The Herd with Colin Cowherd - HOUR 2 - Right & wrong, Kyrie Irving

Episode Date: April 18, 2022

Where Colin was right and wrong More on Kyrie Irving's feud with Boston fansGuest: Olden PolyniceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Find your local station for the Heard at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Heard. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. Here we go. Hour 2 on a Monday live in Los Angeles. It's the herd wherever you may be and however you may be listening. IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and FS1. It is nice to have you in today. Had a great weekend in Chicago. I'm going to go to bed soon, early, and be very hydrated this week. That city gets the best of me every time. It was fun, though. I've never had a bad time in Chicago. I don't think anybody has. Maybe that's cool. It's just the architecture, the food, the people. It's a very walkable city.

Oh, it's great, great walkable city. There's like green space everywhere. I went to the Natural Science Museum. Oh, I love that museum. Yeah. They're just, again, when cities have history, they have an architectural tour on the water, which is, have you ever been on that? It's fantastic. I haven't.

I don't usually do tours, but I've heard that that tour is actually. So I don't do tourist stuff either, but museums, do museums count. going to Italy here in May. Does museums count as touristy? Do they? No, I don't think so. Like I go to the Getty here. That's educational. That's not touristy. No, I don't think so. But who cares if you do touristy stuff? Touristy stuff is touristy for a reason. It's awesome.

That's why people go. Yeah, no, good point. All right, Colin was right. Colin was wrong. Every Monday, plenty of both. Here we go. Where Colin was right? Kyler Murray, quarterback Arizona, not expected to play for the Cardinals without a new contract, and we predicted this. We said, unlike Dak or Tom Brady or Russell Wilson, he is more self-centered, he's more of a me guy, he will hold out, and Arizona will absolutely be trapped. Now, I would pay him because you have to,

but, you know, when you draft quarterbacks, there's a reason they sit down for these long interviews is because you can really, as an organization, find yourself kind of marginalized. in Arizona right now he wants to get paid early and they don't want to pay him because they have a roster with some talented expensive players. But we said this is the kind of personality he will hold out and reportedly he is. Where Colin was wrong. I picked the Nets over the Celtics. I was almost not outraged but surprised that the fans got into Kyrie Irving's head. And also that Boston forced so many turnovers and forced KD into a really,

kind of bad suboptimal performance. I don't really buy the Celtics as a championship team. I think if Jason Tatum as an off night, they're sunk. But they play real defense. They play team defense. Their ball movements excellent on the offensive side of the floor. And they gave the best player arguably in the game real trouble in KD. Where Colin was right?

Even looking for a new job, Baker Mayfield could not help himself. He did a rambling off-the-cuff podcast. with a friend in which there was too much blame and not enough accountability. You know, I've said this before. I don't think he's a bad guy. I don't think he's a bad guy at all. I think he has a bad personality for a franchise quarterback. It's not the cockiness.

It's the inability. It's the insecurity from the chip on his shoulder to sometimes fall in the sword and just not say what you're thinking. He's like a linebacker playing quarterback. The interview was too long. you know, a little bit too much victimhood. Should have been 20 minutes. Do it with a pro.

Get in, get out. And act like you want to correct mistakes and you're hungry for another opportunity. He's too talented to literally have no market. And this morning, he has no market. Where Colin was wrong. My feisty clippers, I said, watch out. They're going to get into the playoffs through the playing door. And they're going to be a handful.

and they couldn't even win a playing game. T-wolves, Pelicans both beat them. Now, the Pelicans, Paul George, wasn't available due to COVID, which is remarkable that he wasn't, you know, staying out of any possibility of getting that. I like their coach. I like their roster. They've got a lot of different ways to play a bunch of players I like. But the owner, Steve Ballmer, has to be livid. He spent a fortune on this team. They can't get healthy.

They don't communicate particularly well, and they have massively underachieve at the time that the Lakers are a mess. So the market's just there to be seized by the basketball fanatic Steve Ballmer and once again swinging a mess. Where Colin was right? I like me some Derek Carr more than fans do. He got a three-year extension by the Raiders. It's absolutely the right move. There's 12 quarterbacks in this league, in my opinion, that are good enough to win a Super Bowl. He's one of them.

last year, coaching chaos, Henry Rugg's situation. Behind a bad O line, he completed 68% of his throws, had 4,800 yards, and a mid-90s passer rating with an interim head coach in one of the toughest divisions in football. I don't know what it is, but his ability over the last couple of years to just overcome dysfunction, coaching dysfunction, roster messes, battle lines, GM dysfunction, is something that very few guys in this league can do, and he does it over and over again. Where Colin was wrong.

Well, I had the calves like the Clippers as one of my surprised teams. I didn't think they'd win a playoff series, but I really, really like their future. But you know what? They couldn't stop Trey Young, and they couldn't stop Kyrie Irving. And young teams are often not very good defensive teams. They got energy and they got talent and they got speed, but they don't defend the highest level, the physicality.

And the Cavs right now, they just couldn't stop a couple of great players. But boy, what a future they have. Darius Garland, Mobley, Sexton comes back. Jared Allen wasn't healthy for the play in games. But I thought they'd get in and play Miami and ultimately lose, but they couldn't even make it in. Where Colin was right? A report by Tom Silverstein, a very good reporter said Green Bay is now taking calls on quarterback Jordan Love. He lacks some leadership qualities, which when Aaron Rogers was,

out and came back, they were discouraged. Listen, I said it in the offseason. Packers are telling us he's a miss. Because you think they like being called out by Aaron Rogers? You think they like paying Aaron Rogers $50 million a year? They would cut the cord with Aaron Rogers tomorrow if he was a B plus quarterback, a B. They're telling you it's a miss. And we saw it against Kansas City. I got nothing against the kid. I hope he succeeds. But Green Bay is literally at wits end with Aaron Rogers. They can't move around, no flexibility because of his contract. Congrats on the Sammy Watkins deal.

He's pretty much washed. But in the end, Tom Silverstein reporting, they're discouraged with him, don't see what they thought, and they're taking calls. Where Colin was right? Over 3 million people at 1.3.5 million people watch the USFL this weekend on Fox and NBC. I think spring football is going to work. COVID knocked out the previous attempt. I've been wrong twice so far. But I will say this.

There's more good quarterbacks than ever. Quarterback play is the difference between watching pro football and not watching pro football. And I think it's going to work. I think the game is fun. I think gambling is legal in America. That's a big part of it. And right now, what is there? For the next six weeks, first and second round NBA playoffs, college basketball is done, college football, NFL.

There's not a ton out there. There's a couple of early round playoff series. This is the time for a new sports league to flourish. And I think it's going to work. It's got some money behind it now with Fox and NBC. I'm a fan of spring football, though I've been wrong twice. So congrats to the USFL. With that, my friend Olin Pollynees, 15 years in the NBA,

he knows all about playoff basketball, had six different playoff appearances, and he is now joining us live. You know, it is interesting, Olden. As you well know, young teams, struggle in the postseason. The refs swallow the whistle. Veteran teams are physical. Veteran players are smart. They can manipulate the refs. And so, you know, I kind of look at a team like Memphis that gets in with the number two scene. They come out there with a little, they're a little

cocky, and they don't know that playoff basketball is a whole different ball game. But I want to go back to kind of playoff basketball. When you played, did it feel different? Could you tell the officiating was different? Could you tell the physicality was different? Oh, definitely. You could feel it from the first game on. It was just the energy was way different

than regular season game. You're right, the referees, you know, it's not that they're swallowing the whistle. They're just allowing you to play basketball. And they don't want to be the reason for a win or a loss. And that's where young guys get in trouble. They don't realize that. And they're like, well, he's not calling, he's not making the calls.

No, it's not up to him to make a call. You just got to play through the whistle, whether it's blown or not. And that's where the advantage goes to the veteran teams. They know how to manipulate that, like you said earlier. And the young guys, it takes them a while to get used to it. And that's why I'm really impressed with Jordan Poole, because he mentioned for three years, he was picking the brains of Steph Curry, Clay Thompson, and Jemond Green. just to get ready.

And that was a smart young man. A lot of these other guys, you know, they want to play video games and everything else, not taking this job, you know, the way it should be taken, you know, which is like, hey, this is my profession. I got to be the best I could be. And you're going to see a lot of young guys suffer because of that. Yeah. I want to talk about the Warriors.

They're in an interesting space where Jordan Poole is inexpensive and emerging as a star, clays off an injury, Steph is older, Draymond's older. And you're going to see this now. You're seeing these Jonathan Cumminga and Jordan Poole. They're emerging with these old guys. And they'll probably have to move Andrew Wiggins. Do you view this year, do you view the Warriors as a championship team old in this playoff season?

I do. I definitely see them as a championship caliber team. You got to remember, Colin. They were the number one team in the league before step. went out. So there was a lot of things going on. I'm sorry, not Steph. When they started out 28 and 7. And so it was just a matter of, you know, injuries coming into play again. And that made a big difference. Draymond going out really hurt them a lot. And now that he's back, we're seeing what the Warriors can be. And they are a championship team. But the beauty of the Warriors is the fact that

Steve Kerr has always had the presence of mind to play his young guys. Yeah. In meaningful. games. And so now they're used to it, a la Jordan Poole, Jonathan Cominga. These guys, they're going to step up and be ready because the moment's not going to be not going to be too big for them anymore because they've gotten used to it now. And so, you know, they got a new death lineup, which I was happy to see. And the funny part about it, Iguodal is not even in that lineup. And so to me, I just love the Warriors. I love the offensive firepower that they present. to a lot of people. They're going to be undersized, but not, you know, it won't be because of heart.

You know, Draymond, it doesn't matter if you're 7-5, 7 feet, 6-11, he's going to battle you. And so to me, that's going to be the key. You know, it's interesting. KD. and Kyrie have chosen the route of the villain, the wrestling heel, which I'm for if you want to do it. Now, LeBron inadvertently did it. He didn't want to be a villain. He went to the Boys and Girls Club.

He wrote a check. and people didn't like it. They were burning jerseys, and he became the bad guy. And he said a year later, I don't like it. I play basketball to be joyful, not to be a villain. So KD. leaves a dynasty. Kyrie, anti-vax, you know, he and fans heckle. And my takeaway on this is Katie and Kyrie chose this path,

and they're smart enough to know they would be villains. Like they would be the guys that bail on everybody else to do it themselves. And I watched that Boston situation with Kyrie and I, I'm like, you know, you chose this path a little. You speak your mind. You go after people. What do you make of Brooklyn? Can they beat Boston?

What do you make of their sort of path? The fact that the heckling bothers them. What do you make of them? I don't know if the heckling bothered, Kyrie. I just felt that he engaged when he shouldn't have. And now he makes it seem like it bothered him. And that's what the fans wanted. Hey, I got a response from Kyrie Irving.

And to me, you got to basically just disregard. brought them and that's when they stop because they're always looking for a reaction. So if I get a reaction from an NBA player, then that's what I'm going to do. Now, Kyrie being a villain because the vaccine, I think, is unfair because there's a ton of guys right there in Boston himself, you know, with the Red Sox. Yeah. They have a ton of players that can't even travel to Toronto, you know, to play. And so to me, no one's speaking about that.

So I think it's really unfair that he became a villain based on the vaccination. Now, with that being said, you're only a villain when you're playing for the opposing team. And so to me, that's how you got to look at it. That means you're doing something right. That means you are a player that we wish we had. That's how you got to look at it. I don't think you got to give credence to a lot of the stuff that the fans do. Because I've always said, there's a big difference between a fan and a fanatic.

And people need to decide which one they are. But Kyrie getting engaged, I just felt that that was on call for. on his part. I'm sure he's going to get a fine, but at the same time, now you're making these guys feel more important. Yeah. And by the way, playoffs never really start until you lose on your home court. Yeah. So, you know, I was saying this with Chris Paul, my five favorite point guards ever, Magic, Isaiah, Stockton, Steph Curry, and Chris Paul. The difference is four of them played for one team. And for sports fans, it's easy to wrap your brain around that, right? Chris Paul has a much more complicated legacy.

He went to bad teams. He resurrected them. And then people go, well, he doesn't win a title. And my takeaway is a title. The teams were terrible he went to. They just gets him to the playoffs. I love his game. I love Chris Paul.

He's so old school. Does he remind you of anybody? What do you make of him and the sons in his game? He reminds me of Chris Paul. No, I mean, he has a little bit of Steve Nassau. mashing him, a little bit of magic. He has a little bit of everybody. You know, the beauty of Chris Paul is that he plays at his pace.

You know, they used to criticize him a lot. I don't know if people realized that, you know, remember back in the days early on his career? He wouldn't take last second shots. And people were saying, well, it's because he doesn't want to affect his score, his own percentage. And so to me, those were the things that people were nitpicking, but it's just he's playing his pace of basketball. his way. And so you have to appreciate that. He controls everything about a basketball game. He knows where the mismatches are. He knows where, you know, where everything is on the court. And to me, that's the sign of a great point guard. And he knows when to take over a game like he did last

night, when to get his guys involved. He's, he's the consummate pro. You know, and you're right. He revitalized a lot of different franchise, even the clippers. Yep. You know, as cursing. since the clippers are, and it's sad, because I play for them twice, I love the clippers, but there's a curse. We have to have an exorcism for them. You know, Chris Paul, he did his part. Yeah, they didn't win a championship, but he turned everything around to where now it's a destination. You know what's interesting about the league right now? The three best cultures are the warrior sons in Milwaukee. And a lot of fans, I don't know what it is about the NBA, but it gets people worked up. A lot of fans think the players are selfish and they don't care.

What's interesting, the three old school cultures, Buck's Sons Warriors, where it's team first, players can go to the bench. They're flourishing in this league. But you ask the average fan, it's like, oh, the NBA guys, they're divas. And I'm like, I don't see any divas in Milwaukee. I don't see any divas in Phoenix. Do you talk a little bit about old school, new school? Do you think sometimes the NBA players get a bad rap when most guys are self-loyal? and most guys care more about winning than money.

You're absolutely right. It is that way. I would say 90%, 95% of guys are unselfish because you have to be. But also remember this, basketball is a one-on-one game played by five people. And so it always has to have some sense of selfishness to it. And to be great, you have to have a little bit of selfishness and arrogance to your game. Now, with the three organizations you mentioned, yes, they thrive. because they have guys that have completely bought into that.

And perfect example is the Warriors. I mean, no one gets upset when they come out the game. Steph Curry the other day said, I'll come off the bench. This is Steph Curry. And he told Steve Kerr, I'll come off the bench if that's what you need me to do right now. I was taken so far back by that because you don't expect that. now there's young teams and young players that would have been like no I want to start and that shows you the difference between veteran players you know and young players or selfish players and unselfish players so it's really obvious but at the same time we don't have a lot of guys like a step Curry but you know the bottom line is those organizations like I said they've they've gotten their players to buy into it from day one and it has to be a The culture has to be established by the coach from day one.

And then once, you know, the stars buy into it, then it's smooth sailing after that. My friend, it's great seeing you again, 15 years in the league, old and Paul. Anish, you look fantastic. I appreciate you. I appreciate you. I appreciate it. Thank you for having me on. You bet.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. 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, Clivert Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment. And the next, we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast. It's a space for honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger.

So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok. Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-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 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 crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me not just because of crack.

I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so 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. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Keer Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tript Fontaine, Ryan Clark.

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growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Tonight, it's a special Monday night edition of the USFL as Todd Haley's Tampa Bay Bandits. Take on the Pittsburgh Mallors at 7 Eastern right here on FS1 and the Fox Sports app. You know, it used to be, Joy, when we got in this industry, this whole media sports thing,

there used to be long dry spells. After football, you went like six weeks. of topic hell. And then after the NBA finals, it was like seven to eight weeks of praying for Labor Day. But now we have spring football. NFL free agency, which has been turned up.

I mean, it's mayhem. It's just insane. We had like six quarterbacks move. Is that February and March have become not just games, but like intensity and drama and trades. speculation and now we got spring football so we're here for it joy with the news turn on the news this is the herd line news well there are lots of fun matchups in this year's NBA playoffs in the first round which we don't normally get and the seven seed timber wolves

stunned the two seed grizzlies with a 130 117 winning game one carl anthony towns had 29 points in 13 rebounds and anthony edwards had a huge game game, 36 points in his first career playoff game. And afterwards, Anthony Edwards spoke about the crazy environments that the fans created in the arena. His fans ignites my game when we're playing here. Is that? Because they talk so much trash.

Yeah, it's just, even the kids, the kids was the worst today. Like the little kids, like he was eight years old, 10 years old. Anthony, go sit down. You suck. Like, this is fun, man. Basketball is fun to me. I love it. He has a great attitude on the environment there.

You know, it's interesting is he was the number one pick in the draft. And when he came out, people said that he loved basketball. Yes. He was like, hey, I can play football. But he's really a unique body type. I mean, even the way his jaw, like he, if that was a football press conference, I mean, he is such a physical presence. And one of the things that happens in the one and done culture is a lot of these guys

come out of the college basketball. They're thin. They haven't been in a weight room. Like he's built like a 13-year veteran. I mean, he will go right after you physically. And so, he's not afraid of contract. Oh, no, no. He likes contract.

He's physical. He's not. He looks. His body type is of a 12-year veteran. And that's why maybe he's built for the playoffs. He is built for this. And what a great story is that the two youngest teams in the league are meeting each other. So somebody's got to come out of this thing.

Yeah, no, it's the perfect matchup, especially for the first round. John Moran had 32 points. Dylan Brooks out of 24. We talked a little bit earlier about some of the dynamics that the Memphis Grizzlies are going to have to adjust to not having John Morant for the end of the season and him coming off of an injury and those adjustments. But I think this is going to end up being a very long series. I'll still take a really nice one for the schools. Yeah, I'll take Memphis, but I think it's going to go probably six or seven games now. Yeah, I think so too.

Game two is on Tuesday. So someone who did not have the same reaction to the environment in the first game of the playoffs was Kyrie Irving, who put up 39 points. very impressive performance against his former team in game one, Nets and Celtics, but he also flipped the middle finger to the fans throughout the game. And afterwards, Kyrie said he was just responding to what he was hearing from the crowd. Where I'm from, you know,

I'm used to all these antics and people being close nearby. You know, it's nothing new when I come into this building what it's going to be like, but it's the same energy they have for me, and I'm going to have the same energy for them. Somebody's going to call me out of my name. I'm going to look at them straight in the eye and see if they really bout it.

Most of the time they're not. Well, of course they're not. They're fans. They're not about it at all. None of them are, even if they're, you know, Boston and they're tough or whatever. I want to be about it once in my life. Well, you've never been in a fight, right? Outside of...

Oh, I think in junior high. Junior high. Yes. And the mean streets of rural Washington probably got into a scrap. I just want to be a... If when you say somebody is about it, does it mean a fight? Yes. I couldn't be about it at Italian.

in a restaurant? Like if I ordered a second bottle of wine, could I say, hey, I'm about it tonight? Yeah, but you're just, you're not referring to violence, I would assume. So that always means that. That's wine makes you violent. No, I think it just depends on, it depends on the, you know, the tone on what you're using it, like that, like you're just about it, you're

about to have a nice fun night. Have you ever been about it? I have, Colin, yes. I have. I'm a little bit more confrontational, I would say. But fans are not. That's not what it's about. Listen, this is Boston. Like, they're going to make it difficult for you. And Tyree has an history in Boston.

Right. A place that already tries to make it a miserable experience for anyone who steps foot there that's not for Boston. So I don't, I think fans should have the right to boo. We talked about this with Baker Mayfield talking about he wants to go to in a cubicle and boo someone. Like, it's not the same thing. I think fans should have the right to make it a hostile environment. I don't think they have the right to be disrespectful. I don't think they should call people outside of their names saying you suck or whatever. Like, okay. I mean, that's like eight-year-olds are saying that. But I don't think it you should call people names. I don't think it you should be saying things that would ignite someone into violence, talking about people's families. Like, we know

what the disrespectful line is. Yeah. You would not walk up to someone and say this your face without the very firm knowledge that they will likely punch you in real life. But this is what Boston is. And you want this. You want some sort of animosity. Well, it was the best game yesterday, and a lot of it was the intensity. It was an unbelievable ending. And game two is Wednesday at seven Eastern. Ben Simmons is expected to begin practicing this week. He's only been doing individual workouts up to this point. There still hopefully can make his debut this series. I maintain, I don't know what kind of influence he would have on the court

coming off of an injury like this and I played for a year. Yeah, I maintain if you're a good teammate, you try to show up and give eight minutes a half. I mean, it doesn't seem like that's a big... I told you, I'm off the following and getting excited about when Ben Simmons is going to be back. Let us know when you're back. I mean, every week it's a different story. So we'll see. Well, one team has reportedly emerged as a leader to make a move for Baker Mayfield.

According to Mary Kay Cabot, the Panthers have the inside track to get Baker from the Browns. But one key offensive player for Carolina does not want to see that happen. A Panthers fan account posted about the report on Instagram of wide receiver Robbie Anderson commenting no on this possibility of him going there. I don't know how much weight that holds. But Joe Persons from the athletic report that Baker is an option for the person. Panthers, but he's not the only guy on their list. I don't know why this is a good move for the Panthers. It feels desperate. It feels desperate because you can draft someone if you want to. Yeah. And you have Sam Darnold. Is Baker better than Sam Darnold? Yes. For the money that you're

paying for Sam Darnold and Baker, I don't know why that makes sense. You'd also have to give something up. Desperate a little. It does feel desperate. But Matt Rule is in a hot seat kind of situation right now. So maybe desperation is what they're going to go for. It's not that I don't think Baker would be successful there. I just don't know what that does for the longevity of the franchise. And I do think that Baker is going to get a job somewhere. I don't think that Baker's career is over. But to me, if I'm the Browns, I'm holding on to Baker until the start of the season

when someone is in a much more desperate situation. Oh, no, no. He'll go for a draft pick. There's no question. You have to deal with the toxicity of Baker Mayfield and his possible talking all off season long because this is what you have in Baker. We can pretty much assume at this point Baker's not going to be silent for the rest of the summer while they wait to see if he gets traded somewhere if this doesn't happen immediately. Yeah, also, after the draft, you run out of options.

So everybody that's not into Baker suddenly may consider Baker because the draft's over. Everybody's got their quarterback and yours ripped up a hamstring in camp. That's my point, yes. Closer to the season you get, people's morals are flexible and their values change. So he'll get a starting job somewhere. The market will change. Yes, if someone ends up getting injured, which happens every single year, nobody's wishing for that.

That's just what happens. You'll have a better option. And if it doesn't happen at the beginning of the season, then maybe you hold on to him throughout the season. We still don't know what's happening with Deshawn Watson. I don't think he's going to play again for the Browns. But as far as him being quiet about it, that is a bank on that.

Yeah. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. You know, thinking about the Kyrie Irving situation, I was thinking this morning about NBA teams. Because I don't, you don't see baseball guys getting heckled much. You don't see NFL guys getting heckled much. I mean, I'm sure it's there.

You don't hear it. They have helmets on. Maybe they can't hear it. Some of this is just proximity. Like, NBA players and fans literally are afoot. I've had conversations going to NBA fans. Last five times I've gone. I've had a conversation with a player.

They recognize, we talk. You know, like, so it is the same. sport where you have more. The hockey, you've got glass. Football, you've got a helmet. Baseball, you're miles away from players. So some of this stuff is just, frankly, the audience is right on you. But I was thinking about teams that got a lot of flack, the bad boy pistons.

Well, they were the villains. The heatles got some of it. They were viewed as the villains. The truth is, nobody, you don't see Phoenix getting heckled a lot. You don't see Milwaukee getting heckled a lot. You know, I think the Warriors do a little bit, and Steph does a shimmy a little bit. get it, but if you are agitating and people will agitate back. But a lot of the NBA heckling, you know, there's been a lot of discussions through the years

why it happens. And a lot of why it happens is because fans are on top of the players. And in hockey and baseball and football, they're not. I think most of it's fine, 95% of it's fine. And a lot of times players get into, you know, they acknowledge. college fans all the time and talk to him. Westbrook's had some issues, but Westbrook is easily agitated. Kyrie's had some issues, but Kyrie had history in Boston. KD's had a couple issues. KD tends to be super sensitive. Find a player who struggled with it or had it. A lot of

times it comes back to the individual player. 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. 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. Hushman Zada 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 Arington, T.J. Hushmanzada, and Plexico Burris on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

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 lot. 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 I'm saying. Yep,

that's me, Cliver 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. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the look

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

So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip 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, Keer Gaines, is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. People often use opportunities, confirmation bias. They don't really care about something, but something happens. And then they wave their arms and go, yeah, That's no good. Either like the NBA, for some reason, it's a more polarizing league. It's the third most popular league, I think in America. NFL's won. Baseball, a little bit ahead of it, and then NBA, college sports, college football's way up there.

But, you know, when Kyrie Irving flips off a fan and, you know, he tries to justify it, this is where I like being an older sportscaster. I can remember Kermit Washington and Rudy Tom Janovich, the punch at the forum. I've seen malice in the palace. I can go back to the 70s and 80s. Athletes today, their behavior is overwhelmingly chill. I mean, and even this, you know, it's not running in the crowd. You go to international soccer matches over in Europe.

Yikes. You have officials running for their lives from rabid fans. Overwhelmingly, I say this all the time. We just got a Seattle affiliate joined our show. I go on this rant about once or twice a year. We are so lucky. The average person, if you gave them $50 million at 26 years old, would just be an idiot. These guys are overwhelmingly good to fans.

They're good teammates. They're good guys. I've known hundreds of NBA guys. They don't want to get in fights. That face is their moneymaker. They don't want anybody messing with their face. the reality is fans now, some of it's COVID. I mean, look at what people are doing on airplanes now.

Like they can't handle themselves. So whenever I see people pointing to, that athlete did this. I think, I don't know, I see road rage videos and airline videos every day. There's no athletes there. You can't handle yourself. So I don't get too worked up on this. It's like, yeah, you know, probably shouldn't have done it. Now, sometimes parents have to, you know, suspend their kids.

You know, like Adam Silver is going to have to find him. You want to send, sometimes you do something to send a message. Hey, players, don't be flipping off fans. Like, you're going to send that message out. But it's, you know, am I outraged? No, it's, I've sat next to fans. Like, listen, I've gone to comedy shows and people, there's always a jerk in the crowd. There's always somebody that thinks we all went there for him.

It's like, no, I came for the act. You're obnoxious. But, you know, anytime anybody, it's confirmation bias. It's like you don't like this sport or that sport. You don't like the NBA. There's probably some jealousy here. These players make a fortune and they're really gifted. And so when they do something like this, people jump up.

Look at these bad guys. Think about this. Right now in the NBA. I mean, seriously. Tell me the bad guy. I mean, even the people that were very. viewed as tough guys like Charles Oakley, the fans love him in New York. Meta, who was on our show last week, is a very thoughtful, kind of interesting personality.

The NBA is guys that don't want to get in fights. They want to make their money. They want to be mobile. They want to have a say. But I contend in all the years I've been doing this watching since the 70s, the behavior is great. First of all, there's some cultural changes now. They say that a lot of players go on the road. They don't leave their hotel room.

You can go to them. They're not going to you. They're not out at nightclubs. You start Googling NBA, NFL baseball incidents in the 60s, in the 70s, in the 80s, in the 90s. The NBA had a huge, huge drug problem in the 70s when David Stern became commissioner. I don't know exactly what year that was. Was it 79, 80, 81? When David Stern took it over, the NBA was a mess.

You had bankrupt owners and kind of like a legendary cocaine. problem all over the league. Guys aren't messing with their bodies now. You've got a yogurt problem. You've got an avocado ice cream problem. These guys, there's too much money. They're all making it. You know, it used to be you were all fighting for a slice of the pie.

And you had, you know, the Pistons looked at Michael Jordan, is taking their paychecks away. I mean, you had the bad boy pistons were tackling people. It was brutal. You had fights all the time. You don't see that anymore. If this is the worst of it, a finger behind his head to an obnoxious Boston fan, that's mostly, we may have one or two baseball fights this year. You know, one or two times, somebody will throw it, somebody, the benches will clear,

everybody will pretend like they're really going to, what's the term you use? Forehead fight. Well, I'm here for it. Oh. Everybody will act like they're here for it in baseball and nobody will take us. And then the forehead fight. So, you know, I don't make much. to the Kyrie situation.

You know, the fact that he allowed fans to bother him is like... I mean, everybody has a breaking point. I'm sure they were saying a lot. It's Boston already. And, I mean, they're not the most generous hosts. No. At that particular building. And Kyrie has a history there.

But Kyrie does a lot of charity work. He does not... It's not somebody that is like a troublemaker or anything like that. Like, he's... Look, I don't agree with all Kyrie's decisions. but he's not a bad guy. It's just Boston. It's just not happening, not in Boston.

Yeah, you know, this is why this series is going to be really good because you have a team that's kind of the villains, and then you have this fan base that loves, by the way, it wasn't long ago. A lot of people thought Boston, you know, the Byrd Dynasty, there was a lot of people thought they were the villains. Did you watch this week's wedding time? I watched, I caught up last weeks, so tonight. No, I can't watch tonight.

I don't have time tonight. So how is it this time? I won't spoil it for you. So do they? It's awesome. But it's all about, it's about the rivalry between the Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Obviously, this isn't the Lakers, but this is what Boston's known for. Like, this is not a secret.

Speaking of that, jumping off on what I initially talked about, I can remember Larry Bird getting into a fight with Dr. Jay. Like grabbing each other, fist thrones. Like, it's, I think we do this all the time. Everybody on social media is outraged about everything. And nobody has any context of stuff. I mean, in the 80s, people smoked on planes. now people freak out because somebody grabbed a guitar on a plane. Now, it wouldn't be my cup of tea.

I'd probably be like, I really not here for your song. But I mean, the reality is there's a lot of stuff now has been regulated out of society. Yes. And there's a lot more laws to protect people. And we just tend to overreact. I couldn't tell you the last time I was outraged about anything. Everyone's searching for something, as you said, confirmation bias. Kyrie did this.

So he is the bad guy that we all think that he is. And the NBA's bad guys full of terror. Yeah. It's these guys are, they literally get into town, go to their hotel room, watch, nap, chill, video game, show up, drop 30, get in a plane, leave down. I mean, I like it. I like villains. I think that adds to the drama. I think it adds to the conversation when you have a team that everyone's rooting against.

Now, I'm personally, I'm going on a room for the Nets. They're more interesting. You know what's interesting? but I'm here for the animosity. You know who's become a villain, and I'm not sure he gets that he's a villain? Aaron Rogers. I was talking.

I think he knows. You think he knows. I was talking now. I was in Chicago. But it is interesting because, you know, that's kind of the beacon city. Yeah, he's not loved in Chicago. No, but Chicago.

The whole I own new thing probably didn't go over swimmingly. No, but Chicago's also, it's kind of the North Star of the Midwest. Like St. Louis kids, Indianapolis kids, Milwaukee kids. you know, a lot of them moved to Chicago. It is interesting. Aaron sort of, I would have said three years ago he was one of the most popular players. And now I think he's the most polarizing NFL player. How many NFL players are polarizing?

Oh, he definitely is. I can't even think of a second one. Because one, he's a quarterback. So he is just a position we talk about more than any other position. Who's the second most polarizing player in the league? Currently in the league, Baker Mayfield. Yes, who's also a quarterback. But Baker's not great.

great enough to be threatening enough that anybody cares. Right. He's only polarizing with the small amount of people that still think they're still on his side. Yeah. So at one point, I think it was much more split. So Aaron's probably comfortable being a villain because he's not that he's, well, he's kind of aloof, but he's not like, I mean, he won't go to camps.

He kind of shows up, does his thing and leaves. Right. And so for him, he's like. Well, he's sort of always been that, had that error about. him and I don't need you. The intellectual thing and all of that. And I think the past two years have just turned people a little bit. Yeah.

Aaron's takeaway, my takeaway in Aaron is he's sort of like one foot in the pool. Like I'm committed, but to a point. Like I, no, I mean, and I've worked with people like that. They're into this, but I don't need this. Aaron's takeaway is kind of increasingly, I'm into this, but I don't really need football, whereas it feels like with Russell Wilson and Brady, they need football. Payton Manning missed football. Well, yeah, Tom Brady retired and then changed his mind.

Yeah. All right, hour three is around the corner. Live in Los Angeles hits the hurt. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement, 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 put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

On the Look Back at it 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. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.