The Herd with Colin Cowherd - Lakers, Kawhi Leonard, Aaron Rodgers, and MLB

Episode Date: June 24, 2019

Colin believes the horrible execution of trading for Anthony Davis is showing, and they be making a mistake in free agency going forward. He also says the NBA is better of if Kawhi Leonard stays with the Toronto Raptors, why he thinks Aaron Rodgers is now like Brett Favre, and why there are too many teams in MLB. Guests include Chris Broussard, John Smoltz, Brian Scalabrine, and Dan Woike. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. 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 Smigel 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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her.

What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

American soccer is about to explode. The World Cup is coming. Ramos sending on the only score at the chip. Score! I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Boke. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines, the biggest decisions, and the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The Heard Podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Reddy. and FS1. Find your local station for the herd at Fox SportsRadio.com or stream us live every day on the IHeartRadio app by searching Herd. Now let's get this party started. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Ah, here we go. This is the herd. Off vacate. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, live in Los Angeles, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio. Joy Taylor is joining me this morning. We're on radio today and tomorrow And this is our roots actually

I started in radio in a small, uncomfortable Less than Ideal studio And Joy Taylor similarly started in Miami, right? Yeah, this is vintage us radio booth We don't have a ton of space But it is an iconic radio booth What I was telling everybody last couple of weeks ago Casey Kasem did his show from here

Seacrest Rome started to do. doing his show here. Rush Limbaugh. So it's this classic old radio studio here in Sherman Oaks, California. USA ladies playing Spain today. I will update you throughout the match, giving you an update. These are the matches now.

You lose your done at the World Cup. So that's why we're not on television. We will be Wednesday. But I was off last week. As you know, Joy was as well. I was in Utah. She was global. She was doing Cabo and Kansas City and other stuff.

Let me start the show this morning with the whole mess. I worked last Monday. I took my vacation starting Tuesday because of the Anthony Davis deal. And since then, there have been a lot of rumors about who the Lakers want to land to go alongside LeBron, Kyle Kuzma, and Anthony Davis. One of them is DeAngelo Russell. They would, I'm told, prefer Kauai Leonard. But they can't afford Kauai Leonard. they can't afford DeAngelo Russell.

He's not a max player, in my opinion. He's about a 15 million a year guy. Same with Tobias Harris. But he's going to get max money because, listen, there's bad teams. Minnesota's desperate to want him. They'd sign him. So you're going to have to pay $25 million large to get DeAngelo Russell. He's not really a max talent.

He's young. He's talented. That should be the AD territory. Kauai Leonard, Kevin Durant, Steph, Clay. I mean, like, great players. DeAngelo is really, really good, still really, really young. And the Lakers want him because, you know, obviously, they're not well-run. And there is a difference between landing stars and being well-run.

This story doesn't mean a ton. This DeAngelo Russell to the Lakers story doesn't mean a ton because they can't afford him. They can't afford him. And the reason they're, you know, several million short is because the way the Anthony Davis trade went down. Now, let me just say this. It's very, very complicated in terms of the mechanics of salary matching. It's way too complicated to digest for most people driving to work this morning. But the reality is when you sign players, the day you sign them matters because it frees up space.

Years ago, the Cleveland Cavaliers did this very well. LeBron says, I'm going to Cleveland and join Kyrie. They wanted another star. The only way to afford it was to trade Andrew. Wiggins and get Kevin Love. The timing of it was essential. And so, Andrew Wiggins played in the Summer League for the Cavs. Then they did the deal.

Then they did the deal. It wasn't consummated, announced until August 23rd. That allowed them the money to afford LeBron, Kyrie, Kevin Love, and they won titles. They wouldn't have won those titles without all three. So the Lakers right now should be able to afford DeAngelo Russell. Now, you and I can argue whether or not he's worth the money. I don't think he is. I think Anthony Davis, LeBron Kyle Kuzma, and a series of Darren Collison, Patrick Beverly,

J.J. Reddick, we just watched Toronto do this. NBA playoffs are about veterans. They're about men. They're about 28, 29, been in the wait room eight years. I love Brandon Ingram. He's got a kid body. And he's like 22. This is why the NBA draft is fun and joyful, and I cry watching Zion and his mom.

And I love it. But outside of Zion, none of those guys looked, well, John Morant, none of them physically looked like NBA players. They're kids. That's what I looked like at 17 without like 6-11. And so it's a veteran league. I don't think you need anything more than LeBron A.D. Kuzma and a bunch of really savvy, smart veterans.

Throw me a JJ Reddick can shoot. Patrick Beverly. Darren Collison. Brooke Lopez. Give me guys who can shoot threes veterans. That's what I would do. The Lakers want to get another star, but they can't afford. him. And this is why I feel like the Lakers have become a newspaper that like the USA Today,

where you get the big, great headlines and the splashy colors and the front cover's amazing, and then you open it up and there's not really much information inside. The details are a little light. Even when the Lakers consummated the LeBron deal, did it feel ideal? Did it feel perfect? No. Then they threw together this disparate, odd group of guys that couldn't shoot. Michael Beasley. can't shoot, Lance Stevenson's goofy and can't shoot, and Rondo's talented but can't shoot. And Javale McGee's, I like him, but he's not a shooter. And LeBron's mostly work with shooters. So even the LeBron deal, in the end, you're like, okay, we got LeBron.

It's sunny here. It's the Lakers. It's a great brand. It didn't feel very tight. When LeBron went to Miami, Bosch, Wade, LeBron, they had all this money to give to Badiye, and Ray Allen. and Eudonis Haslam and Joelle Anthony. It's funny how it works. Why are the Lakers all these years later with the cap moving up broke?

Because they don't have their details straight. Magic admitted going into the Lakers. Yeah, I can't give you 24-7 on this. I'm busy. We all knew that. Rob Polinka was a former agent. Wouldn't be shocking if he was not a capologist. He's an attorney.

He's not a capologist. So when I look at the Lakers in this Andrew Wiggins situation, the reason the Warriors can win titles is because they have the stars, but they also have Iggy, and they also draft well. And it's all hands on deck. If you look at the Miami Heat with Pat Riley, a super smart executive, it wasn't just LeBron Wade. It was Badiere and Mike Miller and you had all these smart veterans that you could afford.

You know, everybody's got a young guy, Mario Chalmers with a heat. everybody's got one young guy. You know, the Warriors have, who's a little guy, Quinn Cook now they like a little bit, or Kvon Looney. There's nothing wrong with having a Kuzma. Nothing wrong with having a Mario Chalmers in Miami. There's nothing wrong with having those guys. But in the end, veterans win in this league.

Veterans are expensive. And in order to make it work, you've got to have the details down. For Pat Riley to make that Miami thing work, every dollar mattered. To salary cap league, it's not baseball. for the Warriors to have a dynasty. Every penny matters to have a bench. Toronto, the Mark Gassall deal at the deadline. They had a lot of mouse to feed.

Kyle Lowry's making a lot of money. Gassal's making a lot of money. Sergei Baca. There were no discount contracts there. That roster was expensive. It was veterans. Details win in this league. And details are your bench and your fifth starter.

And Rob Polink. is, and I guess my takeaway on the Lakers is they become a big newspaper with the flashy headlines or the Twitter link where the headline's great and then you download the link and there's no real information there. I just don't see the details. I think the Lakers are going to be very good. I would not give the extra money to DeAngelo Russell or Tobias Harris. I think that's desperate in reaching. You've got two stars. You've got an emerging good player. It's all out in front of you. Just go sign a bunch of smart KG veterans who can hit three point. and you go win a championship.

But the DeAngelo Russell nonsense, I've been reading, you know, Palinca's feeding certain media members to defend his back saying, you know, listen, I am an attorney. I know what I'm doing. There's good attorneys, bad attorneys. There's different areas of law you can major in. Litigation, corporate attorneys, divorce attorneys. Just because Rob Polingka's an attorney doesn't mean he knows how to work the cap. But it's very clear to me from people that I trust.

that I've talked to on my vacation, that the rest of the league's looking at the Lakers and saying, you guys screwed this up. And you screwed it up on the date. And now you can't afford DeAngelo Russell. And you're trying to, like, wedge him in. And he's not worth the money. And you should have about $8 million more cap space. And you don't.

And it's on you. So the Laker brand's great. And LeBron's great. And AD's great. And I love Kuzma. But let me just ask you, do they feel well run? Just go look at the Miami team. They had Wade, Bosch, LeBron, and room to afford seven other capable players.

The Lakers are going to be down to AD LeBron Kuzma and me. I may be the third guy off the bench. Details matter in the salary cap sports, knowing the date on trades matters. Lord. Lord. You know, I read this story this morning that's interesting. Kauai Leonard is going to decline his option and be a free agent. And the Raptors now, we looked at us up in Vegas this morning, are the favorite to land him. And, you know, I've predicted, Colin right, Colin wrong in 50 minutes. We'll talk about this.

Canada has a history of not keeping their NBA stars. That's just the history. Steve Nash said no. T-MAC left. Bos left. I actually think, Vince Carter, I actually think, I like the NBA a lot. After the NFL, it's the sport I talk about a lot. I actually think it's best for the NBA if Kauai Leonard stays. I saw another story this morning. Jimmy Butler could go west. Houston's after him hard. If Kauai Leonard and Jimmy Butler go west, Al Horford leaving the Celtics, rumor is he's going west to Dallas or Los Angeles, the Clippers. The Vegas tidal odds this morning are Lakers Warriors.

Rockets, Nuggets, Jazz, Portland, Raptors, Bucks. If Kauai leads the Raptors, Milwaukee's the only Eastern team in there. Now, Katie's probably going east, but he's not going to play for a year. Add to that, that Zion and John Morant are not only the two best basketball players in college this year. They are so dynamic. I mean, God, you watch that draft highlights. You can argue yourself into R.J. Barrett. But when you watch Zion and John Morant, you're like, oh, those were NBA players in

college, they are so dynamic. One's a better version of Westbrook. The other one looks like a more in-shaped version of Barclay or a better dribbling Carl Malone. So now the West already has the most good teams. And don't forget, Dallas, Denver, Oklahoma City, Spurs-O-is-W-A-Belible, Pelican suddenly fascinating. Out of college, they just got Zion and John Morant, easily the two most dynamic and fun to watch players. And symmetry matters. I love college football. But over the last, I would say four or five years, I have talked significantly

less college football because it has no geographical symmetry. This morning, the national title odds are Bama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas, Auburn, Florida. Oh, wait, there's Oregon. Denver West, nobody cares. It's too southern. And, by the way, love the sport. Saturdays, I'll watch as much college as pro football.

But the reason I don't talk it as much is because a huge part of my audience, Denver West, no longer cares. They can't compete for a national title. If you look at the NFL map right now, the symmetry is perfect. You've got a great team in the Pacific Northwest Seattle. Two-hour flight down, Silicon Valley's got the Niners and the dysfunctional but fun raters. Rams in charges in L.A., very good rosters. The Midwest is perfectly, perfectly protected. the Bears, the Packers, the Colts, the Chiefs, Dallas.

Excellent. Then you move into that Ohio region, Cleveland Steelers, dynamic and fun. Northeast, Philly, New England, could win the Super Bowl. Down south, Atlanta, New Orleans, Super Bowl teams. You have all this perfect symmetry. So the NFL, when I talk the NFL, everybody's in. We're all part of the same club. I never feel like I'm alienating anybody talking NFL.

When I talk college football, I feel like I can hear Denver West, car radio is turning off. I feel like, honestly, Phoenix is like, we don't care. People out west don't even know where Clemson is on a map. And so in the NBA, I do think it's incredibly important. If you look at the NBA map now, there's just way too many teams. Oklahoma City. And never forget this.

Milwaukee could very easily be a Western team if they wanted to realign the NBA. Chicago, for years, Chicago Blackhawks, they're in the, West. So Milwaukee could, Milwaukee is a little bit west of Chicago. Milwaukee could easily be a Western team. If Milwaukee was in the West, the whole damn league's top half is in the West. And then your best Eastern team now, if Kauai Stays is in Canada. So Boston's hemorrhaging players, Philadelphia, according to reports, is going to lose Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. My thing is stay east. Because I love the league and I do think it matters. Right, right now the Dodgers are great. Oh, so are the Cubs and the Astros.

And then there's the Red Sox and the Yankees. The Braves are coming on in the South. That stuff matters for a guy like me. I like college football. I can't talk at as much. I love the NBA. I don't want all these players coming west. Kauai Leonard's better in Canada.

Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris are better in Philadelphia. Al Horford, to me, should have stayed in Boston because I can talk about him. So the Kauai Leonard's situation is really interesting. Do you think privately, part of me really thinks Adam Silver privately is saying, L.A. is fine. Clippers are fun. LeBron, A.D. L.A. is good. Because I think if I was a commissioner, I would really worry about the overall macro global view of my league. And so many things are working for the NBA.

This is becoming the SEC. Like, you start the season and you know nine out of your 10 best. And then people will say, well, Toronto won the title. Yes, because Golden State fell apart physically. But there was a reason one of those teams was heavily favored. And it's not just that they were heavily favored. They had all the stars except Kauai. I don't think that's great for leagues.

All right, Joy Taylor is joining me on a Monday. Colin Wright, Colin Wrong is 45 minutes from now. Baseball had a crazy week. First of all, the Philadelphia Phillies spent all that money on Bryce Harper. He's now batting leadoff. They just got swept by the Marlins who were awful. They're falling apart. Madras with Machado aren't winning.

The Angels with Trout. And you know who's winning? Houston and the Dodgers who refused to pay big money for any individual player and they are crushing it. 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 I-Hard 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 SportsSlice 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. 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. 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, Keir Gaines, is we have very. 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. What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better.

What? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shake my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown

and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized. but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land

while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. United States Women's National Team is tied with Spain at 1-1.

Our ladies have had more opportunities to score, probably should have a 2-1 lead. By the way, I like soccer a lot. watch the United States men's national team anytime they're on. I've been watching him in the Copa Gold Cup. My only problem with American soccer is the American soccer fan who has a chip on his shoulder because it's the second most popular football in America and because they've largely been mocked because of their kind of inconsequential global standing. And so American soccer fans, whenever something goes wrong, blame the coach. It's always the coach. It's never the players.

The reason watching our women, which I have for years, the reason our women are the best women's team this century, since the turn of the century and before that is because we have more good players. Our women are a little faster. We've got more quality women. They play with more confidence. They're more aggressive because they know they're better. And when you're more aggressive in any sport, you play downhill. And our women play downhill. They don't leave anything. They leave themselves vulnerable defensively all the time because they have such great confidence in their skill level. It's not coaching, nothing against our coach. The reason our men can't beat England, Germany, Spain, Chile, Mexico, we don't have as many good players.

Christian Pulisic is unbelievable. He is the first time in my life I have watched an American player and thought, oh, he's a global star. Why? Because he can literally do more with the ball on his foot and he can win one-on-one matchups. And this is what, by the way, this is the way, this is the way, the NFL works and the NBA works. In the NBA, can you get your own shot? There's about 12 guys in the NBA.

12 that can get their own shot. Durant, LeBron, Steph, Hardin, right? In the NFL, back shoulder throws. The guy's not open. Catch yourself open. Soccer's the same thing. In a soccer match, you get about a half dozen really good scoring opportunities. That's about it.

most of the game is played not in the box. You get about six per side. The great players score on those unique opportunities at a higher level. And they happen to play for Brazil, Argentina, and England, and Germany, and Spain. And so when anybody complains about soccer, just look at our American women and our American men. Why are our American women so dominant? We have better players. We just have more good athletes.

about 12 deep of people that can really play. We substitute very little drop-off. In America, we got one or two fascinating talents as a big drop-off. It's not the coaching. It's not the coaching. Mark Jackson won with the Warriors. Luke did. Mike Brown did.

Steve Kerr did. The players are really good. It's hard to screw up the Warriors. Joy with the News. No, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the Herdline News. All right, so we're approaching the first.

fury of free agency. Yes. Our own Chris Haynes reported yesterday that the Raptors star Kauai Leonard will decline his 2019-2020 player option, which is worth $21.3 million and will become an unrestricted free agent, which we expected. Now, the Raptors is the only team that can offer Leonard a max contract for five years and 190 million, which he's obviously seriously considering. But the Clippers are a team that we talked about a lot during the season as a likely landing spot

for Kauai. And if you're driving on the interstate 5, it's about 10 miles southeast of Staples. You can see two billboards up for Kauai Leonard. One is the California license plate that reads Kauai with hashtag Klipper Nation. And the second one reads King of SoCal. Remember they had the King of the North one that New Balance put up. So it's King of SoCal. Did you see those? Have you seen those yet?

I haven't seen them yet. That's a little shot at LeBron, though, King of SoCal. And it says hashtag Kauai to LAC, just obviously L.A. The Clippers, so they don't know anything about this, so the Clippers themselves didn't necessarily put this up. But I'm with you. If I'm quiet, obviously you're going to go around and listen to every pitch that's offered to you. But at the end of the day, you can own the East and own Canada. And I don't see the point of coming to the West. There's no way I could ever tell my child or myself. I mean, sometimes I think we're crazy about this. Paul George told us the roadmap.

I'm not giving $40 million guaranteed back. Folks, these are not attorneys or doctors or even sports radio hosts that can do this into their 60s. You get about two major contracts in this business. Most guys do. 26 to 31 and 31 to 36 and then you're seacrest out of the league. I'm not giving up guaranteed years. It's too much money to leave on the table and it's too impactful to move from the east to the west right now. We know all the best teams are in the east right now.

Utah, by the way, on my vacation, Utah suddenly got better. Right. All the stars are there. I mean, LeBron is not in the east anymore. Boston's falling apart. We don't know what the Sixers are. It's basically the Bucks and the Raptors. It's an easier path.

It doesn't make sense to leave right now. You're making harder on yourself and you're leaving millions on the table. So if I'm Kauai, I'm staying there. Although good effort by whoever put up the billboards. So Chris Paul tried to put an end to the trade rumors. He was asked about his situation in Houston. He said, I quote, never asked for a trade. I never demanded a trade.

There was a lot of stories last week, a lot of speculation about what's going on in Houston between him and James Harden. Some are reports that they didn't speak for two months during the season and the relationship couldn't be saved. But he's made it clear he has no desire to go anywhere else. He said, I'll be in Houston. I'm happy about that. I'm very happy about that.

I'm good. Darryl said last week that neither Paul nor his reps requested a trade and he denied that there's some rift between Paul and Hardin. I called and a general manager in the NBA and asked him about this. And he said this story is way overblown. He said, listen, Hardin and Paul may not be besties, but the idea that it's man overboard is way overstated. No, I don't believe that it's man overboard. I think when you're not accomplishing the goal that you set out to achieve and you have an incredible amount of standards and expectations on you and you keep failing and you had an opportunity with Golden State.

without Durant and you failed. It's going to be frustrating. And that's going to bring out whatever underlying issues who may have or something that's been festering and make it worse. But if you're Houston, you do have to make some sort of move. I love the Butler, Jimmy Butler, to Houston move. They're going to have to move some X-factor pieces, Capella. Well, now the Warriors are in a little bit of physical disarray.

Right. I would make the argument this morning. Houston's no worse as the team's currently constructed. than the second best team in the West? No. But with that team, they haven't been able to get over that time, regardless. Yeah, they won 118 games, Greg said in the last two years. They're not falling apart.

No, it's just we didn't look at Houston that way because they haven't been able to beat the Warriors. Well, this is the year the Warriors are vulnerable, but as you're currently constructed, you haven't been able to do that, so you need a piece. So I think moving Capella or Tucker, which could very well happen. They're both very coveted pieces. It hurts them defensively, but someone like, Jimmy Butler, a free agent like Jimmy Butler, would solve that to some degree because he is a good defensive player. Yeah.

So that's what will happen there. Finally, Odell still has a few more things to say about the Giants. He did an interview with Complex UK this week and said, I just felt with the Giants. I was just stuck in a place that wasn't working for me anymore. I felt like I wasn't going to be able to reach my full potential there. Mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn't see it happening there. So I think allowing me to be an environment where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit.

I'm just excited to be able to play football again, not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role. He had some tweets about it a little more to say, of course, after the interview was posted and people were responding to it. I don't know what he's talking about, what the other stuff in the politics going away, because if anything, that has escalated.

Now, I know it's different playing in New York and it is playing in Cleveland, but, I mean, did New York really, I don't think that the Giants had the expectations that the rounds have this year, the pressure that they have. here because nobody really believed in Eli. Odell's biggest problem.

He's gone to a quarterback who's a more accurate thrower. And I talked to O'Dell about this. His big issue is Eli's reeling. He's not the same quarterback. And in the end, O'Dell's like, listen, I want to end up with all-time numbers.

I mean, I think O'Dell's going to be much happier. Football O'Dell, because I think they're going to feed him the rock. He's going to be targeted nine times a game. I think football O'Dell, will flourish in Cleveland. Right. Personally, will O'Dell be in the same space.

He's a global superstar. He's a Paris, New York, L.A. guy. I don't think Cleveland is ever going to be who he is. I agree with that, but, I mean, he does have Jarvis Landry there, and him and Baker seems to be friends, or at least like they're playing that teammate

got each other back role. Right now, once the season starts and you're in that grind in that role, I don't think there'll be any issues. It's more of the off-season stuff that I think O'Dell will struggle with. But I mean, he doesn't have to stay there during the offseason. So I think it's the best place for O'Dell right now. But I do think it's going to be interesting

as far as the politics and all the other stuff because they do have expectations. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Lie News. Spain and the United States women are tied at one at the World Cup. Now, these games, they're elimination games. You lose your history. And our women are favored. Spain's about anywhere between 12th and 15th in the world. We're number one. Is Chris there?

Chris Broussard is joining me. So, Chris, I was on vacation last week, and I was reading a lot about the significance of July 30th in relation to the Anthony Davis deal with the Pelicans. There's, you know, the Lakers have $24 million in cap space at that point. If Davis receives his traded bonus, you know, $28 million, if he agrees to waive it, it's very complex and it's very confusing. But this morning, do you believe Rob Polinko was aware of it or he is now sort of bailing water hoping somebody because it still can work, but he needs favors? Where do you fall on this?

Well, I tend to think that they overlooked it. There's no other way to think about it. There's no way they knew about it and were just like, oh, that's not that big of a deal. because it's a huge deal. Number one, it gives you the opportunity to get a Kauai Leonard or Kyrie Irvin or whoever, you know, one of those big-time superstar max players. But even if you don't, you have to fill out a roster around LeBron and AD. And so that money from the $4 million for Anthony Davis to the potential max cap room,

that is of the utmost importance. So I think it was an oversight. And then once they realized it, they scrambled and they tried to trade the other three guys remaining on their roster. You know, Mo Wagner and those other two guys. And now they're, you know, especially with New Orleans making that trade, they now have absolutely no control over it. And why in the world would the team help them? Why would Atlanta help the Lakers and just say, well, we'll wait to sign, you know, our fourth pick? till July 30th.

We'll skip Summer League. We won't have it. No. And so it was a tremendous oversight on the Lakers part. Look, it's not the worst thing in the world. They obviously still got Anthony Davis, but it is a big mistake that could be very costly for them. You know, I was talking to Joy about this, about Kauai Leonard. And college football has gotten very southern.

And I love college football, but a, big chunk of the country now, the numbers are eroding because they don't feel like they're in the club. Denver West, the Pac-12's fallen off. They can't really compete for national titles. And I still watch college football, but I talk less about it and give it less free publicity because of that. I look at the NBA, and I can make an argument. There's rumors now Jimmy Butler would go to Houston. Al Horford would go to the Clippers. If Kauai left, man, it is lonely out there. Milwaukee and a bunch of stuff. I could make the argument this morning. Kauai staying in Canada's actually, Chris, is great for the league for some geographical symmetry. What are your thoughts on that and what are

you hearing on Kauai? Well, I agree. It would help the league and that it would balance out the conferences. This is the first year in a while that we've had some semblance of balance. But don't forget, you've got Philadelphia. So Philadelphia, Milwaukee in the east. Boston won't be a contender anymore, but they'll still be okay. They'll be pretty good. Indiana's got cap room. They may be able to get a player that elevates them to another level. And then what if Kevin Durant, obviously he'll sit out this year, but what if he goes

to Brooklyn or New York? Or he and Kyrie goes to Brooklyn or New York together. Now you've got another juggernaut in the east next season, you know, after next season. So it's not as bad, but as far as Kauai, here's the deal. Obviously, he can stay in Toronto and get 50 million extra dollars. So that is huge. And Toronto is very much alive in this thing. However, I think this could very well be a lifestyle decision for Kauai Lennar.

And that is what I was hearing all the way back to San Antonio. And this whole past year, and I've been told nothing's changed, you know, leading into the playoffs, nothing's changed. leading into the finals, nothing's changed. So I think it's very possible. Kauai makes a lifestyle decision. I want to live in Southern California. And that ends up, you know, sending him to the clippers.

Because here's the thing. Why, like, if he's that heavy on Toronto, why are you visiting with four or five other teams? There's no, like, you, Toronto, you want a title there. They can give you $50 more million. You have a training staff and a medical staff you trust and know it's good to you. They're down with the low management that lets you sit out 20 games or so. What else you got chemistry with your teammates?

You had a great bonding experience. What other reason? What do you need to hear from another team? And Kauai is not a personality where he just wants to go out and get all this attention and have this big tour and have all the attention on him. Where's he going? He visited the Clippers the other day. He visited the Lakers.

That's not him. I believe the reason he's visiting these other teams, particularly the Clippers, is to hear, can you give me what Toronto did? And if the Clippers can impress him with their medical staff, which I believe they can, with their front office, which I believe they can, with their basketball,

plan, which I believe they can, then I think they got a great chance of getting him. There's no other reason for him to meet with these teams unless he wants to see, can you give me the load management plan, that routine, your medical routine. What's that look like? And the Clippers have spent all year, Colin, studying Kauai Leonard as much, if not more, than any other franchise. Their presentation to him basketball-wise and personality-wise is, going to be right on the money. Can you imagine, think about this, as well run as the Clippers

are, if they miss on Kauai and as dysfunctional as the Lakers are, they land AD. I would be sitting there if I was Steve Balmer and be like, what does it take? I mean, the Clippers did everything right this year. Great coach, wonderful team, good dudes, amazing chemistry, branding's great. And they go, and they whiff on Kauai. And the Lakers were a... fire for six months and land. I mean, sometimes life is not fair, right? Like if they don't get Kauai, the Clippers, life is not fair. Well, that's a great point because if they don't get Kauai, who are they getting?

That's right. Al Horford? Really? I mean. And here's an interesting thing with talk about Al Horsford, the Pelican. Now, I love him in New Orleans. With those young kids, he's a true professional. Yes.

He'll defend do the right thing, play smart. I love him in New Orleans. That could be interesting. Watch that. But, yeah, look, that would tell you the power of LeBron James. Right. That he gets AD and the clippers get nothing. So, look, there has been talked, and I've been told that Kauai is looking,

do the clippers have enough basketball-wide? Because he may not want to carry the burden. And this is where all that talk about him, going to the Lakers stems from, that he doesn't necessarily want to carry the burden year in and year out of leading a team to a title by himself with no other superstar. Oh, I get it. Yeah, I know, I totally get that. By the way, Kobe used to, you know, Kobe wanted to be the man.

He didn't want to be the only man. Right, right, right. You need that other guy. And look, Kauai is different. And I don't think he'll go to the Lakers, but there is that talk out there. and I've been told that by some people. If he went to the Lakers, you could not criticize him like people criticize Kevin Durant when he went to the war.

No, because he already won essentially as the go-to guy. Exactly. And that's the difference. I mean, he could coach the rest of his career and he's going to, you know, be a star and a Hall of Fame and all that. So it's going to really be interesting. But, like, look, and Toronto's a great city. but it's tough for guys who grew up and grew up in America to stay there.

The type of guys that they get to stay there are international players or American guys who haven't really been able to cut it elsewhere. Kyle Lowry goes all over the league, gets to Toronto and becomes an all-star, and so, of course, he'll stay there. but most other types of guys, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Chris, Vach, they have not wanted to stay there because as great a city as it is, it isn't like being in America. Right. No, fair enough. Chris Broussard, good talking to you, bud.

All right, my man. Later. Coming up, I just happened to have a personal experience with this next city. A weird story. and it in baseball happened this weekend. And it goes to what we talk about a lot. You should probably eliminate outside of the NFL, five teams out of every league.

They're there simply because billionaires wanted an expansion fee. A weird, stunning story at a baseball. Loaded today. Back in L.A. in a second, it's 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.

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 Sliced 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, 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, is we have real conversations about healing,

growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Clever Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliver Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff.

Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano. You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody!

Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian. And recently, I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, hope from a hypocrite, I'll be changing lives,

helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike! I'm a comedian. I'm not qualified to get. give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff rant and recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. One ring is too scary. Cream a chicken suit. Hey, cream a chicken suit. This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice

from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrite as part of the Mike Coutura podcast network available on the I-FartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. By the way, this new luggage used it this weekend, aluminum carry-on from away luggage. Incredible. Joy Taylor used yours as well. Did you use it? It's very fancy. It's very shiny. Very shiny. People were saying, look at Joy Taylor's luggage. Go to awaytravel.com slash Colin, the promo code Colin C-O-L-I-N. It's absolutely gorgeous. It's got little extra, a little private little cases. You can put jewelry in, dirty clothes in.

It's very sturdy, too. Very sturdy, just like this show. We're sturdy. And we get lost sometimes just like luggage, but we're very sturdy. I used to live in Tampa. And when I lived in Tampa, George Steinbrenner was living. And I met him a couple times. This weekend, there was an interesting story.

The Tampa Rays are exploring splitting games with Montreal. So they'd play the early games in. Tampa, then when it gets really hot, they'd give Montreal the team. And this, of course, is ridiculous, asking players to have to live in two cities and executives. It is, of course, ridiculous. But so was giving Tampa a major league baseball team. I was there. Vince Nimole owned the team.

He and I argued on more than one occasion. He owned Harvard Industries, bought the team. And I had said before, there's a reason Florida's never had baseball for all these years. It's not really a baseball state. Tampa's not corporate. But George Steinbrenner at the time, he lived in Tampa and he knew if he got a baseball team in the American League, it was nine times he could watch the Yankees in Tampa and he didn't have to fly up to New York. Because as he aged, he liked spending more time in Tampa and less in New York. And the second thing, he told Bud Seelig, you owe me.

At that time, baseball was losing market share to the NBA and the NFL and the Yankees were really becoming the only now. Because the Cubs were at that time pathetic, and the Dodgers weren't as relevant. And so Tampa, I was there at the time, had one Fortune 500 company in the entire Tampa St. Pete area. One, Raymond James Financial Services. One, you cannot have a major league baseball team with one Fortune 500 company. You need about 12 so they can buy all the sweets. And then you need people to make about, on average, $65,000 a year. So you can get 32,000 season ticket holders.

Tampa is old. It is not wealthy. It had no business getting a major league baseball team. I have lived in Washington State in Oregon, in Connecticut, in California, and in Florida. And Tampa St. Pete was easily the least corporate of all those areas. Easily. I mean, Portland was tiny. It had Adidas.

It had Columbia sportswear. It had Nike. It had textronics. It had intel. It had tourism. Baseball's not working. in Florida. But it should work in Miami. It doesn't work in Tampa. They're averaging. And remember, this is a well-run franchise. They've been to a World Series. They've had Joe Madden. They've

had Andrew Friedman. They play in the division with the Yankees and the Red Sox, the two biggest brands in the American League. Probably second and third. Yankees number one, Cubs two, Red Sox third in terms of domestic brands. And nobody goes to the games. Now just think about that. You've got the Yankees playing it nine times a year, the Red Sox, and all these fans come down to watch the games, and you're getting 6,000 people a night in there. Now, the announced attendance is 14 because that's tickets sold. That's not who's going to the games. On any night, if you live in Tampa and you are listening to this show, the next home game tweet to my Twitter account, the crowd. There are nights where I think they have 12.

hundred people there. This was doomed from the beginning. This is the problem with professional sports. We blame the coaches, the athletes, we blame the GMs, we blame the scouts, we blame the, we never look upstairs to the owners. The reason Tampa's in, because George Steinbrenner said, you owe me one. Their presentation was weak. They didn't have any of the data, corporate wise or personal incomes, to have a major league baseball team. They're failing master. with the two biggest draws in the American League in their division. They should have never, and it's nothing against the people of Tampa. The NFL works for Tampa.

Why? Eight home games. College football works. Florida, Florida State. It's seven home games. Baseball's 81 times you're asking people, pay 300 bucks the night with your family and come to a baseball game. It's math.

If you don't have the numbers, the corporate. the personal incomes, it doesn't work, and it doesn't work in Tampa. Hour 2 next. 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 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 Sliced 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, 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 rapid. 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, is we have real conversations about. All 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. What's up, guys? This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What?

Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Cliverts show on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Jared Adano.

You might know me as that loud guy who yells out, help on the internet. Help! Somebody! Please! But there's so much more to me than that. I'm an actor. I'm a comedian, and recently I've become quite the helper myself. And on my new podcast, Hope from a Hypocrite, I'll be changing lives, helping people in need with my sage advice and thoughtful solutions. Sike, I'm a comedian.

I'm not qualified to give good advice. Join me and my comedian friends as we riff, rant, recommend some of the most legally dubious advice known to man. If I'm calling you, even if you're on your phone, let it ring twice. one ring is too scary. Cream of chicken suit. Hey, cream. Cream a chicken suit.

This is Help from a Hypocrite, the worst advice from the dumbest people you know. Listen to Help from Hypocrat as part of the Mike Coutura Podcast Network available on the I-Fart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Ah, this is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening,

Spain, USA, Tide, 1-1 World Cup. High Heart Radio, Fox Sports Radio. We're on TV Wednesday. Joy Taylor is joining me. We are radio veterans pulling off a radio show today. Joy, how are you? You look magnificently radio-like, cool, hip, camouflage, jacket. You do look very radio like yourself, actually. You still managed to get a collar in, even on your sweatshirt. Yes, I did. We have a great hour. John Smoltz is going to join us in 15 minutes. One of the really, really interesting baseball dudes, former Braves, great Fox broadcaster with Joe Buck. It's baseball now. You get to a point with baseball now. You're seeing some trends. The Phillies are imploding. The Mets are imploding. The Yankees are getting healthy.

The Dodgers are fascinating. I've never seen a team as deep as Los Angeles. Staff, position players, batting order. But every Monday, we do it at this time. Colin right, Colin wrong. So here we go. Where Colin was right? Well, Zion was not only drafted number one, but he owned the night.

I find this kid a rare 19-year-old American superstar, crying with his mother, humble, relatable. John Morant's talented. He is not Zion in terms of a personality and dynamic, magnetic, magnetic, magnetic, human being. Zion, to me, I watched Duke play 15 to 20 times this year. This is what Magic Johnson was like. And for a lot of you college basketball fans who are in your 20s,

you just don't remember this. the sport used to have great players come back for their junior senior year. So Zion would have come back for several years. But he is exactly, the draft night summed up how I feel about Zion. It's not just talent. He is so relatable and so human and so vulnerable. I'm sitting on my couch crying, watching him talk about his mom. That is what takes him from star to American superstar.

And don't tell me college basketball is all bad because Duke is the reason I know who he is. If he went to Europe or he played G League, I wouldn't have any connection to him emotionally. I was so in on Zion. He has become exactly before playing a game what we predicted. Where Colin was wrong. I like Chris Paul I have for years. He's smart and tough. My kind of guy.

But where there's smoke, there is some fire. There's another story that he can't get along with James Hardin. And we know Big Baby Davis didn't like him. Blake didn't and DeAndre Jordan didn't and Dockstrog. I can like a guy, but I have to be honest with myself and acknowledge he's difficult. By the way, when I watch Chris Paul, he can be annoying. He's like Kyle Lowry of more talent. Yeah, you know, he's dramatic, he's feisty's.

I love Chris Paul, but I think it's, you can no longer deny that he can be tough to play with. Not everybody's Magic Johnson. Not everybody, you know, some guys are tougher to play with. He's tough to play with. Where Colin was right? I said this about two years ago. Aaron Rogers would hate to hear this, but he's becoming Brett Farr. It's like when you don't want to become your dad, and then at 55, you're like, oh, Christ, I'm my dad.

Aaron Rogers has become Brett Favre. Remember Brett Fav at the end? I don't want to learn a new offense. He got kind of brittle and kind of rigid. I just want to do the way I want to do it. Oh, what do you know? Brett Fav came out this weekend and said, you know, they should just let Aaron play his game. Aaron has complained the new coach wants to coach him.

And he can't add lib constantly in an offense. And essentially, Farvin, Aaron Rogers, have become the same guy. We didn't really watch them much in college. They come into the game, and after sitting a while, are the transcendent armed talent in the sport. You start hearing rumors that they're kind of rigid, they do it their way, they're tough to coach. But we love their talent so much. we forget the fact that they don't win as many games as they should win. Brett Farv should have won more big games.

Aaron Rogers should win more big games. Aaron's become, as we predicted, Brett Farv. Where Colin was wrong. I never thought Canada had a shot to keep Kauai. It's nothing against Canada. But I just, you know, I watch data. I look at history and they don't keep their stars. The stories this morning, though, is that Kauai Leonard,

Raptors are the favorite to land him. I actually think it's great for the league. I think you need to have guys on the East that I want to watch play. The Raptors can offer five years in 190 million. There's no way in the world I would turn down guaranteed money in the NBA. I wouldn't tell my kids to. I couldn't. But I didn't think this would happen.

I thought it would be, he'd be exit stage right. There was a story over the weekend. He was at Home Depot or something, grabbing boxes, moving boxes. and people were freaking out. Do you guys see that story in the internet? That was the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Like you can't go to Home Depot. You're leaving a city.

But it looks like Toronto may keep him. Where Colin was right? Joy knows this. I don't buy into these massive contracts for baseball players. Phillies have lost seven straight. Spent all that money on Bryce. The Padres Mani Machado, 15 and a half games out of first.

By the way, Brace Harper's now leading off. They can't figure out what the hell to do with him. The Angels were in fourth place with me. Mike Trout. By the way, the Dodgers on fire continue to pass on Zach Grinky. We're don't want to pay him the big money. Manny Machado will pass. Bryce Harper will pass. And the Dodgers have maybe the best chemistry in baseball. A bunch of young kids, they had three straight rookie walk-off home runs this weekend. And when the Dodgers win, look at how they pour out of the dugout. So Andrew Friedman, they got Puege out of the room because Puege was, I guess,

harder to play with. He was driving people crazy, little dysfunctional. They got him out of town. and the Dodgers chemistry has just been unbelievable. Once again, the Phillies who went all in on the massive 10, 12-year free agent are now completely reeling because you bring a star in. I think it affects chemistry. And when you pay a home run hitter for 30 million a year, it puts enormous stress to, oh, we're not getting 45 jacks a year and 120 RBI. Didn't like the deal.

It looks bad now. Where Colin was right? Tell my kids. your reactions, not your actions, will end up shaping your life. Be careful not to overreact. The NFL's passed a new rule. Within the last two minutes, first half, second half overtime, you can go to replays on pass interference.

Wildly overreacting to one play in one Saints Rams game. This is a mistake. Dean Blandino, former head of officials, Rules Guy Wright, said, quote, in my experience, You don't create a rule for one play. Even as obvious as that play was, you end up with bad rules. Yep, nobody wants to see the Rams Saints. Everybody wants to fix it.

But I feel like you create a rule to fix that play. We're going to see a bunch of other plays that are impacted. This is what we said. Sports tends to overreact. Bud Seelig did this. Remember they had a tie in the All-Star game? And Bud's like, we can't have a tie. winner of the All-Star game

gets home field advantage in the World Series. What? What? Reaction, not action, will generally beat you. Where Colin was right? Oh, LSU's getting in trouble from the NCAA because I don't know they pay football players.

When I used to work in the other place, I kept saying there's two SEC teams that pay people. You'll find out about them over time. one was Old Miss. Alabama coaches for years were complaining about Old Miss paying players. The second one, and now we're seeing it, and I wouldn't say it until they got busted, and they knew both would get busted. The other one was LSU.

It's a terribly kept secret in the SEC. Old Miss and LSU bring a bag of money. Here's the story. An LSU booster pled guilty to stealing more than half a million bucks. from a foundation and paying $180,000 to a star lineman. This is just what you're hearing about. Listen, I watch a lot of SEC football. It's the best conference by a mile.

But I've been banging on this for years. There are two schools with suitcases of money for star players, and they've both been nabbed, Ole Miss and LSU. There's one more, but they're not as bad. That'll come out in the next two years. Where Colin was wrong. Says here, Kevin Durant's going to Brooklyn. The Nets are gaining confidence they can sign him, according to Brian Winhorst.

I don't get it basketball-wise. I think the Nets roster is a mess. They're owners overseas. I think Katie's not playing for a year. I think Kyrie's hard to play with. I think it's a diva time bomb. I'll just say it. I don't get it.

If I was Katie's agent, I would not recommend this, but it looks like I'm going to be wrong on that one. Where Colin was right? All right, soccer experts. I saw Christian Pulisic at 17. And I said, I'm not a soccer expert, but I've been doing this sports thing for a long time, and I can see talent. Anybody watch Christian Pulisic so far in the Gold Cup? Lord. He was filthy against Trinidad Tobago, a goal and two assists.

Soccer fans stop it. You don't have to play. You don't have to be an expert. You can watch baseball and watch Mike Trout for a weekend and go, who's that guy? He's better than everybody else. Christian Pulisic, who we said three years ago. Three years ago, I went on the air at Fox,

and I said, there's this kid, and he is the greatest soccer prodigy in my life. And you're now seeing him develop, played over in Germany. Now he's going to the English Premier League. he is ridiculously gifted. He put on a clinic this weekend. Where Colin was right? Baker Mayfield taking a shot at somebody.

Yeah, Baker Mayfield is now the poster boy, obviously, for the Browns Renaissance. He was taking shots at the very talented quarterback. Sam Ellinger for the Texas Longhorns, who is front and center along with Tom Herman, the coach, bringing back the Longhorns to Respectability. They'll be a very good team this year. And Baker Mayfield took multiple shots at him over the weekend. Mayfield doesn't like Ellinger because Mayfield doesn't like the University of Texas. Red River Shootout, by the way, is October 12th, Fox Sports and Dallas.

So anyway, Baker Mayfield ripping him over the weekend saying, let me find the quote here. He said, yeah, they say Texas football's back. They said that when they beat Notre Dame a couple years ago and they won like three games after that. He said, I'm sick of their crap. That'll stir the pot. This quarterback couldn't beat Lake Travis, so I don't care about his opinion on winning. Lord.

Baker Mayfield. I got to tell you, he's going to have potholes all through his career, but he will be interesting. A lot of potholes, but he's going to be fun. Well, we're in an interesting business. We are. Spain, USA, tied at one. John Smolts is around the corner.

Metra mess. Did you hear that story? where a reporter called a manager a name, which is dangerous in a clubhouse for Newsday. He called some manager a name. And then a player came to defend the manager and they almost came to blows. And I mean, the Mets are been poorly run forever, the Will Pons. But John Smoltz will join us. The Dodgers are unbelievable.

Bryce Harper and the Phillies are a mess in Philadelphia. The Yankees now get healthy. the Mets are in another spin, and Tampa Bay playing half their games in Montreal. John Smoltz around the corner, all sorts of stuff. 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. 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

live them. Listen to Sports Slice on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Slice 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. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely.

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

This is Clever Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me. He goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out.

Quarterback on office blue with 42. Hey, Wreck, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown

and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized, but we actually meet people in. connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black

Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Absolutely crazy weekend in baseball. It really was. It was just nothing but headlines. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball. I swear to got all their young guys can play. I don't think I've ever seen a team that hits on more young guys. Forget Walker Bueller and Seeger and Cody Bellinger. They had three straight walk-off wins by three different rookies over the course of the weekend. The Phillies are a mess. The Rays want to leave Tampa part-time to go to Montreal.

You have the Mets dysfunction, which I think tends to start at the top. I don't blame the manager and the players with the Mets. It always seems to be upstairs. But with that, had a great career. now a tremendous broadcaster, John Smoltz, Major League Baseball on Fox. Let me start with the Dodgers, because that's the team I get to see in my towns on TV every night. It just seems to me on the outside looking in, John, they really hit on their young guys. Their chemistry is amazing.

They've said no to the Zach Grinky deal, the Machado, the Bryce Harper. They've really built on analytics and talented young players. They just don't seem to miss on their young talent. Is that the secret sauce they're scouting? That's a big part of it. You know, not every organization is going to have the same philosophies. And I think with resources, that helps, obviously, but it's not the soul source that get to done. A lot of teams have resources and miss.

So part of it is what you're talking about. And the other part is just the kind of channel of which they funnel these guys through. You know, they're fundamentally pretty sound on how they get them ready to get to the Bigleys. Forever they had the rookie of the year locked up, you know, eons ago, years and years, you seem that every time you looked up, it was a Dodger rookie of the year. And now their position players have really contributed at a high level. They have, I don't want to say, mastered the regular season over the last three or four years, but pretty close.

You know, and it's funny because in their own division, you have San Francisco. Francisco, which kind of felt like after those World Series titles, John, they owed guys' money. And then they got really old and, you know, they didn't have a lot of financial flexibility. And you wake up this morning and you look at the Giants and you're like, oh, they went the opposite of the Dodgers. The Dodgers are interesting. They could have had Harper, Machado, Zach Grinky. You know, I watched the Phillies, the Padres and the Angels and they sign these guys the 12-year deals.

Let's talk about the Phillies. what I don't like about a 12-year deal is, John, you ask a home run hitter to come in, you spend that money, and to me it's like if he doesn't hit 45 jacks, he's a failure. I think that, like I would spend big money on a pitcher and big money on a contact hitter.

But I think that kind of money, I think it's hard for these home run hitters to get these massive deals. And I wonder how it plays in the locker room when you're paying a guy 30 million a year. What do you see is, happening to the Phillies? Well, I mean, when you think about the monster contracts and time and length of time,

there really hasn't been anyone that's been able to deliver a championship. Alex Rodriguez got removed from Texas to the Yankees. Technically, you can say he was in the midst of that. The Yankees won a world championship with Alex. But when Texas made the move, it was a real estate deal. It was to boost the franchise, value, and all that. And I think when you look at some of these moves, Philadelphia's franchise value went up, their ticket sales went up.

I am all on board with what you're saying. It's a lot to ask for one player to totally save a franchise or take them to the next level based on sole production. But typically, you know, over the course of baseball, we haven't seen really a lengthy contract produce a World Series championship. Now, that will happen, obviously, because there's more of us. We're seeing more of them than ever before. But there is a lot to be worked out in the first couple years when a guy comes over

from changing venues to learning his teammates to obviously wanting to get off to a great start, the fan-based pressure. All those things are contributing right now to Philadelphia's, I could say, lack of success. Now, every team was going to go through a stretch like this. Philadelphia happens to be going through it right now at the wrong time leading into the All-Star break. but they're still a really, really good team. It's a matter of can they put that noise behind them and the expectation that all of a sudden got bolted on them

and chase down the current leaders, the Atlanta Braves. The season's too long. I don't see why they can't turn that around, but all the points you made are valid in the sense that you just can't snap your fingers. Anyone who knows anything about baseball could not have predicted the New York Yankees to do what they've done with all their injuries. So on the flip side, they're having a special year. And on the opposite side, Philadelphia, with all their expectations, yes, they've had a lot of injuries as well, has not been able to sustain that as a depth.

The Yankees, as we know, have come to know, their depth has survived them and really saved them to become an elite team this year. There's been kind of a crazy home run spike in baseball. And, you know, in my life, football used to have huddles. It doesn't. Basketball used to shoot mid-range jumpers. You don't. Baseball, there used to be base stealing and moving runners along. Now it's strikeout or home run. I like activity. I miss. I miss Lou Brock. I miss Ricky Henderson. I miss Joe Morgan. I like base dealers. But the sport analytically is changing. Everybody's swinging up. I get it. I don't necessarily think it's bad. What do you make of a spike in home runs? Rob Manfred this weekend talked about it with some pill inside the ball. It's way over my head. What do you make of the spike in home runs? Rob Manfred this weekend talked about it with some pill inside the ball. It's way over my head. What do you make of the spike as a former player and a broadcaster? Good bad for baseball?

What do you land on it? Well, a gift in a sport and how the game is played universally, right? There's not really many teams zigging when everyone else is zagging. There seems to be this conformed way of doing baseball based on the way that the information is coming in and the style of the game that we've created. Hitters from youth baseball, pitchers now, train. to throw the ball as hard as they can. Velocity is king.

Obviously, distance is king. And I think it's their form of thinking that this is the best way to score runs. When runs was at a premium and runs were down, they decided that because of all the shifts and all the different analytical information that is giving teams access to becoming better, the best version of it's going to be hitting the ball over the fence. Higher velocity, swing approach, training is all geared towards

lifting the ball in the air. You know, there are terminologies that people won't be used to and will eventually get used to is the fact that, you know, when the runners on first, they do not even want the ball hit on the ground. Yeah. So they're trying everything they can to get the ball off the ground so that the shift doesn't come into play. And obviously the stadium can't hold it. So there's, I don't think it's all about just the baseball. I think a lot of contributing factors, and the style, it's the same as what you mentioned.

In the NBA, I'm a huge basketball fan, but there's no longer layups. I mean, there's rarely layups or mid-raised jumpers. They're passing them up to get the three-point shot, which they have come to say that that's a better version. The three-point shot's a better version for the offensive style of the big leagues today, or for basketball today. Yeah. Finally, I lived in Tampa, and this is no shot at Tampa, but I didn't think it fundamentally economically could support a baseball team. When I was there, Tampa, St. Pete, people were not willing to drive the other across the bridge to go to a sporting event. So the Buccaneers drew from Tampa and the raise mostly draw from St. Pete.

There was only one Fortune 500 company, Raymond James Financial Services. I didn't think the incomes, if you looked it up, they didn't match. I just didn't think Tampa. And I don't think Oakland, I don't think they work for the structure economically of what baseball demands. 81 home games, 30 suites, 28,000 season ticket holders. So when I see this story that the raise could split with Montreal, my first take is a player has to have two homes? That is rough on the players. Just take me to your career.

Again, you were in Atlanta. You guys were always, you didn't have half of these problems. You had a great manager. Sherholz, you had a great ownership, you had great GM. What would you do if you played in the Biggs, and it was decided, John, Atlanta, and North Dakota? I mean, what do you make of that story? You know, as a player, you could complain all you want, but you'd have to conform. I don't know that that's possibly going to happen, but, you know, the intrigue, I guess, more from a PR standpoint for trying to figure out if the team back in Montreal, you know, would work.

again. I just know that baseball players, athletes, they're not all the same, but for me, the better structure I would have, the better chance I'm going to be successful. Yes. I would struggle. I would very much, that's my personality. I would struggle knowing there's too many pieces and, you know, too many balls in the air. It was part of why I stayed in one city for 21 years. It's part of why I stayed with one manager. I love the structure of it. And I think, you know, being able to adapt today in the style of baseball the way it is, I credit a lot of young players. They're young.

So maybe they're more able to adapt, whereas I was more used to the style that I played in. But I just don't know if that could work and a team be successful. But maybe, you know, maybe I could be wrong. No, listen, what you're saying is you're a creature of habit and structure. For the record, so am I completely. It's a really great point. And I think baseball tends to be it's such a tough mental sport. It's mentally fatiguing that if you add, you juggle some balls in the air for a baseball player,

I think it could work in football, actually. You could play six games in Buffalo, two or three in Toronto. You're asking baseball guys to juggle all that stuff emotionally? Yikes. I think it's a great point. Boy, you really had, that's amazing. Have you ever sat back and thought to yourself? you have one of the, you may be a handful, you and Derek Jeter, you had one GM, one manager,

one city, that's just unheard of. God, that's unheard of. It is. And intentionally, I made, you know, a lot of choices to not take more money to go somewhere else because of that. Ironically, my first gentle manager became my manager. Bobby was the guy that got me over as GM, and then he became the real, you know, I played for Russ Nixon for a year, but Bobby was the guy that I wanted to play the rest of my career for, almost accomplished it. And really, that lifestyle is the reason I think I played 21 years. Had I moved around and bounced around a lot,

don't know that I would have had that kind of career. John Smoltz, Major League Baseball on Fox. Great talking to you. I love your work. Thanks, John. Thank you. You bet. Yeah, that's incredible.

It just doesn't happen today. No, it's very rare. I mean. But it's a special thing. though and it's i mean jason obviously wanted to play in miami for that's just where he wanted to play yeah i mean it didn't happen that way he ended up going to washington and uh to the jets but there's something to being in one place for your entire career you go through the ups and downs and you just become a part of that community and obviously sports is something that is so up and down anyway not having to

move your family being able to get involved in business in the community and not have to worry about you not being anywhere huge advantage uh joy with the news Turn on the news This is the herd line news So David Griffin He's basically the Thanos of the NBA right now He's crushing it everywhere But he is trying to dial back the pressure on Zion Williamson

Good luck with that by the way He has drawn some comparisons to LeBron James Zion has but he might not be able to transform the franchise overnight He is only 18 years old David Griffin said this is Drew Hollidays team Zion is going to be learning how to win at a really high level. At some point, if there is a, if there is a time that the baton gets passed in terms of who is expected to carry us to win games, it will. That is not now.

Let Zion be that kid. Don't write this like he is here to save this franchise. He is not. He is here to join this family. Well, that all sounds very nice. Yes, it does. That is very strategic, very special statement, but nobody is believing that. Now, I don't think that Zion is coming into the NBA with the same amount of pressure that LeBron James had because Cleveland was in a different situation.

Cleveland was kind of known the entire city for losing, and he just had a different kind of expectation on him. I don't think that the league is in a space where they're just dying for a star. There's so many stars in so many different areas. I don't know that he has the same pressure LeBron had. I don't think so. I'll tell you actually, I think this is about, I think Zion's going to have a better rookie year than LeBron. And this is why I believe this. LeBron statistically had a great rookie year.

But LeBron for about four years in Cleveland, like he was the whole team. The Pelicans, this David Griffin, we knew was smart. So he brings in Lonzo. He'll take glare off. Yep. He brings in, by the way, they got the two guys in the draft I love. They got both of them. number one Zion and then the center from Texas, Jackson, who I loved, and Jackson Hayes,

who my scouts are all like, he's the sleeper in the draft. So they bring in Lakers and Lonzo and you have Drew and they're trying to engineer another trait. Al Horford may end up there. That's how you bring a rookie in. So Zion can score his 18 and he doesn't drive to the arena at night feeling like, oh my God, like LeBron for four years was like, I've got a, U.S. just scored, by the way, USA just scored over Spain. I have nothing against Spain and the great culture, but I am clearly rooting for America here.

And the United States, did Megan Rapino score that? She set it up. Oh, penalty kick here. Oh, it's Megan. Boom. Beautiful. 2-1 USA.

Please continue on. Sorry. Yeah, not the same pressure that LeBron. You're absolutely right. Lonzo being there, Lonzo, to me, is the biggest factor. Coming into a team that has Drew Holiday on it, it's obviously very important.

David Griffin is right. he's going to learn how to win, which is something that LeBron did not have in Cleveland, but also having Lonzo being a facilitator. And Lonzo, Lonzo's been through it now. Like injuries, the trade, everything that went on with the Lakers. So it's definitely a better position for Zion than it was for LeBron. I can't remember the last time, a number one great pick came into the league. And I was like, God, they set it up perfectly.

He's got an all-star veteran. They may get it. If he brought in Al Horford, you got a couple of Lakers, young guys who have been in the league, you got a veteran coach. I mean, it's really a nice, soft. And by the way, expectations in the West. Finish 10th, everybody's like, oh, they won 38 games.

Great year. And also the city of New Orleans does not have the same feeling that Cleveland had. Like, you have the saints there. He was the savior. LeBron was the savior of the state. So it's just a different situation. So you just mentioned it a little bit ago. The past interference review rule for the 2019 season is a favorite.

official. This was really disappointing on vacation reading if this happened. I was really hoping that they did not pass this, but they did. The NFL competition committee unanimously recommended the role for instant replay pass interference for this season only. So according to the final rule, pass interference reviews after the two minute warning of each half and during overtime will be initiated by the replay official and they will only be able to stop the game when there is clear and obvious visual evidence that a pass interference penalty may or may not have have occurred. So under two minutes, coaches won't be able to challenge past interference. It will only be up to the booth and it will, according to the rule, have to be an egregious

thing that happens to make them review it. Now, we all know how this goes, so none of us really believe that's how it's going to play out. The big concern for me, aside from a ridiculous amount of stoppages in the game, which like reviews the worst and it's the best and the worst. Like, it completely crushes the momentum of any game. But it also is very important. You want to get the call right. So I do like having reviews. With discretion.

It's just like, this is just not a call. It can be a pass interference either way on almost every single play. It's brutal. And it's terrifying to me. Now, the only thing is that maybe coaches will be afraid of losing their timeouts if it doesn't go their way. So I don't think they're going to get crazy with it. But it's just another reason to stop the game. And I like that this wasn't a reviewable play.

And then it also changes Hail Mary's because, there's always interference on Hail Mary's at the end of the game, and it's supposed to be reviewed consistent with the guidelines for officiating during the rest of the game. So Hail Marys now will be reviewed. And by the way, are you going to tell me now on a Hail Mary win, the way a Hail Mary is taught, is coached, is positioning. It's almost a rebound in basketball. Yeah.

Get your arms out, get your butt out, get your space. But that's all past interference. Right. I mean, again, this is a classic wildly overreacting. to a crappy call. And it was a crappy call. I just, I don't get it. I don't understand it. Because it obviously was a terrible call, but it's, it is what it is. It happens. I don't understand why you would change the rule over that. It's happened so many times before. Why this particular play, why this particular game is going to change it. I don't know. Finally, Lincoln

Riley said he wasn't tempted to leave Oklahoma for an NFL job this off season. He said it's hard to see myself leaving Oklahoma, not even for the Browns or Baker. Well, it's been reported that Riley has a $4.6 million buyout if he leaves Oklahoma for any job, including the NFL, after the 2019 season. So after this season, if he wants to leave, someone's going to have to pay quite a bit of money to get him to leave Oklahoma. Now, after that, the buyout drops a million every year until 2022, and then OU will waive the buyout. So basically, you're going to have to pay a lot of money for Lincoln Riley. He may be the best coach in college football, and that's no shot at Dabo. but he's only had this head coaching job a couple of years.

If football's becoming more offensive-minded, which it is, he's the best offensive coach, I think, in college football, by a long shot. I wouldn't leave. I think he's like 38. His 24 and 4 record and 2 Big 12 championships and two highs and trophy winners in his two seasons. He's really sharp. And you know what? I've got to be honest with you.

I'm not so sure to the way I see outside of Belichick, the way they treat these NFL coaches, college football pays now, mostly what NFL does. It pays. You get to run your own program. Now, you do have to deal with, you know, there's pros and cons on either side. You probably have to deal with more executives and suits, boosters, as you said. And, you know, you have to recruit, which you don't have to do in the NFL.

So there are some extra responsibilities that you have to deal with in college. But you don't have, you don't, you're not looking at getting fired after a year because your quarterback got injured and, you know, the owner panicked. There's a lot more flexibility as far as that goes, and you get to stay in one place. As we just mentioned earlier, it's super important to people. Enjoy it with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by.

The Herd Lie News. Dan Wokey, Brian Scalabrini on deck. 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.

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 SportsSlice on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, follow Timbo Sliced 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, 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 you're afraid 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 keir gains is we have real conference 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. What's up, guys?

This is Clivert Taylor the 4th. And on my podcast, The Cliverts show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker, this linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue with 42.

Hey, Rhett, my mama want you to weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior, and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self-discovery, and returning to yourself.

We explore higher consciousness, emotional well-being, and the practices that help you find clarity, peace, and self-mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected. We're becoming more individualized. but we actually meet people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole,

this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Great news. Quick way you could save money. Go to Geico, 15 minutes, save 15% Geico.com. Brian Scalabrini, serious XMNBA, BAE,

host, played with in Celtics for years and years, now does some of their games. And I want to talk about this Kyrie stuff, being a diva, because you've got insight on this stuff. I've always thought the NBA has always got a great player who's flaky. Dwight Howard, World Be Free, Steph Marbury. There's always a great player in the league. He's a little different, little bit of a diva, not easy to play with. Give me the insight on how bad it was with Kyrie and that staff and that team. Well, I don't know if it was, I don't know if it's like that. I just look at a lot of the times that he was really good at times throughout the year, and he was hard on the young guys like LeBron was on him.

But I think the difference is LeBron was hard on Kyrie when he was in Cleveland because he hasn't won anything. It gets convoluted when you look at what the team was able to accomplish last year, and all of a sudden, and no, I'm not running away from the police. And all of a sudden, you got Kyrie calling out the young guys for not doing a good job last year. or you have to do more than that if we're ever going to go anywhere. And I think a lot of those guys look to him like, well, if we had LeBron on our team, we would have won an NBA championship too.

So I don't know if he's hard to work with or he's a diva, but sometimes he probably is a little outspoken where maybe he probably should just kept his thoughts to himself. Okay, so now Al Horford leaves. And there is this feeling that Boston, they accumulate all these draft picks. They're very, very smart. They're ahead of the curve. they don't have a catchy nickname like the process, but they've really figured out the rebuild without the tank.

And now I look up and Kyrie's gone and Al Horford's gone and Gordon Hayward's overpaid. And my question is, is the run over? Well, I don't think, I don't want to, what do you mean by the run? They didn't win a championship. I mean, but they're not even, they're not Milwaukee. If Kauai stays, they're not Toronto.

I mean, they feel like the third best team in the East now. Well, remember, this team without Gordon Hayward and without Kyrie was one game away or maybe three possessions away from the NBA final. So Jalen Brown will improve. Jason Tatum has to get better. He has to take his game to a whole new level. He can't just be eight points, one game, 24 points to next game. And he had some pretty good games when Kyrie was sitting out.

If you move on from there, they have assets like Memphis's pick, top six protected, and will be unprotected in the future. I think it's more like a retooling this year. And do not count them out. they could move some things around. I have $33 million of space. And if I was them, I would be going to Kimba Walker's agent and saying Kemba. It's great that you were in Charlotte.

You had a good year. You got some ups and downs. But Brad Stevens has had a track record of taking small guys. Isaiah Thomas. Isaiah was ranked fifth in the NBA and MVP voting. Why can't they convince Kimball Walker to do the same thing with that $33 million salary spot? Now, I'm not saying that's what they're going to do. But if I were then, that's what I'd be looking for.

And if I'm Brad Stevens or if I'm Kimmel Walker, I think that'd be a nice little combination because he reminds me a lot of Isaiah Thomas with the athleticism and his ability to score. Lakers, A.D. LeBron Coosma, how good is that team? How limited is that team? Yeah, they need another guy because if you saw this year, Quiet Leonard played, what did he sit out,

22 games, and they went 17 and 5 during that time. I don't think LeBron can play 82. they've got to figure out a way to be relevant in the West without LeBron playing, let's just say he played 65 games. So I don't know if they can be a seventh seed or a sixth seed if LeBron is missing those amount of games. It's Anthony Davis is missing those amount of games. I think they really messed up with that whole salary thing and not being able to get a max

player out there. But we'll see what they end up doing. I think they need one more guy to convince to come in just to help an aging LeBron when he takes games off. Do you think that LeBron A.D., though, will attract a guy like a Reddick or a Darren Collison that may be willing to take a little bit of a pace slice? Yeah, I think so. That's actually a really good call by you. I think you still need a big-time player. I'd be targeting, like, a Tobias Harris or a Chris Middleton type of guy. But you definitely can, you need to try to get a guy taking a discount.

And maybe that is a JJ Reddick. You know, maybe he can get 15 million or 10 million somewhere else and you can get him playing for five. but that's going to be an important signing whatever they use their mid-level exception on. Could you, if you're Kauai Leonard, could you give up a guaranteed fifth year? I mean, I couldn't. I couldn't recommend it to my son. If I was an agent, I couldn't recommend it to my client.

I'd have him stay in Canada. Would you? Yeah. So, Colin, right now, if he plays two more years and let's just say he's still at the same level he's at right now, once you're 10 years in the NBA, you can get like 35% of the cap. So his number is exponentially more than what it is if you're nine years in the league.

So, yeah, I'd be convincing Clyde Leonard to sign for two more years or do a two plus one. And then after that, you can go wherever you want. You can really get big money, $35, $37 million, depending on what the cap is. So once you're 10 years in the NBA and you can still go out there and sign a max contract, that's big money, Colin. Yeah. I have a feeling he's going to stay. I really do for at least the time being.

I think he's going to sign a 2 plus 1. That's what I would do if I were him. That team is still good. And I don't know how good they'll be in three years. I don't know how good they'll be in 5. So 2 plus 1, and then we'll be doing this all over again in two years. Good seeing you. Good talking to you, scow.

My man, see you. See you. By the way, USA leads Spain 2 to 1 United States Women's World Cup. And it feels like about 90% of this game has been deep in Spain's end trying to defend themselves. The reason our women are so great is the reason our men aren't. We've got more good players. Sorry, it's not coaching. Go further than ever.

Discover it Miles card. They match the miles you earn at the end of your first year. Go to discover.com slash travel. Discover.com slash travel. Learn more there. Hour three next. It's the herd. Want 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 live. like. Ah, here we go, our three in a Monday. This is the herd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio.

I'm just glancing up. United States women have beaten Spain two to one. We will play France Friday. We, because it is my team. Yes, I am not in the least objective about the United States men's and women's national team. I am not only a growing soccer fan. I'm a season ticket holder to L-AFC.

It's the only season tickets in L.A. I have. But my only problem with soccer, as I've said, is soccer fans in America who constantly want to blame the coach. And the reason our women win is not because of coaching. It's because we have more power, more depth, more talent, more confidence. And we go about 9, 10 players deep. And we win a lot of one-on-one battles because we have more talent. And we have been very much promoting women sports in America,

more so than other countries perhaps have 10, 15, 23, 30 years ago, and that's why we're so powerful. We're ahead of the curve on that. Sort of like Brazil and Argentina and Germany are ahead of our men in soccer because soccer's been heavily promoted in those countries, and we always feel like we're a little behind in soccer. Sure, but, you know, we don't make excuses. Those are reasons, but we don't make excuses.

But just like in any sport, you can have a great system, a great owner, great facilities, great coach. At one point or another, you need the talent. And our women have the talent. many of the top players in the world are American women and we don't have a pipeline that's nourishing our men's program with world-class talent. I do think Christian Pulisic is amazing.

Defender John Brooks is very good. Weston McKinney is super talented, but we don't have the pipeline yet. We have played very well in the Gold Cup, so congratulations to our women. By the way, this story over the weekend, I want to address a couple of things here. First of all, the Mets are a mess, and mostly because every city, every team in New York now is a mess.

The Knicks aren't well run. The Jets and the Giants aren't well run. The Mets aren't well run. The Yankees have made mistakes but have so much money they can flush out their mistakes like Jacoby Ellsbury's contract or John Carlos Stanton. I think over time will not look like a good deal. Although he was productive last year, they already had a John Carlos Stanton. It was called Aaron Judge, and he was homegrown and he was cheap, and he still is. and they paid for his duplicate, which I never got.

But, you know, it's the Mets basically over the weekend, a reporter taunted the manager. A player came in threatening to deck the reporter. Mickey Calloway's the manager. I don't follow the Mets day in and day out, like a beat reporter, obviously, but enough to know over the course of the last 15 years, they're poorly owned and therefore poorly run. It is amazing what I'm seeing, though, on a macro level.

And I've been on this for a couple. couple years. New York sports teams are poorly run. The Mets, the Knicks, the Jets, the Giants, and I think there's a reason for it. Now, conversely in Boston, which tends to be an academic leaning city, it's not the rich city, it's the academic leaning city. The Celtics, the Patriots, the Bruins, and the Red Sox are all well-run. In Los Angeles, the Rams, the Dodgers, the Clippers, the Chargers, L-A-FC, they're all well-run. In America, the three cities of note, New York's the money city, L.A. is the glamour city, and D.C. is the power city. And money is a quick fix in sports. It's almost never the solution long term. And New York has exponentially more money than 90% of American cities.

And money creates power and it creates vanity and it creates ego. And I think the Los Angeles teams that have succeeded, because L.A. is the second biggest city in the country and probably the second richest city. but the teams in Los Angeles that work, the Clippers, the Dodgers, the Rams, the Chargers, have avoided the big splashy move. You can't find Jared Goff in Los Angeles. You can't find Aaron Donald. They hide clippers. They're a chemistry play.

Dodgers have said no to big contracts. In New York, it's like parenting. Big money can give you better education, better quality health care. But big money can also mean big entitlement. and brady kids. And you have to be very careful if you grow up in money as a parent, how it's afforded on your kids.

Pay for experiences. Pay for education. Pay for health care. Be careful about paying for big 16th birthday parties. And when I look at New York, I think there is less efficiency. I think they fall in love with themselves. I think there's a lot of ego.

And I don't see grinders in New York City in sports. I don't. I see, I know all the GMs. I know the owners. I don't see the grinders. That's why I love Sam Darnold or the Jets. I said he's a blue-collar kid. He's a complete utter grinder.

Baker-Mayfield in New York would implode. OBJ in New York imploded. If you look at what has worked in New York City, it's been grinders. Jeter. I mean, Jeter was a grinder. Pasada. Bernie Williams. It's not been Canoe, flashy.

It's not been A-Rod as much. Flashy. It's not been Carmelo. What has worked in New York City. city is when you get a grinding work ethic personality in a city with a lot of distractions, and they're not distracted by it. Jeter, Eli, Sam Darnold. But Silicon Valley's had this, where they had so much money, they didn't know exactly what to do with it. And they eventually Silicon Valley companies have to bring in business people to correlate their massive amounts

of commerce. And I think the Yankees are the one organization in New York that appears well run. And I think much of their success is because Judge, Gary Sanchez, Torres, Andouhar are homegrown talents. They've gone to the farm system. I didn't like Jacobi Ellsbury signing. I didn't like the John Carlos Danton signing. They went for the big splashy headline. That's not how you went in baseball. What you're seeing in baseball that's working, the Dodgers, the Astros, a lot of the Red Sox, and a lot of this Yankee success is on their homegrown guys. New York is a city of money and power and vanity and distractions, and the Mets are just symptomatic of what it's producing.

Bad sports. You can't find a city in the country that's got more poorly owned, poorly run franchises than New York. Yankees are it. Everything else is a mess. And again, that's why I think Sam Darnold was a huge, huge mistake by the Giants. You had your guy. You had your next Eli. head down. Sam Darnold's not on Twitter.

Baker Mayfield can't stop talking. Donald's not even on Twitter. He didn't drink on his birthday. The Mets have become what New York is for sports. A mess. It's just a mess. Also, I think this story is interesting. Brett Farr was asked this week. I don't know if we have the sound for this, but Brett Farr was asked about Aaron Rogers.

About a week ago, I was on vacation. There was a little story about Aaron Rogers has a new coach. And Aaron's come out and said, listen, this. coach has a style and a system, and it's pretty rigid. And I'm not necessarily a quarterback who works well in a rigid offense. I tend to be an ad libber. And Farr have defended Aaron Rogers. Aaron will be fine. You know, I think that's the thing is he needs to remain the same. And I don't have to give him any advice. He'll handle it well. I think you let him play his game and not disturbed that very much. And it's going to be interesting to see if that happens.

Here's the thing. Tom Brady and Joe Montana were incredibly coachable stars, 10 Super Bowls, incredibly coachable. Far Big Ben and Aaron Rogers are talented. Not as coachable. Now, yippy, they've got five MVP's, but Far of Big Ben and Rogers only have four Super Bowls. And I think when I say Far of Big Ben and Rogers, we tend to think talented, but left a lot on the table. is what you're hearing about Aaron Rogers is what Greg Kosell said on our show three years ago and I've played this at least 10 times, maybe more. Aaron Rogers is not that coachable.

The reality is when you watch Aaron Rogers and it takes nothing away from his performances over the years but he's not truly a rhythm player, Colin. He's kind of an offbeat player, an off-rhythm player. He's more like a jazz beat. He's a second-reaction player. And very often there are throws that are there within the rhythm of the play and the timing of the play. And he doesn't make those throws.

Now, he might move around and then make another throw, but there are times against really good defenses where that doesn't work. It's tough to be consistent that way against higher level defenses. Translation, he's not very coachable. Like, you have to make a choice as a talented quarterback. And really, any athlete. Do you want to be coachable? Tim Duncan, Tom Brady, Andrew Luck. or do you want to just do what works for you?

Aaron Rogers, Brett Fav, a little bit of cam, what do you want to do? And I'll give you an amazing stat. Aaron Rogers owns a shockingly bad stat, and it's hard to wrap your brain around. But it's data and you can't argue it. Aaron Rogers has fewer come from behind wins than Andy Dalton, Ryan Tannehill, and Joe Flacco.

Don't blame the defense. That doesn't make any sense. But yes, it does. Because to win come from behind games, coaching converges with quarterback play. So who are the two best guys in the league? Statistically, it come from behind wins? Brady and Luck, the two most coachable stars.

The Ringer did an article, it was last football season. And they were talking about how Brady and Luck, over 50% when they can come from behind and win, they do. because they're coachable. Aaron Rogers and his unwillingness to be coached is at 25%, half of luck and Brady. And so I think Aaron Rogers could get away with this when Chicago had a bad GM, a bad coach, and no quarterback.

And when Detroit and Minnesota were dysfunctional. And there was a long streak when the bears, the lions, and the Vikings didn't have a franchise quarterback. But Chicago and Minnesota now are loaded rosters. They have their quarterbacks for the future. and the closer the talent details in all sports matter more. And Aaron Rogers is becoming Fav. None of us want to become our dads, right? And you look up at 45, and we're all our dads.

And my wife and I joke about that all the time. We don't want to be our parents, right? Oh, they're not cool. They didn't do this. And you look up at 45 and you're like, oh, I'm a parent. Is that Rogers is becoming FARV, a certain rigidity, a certain level of talent, not willing to always be coachable, ad-libbing out of called successful plays. and I just, you cannot get past that come from behind staff.

Don't make excuses. The Packers haven't had great defenses, but they haven't been garbage. He's got fewer come from behind wins than Dalton, Flacco, and Tannahill. Have they always had great defenses? Did Tannahill always have great defenses? Did Andy Dalton always have great defenses? Statistically, Cincinnati's defense was the worst in NFL history last year. So at some point, Aaron Rogers has to make a choice.

do I want to be more coachable or just do what I do? I think it's hurt Cam, I think it's hurt Ben, I think it's hurt Farrb, and I think it's hurt Aaron Rogers. How about, I cannot, I feel bad for the Clippers. There's a real possibility. They did everything right this year, and they're not going to land Kauai. And the Lakers did everything wrong, and yet they landed Anthony Davis. Got some thoughts on that 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. Don't skip meals anymore. Drink Soylent. Complete meal in a bottle designed with plant protein, essential nutrients. Keep you satisfied. Limited time. First-eye customers.

Use the code Herd 20. Soylent.com. Herd 2.0. Hurd 20% off your first case. Craziness. Craziness happening. Wild baseball weekend. USA soccer is.

rolling in the gold cup and the World Cup. By the way, I saw a stat the other day, like between the men and women's United States national teams, we're like 6 and 0 and have like 40, 35 goals. It's like we're in the golden era for our soccer.

Of course, Gold Cup, we're not in a toughest group, but Dan Wojke, L.A. Times national NBA reporter, had him on the herd in our studio a couple of weeks ago and Dan joining us again. So when I was on vacation. I worked last Monday for the Anthony Davis deal, and then I took vacation. And then the story start coming out, Dan, about the July 30th, the significance of that date in relation to the

AD deal. You know, bottom line is days matter, dates matter when you're signing a free agent. Is it of your opinion, Dan, that Rob Polinka and the Lakers weren't buttoned up and gave away about 8 million in cap space? I don't think so. I think, obviously, the timing of it was a little bizarre, and there was some kind of initial confusion as to how the deal was going to be consummated. But I think, Colin, when you agree to add the number four pick to a trade like this, and then that number four pick is kind of being moved to under the assumption

that it might be moved a second time, you know, teams want those guys in. You know, they want those guys playing in Summer League. You want those guys in your system. And if the deal was going to wait to the 30th, you know, the Lakers would have had DeAndre Hunter just sitting around doing nothing, you know, probably would have kept him, I think, in some sort of plastic level to make sure he didn't get hurt or anything. It would have been a very uncomfortable, awkward situation.

The league, generally speaking, is kind of against trades being constructed like this. For reasons like that, you don't want to. wait 30 days on stuff. Like if the deal's done, ideally, you get it done as quickly as you can. And so I think maybe some of that sort of, like the Rob didn't know what he was doing part of this was overblown. I think would they have liked to have figured out a way to do this where they could get maxed space?

Certainly. But that wasn't the goal here, right? The goal here was to get Anthony Davis and they accomplished that. Yeah, I mean, you know, with the Lakers, you know, when Miami was winning titles, Not only did you have Bosch, Wade, and LeBron, but you had a series of really not cheap veterans. Ray Allen, Badiere, Mike Miller. Yeah. And when Golden State's winning, they've got Iggy off the bench.

Details matter in this league. Toronto just won a title. Sean Livingston. John Livingston. He's a huge signing. Yes. In terms of this four years of the dynasty. Right.

And you look at Toronto. Lowry's expensive. Kauai is expensive. Gassal is expensive. Ibaka's expensive. Danny Green's not cheap. The idea in this league is to, not only get stars, but they have a little money, some crumbs left over, so you can get really

smart veteran players, perhaps on a discount, but they're not cheap. When I look at this Lakers situation now, Kuzma's nothing. But LeBron A.D., what can they really afford to add to this? Can they get a couple of Patrick Beverlies, Darren Collison, J.J. Reddix? Yeah, I mean, I think it can only be a couple, right? They're going to have to be really smart with sort of the money that they have. I do think that in sort of my vision, if I were running the Lakers, I think it's almost preferable. If I'd had a maxed slot to kind of use it on two or three guys that can play 30 minutes a night versus, say, Kemba Walker. I think the only guy that I would have maxed out in sort of the Lakers situation would be Kyrie Irving. Just kind of a guy who understands what it's like to play with LeBron, who understands what it's like to not be a first option.

And I think, you know, when you start talking about Kemble Walkers of the world, like, this is a guy who's been the man on his team for half a decade. And going from that to being sort of the third prong on an offense, I think would be a huge adjustment. We've seen guys struggle with this in the past, particularly as point guards, right? We saw, and granted he was a much older player, but, you know, how ineffective Steve Nash was as just a spot-up shooter after spending, you know, a decade plus with the ball in his hands. I think it would have been a real challenge. That's why you mentioned Patrick Beverly. I think he's a really interesting sit. I know he loves Los Angeles.

You know, he's a guy who knows how to play without the basmows hands. He has some sort of, you know, he does have some sort of injury history, which would make me a little nervous. I really like Malcolm Brogden, but if you start talking about Malcolm Brogden, that's a really expensive player. Can you figure out a way to get San Marcus Morris and Malcolm Brogden with $23 million? I would say probably not. I think we're looking at a tier below here.

and it's hard. Shopping around, you know, kind of the $6 to $7 million range for players in this league is really difficult. Yes. You look at, honestly, I mean, Milwaukee doesn't have a year they have unless kind of Brooke Lopez falls into the last minimum. You know what I mean? And so you have to kind of find these guys sort of on the fringe.

It's going to be, Colin, I think, a really interesting market. When I talk, you know, and I think this actually might benefit the Lakers. When I talk to some executives around the league and stuff like that, I hear from teams that have Capspace that, you know, everybody's saying right now, like, they're not going to panic. No one's going to get caught in sort of the Timof-Fay Mosgov-Lewald-Dak type deals that Mitch Cupchek got stuck in a few years ago when he whiffed on Lamarckos Aldridge and they didn't get come around with it. You know, they're not going to be pressured into sort of making these marginal deals to make your team, you know, maybe three to four wins better over the course of the season. That teams, I think, are getting smarter about their money. You've seen this in baseball.

You know, this was a huge issue in baseball. The season, I think it'll bleed over a little bit to the NBA. We're sort of the second and third tier free agents, you know, maybe even the fourth tier free agents. It might be kind of hard to find a team, you know, say like the Clippers. The Clippers don't get Kauai Leonard. Yeah. I don't think they're going to go out and spend a bunch of money on the guys that only make them marginally better.

That doesn't feel like sort of their trajectory as an organization. You know, Brooklyn, I think, is in a really interesting spot. they have new ownership and ownership wants to make a splash. Well, that tends to not be a really good thing. You know, they've got, Sean Marks is a really smart guy in their front office. And they've got the kind of roster they can afford to be patient with. It'll be interesting to see if they miss on Kyrie, if they miss on Kevin Durant. Do they talk themselves into a situation where they max Campbell Walker and they throw

a bunch of money at Zay and Nicola Vucevich? You know, I don't know that that's really good for the long-term health of an organization to kind give yourself a roster that sort of caps at the three-seat knees. How devastating would it be if the dysfunctional Lakers are able to land AD and the competent, smart, detail-oriented clippers whiffed? How devastating would that be? I mean, it's really almost unfair. How devastating do you think that would be to the organization if they just don't land Kauai?

I think it doesn't really deter them a ton. And I think, obviously, it would be a setback. And they're in a very good position to get Kauai Leonard. You know, they've done everything that they possibly can do to be an attractive destination. It's probably some bad luck. You know, if Kauai stays in Toronto, you know, how different is it if that ball takes one extra bouts on the run against Philadelphia falls out, right? That's the difference between him having the parade and him having an amazing sort of career-defining iconic moments in the city versus him just being done, you know, in early May and, you know,

being out in the West Coast and enjoying California for an extra month. I think, yeah, it would be a blow, but I still think that what they did with the device errors trade, Colin, is they set themselves up for virtually any scenario, right? Like, they're in position where they have the cap space to make a move on a guy like Kauai Leonard, you know, and a guy like Kevin Durant or whoever used that they want to shop it at the top of the market. They're in that position, right? but if they miss, they still have draft assets.

They still have future flexibility. They're in the conversation for the next time a guy like Anthony Davis hits the market, right? They can make a move for one of those guys. They can do it via trade. The reality of these situations is I think they understand that guys of Kauai Leonard-Zil traditionally don't hit the market. It's a weird year in the sense there's a handful of them that are on the market. We'll see how much movement there actually is.

But I think they're certainly prepared to not get him. They understand kind of the uphill battle that they're in. And I think, you know, I don't know if their favorites or their underdogs at this point. I know that they're very aware that Toronto made a super compelling offer to keep Coilander. They can sign them to more money if you want to accept a long-term deal. You can also probably, even more likely, take sort of a one-plus-one type contract and do this again next year. I don't think the clippers are going to freak out if that happens. is it cruel that the Lakers haven't really done anything to deserve sort of the free agents that they've gotten

and to be the trade destination that they are over the last five years? Yeah, that's a little cruel, but I think it's the reality of the league, right? It's that sort of no matter what happens, the Lakers are still sort of the star quarterback. It doesn't matter if they've got a lousy personality or they're not getting good grades. They're the most popular guy in school, and it's going to be that way for a very long time. and for as much as we'd like to, I think, you know, the league would like to reward sort of competence in a lot of ways that. It doesn't always work like that.

Geography matters, legacy matters, history matters. Colin, you live in Los Angeles. Like, you can be famous, and then you can be a famous Laker. And those are two different things. There's nothing quite like being a famous Laker. I remember seeing, you know, lousy Laker teams, you know, over the last five years and then watching, all summer as Nick Young would drive the Zamboni during playoff games and throughout first

pitches at Dodgers Stadium while Chris Paul would be on a winning clipper seem to be getting booed. It's just sort of the reality of it. Yeah. Dan Wojke, L.A. Times. Good talking to you, bud. All right, Colin, be good. Yeah. No, I mean, it's, like he said, it'd be great if competency was rewarded, but it's not. Sports has never been fair. Alabama gets better players in a bad recruiting year, then Purdue gets good players in a great recruiting year, is that if you look at college baseball, Michigan Vanderbilt start the college world series, Michigan's rare, a cold weather college baseball national champion potential. Oregon State's done it a couple times, but generally warm weather really helps in college football. Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Texas,

California, got way more players than North Dakota. And it's, I think it's hurt the big 10. And again, I think Urban Meyer, Jim Harbaugh, can deflect some of those obstacles. It is just easier. I think about this. Oregon and Mississippi, I have a 3 million people. Oregon gives you about five division one players a year. Mississippi gives you 38. So in the southern footprint, there's just more good high school football players.

It is much easier to get good players, even at like the second best school in Alabama, Auburn, than the state school in. Oregon or Wyoming or Nevada. That's just the reality. Joy with the news. No, no, no, no, no. Turn on the news. This is the herd line news.

Well, let's stick with that story. Free agency is approaching, and Kauai Leonard will reportedly, according to Chris Haynes, decline his 2019-2020 player option of 21.3 million and become an unrestricted free agents. The Raptors, as Dan just says, is the only team that can offer Leonard a max contract

for five years, $190 million. Taking it. And yes, he is reportedly seriously considering re-signing. And the Clippers are a team that, as you mentioned, set themselves up to be a landing spot for Kauai. He is a Southern California kid. And they're trying to recruit him. And maybe some Clippers fans took some dollars together and figured that they would try to add to the recruiting pitch. They got some billboards.

They are about 10 miles southeast of Staples, these billboards on the I-5. One is a California license plate that reads Kauai with hashtag Clipper Nation. And the second one reads, King of SoCal, which is a play on the New Balance Billboard that said King of the North. And also kind of a jab at LeBron being the king. With hashtag Kauai to L-A-C. I think that Kauai would be crazy to leave the Raptors. Now, there was a point in the season where I thought he's definitely. going to go to the Clippers.

Yeah. Because he was just carrying the Raptors. And although I did pick the Raptors all season, I will admit I was a little iffy on if they were going to be able to do it because it was just a lot on Kauai to carry the team. But after seeing the way that the season ended and the championship and when you look at the money and the fact that he would be the most famous athlete in all of Canada. Free condo, penthouse. Free everything for the rest of his life.

and he's in the east. I mean, you got Janus. Yes, you can make an argument for the Sixers, but can you really? I'm still picking the Raptors against the Sixers in a playoff scenario right now, as they're currently constructed. I'm saying in the East.

I mean, it's just a better situation for Kawhi. Well, not even, just money aside. I always think if you work at a company that gets you, it just makes life easier, right? Like, Toronto gets Kauai. We'll give you 22 games off a year. Right. And it didn't hurt us last year.

If you go to the Clippers and they're a big chemistry culture and you're like, I'm going to take 25 games off. Like, I'm not sure if that plays great because their whole thing now is we're all one. We're all tied together. We're all one. Toronto's like, no, there's our best player and we're going to give them a bunch of games off and everybody was okay with it. I kind of think Toronto gets Kauai. I think it kind of works. I don't think that it wouldn't work with the Clippers, but.

It's just a lot to start over again. And the two plus one signing a two-year deal with an option and a third makes more sense because a five-year contract is a long time and the team could be completely different. But he's already a Hall of Famer. He already has two championships. He already has two finals MVP's. At this point, like, what more do you need? Yeah, I mean, at this point, be selfish.

Take the most money. So Chris Paul is putting an end to the trade rumors, at least on his ends. He was asked about the situation in Houston and said, quote, I never asked for a trade. I never demanded a trade. There's been a lot of speculation about what's going on between him in Houston and with James Hardin. Some reports that they didn't speak for two months during the season. That I don't.

Come on. I think that's a little overblown. I think when you are. Who doesn't speak for in the season? You're on the floor together? We didn't talk. Well, off the court. Like, obviously when they're in the facility, they have to speak.

But I'm saying, like, personally, I think is more to what that report was leaning to. Although I don't buy that they didn't talk for two months. That's a long time. But he said, I'll be in Houston. I'm happy about that. I'm very happy about that. I'm good. Daryl said last week that neither Paul nor his reps requested a trade.

And there isn't a rift between Paul and Hardin. I think there was a little something there. As you said earlier, after a while, it's like, okay, maybe he's not the easiest to deal with. Like, after all of these teammates come out and say they had issues or there's reports of issues, it starts to become a thing. However, I don't think that Houston should blow it up. They just need to make a move. They're going to move an X-factor piece. Capella, Tucker, possibly pick up Jimmy Butler.

Now, if you lose someone like Capella or Tucker, you're taking a hit on defense, which Houston isn't necessarily known for. But if you get someone like Butler, he is a defensive player as well. And that, you know, it's an improvement on their offense, which they need. The Warriors are hurt this year.

They're vulnerable. And that was the hump that they couldn't get over. They had an opportunity to do it with Durant going down in game five and they weren't able to capitalize on it. I do think that this is a lot of, a very important year for the rockets. I don't think after this year it's going to be a viable situation.

CP3's knees have about a year left. Right. And his contract has more than that. So finally, Odell has a few more things to say about the Giants. He didn't interview with Complex UK this week and said I just felt the with the Giants. I was stuck at a place that wasn't working for me anymore.

I feel like I wasn't going to be able to reach my full potential there. Mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing. I just couldn't see it happening there. So I think allowing me to be in an environment where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit. I'm just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff in politics that came with my previous role. Now, that sounds nice. I don't think the other stuff in politics is going anywhere because Cleveland Browns, as we know, are a very noisy team.

Yep. And they're a very young team. They have a lot of expectations. They're playing with expectations for the first time of maybe that I can ever remember in my lifetime. the Browns have actual expectations on them. Yeah, I'm trying to think Bernie Coz, our teams were good, they weren't great. I would say it's the most hyped Cleveland team of my life. Yeah, I mean, I really can't think of another time.

Do you know Joe Thomas, I just read this, the great left tackle? Yeah. Never won a season opening game in Cleveland. And they opened this year, by the way. It's the most dangerous opener. They open at home. There's five and a half point favorites against Tennessee. and Tennessee is the corkiest, weirdest team in this league.

You think that's a sneaky game. Oh, Tennessee will show up and go play on the road and just dominate teams. Remember, didn't they like thump New England last year? Like Tennessee like four, yeah, and the Cowboys. I mean, let's just steamrolled them. Tennessee about four times a year will just walk into your place and roll you over. And I just cannot wait potentially. What if Tennessee steamrolls the Browns in week one?

It'll just be fun. It'll be fun. But their whole season is going to be fun. Joy with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Herd lie news. 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. 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 Smigel 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. What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, I'm bringing you conversations about all kinds

of stuff. Like being an internet famous referee. We're in the middle of a game. This linebacker walks up to me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Quarterback on office blue 42.

Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Where's she at? Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. American soccer is about to explode.

The World Cup is coming. Ramers sending on the Army. I'm Tab Ramos. I'm Tom Boe. On our podcast, Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines, the biggest decisions, and the truth about the U.S. national team. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

Listen, Inside American Soccer with Tom Bogart and Tab Ramos on the I-Heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.