. And this is a, this is a court. Kyle Shanahan is a very smart, relatable young coach. He gets it.

If he has an opportunity to what he, what looks like to him to make an improvement, he's going to do it. And he saw that potentially in Tom Brady. But when you have and you know what he just said, you have someone within your house and your fold, that has a potential to be an all-time great, the all-time great, you don't consider removing that piece. You understand, it may take time, but I'm not moving that piece.

That piece stays until I'm completely, I'm completely forced to either rid myself of it or what I thought does not manifest. And so for him to now say that, you didn't truly feel like that, and you don't truly feel like that, because if you had and if you do, you would have never considered offering that piece up

in trying to acquire what you thought was better. You don't do it. And so I'm not buying it. I get it. I know why. And he's a quarterback's coach as well as an offense coordinator, as well as a head coach. You have to be on the side of your players

and make sure your players know that I have your best interest at heart. but as as we all saw he had the team's best interest at heart he and john lynch when it came to the potential acquisition of tom brady um did you when you played were you better when you were mad were you better when you were hungry when you're fed when you were like in a zen state where you were calm like what was the mood that you played your best football in for me i think it was more if i was to relate to one of those words it would be more of a zen state If I'm mad, then sometimes that can become a distraction. If I'm hungry, I think being in a Zen state, it creates a hunger.

It creates a thirst and a desire to fulfill whatever it is. You envisioned yourself fulfilling and playing out. And so that Zen state is, in my opinion, personally for me, was the best place for me to be. I'm not too high. I'm not too low. I'm ready to go, though. I ask you that because I kind of feel like Aaron Rogers plays best when he's ticked off. And I think this whole between the Jordan Love thing and look, you know, he's very much supported his teammates on social media.

But I think he uses everything discussed, everything as fuel. And now he has kind of legit fuel. I think this can really help the Packers the fact that they drafted Jordan Love and that he even admitted he wasn't all that jazzed about not getting a weapon. Is that accurate that he plays better when he's ticked off?

Yeah, we've seen it. We've seen it when his back has been against the wall and that team's playoff birth was against the wall. And we go back to the season a few years ago when he issued the statement of Relax. He knew

right then and there, I got to back these words. And he was really, he was willing and ready made to back those words to the fullest. It was just a matter of everyone coming on board and that's what great players do. They find a way to really tap into not only themselves emotionally, but everyone else around them emotionally. So they feel like, yeah, they slighted all of us. Not just you, Aaron. They're not just doubting you. They're sliding all of us. They're saying that we don't have what it takes. They're saying that we can't accomplish this. And so with you sliding Aaron, and it's not a slight, they're just doing what they feel like it's best to move forward if and when he decides to move on and be prepared for that. But

that's not how a player see it. If a player is drafted of your position, you're like, okay, I see what you're doing. But I have to do something about it to make sure you know I'm going nowhere. Bruce Ariens says, you don't learn anything on the sidelines, which I mean, I think most of us agree with. But the Tua thing is interesting, right? Because he's been hurt a lot.

And he had Fitzpatrick, and it's not like the Dolphins we think they're playing for a Super Bowl this year. I mean, maybe that division is fairly open. The bill's probably the best team. We'll see about the Jets. If you're the Dolphins, what's your thought process on if and when you play Tua this year?

To be honest, my thought process, I'm going to let it play out. And if I have the opportunity and the luxury to allow him to gain experience from Ryan Fitzpatrick and start him, and if Tua surpasses him, then so be it, insert him. But if I absolutely have the luxury to let him sit back and absorb and learn and be more educated and have more time to develop and to see the speed of the game to become to understand it before he actually is thrown in the fire if he's more well equipped to handle the fire he's going to be better suited for it that doesn't mean that he wouldn't perform well if he does get thrown into it but i think every coach would rather sit a player

unless he's just outright shows, I am ready to go. And I think that's what a coach from the outside and just all of us from the outside looking in will disregard because we don't have to truly make that decision like the Miami Dolphins. He wears a size medium shirt, okay? He might not pass the Fox Sports PED test, but he is a great guy in a four-time pro bowler. He's Greg Jennings joining us from somewhere from Chateau Jennings with the jerseys hanging in the background. Gee, have a great weekend. Thanks for joining us.

Appreciate it. You too, Doug. 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 headlines. 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. Fort 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 Acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter.

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. In 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 hear, 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. I mean, it was a wild year.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hard Way with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor? It signals to the world that you not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to.

Listen and learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHart podcast. Guaranteed human.