The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Kevin Durant, Russell Wilson, Zion Williamson, and LeBron James

Episode Date: April 16, 2019

Colin explains the issues of Golden State Warriors F Kevin Durant, his thoughts on Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson's new deal, Duke F Zion Williamson entering the NBA draft, and his currant gripe with Los Angeles Lakers F LeBron James. Guests include Doug Gottlieb, Matt Barnes, Albert Breer, and Jim Jackson. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. In one hour from now, I'm going to make an announcement. I've never done this. One hour from now. It is crazy. I can't believe the opportunity tonight. And I'm not going to give it. I think I know what it is.

I cannot believe what's happening. Joy Taylor is joining me. In one hour, I'm going to announce it. I've never done this before. So in one hour, this is crazy. I think I know what you're talking about. It's a lot of first in that department for you. Yes, there are a lot of first.

I cannot believe the opportunity. I want to start with this. You know what, you ever heard this, Joy, when people say, well, you're rich. You live in a bubble. You've heard that term before, right? And I think it's a very fair criticism of the American media. The American media, the network people, New York, L.A., D.C., they live in a bubble. You know, they don't have real problems and real dilemmas and the real obstacles.

A lot of Americans have. You live in a bubble. I think that's a real criticism of the American media. You don't get our pain. You don't see our pain. I agree. I live in a bubble. L.A. by the beach.

It's a bubble. Right? It's not like typical. And, but does Kevin Durant realize he lives. he lives in a basketball bubble. He's got a coach that used to be a player that handles the media brilliantly. In fact, Steve Kerr was a broadcaster and a good one.

He's got a GM that was a player. Bob Meyer, they say, is the egosless general manager. He's one of the only ones in the NBA. He's got no ego. You're well-funded. Steph Curry's great. You got the bouncer at the bar, Boogie Cousins or Draymond Green to protect you.

And you have a very soft media in San Francisco, which the Warriors were so bad for so. long. They're just happy that you're good, historically easy media in San Francisco. Because Kevin Durant needs insulation. Kevin Durant right now is living in a basketball bubble. He needs to because suddenly 6'1 Patrick Beverly is completely in his head. Patrick Beverly. The best basketball player in the NBA is Kevin Durant. Patrick Beverly is in his head. Last night, Durant had nine turnovers and only took eight shots. By the way, his own teammate, Draymond Green got in his head earlier this year.

When you go to New York, no Steph, no Clay, no Kerr, no boogie, no, no Dremont, no friendly media. Kevin Durant is so easily disrupted. It's incredible. This is a guy where a headline in a newspaper in Oklahoma City, remember that Mr. Unreliable, threw him into a tizzy. He was caught with a burner account on Twitter. He regularly gets testing with the San Francisco media, which, you know, is by any standard a pretty easy big market media. It ain't Philly. It ain't Boston. It ain't Chicago. It's not New York.

Last night, Kevin Durant is being disrupted by Patrick Beverly. Okay. So whenever I hear this saying, man, you media people live in a bubble. I'm always like, yeah, there's a lot of truth in that. This is America's basketball bubble. Kevin Durant has a coach that used to be a player and a broadcaster, an eagle-less general manager. Actually, Steph Curry and Clay Thompson are about as eagle-less as NBA stars get. You got the bouncer to deal with the tough stuff. Is anybody watching this series? I've always said, the Warriors are the best offensive team in my lifetime.

I don't think they're the best basketball team. I think Michael Jordan's Bulls are the best basketball team. And this series is a great example. The Clippers are getting physical with the Warriors. and it gives him trouble. The Rockets got physical with him last year and it got him trouble. I don't even, I mean, I think what would Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan do to the Warriors?

They'd push them all over the floor. I do think it's the best offensive team I've ever seen. But I just don't think, I mean, it's perfect for today's finesse basketball. But one of the reasons they brought Boogie Cousins to this team, and he is out until the finals reportedly after that injury last night, is despite all of his baggage, he's a tough guy. I mean, Wayne Gretzky, you ever notice with Wayne Gretzky's hockey teams? They always had a tough guy on the team.

You mess with Wayne, we'll send our bouncer over. Wayne Gretzky never played with a team that didn't have a bouncer, didn't have a tough guy, didn't have a little bit of a hockey thug to beat you upside the head if you got in the way of Wayne Gretzky. But, I mean, I'm watching KD, and I'm thinking, this is a guy that went sideways with a headline in Oklahoma City who's regularly chirping at the San Francisco media, who had a burner account, who gets upset easily, and Patrick Beverly is in his skull.

I mean, you think Patrick Beverly getting Michael Jordan's head, Kobe Bryant's head? Dude, all that stuff's not going to New York with you. Because I've been told Kevin Durant, the New York's a done deal. Okay. This is the ultimate

NBA bubble. New arena, a lot of money, perfect coach, no ego, great teammates, got a bouncer. None of that stuff's going to New York. And I mean, even when he gets occasional pushback in San Francisco, he gets testing with the San Francisco media, which is just a bunch of people wanting you to win because they were terrible for 40 years. Lord. Okay, let's go to the breaking news. Kind of breaking last night late. Russell Wilson has signed a contract with the Seattle, Seahawks, he is now officially the highest paid NFL player. It was very interesting, by the way. Russell Wilson made up a deadline.

There was no real deadline yesterday, except for American taxpayers. It was the tax day. But Russell Wilson said, April 15th, you either give me a new deal or I'm never signing a long-term deal. That was reported by Peter King. That was a make-believe day. I mean, the season didn't start last night, and you and I missed it. It was just sort of a make-believe deadline.

and Seattle completely caved and they should have. Why? Because as multiple sources have now said, which we broke initially a month ago, Russell Wilson was willing to leave. The word was out and Seattle and Pete Carroll and John Snyder heard the same stories. Tyron Matthews tweet yesterday, we broke this a month ago. We said he will go to New York.

He is interested in New York. and now creating sort of a fake deadline? I mean, don't these things usually take months and months and months? Russell's like, pay me April 15th, or according to multiple reports, I'm not signing long term. Seattle totally cave. So there's three things I think about this contract. First of all, Seattle did the right thing.

Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan are going to score a bunch of points in this division. You've got to play them twice. and Sean McVey and Jared Goff and that offensive line and Todd Gurley they're going to score a bunch of points in this division and you've got to play them twice a year and my gut feeling is Josh Rosen or probably Kyler Murray

and Cliff Kingsbury they're going to score a bunch of points in this division, you've got to play them twice. So six games a year in this division I don't care how good your defense is. With the new NFL rules, you better drop a 28 burger or a 30 burger or you're losing those games. So Seattle did the right thing.

The second thing is Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. Their top wide receiver is Doug Baldwin undrafted. He's never had a great tied end in his prime. The offensive lines in recent years have been awful. They finally hired a legit coach. It's still an offensive line that's average personnel-wise, and for many years it was terrible. And running backs, they never replaced Marshawn Lynch.

He's had overwhelmingly average weapons. You owed him one. Big Bend a never. average weapons, ever. Breeze doesn't have average weapons. Philip Rivers doesn't have average weapons. Patrick Mahomes doesn't have average weapons. Carson Wenz doesn't have average weapons.

Aaron Rogers, had pretty good weapons. Always good offensive lines, by the way. Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. But third, and this is really, really a big one. And this is where I was told Russell got married. you marry a woman, strong woman point of view, they talk to you. And this is where Russell Wilson, this was a nonverbal deadline. Since Russell Wilson arrived in Seattle, the 12th man gets the credit, Pete Carroll gets the credit, Richard Sherman gets the credit,

Legion of Doom gets the credit. They were all caring Russell Wilson, right? That's what you've been led to believe. Short memory, Pete Carroll had been fired twice. went 7 to 9, 7 and 9, and was heading into a season with Matt Flynn against, remember those Harbaugh 49er defenses? Yeah, that would have been adorable. Matt Flynn against that defense.

And Russell Wilson saved the franchise and saved Pete Carroll's job and saved John Snyder's job and elevated the franchise to a national brand, which it had never been, ever. And now the Seahawks are a national brand. And they're worth probably a billion more today than seven years ago when Russell Wilson arrived. Seattle did the right thing. They owed him one on weapons.

But this was Russell Wilson making a demand and absolutely immediately getting his team to cave. Because he was moving. And it was out. And Seattle knew it. And he deserved it. And you owed him one. But this has been Russell Wilson's franchise for several years.

This morning, finally, it's official. he's always deserved more credit than he's received. By the way, my staff tells me Russell and his beautiful wife, Sierra, we're announcing the new deal last night on social media. Do we have that? Is that the cozy thing? Can I just watch that? Would you run that, please?

Thank you. Hey, Seattle. We got a deal. Go Hawks. Go Hawks. But I'm going to see y'all in the morning. Good night. Time for y'all go to bed.

Finally, we can go to sleep. So adorable. That's so adorable. He's stunning on him there. Anyway, that's where we stand. Coming up in 45 minutes, I'm going to do something I have never done on multiple fronts. I'm very excited about it.

It makes me excited about tonight. You've never done it publicly or just never done it? I've never done it to the level I'm going to do it in one hour, 50 minutes. Okay. I've done it at a very small level. Okay. This is new.

That's coming up. And coming up next, if you're Kauai Leonard for the Toronto Raptors and you're watching the Clippers last night, didn't you make up your mind? That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

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the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your host. favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit

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

Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth.

He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levin this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know.

Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't. Don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile,

that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Spring cleaning time, fresh start for a mattress too. Casper.com Code Hurd, get you a hundred bucks toward the purchase of a select mattress.

Alaska, Hawaii could pay more terms and conditions apply. There's additional fees there up in Alaska, along with Caribou and organic wild-caught salmon. Great to have you in. So I'm watching the Clippers last night. They're not going to beat Golden State in a series. It's a seven-gamer. It's tied at one. They overcame a 31-point deficit.

Largest deficit ever overcome in a playoff game. And the Warriors fell asleep. This is what they do. They do it in the regular season. They generally don't do it at home with a 31-point lead. But they did lose Boogie Cousins, did the Warrior. So they don't have a legitimate big. I think that'll hurt them against Houston.

I don't think it'll hurt them necessarily against the Clippers. But the Clippers play their butt off. But I'm sitting there thinking, Kawhi Leonard bought a $15 million home in Southern California. He's from here. And there's a lot of people over 50% believe he's going to be thinking about the clippers or Lakers. If you were sitting watching the Clippers last night and you were Kauai Leonard, chemistry, coach, roster, toughness, dudes, size, gosh, it's like they're just missing one piece,

a really great two-way player. I mean, if you're Kowai Leonard watching that game, aren't you the only thing they're missing? Right now, the Lakers don't even have a CEO. They don't even have a coach. I mean, just and couple it with this. This is a real thing. Zach Lowe and Adrian Ward Janowski, instead of a woebom, this is a woe bomb. On their podcast, Zach Lowe, reputable guy, well-sourced, said there's a Laker orbit.

LA and then there's a LeBron orbit. And I've had powerful people in the league tell me, we don't want the person to be from either of those orbits. We don't want the new GM to have any connection to LeBron. My players don't want to have the impression that LeBron is running the team. Well, that's been amplified because now Magic Johnson's gone. So LeBron absolutely is running the team. What does this do with Ty Lou?

If you hire Ty Lou, who's probably the best available candidate, oh, now you got Cleveland guy and LeBron, and then do you sign Anthony Davis because that's a clutch sports LeBron guy? And I'm sitting there watching that game last night. For years and years, the Yankees have always been the organization of note over the Mets and the Giants over the Jets and the Lakers over the Clippers. But if you compared franchises today, let's stack them up. Location, it's a draw.

They both not only play in Los Angeles, but the same basketball facility. and let's go down the line here. And you stack up the Lakers and the Clippers owner. Well, Steve Balmer at this point, the Microsoft gazillionaire, much more stability in ownership. Well, let's go to management. Again, much more stability right now with the Clippers, Jerry West, their analytics team.

Let's go head coach. You could argue this is Doc Rivers' best year. The Lakers don't actually currently have one. Let's go to roster. Well, actually, the Clippers have shooters. you know, shooters, good defensive stoppers. Here's what the Lakers have. Banners and unrealistic expectations.

Those two boxes check, check, Lakers win. So I'm sitting there if I'm Kauai Leonard this morning, and I'm watching this Clipper Warrior series, and I'm watching it last night and I'm thinking, God, you know what the Clippers could really use? About a 23-a-point, a game two-way dude. Co-I Leonard. I'm not saying he's going to leave Toronto, but there's a lot of people in Lakerland that think they have a chance to get him,

and there's a lot of people in Clipperland who are a little nervous that the Lakers brand is really something. It's Giants over Jets, it's Yankees over Mets. But I tell you, this has been such a great advertisement. Doc Rivers and the Clippers have done such a tremendous job this year. No egos, no whiners, no complainers. Last night, some of their better players didn't get on the floor. They had a rotation that was working. Their energy, they're laughing, they're fun, they play hard, they play physical.

What an advertisement. They're going to lose this series, but what an advertisement for Kauai Leonard or any free agent. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So Tom Brady has openly criticized teammates in the past, replacing too much emphasis on lifting weights. his now famous TB12 methods focus mostly on flexibility and injury prevention and not eating strawberries and tomatoes.

Right. And lots of avocado. That's the thing. He doesn't need strawberries and he doesn't eat tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I can't give up ketchup. So now he's well into his 40s and could Brady feel like he could benefit from a little more meat on his bones?

According to Ian Rappaport, the Patriots begin offseason conditioning today. And the expectation is Tom Brady won't be in attendance. that was his plan last year, which seemed to work out pretty decently. And that said, when he does get back in the building, he should be a bit bigger. Brady may bulk up. There's nothing wrong with cattle. I mean, isn't this the opposite of what you do as you get older? Is it?

I'm not. I mean, we talk about that with basketball players all the time. You want to carry less weight on your joints as you get older. I mean, I don't know. Alex Carrero and Brady seem to be reinventing how you do everything when it comes to football. I, you know what I think? I think Brady is bored. I think he's accomplished absolutely everything there is accomplished in football.

He's the greatest quarterback of all time. And now he's like, you know what? I've been doing this flexibility, bendy, massagey thing for 18 years. Let me try putting on a bunch of muscle and see how that goes. Yeah, I don't know. Here's the thing. You don't want to be really, really heavy. You don't see those people live to be 100.

but I don't see a lot of skinny people living to be 100. So why don't you just eat what you want to eat? Well, I don't think his goal is to live to 100. I think his goal is to, I mean, I'm sure he does want to live to 100. I'm saying, like, this is probably more about extending his football career even more. But in general, you would think you want to do the opposite. Okay, I'll give you a theory. Health and wellness is great for the rest of the people, but I don't buy it's great for football.

Give you an example. California and the West Coast, you know this, is very health and wellness-centric. It is hurt Pac-12 football. I had a scout tell me, he said, the PAC-12 over the last five to seven years, as the PAC-12 in the West Coast has gotten very into veganism and health and wellness, he goes, the conference is smaller. He goes, the SEC, those guys still eat.

Those guys are bigger. This idea that the perfect diet's good for football ball players, if I was getting hit all day, I don't want my plate to be all green. I want some meat. Sure. I mean, I'm not, look, I'm not speaking against the vegan diet. that's very much not for me. Yeah.

I don't know that, like, isn't this his whole thing, how he eats and how he trains? I think it just seems weird. It just seems strange all of a sudden want to put on a bunch of muscle. If you weren't running back in the NFL, would you just want a plate of green every day? No, but he's not a running back, though. I want pork chops. I want, yeah, John said, you know, after all these years, he may just be hungry. That's true.

Diet suits make you very, very hungry. Nine years of cake. That makes sense. That makes sense. He's sick of kale, pajamas and smoothies. And, you know, he just wants a little hamburger. It's understandable. So the NBA playoffs are in full swing, and Kevin Durant wants everyone to focus on the

games instead of focusing on what he will do July 1st as a free agent. He told the undefeated, yo, just watch the game. Just focus on the game and stop nitpicking because there's a beautiful game going on out there. What can I do right now? I can't sign a paper. I got to do the most important thing that is play. If I already made a decision, it would take away from the team. and what we're fighting for,

every play would be overshadowed by it. I want to forget about it. I got to tell you I'm 100% with him. I don't care about what Kevin Durant is doing in free agency right now. I wish people would stop asking about it. He can't answer it. It is a distraction.

Like he said, even if he did know the answer, why would he say it right now? It would completely take away from this playoff run and his current team. It would be selfish of him. It would be complete distraction.

And it would take away from the entire NBA playoffs. And also, he's got to, He's got a little whart on his hand. He's got a little problem now with Patrick Beverly. Yeah, I mean, he has something he has to handle. He had nine turnovers last night. Like, this is not, I'm with him. He can be a little reactionary to the media, but this is not unfair of him to say.

I wish, actually, there's a guy in the NBA. Remember Tony Allen, the defensive player? I wish the NBA had more Tony Allen's and Patrick Beverly's. I'm not trying to go old school here, but I can remember in the 70s, 80s, 90s. There were guys that weren't great offensive players. and they were just the annoying gnat. They were just hacky and pushy. And I love Patrick Beverly.

I love his game. I love that Patrick Beverly's in this league because he will get into a fist fight with anybody and he'll get a guy a foot taller. There is so much value to guys like Patrick Beverly. He doesn't need, you don't have to build shots for him. You don't have to call timeout. Patrick Beverly comes to the arena is like,

who can I annoy tonight? I love him. He's like a battery for that team. We had Zion Cam during Marlowe. March Madness. We need Patrick Beverly Cam during this series. Love it. Love the way he plays. He's so... He's a pain of the butt. Right. But he just has so much energy.

Last night was, that was a fun game. Finally, we just talked about this. There seems to be some preemptive pushback on the Lakers' front office direction in the possible influence of LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul. Even the appearance of clutch sports influencing the Lakers staffing choices, apparently, a turnoff for some potential free agent.

ESPN, Zach Lowe said recently, I've had some powerful people in the league, including a powerful agent who represents a lot of key players tell me, we don't want the person to be from either of those orbits. We don't want the new GM or president even to have some sort of connection to LeBron. We need to be a fresh start. My players don't want to have the impression that LeBron is running the team. This is like a joy.

This is not a subtle story. If Zach Lowe is reporting this, this is coming directly, according to this, from an agent representing several stars. No, I don't doubt the serious. of the report. I believe that an agent has said this. My question is, who are you? I mean, does LeBron James have three championships? Is this the Los Angeles Lakers? If you don't want to come there, don't come. But guess what? LeBron is going to have some influence over the team. He's LeBron James. Is there another LeBron James out there that we just keep forgetting about? There's a

difference between influence and running the team. Here's the thing, though. When LeBron came to L.A., we knew this was a short-term solution for a championship. LeBron's not going to play 10 more years. You're not building towards the future. If you want to come and play with the Lakers and play with LeBron James and try and win a championship in the next three years, cool, come on board. LeBron's going to have some saying it because he's still LeBron

James. And the only other person I can even think of in the league that should have some cachet like that is Kevin Durant. Other than that, I must be missing something. Does LeBron, is it still LeBron James? It's a bad year for him. I get it. But players don't want, if you have Ty Loo and

Anthony Davis, it's just a clutch sports. team. People don't want that. Cleveland won a championship and was in the finals every single year. I understand that was the East. Yeah, but it's... A, that was the East. That doesn't work here. And B, LeBron didn't have a major injury. People don't look at LeBron this morning the same way.

By the way, even LeBron's camp is like, this isn't like the new LeBron. Like, they're like, this is, you know, Kobe Bryant was great, had an injury. And everybody thought, okay, it's great. And then the second one, you're like, oh, crap, this is what he is. Well, speaking of Kobe, Rob Polinkin is still in the front office. So Kobe's going to have influence over the team.

Like, what is it that you want? I think, I think you hire Tyloo and you get Anthony Davis. I think you're going to have. First of all, you must hire Tyloo. You must hire Tyloo. That's LeBron's team. Okay, but he's a championship coach. They came back from 3-1 on the best regular season team in NBA history with Tyloo coaching

that team. But that was LeBron and Kyrie in their prime. team isn't, this is not LeBron and his prime and there's no Kyrie. I understand the situation is different. I'm just saying if you have even the idea that you're coming to the Lakers with LeBron James there, that's something you have to accept. And you might as well get used to it because

Rob Polinka is there anyway. But you don't have to accept it. You can go to another team. I'm saying, if you're going to come here, then you have to accept it. I mean, if I I'll tell you this, if I was Kauai Leonard, I wouldn't go to the Lakers. But here's the thing though, if you're going to come to the Lakers with LeBron James, you want to win right now. So

why would you want to have anything else other than what's going to make LeBron better, therefore you better? It's like you're working against yourself. Because I have nine options in the market. But I'm saying, then don't come to the Lakers. That's what I'm saying. But the problem is nobody is going to come. That's a Lakers problem.

Right. But that's now LeBron's problem because he's going to ding his legacy. Joy with the News. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Heard Lye News. By the way, Doug Gottlieb's having Tyron Matthew later on his show today. Come on in, Doug.

The Dugger after me, Fox Sports Radio 3 to 6. should mention that because Ty dropped a little bit of a hint that Russell Wilson was going to leave the city. So Russell Wilson signs and let's be honest it's great for Seattle right because that division's got all sorts of good coaches good quarterbacks maybe Kyler Murray. In my takeaway on this a month ago and I was told this

Russell was tired of the 12th man, Pete Carroll, John Snyder, the wind, the rain and everybody but Russell being considered the face of the franchise. And I think they had to do the I think he put a line. Does Colin get a portion right? Like Mark Rogers is his agent. Do you get a portion of it as well? I should get it free dinner. I think so because Mark Rogers came out today and said, well, he made a compromise to stay in the city.

Like what compromise? Like John Snyder opened up the bank vault to a guy who he had under club control not just this year, but potentially the next two or even three years if they wanted a franchise tag him. And look, what Seattle gets is they get cost certainty. Obviously, it's a lot more cost than they probably wanted to spend. Right. But they know every GM you talk to, you're like, look, I know the quarterback's going to cost me a lot in the second and third deal. But I got to know exactly what that is instead of the moving target.

And the cap's going up. There is a sense in the league. The cap's going to make a big move up in the next, what, 18 months? Yes. My honest, my takeaway is, like, I would, what was it, B.A. Barracus used to say, Mr. T. You say, I pity the fool. I pity the fool that faces Aaron Rogers during this season. Aaron Rogers does not like Russell Wilson.

That is, that is public. He doesn't like the water that Russell Wilson went one time said cured his concussion or kept him being concussed. He doesn't like the whole act when he said, you know, basically God helped them beat the Packers in the NFC championship game. Like he doesn't like that. And now Russell Wilson is making more money than Aaron Rogers. This a week after there's an article that basically calls out the arrogance and leadership of Aaron Rogers and the dysfunction within his relationship with his old head coach, Mike McCarthy. Like, my takeaway is, dude, Aaron Rogers sitting there, you know how he doesn't have a chip on his shoulder,

bag of chips on his shoulder, he's got to be ticked. I will say this of the five highest paid quarterbacks outside of Kirk Cousins, who I'd much rather pay $22 million than $28. Rest of him, I'm fine. Matt Ryan makes $30. What would Atlanta be without Matt Ryan? You've got to pay this position. Do you?

Well, I think I will say this. Let's be honest about this. I got McVeigh and golf. They're not going anywhere. Shanahan Garoppolo. That's four games a year where in the NFL with the new rules today, you got to outscore people. You can't Mitch Trubisky your way to a Super Bowl.

Matt Nagy's as clever a guy as the league has. In the end, it couldn't win a playoff game because you got to score. I understand, but we also should look at trends in the NFL, right? How have the Cowboys been able to load up with a very talented roster, not having to pay their quarterback? Same thing with the Rams. How are they able to keep Aaron Dodd? Yeah, but Dax's not close to Russell.

I'm not saying that, look, I think Russell Wilson's great. I think Aaron Rogers and Matt Ryan and all those dudes, I'm with you with Jimmy Jesus of healthy. Like, I think those guys outside of cousins who doesn't seem to have it for the big games. Those guys are all great. But even Tom Brady doesn't take top dollar. Yes. Because the guys that take that. It's hard to fill out a roster.

Unless you kill it in the draft. And you have to draft really, really well. And that was the secret to Seattle, though. Seattle started this trend. They drafted well, but they also had Russell Wilson under a rookie deal as the third-round draft pick, and that allowed them to build the Legion of Boom and to pay some dudes. Now you're not going to be able to pay guys. And Seattle's drafting, by the way, has gone down precipitously in the last three years.

Haven't drafted a pro bowler in five years. Their draft the last two years has actually been pretty good. Like that defense, that was a pretty good team last year, considering what they had to cobble together, considering what they had. My issue with it is, like, look at trends in the NFL and the top paid guys. Remember, GMs don't take the money that they save and put it in their pockets. They take the money that they save and they spread it around to their teams and the teams that have the overall best talent. Bears have great talent.

They don't have a great quarterback. I'm not – Tribisky doesn't have it for me. Yeah. But they're going to be there around the NFC playoffs for two more years. Because they got dudes everywhere and they can take – and they're built to play in Soltra field. You don't need a great quarterback. Yeah, it is the ultimate dilemma. You know if you pay your quarterback a lot, it's going to hurt your roster, but you've got to pay your quarterback a lot,

especially if you're in a division with good offensive guys and good quarterbacks. It's the ultimate dilemma in the NFL, and I think Seattle, a little bit backed in a corner, but I would have done the same thing. But what if, just what if somebody was willing to give you two first round picks? You know, what, just what if somebody's willing to give you? And now, again, it becomes like the Khalil Mack deal where, remember, everybody was killing the Kalil Mack deal when it happened. But John Gruden's saying, look, look at all the guys we signed because we saved the money

and then we get the picks as well. I wouldn't do it. Now, I was okay moving off pay. Manning for luck for two reasons. One, Andrew Luck was a home run. Number two is Peyton had lost a... He's gone for a fourth neck surgery. I got Russell still four good years left.

And I don't think any of these quarterbacks. No, no, I think, yes, this is not a year in which you want first-round draft picks. It feels like even the value of Kyla Murray is going to be inflated. Very interesting. If you had to give me three picks last year and I could get Darnold, then I, then you can make the argument. And I'm like, okay, my scouts, because Darnold, almost on every board was ahead of Baker, despite what people in Cleveland think.

Darnold was ahead of Baker and virtually every board except Cleveland. And so if you give me Darnold, yeah, but this, I think this quarterback class is just a bunch of dudes. Yes. I would. I think Kyler's interesting, but he's not a super prospect. Correct. In comparison to last year's class. Yes.

It would be fascinating to see how GMs would match him up against a Josh Allen, right? who looks the part but is inaccurate, whereas Kyla Murray is, you know, by comparison, a mighty might, but is a lot more accurate. But not a, there's the new Robert Klemko article where he talks about. This guy is not a leader, a stand in front of the room leader, even though he has a lot of interesting characteristics that could be, could be a very good quarterback. All right. Stick around.

We got a lot of NBA stuff. What do you make of Patrick Beverly unraveling Kevin Duran, who had only eight shots and nine turnovers last night, plus Ben Simmons. I mean, I'm so upside down on Ben Simmons. Doug Gottlieb. Next, more of The Herd. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Last night, a blown call changed a game.

This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kier Games.

And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross,

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

pressure, and purpose on my new podcast. Learn the Hardway. Open your free Our Heart Radio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive?

The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the Aihar Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them?

On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Lela Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel on.

Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning.

It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Welcome back, Doug Gottlie for Fox Sports Radio after our show. Next hour, Matt Barnes, Albert Breer, MMQB on the Russell Wilson contract, Jim Jackson, too. So the Dugger's back with us. You know, I said to start my show, as you always hear this criticism of the American media. They live in a bubble.

And a lot of it's true. You're on the coast, you're in D.C. You know, you have good incomes. And people say, you know, the media doesn't really relate to people. I think it's a very, very legitimate criticism of the American media, myself included. Bubble coastal living. I would argue that San Francisco, the Warriors, is the basketball bubble. Steve Kerr protects you because he's so good with the media.

Steph and Clay have virtually no ego. You got the tough guy, Draymond's the club bouncer. You have one of the egosist GMs in the league in Bob Myers. It's basketball nirvana. It's a little bit of a bubble. bubble. He's being, we know that Mr. Unreliable headline in OKC threw him into a tizzy. We knew he had a burner account with Twitter.

We've seen him get testy with a pretty soft, generally San Francisco media. I'm watching Patrick Beverly get into KD's head. And I'm thinking, by the way, all this insulation in San Francisco, it doesn't go with you in New York. You know, like, I'm watching once again the world's best or second best basketball player kind of get thrown off his game mentally. Patrick Beverly. Well, let's start with, I mean, just a clip that we're showing here where Patrick Beverly climbs in, puts both hands, and then flops like he got elbowed.

Like, look, the NFL, the NBA has to do something about this. They just, they allow the nonsense to continue, the WWE flopping all over the place and getting, this is, this is like what happens in youth basketball, where the big guy always gets called for the foul. If they did that to Steph, the guy would, you got foul out in the first six minutes of the game. So, and this is nothing new. We saw PJ Tucker do this last year. in the playoffs to him. The scatter report comes out in the playoffs, right? Get into KD, be super, super physical with him,

make him make shots over you. And KD, though he's, you know, like every time you make contact like that, it's supposed to be a foul in the NBA. And they don't call it because he's seven feet tall. And it's also the playoffs, and the refs do let the postseason tends to be more physical. It's reached the point where it's kind of ridiculous.

And again, I love what the Clippers did last night. I mean, this team, that team screams. everything about the Clippers scream, with the exception to the fact that the Clippers screams, that's a team that a star should want to play for, right? You got a head coach that won an NBA championship. You got an owner over there who's the greatest fanboy on Earth. You got a couple young guys, you know,

Shay Gilges Alexander, and then Landry Shamit hits a huge three. You got a walking bucket in Lou Williams. Lou Williams and Montrez-Harl, Colin, are making a combined $14 million. Let's get back to KD. Okay, he's the best basketball player in the world. Patrick Beverly cannot throw him off his game. Okay, so I think what the Warriors are going to do is they're going to end all this,

and they're going to stop trying to do all the other stuff, and they'll throw it to him, and KD. will have 60, and Patrick Beverly will foul out, and that'll be the end of that. Look, the bigger issue is, DeMarcus Cousins is out for the playoffs, and now they're going to be either starting a backup at the five in Kavanaugh-Lunee, or they're going to be throwing Andre Goddala or Sean Livingston out there who can't play major minutes for long periods of time. And the Sky Report is there with Kevin Durant. You can get underneath them.

They're all going to get into his body and make him make shots over physical play. So I think there are cracks in the armor of the Warriors. They're not going to lose to the Clippers in the series, but you could see a path for a team to beat them in the playoffs. Well, I mean, I think there's a game plan with the Warriors. And I almost think it's always a game plan. It was a game plan on the Showtime Lakers. physical basketball disrupts highly skilled basketball.

So like the pistons. They just made it ugly for Michael Jordan. Now, eventually, Michael Pippen, they add coo coach. Then you're just, you have too many good players. But I mean, the way to beat the Warriors has been the way to disrupt magic in the Showtime Lakers. The way to beat Peyton Manning when he was with the Colts with the Patriots, right? Be physical with their wide receivers. That's just kind of the way to beat great teams is ugly the game up.

Make it really ugly and physical. Cheap fouls. Have a little depth. Have a couple bigs. You can hack guys. And I think it does to some degree work. Okay, let's go to the Ben Simmons thing. I was saying he's got a little Cam Newton.

Is that physically Cam Newton doesn't look like quarterbacks. Ben Simmons doesn't look like guards in my life outside of magic. They are both transformative talents, but they're both wildly inconsistent. Simmons some nights and Cam some days. And I look at them and I think to myself because Simmons can't shoot, the league has now become a shooting league. And Cam's not a precision thrower. And that's now what the NFL is.

is that if you want to be consistent as a quarterback or a basketball player, you got to be able to be a, you got to own the current culture. If Ben can't shoot, Doug, isn't this what he's going to be all over the map? Yes and no. Remember, he's in his third year in the league, his second year on a basketball playing surface.

Magic couldn't shoot early. Frankly, LeBron was a wildly inconsistent shooter. He was. He was. I mean, you look, Michael Jordan wasn't a good shooter. And, I mean, even Yonis, who's going to be probably the MVP of this league, still's not a very good shooter. He takes a lot of shots.

But the difference is, Yonis had a team kind of created around him of shooting, whereas Philadelphia has taken away some of those shooters. I think the big difference in Ben Simmons and Cam Newton is Ben Simmons has a tremendous amount of sports basketball IQ. He is actually too smart for his own good. He doesn't take those shots because he knows he can't make those shots. Whereas Cam Newton, he's never really evolved as a thinking man's player. I do believe, you're right, he's going to have to develop

a perimeter game if he wants to be a superstar. But I think he's smart enough to know what shots he can and can't take. It's just going to take massive time. And look, I thought they made some really good adjustments just going into the post. If Brooklyn wants to go small, we'll beat you. I mean, he scored 135 points last night, right?

Or some more than that. Philadelphia should just put their big lineup in. Their big lineup is just huge. Right. So Brooklyn is trying to play small, and they're just like, the hell with trying to play small. Let's just throw it in the post and beat you going big. But, look, Brett Brown was a guy to get them from being terrible to being good.

I don't know if he's a guy that can get them from being good to being great. That's fair. That's a big jump. And he's only in his second year in the league. We have to be fair to him in comparison to other players' career arcs. Listen, in the history of the one and done, I mean, Ben Simmons, until Zion, maybe John Morant, I mean, I look at Ben Simmons and I'm like, I just went, I went crazy last year. I'm like six, ten and a half point.

I mean, vision, defends. Embedictress as well. Could I make this argument about him, is that Embeddead's not a perfect fit. If you put him with a center who could shoot a crisp-bosh in his prime, who goes outside, takes the big out of the lane, Simmons then, therefore. Right, like Brooke Lopez. Now, look, Embed can shoot, but he's also very early in his career. And the problem with Embedd is he doesn't know what it, he doesn't understand championship basketball, what is and what isn't a good shot. Sometimes you're open for a reason. And he doesn't seem to be, seem to be right.

So look, there's issues there, but you would definitely want Ben Simmons on your team. Can I just add, you guys had a great back and forth kind of who's on first about the Lakers? Minute and a half go. That story is completely accurate. Like, you're screwed. If you hire Tailu, you're hiring a coach before you hire a president and you're hiring a coach that has ties to LeBron. And all those other agents and free agents, they already don't like and trust Rob Polinka. Now they think LeBron's calling all the shots.

And if you're not rep by Rich Paul, you don't want anything to do with it. So who they hire will tell you all. all you need to know. They hire Monty Williams. Monty Williams is beloved by everybody in the NBA. And he can work with a lot of people. Yeah, good do. They hired, if they hired Ty Lou, they're going Team LeBron, and they're just going to ride it out and see how it works.

The difference is that LeBron now is not LeBron of two or three years ago, or at least he has not seemed to be that way. Here's the thing. Do you feel as an organization, Ty Lou is here and Monty Williams is here, and I think they're both really capable guys. So if I think, let's say I think Ty is a little better, it doesn't matter.

I would rather take, if I think, you know, Mani will grow into being a great head coach. I would rather do that and not send a message to the league. We're just, we're Cleveland West. That would. Remember, you can't get David Griffin because now he's with the Pelicans. So who are you going to get to be your president that has a tie to LeBron James? It is weird. The golden rule in sports is you don't hire a coach before a president.

Like, that's the golden rule in sports. Okay, we got to get out of here. Doug Gottlieb, great stuff. Matt Barnes, Albert Breer, Jim Jackson, Jess Rowland. He's on radio after us on Fox Sports Radio. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week within the IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like.

Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversy, and the stories behind the headlines.

We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down,

give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice. On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slica Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host,

and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch life becomes about wins and losses Steve Burns dustin Ross because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth or are you a good person because that's two different intentions bro absolutely and that that's two different levels

of trust I want you to just really be a good person join me Kear gains 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. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness.

So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee. and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive?

The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WMBA standout, Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't feel on. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki.

The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world, Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning.

It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHart Women's Sports. Ah, here we go, hour two. This is The Heard. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, we are live in Los Angeles on IHart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and a two. Tuesday. This is really a good part of the year for us, obviously Master Sunday, Tiger Woods. But now a lot of NBA playoffs. NFL draft is coming up. What's the date today?

16th. NFL draft. April 25th. So next week's the NFL draft. Yes. Oh, my God, that's so exciting. Next Thursday, I love the NFL draft. I'm such a nerd. I'd be the first guy to admit. You do, you do take the NFL draft to have a level. Love it. Totally love it. It's one of those things. I've loved it for years and years and years. How many mock drafts have you done so far? Oh, I mean, it's embarrassing. go home at night and I read mock drafts. I mean, it doesn't matter. I am so fired up for my Colts and my jets.

I'm so fired up. And I want to start with this, though. Every year I do something called a Blazing Five. And I don't bet college games. I don't really bet anything. I love betting NFL football. And because I don't believe, years ago when I lived in Las Vegas, there was a guy named Lem banker.

He was a professional sports gambler. And Lem was kind of a legend. And I remember the advice he gave me early. He said, don't bet everything. out something you know and love and just bet it. He goes, become a specialist. And so, you know, I'll bet a handful of college football games, the big ones. But I bet the NFL.

And I take a lot of pride in it that I've hit close to 60% for about a decade straight. It's hard. Professional handicappers try to get 57 and a half to 58. I've gotten 60 once, 55 and above every year. I've never had a bad year. Last year was a very good year for us. Joy was here. It was about 57-58%.

We were absurdly hot in the playoffs. We were really hot in the playoffs to get us close to 60%. We're very proud of that. I don't bet the NBA. I did occasionally years ago, but we have a show on this network called Lock It In. I'm going to make a bet through Rachel Bonetta, I think, because there is a bet tonight. And by the way, I don't want you to bet this because I'm not an expert on NBA lines

and the fluctuation over unders. But I check lines all the time. Oklahoma City, if you don't know how betting works, is getting points tonight. So Portland, the inferior team who just won game one is the favorite tonight. What? Vegas made a mistake. Oklahoma City is winning this game. So Oklahoma City shot 15% for threes.

Five for 33. 15%. And we're down by. three with five seconds left on the road and Paul George's shoulder hurt. And Portland's the favorite tonight? The game was seven, eight seconds left was a game. Oklahoma City was terrible. Paul George, who was my MVP at the All-Star break, Paul George was, let me see the number here, he shot 33% from the floor. And Russell Westbrook, and I'm critical of Russell, he's a roller coaster, but generally if he's not good, he usually bounces back with a pretty good effort.

Billy Donovan's a good coach. Damien Lillard was so hot at one point. I don't think Portland can duplicate that. So let me just, I'm going to just grab, casually grab, get a close up here. I'm going to grab my wallet out of my pants, just casually. See what I have in it here. Hold on. I just, oh, there's my wallet.

That's how you carry your money around. That's how I carry my money. I just have a little bit of money in my wallet. I'm betting all of it on Oklahoma City tonight. I'm going to make a bet. Can I say how much I'm going to bet? Now that would be too tacky. I'm going to bet the most money I've ever bet.

Not in a sporting event because that would be $1,000. I did that a couple times. I'm going to bet the most money I can morally and financially withstand for an NBA game tonight. I do not want anybody else to bet this. Do not. Don't listen to me. I'm just letting you know when you watch the game. the game tonight.

What you are going to do with all your money. Daddy has pushed all his chips to the table on Oklahoma City. On Westbrook. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's a little weird for you. Well, he's not my favorite player. I'm not denying he's talented.

Don't you feel like you're teasing karma a little bit with that? No. No. I'm not, Daddy's not teasing. Daddy's going all chips in. I am literally. I'm taking every penny in my wallet on Oklahoma City tonight. Please do not listen to me.

Don't whine on Twitter if you bet a fortune and can't pay your cable bill. This is on me. I'm just letting you know authentically, I'm going to do some transparency. I am betting huge on OKC tonight. You don't think it's maybe a trap? No, I don't. I think the guys in Vegas were drunk. I don't think they watched game one.

Oklahoma City can't shoot 15% again. I'm with you on that. You know, I don't want to brag, but this is, have mostly this is what I just this is my wallet looks like at all times. I would suggest probably carrying a little less cash and maybe we can all you know put our monies together.

Okay I'll make you deal. If I if Oklahoma City wins tonight how about pizza party after Wednesday's show how about that? Uncle Colin buys pizza for the whole staff. Toppings? Oh slow down. I accept that. Okay. I cannot wait for tonight.

I cannot wait. sausage and pepperoni. If you win, we'll get you a frozen pizza. Yeah, there we go. All right, let me shift to this. Okay, so Russell Wilton signed the contract. Now, on this show, most of you think I love the Seahawks and hate the Packers. But I've always believed honesty is the key to this show and transparency.

I would have paid Aaron Rogers everything they paid him in Green Bay. And I would have paid Russell Wilson everything they paid him. I would love to get a discount. That's not realistic. Aaron's not made the big boy money yet. He does now. Russell's not made the big boy money yet in the NFL. He does now.

It's easier for Brady, not because of his wife, but because Brady's made all those millions. Brady's at the end of his career. Tom Brady should take financial concessions now to have a better roster. But I get, I'm not going to ask Aaron Rogers and Russell Wilson to never take the big check. That's unfair by me. Russell has earned it. Aaron has earned it. They should take every penny of it.

Now, I do think if Aaron's playing nine years from now, Aaron should take concessions to have better corners, a better pass rush and a better right tackle. But Russell deserves the money and so did Aaron. But I got to tell you, I think Aaron Rogers is in a very good spot, better than Russell Wilson going forward. The Green Bay Packers, realizing two years ago that they were going to have to pay Aaron, got very smart about their defense. Anytime Aaron's had a good defense, Aaron has won big. So two years ago, they drafted a corner out of Washington, Kevin King. this past year, Jair Alexander and Josh Jackson, they drafted, they're cheap.

And they're both, Alexander's a monster player. Then they went out and got mid-level free agents. So they have added six potential starters at a reasonable price going forward. And Green Bay has a history in recent years of drafting very well. So Green Bay knew they were going to pay Aaron. And so they went out and said, we got to get a cheap defense. We got to draft defense, defense, defense. They also have two first round picks this year.

I would not be shocked if Green Bay didn't go back to defense because they have their offensive lines settled. So I think going forward, Aaron's contract is not going to be as bigger roadblock as Russell Wilson's. But I don't blame Russell. Here's what's happened in Seattle. When Pete Carroll left USC and went to the Seahawks, those first three years, 2010, 2011, 2011, 2012, Pete knew the college game. He'd recruited all these guys. the Seahawks kicked everybody's butt in the draft.

They were finding guys in the third, fourth, fifth, six round. Great players, not good. But now as Pete has distanced himself from college, they've not done great. They don't have a Pro Bowl or drafted since 2000. I think it is 2000. Let me look it up here. 2012.

Last year's first round pick, I thought they reached on a running back. It was the richest running back draft in years. There was no reason to take a run. back in the first round. There were plenty of good draft picks at running back in the second, third, fourth, and fifth round. I thought they reached, and they only have four draft picks at all this year. They have very little draft capital. So my concern is Aaron's making a fortune, but Green Bay is done a very good job to draft defense

and go mid-level free agents, and I think Aaron's going to have a top-10 defense. I don't think it'll get in the way. In fact, I think Green Bay is going to win their division. Seattle has not drafted particularly well in the last several years. I thought they reached on their first round pick last year, and I think it's going to get in the way of Russell Wilson winning games going forward. I also think he's in the tougher division. That is not a, I'm not knocking.

I'll never ask a pro athlete to not take the first opportunity. Matt Ryan, Matt Stafford, Dak, Prescott. I mean, am I supposed to, DAC's been taking a discount for years? Now, I, as a Dallas Cowboy owner, would try to get the best deal I could. But if you think Dak's going to take a massive, discount, it's very hard for me to tell any pro athlete. I can do this for 30 years. They're doing that for 12. I'm not going to ask a pro athlete,

take discounts. Now, year 9, year 10, year 12, you got rings, you got cash, you got you got endorsements, you got commercial. Then, like LeBron now, I think, is in concession territory. Don't squeeze for every penny. You've made 300 million playing basketball. You've made 200 million on shoes. You're going to make another 500 million over the rest of your life at Nike. Take six million less a year and get a shooter. I mean, I think that's just, I think that's part of being a legend. I think you take, now in baseball, there's no salary cap. But in football and basketball and hockey, you know, if you're a star and you got 250 million bucks in the bank,

get a better right tackle. Get a better wing guard. It'll help you win games and improve your legacy. So the thing about Russell is, I think he deserved it. I don't, I do think it will get in the way over the next three and four years of having that extra slot receiver, having that little better center. I think it'll hurt. I don't think it'll hurt Aaron as much

because I think they've done a really good job in Green Bay defensively building this team. And I think they figured it out about three years ago. They're like, we've got to pay Aaron a lot. We've got to get this thing tight. They've gone heavy defense. And I think Green Bay's got some really, really good young defensive players. Okay.

I bet I got a lot. I can't wait to get home and just wait for the game. I'm so excited. It's so nice to win $1,000. You know, sit around and do mock drafts. until the game. You know, I just reach it in my wallet. You know, this is what I carry around in cash.

This is what I carry around. I bet every penny of it. I'm going to show my family pictures. That's a little too private. Coming up next. Oh, this is going to make people mad. Zion Williamson said something yesterday. Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame.

He should not have said it. He is so wrong. That's coming up next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise. Breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves.

Their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context,

and ask the questions everybody wants answered. SportsSlice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slices Life 12 and the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast,

Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist. Kier Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes

when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing and we're still chasing it and we don't know when we've done enough because people scoreboard watch. Life becomes about wins and losses.

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines, as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, learn the hard way.

Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across.

When Jacob met Levan this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me? Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small.

The question is, how do you conquer them? On hurdle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going. From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Layla Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain.

It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladeki. The ability to show gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me. And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world. Like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abbey.

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Saturday, it's an MLB doubleheader on FS1. Coverage begins at 3 Eastern as the Pirates host the Giants. Then Cody Bellinger and the Dodgers take on Christian Yelletton, the Brewers. Catch it all on FS1 and the Fox Sports app.

By the way, I watched, I turned on the Dodgers on last night, and Clayton Kirshah was pitching. First inning, he faced Yassiel Puig, former Dodger. Pweig hit it out of the stadium. Pueg is great. If Pueg could get, you know, I'll say this again, I love Ysiel Pueig. It's mental. It's all mental for him.

But he is, you talk about juice like that? You tried to fight the whole team last week, didn't he? He's crazy, but he's so much fun. Matt Barnes, 14 years in the NBA. So Patrick Beverly, you know, a foot shorter, is all in on Kevin Durant. And I just said this earlier. You've heard the old saying, you know, and people like, what's the saying I was using when you're, you live in a bubble.

People will say about rich people. Well, they live in a bubble. They don't understand the real world. Warriors are a little bit of a basketball bubble. The perfect coach, the perfect GM, Steph's good. You got the bouncer and draymond. I look at KD and I think Patrick Beverly's in your head. You know, when you go to New York,

you're not going to have all this insulation you have in San Francisco. Could I make the argument when I watch Patrick Beverly get into KD's head? KD is kind of easy to disrupt sometimes briefly. It depends on how you. I mean, I can understand your argument. Um, you know, he's still averaging 20 to a game. I think he doesn't get the second team in the first game if it's a close game. I think he kind of did that to send like a little message. I think more than anything, I think the refs are a little too caught up in that matchup. I think they're kind of, this is the playoffs. It's going to be physical. There's going to be some grabbing.

There's going to be some pushing, but they're trying to call every tiki tack foul. And no one wants to see either those guys fouled out. You know, it's better for the game for both those guys to be playing. But, you know, some would say he's in his head. I don't necessarily think he's in his head. I think he's in his head. I think. But I think Katie, he's been very efficient both games, even though he shot eight times last game. I think he will obviously, the nine turnovers are what really stand out to me. But, you know, for him to foul out the first time ever in his playoff career like that was a flop right there. That fake little elbow, that was a flop. I think the refs got a little too caught up in the situation. Okay, so the reps are too much into the individual battle.

That one-on-one individual battle, I think so. Okay. What do you make of the Clippers? I mean, I got to tell you. I love it. If I'm Kauai Leonard, Yeah. Aren't they just missing me?

To me, what they're doing right now is they're giving the words a hell of a battle, like I thought they would. But they're making themselves the number one destination this summer. You know, they have a great owner, great front office, and Lawrence Frank, Jerry West, you know, one of the better coaches in the league, and they have all their role players set. The one thing I really liked about Doc when I played there is he always used to tell us, be a star in your role.

You know, do what you do the best way you can do it. And you can tell all those guys are doing that. You know, you can't, Lou Williams is playing great. Harold's playing great. You know, the rookie hit a big shot last night. You know, Gallo is playing Gallo. So they are set up. I mean, they have a spot for two max free agents.

So imagine, you know, imagine, I'm just saying, you know, a Katie and a Kauai going there. I mean, that would, they're, you know, they're the 2020 champions. Look at that. You see Balmer up there with Doc Rivers? Oh, he's going crazy. You know, and they had a camera on Balmer the whole game, and I love that guy.

You know, he's just so into it, patiently waiting. patiently waiting. He couldn't hold his excitement at the end. He just had to let it go. It was funny. Yeah. Do they have any chance? I don't think so. I think they're definitely, I definitely think they're going to be respected. And like I said, they're selling themselves as the number one destination. But I don't see the Warriors losing this series. And I just think, you know, if they're fortunate enough to make it as far as they can, it's not going to be easy this third time around. They're going for a three-peat. It's not going to be easy. So it's going to be a battle every single series. Yeah, no, there's a real fatigue. I mean, there's a real fatigue.

reason we've never had a four-time champ. I mean, it's, it, Michael Jordan at some point left basketball, and I remember reading stories about it. He was just, he was just emotionally drained. It's a star-driven league. So football, Brady can win, win, win, win, win, win, but it's about the system

and the coach, and you can, I always felt this about NBA guys. A football player, Julian Edelman can put on a cap, go to Costa Rica. It can be fine. NBA players can't disappear. LeBron James goes, I'm going to get a coffee down the street. Who's the 6-9 dude?

Oh, it's LeBron James. Like basketball is so star-driven that for the greatest players, where is Kevin Durant? In what neighborhood can Kevin Durant hide in the off-season? So I do think it just emotionally, it's just draining for these players. Right. Let me shift into this. Zach Lowe is a legitimate NBA reporter.

Had a podcast. And Zach Lowe came out and he said on his podcast with Woj, another legitimate guy, a friend of mine, know these are NBA guys, that agent, it appeared to be an agent told, Zach Lowe that there's two orbits with the Lakers. The Lakers orbit and then there's the LeBron orbit. And powerful people in the league have said, listen, we don't want those orbits. We do not want to send our player to, quote,

LeBron's team. So if you hire Ty Lou with LeBron, Anthony Davis, it's just LeBron's franchise. I always push back when people said, nobody wants to play with LeBron. And I thought, come on. Dee Wade did, Bosch did, Kevin Lowe, I don't buy that. But there are tipping points.

Could I not at least argue that LeBron sought power, he got it, and it may turn off a lot of dudes? It's tough to say. I think any great franchise goes through their star players or star players when they're going to do any kind of moves. I just think there's so much uncertain about their front office, whether people think LeBron is running the team. they've handed the keys what it looks like to Rob Palincon throughout the league. He's not very well like or respected, and you hear a lot of stuff about backstabbing when it comes to him. So to me, do you want LeBron? Do you trust LeBron or do you trust Rob or, you know, there's a situation now.

So I don't know who is to blame in the situation. But at the end of the day, the players have a say of their agent. Their agent may not like it or want to send them. Okay, let's say you're a star. Right. Would you go there? No, I'd go to the Clippers. you go to the clippers.

Yeah, if I'm like, if I'm a, if I'm a Kauai or a KD. 23 point a game. Yeah, and I'm about to get max. No, I'm going to go to the clippers because there's just too much, like I said, uncertainty in the front. The front office scares me more than anything. Winning starts at the top. Absolute top.

You can hire the best coach. You can give them another superstar. But if that management is not set in tight and understanding and everyone's on the same page, you're not going to go, look at the Knicks. You're trying to say in the last, however long they haven't had any good coaches, it starts at the top. You know what I mean? So it's just if the front off is unstable, that scares me more than anything else that you can put together.

Okay, so I, Joy is not going to like this, but I have to say this. Zion Williamson came out yesterday. And Zion Williamson said, I'm going to play in the NBA. Last year was the best year in my life, which is impossible because he was not paid. And, of course, basketball is no fun in college unless you're paid. And I look at this and I think to myself, there's 3007. 70 Division I programs. That means there's 4,800 players.

Nine will play pro ball. And they have to wait nine months. Insane, right? I don't think you... Now, now, by the way, I know we watch Duke and Kentucky and Kansas, and the games are sold out. Most of those gyms are empty, and these are not profit centers. I think college basketball was awesome for Zion.

Absolutely. I think we've taken college basketball, and I get guys wanting to get paid. I get it. but Zion Williamson can call for the rest of his life Mike Shosheski I need tickets I need swag I need advice I need an agent I need and Mike's going to say yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes I love that Zion Williamson's like

I just that was the best time I've ever had my life did you like college 1,000% we talk about this all the time in this UCLA group chat outside of having kids it was a dream come true to play in the NBA but the best time of my life was at UCLA more than the NBA yeah absolutely Because it's your last, and getting to the NBA is a blessing and you get money, but a lot of responsibility comes with that.

A lot, like you said, mentally draining. It mentally drained you. I was fortunate enough to play for 14 years. It's mentally draining to be a professional basketball. Don't get me wrong, we get paid a lot of money. But colleges are kind of your last time in that quote-unquote bubble. When you're with your friends and you're going to class and you're flirting with girls, before it all gets real, you know, really real.

So I think, you know, Zion was a great shot in the arm for a, college basketball as a whole this year. It was must, because to be honest with you, I hadn't watched college basketball. I couldn't tell you how long I'd watch the tournament, but I would never watch the regular season games. Well, you and the rest of the country. Right. You know what I mean? So he was must watch.

Every chance I got him, the twins and I were watching, you know, Zion. Oh, look at him. I love his video. I love watching him play. And I think, you know, this is on another point. This is why I think the NCAA is making a mistake not letting Lamello ball play college basketball. He'll be much watched to you. The NCAA needs players like this to draw, like you said,

They're fun. Eyeballs are down, you know, as far as watching college basketball during the regular season, you get a Lamele. You know, Zion was must watch TV. They broke all kinds of numbers when he was on this year. And then, like, Lamello would be the same kind of caliber next year of must watch. You're going to watch all of Lamello's games. So I think they're making a mistake not allow him to play.

Quickly, last year I went a little overboard. I get very emotional, Matt. Sometimes I'm emotional. And last year, Ben Simmons came out. And I said, that's the closest thing to Magic Johnson I've ever seen. give me a break six 10 and a half guards he's the floor dribbled he better defender than magic was early and now i watch him and i'm like what do i what do you do with ben simmons he can't shoot outside eight feet what do i do with him am i was i too high and now i'm too low i watched last night

and yet last night he played well but god night tonight i don't know what i get with him what is ben simmons going forward i think it's i think as a whole we just want everything so fast you know what is the second year third year well second year playing third year he got hurt first year because you only learn while you're playing. To me, he just has to impose his will. I think he's letting the fact that he can't shoot and what everyone else is saying about it, give him in his head. At the end of the day, he's going to be bigger, stronger

than anybody else guarding him. So if they sag off, you've got to attack, make plays for yourself, get to the, can't be afraid to get foul and get to the foul. He's not a very good free-tho shooter, but you've got to embrace getting to the foul line. And then you've got to score it. You know what I mean? I think last night was a perfect.

He imposed his will. And I put it on Twitter earlier in the day that he need to impose his will. And that's what he did last night with the triple double. You know, LeBron, it took a little, LeBron a little while to get a jump shot, although his jump shot was, you know, further ahead than Ben Simmons jump shot was.

Jason Kidd was pretty ugly. But these guys still attacked and made plays. You see at times when Draymond is not filling his shot, and they sag off. He's attacking going into dribble handoffs, throwing lobs. He's still downhill attacking, putting pressure on the defense. I think Ben Simmons lets people off the hook when he's just very passive with the ball or doesn't want to possibly go to the basket

and get foul. So he has to embrace who he is. Great player. Still has work to do, obviously, with his jump shot, but he could still impose his will throughout this, you know, throughout this series. And Philly as a whole scares me from the standpoint of if they realize how talented they are.

Oh, my God. Outside of Golden State. Name a better starting five. You can't. You can't. If you give me Reddick-M-Bed, Butler Simmons, who am I missing? Oh, Tobias Harris. Yeah.

Tobias Harris, people thought was going to get the max for the clippers. He's their fourth best player. Very talented. But to answer the beginning of your question, what separates, you know, good from great is consistency, and Ben's not consistent yet. So once he becomes a consistent, I just think understands the game more. He's still young. It's still only his second year. But now, you know, now, like you said, name a better starting five.

If they click, they can easily make the finals. Yeah, I love watching Philly play. They're fun. They're very fun. They're very fun to watch. Play. His name is Matt Barnes. Good seeing you.

Joy with the News. No. No. Turn on the news. This is the Hurry. line news. I am not anti- college basketball. I am not... I'm totally fine with Zion

enjoying his year at Duke. We all enjoyed Zion's year at Duke. I'm grateful that he was at Duke. Thank you, Duke. I'm cool with it. I just think that they should have a choice. How about if we, you and I, we go to the middle. Pay them once they leave?

Well, I mean, the paying of college athletes is incredibly complicated. It's not as simple as just we're going to pay the top programs. It'll never work like that. And you have to pay women's college basketball. It literally is never going to end. I do think there should be some distribution of funds of ticket sales once you get to the tournament. They should fly their families out and put them up for the tournaments.

Yeah, that's a no break. You know, they should get a part of any kind of merchandise that's sold with their likeness. You know, simple things. Yes. Reasonable things. I am not anti-college basketball. No, no, no. But we both love the tournament.

But don't you love it that Zion came out and is like, oh, my God, I had so much fun? No, of course I love it. I think it's great that he recognizes the platform that being in the tournament and being at Duke gave him. Like, obviously, he could have gone straight to the league. Most of us feel that way. But he would have had a year of development anyway. So I think that being at Duke gave him an incredible platform and it took him to a whole other level in his career. And now he's built a whole year of excitement going into the NBA.

And we're all looking forward to the NBA job because of it. So it's a good thing. So after Magic stepped down as president of the Lakers has been some talk about Warriors' exec, Bob Meyers leaving Golden State for L.A., but it doesn't sound like that's going to happen. Monta Poole of NBA Sports Bay Area joke with Myers over the weekend asking him if he's set up a meeting yet with Jeannie Bus. And Myers had quite the sarcastic response. He said, oh, right, almost forgot. I'm supposed to meet her at two.

Myers joked while looking at his watch. He then laughed. A laugh that suggests he's not eager to go anywhere anytime soon. Bob Myers has one of the best reputation. in professional sports. Like he's known as the eagoless GM. And I'm not saying they all have egos. And I know about four NBA GMs.

And everybody loves, you know how there's just certain people in any industry? Everybody loves Bob. No, it's a great reputation. Great reputation. And he's in the perfect spot. Everything that you're talking about with KD, possibly leaving the Warriors,

it makes no sense for Bob Myers to leave the Warriors and go to L.A. He's in the perfect position. And Rob Polinka is in L.A., so he's not coming anyway. Right. So that's really not even a point in discussing it that's not going to happen. I just think that the Lakers do need to focus on what they're going to do with their front office. Yeah.

I mean, obviously, I don't have a problem with them interviewing coaches because, you know, you do still need to do that. But it's, you're kind of working backwards because you, like, I agree with Matt. Like, what, what do you have in the front office matters most before anything else? Because to me, people look at, you know, you build from the bottom up. I think it's the reverse. I think the foundation is the people at the top because they make decisions and set the culture and set the tone for the entire organization

in every direction possible, from how you handle how cars get into the arena to the free agents that you sign. Everything has to be on the same page. It's why organizations like the Spurs have such success for such a consistent amount of time and pop is the winningest coach in NBA history because you have to be consistent.

I need to go to lunch with Rob Polinka. People now, everything I read about, Rob Polinka's negative. Everybody's banging on him and I'm like, I don't know him well enough to have any opinion. But I'm reading stuff on Rob Polinka and it's like, maybe I should go to lunch with Rob Polinka. Because I...

No, I... I think you can make that happen. But I mean, like everybody's just banging on Rob Polanka. First of all, you don't end up representing many of the best NBA players because you're a dope. I don't think that... I mean, there's going to be negativity surrounding anything as to do with Lakers, right?

Why has it gotten so bad? Like, why has suddenly, when Rob Pulling it got higher, people liked him. Now everybody hates him. It's like, what it is. Nobody knows what, I don't think anybody hates him. But nobody knows what's going on. And what the root of the issue is with the Lakers. So to me, it's on the Lakers to come out.

And this direction that we're going. Like, the more that we kind of are in this murky area, you know, it doesn't, it doesn't feel like anyone knows what the issue is. That's, to me, is the problem. So the Clippers made history last night by coming back down from 31 points to beat the Warriors, 135-131 in game two, which is the largest comeback ever in NBA playoff history. They finally took the lead on a Landry Shammit three-pointer,

which came after Louis Williams refused to quit and dropped the game high, 36 points. Crazy. Does this game say more about the Clippers of the Warriors to you? I think the Warriors have shown a tendency to be completely apathetic. They're not only apathetic in the regular season, they're apathetic in playoff series. This is the downside to being

gifted in any field is that things come easier. And it does come easier for them. And it's like, it's funny. The Bulls had some occasional lapses. But if you go to the DNA, the root DNA of the Chicago Bulls

with MJ, Joy, they weren't built on offense. Now, they had the best player in Michael. They were really built on toughness and defense. Rodman, Ron Harper, Scotty Pippen, Michael Jordan. Defense creates a culture of toughness.

You kind of bring a lunch pail to work. When you're built on offense, Showtime Lakers had a little bit of this. Shack and Kobe had a little bit of this. Man, when you score as easy as Shack and Kobe, there are nights you just do not come to play. And I think they suffer from this. Well, Steve Kurt said after the game that they just stopped playing in the third quarter. And I think that's a fair criticism, obviously, being up 31 points and allowing that comeback.

But a lot happened for the Warriors in these last two games with the Clippers. like Durant getting ejected and getting those two flagrants, boogie is hurt, you lose home court advantage. Not that I think they're going to lose the series, but it might not be such an easy run as it's been in years past for the Warriors. And finally, despite some rumors, Russell Wilson isn't going anywhere in the 11th hour of his self-imposed deadline. Wilson and the Seahawks agreed to an extension,

which gives him a five-year, $157 million contract. The extension makes him the NFL's highest paid player, and he gets a $65 million bonus. $107 million in guarantees. That's the largest guarantee in history by a margin of about 10 million. And this leads me back to what I've been saying all year long, that players do actually have a lot of leverage. Star players do.

And teams are just going to have to start paying them. And this is just the way it goes. I don't know how you continue your franchise without Russell Wilson. This was the right thing to do. He deserved the money. He's the reason that they are still relevance. they haven't put an offensive line in front of him in how long. This is absolutely the right move.

And then he went and did the flex on everyone on social media announcing it in bed. I'm on Team Russ. Good stuff. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping back. The Hurd Line News. Monday morning quarterbacks, Albert Breer, will join us on the other side. An update on Russell Wilson.

And the situation they're in right now in Seattle where pay the quarterback, what else do you have? some NFL update stuff on that and more. 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. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in.

I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. We go straight to the source, the athlete themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions, the stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight real. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them.

Listen to Sports Slice on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slic Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking, Tripp Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't

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

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

Jacob Kingston grew up in an isolated polygamous sect. We were God's chosen kingdom on earth. He felt destined for greatness. So when a swaggering Armenian businessman catapults Jacob into an extraordinary world, he doesn't look back. Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, meeting the president of Turkey. I'm Michelle McPhee, and this is one of the most shocking criminal conspiracies I've ever come across. When Jacob met Levant this went to a billion dollar fraud. But with two kings from entirely different worlds, just how long can their empire survive? The largest tax investigation in American history. You need to tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Jacob told Levan, you're ruining my life. Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the I-Heart radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Life throws hurdles big and small. The question is, how do you conquer them? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we sit down with the most inspiring women in sports and wellness, professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions to talk about the challenges that shaped them and the mindset that keeps them going.

From the WNBA standout Kate Martin and rising hockey star Leila Edwards. If a boy can do it, I don't see why a girl can't. Like, I've never understood that. Like, it didn't make sense in my brain. It's hard to be in spaces that no one looks like you, but don't ever feel like you don't belong. Don't let that be the reason you don't do it. An Olympic champs Gabby Thomas and Katie Ladecki. The ability to show a gold medal to someone and have their face light up and smile, that means the world to me.

And that's what motivates me to win more gold medals. At our level, at this scale, like being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can do anything. Because resilience isn't just about winning. It's about showing up, even when it's hard. Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. Welcome back. Discover Alerts you to find the social security number.

If yours is on any one of the risky websites, Discover.com slash free alerts limitations apply. Let's go via the Coward Global Satellite Network. Albert Breer, NFL Insider, Content Lead, MMQB. All right, we go with Russell Wilson. Joey and I talking about this. Seems the obvious move to make, right, to division with good coaches, good quarterbacks, Goff, could be Kyler Murray. You know, you got Garoppolo. Seattle did right, right? Yeah, I don't think there's any question about it, Colin. And really, there's a lot of posturing here, just like the last time. You know, obviously we talked a lot about how this guy has a baseball agent. Maybe he wants a percentage of the salary cap. The CBA creates some uncertainty financially down the road. I think they sort of use that as their position so they get when you find it. Yep. I tried to play on.

All right. Hold on. We got a little mic issue. We'll reconnect with him in one second here. A little mic issue with Albert Breer. Monday morning quarterback, lead strategist, lead content. Don't for that. By the way, just to throw this out as our guys clean that up.

A couple days ago, you know, it's funny. For years and years, I was, you know, because seen as a guy that was a LeBron Homer. and I always said, I'm not a Brady homer. I'm not a LeBron Homer. They're the best athletes in their sport. They win a bunch of games. I'm not a homer.

I would be a homer if LeBron average 18 points a game and could never get to the finals. Or if Brady was 8 and 8 and could never win his division. If you're great, and it's not my job to talk about your team, be great, I'll talk about your team. I don't talk about the cabs anymore because they're no longer interesting. So a couple days ago, Charles Barkley took a little shot at, LeBron James and we have the video of it. LeBron James

coming to the studio. You ain't got nothing to do. The playoff started yesterday. You got free time. I know you got to pick a coach and a general manager. You got he's picking it? I know you got to pick a coach. Just put that on the back, Brana. Okay. So LeBron

responded to this via social media, Twitter. Here's my little issue. First of all, I think it would be a great idea. Chuck gives you some crap. You can come down to us, connect with people. Not a fan of, hey, Sir Charles, I got a ton going on. I may take you up. We shall see King in studio.

Can we scale back on the King thing? Don't love it, LeBron. Not a big fan of it, especially now. I got it early. It was fun. It always felt playful when he called himself the King. I always thought it was kind of fun. the chosen one, the king, the tattoo.

Now, with the optics and the injury, it feels a little like you're going into delusion mode. Can we scale back on the king thing? First of all, I think it's a great opportunity. Talk to the people, come down, be humbled, Chuck will give you crap, it'll be very funny. And you know, you know a lot about basketball. You've actually been an interesting watch. You get a lot of play. and I have this feeling LeBron is going to acquiesce here and do it.

I don't have any inside intel, but I think he's going to do it. All right, let's go back to Albert Breer. All right, Albert, let's clean this thing up on Russell Wilson. You like it. Why? Just because I think it creates some certainty of the quarterback position, we don't know what's going to happen with the CBA, and that was obviously an issue here what they wanted to do as far as this being a percentage of the salary cap or if it's raw dollars.

I think the Russell Wilson side did an effective job using the different things that could be coming in the next three or four years as their position so they can come off a bit and get top dollar. The Seahawks tried to play on his emotions a little bit saying we can do X, Y and Z for you if you take maybe a little bit less. Ultimately, I think he got what he deserved, which was to be the next guy to become the highest paid player in the league. Okay, by next Thursday, the draft starts. Give me the latest on Kyler, Marine, Arizona. them. I believe Tyler Murray is going to be the first overall pick in the draft. I think that part of this is

just a matter of some of the things that are floating ground out there about potentially William number one overall. I'm not buying it right now. I would just tell you, my one piece of evidence is the way that the Arizona Cargels have handled and Josh Rosen. I think the trust is broken there, Colin. I don't think you do that with the guy that you draft

in 10-0-fall 2018. don't hope okay. So I understand things that's Yeah,

we're having, we're having, we're having too many problems with Albert Breards. Michael guys are figured out. One of the things I did garner from that, which I believe is, I think they've lost,

I think Josh Rosen and the organization, I think that thing's toast. I think it's toast. It's just, you know, there was a time with Kyler Murray in Arizona. I thought, okay,

are doing is they're building up Kyler Murray and they're building him up and they're telling Josh Rosen, listen, we're just building them up so people come up and give us a bunch of picks. But I would have bought that briefly, but they just haven't diffused any of these

rumors. So when you don't diffuse them and you let them live, I mean, it's just like anything else. I've been in this business long enough. There are times I've been with companies. They'll let a rumor hang for 36 hours. see how the market plays.

I mean, I've seen teams do this. When I lived on the East Coast, I was always struck by how much sports radio had an influence over teams. I saw teams like the New York Mets draft people and sign people, basically because they were getting crushed on sports radio by not signing anybody. So I've seen teams dangle stuff out there for 36 hours,

and I've had an executive or two tell me over time, sometimes you'll put something out to the, you'll float a balloon to the market and see how the market it reacts and teams will watch their fans and watch the reaction. But this thing's been going on for a month now. And to me, that's not floating it out there to get a reaction from the fans. Well, it's just, it's gone on too long.

Yes. They've killed his stock in the city. You can't, you can't, it looks like you got the lesser of the two if you don't take Kyla Murray, even though that may not be true. You have to build him up. The only way to do this, if you weren't going to try and build up Kyler Murray to get more draft picks was to say you're sticking with Josh Rosen all the way up until the draft. You have to do that.

The other thing is, you know, it's funny. Almost every NFL quarterback has come from, they all have a chip on their shoulder. Peyton Manning's rare. Best high school quarterback, best college quarterback, take a number one. Generally speaking, Aaron Rogers got ignored. Brady got ignored. Ohio State didn't offer Big Ben. Texas didn't offer Drew B's, almost all NFL quarterbacks.

It's unbelievable. Patrick Mahomes didn't end up at the big school. It's remarkable how many great quarterbacks in the NFL did not come from Bama, USC, Notre Dame, all that stuff. The knock on Josh Rosen, and I've heard this a couple of times, is that Josh is so bright, now he's got his money. Josh Rosen, and I wonder if Arizona worries about this. Let's say Josh gets hurt.

I'm just retire. What's the, I mean, Josh has always been a little brittle. And I do wonder if Arizona sits there and thinks, because I know, I know for fact, when Arizona drafted him, their big concern was he got hurt a couple of times in college. So did Sam Bradford can't stay healthy in the pros. I always thought the knock on Josh Rosen was his personality.

My concern is, what if he gets hurt? Does he want to go through a year and a half of rehab? From money, has money, has options. I can see that kid putting a backpack on and saying, I'm traveling the world. I think the Kyler Murray thing is going to happen. I just think he feels like their future. Hour three coming up, Jim Jackson stops by our studio in L.A. Two hours down, it's the herd.

One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart Radio app. Search Herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Ah, here we go. We're live in L.A. We're live and it's hour three. This is the herd.

Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeartRadio, Fox Sports Radio and FS1, my wife just texted me. She goes, how much are you betting on the game tonight? One hour to go, I don't bet on NBA games. I bet pro football, little college football. An hour ago I said I'm going to bet the most money I

morally and financially can afford on the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight. I think Vegas made the rare mistake. I look at lines all the time. Doesn't mean I bet. Oklahoma City is the better team. Oklahoma City has to win tonight much more urgent. Oklahoma City shot 15% on threes. They won't.

Paul George is healthier. I cannot believe Las Vegas has Portland favored. By the way, can I just read this to you? Yes, you may. I'm not going to say who sent this to me because he works at a rival company. But he's a friend of mine. He says since 2005,

this is on my phone. For our radio audience, I'm holding up my phone. Teams are 82, 65, and 6, 56% against the spread. In the playoffs, the game after shooting worse than 20% from 3. There's a lot of numbers, basically saying

when a team is awful, historically bad on threes, they win about 60% of the time. So I got Oklahoma City tonight and I do not want you to bet. I'm just telling you that I'm betting. Remember this show's not, I'm not trying to convince you how to think. I'm telling you how it lands. I don't care. But I'm going to bet Oklahoma. I'm going to bet a bloody fortune on the thunder tonight. It would be sweet, sweet, reverse vengeance if they lost, though. And then you lost your bet. Here's what would be sweeter. I win my bet and I buy pizza for everybody after the show tomorrow.

Oh, we get it if you win. Yeah, I'm not buying a pizza by lose. I thought it was if you lost, then we got pizza. I think you should get pizza either way. No. No, no, no. You get nothing if I lose. I'll tell you, you get nothing. Scorn and criticism. But if I win pizza for the whole crew here, let's hear it for me. Come on other than we hear it for me. I want to see the pizza first. But I do think it's interesting, though, that you're betting on Westbrook. I am. Fifteen minutes. Am I being too harsh on Ben Simmons? I'm about ready to bail on him. Jim Jackson stops by.

Coming up in best for last, we're going to play a game where I pit Russell Wilson. who I think is the most underrated player, underrated quarterback in NFL history, I'm going to pit him against guys current and former quarterbacks in a game called who you got. Who would you take? Would I take Russell Wilson over some legends? And I don't know who the quarterbacks are yet,

but I hold Russell Wilson, who just signed a new deal in high esteem. But first, have you ever heard the saying, you live in a bubble? Well, it's true. We live in a bubble. Does Kevin Durant realize he lives in a basketball bubble? He's got a coach that used to be a player that handles the media brilliantly.

In fact, Steve Kerr was a broadcaster and a good one. He's got a GM that was a player. Bob Meyer, they say, is the egoless general manager. He's one of the only ones in the NBA. He's got no ego. You're well-funded. Steph Curry's great. You got the bouncer at the bar, Boogie Cousins or Draymond Green to protect you.

and you have a very soft media in San Francisco, which the Warriors were so bad for so long, they're just happy that you're good, historically easy media in San Francisco. Because Kevin Durant needs insulation. Kevin Durant right now is living in a basketball bubble. He needs to because suddenly 6'1 Patrick Beverly is completely in his head. Patrick Beverly.

The best basketball player in the NBA is Kevin Durant. Patrick Beverly is in his head. Last night, Durant had nine turnovers and only took eight shots. By the way, his own teammate, Draymond Green, got in his head earlier this year. When you go to New York, no Steph, no Clay, no Kerr, no boogie, no, no Dremont, no friendly media, Kevin Durant is so easily disrupted. It's incredible. This is a guy where a headline in a newspaper in Oklahoma City, remember that Mr. Unreliable,

threw him into a tizzy. He was caught with a burner account on Twitter. He regularly gets testy with the San Francisco media, which is by any standard a pretty easy big market media. It ain't Philly. It ain't Boston. It ain't Chicago. It's not New York.

Last night, Kevin Durant is being disrupted by Patrick Beverly. Okay. So whenever I hear this saying, man, you media people live in a bubble. I'm always like, yeah, there's a lot of truth. that. This is America's basketball bubble. Kevin Durant has a coach that used to be a player and a broadcaster, an eagle-less general manager. Actually, Steph Curry and Clay Thompson are about as eagle-less as NBA stars get. You got the bouncer to deal with the tough stuff. Is anybody watching this series? I've always said, the Warriors are the best offensive team in my lifetime.

I don't think they're the best basketball team. I think Michael Jordan's Bulls are the best basketball team in this series is a great example. The clippers are getting physical with the Warriors and it gives them trouble. The Rockets got physical with them last year and it got him trouble. I don't even, I mean, I think what would Dennis Rodman, Scotty Pippen and Michael Jordan do to the Warriors? They'd push them all over the floor. I do think it's the best offensive team I've ever seen.

But I just don't think, I mean, it's perfect for today's finesse basketball. But one of the reasons they brought Boogie Cousins to this team, and he is out until the finals reportedly after that injury last night is despite all of his baggage he's a tough guy and Wayne Gretzky you ever notice with Wayne Gretzky's hockey teams they always had a tough guy on the team you mess with Wayne we'll send our bouncer over Wayne Gretzky never played with a team that didn't have a bouncer didn't have a tough guy didn't have a little bit of a hockey thug to beat you upside the head if you got in the way of Wayne Gretzky but I mean I'm watching KD and I'm thinking this is a guy that went sideways with a headline and

Oklahoma City, who's regularly chirping at the San Francisco media, who had a burner account, who gets upset easily, and Patrick Beverly is in his skull. I mean, Patrick Beverly getting Michael Jordan's head, Kobe Bryant's head. Dude, all that stuff's not going to New York with you. Because I've been told Kevin Durant, the New York's a done deal. Okay. this is the ultimate NBA bubble. New arena, a lot of money, perfect coach, no ego, great teammates, got a bouncer.

None of that stuff's going to New York. And I mean, even when he gets occasional pushback in San Francisco, he gets testing with the San Francisco media, which is just a bunch of people wanting you to win because they were terrible for 40 years. Okay, let's go to the breaking news. Kind of breaking last night late. Russell Wilson has signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks. He is now officially the highest paid NFL player.

It was very interesting, by the way. Russell Wilson made up a deadline. There was no real deadline yesterday except for American taxpayers. It was the tax day. But Russell Wilson said, April 15th, you either give me a new deal or I'm never signing a long-term deal. That was reported by Peter King. That was a make-believe day. I mean, the season didn't start last night, and you and I missed it.

It was just sort of a make-believe deadline. And Seattle completely caved, and they should have. Why? Because as multiple sources have now said, which we broke initially a month ago, Russell Wilson was willing to leave. The word was out, and Seattle and Pete Carroll and John Snyder heard the same stories. Tyron Matthews tweet yesterday, we broke this a month ago.

We said he will go to New York. He is interested in New York and now creating sort of a fake deadline. I mean, don't these things usually take months and months and months? Russell's like, pay me April 15th or according to multiple reports. I'm not signing long term. Seattle totally cave. So there's three things I think about this contract. First of all, Seattle did the right thing.

Jimmy Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan are they're going to score a bunch of points in this division. You got to play them twice. and Sean McVey and Jared Goff and that offensive line and Todd Gurley, they're going to score a bunch of points in this division. And you've got to play them twice a year. And my gut feeling is Josh Rosen or probably Kyler Murray and Cliff Kingsbury. They're going to score a bunch of points in this division. You've got to play them twice.

So six games a year in this division, I don't care how good your defense is. With the new NFL rules, you better drop a 28 burger or a 30 burger or you're losing those games. So Seattle did the right thing. The second thing is Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. Their top wide receiver is Doug Baldwin, undrafted. He's never had a great tied end in his prime. The offensive lines in recent years have been awful. They finally hired a legit coach.

It's still an offensive line that's average personnel-wise, and for many years it was terrible. And running backs, they never replaced Marshawn Lynch. He's had overwhelmingly average weapons. You owed him one. Big Bend a never. average weapons, ever. Breeze doesn't have average weapons.

Philip Rivers doesn't have average weapons. Patrick Mahomes doesn't have average weapons. Carson Wentz doesn't have average weapons. Aaron Rogers, had pretty good weapons. Always good offensive lines, by the way. Seattle owed Russell Wilson this. But third, and this is really, really a big one. And this is where I was told Russell got married.

you marry a woman, strong woman point of view, they talk to you. And this is where Russell Wilson, this was a nonverbal deadline. Since Russell Wilson arrived in Seattle, the 12th man gets the credit, Pete Carroll gets the credit, Richard Sherman gets the credit, Legion of Doom gets the credit. They were all caring Russell Wilson, right? That's what you've been led to believe. Short memory, Pete Carroll had been fired twice. went 7 and 9, 7 and 9, and was heading into a season with Matt Flynn

against, remember those Harbaugh 49er defenses? Yeah, that would have been adorable. Matt Flynn against that defense. And Russell Wilson saved the franchise and saved Pete Carroll's job and saved John Snyder's job and elevated the franchise to a national brand, which it had never been, ever. And now the Seahawks are a national brand. And they're worth probably a billion more today than seven years ago

when Russell Wilson arrived. Seattle did the right thing. They owed him one on weapons. But this was Russell Wilson making a demand and absolutely immediately getting his team to cave. Because he was moving. And it was out. And Seattle knew it.

And he deserved it. And you owed him one. But this has been Russell Wilson's franchise for several years. This morning, finally, it's official. He's always deserved. more credit than he's received. By the way, I just got a text 30 seconds ago. Oh, Lord.

Another mock draft I have to read. It's weird. It's weird. Like, next week, next Thursday, it's draft. So I'm like, I go home now, and I'm now, I'm going to watch the Oklahoma City tonight because I got a lot of money on that game. I'm going to bet a lot of money. But I just do mock drafts all day.

I can't. But there's about three people that do them. I think they know stuff. That's terrible news. All I'm saying is Jets don't screw up Sam Darnold's career. Don't screw it up. Just don't screw it up. Cleveland's not screwing up Baker's career.

Jets don't screw up Sam Darnold's. Because I'm getting mock drafts now. I do not like what the Jets are doing. And I'll just leave it at that. And then not real drafts? But these are almost, I trust these people. So several people are saying the same thing then. Two people are saying something, and I don't like it.

Just don't screw it up. Jim Jackson around the corner. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. So I got to ask my guest, Jim Jackson, 14 years in the NBA. Jim, you're America's guest. You're a great golfer. So you must have freaked out with Tiger Woods because I know you love it. The unreal part of it was that he was down and he hasn't won a major tournament like

that by being behind. And especially, you know, Molinari was just lasered in, okay? And to see him, now think about it that here's where I knew he had it on 12, the part three, Kepka in the water, Molinari in the water, because they were pin searching. You know what Tiger did? Why? I'm going to put it right in between the two bunkers where it's safe and I'm going to putting get out of there.

He golf smart. You know what I mean? That's the difference. He relied on his knowledge of the course and understood. that I'm going to force you to make a mistake, and then I'm going to capitalize on. Yeah, for you don't know, Jim Jackson takes his clubs everywhere, to dinner. Yeah.

He'll just hit in the back. Cigar bar. It doesn't matter. Jim takes his clubs everywhere. So Boogie Cousins out now. It looks like for the year. Yeah. Okay.

They don't have a legitimate center. We know they're still favored over the clippers. But, I mean, let's be honest. This team's got a bunch of shooters. They don't have a lot of size. What's Golden State today now? You know, the big difference, too, is their bench is not as productive as it was in the past. Yeah, Looney's good, but that's about it.

I think they were 28th in bench scoring or the bottom half. They only scored 28 points a game compared to, like, the Clippers who were first at 58 or 56, okay? In the past, this team could get away with it because you had David West, Sean Livingston playing at a higher level, Iguodala playing at a higher level. So when you substituted the starters, even when the small, lineup, they can beat you in different ways. You're not having that same impact. Without having a boogie in regards to his versatility on the court,

maybe if you get to, now the second round is Houston. Capella's a different kind of guy. By the way, more minutes for starters. Game six, game seven against Houston. I do think it makes them, what they need, he provides, which is size, girth, toughness.

It's a catch-22 because against, let's say, a Houston, they put in more picking rolls. So he is a liability from that perspective. But he offsets it what he can do with a scoring and playmaking ability and forces teams to have to help at times on him. It's going to be interesting to see how much of that lineup they use, a smaller part of it, how much bowl get played in the next round.

Again, they still got to get past the Clippers. But we're forecasting when they have to play against the Rockets who have built their team to face a Golden State team and forced them to have to match up with them. Are you surprised KD struggling with Patrick Beverly? Not at all. And I'm going to tell you why. Because the way Golden State plays, think about their perimeter oriented team.

Right. The advantages for Patrick Beverly have to guard KD 24 feet. It's his advantage because he can get up underneath him. If KD was in the post and Golden State played more like that, he wouldn't have the same effect. But defensively, this is where it works. This gives the clippers talking to the coaches to have their best chance to win because he can take KD out of what he wants to do

and be comfortable handling the ball. But if he was more in the post, it would be a different story. You know, as I, a story came out today, Jim Jackson, joining us 14 years in the league. I thought it was pretty interesting. Zach Lowe was on a podcast with Adrian Wojanovsky. And instead of a Wojbom, it was a wow bomb that Zach, who's a reputable reporter said, big people in the office are saying, we just don't want to funnel players to Los Angeles and LeBron if he's running the team.

Now, we all, I was always for 15 years. Jim in the, just hand the franchise over to LeBron. But I was like that for Kobe. I was a Kobe over shack guy. I thought they should have gotten rid of shack. And I will say, there's a handful of guys in my life. Michael, Magic, Bird. It's like, okay, hand them the franchise.

But with all of them, there's tipping points. LeBron's injury changes it. I wouldn't hand the franchise to him. I think you hire Ty Lou, the message around the league is, this is LeBron's place. Listen, if Zach Lowe's reputable, that's telling me that the Kauai's, the go either way guys? I mean, you tell me, if you were 24, would you want to play, Star, would you want to play with him now? No. And not because it's LeBron.

And I'm going to go back to this. Think about this. When he went to Miami, it was, Dwayne Way was already there. Yes. Bosch had figured out in Toronto, his ceiling was hot. I mean, he was at his ceiling. He couldn't win anymore. Yeah.

older players, so he came down and played. They won. Cleveland. Kyrie was already there as a young player. Kevin Love comes in and says, my ceiling at Minnesota, I can't go anymore, I want to win. So you bring in a veteran player. Fast forward.

You go to L.A. You don't have that guy. You don't have that young super, superstar. Okay? So now you're trying to ask a young superstar to come in who's still trying to prove who they are. I still trying to prove that. Yeah.

Jimmy Butler's still trying to prove that. Yeah. So why would they want to come and be under the shadow as a young player who's still trying to prove under LeBron? I'm not saying this right or wrong, but that's the mentality of a lot of young guys compared to veteran guys. Well, and also it is, you know, the basketball culture, there's a lot I like about it. You know, I was talking to a college basketball coach about two weeks ago, and he said, listen, man, I get high schoolers now who I don't even think are NBA projects, and they come to my school, and they're all talking about the NBA. And I'm like, young cowboy, hold on. You're three years from worrying about the NBA

is that one of the downsides of the NBA culture is, I mean, Kevin Durant is potentially, I'm told it's a done deal, right? He's going to leave a great organization to a bad one, take less money because he wants to, quote, be the man. In the NBA, that's a thing. Good or bad, it's a thing. Players want to be the guy. You can't be with LeBron, even an old LeBron.

By the way, Lakers, at the end of Kobe's run, Kobe would have to player. You couldn't be the man with Kobe. Like this is LeBron City now. So when I watch the Clippers play the Warriors, I'm like, oh God, Kauai Leonard's the only thing the Clippers are missing. It would be an easy choice for me. It would be an easy choice.

And, you know, we talk about now, I mean, the Lakers are always going to be the Lakers. There's always going to be a Lakers sound. I don't care how successful the Clippers are. I agree with that. And I do believe that the Lakers have a wider range of opportunity to rebuild compared to other franchises. Because if you get the right manager,

a management in place and coach, you can be back to being in the Lakers compared to if you were in Charlotte. Okay, you got a tougher task to ask to try to get people to come in place. It's just like college sports. If Ohio State's bad in football, they have the ability to turn it around.

Urban Meyer, boom, we're good. Duke basketball. Yeah, they were down for a few years, guess what? They're good. The Lakers can do that. I agree with that. But if you're the clippers, you're sitting in a good position to say

we can attract that next star to come and play, while all this mess is going on. It gives us a chance to be the Nets, New Jersey, at the time when they went to the finals. It gives you the chance to be the Mets when you won when New York Yankees were down or even the White Sox when the Cubs were down.

But at the same time, those three other teams are still the historic franchises of those cities. I don't care what happens. Yeah. No, listen, Michigan State football can have a year they're better than Michigan. Or two. But they're not Michigan.

And not Michigan. That's why Michigan State football came out with these goofy uniforms this weekend. And I said, I loved them. And they looked different. And I said, listen, outside of about eight powers, everybody else in college football is trying to get your attention. Michigan didn't have to, Bama didn't have to, Oklahoma doesn't have to. Outside of that, everybody's got a need to goofy helmet or like a goofy, you know, mascot or something to get attention. All right.

So I made, I'm going to make a massive bet tonight. Okay. On? I don't bet NBA. Me neither. Okay. I'm going to bet a lot of money tonight. What's a lot of money?

Okay. If I said to you, who should be favored in Vegas tonight? Portland or Oklahoma City. Who should be favored? Portland. How? Because. Oklahoma City's a better team.

Okay. So who are you betting on? I am betting Oklahoma City. Okay, what's the line? It's just one, meaning all. all I have to do is pick the winner. Okay. What's the line?

Portland minus one. Okay. Okay. So you're telling me Oklahoma City is going to, Oklahoma City was down by three with five seconds left and they shot 15% on threes. Did they win? No, but they're not going to shoot like that again. Okay.

Who's going to take Portland tonight? No. Okay. So you're taking Oklahoma City. I don't bet. So it's a matter to me. Who's winning that game tonight? Oh, I think, I think O'KC wins this game.

I do. I love them. I do think they win. I think they make some adjustments. You know, Paul George started off slow, but he ended up playing really well. They're going to figure out something for cancer because cancer is not going to probably have that same kind of game. That's his best NBA game. And I love him too.

Now, I'll give this. Damon Lillard, I mean, is something about him and him learning how to play at this level in the playoffs? I love him. It's something special about him. And, you know, McCollum doesn't get the credit. But having a guy like Liddard that embraces the moment and under the, understands that he still needs to grow because of what happened last year. It's something special about him.

So I can see this going seven, you know, seven games. But I do think the adjustments they make to how they guard defensively OKC makes a big difference in this game. Yeah, I just, I have this feeling. Canter can't play. Okay, but what's the bet? What are you bet? I will bet.

You said big money. Well, no, but it's tacky if I say I'm going to bet 10 grand. That sounds tacky. No, it don't sound tacky. It's like you go bet some money. I don't have my wallet anymore. I have my wallet. I'm not betting 10 grand.

grand. My wife would kick me out of the house. Okay. You're five? What? Five grand? You said it was going to be. Okay, what's big? I guess big is relative to you. Okay, that might be $500. Is $600 a lot of money? Yeah. Okay, there you go. Okay. You don't think that's a lot of money, Goulai?

I do. I don't know that you're actually going to bet that. No, I will. I will. 10 minutes after the show. Listen, that's a box of cigars, bro. Maybe two for me. I got priorities. I get it. Jimmy Jackson. Thanks, man. Good to seeing you. You got it.

Joy with the news. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news. So Tom Brady's been critical of teammates in the past for placing too much emphasis on lifting weights. His now famous TV12 method focuses mostly on flexibility and injury prevention. But now that he's into his 40s, Brady might be feeling like he could benefit from a little more meat on his bones. According to Ian Rappaport, the Patriots begin offseason conditioning today.

and the expectation is that Tom Brady won't be in attendance. That was his plan last year, which seemed to work out pretty decently. That said, when he does get back in the building, he should be a bit bigger. Brady may bulk up. NBC Sports reports that Brady finished last season at 223 pounds and would like to begin 2019 around 232 pounds. Oh, so he is bulking up. That's 10 pounds of weight. That's something.

I think Brady's just bored. I think one, I think he tweeted today the picture from his combine. Oh, he did? Yeah, the awful picture of him in the awkward shorts. Oh, he did? He's on Twitter now. Yeah. So I think he's tired of people making fun of his combine picture and combine run, and I think he's just bored.

He's accomplished everything there is to do in football, and he's like, what else can we do? Let's try and do it while we have a bunch of muscle. What do you do if you're Tom Brady in one year and you retire? Like everybody's like, oh, when will we retire? We forget about these athletes. He's only 41 years old. What are you going to do for the next 50 years of your life? I would play football.

If I was healthy, I'd play football as long as I could. Well, for sure. I mean, and that's why most guys do play as long as they possibly can, and they should. You only have a certain amount of time in your life that you can do that. What's Brett Farve doing besides selling nose trimmers? Like, what's he doing? Well, I mean, I think different people are motivated by different things. Like, you might love the game, but eventually you might just get tired of,

of, I mean, say you're an injury-prone player. It might get tired of constantly having to go through rehab and have surgeries and being pain all the time. That's mentally exhausting. Baseball players and NBA players, I can get saying I'm done with a travel. The travel is exhausting. Baseball travel is brutal. A lot of people, you know, you start to, you have families, you know what I mean? So you start missing significant things in your kids' life.

And the kids are getting older now and they're asking why you're not around. And that starts to become a thing. Like, there's different factors in life that motivate you to want to retire or walk. away on top of the fact that you're just not as good anymore and you don't want to maybe get embarrassed either. But that's obviously not what Tom Brady is dealing with. I think he's just trying to do something in a new way because he's already done everything else. So the NBA playoffs are in full swing. Kevin Durant wants everyone to focus on the games instead of what he's going to do as a free agent. Katie told the undefeated, yo, just watch the game. Just focus on the game

and stop nitpicking because it's a beautiful game going on out there. What can I do right now? I can't sign a paper. I got to do the most important thing and that is play. If I already made a decision, it would take away from the team, what we're fighting for. Every play would be overshadowed by it. I want to forget about it. Didn't make a decision yet. Maybe he's staying. You notice that?

He said, if I already made a decision. Meaning I haven't. Or maybe I have. He sir sounds like he's up in the air on that. I'm sure he is up in the air on it. I don't think he's made a decision yet. I've left, I've made a decision four times to move cross-country. Not one time.

A month out did I know. I don't think people, By the way, LeBron James... Major decisions like that, I don't think that you make that far out. I think it comes down to the wire and you're up against it and you get presented by all the two, the both situations that you've weighed out extensively with your family and people that you trust. And then you end up just making a decision in that moment. But he's right. Stop asking him about free agency.

He can't say anything anyway. If you were to say that he made a decision, it would completely overshadow the playoffs and everything that's going on right now and possibly dismantle the team and derail them. Who's asking him about it? Well, I mean, I'm sure he's still getting asked about it. I don't know if he's talking about social media. Social media you can't control. So just don't go on social media because people are still going to talk about it. It seems like he's talking about reporters.

But if that's the case, like that just needs to stop. Like, focus on the playoffs. Let us enjoy what's going on right now on the court. We know free agency has become almost bigger than, certainly bigger than NBA regular season, but it can't be bigger than the playoffs. It's just let KD play. So we just talked about this.

there seems to be some preemptive pushback on the Lakers' front office direction and the possible influence of LeBron and his agent, Rich Paul. And even the appearance of clutch sports influencing the Lakers' staffing choices is apparently a turnoff for some potential free agents. ESPN, Zach Lowe said recently, I've had some powerful people in the league, including a powerful agent who represents a lot of key players tell me, we don't want the person to be from either of those orbits.

We don't want the new GM or president, even to have some sort of connection to LeBron. We need to be a fresh start. My players don't want to have the impression that LeBron is running the team. Now, I do think it's interesting that they are going for the coach, or they seem to be going for the coach, before they replace Magic Johnson.

That's like not what you ever do. Right. Well, maybe they're seeing what and how Rob Polinka handles all this, and maybe they move him into that position and move somebody else in. Looks like they're giving him the franchise, doesn't it? I mean, it appears that way. I mean, if you hire the coach, what you're telling me is, Rob Pallink.

Rob's running the... Right. I mean, they're not going to get... They're not going to bring in somebody, like we discussed earlier. Pat Riley's not coming. They're not going to bring in Bob Myers. They need to hire someone for that position. But that's kind of why everything is so chaotic right now.

And it doesn't surprise me that free agents are nervous about what's going on. Why wouldn't they be? What direction is the team going in? Well, they're a mess. Now, I feel like if you don't want to be involved with LeBron and Clutch Sports in that way, Lakers aren't the place for you regardless, because LeBron is staying here. and LeBron is still LeBron James. He's going to have a say in what goes on, as he should.

And they're not landing any of these free agents. They're going to have to trade for one. And they'll be able to do that because, you know, I mean, obviously they're not going to go into next year. Not landing anybody. But my take away on, this story is telling me they're not landing any free agents. They'll trade for Anthony Davis. Maybe they won't land any free agents. But to me, these free agents who are trying to create a situation where there's no influence by

LeBron in coming to the Lakers. That doesn't make any sense. If you want to come to the Lakers... Well, they're not going to, though. They're not going to come here. Right. But you can't have it both ways. That's right.

So it won't be. They won't come. So then just don't come. But this idea that free agents are going to have some influence over what direction the front office of the Lakers doing is ridiculous. That's not happening. The power of the free agent is we're not coming and they're not. And so, and this story is telling you, Zach Lowe is dealing in the stratosphere of agents.

This is an agent's probably, you know, there's about four agents that have all the players. One of those guys is like, I ain't sent my guys to LA. So, I mean, you can eliminate about three guys. I don't know which three. Right. Well, I'm saying is like if you're a free agent and you want to come to the Lakers, then you're dealing with LeBron James and Clutch Sports. That's the way it goes. Or don't come. Yeah. Joy with the news.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Lie News. Doug Gottlie, Matt Barnes, Albert Brewer, Jim Jackson, all stopping by the show today. You know, Russell Wilson signed a great content. contract deserved it. I mean, it's going to make things tougher for the C-Ox. I don't, I've never bought into this. If you pay the quarterback a bunch of money, you can't win. I actually think Green Bay has done a really good job getting ahead of Aaron Rogers contract. I thought they drafted really smartly last year, smartly defensively the year before. They did a really good job in Green Bay getting

mid-range free agents. They got Preston Smith, who's a great linebacker from Washington. And I think they're going to draft. They have two first round picks. I think they're going to draft. They have two first-round picks. I think they're going to draft at least one defensive player, maybe two again. So Green Bay has done a very good job to say, okay, in two years, we've got to pay Aaron Rogers a fortune. Let's go and get a cheaper defense. And if not cheap, a smart frugal defense. So I think Green Bay is getting ahead of it. They have a ton of draft capital this year, two first rounders.

Seattle only has four picks. So they got an expensive contract. And New England's got 12 picks. Seattle's got four. I think that tells you a lot about the organizations. One, Seattle has gotten a little sloppy, little sloppy in the draft, and New England continues to be the gold standard of how to build architecturally a franchise. But I don't believe when you pay the quarterback of fortune, it means you're bad.

I think it makes it tougher, and you cannot whiff on first and second round picks. But I think Green Bay is built really well next three years with Aaron's deal. Seattle, I think, could struggle. Highest paid guys now, Russell, Aaron, Matt, Kirk, Jimmy. I have no problem with any of those salaries except Kirk Cousins, who I would rather be in the low 20s. But, you know, that's where we're at. Coming up next, though, I'm going to play a game called Who You Got.

How good is Russell Wilson? I'll give you some current NFL quarterbacks and former greats. Would you take Russell or would you take those greats? That's coming up. Be sure to catch live editions of The Herd, Weekdays and noon Eastern, AM Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeart Radio app. Welcome back, MDrive, try it, learn more. MDrive for men.com today. Refine your prime. Stronger, more energy drive. Now is the time to start

taking MDrive. All right, uh, yeah, we do it, uh, you know, every day at this time. We call it best for last. After almost three hours, Colin apparently hasn't gotten to the point yet. Quit holding out on us, cowherd. It's the best for last. Russell Wilson, Just signed a massive contract, highest paid quarterback in the NFL. Joy, I think it's pretty obvious that I've held him in very high esteem for a long time. I think he's the closest thing to Steve Young we've ever seen, and Steve Young's a Hall of Famer. IQ, escapeability, overcoming battle lines.

He has not had elite weapons around him like many of his peers, and yet he's put up numbers better than his peers. In fact, two years ago he had the worst offensive line in the league and led the NFL and touchdown passes. I do not believe any other quarterback. Brady, Breeze, Rogers, anybody in the NFL could have done that.

By the way, since entering the NFL in 2012, he's second and wins, fourth in passer rating, third in touchdown interception ratio, and number one, an escapeability.

So we're going to play a game called who you got. You name the quarterback all time, and I'll tell you who I think is the better quarterback. Okay. Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes?

Right now, Russell Wilson. Now, Mahomes is young. We've got a lot ahead of him. But remember, Mahomes last year lost Kareem Hunt. His numbers dipped. Mahomes also entered the league with the best tied in football and the fastest player in football and Kareem Hunt. So his weapons with Andy Reid, Mahomes looks bulletproof. Let's see him now this year without Kareem Hunt and without Tyree Kill, who is enduring some really ugly allegations against him personally and may not play this year. I take Russell.

I'm going to have Kansas City folks really mad at you. Russell Wilson or Ben Rothesberger. Okay, I'll say this now. I think Ben Rathesberger has underachieved considering the talent around him. He has had significantly better players around him. O-line, Ben. Receivers, not close, Ben. running back, Ben, organization,

Ben, drafting record, Ben, and they both been to two Super Bowl. How many's Ben Ben to two? They both have one Super Bowl, right? No, Ben has two. Ben has two rings. Russell has one, but I will say this. When I say Ben and Russell Wilson,

who do you think is underachieved? I mean, to this point, I would say Ben. Okay, and Ben also has leadership issues. I mean, two Super Bowls. It's tough to say you've underachieve when you have two Super Bowls, but I understand what you're saying. It's been a disappointment considering the talent around him. I cannot say Ben is better than Russell when one of the first things we think with Ben is,

he's kind of underachie for the talent he's head. All right. Russell Wilson or Andrew Luck? Andrew Luck is the best college quarterback prospect I've seen. Luck has endured lousy old lines until recently, virtually no pro bowlers until recently, until last year had no running game. his head coach got fired. Utter instability for all these years. And yet, Andrew Luck went 11 and 5, 11 and 5, 11 and 5,

his first three years in the league and got to an AFC championship. I do not believe Russell Wilson, with that lack of defense and coaching, could have done that, Andrew Luck. Russell Wilson or Matt Ryan? I think Matt Ryan's a good B-plus quarterback. I'm not sure he's a Hall of Famer. This is an easy one, Russell Wilson. All right.

Russell Wilson or Drew Brees. I consider Drew Brees, one of the eight best quarterbacks I've seen in my life. lifetime he's more accurate. I think he has unbelievable leadership skills that can't be rivaled, except maybe by Tom Brady, I'd take Drew Brees. I would agree. Russell Wilson or Aaron Rogers. Closer than everybody thinks I'll take Aaron Rogers by a smidge because I think he is the best armed talent since John Elway in the National Football League. Okay. Russell Wilson or Cam Newton during his MVP year of 2015. He can't just throw qualifiers. Kevin Durand? I make the rules. Russell Wilson or Cam Newton.

during his MVP year in 2015. Russell Wilson, easily the better player and slightly better in that MVP year. Russell Wilson or Michael Vic? Russell Wilson. Michael Vic was a faster straight line runner. But again, I think the leadership qualities of Wilson, I think Michael would admit this. Michael, when he came into the league, maturity-wise, wasn't quite ready to run a franchise. Russell's been ready since he was eight.

Russell Wilson or Brett Farr? Surprise here, Russell Wilson. I know. I know. I know what you're saying. By the way, they're both great athletes. They both give mobility. They're both great leaders. Which guy throws 20 picks a year? It's not Russell Wilson. Brett Farv was hard to coach. And his judgment, I get all the Russell, I get all the Brett Farb upside without the 24 picks a year. I'd slightly take Russell Wilson. Who, by the way, has another six years to pat all these numbers. Russell Wilson or Troy Aikman? Aikman's one of the eight best quarterbacks in my lifetime, Troy Aikman. Bigger, stronger, better arm. Now, Russell Wilson or Steve Young. This is a coin flip, and I'm allowed on coin flips to call heads, Russell Wilson.

And I mean, by an inch. Russell Wilson or Dan Marino? Dan Marino. Well, look at Miami girl. You're getting very tested. I don't know how you're going to survive Twitter today. No, no. Dan Marino, literally God gave Dan Marino the fastest release in the history of the sport.

Big, strong. And Dan Marino's like, all right, throw the ball. Oh, it's already gone. He has the fastest release in the history of the sport. Dan the man. Russell Wilson or late 1980s, John Elway. John Elway. Bigger, could be mobile.

Went to Stanford. Cannon for an arm. Great leadership. Elway. Russell Wilson or late 90s, John Elway. John Elway. Finally, Russell Wilson or Tom Brady. You know the answer to that one.

I don't know. You're very, very high in Russell Wilson's head. Okay, let's go. I'd say Tom Brady. So in review, I think he's better than, and again, I only got one year with Patrick Mahomes, and everything went perfect. And he walked into the league with the best tight end,

the fastest receiver, Kareemont, Andy Reid. Right now, let's see Mahomes put up a second year when everything isn't perfect for him. I'd take Russell over. Patrick, Ben, Matt, Cam, Vic, Fav, Young, barely on Young. He's not as good as luck, Breeze, Aikman, Marino, either of the John Elways or Brady. Now, the pushback's going to be on Brett Farve, right?

Right. That'll be the huge pushback. My knock on Farve was Russell could have played in any era. I think Brett today, as the game has become more precise, I think he'd get a lot more pushback on his 26 interceptions. 26 is a lot. Brett threw a lot of picks. And Brett was great, but man, there were times he would absolutely.

Ben's like, Ben's like Fav and Favs like Ben. How come I don't get more division titles? All right, we'll be back tomorrow. Speak for yourself as around the corner for everybody here in Los Angeles. Bet the thunder, baby. Go Westbrook, the herd. Last night, a blown call changed a game. This morning, the internet lost its mind.

And nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. And every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the biggest moments in sports and giving you the real story behind the headline. And we're going straight to the source

the athletes themselves. Their locker room stories, their reactions in the moment, and the stuff nobody gets to hear. Listen to Sports Slice on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced Life 12 in the TikTok podcast network on TikTok.

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests. from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest,

SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. Life is full of hurdles, so how do you keep going? On Hurtle with Emily Abadi, we're talking with the most inspiring woman in sports and wellness from professional athletes, coaches, and Olympic champions about the challenges that shape them and the mindset that keeps them moving forward. At our level, at this scale, being able to fail in front of the entire world, like, I can do anything. I can do anything.

Listen to Hurtle with Emily Abadi on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of IHeart Women's Sports. I'm Michelle McPhee, and I've been unraveling the strangest Criminal Alliance. I've ever reported on a Mormon polygamist and an Armenian businessman. Multimillion dollar house, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, private jets, a billion dollar fraud. But how long can this alliance last? Tell me what you know. Is somebody coming after me?

Listen to Kingdom of Fraud on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.