The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Hour 2 - Who should coach the Lakers?

Episode Date: May 8, 2024

Thoughts on Byron Scott's comments on LeBron James and the Lakers How far can the Knicks go in the playoffs?   Guest: Ric BucherSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

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Starting point is 00:02:19 Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Fox Sports Radio or FSR. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio. All right, here we go. Hour number two. Live in Los Angeles, it's the hurt. Wherever you may be, however, you may be listening.
Starting point is 00:02:48 Thanks for making us part of your day. J-Mack, who's playing tonight? Pacers' nix. All right. Only one game. I think the Pacer's getting four points, five points. I thought it was low. It was four and a half when someone here on the staff check. I will say this.
Starting point is 00:03:05 Mitchell Robinson's not much of an offensive force, but he's size. And I didn't love that news that he's out for like six to eight weeks. So he's out of the playoff. They had three of their top eight guys, Bogdanovich, Randall, and now Mitchell Robinson, all out. And they're playing Josh Hart, Brunson, like, oh, gee, like unbelievable men. They can't come off the court, yeah. Yeah, and also they don't have a bench, and Indiana's got a great bench. so it doesn't sound
Starting point is 00:03:29 I mean like you can survive you know it's if we had two or three people off the show you can survive you have five off somebody gets sick you know then all of a sudden it's not the same show the Knicks have been able to overcome some losses like that Mitchell Robinson
Starting point is 00:03:43 even though he's not a great it feels like the Jenga piece like it's just you kind of get into a point where okay how long can you play Brunson Josh Hart now all of a sudden it's like now you lose a rim defender it's like it's some point and Indiana, conversely, one of their strengths is they have a great bench. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:04:02 When you see a team like the Timberwolves picking up Jamal Murray knowing he's not 100% with the calf, picking him up full court, why aren't they picking up Brunson full court? I would just lean up Brunson, played 44 minutes, I think, the other night. It does feel like I keep waiting for the Knicks. I keep waiting for them to come back to Earth and Josh Hart not to double his career staff. I think they're playing with a lot of emotion and energy, but it does feel like losing your big, it's like that could be the last one. You can't quite, but again, the Knicks have done this like five times.
Starting point is 00:04:33 I thought this was interesting. And nobody likes any of the commissioners. I've been defending Roger Goodell forever. I had dinner last night with an NFL owner, and we were talking about, you know, what it's like to be a commissioner, and there's some really good insight that Roger can be very persuasive when he wants things, but again, he is working for the owners. And so I think Adam Silver gets a lot of criticism.
Starting point is 00:04:54 one of my only knocks on him is how he sort of marginalized college basketball as the enemy, which it's a free marketing piece. If you really think about it, if you own a business tomorrow, you start it up a business, one of the things that you'd love to get is free marketing, free promotion. Wouldn't that be great? Well, I mean, essentially college football is a free marketing service for the NFL, and the NFL totally gets it. basically millions, tens and hundreds of millions of people watch college football.
Starting point is 00:05:26 The NFL doesn't pay for it. We fall in love with college players, and then they transition, pivot to the NFL, and the NFL benefits from it. They just kind of microwave all that love, boom, star, jersey sales. The NBA views college basketball as the enemy to meet inexcusably, and so they want their players to go overseas to the irrelevant anonymous G-League. and by the time they're in the NBA, the good players go to bad teams. I don't see them on TV for three or four years.
Starting point is 00:05:54 I forget about them. There's not enough love there. And European players, I don't watch their young basketball lives at all. So I get introduced to guys their fourth, fifth year in the league when they're finally on TV for the playoffs, because that's the only time anybody watches the NBA is the playoffs. And so, like, that is a huge mistake. The other thing I'd say where I sort of preferred David Stern style over Adam, you know, David Stern didn't mess around.
Starting point is 00:06:19 He was hard. Now, Silver is much more pro player, much more pro player than Stern. And that may be the times, right? But Jamal Murray, a really good player, threw two things on the court. And he got a $100,000 fine. He made $33 million. That's pocket change. And his NBA salaries are going up, not backwards for stars.
Starting point is 00:06:49 So I'm a $100,000 fine. now Adam Silver's takeaway is hey people didn't pay for the understudy I'm not going to blow the series up okay fine but then suspend him next year for the playing tournament because suspensions a two-week suspension that's like a $3 million fine that's a real fine that's a real check you got a right for a guy even making $33 million that's a lot of money right takes $5 million to bring home two and a half, three million, right? Because the taxes. So my take is $100,000 for doing something that should absolutely be severe. You don't want people throwing stuff on the ice. I mean, a fan gets kicked out of a game for doing that. Like an NBA player who makes $33 million, gets $100,000 fine.
Starting point is 00:07:40 Now, there are things about Adam Silver. He'll toss an owner out of the league in a minute if he thinks he's a bad guy. I love that part of it because there's some bad people and bad owners. But you've got to be tougher on your star players. I understand not blowing this series up. I do get that. But you got to make him pay for this at some point. And suspensions are much tougher on players than fines
Starting point is 00:08:02 because a suspension, if you go per game pay, you know, a 10-game suspension could be $4 million. But I thought this, you know, and again, Adam Silver, sometimes I feel like he's the ice cream for breakfast, dad. He don't tell mom. We have an ice cream for breakfast again. A little soft. I like when he's hard on bad owners,
Starting point is 00:08:24 but you can't be throwing crap on the floor twice. Like, that just doesn't work, especially when he threw it under the basket. Well, you've got bigs there jumping up and there's stuff on the floor. You can land on stuff. And we both like Jamal Murray. But that, to me,
Starting point is 00:08:39 got to be more punitive than that for that action. I do get, when you go to Broadway, you want to see the stars. I was talking about this with the staff this morning. If one of my, if we were going on vacation, and one of my kids did something that I really didn't like. I wouldn't blow the vacation up. But when we got back, you'd be, you know, you wouldn't go outside for a month, whatever it is.
Starting point is 00:09:00 I'm not going to let your actions ruin the family vacation, but you will be punished for that. Here, it's like, I'm not going to let your actions ruin the vacation, and we're not going to really punish you. It sets a precedent. $100,000 for a pro athlete? A star, $33 million a year? I mean, that guys like may keep that in their socks in the NBA. This is interesting. So I've been saying this about this, I hear this all the time, though growth of women's basketball.
Starting point is 00:09:35 It's been okay. Caitlin Clark has blown the league up. So all this growth you're talking about, it's nice, but the WNBA finals this year got 700,000 viewers. That's significantly less than UFFF. games are getting. The draft which had Caitlin Clark, WNBA draft, got triple the WNBA finals. The growth story is overplayed by media members rooting for stuff. It's nice. It's a nice growth story. Caitlin Clark, listen to this. The NBA, WNBA now is going to go full-time charter flights. That's $25 million per year for the next two seasons. That's almost doubled the entire
Starting point is 00:10:19 WNBA payroll. The L.A. Sparks were playing Caitlin Clark's team. They were going to play down in Long Beach at the pyramid.
Starting point is 00:10:27 They had to move the game to crypto arena. That's Tiger coming to the tour and doubling all the ratings. And golf was
Starting point is 00:10:35 looking for somebody cool. And Tiger arrived. And then Tiger left, golf's not the same. So she is a stimulus package
Starting point is 00:10:45 for the WNBA. She really is. This is, Again, there's nothing wrong with the growth in women's basketball. Nobody's still watching the WNBA Finals. If she's in the WNBA Finals next year, remember, she got $19 million for the women's national championship. She'll get eight, and I'm serious here, if Caitlin Clark plays in the WNBA finals next year, and we get an NBA finals with, you know, who knows what happens, the Indiana Pacers face the OKC,
Starting point is 00:11:13 I am not joking. The WNBA Finals will go toe to toe with the NBA Finals. No question. That's not about the growth of women's basketball. That's about Tiger joining. And I've seen this with all the inboxing. MJ left the NBA. 50% of the ratings left with him.
Starting point is 00:11:30 I mean, the UFC's always been popular. Connor McGregor. My wife wanted to go see a fight. Not really a sports fan. So the WNBA growth is good. It's been moving up. I'm not denying any of that. But this is not what this is.
Starting point is 00:11:47 This is a rocket ship. This is a Taylor Swift tour. This is Tiger to golf. MJ to the NBA. NBA was not a global sport when MJ entered. Magic and Bird kickstarted the Laker Celtic rivalry again. MJ made it wildly commercial. Everybody wanted all of Wall Street.
Starting point is 00:12:09 All the Gatorades, everybody. We're all in. Hot dogs, underwear, Buicks. Michael made the whole leagues, the whole world. We're buying this sport. Manchin Bird helped start it, but what they did is they ignited the coastal battle Celtics Lakers. Michael changed the globalization of the sport. I mean, it was the thing globally.
Starting point is 00:12:32 That's what Ali did to boxing. That's what Tiger did to golf. And it's pretty cool to watch this. That literally, she's been in the league an hour, and they have already said, we're going to commit for two years. our entire travel plans and it'll be double what we pay the entire league. That's the Taylor Swift thing.
Starting point is 00:12:55 That's like changing the economy of a business. And it's not a shot on growth of anything. It's just, and for the record, golf needed tiger. Boxing is desperate for another all-e. The NBA should pray that Aunt Edwards becomes anything resembling Michael Jordan. Football's the only sport. in this country that is not brand player region coastal media dependent NFL works everywhere
Starting point is 00:13:23 green bay to buffalo i mean the new york teams are bad but it works there too all right jamaq how about that they were going to play down in long beach which if you don't know california long beach a school little south of the city and the pyramid you know and they said no let's go play with the lakers play that is and by the way arenas don't like to you know cancel and make stuff up on the fly. They're like, yeah. L.A. Sparks are popular in L.A. Now they're like, oh, is it, are they clipper popular?
Starting point is 00:13:54 They won't be Laker popular, but you get 15,000 or whatever they I mean, that's just a... What is it? Rising Tide lifts all boats? You're seeing this Angel, Angel Reese played a game for Chicago and like the Bears, Caleb Williams was there, Keenan Allen, Wilma Dunza, like they're supporting...
Starting point is 00:14:11 You know what's great. The league. Just selfishly for content, I love this. I'm looking for more content. I want the NFL to play another game. Makes my job easier. I want Ant to be the next Jordan. I want WNBA, Caitlin Clark, it's another topic.
Starting point is 00:14:26 How many times have I taught Caitlin Clark in the last three months? Like six times I've had a segment? More than the NHL, that's for sure. Yeah. So, I mean, by the way, if the NHL got the next Gretzky, we'd probably work. I mean, I don't talk boxing anymore. But occasionally I'll talk UFC if you get a fight. So I'm selfishly rooting for Caitlin Clark to literally sell out the arenas.
Starting point is 00:14:45 It gives us topics. I always say, you drive the bus. I follow you. And when I see all these numbers, it's like, if she plays in the WMBA finals, do not be surprised if it goes toe to toe with a Minnesota OKC final without the Celtics. That's not a bad thing. That's a great thing.
Starting point is 00:15:03 It's a huge thing for the WMBA. You and I, like the Big Ten expansion, SC, UCLA, Oregon, Washington, to the Big Ten. So you're telling me I get more marquee college football games. I get Oregon, Ohio State. or Oregon, Michigan, or Oregon, Wisconsin, or USC Michigan and Penn State? And I'm be selfish. I've seen enough Washington State, Oregon State for my life.
Starting point is 00:15:26 I'm for the bigger games. And Big Ten's going to be loaded. Oh, the schedule's insane. I told my bosses the other day, I said, Saturday now is another work day. It'd be like three huge. And now Texas, Oklahoma go to the SEC. I can't watch, I can't miss Texas LSU games. Did you just say Saturdays or so what are we going to get Wednesdays off now?
Starting point is 00:15:45 because we got to do... Well, I'm negotiating that. Okay. Make it happen, buddy. We're working weekends all fall, right? I don't think I'm going to get that, though. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day,
Starting point is 00:15:56 seven days a week, within the I-Heart 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,
Starting point is 00:16:15 documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying. Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th.
Starting point is 00:16:38 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.
Starting point is 00:17:10 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.
Starting point is 00:17:42 I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got? Got to do a 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.
Starting point is 00:18:01 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, 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. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people.
Starting point is 00:18:24 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.
Starting point is 00:18:48 I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.
Starting point is 00:19:05 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.
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Starting point is 00:19:35 I'm going to die on this hill. By the way, Jamal Murray, I would kick him out for the in-season tournament, not the play-in. My bad on that. That's so many tournaments now. track. Now, you know how the old saying, are you going to die on that hill? Yeah, I am. I'm going to die on this hill. The Atlanta Falcons drafting Michael Pennix was not a horrible move. All you
Starting point is 00:19:58 haters out there for Atlanta, I just saw this morning, the easiest schedule in the NFL. Atlanta. And daddy may be right. Easiest schedule with two good quarterbacks. Write it down. They're win in 10 plus games. So I'll revisit this. The league, the world freaked out when the Atlanta Falcons drafted Michael Pennex. Two things, I got a little insight
Starting point is 00:20:25 last night. At the number eight pick, there was not a defensive player to get. They didn't feel they had a need at skill players. They could have used a defensive player if there was a great one. There wasn't. And that's proven because the top defensive player went 15. So nobody
Starting point is 00:20:43 else, no other GM in the league was moving up for a defensive player. Everybody just waited for the Colts to finally pick a good pass rusher. So everybody insisting, well, why don't you pick a defensive player? Why reach on a defensive player? It's going to reach on anybody reaching a quarterback. You don't reach in a defensive
Starting point is 00:20:59 player. Secondly, they could have tried to move down. New England at the number three pick has now said publicly we didn't get any good offers. For the number three pick, in a quarterback heavy class,
Starting point is 00:21:16 Atlanta could have taken a call and gotten a weak offer. And if you look at the Falcons opponents next year, I'm not going to read them all for the radio audience, but let me just tell you, it's a lot of bad quarterbacks. It's a lot of average and bad quarterbacks. The only thing stopping Atlanta, do you know what it is, from winning 10 to 11 games? What is it?
Starting point is 00:21:41 Kirk Cousins gets hurt. oh wait, they'll be okay because the 81-year-old owner will have the best backup in the league. Look at their schedule. Carolina, Saints, Giants, Seahawks, Carolina again, Washington with a rookie quarterback, Minnesota.
Starting point is 00:22:07 This is a 10-11 win team. The only thing that could get in the way of it is Kirk Cousins office surgery gets hurt again. But Atlanta will be fine if that happens because they have highly experienced Michael Pennix. If Kirk Cousins gets hurt, hey, we got Dallas Turner. Doesn't mean anything.
Starting point is 00:22:33 I will die on this hill that in the weakest division in football, having two capable quarterbacks with an anemically weak schedule and excellent skill people, you have two guys that can get him the ball, a young lefty can move, and an old righty that we hope can. Weakest schedule in the league,
Starting point is 00:22:57 only thing getting in the way from the division title is an injury to your star quarterback. But now you have a solution. That linebacker ain't going to solve that. J-Mack with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News.
Starting point is 00:23:14 There's quite a rant there, huh? Everybody, listen, I'm not doing this to be contrarian. It would be different if you were, I don't think Kirk Cousins is worth that much money in a division with Mahomes and Herbert. But in a division with Baker is the best quarterback, yeah, I'm going to pay a little more than I probably want to for a team, by the way, that isn't paying anybody.
Starting point is 00:23:38 That's great. Everybody loved the Kirk Couss move. What they didn't like was, doubling down on the position when you could have done a lot, a poor allocation of resources, a poor process. Yeah. When Kirk's hobbling after that Achilles, it's going to look like, genius. Well, by the way, they had the easiest schedule last year.
Starting point is 00:23:56 Everybody bet the over, including me, and Desmond Ritter pooped his pants. Yeah, but you know what they had last year? A deficit. They didn't have any great quarterback. Well, Taylor Heineke. Now they have two. So you went from zero with a week's schedule to two capable with a week schedule.
Starting point is 00:24:10 Which one would you choose? in a league where 66 quarterbacks played last year. So I keep hearing this. You could have drafted who? Their offensive lines excellent. You didn't need a tackle. There was a lot of tackled. There wasn't a defensive player at eight.
Starting point is 00:24:25 You could have gotten Brock Bowers, but you just drafted Kyle Pitt. Could you have traded down and got pennies? The Patriots at number three said at three in a quarterback class that was loaded. They didn't get any serious offers. By the way, the Chargers I was told, wanted to trade down. they didn't move down because they didn't get any serious offers. So teams that we thought wanted to move down and could have,
Starting point is 00:24:48 so you're going to bang on Atlanta that had a lower first round pick, they couldn't move down. I know of only one team that aggressively, really aggressively tried to move up, it was the Rams for Brock Bowers. They were willing to spend some stuff. And it was like, no. So there's a lot of information. It's funny when you have, I had an interesting conversation last night.
Starting point is 00:25:10 with an NFL owner. None of it's going to get out because I think some of this is just, you know, it's the brickwork we do. It's the work we get behind the scenes that kind of go in areas and kind of figure stuff out. But when you don't have all the information, you probably shouldn't shout. Definitively, you know exactly what happened.
Starting point is 00:25:27 We don't know what happens in those war rooms. We don't know that a week earlier, they were like, listen, if Pennix is available, we'll take him, but if somebody calls, the Patriots at 3 said we didn't get a serious offer. The Chargers didn't get a serious offer. that's been published. Also published, Kirk Cousins, not thrilled.
Starting point is 00:25:46 Michael Pennex? What are we doing? This isn't the NBA. This isn't the NBA. All-Stars don't have to be happy all the time. Both quarterbacks, there's going to be a battle in camp. For the Atlanta Codons, anyways, let's get to the NBA. Jason Tatum and the Celtics, nice win in game one. Tatum did not dominate, but it doesn't matter. They're rolling.
Starting point is 00:26:05 But Tatum did get some praise from Undisputed Paul Pierce, who has seen a lot of growth and maturity in the Celtic star saying he went from a guy who averaged 30 a game to someone who understands he doesn't need 30 to win, adding he's more vocal, more of a leader, and understands what he has to give in the moment. You love this, obviously, right? Yeah, I mean, the problem on this show
Starting point is 00:26:31 is that you tend to be a love or disgusted with guys. There's no middle ground. You know this. You've been doing this for 25, 30 years. No, I'm a gray guy. You're black and white. I offer nuance to the situation. You either, you love Luca, see no holes, and then you'll look at another player and go, he's nothing but a bum. And I see Luca as a flawed player, a great score closer to mellow than MJ.
Starting point is 00:26:58 And I see Tatum as a highly refined, excellent player with concerns about wanting more in big spots. That's okay to be, not everything has to be. like love, hate. There's very few things in the NBA. LeBron in his prime. I love this game. MJ, magic in his prime. Okay, there's no question. Shack and Kobe combo, that was great. 85
Starting point is 00:27:21 Bears defense. That's insane. Most of life in sports is a lot of nuance and gray. Can Tatum be a number one on a championship winning team? Yes, yes. I think Boston now that Denver's in trouble, I think Boston's experience, he can be a one.
Starting point is 00:27:37 The question will be in the closeout game if they need him, can he give me 42 if Porzinger gets hurt and Jalen Bruns off? That's the only thing I wonder about him consistently. I have no concern to... Who would you rather build around? Tatum or Anthony Edwards?
Starting point is 00:27:54 Ant, Ant. But I'd take Tatum over Luca, which is a minority opinion. I would take Tatum over Luca, I would take ant over both. The ant love is getting a little pricey. Oh my God. Two weeks ago, he wasn't in this decision.
Starting point is 00:28:11 Gus and out. He's tortsing. Two weeks ago, I said we're at an inflection point. Is he going to be Neek or MJ? And it looks like he's veering closer to the, I'm going to take the league over MJ. Yeah. I was, by, you and I like the NBA. We are rooting for him for this
Starting point is 00:28:27 thing to keep growing, because his game is so much fun. I like a lot about him. I do. But Tatum's my picture. Anyways, Lakers are coming off another tough series loss to the Nuggets. Offseason is in full swing. LeBron recognizes the team did not execute when it mattered most, shocker.
Starting point is 00:28:42 Speaking to JJ Reddick on their podcast called Mind the Game, LeBron broke down their missed opportunities against Denver. We had so many opportunities, man, you know, and to lose in five, two of them being game winners by, you know, Jamal, you know, his greatness. Yeah, but we had so many opportunities, obviously being up, you know, 20, you know, in game two in their building and losing that game and having so many opportunities and other games, you just feel like if one play here, one played there, you know, could have made a whole of a difference. But, you know, when you're playing against a team like that, you have zero
Starting point is 00:29:20 room for error. And I believe we made too many errors. But the better team won. The better team won, the better team won for JJ Reddick. Don't love the backward hat for JJ Reddick. I'm going to open with that. Reddick's got an interesting look. Collared shirt, backwards hat, tatted up arms. I didn't hear a word LeBron said I couldn't stop staring at the hat. J.J. Reddick's going for NBA head coaching jobs. He looks like a guy that. it's going to move my couch. Didn't like it. I tell JJ to his face.
Starting point is 00:29:44 I'm like, dude, you're going to be an executive in this league. You're going to be a high-level executive or coach. Oh, whatever. You guys can go ahead and push back on that stuff. I didn't like it. My opinion, my show. Our show. I can't do.
Starting point is 00:29:57 I can't just, I don't like that look at all. You are going to be an NBA coach. He's one of the most cerebral guys in the world talking basketball. Literally, he's so layered beyond, he's like a great, he's Christopher Nolan in Hollywood. He is directing at a different level. JJ Reddick is talking basketball at a different level. And look at this guy. So, do you know what this take has done for me?
Starting point is 00:30:16 I almost will never wear my hat backwards because I know that you've said this take. Yeah, and I'll see you and I'll tell bosses. I don't think he's it. He's not that guy? But if you want somebody to clean out your garage, hire him. I don't do garages. Okay, this is my opinion, not yours. No, no, I have a right to be bothered by what I perceive as an intellectual basketball semi-savant looking like,
Starting point is 00:30:39 Like, uh, Jay J.J's working. I've never spoken to him, so I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know him either, but I listen to the podcast, and it's pretty damn sharp. And by the way, you think LeBron's just going out doing podcasts with anybody? Why is LeBron pick JJ? He's talking different levels.
Starting point is 00:30:54 I was a finalist for that. It was, you know, me or JJ Redick. But JJ doesn't care what I say. I'm a nobody. So he didn't care. I'm just telling you, my take, I'm, I'm as agent, I'm like, you could be Steve Kerr. Like, Steve Kerr was like a basketball player. Then a great broadcaster, which JJ is.
Starting point is 00:31:12 Then a GM, then a coach. Then it's like, when you look up and you're like, hell Steve Kerr's the most powerful guy in the league. Do you think being an NBA coach is a great job on the road all the time? No. JJ Reddick's got young kids, a family. Nobody wants to be traveling as a head coach. Doing podcasts, announcing games.
Starting point is 00:31:28 That stuff's cake. Let's just drop it. No big deal. Hey, no big deal. I'm sure it's no big deal. Final story, Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers. I have a feeling we're going to talk about them a lot this first. ball. They finished last season strong, enter OTAs with a lot more experience than they did last year.
Starting point is 00:31:45 O.C. Adam Stenevich spoke to how their experience will allow them to continue to evolve as an offense. We can go out there right now and just run plays. It's not like we're installing everything for the first time. We can just say, hey, run this, run this formation, whatever it is. We can start experimenting on things faster and just like, you know, taking the next steps with the offense. So it's been good. You're always always, always. looking to take the next step. You have to keep evolving. And so it's just a matter of what's our best next step. You know what I mean? Or next two things that we want to do. I still don't like that hat backwards. Come on. Let's move on. Just pivot to the Packers. They're your team,
Starting point is 00:32:29 your team of destiny. You love them this season. Go ahead. When you go to Vegas this summer, put a Benjamin down on the Packers to win it all, right? You don't believe in them. I don't know. I think they're, I think, I don't have a problem with it. I think, I think, I think, I don't think they're as good as Detroit up front, but I think they're really, really good. It is pretty cool. In the history of the league, they're the only team. If Love becomes as good as we think, they're the only team.
Starting point is 00:32:56 Now, the Niners did Montana Young, Garcia or something like that. Niners are close. But if Jordan Love becomes a Pro Bowl level guy... How is that cool? Nobody else does this. That's not fair. Spread the wealth. Get the Jets of franchise quarterback.
Starting point is 00:33:10 We have never had one ever. But the Packer, the quarterback in New York, they can't get it right. I mean, between the Jets and the Giants, you've had one that worked, Eli Manning. The Packers do it every day. Why? It's the millionaire next door. Read the book. I've won't know.
Starting point is 00:33:23 You don't have a surplus of income and all these opportunities and you're not attractive as a free agent destination. You have to work harder and you're less impulsive. And so the Packers have been very methodical in their planning and it's paid up. New York's like, hey, free agents like us, we'll buy it. Game Day revenues is great. Packers are the millionaire next door, the school teachers that retire and they got their Sepahira and their 401 case. They have an organizational philosophy in Green Bay.
Starting point is 00:33:55 The Jets lack one. And all my life being a fan of them, they do not have a philosophy. I don't know. They think they could just get a free agent quarterback. What about, you know, building through the draft? Isn't that how the Packers have built this dynasty of quarterbacks? Through the draft. Meanwhile, the Jets draft, Gino Smith, and Bryce Petty and Chris.
Starting point is 00:34:11 Christian Hackenberg. All these buss. Now I'm getting sour on the Jets again. Yesterday you had him in the AFC champion. He literally sold your stock in a rant. In a three-minute rant. Jay Mack with the news. Well, that's the news.
Starting point is 00:34:29 And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Listen, I've never been right on that backwards hat thing, Johnny Manzo. No, I've never been right on that. Baker-Mayfield. Okay. Whatever. What do I know?
Starting point is 00:34:44 Not going to talk about it anymore. But if I see JJ Reddick at Whole Foods again, I'm going to confront him on it. You have to be an honesty broker. J.J. J.J. I don't like to look. I told you one time I lost my dog, and J.J. Reddick found it in the neighborhood. What city was this in?
Starting point is 00:35:02 Manhattan Beach. J.J. Reddick lives there? I didn't even know it. Well, I don't wait. At the time, he was staying there before he moved to Austin or something. Friendly guy? My wife said some guy came up the dog. He was a handsome basketball player.
Starting point is 00:35:15 I said, yeah. Yeah, I mean, he's a, but I, I consider JJ sort of a Steve Kerr prototype, high functioning,
Starting point is 00:35:23 great program, first starts broadcasting. You're like, yeah, he's really good, moves into an old advisory or coaching role, and you're like, damn,
Starting point is 00:35:31 that guy's got it. It's just how I see it. But, you know, you know, what do I know? Save big in your water and energy bills. Navi and tankless water heaters. It's easy.
Starting point is 00:35:43 15-year warranty. Go to tankless made simple.com. 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, I'm Doug Gottlie. The podcast is called All Ball. We usually talk all basketball all the time, but it's more about the stories about what made these people
Starting point is 00:36:06 love their sport and all the interesting interactions along the way. We talk to coaches. We talk to players. We tell you stories. You download it, you listen to it, I think you like it. Listen to All Ball with Doug Ghalib on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.
Starting point is 00:36:33 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.
Starting point is 00:36:58 I don't care what you're saying. Yep, that's me, Clipper Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement
Starting point is 00:37:14 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,
Starting point is 00:37:31 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.
Starting point is 00:37:47 Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. 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.
Starting point is 00:38:07 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 Jay and I'm Alex English Each episode we pick it here unpack what went down And try to make sense of how we survived it Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill Waxing all about crack in the 80s
Starting point is 00:38:25 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 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
Starting point is 00:38:39 So 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
Starting point is 00:38:53 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
Starting point is 00:39:10 with so many incredible guests, I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough.
Starting point is 00:39:27 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.
Starting point is 00:39:41 And that's two different. levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. All right, Rick Buecker joins us. A lot of things working me up today. It's good to see Rick back in. You're going to be on speak today and you're on the undisputed this morning. Correct. I do want to get to this because I thought it was a really strong opinion by. By Byron Scott today about the Lakers coaching search where they're now going to hire their
Starting point is 00:40:16 eighth coach in 14 years. And I said yesterday, if they weren't the Lakers brand, you'd be like, what are you, the Jets? So it's like it's weird. It's too many. It seems desperate and impulsive. So here was Byron Scott's opinion. The next Laker coach, and out of the eight or nine names that I've heard, his name wasn't known there, is make LeBron the coach.
Starting point is 00:40:36 It's obvious to me, at least, that he's making a lot of decisions that's going on in this organization. No doubt. From a coaching standpoint to a player standpoint. So if you're going to allow him to make those decisions, sit on the bench and make those decisions as well. Be the head coach. As far as I'm concerned, the only person that he's going to really trust is itself.
Starting point is 00:40:56 And since you're making a lot of these decisions anyway, why not put him in that seat? Kind of a shot at LeBron. And Byron's part of the family. So Byron, your Norm Nixon's, your worthies, those guys are family for the Lakers. Do you believe that's a feeling shared by many in the organization? A few, yes. I believe Robert Ory was on there on spectrum
Starting point is 00:41:21 and said, hey, we've got to be honest. LeBron's the reason they got knocked out. So there's been some chirping now from various places from the Lakers family to suggest that LeBron's not taking as much accountability for where they are and what has happened as he should. agree with that? I do. I do. Honestly, I mean,
Starting point is 00:41:45 and look, I don't think it's his fault. I think some of it is the structure of the Lakers. Sure. That LeBron at 39 years old is still their go-to guy. But the fact that he has tried to
Starting point is 00:42:00 suggest that he's the same player he's always been because the numbers look familiar. Yeah. I can't take you seriously. You know the game better than that. you know what you were at one point. You're playing no defense. You have to play big in order to be functional as an offensive player. Good point. And that screws up the rest of the team. That's right. So it's not, it's not legit. And, you know, I think Byron is speaking for all the coaches that have been fired to say,
Starting point is 00:42:35 we're going to play, if you're going to dictate when you go in and out of the game and how many minutes you play and how we're going to run our offense. Why don't you just go ahead? It reminds me a little of Belichick. So when Belichick started the dynasty, it was do your job and sacrifice for the team. I can argue at the end, Bill got very selfish. I'm going to be the GM. I'm going to be the coach. I'm only going to have guys that I want to coach. Well, that's not. And I'm going to only have coaches work for me that I know and I'm familiar with. LeBron, nobody could dispute this. was a pretty unselfish player, high school to early NBA. He elevated very marginal play.
Starting point is 00:43:13 He could have scored 45 a night. Now you can argue he's a bit of a selfish player, more finger pointing, less acknowledging. Your game has changed. I think your best point there of the many is he now dominates. He has to play big to score. He finds the weakness and bullies the smaller player more often. Yeah. In order for him to maintain the numbers and to look.
Starting point is 00:43:39 Like he's the same player. He has to exploit. The system has to work for him at the expense of other players. If that makes sense. Yes, it does. Because if you look at the big games that Austin Reeves and DeLo and any number of players, Anthony David, like all of those guys, Rui Hachamuro,
Starting point is 00:44:00 like had some really nice games when LeBron didn't play. And so when he plays, everybody is sort of catering to him. which again is okay, but when you lose and you're catering to a particular player, then you have to have a little sort of self-awareness and say, hey, maybe, maybe. I mean, for example, in the Denver series, I thought that their best chance of winning is if LeBron James guarded Nicola Yolkich. Because then you have Anthony Davis off the ball.
Starting point is 00:44:31 LeBron can't guard Aaron Gordon. He's not athletic enough anymore, right? Or Michael Porter Jr. Or he's not going to chase around Jamal Murray. And he's not going to chase around Jamal Murray. Interesting. And you see with Nas Reid against Nicola Yokic that if you have somebody who's 6-8-6-9 and really strong and gets under him, that makes him uncomfortable, particularly if you have a shot blocker, Carol Anthony Towns or Rudy Gobert, lurking, that makes things difficult. But I don't believe that LeBron wanted to do the yeoman's work of I'm just going to put my energy into the defensive side of the ball.
Starting point is 00:45:07 and Yokits is probably going to score on me at times. And make you look bad. Which I really don't, like, I don't want that either. But for me, it's like if this gives us a better chance of winning, then that's what you should be doing. That's a pretty good take. So I've said, I don't like high usage rate guys. They break down, and especially if you ask him to play defense and offense,
Starting point is 00:45:26 Luca the first time. I know where this is going. He's three point shots done. His legs are shot. So high usage rate guy, SGA, his numbers have come down from the regular season. Harden historically. Yonis is hurt. Lucas doesn't look like he has his legs.
Starting point is 00:45:40 And I understand, like Jalen Brunson has to do it. And I do think the Mitchell Robinson injury may be the jenga piece that the Nix just can't keep asking everybody to play the whole game. Maybe not. Knicks are a fascinating story. And I've said this about Luca. I've never seen MJ or Kobe. What I see is more mellow. He's going to finish an all-time great score.
Starting point is 00:46:04 He'll play defense when he feels like it. He'll be hard to put people next to. Stuff will work intermittently. And in the end, the usage rate will leave us with a player at the end that feels a little exhausted. Yeah. I saw a change in him this year where I thought, and the usage rate reflected it, where he was getting the ball out of his hands quicker. He was utilizing his teammates more. Somewhere in the middle of the season, I think maybe because they were struggling, he took that over again.
Starting point is 00:46:36 I think he's willing to. And actually where the light came on for me is watching him with the Slovenian team. He does not dominate the ball with the Slovenian team. And they collectively are better as a result of it. So I believe he has that capability and that willingness. He has to have the players around him that he trusts are going to get it done. Kairi helped with that. And I think when Tim Hardaway, Jr., if I'm not mistaken, either got injured or fell off,
Starting point is 00:47:05 he started to take more of it. I think what you're seeing right now is simply because of the sprained knee, he can't get to the same places. He can't play as quick. And so to influence the game, he's shooting more threes. So I've just, a light bulb went off in my head. I'm going to write a book.
Starting point is 00:47:24 It'll be a short book on my backwards hat theory and explain it because people get confused. This has had an influence on yours truly. I don't like JJ Reddick wearing a hat backwards as a fledgling coach executive in this league at a high intellectual level. I don't mind players doing it. I even said in the NFL, I don't care about it, but it's that Wednesday presser by the franchise quarterback.
Starting point is 00:47:45 I don't care if you do it on the side. I don't care about any of your position. I don't like the bank president doing it. Yeah. If a bank teller does it at a company picnic, I don't care. Yeah. Right? So go ahead.
Starting point is 00:47:57 Well, so two things. One, I used to always wear my hat backward, especially if I had been surfing, your hair is like just, and I'd wear it backward. And since you've been going on these rants, I just, I am so conscious of, I am, you know, I know my age and I'm walking around town with my hat backward, it's not appropriate.
Starting point is 00:48:21 And I've done a little bit of media training for people. And I will say, and I tell them, like, most people who see you on TV, they can't hear what you're saying. They're seeing it in a bar, they're seeing it walking by a store, whatever it is, they're just seeing the image of you and they are getting an impression of you by the way, by your look, by your expressions, by your body language, all of that. And when you're on TV with a hat backward and you're supposed to be an authority, you are not looking like an authority with your hat backwards. That just that you when are we going to the bar? I just got my frat boys are going to join me. You know what it is?
Starting point is 00:49:05 That's what that looks like. This is actually not a criticism of JJ Reddick. It's an acknowledgement that he is a highly intellectual thought leader in basketball. It's below his standard. By the way, I had dinner last night and I went out with somebody that sees me on occasion. And he goes, oh, why are you so dressed a sports coat? I said, I'm going to dinner with an NFL owner. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:49:29 The standard changes. I'm not going to the dinner with an NFL owner with a muscle shirt on, hat on back. Hey, I do. Want me to move your couch? Hey. It was an NFL owner. By the way, when I go out with my wife, collared shirt, she's beautiful.
Starting point is 00:49:43 The standard races. You guys all see this as me picking on people. I'm literally elevating your economic potential in all of you just, you know, looked apart. I will say that you, but you're fighting against the grain. Oh, there's no question. America hates me on this topic. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:50:03 People, go take a, get on a plane. People are coming on, no socks, sandals. I'm like, come on. This is a public place. I went on a plane recently. I don't even like bringing a coffee on. I think it's disrespectful to the airline. That guy bring on like a burrito, like three flight.
Starting point is 00:50:24 a lot. And I'm telling you, the smell of it? Oh, well, there's that. You know, J. Mack just said, he goes, go, I do that. I don't do burritos, but I will bring on like a sandwich or Chipotle or something. Well, what do you? I got to eat. It's like a four-hour flight. I mean, I don't want to get into an argument here, but like the airline situation when it comes to sustenance. You're right. I'm going to bring on, I'm going to bring on what I want to eat. I was a little, I was a little precious on that one. Yeah. I'm wrong on that one. Okay, I'm wrong on that one.
Starting point is 00:50:57 You can take that. The hat thing? Yeah. Wouldn't be more right. See you next hour. 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.
Starting point is 00:51:14 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.
Starting point is 00:51:39 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. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast.
Starting point is 00:52:06 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 bowl your mind on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:52:33 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 here, 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.
Starting point is 00:52:51 It was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.

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