The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 1 - NBA Finals, Mayfield, Irving

Episode Date: May 31, 2022

Colin previews the NBA Finals and gives his prediction Baker Mayfield would be a good fit on the Saints Would the Nets trade Kyrie Irving?   Guest: Sam AmickSee 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.

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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 IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at it podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me.

84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick 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.

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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 Hurd. You're listening to Foxxport's. Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. It is a Tuesday.

We're live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be. However you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, once again, incidentally, Joy and I match. This is if we have a department that is trying to make a... She walks in one minute before the show every day. And about once every two weeks, it's like we were dressed by this styling.

We are dressed by stylist. But you only have one option in your room, right? Mostly, yeah. Yeah. So they put like my whole week's worth of clothing. Oh, wow. So if I'm not feeling something on a particular day, I swap it out. So it is actually completely accidental that we match today.

Joy, with this body and face, I don't have many options. This was the shirt that was there and I picked it. Or one could argue that you don't have to do a lot of work. You know? So let's start with this finals Thursday. My dad used to always say this. Tiger, he called me. You're a good talker.

Good talkers are usually good arguers, but most of the employment decisions in your life will be decided when you're not in the room. Be good to people. It'll matter. And that's a lot about life. It's inches not feet that decides careers and legacies, and it shouldn't be that way, right? You work hard, but it is. Take the Boston Celtics.

In November and December and January, this team was struggling with a new coach. and there were strong rumors from credible sources. Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown were going to be broken up. I mean, hey, what did they done? Seriously. Why not? Philadelphia looked better. I mean, Brooklyn just got thrown together.

Miami was playing well. I mean, what are these guys giving us? They're starting to pay all these guys a lot of money. Real rumors, real sources. And the players heard it. I'll get to that in a second. But think about this. If the Celtics win,

Game 7, tied at 100, final shot, win the finals. Or, game tied at 100, game 7, with the Warriors, miss, they come down and hit, lose, it changes the arc of careers, it changes reputations, it changes money. Nobody talks about the loser of an NBA finals. You're just a loser. Nobody talks about the bronze and silver medals in the Olympics. You're just a loser. It's the way our sports work.

Inches not feet. Think about this. Jerry Seinfeld is the richest comedian in American history, and it's not particularly close. He worked with Larry David, a wildly influential comedian and mostly writer, Curb Your enthusiasm in Seinfeld, two massive comedy hits. Julie Lewis Dreyfus created Veep, one of my favorite comedies of all time on HBO. Those are three powerhouse massively influential. influential comedic voices in America. Massive.

Brandon Tardukoff, after one year, the head of NBC, wanted to cancel the show. Warren Littlefield, you've probably seen him as a character in a couple movies before, like this story has been told before, right? He was the head of development. Very rarely does the head of development argue with the president of a network, and Brandon Tardikoff was the most influential person. in network television at the time. Brandon Tardogeth, he was on the cover of magazines.

He was the genius. He goes, well, I'm done with it. And Warren Littlefield convinced him the show about nothing was really going to be something. Just just another year, it changed everything. Otherwise, Larry David is, is it David Larry or Larry David? Julie Lewis Dreyfus is probably happy in her life, but she doesn't make Veep. And Jerry Seinfeld isn't worth $900. million dollars. He's probably at the comedy club on sunset this weekend. That's the difference.

Inches, not feet. That is not taking anything away from those brilliant people. But that happens a lot. Let's say the Celtics lose. Oh, they'll get back. Interesting. K.D. Westbrook and Hardin never did. Didn't necessarily get that close. Let's say the Celtics lose. Well, Milwaukee, Chris Middleton returns. That's a really good culture. Miami, like they always do. already good now, took them seven games, they'll add a piece. Players like to play in the winter near Aqua Water. Let's look at Philadelphia. They have a deal-making GM.

Maxi continues to grow, Mbid stays healthy. Also, if you're the Celtics, Al Horford's about to be 36, and Robert Williams struggles with health. You'd lose your two bigs potentially going into the playoffs. Oklahoma City had Durant, one of the great players ever, hardened a Hall of Fame talent, and Westbrook will make the Hall of Fame. Got to the finals, never got back.

One guy didn't get along. One guy wanted more money. It is a salary cap league. Tatum and Brown, there were discussions as this team was under 500 in January to break it up. Remember, even great teams in the NBA, they don't last long. In the NFL, they last longer. New England lasted 20 years. Steelers, when I was a kid in the 70s, lasted seemingly forever.

They were good. The Cowboys with Landry were good forever. I think the pressure's on the Celtics. Draymond Green got his money, got his rings, going to be the Hall of Fame. Steph Curry, got his monies, ring, Hall of Fame. Clay Thompson, check, check, check. Steve Kerr getting in the Hall of Fame. All those legacies are cemented.

The money, the rings, the legacy cemented. Now let's flip it and say the Celtics win and beat the Warriors. Now it changes everything. Could be one shot. Now Brooklyn starts to get really impatient. Okay, this is embarrassing. Those guys and that chemistry are beating us. Kyrie's done.

Darryl Morey, M. B. gets hurt again. We're making a big deal. You start changing who the pressure's on. Milwaukee sits there and thinks, okay, now these guys have a championship. They're better than us defensively. Jalen Brown's now average in 24. Maybe Milwaukee overreacts, moves a player, brings somebody in, ruins the chemistry.

How long can Brooke Lopez be there? Remember, they weren't as good without Lopez. this year. You think all this stuff, it's big gaps. It's my, yes. Yeah, Shaq and Kobe were way better. And Michael Jordan, absolutely. And Belichick and Brady would have won in any era. But this Boston team is pretty good. When Marcus Smart scores, they're really good. But everything could change. The pressure is on this team. It's inches in life, not feet. It is a single catch and a touchdown in a big game. it is one shot that falls, Kyrie Irving, against the Warriors.

It's single decisions by a coach. It changes bank accounts, legacies, everything. And Jason Tatum said yesterday, we heard the rumors. We heard that we were going to get broken up. We weren't very good. And here's how they responded.

You know, from saying that we need to split the group up or get rid of, you know, somebody or me and J.B. Can't play together. that fueled us to figure it out and, you know, not run from it. That, you know, we obviously are going to be here for a while and that we trusted each other and that we had to be better. So, yeah, I think instead of separating, we became closer. And I think it has shown, you know, throughout the season.

Sure has. I'll take the Warriors in six because I think Boston's lack of experience is a thing and the pressure is on the selfish, but can't wait, starts Thursday. So I am often viewed as Mr. Negative with Baker Mayfield. I think it's unfair, but I've said a lot of things that end up on YouTube and aren't that complimentary. Let me flip it. Today, I finally found a place for Baker Mayfield.

And I actually think he could be really successful. So I saw a story yesterday about James Winston of the Saints OTAs limping around. Remember he tore an ACL last year? He wasn't a great athlete to begin with. He's always been perpetually goofy. But Baker Mayfield and his agent should really try to get to New Orleans. And I'll tell you why. Number one, they've already moved Taysam Hill, I think, smartly out of the quarterback

room. Drew, Drew Brees, Taysam Hill. That was, come on, give me a break. That was a Sean Payton idea. Maybe Sean Payton can make it work. Now they have a defensive coach. They've moved Taysam Hill out of the quarterback room. Number two, nobody really is all in on James.

He's always been, you know, James. I mean, let's be honest. He went 7 and 9. They brought in Brady and they won the Super Bowl. That was not a great day in his career. So there's a lot of doubters with James Winston, and now he's limping around. Number three is, Saints are actually an effective quarterback away from in the NFC making the playoffs. It's a bad division.

and they have a real defense. I mean, they want to win now. Atlanta, we know what they're doing. Carolina, we kind of know what they're doing. Saints aren't in a rebuild. Maybe they'd be in a rebuild if you put them in the AFC West or the NFC West. In that division, that's not a rebuild.

This is not a team that's going to go 4 and 13 and 5 and 12, especially if you got Baker Mayfield. And what's really important is see around the corners. And I think Baker and his people probably know this. Tom Brady, this is the last year. I mean, it feels like it, right? There are multiple stories out there that he was going to go to the dolphins to be a co-owner. He's done.

Like this off-season, it's a lot of golf, it's a lot of branding. It's not a lot of football. Last couple years, little less football in the off-season, a little more fun. Tom's moving on. Okay, so that means if you acquire Baker-Mayfield with that defense in a weak division with two other teams rebuilding, in one year, Baker's the best quarterback. And you say to yourself, well, you never liked him anyway. No, I think he needs to grow up.

But let me give an example. The Chargers in San Diego at the time bailed on Breeze. He found the culture that bought into him. Well, he's not Breeze. Here's some interesting numbers. Here's the numbers for Baker Mayfield in Cleveland and Drew Breeze with the Chargers. They are virtually identical. You didn't know Drew Breeze was great.

either until he was surrounded by really good O lines and great defenses. You didn't know he would be that. I don't think Baker is as good a thrower as Drew Brees. I don't think he's quite as committed or as focused or as accurate, but Baker can play. Baker's absolutely a top 25 quarterback in this league, but at the time Brees moved over, we didn't think he was a top 15 quarterback. Chargers gave up on him for Phillip Rivers. Just something to think about.

This one works. Carolina really doesn't. It really doesn't work because their owner, the billionaire. He wants Super Bowls. And I don't think Baker's a Super Bowl quarterback, and I think they're rebuilding. But New Orleans has a reputation of drafting really well and giving their quarterbacks a lot to work with. And now that James Winston is limping around, it's not exactly like everybody's all in

on James and Tassum Hills out of the room. and this is going to be too good of a team in New Orleans to go five and 12 or four and 13. And in my opinion, probably way too good, even with James Winston, to go like 6 and 11. See, you're not going to get Bryce Young. You're not going to get Stroud at Ohio State. You're not going to be in that class. There's too many bad teams out there, and I can name them right now. Two of them in your division, Atlanta, Carolina.

Baker to the Saints makes a ton of sense. And by the way, the Brown's roster is very good. They don't need a ton what they could probably use because they're getting kind of expensive. There's a draft pick or two. This isn't the NBA where salaries have to match. Saints could use, Browns could use some draft picks because they're going to pay their new quarterback. I don't know, a zillion dollars all guaranteed in a really tough division. What they need is to make sure that great quarterback has weapons and they're a little shaky at wide receiver.

So to me this works. It's very positive. I hope I have pivoted off my negative Baker brand into Mr. Glass Half Full, Mr. Sunshine for Baker Mayfield. But I think his career would be to some level reborn. It's a reboot. It's a good organization. It's a weak division. Brady retires.

Best quarterback may not last long. Atlanta may get the number one pick. But that makes sense to me. See, in the end, very optimistic person. Always rooting for other success and sometimes obnoxious. 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 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 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network

on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith rule of two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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 a little

Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam Jay. 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 you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we discussed correct. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Now you're 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. Great to have you in today. Joy Taylor joining me as always. You don't know what you don't know. So that's why examples are really important. Good examples, bad examples.

I say my wife has a saying, kids, you can be a great example or a horrible warning. Kids can learn from both. Steve Kerr, and some of this is just good fortune, a lot of it is. And I think Steve Kerr would be the first to admit this, played in three great cultures. Lou D'Olson at Arizona was a top five program. Steve Kerr played there. Then he goes to Greg Popovich in San Antonio. That's one of the great cultures in NBA history.

And then he goes to the Chicago Bulls. And, I mean, you talk about mentors. Lute Olson, Phil Jackson, Greg Popovich. Now, he also knows what a bad culture was. I covered him in Portland when they were the, as the Oregonian dubbed them, the jailblazers. It's not a great culture, just a lot of talented players. So you know what you know. And he talks about Steph Curry and why he is so important

in what the Warriors have been doing for over a decade. What culture means to me is what the players feel when they enter the building every day. You know, what do they experience? What's the vibe in the building? And whatever that is, that's the culture. I think Steph embodies everything that we believe in, all the values that we believe in. And so Steph's presence from the very beginning allowed that culture to blossom.

I think it's harder for NBA coaches to build cultures. And here's why. You and I, all of us, me, Joy, everybody here, we kind of agree who the best basketball players are, best baseball players are. Hockey, soccer, boxers. Basketball's different, though. The imagery given to young basketball players is individuality is very important. Style points get you paid. Get a shoe deal.

Forget college. Get to the pros. That's what's constantly being sold to a talented 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 year old. High school football players, he got to go three years college minimum, probably four, and those coaches are going to hard coach. You're not going to sniff an agent for years, even with NIL. You got limitations. Same with baseball players.

You can be Bryce Harper, Mike Trout. Get to the minors. Enjoy Appleton, Wisconsin for a year or two. Everybody knows that. Everybody knows that, especially the athletes. It's hard to build a basketball culture when 12 and 13, 14-year-olds are told and sold. Harden and Steph, same player. Westbrook, better than Steph.

mellow Steph same guy Hall of Famers no they're not it's hard to do what Golden State's doing is to take players especially after they get rich and tell them it's about us not about you and I think that's where Steph's really important and I don't think it is a coincidence

that Draymond Green went to college for four years and was a second rounder and Steph went to college for three and Clay went to college for three and Jordan Poole went to college for two. The kid that's had trouble with the Warriors is James Wiseman, the number one pick, played like three college games. There's a whole different ballgame here.

You're going to be coached hard. You're going to sit on the bench. It's a complex defensive system. Talent has limitations. That's why I think what Kerr's done, and Steve's arguably the smartest guy I've ever covered in this sport. I covered him in Portland, is that some of it is good fortune.

Lou Doleson, Greg Popovich, and Phil Jackson. That is, you talk about influences. Those are right up top on the mountaintop of influences. But I think what they're doing is something that's really hard. I think it's easier to create a culture in football because players have less power. I think it's easier in baseball because until you get that big contract, I can send you back to the minors. let's be honest about hockey.

Star players are on the ice for 45 seconds and off the ice for 45 seconds. It's really hard to be wildly influential unless perhaps your Gretzky are in the net. Basketball is hard, man. The messaging to young people is you get yours. You get yours. Shoal deals are as big as winning. We, of course, know that's not true. But when you're 12 and 13 and 14 and you're watching basketball and

Everybody's telling you how great this guy is and this guy is and this guy is and none of them are winning players. And Steph is all about winning. It can be confusing. So what Golden State is created is the basketball culture that everybody should copy. Yet how many are? I mean, really, how many are? Rick Buecker earlier this week on Curry and how he embodies what the warriors are. I've always said he's a very unique superstar in that he has this, he has this.

the utmost confidence, and yet he is egoless in terms of inviting everybody into the party. Generally, the Kobe's and the Michaels are like, no, get out of the way, let me get it done. Steph's like, oh, I think you might be able to help me here. I'll utilize you, and I don't have a problem if you're the finals MVP. I truly think he thinks that way. As do I. Again, I'll take the Warriors in six. I think we got ourselves a perfect final.

East, first, West, defense first, offense, and two. Markable cultures. One was struggling in January, stuck with it, and the Celtics are now here. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on a news. This is the herd line news. Well, the Cowboys.

They got rid of a lot of pieces. I like your introduction to that story. Who, cowboys. Well, I mean, you're giving this eloquent talk about culture and consistency and success. And then I got a transition to the Cowboys. Then we pivot to Dallas. Well, you know, off the field have a tremendous amount of success. But on the field, it's debatable.

Jack Prescott does not agree. He doesn't think the team is taking a step back. He said, talent is one thing. But if you don't fulfill it, it doesn't really mean anything. I'm excited for those guys to be able to do that and for them to prove people wrong. I know with this team and the men that they have and the coaches and the leadership. And we definitely didn't take a step back. We're going to continue to get better.

And that's what the soft season about. and that's what's moving forward is. Well, the division's still very dicey and shaky. It is. I do think Philadelphia has had a really nice season last year, and they had a really much more impressive offseason than Dallas did, in my opinion. Oh, I think one team got worse and Philly got better. That's not even debatable.

Well, Dallas traded to Mari Cooper. They lost Randy Gregory, Connor Williams, Cedric Wilson, and Free Agency. They cut Lyle Collins and Greg Zirline. DAC is one and three in the postseason and while obviously the Giants are the Giants I do think that you know Washington is interesting at least they can be competitive within the division

I don't think it's I don't think it's walk away Dallas's division like last year I was like it's Dallas's division like that's they're going to win this year I do think Philly could easily win this division and Dallas once again has not shown the ability to be competitive in the post-season And they've had two, I would say, uninspiring back-to-back drafts where they've taken some like red flag guys. You know, they hit on a lot of draft picks and suddenly got very good DAC being one of those.

I don't, the last two years, I don't like the momentum in the off season for this team. I mean, Micah Parsons was a home run. But. They moved off the Jalen Smith deal. they, I mean, it's, it's Randy Gregory. Their pass rush will not be as good. Watching that postseason game just kind of shut the door for me. Yeah.

Because I was, I was a defender of Mike McCarthy, but I did think the exit from Green Bay was a little dramatic. Yeah. He took all the hit. How much more success have they had since he left? Yeah. None. What's the difference?

They beat the Bears and Lions more. Okay. Seriously, that's it. Congrats. So I don't, it's not that I'm a defense. but I do think that the way that the season ended last year was a disaster and I put that on Mike McCarthy. I don't know how much longer he's going to be there if they don't have success this year. I'm not buying into the Cowboys again. Go out there and do it on the field and win in the postseason

and then I'll buy it again. They just don't have postseason success. So Trevor Lawrence is a huge fan of his new head coach, Doug Peterson, and he was talking about how he feels they are a great fit together. I think you can always tell the way a coach communicates with a quarterback, you know, because he's been in my shoes. So quarterback's an interesting position. It's not a big rah-rah, you know, choose somebody out. I mean, you know, you have some coaches that are like that. But for me, that's just not what I need.

I can have a conversation. And Coach Pearson's great about that. In every play, he gives you a piece of feedback that another coach might not give you just because he knows what it's like. And it's something little that he might see that someone else doesn't see. You know, I was thinking about this going over this story today. how just unfortunate for football fans it is that Trevor Lawrence went to Jacksonville.

And that's no knock on Jacksonville. But man, what an awful year for that organization and for that team. And it's just hard for me to get really optimistic about it. I like this higher. I like Doug Peterson. I think Trevor Lawrence has the potential to be a transcendent talent.

But I've never seen Jacksonville be able to put it together. Well, I've seen him put it together for about a year. Maybe. Half a year. Yeah, I mean, so. So listen, this is one of these classic, not like a Drew Bree situation because the Chargers actually were winning some games. But this is one of these like where you land matters a lot. And sometimes you have to dig yourself out of it.

Like there's the Aaron Rogers or a Kobe you end up with the Lakers or the Packers. That's ideal. But there's a lot of these guys in sports where there is no question where they land irreparably damages the rest of their career. because the NFL is different. You have a hard time getting out. They can franchise tag you. The one thing I do like, I mean, I tend to be I sign a contract.

I stay with a contract. But the one thing I've criticized the NFL for years is I don't like the franchise tag for quarterbacks. It's great for a running back. It's great for a guard. But to be able to say to Aaron Rogers, no, this is what we're going to do. And the players signed off on it.

I think it's the worst. I mean, Matt Stafford was essentially trapped. for 12 years in Detroit. Was it 13 or 12? The minute he escaped, he went to Super Bowl. Literally, the year he leaves, that's how great he actually was. Like, he was so, it was so bad there.

I had no faith in Matthew Stafford at all. No, I was talking to friends about this after the one in the Super Bowl. I said, I'm rooting for Matt Stafford, not because I know people with the Rams where I live in California, but I feel like I've been very fortunate. I mean, I landed at a huge sports network.

I had great bosses when I was local. I've really rarely had a bad boss or a bad situation. I can't imagine if the first 13 years of my career, it was mayhem upstairs. I've been totally fortunate. This is why I think both of us like to help others. We've had some good breaks in our career. Matt Stafford got nothing for 13 years. And it's like Trevor Lawrence may have to just, and by the way, you get hit a lot with bad teams and bad drafting and bad old lines.

And so I have, I know, I know they're all rich and he's got a great life, but I have, I want to see this thing succeed major league in Jacksonville. Yeah, I do too. I mean, it's, it's, it's, I want to see Trevor Lawrence be able to play to the potential that he can possibly play in the NFL. I don't, and I don't know if that's possible. I mean, it's the same thing with Justin Fields in Chicago. Like, I love Justin Fields.

Is he going to be able to overcome Chicago? A great brand, great fan base. I think most of them would have a great. they haven't put their quarterbacks in the best situation. Right now, I think Chicago is the fourth best roster. Because I think Detroit's offensive roster is a little better than people think. Yeah. So the Nets seem to be dissatisfied with Kairie Irving.

It's one way putting how things with this year. Who's reporting that? Everybody. There were reports last week that they refused to offer him a long-term deal. And Ian Begley of S&Y reported that teams believe the Nets would be willing to do a sign-in trade if Irving opts out this postseason. He has a $36.5 million player officer. He can decline this summer and become an unrestricted free agent.

He said on multiple occasions he wants to stay with Brooklyn. He has about a month left to decide if he wants to opt in to the final year of his contract. So if he wants to get a multi-year deal and Brooklyn doesn't want to give him one, then the sign and trade is an option for him and the Nets. He played in 29 games this season. Let me ask you this. Let me throw this at you, Joy. Lakers say, we'll take it.

You take Westbrook. and the net say, I don't know if this is possible. The net say, we'll go to KD and say, listen, we're not going to play him. But we will at the, we'll be able to move Westbrook potentially. Would you play with Westbrook briefly?

Okay, or you're stuck with Kyrie for four years. Like, I think KD's way too committed. Does LeBron want to play with Kyrie again? They want a title. And what are his options? I mean, it was kind of a different Kyrie. I'm just saying, this is the kind of stuff I think people call on in the NBA.

I mean, they owe, Westbrook's owed $47 million next year. So I don't know if they could make the money work. Yeah. But you can. You could move them at the All-Star break. Because, you know, the one thing we know, expiring contracts are gold bars in the NBA. No, that's, that is something that's why the Westbrook trade

is even worth discussing, because someone might be willing to take on that expiring contracts. Hey, LeBron, hey, Kyrie just said in a podcast, I wasn't mature enough to understand LeBron. LeBron may think to himself, better than Westbrook, he can play off ball. I don't think it's crazy. When Kyrie's on the floor, he is a better player than Westbrook.

Oh, God, not even close. That's not even a conversation. They almost have opposite problems because Kyrie doesn't play that much and Westbrook plays all the time, but Westbrook isn't good when he's on the floor. Am I crazy right now? Kyrie said, I should have grown. And by the way, Kyrie's got to do some rebuilding and rebooting here. And LeBron's like, well, tell me the Laker options.

I don't know if Lakers fans I'm here for it I'm here for it I'm here for the chaos of it I love it It would be amazing This is going to make somebody's gonna Now this may be impossible This just popped into my head

Yeah I don't know if the money matches up Or if they would be able to fit him under that Or how you know all those That contract stuff would work But it would be interesting If LeBron would be willing to play with Kyrie again Or for that matter if KD would be interested in that By the way LeBron didn't want to bail on the first time

LeBron liked Kyrie it was Kyrie that couldn't make it work. LeBron liked him. Right, but Kyrie played in 29 games this season. I know. Listen, it was a Vax thing. I know. I'm not anticipating that's going to pop up again, but what else will? That's not the only reason why he's missed games before. That's true. All right, Joy, the News. I got it.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. The story is so jarring for me. Check in a lot of stuff today. Oh, we do this every time there is a championship game, a Super Bowl, a Conference Championship of finals. We take the 10 best players.

We rank them 1 through 10, and generally, whoever has more players, we thought this was the case with the Rams, they win the game or the series. We'll do that top of the next hour. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Hey, what's up, everybody? It's me,

three-time Pro Bowl of LaVar Arrington, and I couldn't be more excited to announce a new podcast called Up on Game. What is Up on Game, you ask? along with my fellow pro-bowler, T.J. Hushmanzada and Super Bowl champion. Yep, that's right. Plexico Burris. You can only name a show with that type of talent on it. Up on Game.

We're going to be sharing our real-life experiences loaded with teachable moments. Listen to Up On Game with me, LaVar Arrington, TJ Hushman Zada, and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast from. 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 y'all saying.

Yep, that's me, Clifford 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 celebrate. 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 a TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan,

so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tontons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith Rule of Two. Listen to stuff to blow your mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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 Jek. 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 cracking the A. 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 you 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. 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. It's great to have Ian.

Sam Amick's been covering the NBA for a long time senior writer for the athletic. Sports Illustrated, locally Sacramento Bean. We love bringing them on. I think this is a great finals. I think the playoffs have been all sorts of drama and fun from KD. getting bounced early with Kairi. It is interesting. These finals are KD's former team and Kyrie's former team, and that's not lost on us.

Let's talk about this, though. Our view is Boston's better defensively. They made KD struggle. Yonis wasn't as efficient. Jimmy Butler, though, ate them for lunch multiple times. So my feeling is Steph will be fine because they have multiple players you have to defend. What is Steph's recent history against this Celtics defense? Yeah, it's pretty wild, Colin.

When I looked this up, I was shocked. If you take out the last matchup, remember Marcus Smart falling on Steph Curry's ankle and that injury that cost him the late regular season. Yeah. The six previous games, Steph Curry averaged 35.1 points per game, 52% from beyond the arc, around 50% from the field. And that's obviously pretty damn interesting when you talk about a Celtics defense that just doesn't give up that type of production to anybody.

You know, you talked about this during the break, and I think it's, I think you make a really good point on this. You know, people complain about the officials all the time, even my friends. as a sportscaster, I can't go to a sports bar. I can't hear people complain about officials. I'm just over it. And by the way, the Miami Celtic officials were dicey. But officials, when you get physical defensive teams, how a series is officiated, this could be a series in which we're complaining about the officials a lot, right?

For sure. And I think it's one of those where it's going to have everything to do with the power struggle between these two teams. because the warriors, offensively, we know what they do. They are a free-flowing, egalitarian system where they need to be able to have all those back cuts and double screens and do what they do. But if the refs are going to look at it with a freedom of movement perspective, that bodes well for Golden State. If they're going to let Boston have a 1980-style playoff, basketball, you know, touch them up, bowls pistons from back in the day, then the warriors are going to be in trouble, especially if you look at guys like Jordan Poole and some of the warriors,

defenders that aren't as stout as what the Celtics are bringing to the table. But if that whistle keeps coming time and again against Boston, then they can't do what they do defensively. Yeah. You know, I'll say this about Boston. Now, if I was a Celtic fan, I would say, hey, we won back-to-back game seven. So we're a clutch team. And you can make that argument.

Watch this Boston team, Sam, and they look so tight sometimes at the end of quarters and at the end of games. And there's just this mountain of experience on one side. and then a mountain of optimism on the other. And I said this the other day, I could see Boston out playing Golden State and losing in five because they can't seal games off. They can't.

Yeah. I mean, that's what it feels like to me is, even if it's even Golden State wins. Right. If Boston slightly outplays them, I think Golden State wins. I think Boston has to really control the physicality of this series. That's my interpretation.

What say you? Yeah. I mean, experience-wise, I'm going to give it to the Warriors. You're talking six finals and eight years. You can't trump that. But the Celtics, four conference finals in the last six years, a ton of experience, obviously hadn't kind of pierced through to this stage until now. And I think what you are alluding to and rightfully hitting on is that on the offensive end,

Boston's, you know, occasional stagnant problem, if you will. Marcus Smart, you know, some nights looking like Pete Merrivich in terms of finding guys on the floor. And the next night, you know, it's game seven, taking five ill-advised shots down the stretch that make you scratch your head. And, you know, those games when Tateman Brown are not shooting enough in the fourth quarter, the offensive inconsistency is something that I think, you know, makes the Celtics a little bit vulnerable. And then again, on the defensive end, can they dominate like they have against this Warriors team that is, you know, so different offensively than they were with Kevin Durant. They have layers to them.

They have multiple threats. And they're going to make it tough for sure. You know, you have a lot, and you don't have to be specific, but you have this labyrinth of sources. You're in these locker rooms. And I can see your sources saying, we are over the smugness of the warriors and that the league privately would really, that not only would coaches be rooting for Boston, but what Boston, the message they're sending is be coachable, play defense, be all in. That's a great message to send to your star players. You don't have to have the best shooters. You don't have to live.

When you talk to a lot of your sources, my sense is there's a lot of people in the league rooting for Boston here. I don't know if, I mean, I think the previous iteration of the Warriors that would have been the case even more, right? Because it was a super team. They went out and got Kevin Iran. Like, it's not enough that you won a title

and then 73 games. You had to go get one of the best players on the planet. I actually think, Colin, this team, you know, has deserved and earned a lot of respect. When you talk about Clay Thompson and what he came back from after two years. You talk about Draymond Green looking like maybe he was going to be one of the worst contracts in the NBA like he was falling off. All of a sudden, if he had played more games, he would have been defensive player of the year. You know, Steph Curry kind of shepherding them

all the way through this stage. So I would probably argue that I think both these organizations, both these programs, are among the most admired across the league. But your point on Boston for sure stands. I mean, they are everything that's right within the league, defense first, sacrifice, and then trying to find a way to share that ball on the other end too. So I want to ask you, Jimmy Butler question, because if you look at the Eastern Seaboard, Philly, Washington, New York, Brooklyn, Kevin Durant choosing, Kevin and Kyrie choosing the Eastern Seaboard was rare over the last 10, 15 years. It's been Miami that has the ability in a winter league to get free agents, to get stars.

And they feel like to me, Pat Riley is the ultimate dealmaker. they feel like if Boston doesn't win this, Miami's coming back and Jimmy's going to have some help on the offensive end. We've just been talking about different things and throw something out there to me because I just don't see them saying, okay, you can't have Tyler Hero on the floor when Duncan is and Jimmy's knee inflammation and BAM's more of a three and I think everybody knows it. What do you think Miami does in the offseason with Butler? Any ideas? I mean, I think it's going to be hard. The other day on ESPN, they mentioned a Jewel and B dream scenario. That's not happening.

You know, the Cowellie move, obviously at the end did not have the impact they were hoping for. You know, I don't know. Is there a way to get Zach Levine down to Miami? You know, you've got the Bradley Beale thing that certainly seems that he's leaning towards resigning in Washington. I think the options are limited, but I do think that that gravitational pull, if you will, of kind of what the heat have built, the fact that Jimmy is still, at the front end of this massive contract. Like he needs help.

Yes. And that he, you know, he made his money this year. He had a few bad games in the conference finals, but they wouldn't have been anywhere close to that game seven without him. And then they need the rest of that investment to be worth it, which means, to your point, he does need some more help. And if Lowry is not going to be healthy enough to get it done, they're going to get creative.

That's what Pat Riley and that crew does. But I'm not sure what that looks like just yet. Sam, Amick, the athletic does great stuff. Good seeing you again, my man. you too Colin thanks brother um i would like to go back to my suggestion although not vetted just throw it out there you're the lakers westbrook goes to brooklyn katie's on board because he wants out of the kairi stuff right he wants out of that we all know that he doesn't want westbrook but you have to play with them very little you move him at the trading deadline he'll

get assurances and the lakers get kairie and you can say Colin it didn't work before yes it did. And LeBron liked him. And LeBron was crushed when Kyrie wanted to move. He was crushed. He'll tell you that. And Kyrie came out recently and said, I wasn't mature enough. It's like, ooh, that's a moment. We talked about this yesterday. Young people make mistakes. Long as you own it, I'm good with it. Yeah, but he also played in 29 games this year. Okay, that was a VACS issue. He chose not to play in 29 games this thing. I'm not denying. These comments are accurate and I am not Denying them. All I'm saying is that might work in Brooklyn.

Lakers fans are not going to be okay with you playing in 29 games by choice. Okay, so if he played in 60, we don't have another pandemic. He plays in 60. LeBraw, you're not winning the West. No, no, Kyrie is a better player absolutely than Russell Westbrook. It's not even a conversation. Kyrie is great when he's on the floor. Fantastic.

Fantastic player. I think I have solved. It would be a very Lakers move to do that. Of course. This is not a draft pick team. By the way, can we, to me, the market now is so competitive here. The Dodgers are the best team in baseball. You have to keep taking big swings if you're the Lakers.

You're in it now. That's what you've got to do. I think I've solved the dilemma of the Lakers and one dumb comment. All right, hour two next. 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 headwriters,

reader 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 I-Heart 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 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, 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 Clifford Show. This is a place for raw, unfilled of 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 Podcasts, 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 a podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84's 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. It was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.