The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 – Right / Wrong, Paul Pierce

Episode Date: May 13, 2024

Colin goes over where he was right and where he was wrong after a weekend of sports. Paul Pierce stops by to talk about the NBA Playoffs and the magic behind Anthony Edwards. Who would you take to build a team around - Anthony Edwards or Jason Tatum?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's the heard. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, thanks for making us part of your day. Paul Pierce in five minutes. J-Mack, big strong opinion sometimes. Just go sideways. I just went over to Paul Pierce during the commercial with some big strong opinions on LeBron Jordan.

He was having none of it. Let's just put it that final thing. All right. We do it every Monday throughout the year. Colin was right. Colin was wrong. Plenty of both. And here we go. Where Colin was right? I love Josh Hart in the Nick's story, but Josh Hart regression to the mean in the last two games, ten points and two points. At some point the bubble had to burst. We kept talking specifically about like Josh Hart. He's a good player, but he was in the G League, bounce around the league guy,

and at some point this team, fight hustle, resilience is limited, and you're seeing a bit of a regression. I don't know if they win the series, but Josh Hart specifically, nice player. It can't be your second leading score and driving you along with Brunson to playoff wins after playoff wins. Where Colin was wrong. I thought Denver was cooked. My exact words after the first two games, they got pushed around,

physically. It looked like a bad matchup. But in the last two games, they're averaging 116 points. Yokic, Gordon, Murray, Porter are getting better looks. So they looked overmatched, but the heart of a champion, champions reboot, they got knocked down, dusted themselves off, and they now look like they control the series. Where Colin was right? It's okay to say the Celtics are a weird team and sometimes Jason Tatum doesn't play like a top five player. Jason Tatum second leading score, this entire playoff run for the Celtics. He was the third leading Celtics score until recently. It's not that you don't like Jason Tatum. I like Jason Tatum, but I've said for years, you become sort of the soul of your team, the best player should become the soul of the team.

Well, if the best player is Tatum, this team is 500 over the last four seasons at home against the awful or at least weaker Eastern Conference. Doesn't that tell you that Jason Tatum isn't quite the alpha that everybody assures us he is? Where Colin was wrong. Man, did I miss on the Sons? Frank Vogel got fired again. Bradley Beale didn't work. There's a story this morning that like Kevin Durant,

didn't talk to Vogel for long chunks of the season. I overvalued Phoenix all year long, and then you'll watch them once Grace and Allen got hurt. No scoring from the bench. I missed on the Suns. Where Colin was right? Luca Dantage. We said I love him, but if he's number one ball usage rate in the league, you got no chance to hoist trophies. What do you know? In the last two wins, Luca has had two of his S3 ball usage rate numbers. So the Mavericks are 9 and 0 when Luca's usage rate is under 30. And that's what we kept preaching. Otherwise, he's just James Harden. That's James Hardin looks exhausted when he gets to the playoffs. Luca early in this series looked tired and limping and hobbled. Now, Kyrie's got

the ball. P.J. Washington, some of the scoring load. More of the star is not always the right answer, and clearly Dallas has pivoted to a better, more efficient Luca system. Where Colin was wrong.

Well, despite wearing his hat backwards, a very discouraging development. It does appear that JJ Reddick is a viable candidate for the L.A. Laker job. Hey, everybody's got to start somewhere. Smart guy, Duke, many years in the NBA. Hopefully he can turn his life and the hat around. We're hoping

for that at the herd, but it has not been the deterrent. That look has not been the deterrent, apparently, for one of the best jobs in the NBA. Where Colin was right? Said two weeks ago, it feels like Ant or Wemby will be the face of the league starting next year. And Ant certainly feels like these playoffs. Win or lose against Denver, he's taken it to a another level. 30 to a game, 54% from the floor, hitting threes, efficient, productive, little alpha,

trash talking, dynamic. It just feels like we talked about this. There's eight or nine great players in this league, but Wemby is such a unicorn, and Ant has some MJ Kobe qualities that are hard-do as a domestic player, not see as an MJ or Kobe comp, and we think we're right on this.

where Colin was wrong. I've always been baseball is payroll-driven, but four of the six division leaders are bottom half of payroll. The Mariners, the Orioles, the Guardians, Milwaukee, all off to good starts. Meanwhile, number one payroll Mets under 500. Astros, our producer Greg knows this. Can't get the pitching right.

Number three payroll, 10 games under 500. so low payroll teams, at least in May, are crushing it. Where Colin was right? Never buy into the LeBron's leaving LeBron trade stuff. There's a story this morning that the Lakers want LeBron back, quote, on any term that he wants. That's the quote, on any term he wants. Listen, if you take LeBron off this roster,

who's their playmaker? They don't have one. They have size. They have length. Anthony Davis isn't a playmaker. I mean, he's so much about creating for himself and others. I mean, there's very few players in the league that are more valuable to their team. If you look at the construct of this roster, they don't have playmakers.

Austin Reeves is not an elite playmaker. He's fine. LeBron's still an elite playmaker. Where Colin was right? No suspension for Jamal Murray, even though I thought the fine was really light for throwing stuff on the floor and it's reckless. Generally, commissioners do not want to get in the way of outcomes. And so, again, I thought it was light. I think what I would do, if I was Adam Silver, I'd go to the in-season tournament next year

and suspend him for a couple games for throwing stuff on the floor in the paint, which guys can, you know, get banged up and slip on, but not a surprise that Adam Silver, who's always been pro player, pulled back, got out of the way, and Jamal Murray obviously much needed his offense in the last two wins over the T-Wolves. And with that, Paul Pierce, a basketball Hall of Famer is now joining us in the herd.

He was on undisputed this morning. 19 years with the NBA. You know, I was thinking about this, 19 years in the NBA. That's a run. I'll say 17. Why? I mean, Clippers two years was kind of like on the bench, player coach.

They were paying you. Yeah, but I'll probably say Washington Wizards was last year. After I'll call game, that was it. But when you have been in the league this long, you obviously went through some wars. Those Lakers, those Lakers championship series were huge. The Denver, Minnesota ones weird, Paul. Yeah. Denver looked cooked.

They did. Did you think the series was over after two games? I would never count a champion team out. You know what I'm saying, Colin? Because I was like looking at the past, because I was like, man, I wonder if there's any, what teams came back from 02 losing on the road. And so I looked at all the teams.

And the one that stood out the most was the Rockets 94. You know, they beat Phoenix and they went on to win the championship. So, but previously, previously they weren't champs. this team is a champion. So they got something inside that can be like, all right, we can find another gear. Okay, so you played with the Celtics. You were champions. So when you say play like champions, the year after, you did get to the finals, I believe, again, lost to the Lakers,

and meta hit those threes. But what is it about being a champion? Does it change practice, habits, thought? What does it do? it changes like your mentality your confidence and you understand the road and you know a place that you can get to if you need to get there again mentally you know it's hard like i don't know if you'll hear certain champions in basketball i don't know how this is in other sports they like they push the button so like that means they know how to take it up another level and you guys did and we knew how to do that because this the year we went to the second finals we all we was the fourth season and we were like, all right, you know, we were an older team, but we knew how to play at another level that we didn't play in a regular season because of us being a championship team because we know what that looks like,

we know what that feels like. You know, and they know what that looks like. When Denver beat the Lakers in the first round, they beat them, but I said that they didn't play good at all. They were down every game. They could have lost every game. And I was like, this is not Denver basketball. I didn't see Denver basketball until game three of this series.

And I was like, okay, this is the team that I saw win the championship. And then they displayed it again in game four. And I was like, all right, this is a team that might not lose another game in Minnesota, the team I saw last night. Yeah, I mean, they have some offensive dexterity. Yokic. You know, it's funny. The NBA, generally in my life, the stars have been magnificent.

It's been LeBron and Kobe and MJ and Dr. J. And then here comes Yokic. And it's not a stethyst. that pleasing. It's a lot of putbacks. But I will say... He's more bird-like. A little bit. I think that's a good comp. Yeah.

Bird was gifted, but a lot of it was high IQ, angles, figuring out ways to end up with 28 on an off night. Ain't that when we say it from Joker? You just described Joker if I didn't know any better. Yeah. The junk points.

Not that he's not gifted and Bird wasn't. That's not the point? Slow three, the pushing it up court, the dimes, the rebounding. Right. I mean, he can get you third. I mean, this is like the new version of Larry Bird. Yeah. Like, I don't hear many people talking about it, but this is exactly what I see.

Not overly fast. The smartest player on the court every time he steps on the court. He just picks you apart like a surgeon. He's just like dissecting. He's like a sniper, a surgeon, those things that just very precise. and methodical at everything he does. Yeah. You know, I read a story this morning.

I kind of feel bad for Frank Vogel. I mean, he's made a great living. A lot of times he's making money not working. Yeah, that's the best job in the world right now. Vogel's got a lot of money. He just sitting there home, collecting $7 million a year. Go golf. But I'm reading, the Beale thing didn't work.

And the Kevin Durant was the story this morning. He didn't really connect with Vogel. And, you know, I was told books. was closer to an assistant coach on the staff than he was. And I look at Phoenix right now, and the owner sounds like, hey, we're going to double down, and we're going to bring another veteran coach in, and I think we just did that.

And like Boone Holder's got a title, Vogel had a title. Yeah. Do you think the players think this is the answer? I'm not sure. I think this was a lateral move. I think the thing that didn't work out was the players on the court. I think it just wasn't a good mix of players. Bradley Bill, Booker, and Kevin Durant are all similar players.

Yeah. You know, none of them like to really take us backseat. They're all pretty much ball-down, not really ball-domin it, but scores. You know, you get on the ball in their spots and you tell them to go score. None of them are really great at playmaking. They can, but that's not what they do. That's not what they do. You know, they've always been known throughout their course of their history in the league to be scores.

They've all each probably average 30 at some point. Bradley's done it, Katie's done it. I mean, Book has come close to doing it. Right. And so it just wasn't a good mix. You know, you get these names together these days. It doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work. You know, everybody, you know, takes on the idea of maybe this can be a super team

and we can turn this and figure it out. But you guys had different skills. KGU, Rondo, Allen. You all had different games. Different games completely. You know, I think I was more of an inside, outside. I could spot it. I could do different things.

Ray was a great shooter. KG was inside and great passer. So our games complemented each other. We didn't get in each other's way. You know, even when you look at the Miami Heat with LeBron Way, they got in each other way at time until they figured it out. Right. It didn't happen right away.

That's right. And they had to learn that. And so, it's saying that, it's just that they got some roster flaws over there in Phoenix that they have to address. I think they need to make a trade. You know, do they trade for the future? Do they trade for the now? Do you trade for the future and saying that?

You trade Kevin Durant for some drive picks and, you know, rebuild with Booker moving forward and possibly trade Bradley Bill. Do you rebuild to go now? Probably look to trade Bradley Bill to get some playmaking and add some depth. I don't know. That's the choice that the new general manager is going to have to make. But, you know, he's definitely made a splash since coming in. the owner.

Yeah. You know, he's fired a coach. He's traded for Durant. Big swings. Fired another coach. I think this is the second coach he fired. They had Monty Williams, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

You know, so, you know, he spent a lot of money, so he's showing he's ready to spend some money, so we'll see. The, it's funny when I think generally in my life, the, the, there is an alpha to the NBA. because basketball, it's a playground game. Most of the great players talk a little trash. Yeah, I love it. Yeah.

And it's right, by the way, like everybody gets it. Nobody takes it personal. And in baseball, they take it personal. Like, right, you throw it somebody. If you hit a homer off me, I'm throwing at you. Like basketball, everybody talks. Everybody's fun. It's a running dialogue.

Yeah. And so Tatum's not really that guy. Oh. And so I've said this. It's not a criticism. Now, J. Mack loves him. He had him top three in the league a couple years ago. and I said top five.

And I said, he doesn't, his mentality isn't really alpha. I know he's gifted, but there are times, I think Jalen Brown wants the ball more. Yeah, and I watch.

I just see that. The thing with Boston, I can't get past, the East has been weak for several years. They're a 500 playoff home team. Yeah,

that's mind-boggling. And to me, it's like, that sort of Tatum. He picks his spots. He's not hyper-aggressive. Yeah. Like,

you kind of are your star. The Lakers were cocky. I always felt you guys, it was tough. Rondo get into a street fight. You KG. You could be finesse. But you were fighters. I feel like this Boston team takes on Tatum's personality.

I mean, that's not a bad assessment because a lot of teams take on the personality of their best player or their coach usually. And I can see that. It can be hot or cold sometimes and you know, there's times where you see Tatum a little more fiery than others. Right. You know,

but for the most part comes off as a calm personality, you know, win or lose. And so that's a pretty good assessment right there. Yeah, yeah. It's not a knock on. No, that's not a knock. I didn't take, I didn't look at it as a knock. No, he doesn't have generally the one mentality. Like for years, Anthony Davis, I had talked to somebody in the league.

He said, Anthony's the best two in league history, but he doesn't necessarily want to be. Now, this year, Anthony played like a one, and I would never deny his talent is a one. Yeah. A lot of guys don't. Like, you could say what you want about Joker. He wants, he just wanted the ball. He wants the offense to run through. See, it's like sometimes people's games speak for them.

Like Joker, he's a dog, right? Yeah. But in an interview or in a conversation, you wouldn't hear it. Right. You know what I'm saying? And there's times where Tatum's a dog. But you're not, it doesn't always come out personality wise. but a lot of people let their games show it.

You know what I'm saying? So there's no question what we saw Joker did last night, Spilt Dog. Like he just took it to the defensive player of the year, took it to the top defense and just shredded him. But he didn't do it with a, he didn't have not one mean look on his face. I get it.

Paul Pierce joining us. I haven't talked a lot about Dallas because this series, a young OKC, a lot of people don't know the, player. So it's just we haven't talked a ton about it. But I would say it is impressive that Luca in the middle

of a series has stepped back. Kind of let Kyrie take some of the ball handling. And that's hard for stars to do. I mean, Kobe could be stubborn to a fault. You read the books on the Lakers. Like Kobe was, he was fighting

when they were the best team in the league. Luca's in the process of it. But in the last couple of games, they're 9 and 0. when the usage rate is under 30. Yeah. To me, I look at that and I think, oh, so Luca, you can sit down and have a grown-up conversation with him. He's not going to get defensive.

Is it hard if a coach would have come to you at any point in your prime and said, I need three fewer shots? Wait, is that just in the playoffs or just the regular season that 9-0? No, 9-0 this year when his usage rate is under, meaning PJ Washington gets more touches. So that means he still go over usage too much. Way too much. Out of like all over the 80 games he's played, only nine.

And I think a lot of that, so that's included playoffs. Yeah, no, so they can win when it's over the usage rate. Yeah. But they've yet to lose. They haven't lost it yet. When it's under. Well, I think he has to take a read into that and say, but I think some of that, if they're winning the playoffs in these last two games,

if his usage rate was under, 30 and they won those two. I think that injury may be a blessing in disguise. I think some of those things I slowing them down because he's getting a rebound or he's getting the outlet. He's just throwing it ahead because he can't push it as much because his knee is bothering them or his back is bothering them. But he's like, whoa, hold on.

I'm getting something out of PJ Washington now. Oh, wow. Tim Hardaway Jr.'s knocking down shots now. So now as he continues to heal his wounds as the series goes on or they advance, he could figure out like, oh, okay, I need these guys more than I thought, and I don't have to go for 30 for us to win. So hopefully this is a learning experience.

If they make it through this series with OKC, and I always say it's tough for me to see somebody winning with this James Harden style, you know, when the last time somebody won with the highest usage rate in the league? It just doesn't happen. Right. It doesn't equal championship basketball.

When I watched Denver last night, and the ball move with the extra pass, I was watching poetry in motion. It wasn't one guy doing all the dribbler. And so hopefully Luca realizes that because if he realizes that, this Dallas team can be dangerous and you can possibly see them in the finals because I do

think they'll be OKC. I do think they'll be in the conference finals. And the one ingredient that you need to be in the finals is an MVP caliber player. And Luca is that. Yeah. Are there times, you have to be delicate with it. Like in the NFL, we did this a couple weeks ago. It's like

for the last five passing leaders either didn't make the playoffs or didn't win a game. Fans love when their star drops 44. Lakers for years and years with Kobe. Every time he scored over for like 40, they were like a 500 team. Have there been times you've been in locker rooms and the coach comes in and says,

guys, there's a data point here. We got to look at. And they're just like, we can't do this. You as players may think it's great, but have you ever had a coach coming in and just say, Doc, hey, this actually crushes us. Yeah, absolutely. You know, Paul, you need to pass more.

I mean, but I'm like, you know, but I'm looking like, you know, look who I'm passing to. You know, this is before Ray and Kevin got there. That's right. You know what I'm saying? And I was like, shoot, me taking a bad shot is better than him taking the open shot. I mean, it just was the truth at the time. And so, but then you bring the data in this is when the analytics started coming into play. That's right, beginning of your end of your career.

Yeah, it started coming into play. You started looking like, oh, okay. You know, when you go right, when you. pull up half in mid range when you on the right side of the court, you know, and you start looking at this data, and it's just like, wow, you know, but like it can't measure my heart.

Yeah. They can't hazard my heart when it's the clutch. But you didn't mind passing the KG once you got there. No, no, I didn't mind passing the KG of course not. No, those were great teams. Yeah, absolutely. By the way, Ant and MJ, I think it's funny, everybody's like freaking out that there's comps between the two, but Ant is such a great

trash talker. Yeah. I think he kind of likes it. me, we're not saying he's going six for six. Yeah. It doesn't, I mean, when I watch it, I think Kobe was a little Michael. I looked at Ann and I'm like, yeah, I see some Michael. Absolutely. And the reason you say that is because Aunt is the best player at 22.

Yes. You know, you know, Kobe wasn't the best player. No. At 22. We rushed him in. Remember the All-Star game in Utah? It's like he wasn't MJ yet. No.

You know, he wasn't MJ until Shaq left and you started seeing. the more of the MJness when he's scoring 60 and three quarters and doing all that. Because he had three championships, by the way. So now we see a young kid doing it. And it's unbelievable to see a 22-year-old just leading a team, talking the way he's talking, scoring the way he's scoring, charismatic the way he is. And you can relate to him. Like you're like, man.

That's what you said a couple weeks ago. Yeah, you just gravitate toward him. And it's like, it's like, who else in the league can you say that about as an American player? Yeah, we all love, you know, I'm wearing the Tatum shoes now, you know, but, you know, it's just like certain players that kids watch that hear him talk and be like, man, that's how, that's how I am when I'm on the playground. And, you know, he's just being himself and, you know, just doing things that I wish I can do. And it has a flare to it. Right. And it's exciting to watch.

And he checks all those boxes. No question. It's funny that he's cocky, but simultaneously likable. Yeah. Like I like him. He comes up and talks trashed. I'm like, oh, that seems like a nice guy I can go have a beer with. That's a cool guy.

I can see the thing is with us, the great athletes are the greatest of the great. There's a thin line between cockiness and confidence. Does he believe in itself? Absolutely. Does he take accountability? Absolutely. but like, I feel like you got to have some kind of some type of cockiness, nastiness to you if you want to get to the top. And that's what I said with Tatum sometimes I don't see it.

Yeah. With Ant, I absolutely see it. You absolutely see it. But it comes in all forms too, but the majority of the guys at the top top, the top, top, top, top, got it. Like when we talk about MJ, when we talk about. KG had it. Oh, KG, probably top five and that ass. back.

I mean. Iverson. Iverson. Kobe, of course. I mean, you just talk about, and then other people do it differently, like Magic Johnson did with a smile on his face. Right. It was like, take this, laugh and smile it. Like, you know, and so, but you like the guys

who do it with that kind of cockiness because you're like, ooh, they mean. They, they, they, they're going to just. step on you and just not give you no mercy, give you a chance to get back up. Good foxhole guys. Good foxhole guys. Game seven guys.

That's who you want to be in the foxhole with, guys like that. They don't care if they're back against the wall, like the movie 300. That's it right there. That's that. He'll lead 300 people against 10,000 and feel confident he can win.

Right. Great seeing you, my man. Always. Paul Pierce, stopping by. Love having him. Be sure to catch live editions of the, heard weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Hey, it's Ben, host to the fifth hour with Ben Mallor. It would mean a lot to have

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

A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care 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, competition.

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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 Jette. 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 on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. So I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Then you're finishing that sentence.

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the thing. We get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Keel. games is we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new

podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. I really felt like we were doing America, a real service. 45 minutes ago, J. Mack were our over unders. I've already purchased my jet skis under Cowboys Jet Saints over Packers, Rams, Vikings. J-MAC with the news

No No no no Turn on the news This is the herd line news We didn't even touch on Saints Because nobody ever cares about that team But um In that division under

Feels like a risky play I think there's every year There's three or four teams that unravel The tension with the Saints Derek Carr as teammates No Cap Space Alan's losing They're one of my unraveled teams Dennis Allen

A little suss. Remember I bet on them repeatedly last year, and they just cost me more. That was the team that you kept. You talked me into them last year. Love them. Love to schedule everything. And they just pooped their pants. Anyways, let's get started with the Chargers.

Rookie Men in Camp kicked off on Friday. The best moment from the start of camp came from Jim Harbaugh's press conference, where he delivered the most locked-in quote of the offseason. Just overall, it hit me this morning about that. 3.34 in the morning, woke up, turned straight at the ceiling, and said to myself, it's not just another day,

it's two day. And maybe that's just another way of saying. Attack this day with an enthusiasm. I'm known of mankind. But, yeah, it was a great day. I love him. He's really good. Now, listen, I don't want to get too nerdy.

But there's a bunch of Instagram accounts talking about, like, neuroscientists and your brain. and this kind of thing that he talks about apparently works. If you wake up in the morning, you don't go on your phone or like lay around in bed, but you say, today's going to be a great day. I'm going to crush today. You do this repeatedly. Apparently, the brain starts to start thinking.

Like, hey, you're going to dominate today. It's the power of positive thinking. Yeah. I saw a stat. I told my wife this. 80 to 85% of the things you worry about happening. never happen. I see people on the internet

that are just fear-mongering, and it's like you don't know what's going to happen. Why would you waste any energy negatively on bad things happening? 80 to 85% of the things that get caught in the merry-go-round of your brain don't actually happen. So get out of that stuff.

Be positive. Don't be cynical every day. It's easy to be cynical and negative and want to lay in bed and knock it up. I think also the devices just make it worse for people who struggle with that. Nobody goes on the internet and says,

have a great day. It's all negativity. Alexi Lollas, Sierra Fox, always has a funny line. What are we angry about today? What are we yelling about today? He does that like almost every day. But I'm just curious,

what's your first step in the morning? Are you horrible like, just positive, positive? Are you looking at the phone? Are you just bleary-eyed? No, no, no. First thing I do, pick up the phone to see if my kid's called.

You know, you're a dad. girl was worried about my kids don't live with me so did my kids call are they okay and they have been for you know all the years of my life concerned i just natural i look at my phone then i turn the shower on start my day in a good mood even when i sleep crappy i've never been somebody that struggles to get out of bed you're a morning shower guy huh get up morning shower out interesting i'm a night shower guy i like to go into bed clean this this hair needs love in the morning You can't just throw it up like yours. This thing is a lot of work.

A lot of gel. You got to fasten the hair piece up here. This is my spring hair piece. It's probably you don't have a hardball in the over, by the way. Chargers? No, I think the number. Everybody goes instantly. Yeah, it's eight and a half, and I think they're in that nine, ten spot.

They still have some issues, I think, offensively, that I just need to watch them play. I think they'll be a nine-win team. I don't think they're a 12-win team because I don't think they have the receiver and tight-end running back. I think they're kind of the first year you change the culture, fix some obvious needs. I think next year you really supplant the offensive weaponry, which I still think they're light in that department. They lost Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin. Yeah, like I just did they lose effort to tight end too? Yes.

I mean, that's their offense. A lot of newness. Depending on a rookie wide receiver from Georgia. Glad McCrude. Hayden Hurst and some guys. So to me, they're not going to be as electric offensively. But I think day one was let's get Herbert right, let's get the old line right, let's get the culture right, and I think next year they'll feel more like a Super Bowl team very early.

Ladd-McConkie, file it away, fantasy football this fall. He's going to be good for the Chargers. Next up, LeBron and the Lakers have a lot of questions this offseason, including find another head coach. Now, Colin, during last night's Timberwolves Nuggets game, the insufferable Reggie Miller, through some shade at LeBron's way. Take a listen. I'm an even bigger fan of Anthony Edwards after seeing that clip.

We've got certain guys with veteran status in our game that are wrong. A lot of people have not lost more that like to deflect and point fingers at other. Here's a 22-year-old saying. This is my fault. Well, what is it gets Reggie Miller in so much hot water? First of all, he's a bad announcer.

Oh, no, come on. Second of all, he blocked me on social media years ago Well, that's because you're saying stuff like that. I criticized him. He's open to criticism just as I am. I block people all the time. But let's be real. LeBron has played under eight different head coaches, which is fine.

Okay, a lot. Kevin Durant's played in six, like the last five years. You can still be on Mount Rushmore if you've had a bunch of coaches and you run off coaches, right? Like, Magic Johnson famously ran off a coach early in his career. Then he got Pat Riley. Well, I said this. I think LeBron was really unselfish in the prime. of his career. I think he's gotten a bit more selfish in the twilight of his career, where he,

you know, his offensive production, he'll pick his spots against weak spot. You know, he used to just, LeBron elevated everybody else's game. I don't feel quite like that anymore. I don't, LeBron's maintaining his level of productivity. I don't always think he has the best interests of every teammate. I think, and I'm not saying he's completely selfish, but I felt for a superstar, He was unselfish for 15 years. I think LeBron has to give the ball up more, play a little off ball more. And LeBron would say, okay, get me a star, I will. But he does, you know, Anthony Davis is not a playmaker.

But I do feel that let's say the Lakers went out and got Donovan Mitchell. Well, Donovan Mitchell would need to have the ball in his hands a lot more. And LeBron would have to play off ball a lot more. And I'm not sure he's comfortable with that. He defined off ball for me. Run around screens. Like, come on. LeBron's with a 39 years old.

Steph Curry is still running around. Steph Curry is a tiny guard who's like 35, 36. Just one laugh. If Luca in his prime can give the ball up, LeBron can't at 39, Luca's not a... I mean, Luca's literally in the series has said, okay, I want the ball less. And PJ Washington's flourished and Kyrie's flourished. If Luca in his prime can do that, LeBron can't at the end? Some of it is what the defense is giving you.

But, you know, LeBron takes a lot of heat. Fire and coaches, super teams. He gets a lot of blame for stuff. No, I get it. I get it. I've defended him mostly for his entire career. So we had Paul Pierce here, and I was talking to someone during the commercial break, about this whole, like, LeBron getting blame.

And, you know, he's not the reason the league has super teams. You know that, right? Paul Pierce's Celtics are the reason they're super teams in the game. I never blamed LeBron for that. People need to know. LeBron didn't start the super team stuff. Pierce adds KG and Ray Allen. By the way, Charles Barkley left for Phoenix and Houston.

Not just left, demand it out. Yeah, so the old guys, oh, tend to point at the young guys, but the world's changed now. People are more mobile. And by the way, it's becoming cyclical. There's new studies in that, like, young people don't necessarily. They want to stay near their hometown. So it's just cyclical. I think Denver's proving the oven works better than the microwave.

But LeBron moved because he had a, let's be honest, seven years in Cleveland, they had no second great player. He went to Miami and Wade and Bosch got old fast. And then he wanted to solve the Cleveland villain stuff. And then he just in the end did not trust when Kyrie went sideways. He's like, I'm not into my career here. I'm going to go Mogul stage. And I'm going to move my business to L.A. The Lakers came knocking.

So if you look at LeBron's choices, they were excellent choices. KD. made bad choices. And that's what we're left with, a guy that apparently didn't talk to Vogel for long stretches. That's brutal. But let's remember. LeBron Mogul stage did come out here and won a title. I know we could say it was the bubble year, but the Lakers, by the way, conference finals last year.

I have no problem with that title at all. They made the best of a horrible situation. So what? Yeah. Final story to the U.F.L. Where the stallions remain undefeated, taking down the league's second best record, the Battlehawks. But notably, this drone footage, if you're watching on FS1, one of the stallions touchdowns went viral. Many fans are calling for the NFL to take notice.

how cool this is. I know. Drone following him through. That is great. Now he gets a little close for comfort there. The guy's like, what the hell is this a bird? Very, very nice. So I saw a drone two weeks ago in Park City, Utah.

I went up there. And one of the kids was fiddling around with his drone, which is about the size of a big wallet. I couldn't believe what it did. I can't believe how effective drones are. It's unbelievable. I think these things should be all over. I can't believe I'm going to share this.

I started a movie script a couple years ago about drones and this really cool aspect of them. I haven't finished it, obviously, because, you know, this job takes a lot of time. I got the podcast kids. But drones are the future. You know that. They're super cool. There's a lot of awesome stuff you can do with it. Do you have one?

No, one of the kids does, and I just could not get past it. I just thought it was amazing how he could completely control it around the animals and the yard. He took a little movie of the house, and I was like, that's unbelievable. You know, maybe I should get you that for Christmas. A drone. If we're exchanging presents, I don't know for that close yet. I gave you a ride home for work last week. You did, and that went a long way.

J-Mag with the news. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. 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 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 what 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 a little kill? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.

Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games.

And in recognition of mental health awareness, this 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 freed?

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, 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. I mean, there's occasionally a late bloomer. But if you're going to be great in comedy, in tech, and in sports, you can usually see great really quick. It just kind of comes through the television set, pops in Silicon Valley, wherever it is. There are people that take a while, late bloomers, I get it, but Aunt, Paul Pierce earlier on Ant and what he is seeing at 22 years old. It's unbelievable to see a 22-year-old, just leading a team, talking the way he's talking, scoring away. he's scoring, charismatic the way he is, and you can relate to him. You gravitate toward him. And it's like, it's like, who else in league can you say that about as an American player?

Yeah, we all love, you know, I'm wearing the Tatum shoes now, you know, but, you know, it's just like certain players that kids watch that hear him talking, be like, man, that's how, that's how I am when I'm on the playground. And, you know, he's just being himself. And, you know, he's just being himself. I was just doing things that I wish I can do. And it has a flare to it. And it's exciting to watch. And he checks all those boxes. Yeah, I mean, the NBA, more than any sport, and this is okay.

This is why I love it and sit and watch games. Optics matter. Aesthetics matter. First player I fell in love with was Dr. Jay. And he didn't have the best jumper and he wasn't the best defensive player, but he had flare. And I think in the NBA, you know, Luke is not going to ever be considered a great defender. Ants appears to be a very good defender, but there is something to the way in which you score. And I can sit and watch Ant play all day.

Like it's almost every single possession when he gets it in his mind to score. They all look like it's one-on-one inside of a team structure. And it's just fun to watch. And it's easy to root for. And I'm okay comping him to MJ because I see a little bit of it. I saw a lot of it with Kobe, but I see a little bit of it, a little bit. I think when other stars and Hall of Famers are like, yeah, that's him. That's the dude.

Pretty good at recognizing that stuff. J-MAC's holding a little bit of a grudge. No, don't. Overs, unders earlier today. I had the Jets under. Hold on real quick. So if I told you, Colin, I'll give you first pick. You can build around one of these two guys.

Anthony Edwards or Jason Tatum. Who would you say? Anthony Edwards. Okay. Now, Wemby and Ant. No, no, stop. Wemby does. He may average six blocks a game at some point.

I feel like Tatum's skill set at both ends is more than ants because he's a little bigger and longer. But it's close. Anthony Edwards is fine. Who's more dynamic? Probably aunt. Probably. You can take the probably out. Hour three next.

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

Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at a podcast. In 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s. 84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win.

I don't care what I'm saying. Yep. That's me. Clivert 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 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 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. 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. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human.