The Herd with Colin Cowherd - LeBron James, Dodgers, Dak Prescott, Jets, Dan Snyder

Episode Date: July 24, 2020

Colin talks about how impressed he will be if the Lakers win the title, why all the cards are lining up for the Dodgers, Dak Prescott being very unhappy, the drama going on with the Jets, and the horrible leadership of the Washington Football team. Guests include Antonio Daniels, Eric Karros, Chris Broussard, Michael Vick, and Jason McIntyre. 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. Another podcast from some SNL, late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer, Streeter Seidel, help an a cappella band with their between songs banter.

Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque.

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

From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. With our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Mark Lamont Hill on the 80s.

84 was a wild year. It was a wild year. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's good, y'all? You're listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host, Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor.

It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that doesn't. not mean that you need to. Listen to learn the hard way on the IHard radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Thanks for listening to The HARD podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weekday from 12 to 3 Eastern, 9 to noon Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and FS1.

Find your local station for the Hurt at Fox Sports Radio.com or stream us live every day on the IHart Radio app by searching Hurd. Fox Sports Radio. Ah, here we go. Go on a loaded. Yes, we officially have sportsback loaded Friday live in Los Angeles. This is The Hurt. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening,

IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio and FS1, Joy Taylor off today. She's traveling, taking some Fridays off as we both have in the summer. So Joy is back Monday. John Guley will be filling in on Heard Line News. It is a great show today. We are packed. Got a lot of guests. got a lot of opinions. I'm even talking baseball today. Eric Caros next hour. I've got some thoughts

on the Dodgers and the Yankees in a second. I want to start the show on a Friday with this. You know, let's not kid ourselves here. So I watched Dallas Mavericks Lakers, about 4 o'clock Pacific. I love Dallas's roster. I just love it. I just, I would, if you're Mark Cuban, you have just got to love this. You found your next jerk Novitsky, except he's better, Luca Donchage. You got a, uh, you got a, uh, Seth Curry from Portland. What a nice fine that kid's been. This Dallas is going to be really good for the next decade. I mean, they may have the scoring champ five of the next 10 years in Luca Donjic.

The kid's 20 years old. He's way ahead of LeBron in terms of scoring ability. He's a tremendous young player. And I'm watching that game, and I'm like Dallas's roster is younger. It's deeper. It's more athletic. They have a 20-year-old. That's going to be a star in this league for the next 15 years.

And I look at the Lakers, and I'm like, good God, if you took LeBron out of this lineup, it's a reality show. He is the super glue to a mess. Kyle Kuzma was awful last night. I mean, I like Danny Green, but he's 33. He's old. I like Anthony Davis, a lot, but he's brittle. This roster, Javelle McGee, Dionne Waiters, J.R. Smith, Dwight Howard, and KCP,

if it was a reality show, if this was hard knocks, sign it to a lifetime deal. This is a mess. really is. If you take LeBron James out of this Laker roster, all you Laker fans, this is the Pelicans with Anthony Davis, except not as talented because they had Drew Holliday, who's a total baller. Drew Holliday is an excellent NBA player. That's an all-star level player. This roster for the Lakers is, this is not well-constructed. LeBron is completely super glue with this team. And this is why, of course, LeBron is going to be the MVP or at least should be. I mean, if you take Janice out of Milwaukee, they're not the same team.

Nobody would dispute that. But that's a playoff team. It's well-coached. They have multiple good players. This Laker roster is old, dysfunctional. It's got some of the goofiest players in the NBA on it. All of them, all of them out of their prime. Dwight Howard, J.R. Smith, Dion Waiters, Javelle McGee, Kyle Kuzma, I'm not sure what

his prime is. KCPI like. I do. I think there's something there. but, you know, he's had his shoes, house arrest two years ago. I mean, that's just the thing. It's part of his, you know, his NBA reality. But just to give you heads up on this, Dallas has a way better roster.

It's younger, it's more athletic, and they got a star at 20. If LeBron wins a title with this reality show, goat, I'm over. I'm not even arguing it because they have no business winning. They got to go through potentially Portland, Houston, the Clippers, and then a Milwaukee or Boston. I mean, you're watching this thing last night. take LeBron out of this. Look at this roster. It is Anthony Davis and cross your fingers.

And LeBron is strong enough and verbal enough and vocal enough and the leader so that all these sort of disparate, weird, odd NBA reality show dysfunctional parts kind of, they kind of respect him. They work hard out of respect for the king. They kind of make sure they're in line. But you got J.R. Smith yesterday. I didn't bring enough underwear. Dwight Howard, I refuse to wear a mask. God.

The only thing this team is missing is Antonio Brown. It is, it is, never forget this. Before LeBron got there, it was a you know what show for about five years. Magic, gone. Agent, new GM. Owners fighting with each other, brother, sister. God, I'm watching this thing last night, man. They are, LeBron is super glueing this thing together.

They have no business being the number one seed in the West by five and a half games. They have no business being that. No way. No way. No how. Number one seed in the West by five and a half games. I love where Dallas is going. I just like LeBron.

Because right now that the Lakers are the second best constructed basketball team in the building they play in by a mile. All right, let me talk some baseball. I watched a couple of games last night. Yes, I did. Dodgers won. They're really good. The way it works in sports is when you're really good and you combine that with getting a break,

you often end up winning a championship in any sport. So you're really good and you get a break. The example would be Toronto last year. Now, they deserve credit for getting into the finals. Smart GM. Excellent coach. Nice roster. Add Kauai Leonard.

stir, really good. But let's be honest. Golden State fell apart. Steph got hurt. Clay got hurt. Kevin Durant got hurt. They were an overwhelming favorite. They would have won. When Kevin Durant came back for 13 minutes, boom, they looked like the better team. But that's the breaks. It was a very good team with a very good GM and a very good coach and a nice roster,

a nice mix of veterans and youth and Kauai Leonard. But they got a big break. When you get, when you do a lot right, and then you get a break, you usually end up winning a championship. This Dodger team is really good. Let's start with this. It is the first team since the New York Yankees in 1963 when they had Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. It's the first team with an MVP from each of the previous two seasons. Cody Bellinger and Mookie Betts.

They are stacked. Max Muncie hit 35 jacks last two years. Mookie Betts is the MVP. Cody Bellinger was the National League MVP. Justin Turner hit 27 jacks. Corey Seeger was the rookie of the year four years back. Kike Hernandez. Jock Peterson coming off great years.

And look at their roster. Muncie bats left, bats right, Ballinger left, Turner right, Seeger left, KK Hernandez right, J.K. Hernandez right, who will probably platoon as a DH, left A.J. Pollock right. Now, this is a big thing. So there's a very good baseball team.

And so are the Yankees and so are the Astros. These are very good baseball teams. But the Dodgers like the Raptors are getting a break. There's a new rule in baseball this year. For 2020, you go to the bullpen, Guys got to face minimum three batterers or finish the inning. Huge break for the Dodgers. The Yankees best hitters are all righties.

The Dodgers aren't. So you come into an inning and you start having trouble, you're getting no breaks here. It's not righty-on-righty. They can throw lefty, lefty, righty, righty, lefty, righty, big break for the Dodgers. Second break. And the Dodgers get credit for creating this roster.

I'm not saying like the Raptors. They don't deserve credit. But boy, all this situation, situational stuff going to the bullpen three times in an inning. Can't do it this year. Big break for the Dodgers. Second break. The Yankees just happened doing a 60-game schedule.

You're only playing your division and people in your region. Well, the Yankees region's much tougher. The Phillies should be very good. In their division, you've got the Rays and the Red Sox are very good. This is a really, Phillies are going to be excellent. So the Yankee schedule, the nationals, defending champs, really good. So the Yankees face a significantly tougher schedule. The Dodgers got a break.

The West is weak. The Padres, the Mariners, the Giants have been a mess for years. Arizona's okay. The Rockies. The Dodgers get a second big break. Like the rapporteurs deserve a lot of credit, but they get the flexibility in their roster, left right, left, right, left, every other batter is left, every other best batters right. Big break.

Then they get the scheduling break. Then they get a third break. The only hole in the Dodgers lineup is the pitcher hits. not this year. Both leagues using the DH. And they have a very deep roster. They can take Jock Peterson and use him regularly as a D.H. What did he have?

36 Jacks last year? Again, I'll give them credit. But when you take a really good team and you get a DH break, when you get a scheduling break, when you get a roster where your nine best hitters, five or left, four or right break, everything works for the Dodgers, who I believe have won seven straight,

division titles, this is the year. This is the year to win it. And also, here's another break. Whereas the Yankees are excellent, they have to get through Houston to get to a world series. The Dodgers' biggest competition appears to be Atlanta, a very good team, bounced first round last couple of years. Nice team, good team, not a great team yet.

This Dodger team has a chance to be an all-timer, and you add that to all their breaks. Watch out. people in this town have been complaining for years because like the Braves years ago with Maddox and Smolts, they dominate their division. Braves only got one championship out of that. Don't know how many of the Dodgers will get, but man, the stuff line up for them this year. Coming up next, oh boy, former NFL scout and former cowboy employee says, Dax not happy.

We'll inspect that story next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHard Radio app. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at It podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 was big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack all day, but just so y'all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack, so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so... Thank you for finishing that sentence.

Yes, I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years. from black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hardway with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, 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'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 hard way. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the hard way 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 weigh better. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeartRadio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Working at home or not, working out maybe, podcast binging. Go to Raycon.com. Buy raycon.com slash hurt. 15% off the wireless earbuds. They're fantastic, by the way. Buy raycon.com slash hurt.

Have I given you a free pair yet? Goulet? No, you have not. I think you should, though. They're fantastic. I know. You keep telling me that, but I haven't received them yet. When I work out, when I'm curling like 250, 300 pound dumbbells, and I get sweat. Doesn't matter. Buyraycon.com.com slash her. They're unbelievable. So listen to this. Listen to this, Jim. Hope you're having a good Friday. I'm so happy. I'm so deliriously happy. And I wish Joy was here to share it with us because we have sports. I sat there last night, I'm flipping around watching MLS and baseball games and Yankee games and Dodger games and

NBA and I'm like, oh my God. I went five and a half, six and a half months. So it was just such a great time. This is what I do for a living. I know for most of you are like getting a life, but this is what I do for a living. We've had to basically make stuff up for six months. We actually have games now. This is interesting.

Brian Brutus is a former NFL scout and he used to work with the Cowboys. And he was on radio yesterday, the fan in Dallas, very popular station. and he said, and he was asked yesterday about, you know, how do you think Dak Prescott's feeling right now? And he said at this point, I don't think Dak Prescott's very happy. He won't say it and he won't show it, said Brodice, the former scout. The kid's a stud. He's mentally very, very strong.

He's a total stud. But he's not real happy and he liked Jason Garrett. And this is an underlying truth going on with Dallas right now. So Dak Prescott saved Jason Garrett's job. And Jerry Jones is a fairly. patient guy. But remember, Cowboys went four and 12, and then Tony Romo following year got hurt and preseason. This was going to be a man overboard. This was going to be a disaster. And then here comes Dak in the draft fourth round and he pops. Jason Garrett knows Dak saved

his job, but they needed each other. And when relationships really click is you both at least need each other. That's why when you see a woman who's sophisticated, great job, Mary, you know, just a good-looking dumb guy, you're like, she doesn't need him as much as he needs her. Like, you need relationships where both people need each other. Dak needed Garrett to mentor him and advise him. He's a former NFL quarterback, Jason Garrett. He needed his guidance, and Garrett needed DAC for stability at the most important position, and he needed Ws and DAC to help provide those.

This is the problem with Mike McCarthy. He doesn't need DAC. He just signed a five-year, a $30 million deal. He doesn't. Mike McCarthy doesn't need DAC for his legacy or a Super Bowl. He's got both. He doesn't need DAC for security. He's a millionaire.

Just signed a five-year, $30 million deal on a state with no state tax. He doesn't need DAC for money. So Mike doesn't need DAC. He's got security, a Super Bowl, a legacy, money. He doesn't need him. I mean, you didn't think it was strange. When McCarthy got the job, it didn't call DAC for a week. if you got the Kansas City Chiefs job,

how long would it take to call Mo Holmes? I mean, the second the press release comes out, Bob's the new coach of the Chiefs, you're on the phone. Same in Baltimore, same in Seattle, same in Green Bay. Same in California. It could have been longer. That was a story.

And what's interesting is, whereas the job security for Mike McCarthy right now is great, it's not great for DAC. He's got a one-year franchise tag deal. And when you look at the, I was talking about the doctor. Rogers getting breaks this year, on the no DH, on the new bullpen rule on their schedule. Dallas, people think Dallas's schedule is easy.

People are saying it's one of the easiest schedules. But it's actually, because of the weirdness of this year, not easy, take a look at it if you're on FS1. So there's no OTAs, no preseason, limited practices, and Dallas has a new coach and a new system. Look at their first three games. Rams, Atlanta, Seattle, teams with the same quarterback, same sales. system, same head coach. That's how you start the season. Okay, okay.

Then you get a couple of great games. But right in the middle of the season, at Philly, Pittsburgh, and Minnesota. Same coach, same system, same quarterback. Then you get to play Washington. Then it's back to Baltimore, San Francisco, Philadelphia. Same coach, same system, same quarterback. Don't tell me Dallas's schedule is easy. The beginning, the heart of the middle of November in the end, it's just a bunch of

people who don't need the OTA like you, don't need the preseason like you, and are not implementing a new system. So when relationships are at their best, all of them, home relationships, you know, work relationships when both people need each other, McCarthy doesn't need DAC. McCarthy needed Garrett. And Garrett absolutely needed DAC. Jerry can be patient. He's not insane.

They came off 4 and 12. The wheels are coming off. Romo gets hurt. They were in big trouble. So this story to me. I don't think Dax, listen, Cowley Long always says this. You get quarterbacks in the room.

You can't have two great quarterbacks in the room at the same time. They take the oxygen out of the room. I like Dack. But he has a right to have pride. He's won a lot of football games. He's won his division twice. He's not in love with this thing. He's had a nice press release.

I'm very happy. He got a one-year deal after winning the division, two with the last, what, four years. So he's probably, this relationship with McCarthy is not the same. It's uneven right now. It may not be by week eight. But Garrett and Dak, that felt like an even relationship. They both needed each other, both supported each other.

If one succeeded, it helped the other. Right now, I'm not sure with McCarthy and Dak, that's the case. Here's veteran news band John Goulet. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. At almost literally the last minute last night, Major League Baseball and the Players Union agreed to expand the postseason from 10 teams to 16 teams this year.

They're making it up as they go. That's okay. It's 2020. They literally had to do it before first pitch, and that's when they did it right before first pitch. So here's how it's going to work. Eight teams from each league make the playoffs. The three division winners are the top three seeds. Then the three second place teams in each division are four through six. And then the next two teams with the best records. So the first round of the playoffs is going, no one gets a buy anymore. It's going to be one versus eight, two versus seven, three game series. All the games are at the higher seeds home. So no traveling. So this is great. I know you didn't want to see the playoffs expand in terms of dates.

This does not make the playoffs any longer. No, and I got to tell you something. Between that, the inclusion of more teams and the scarcity of games, you've got to watch baseball this season. We've got to watch all the games. If you go on a seven game losing streak, your season's over. If you go on a seven game winning streak, you're in a great spot. So essentially, now everybody except maybe two to three teams are going to be in it for the next four five months. Everybody's in it now for four months, July, August, September, October, maybe early November. Everybody's in it except maybe the bottom two teams in baseball. Yeah, I mean, if you think with two weeks to go in the season, it's only going to be a few games,

it's going to separate eight from the 12th seed. So you might, I mean, all you need is someone to get hot and you can get in. I think this is great. This is also great. This is also great. Always been good when it has urgency. Yeah. And now you gave me playoff urgency. Everybody's going to be in this thing with seven games to go. Also, this is a protection.

Remember, the schedules are not even this year, right? Some teams have much harder schedules. This is a nice little safety net. Let's say a good team with a tough schedule. A couple of guys get COVID. They miss some time. You would hate to see, you know, like a Yankees miss the playoffs because a couple of their guys, you know, got sick. A pitcher.

This pretty much guarantees if you're a halfway decent team, you're at least making the playoffs. And I have no problem with it. Actually, I'm sure the owners wanted this, to be honest, because owners make the real money. in the post season. They make more money, but they're splitting some of with the play. I think 50 million is going to the player, so it's a win for everyone. I think the question also then becomes, does this continue after this weird season?

Like, or is this how it's going to be forever? Or is this just a one-off because we're in a weird 2020? We'll see. So there are a lot of expectations for Brady and the bucks this year, even though the betting market has them basically as a borderline playoff team. One NFL analyst, though, and former NFL star thinks Brady's going to have a pretty epic season.

Maurice Jones Drew said this on the NFL network this morning about what Tom Brady can do this season. He's going to thrash 2007. I think he's going to throw 55 touchdowns, 4,500 yards passing, probably close to 5,000. The bucks are going to be one of the toughest teams to stop because their defense causes, turnovers and they get him more opportunities. Well, guys, let me tell you why I said 55 touchdowns. James Winston joined the 30-30 club. Let's just cut that in half, right? So now it's 40. You're telling me Tom Brady can't throw 10 extra touchdowns. Bruce Ariens, Byron, Lefferts are going to air this thing out. I listen, that is like on the low end for me.

That's actually pretty conservative. He may end up going for 60, but I'm going to stay with 55 right now. I'm just going to stay with 55 and let it rock out. There's no question Tampa's going to be a really good football team because they were a really competitive team last year. And if you just look at their turnovers, it's a comedy. It was 30 picks, 6, 6, 6.6, pick, 6. says they're going to, I don't get, I do not get the doubters on this.

Everybody's got a shortened season. You don't think Brady's expertise and experience is not going to pick up fairly quickly by late September and start rolling with this group? I'm with you. I don't get the doubters either. They have two number one receivers, a depth that tight end. Two number one tight ends. Yeah.

What I don't understand is MJD's interception to touchdown conversion rate. I didn't like that either. 15 touchdown. You take away 15 picks. They instantly become touchdown. I was bad at math, but that made no sense to me. Listen, I like MJD, maybe a little overboard. He's saying he's going to, in 20, in 2007, Brady threw 50 touchdowns, 4,800 yards, 68% of his throws.

And, oh, by the way, didn't lose a game until the Super Bowl. Let's, like, he was 30. He's now 43. Yeah. I don't, that's, I don't, he doesn't have to come anywhere close to that for them to be great offensive. Let's not forget. Tom Brady was 12 and 4 last year with nothing. Edelman and a big bad.

of nothing. So I don't there are teams like I like Denver this year I get the doubters. I don't like Pittsburgh as much. I get the people who doubt my opinion. Like I get my doubters. I like you know I think

Kansas City will be good but I don't think to win the Super Bowl. I get my critics on that. I don't get the Tampa's not going to work thing. They're going to score a lot of points. And the defense is better than you think. Oh, Todd Bowles has always been a good defense coordinator. So speaking of Kansas

City, we have another member of the Chiefs predicting an all-time great dynasty forming. Wide receiver Tyree Kill was asked on first take about Chris Jones projecting five rings and Tyree Kill said could be more. I'm not going to say he's

telling a field, you know, but Chris Jones he's definitely a man of his word and we're definitely creating something special here in case. So I don't see why not. Why say five?

Why not go seven rings? You know what I'm saying? So right now, right now we just chase in joy. You know what I'm saying? So that's what we do. So I'm going over five. Yeah. Okay.

Yeah. Here's the thing. There's someone who probably should tell Tyreek Hill that, you know, even if they did win seven, you'd be gone by three. So you're not going to win seven. There's this thing called Lamar Jackson, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rogers. Kyle Shanahan, Belichick, there's a lot of obstacles. Now, Foxbet doesn't have odds on winning seven Super Bowls,

but even just for this season where they are the favorite, that's true, they're plus 600. The Ravens are plus 650. So they're barely favored to win the title this year, let alone seven years from now. So maybe slow down a little. Just a tad. A veteran newsman, John Goulet.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. You cannot believe what Jamal Adams said about. the Jets Head Coach. We'll have that coming up top of next hour. Thoughts on what I saw from the Yankees last night, the Washington football team.

And did anybody see the problems with the bucks last night? It worries me. Antonio Daniels is now joining us. The Pelicans Color Analyst played in the NBA for 13 years. One of my favorite people. Joining us via the Coward Global Satellite Network. So I've been saying this. This sounds crazy.

I'm going to tell you something that sounds crazy, but it's true. So years ago, if I'd have a lot of it. said to you, if Draymond Green didn't kick LeBron in the, you know what, the Warriors would not have won two more titles. Now, that sounds ridiculous because he got suspended. But the truth is, they lost, he got suspended. And Kevin Durant later said, if they'd have beaten Cleveland, I'm not going to Golden State. So that sounds ridiculous, but Draymond's kick to LeBron actually won an additional two titles.

It sounds crazy. I'm going to say, Sopman, Antonio, and you're going to think I'm nuts. if Chris Middleton could dictate the NBA for about five to ten years, if he struggles and Janus drops 40 a night

is spectacular and can't get past Boston because there is no two. And you know in this league now, you not only need a two, but a three. Yonis is leaving and he's going west and he may go to the Warriors. And I watched last night and Middleton struggled. Janus was unbelievable.

And I think to myself, Chris, you got to deliver in the next two months. I know it sounds crazy. Is Chris Middleton the key to Yonah staying east? No. I think the key to Yonis staying east is a lot more than Chris Middleton. You know, when you start looking at the playoff race and you start looking at stars being stars, number one, if Yonnas averages 40 points a game, the bucks are probably going to advance.

But you have to look at more than just Chris Middleton. There's a lot of role players because what teams are going to do is exactly. exactly what the Toronto Raptors did last year. They're going to build a wall. So what that means is guys like Chris Middleton, guys like George Hill, all of the, quote-unquote, role players, they have to knock down shots.

This is bigger than this Chris Middleton. Yeah. You know, it's interesting. I'm watching last night Dallas and the Lakers, and I really like, I love Dallas's roster. It's young, it's athletic. They have a 20-year-old star. And I like their coach.

I really like where Dallas is going. And I wanted to remind the office. audience this morning in Los Angeles. If you take LeBron out of this Laker team, it looks a lot like the Pelicans years ago. Except they had Drew Holliday, who you know is a very good player. I got to tell you something. I think LeBron is holding, I do not think the Lakers are brilliantly run. I do not think they're one of the more well-capitalized ownership groups.

I do not love the front office. I do not love the roster. I watched last night, I feel like LeBron is super glue to a reality show of odd. unique way past their prime parts. Am I reaching on that? No, but LeBron is also, he's the key of that team, and that's a given. That's a given.

I mean, we're talking about at his age right now, the best player in the world. He is the best player in the world, but this is also a team that is built and constructed with guys whose skill set complement LeBron James. Go back to the Miami Heat Days. Go back to the Cleveland Cavaliers days. These are guys that don't need the basketball.

These are catching shoot or catch and finish guys. The only other guy on that team that actually needs the ball is Anthony Davis. Who else on that roster actually needs the basketball to be effective? This is on LeBron. That is why he is leading the league and assists. So, I mean, it's one thing because, yeah, you can say, okay, they have a lot of different personalities. You know, they have a Dwight Howard or, you know, they have a Dionne Waders, or they have a J.R. Smith, or they have a Rejohn Rondon. They have a lot of different personalities.

But LeBron, throughout the course of his career, has shown to be the ultimate equalizer. So, yeah, this is guys that don't need the basketball. This is guys that they put around LeBron James, whose skill set really complement what he does best. Antonio Daniels joining us 13 years in the NBA. So I said something this week and people went crazy. I said, you fans and media have never told me points matter. If they did, I talk about Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone, Dirk Novitsky and Carl Malone, my show all the time. I don't. I talk MJ. Why? Because he wins titles and that's what you all care

about. If Kauai Leonard is holding a trophy in three months and he is... Don't you do this? Now, time out. Don't you do this, Colin Coward? If he is holding a trophy, third franchise, by the way, he wins in Canada. He wins with Popovich. He wins with the clippers, three different styles, three different coaches. How in God's name is he not a top 10 player? How is he not a... All it matter, Top 10, maybe. Okay. So, okay, you tell me, my starting five all time. Kareem LeBron, Magic, Michael.

Who are you putting over him? He's better than Larry Bird defensively. Okay, it's a lot of different. See, for me, it is longevity matters. Longevity matters. Like, we're talking about a guy in Kauai Litter. Let's hypothetically say that you just spoke that into existence. And Kauai Lennar and the Los Angeles Clippers win a championship.

Kauai Lenders played nine years. He has played nine years. We have to give respect to those that came before Kauai Linter. You look at guys like Tim Duncan, 15-time All-Star, Kobe Bryant, 15-time All-Star, 20 seasons, Shaquille O'Neill, 15-time All-Star. Like, that matters. If you break down Kaui Linder's career,

and again, Kaui Linder is fantastic, so I don't want to sound like I'm discrediting his body of work. But in his nine seasons, thus far, he's averaging 57 games a season in nine years. There are other things that matter. Yeah, I think championships do matter. Other things matter. MVPs matter.

Scoring titers matter. You know, you look at what some of these other guys have done. This is not to discredit Kauai Leonard because he is fantastic. But to automatically thrust him to top five, the thing I try not to be, Colin, is a prisoner of the moment.

Yeah. Kawhi Leonard is fantastic. But durability. and availability, those things count. Those are skills. So just as much as we give him credit for winning championships in Canada, and winning championship with the San Antonio Spurs,

and possibly winning a championship with the Los Angeles Clippers, now, if this is LeBron, we are discrediting LeBron because he didn't stay put. So we're saying, oh, he has to move different places to win championships. But now we're giving Kauai Lennard credit for doing that same exact thing. Okay, so I'll throw this at you. So let's not take Michael and Kareem and let's go KD.

Today, KD's better than Kauai. Everybody thinks that. In three months, Kauai is holding and has led three teams to titles. Who's better? Legacy. KD, he doesn't play the defense. I don't know if he's mentally quite as strong as Kauai. We can't take that stuff.

We don't take how mentally strong somebody is into consideration. when we're talking about all-time greats. We don't? We can't take that to consider. No, we take into consideration mental toughness. Now we're searching. Now we're really searching here. Because, again, if we look at the overall resume of things,

look at Kevin Durant's overall resume. You know, as far as two-time champion, two-time finals MVP, scoring titles, four-time scoring champion, all of the, one of the, if not one of the best offensive players to ever grace. the NBA. Yep, yep, yep, I agree. MVP. And that's the other thing about Kauai Leonard,

that he has not done, that everybody else on this list has done that we're talking about. He hasn't won an MVP yet. And it's tough to put somebody in the top five all on time. But he won a defensive player of the year, an all-star MVP. He would have a third title leading the team. He's got to be somewhere around the top dozen. Can you acknowledge that? We got to start talking. I can definitely acknowledge that, Colin. But to go all the way to top five and to just jump over guys like Tim Duncan, to jump over guys like Kobe Bryant, to jump over guys like Shaquille O'Neill and Wilk Chamberlain and Kevin Durant, these guys that if you look at their overall resume and durability and availability and availability and longevity of their careers, that matters. That has to count for something. So I got to tell you a story.

I love Zion out of college. And I said, I made a prediction. I said he's going to be a top 20 player in the league. I don't care that he can't shoot. That's not fair. He's at 18 years old. A lot of guys come into this league and can't shoot. You know that.

You can develop a shot. What you can't develop is that body, that charisma, that power. You can't develop that stuff. Some of it's just DNA, right? But it's interesting with Zion. So I was talking to Mark Cuban about three or four months ago. The NBA ratings were down, and we went to an email exchange. And I said, you know, I think the NBA ratings are down because everybody's hurt.

And he said to me, goes, Colin, that's overrated. There's only about two guys in this league that get a rating. You know, LeBron does. maybe Steph does and Durant does. He goes, people either like the game or they don't. It's not just about individual stars. And it got me thinking about how many guys move the needle in the NBA ratings. And I'm thinking to myself, Zion set college records with Duke,

broke the NBA summer league ratings. The league put him in the bubble opening game, the Christmas opening game, and the NBA regular season opening game. Could I make the argument? Rick Buecker did yesterday. He is the number one TV draw on this league. Today, this morning. Yeah.

You can definitely make that argument. And I think one of the reasons that you can make that argument is because we've seen LeBron so long. LeBron is the best player in the world, but we've seen LeBron. Yeah. You know, with Zion, we only have 19 games of footage. You know, what this young man brings to the table. Like you said, size, strength, athleticism, agility, that body all in one package is unheard of. He's one of one in NBA history.

And you can have greatness fatigue. You know, like we talk about all the time, when you think about how boring the San Antonio Spurs were for 20 straight seasons, or the New England Patriots, or when Tom Brady and Belichick, like, you can become fatigued with greatness. And as great as LeBron is, we know what we're going to get out of LeBron. You know, with these young guys in the NBA, the Zions, the Luka's, the Trey Youngs, some of these guys, like, they're just scratching the surface as far as,

the future is concerned, and it is exciting to watch these guys grow before our odds. We did the same thing with LeBron when he came in. His first game in Sacramento. It's like, oh, man, this guy is great. Let's see what he becomes. Now he's in the goat conversation. So to watch the process of someone coming to this league and become a boy and grow into a man, it's awesome to see.

And right now, I can definitely, I agree. I'm traveling with this team. I have seen what it's like when you pull up at hotels. I've seen what it's like when Zion walks in the building. Like there's a different aura. There's a different ambiance around this young man. You should be a broadcaster. You're very, very good.

You know, you should try that broadcasting thing out. Antonio Daniels, Pelicans analyst. I love having you on the show, man. Love your energy. I love having you on. And I like the fact that you disagreed with all my stuff today, but I still love you. Thanks, ditto, brother. Anytime you need me, I'm here, man.

All right. Antonio Daniels, love having him on the show. Coming up next, Washington football team. They're not giving them a name. name? Is it Dan Snyder just trying to control, be rigid and be obnoxious? I'll have some thoughts on that. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's

superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim?

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

so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now, so. Then you're finishing that sentence. Yes. I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history.

Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of mental health awareness 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, Ryan, Corkman. Sometimes when we're in the pursuit of the thing, we get so wrapped up in the chase that we don't realize that we are in possession of the thing. And we're still chasing it. And we don't know when we've done enough. Because people scoreboard watch.

Life becomes about wins and losses. Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth. Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person. Join me, Kear Gaines,

as we have real conversations about healing, growth, fatherhood, pressure, and purpose on my new podcast, Learn the Hardway. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Learn the 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. me, he goes, hey, ref, my mom wants you to wave at her. What? Time out. Quarterback on office blue of 42.

Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. CarShield.com. Get the coverage. If your warranty runs out, save 10%. deductible may apply, car shield.com

code heard. Summer breakdowns happen. Roads hot, car gets hotter. So for years and years, Washington's football team had a nickname. It is now an inappropriate nickname, and Dan Snyder is going to call it for the following year, the Washington football team.

Now, I admit I was skeptical when he didn't have another name. I thought Dan Snyder's controlling. He's trying to prove a point. Hey, NFL, I'm to take my time. Hey, NFL. I'm going to make it look strange. And I was very much the media cynic. And then I thought to myself, one thing that's missing in the media today, and I think

most people, this is what frustrates me about the media, is that people jump to their initial conclusion, don't do any homework, and then add no context to it. They just throw gas on a fire. and I thought to myself, Dan Snyder has a resume that I should be skeptical about, and he does. But I was thinking yesterday, Dan Snyder probably doesn't have a nickname yet, and here's why. Seattle got a new hockey team yesterday. It's called the Cracken. People in Seattle don't like it. And they looked at 1,200 nicknames. And people in Seattle still don't like it.

And they have an incredibly cool hype video. And people in Seattle still think it's a corny. nickname. They took multiple stabs at the logo, multiple dozen stabs at the logo. Seattle was awarded an NHL team in 2018. 20 months later, 20 months later, 1,200 different names they went through. This is it. And the city of Seattle was real hit and missing it. 50% like, 50% didn't. The Washington Wizards decided the year was 1995. We don't want to be called the bullets anymore. I believe the reason was escalating violence,

and they didn't think the symbolism was good. 20 months later, 18 to 20 months later, they finally unveiled the Wizards. July 13th, Washington announced we're getting a new logo. Can we really expect on July 24th they have it and a nickname? And I know what you're saying. Colin Dan Snyder knew this would be changed. No, he didn't.

Dan Snyder said over my dead body, will the logo ever be changed? Will the name ever been changed? He's stubborn. We've seen it over and over again. And stubborn people don't have an auxiliary plan. Stubborn people don't have something else waiting in case their plan doesn't work. He's a billionaire. He gets his way.

He was stubborn. You'll never change it. So if on July 13th, it gets changed, I think it's unfair to say. 24. Why don't you have it? Where it is? Where is it? Seattle yesterday took thousands of names, dozens of stabs. I thought the hype video was unbelievable. And people in Seattle are like, I mean, I got Seattle friends. They're all texting me. I hate it. I'm like, the video's great. They're like, the video's great. The name's corny. That won't last for a year. And I'm like, it'll last. It's fine. And look at the time they spent with it. So if you take out your political

leanings and your belief on life, I think it's unrealistic to think of foot small team in 11 days is going to have it all sewed up. It's a big city. It's a big issue. There's red tape. There's bureaucracy. Folks, in New York, it takes almost two years to get a divorce. I'm not joking.

Look it up. It takes almost two years to get a divorce in New York. Stuff takes time. A lot of things to work through. So now, my bigger issue with Washington and Dan Snyder, I never see any leadership. They have a massive sexual harassment story a week ago that came out. hasn't spoken on it. I am in no way defending him as an owner. There's

no correlation between rich and a great leader. A lot of rich people are great leaders and a lot of rich people are smart enough to hire great leaders. This organization has done poor with both. So Snyder to me is as bad an owner as the NFL has, but I think you have to be fair.

As stubborn and as rigid as he can be, we've got to give him a couple months to get this right. How about six months? And by the way, as an owner, he gets to sell this merchandise and the new stuff. And I think the stuff they're going to use this year is actually, it's pretty cool for now.

Pretty cool for now. It's the herd hour two coming up. One more herd? The herd streams 24 hours a day, seven days a week, within the IHeart radio app. Search herd to listen live or on demand whenever you'd like. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

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

Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with a little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you finishing that sentence. Yes.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me,

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

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

Search Learn the Hardway and listen now. What's up, guys? This is Cliver Taylor the Fourth. And on my podcast, The Cliverts Show, 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? Time out. Quarterback on office blue 42. Hey, ref, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clippers show on the I-Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you

get your podcast. Ah, it's our number two. We're live in L.A. This is The Hurd. Wherever you may be and however you may be listening, IHeart Radio, Fox Sports Radio, FS1. Had Dodger baseball last night, Yankee baseball last night.

I'll get to the Yankees in the second. Eric Caros is going to be joining us. Michael Vic, Chris Broussard, Jason McIntyre, John Goulet. It is great to have you in on a Friday. Folks, March 11th, the NBA pulled out. Sports pretty much ended. Second week of March for us. We got through April.

We got through May. We got through June. It's July. It's late July. We have sports back. I can only say thank you for those who stayed with us. Thank you for those who patronize our sponsors. We really appreciate it.

Thank you to our bosses who somehow in the middle of a pandemic were allowing us to come back to our studio. Just thank you to everybody. This has been not the easiest stretch, but it's been a lot of harder for other people than me. I'm the lucky one. Okay, I got to talk sports. So thank you for coming back.

Our long, four-month nightmare is over. We have sports. I'm crossing my fingers on football. I have good vibes about pro football. College, I don't know. It's a coin flip. But I do think the NBA has done a great job on this.

I think it looks good. I think the MLS bubble and the NBA bubble, maybe the most secure way to do it. There's a lot of restrictions, but I watched a lot of soccer. and a lot of basketball over the last three or four days, I think they've done a great job. Don Gerber and Adam Silver deserve credit. This is hard.

Ask the airline industry. Ask governors. Ask restaurants. This is hard. 2020 is the hardest year of my life for everybody. It's hard. So if you can get through it and just figure out a way to bulldoze through it, tip of the cap from me to you.

So let me talk about support for a second. Like we all have egos, right? If you're successful in life, you're like, yeah, I deserve a lot of credit. I'm very smart. And you probably are if you've had a very successful life. But be honest with yourself. You got support. You got help.

Maybe from your dad, maybe from a boss, maybe from an agent, somebody that believed in you. I've worked hard, but man, I've gotten help. and Adam Gase got ripped again, head coach of the Jets, by Jamal Adams. Jamal Adams called him out yesterday, and he blistered him and he blistered him publicly. And Jamal Adams is a great player, and he can say what he wants, but it's not a good day to be Adam Gase. Yesterday, Jamal Adams came out and say, I don't think he's the right leader for the team to take us to the promise land. Really bothers me, doesn't have a relationship with everybody in the building. He doesn't address the team.

If there's a problem in the locker room, he lets another coach address it. if we're playing like crap and we're losing. He doesn't address the entire team as a group at halftime. We walk out of the locker room and let another coach handle it. He said, I'm going to play for my teammates. I am not here to say Adam Gase is perfect or that Jamal Adams is wrong. What I'm here to say is I trust my NFL sources. Got a lot of them and I talk to him.

Kyle Shanahan is thought of as the smartest young coach in the NFL. People tell me, Adam Gase, has a lot of Kyle Shanahan qualities, really intense, can shut people out occasionally, really smart, almost intimidatingly intense. But there's a difference here. Kyle Shanahan has an advisor named Mike Shanahan, top 10 coach in NFL history. Mike Shanahan watches every practice. And Kyle Shanahan can call his dad, and his dad, can talk him off the cliff or give him advice.

Adam Gase doesn't have that. His dad don't know him was a construction foreman. Fine job. But he didn't have Mike Shanahan to call. And then Kyle Shanahan has maybe the most likable person I've ever met in the NFL. John Lynch, Stanford educated, played the game as a general manager. To once again, bad day. Talk him off the cliff.

Adam Gase barely knows his GM. He didn't hire him. Nor did he hire his defensive coordinator Greg Williams. Reportedly, Williams and Adam Gase aren't tight. Kyle Shanahan's defensive coordinators, Robert Sala. Excellent young football coach. Would step in front of a train for his head coach. The owner of the San Francisco 49ers generally well-received.

Got a little bumpy with Jim Tom Sula. The owner of the New York Jets, did you read the stories this week about Woody Johnson? Not great. Support matters. I'm not saying Adam Gase is perfect. But his career record is 30 and 34

with two totally dysfunctional teams. You know what Kyle Shanahan's career record is? 23 and 25. I mean, Kyle Shanahan, because Jimmy Garoppolo had a bad fourth quarter, you saw those stories come out. They wanted to get rid of Garapolo. And they probably called his dad Mike

or talked to John. and I'm not blaming Kyle Shanahan. I think he's the best young football coach in America. But he's young. He's lost a couple of big games. But he's got advisors and an owner and a GM and a defensive coordinator who have his back who are there to help him. Stuff matters when you're young and don't quite have the trophy yet.

Adam Gase has none of that. Dad wasn't a legendary coach. Defensive coordinator wants his job. Owners constantly in trouble. Nothing but chaos. and now your star players calling you out publicly in the number one media market in the country. Not saying Adam Gays is great. But you cannot find me a single great NFL coach or GM who didn't have support.

Go look at Belichick's career. Why do you think he gets emotional on those 30 for 30s when he walks through the halls of New York Giant Stadium? He knows the support he had from the Mara family. Why do you think Bill Parcells and he? You know, it's a little prickly when they're together because he learned a lot from Bill and Bill learned a lot from him. You cannot, cannot succeed

to the highest levels without having somebody there to help you through the bumps. Kyle's got him. Adam doesn't. And I feel bad for him. All right, so I watched the Yankee game last night. Now, baseball fans, it should be noted, are traditionalists, more than any sport.

baseball struggled to figure out instant replay. Little League Baseball got it together faster than baseball. That's fine. They're into tradition. I'm not a traditional list. I didn't grow up in that kind of household. I like the NBA. I like NFL.

Their flexibility. MLS, World Cup. I like new stuff. I'm not really into tradition. But I do think baseball at its core, its history is pretty amazing. A lot of it's memorable. But I watched the Yankees last night, a star-studded team. in an unbelievable stadium with unbelievable history.

But with no fans, it won very interesting. They were in Washington, excuse me. But Washington won the World Series, full of stars. Yankees full of stars. We got all sorts of history here. That game had no juice. That game had no juice.

Why? Because tomorrow, Fox, who I think does a much better job on big production, Fox is going to do baseball, and they're going to have fans virtual fans and baseball fans are going to hate it. Oh, baseball fans are going to complain and yell and screen. Baseball fans do not like new stuff. They don't.

NBA fans love it. NBA players love it. NFL fans are used to it. MLS fans, soccer fans like it. Baseball fans do not like new stuff. This is not a shot at my former employer. That was boring last night. That broadcast was crickets.

They kept showing you things validating. Nobody was there. Here's the MP. Hot Dog Stand. Here are the empty stands. And baseball is unique. They need fans. Seventh inning stretch. I mean, baseball foul balls into the stands.

Like, we're reminded constantly in baseball of the stands, and there's nobody in them. And a game that's already incredibly slow-paced and methodical gets really, really slow. Without some ambience and without some crowd noise. Really slow. Nats and the Yankees, you could argue they have seven of the top 20 players in the sport. You don't need ambience, right? You don't need... No, you do.

You really, really do. I watch the MLS. I watch the NBA. I don't really need fans. I don't really miss them. Because I'm not reminded when I watch soccer or basketball of the fans very often. But in baseball, every foul ball, every home run, the fans are empty, the stands are empty.

There's nobody there. So Fox is going to do something tomorrow. And I've always thought Fox trumps ESPN on big events, Super Bowls, World Series. I think they're really good at it. It's what we do really, really well here. But fans will complain. I won't be on it, but I'm sure Twitter will be imploding

with baseball traditionalists going crazy. Baseball fan, shh, shh, it's going to be okay. The ratings are going to be. be great. They were good last night. They're going to be great. We are a television production company. I've watched MLS and NBA. Fans

irrelevant. It's 90% of the sport. It really is. It feels 80, 90% of the sport. When you can put that many great players in the baseball field, and I'm watching that thing last night, and I'm like, man, it needs something here. We've got to have some juice, man. Every foul ball, every home run, every shot of the stands. You're going to be okay, baseball

fans. It's just going to be a little uncomfortable for you. It's new stuff. I know you don't like new stuff. I get it. I understand it. Baseball fans like their tradition, their Mickey Mantle talk. I've said this before. In Sports Talk Radio, if you listen to a host who loves baseball, it's virtually impossible to do a 15-minute rant on baseball

and not talk about something in the rearview mirror. I've never once, as a football-loving guy, talked about Red Grange, ever, autogram. I don't have to. Football is windshield, baseball is tied often to windshield and rear-view mirror. And this is going to get heavily criticized. It'll work. It's going to work.

I promise. It'll be okay. We're all going to be okay eventually. Coming up next, Eric Caros on the Dodgers. When you're really good and get breaks like the Raptors last year, it usually means a title. The Dodgers are really good and because of this shortened season are getting a series of breaks that play to their advantage from a DH to the schedule.

to left and right hitters all through their roster and the new bullpen rules. Eric Carroll's to discuss it coming up next. 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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged. It's the enhanced games.

Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it. it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs?

Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the look back at it. podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill, waxing all about crack in the 80s.

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

Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm bringing over a decade of my own experience in the mental health field and conversations with so many incredible guests. I'm talking. Trip Fontaine, Ryan Clark. Sometimes when we're

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

Steve Burns, Dustin Ross, because you find it important to be a good person while you hear on earth? Are you a good person because you're afraid? Because that's two different intentions, bro. Absolutely. And that's two different levels of trust. I want you to just really be a good person.

Join me, Kear 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 hard way, 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? Quarterback on office blue of 42.

Hey, rep, my mama want you to wave at her. What? Hey, Ms. Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Tomorrow, Fox Saturday baseball is back. The Cubs class with the Brewers at one. The Dodgers battle the giants at four, and the Yankees face the World Series champion nationals itself. Seven. Celebrate the return of baseball with a special triple header tomorrow only on Fox and the Fox Sports app. Geico offering an extra 15% off car, SUV and motorcycle RV policies, but you got to sign up by October 7th.

Visit geico.com to learn more. So the Yankees opened up last night. They pick up a W. It got stopped by bad. weather, inclement weather, and the Dodgers game was close for a while. They explode late. And joining me now via the Coward Global Satellite Network, our buddy Eric Caros, Fox Sports Baseball analyst, decade and a half in Major League Baseball, most home runs in Dodger history, or third most, let me read this again, most home runs in L.A. Dodger history. L.A. Dodger. L.A.

I see, you know, it's very confusing. I'm getting up there in age. So I watched last night. And you look at the Dodger lineup, Eric. Good God. I mean, they may just bring Jock Peterson into DH at some point. I know I'm in L.A. and you played for the Dodgers and I don't want to be like too much of a homer here.

But I'm looking at this lineup. This is the best lineup they've ever had. They didn't even play Chris Taylor last night. Like when you look at it, what do you see? What would be problematic for teams? Thank God I'm not pitching against them. And it was interesting because last night, Dave Roberts, the manager of the Dodgers was asked if he had ever been around a team that had a lineup

is formidable. We just lost him. We'll get him back. Or what the issue was. There we go. We'll get him back in a second. Eric Caros. I did not hear the Dave Roberts commentary.

What's recall him mean? We're going to put him on that. So Max Muncie is one of 12 players in the entire sport with 70 plus home runs over the last two years. he's their leadoff hitter. And it goes to Mookie Betts, the American League MVP. Then it goes to the National League MVP in 2019, Cody Bellinger. Then it's Justin Turner, who is on-base percentage. He just gets on base.

He gets a lot of stuff going. Last year almost had 30 jacks. Then it goes to Nicari Seeger, the rookie of the year three years ago. Kike Hernandez, J. Peterson, A.J. Pollock, and the pitcher doesn't hit anymore. So at least this year. Is that going forward or just this year? Or if they made the change, just this is the 2020. So, and with the bullpen now, you got to, you basically have to pitch.

You got to get through the inning. You can't manipulate and marginalize teams by bringing a lefty in and a righty in. The Dodgers are about the most talented roster you've ever seen. And they have, and as good as the Yankees are, the Yankees have a much tougher schedule. And the Yankees have a almost all their best hitters hit from the right side of the infield, a right side of the plate. So it's just a different ball game. in terms of the Dodgers. Do we have Eric back yet?

Can you give me a heads up or something? Yeah, let's get to news first. Let's go to John Goulet with the news. No, no, no, no, turn on the news. This is the herd line news. Sponsored by Liberty Mutual Insurance, only pay for what you need. So there's no doubt one of the most anticipated quarterback debuts this season will be when Tua finally gets a start for the dolphins.

He told USA Today, quote, I'd say I'm ready to go. It's kind of one of those things where you start getting the itch to get back out on the field and be able to compete. It's going to be a new setting. So that's even more exciting. None of us really know if he's healthy until we see him play, right? That's always going to be that he had a major injury not that long ago. And there is no preseason. Well, he's healthy enough to practice.

Sure. Nobody wants to see him succeed probably more than you, right? You're a big fan. You want to take him number one overall. But there's no preseason. There's limited camps. Ryan Fitzpatrick's a good player and an offense that's going to be kind of built more for Ryan Fitzpatrick.

He's already familiar with it. I would start. I get starting Fitzpatrick. My only takeaway is you're going to be three practices in and you're going to look at Tua and go, oh, holy hell. He's way, this is special. That's what I was going to say. You had originally said he's going to be too good in practice,

but they're not really practicing yet. And there's really no chance for him to impress people or just get any reps. I just, I talked to an NFL executive two days. days ago and he goes, he goes, I think we're going to have a lot of practices, but he goes, what if we have 20 practices? What if that's it? Yeah. What if, what if 20 practices is all we have? Well, guess what? Then Ryan Fitzpatrick's a starting quarterback. Well, and you think that the dolphins are going to be decent this year. So, you know, you're not going to bench a quarterback if you're, if you're doing all right, if you're winning games, it's going to be tough. And we know

Fitzpatrick for three games a year is an MVP. It's just the other 13 where you don't know what you're going to get. No, he, you know, he's a very, he's kind of the opposite of Derek Carr. he'll just let it rip. Always. Whereas Derek Carr, I like, but he doesn't let it rip. He's like Kirk Cousins. Sometimes you're like, come on, let it go, let it go. When I look at Ryan Fitzpatrick, his problem is he's not cautious.

So he can have these unbelievable Sundays where he throws for three or four touchdowns in a half, and then he can just implode. He's one of those guys. You better be prepared for him, but there's a way to beat Ryan Fitzpatrick. Challenge him to make big throws, and he will. He will let it rip. Don't forget, last nine games last year. I believe they went five and four with Fitzpatrick. So some good news potentially coming out of the PAC 12.

The conference is finalizing plans for a 10-game conference-only schedule that will begin in mid-September. Okay. So did this come out last night? This came out yesterday. This is according to the San Jose Mercury News. All right. So there will be, you'll play five games against your division, which you do now, and then five games against the other division.

There'll be two bye weeks. built into the schedule so they can, if they need to cancel a game, remove it, they have some flexibility. The final version of this plan is supposed to be proposed next week. Pack 12 presidents could elect to just keep it at the nine conference games they were already scheduled to do if they want to be more

cautious. I think this makes a lot of sense, not just for the Pack 12, but for every conference. If the problem is playing out of conference games, then why do you have to only play the ones you had scheduled? Why not just do a full season of competition? In the SEC, you could literally get on a bus.

There's like six teams close to Atlanta, but now the PAC 12, you can't. You could do it about twice. No, but the idea is we don't want to play teams with different standards, right? So, okay, other than the Big 12, where you already play every team in the conference, every school could add conference games to their schedule without playing an opponent twice. Well, and there's also, there is a regionalization of the sport where Southern fans mostly watch Southern football. Yeah. And Big Ten fans, although they will watch an SEC game.

They mostly watch Big Ten football, and Pac-12 fans are really the only part of the country that really watch Pac-12 games. So the idea that you're just going to empower your conference schedule is not going to be punitive for college football. I think you're still going to get – I don't think your numbers are going to go down. I'll make a prediction. If you take the out-of-conference games, have more quality games and only-player conference, the ratings will go up. Less junk, more intense rivalries. I think in a weird way, college football is getting kind of diluted. I think this is good for the television ratings of college football,

which is more big games in conference and more about winning your nine-state region. I think it'll be fine for college football. We all know that the first month of college football is Drek. It's just like four good games and a bunch of bad Citadel against Auburn. Bad schools when you don't even play every team in your conference. I'd rather see USC play Washington State than Fresno State. Right. And, you know, every Big Ten, especially SEC, there's tons of teams.

They don't even play each other. They can easily do that. And finally, some breaking bubble news. Clippers guard, Lou Williams, has reportedly left campus this morning for an excused personal reason. He is expected to return to campus soon, according to Andrew Grief of the Los Angeles Times. That's the third clipper that's left. Yeah. So Patrick Beverly left, Montrez-Harrel left.

Now, Lou Williams left. Lindery Shammett had COVID, so he hasn't been with them, and Zubats hasn't been with the team. That's five of their top eight rotational players. I'm going to make, I'm going to give you, I want to throw something out. Okay.

This is Doc Rivers being very smart. Doc Rivers knows he's got an incredibly deep team, and he's not worried about the first round. So Doc Rivers, they're in the playoffs. He doesn't care about the first day games. What Doc Rivers is doing, he's letting one guy go every four or five days. If they've got a,

I'm not saying the players are making it up, but if they have a reason, Doc's like, listen, we're deep. I'm not worried about the first round. Let's let our guys. Doc Rivers is, if you know Doc Rivers and the history, Doc Rivers, players like him. Doc is a former player. He's very, he can be very pro player. He's very permissive. He'll let guys take days off.

He'll let guys sit out of practice. This is why players love Doc. This is why guys like going to play for Doc Rivers. Word travels fast. If Montrez Harold says, coach, I got a little bit, go, go, go, go. Go, go. And this is the team in the league, more than any team. Boston may be close that can afford to say, listen, we can start the season without you, and we can start the season without you. They go nine to ten deep.

But also, they're not really playing. They don't have the one seed and they can't get it. They were already kind of planning on not having any team chemistry because their stars don't even play all the time. So this is nothing new to them. So why, I mean, why not have a happier locker room? Let guy, every four, fifth day. Let a guy go. If he's got some sort of personal thing, let him go. Keep your team as happy as you can. It also tells you how well-constructed they are. This doesn't make me think. I don't think anything less of the Clippers.

They also, I mean, there's a little danger in terms of protocol of coming back into the bubble. Their first game is in six days. But, okay, so you lose to the Lakers first night because you don't have some of your guys. Yeah. Okay. All right. I'm trying to beat them in a seven-game series in September, not now. Veteran Newsman, John Goulet.

Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd-Ly News. Eric Harris will join us in about 30 seconds, 60 seconds. No, it's just, when I look at Doc Rivers history, Doc Rivers was always known in Boston, is that if they go on a road trip, let's say they go play Miami, Orlando,

you know, they're going on the southern road trip, Atlanta, and he's got veteran players, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and KG. You know, Doc was the kind of guy that would say, guys, no shoot around. If we win the first game of the series, series, no shoot around for the rest of the trip. That goes a long way with veteran NBA players. And that's why people really respect Doc.

He understands the temperature of the room. He understands how players think. And so I'm not saying guys are just making stuff up, but I could see Doc stepping in and go, guys, you got any friction. We'll let you go one at a time for the next two weeks. We'll let you get home and get stuff sorted out. I could totally see that happening. Eric Carrolls joins us again, 14 seasons with the Dodgers.

Okay. I asked this question before we had. had technical difficulties. When you look at the Dodgers lineup, what do you see, Eric? I see a team that does not have any weaknesses, and it's pretty tough to say that. And over a course of maybe 162 games, there will present itself some vulnerabilities. But, man, with this Dodgers club right now, I mean, you see what happens. Kershaw gets scratched.

They bring up Dustin May, who was not even on the 30-man roster. and he's throwing, you know, 100 miles an hour, you know, has a nice outing. The Dodgers, you know, a little slow out of the gate, but with that lineup, they're going to wear you down. And, you know, they end up winning 8-1, I think. You know, I said this, Eric, they get a couple of breaks. Number one, their schedules much easier than, say, the Astros or the Yankees. Number two is, with this, you got to come in from the bullpen and finish the inning or get at least three batters out. with the Dodgers lineup where five of the best hitters are lefties, four of the best hitters

or righties, you can't do a Tony Larusa and call him the other guy and the other guy. It feels like it plays right into the Dodgers' roster hands. Yeah, I mean, that's something that's going to present other managers, you know, opposing managers' problems. You know, the depth, I think what's going to separate them from anybody is the depth, because everybody is going to be dealing with, you know, the great unknown, you know, this next couple months, and that's health, whether that's COVID or whether that's injury. And because of their depth, you know, look at the reality is they could probably run out two big league starting rotations.

They could probably run out two big league teams, competitive big league teams. And I don't think there are any, there are many other organizations that can do that. Now, maybe the one through nine are competitive or one through 14 are competitive. Look at the Yankees are obviously a very deep team. but I don't know that they have the lineup that the Dodgers have. The Dodgers are so versatile. It's what makes them crazy. If you watch last night's game,

Betts and Bellinger impacted the game with their legs, base running, hustle plays. I'm not talking about hitting the ball over the fence. I'm not talking about making a great defensive play. I'm talking about a hustle play from third where Mookie Betts scores and another one where Bellinger gets in a rundown and allows runners to get the second and third and then a base hit, two-runs score.

They're so versatile. I mean, I can go on and on about them. Yeah. The Mookie Betts contract, the Dodgers lead baseball attendance by a long shot. They've got, next to the Yankees, the biggest revenue stream in baseball. And I said this yesterday.

You go to Dodger Stadium. It is just, they got it. They got it figured out. They got it buttoned up. And they're always updating it. And I look at the Mookie Bex contract, and I think $30 million. does not feel prohibitive, but Mike Trout 35 with the Angels does kind of feel prohibitive.

How do you think, I mean, the Dodgers have been reluctant to hand out big deals despite their revenue. What did you make of the contract? I mean, this is going to sound crazy, but it's a great deal for the Dodgers. I think the Dodgers got a bargain. And the reason I say that, look at Andrew Friedman has constructed this ball club to where he didn't have any payroll liability beyond 2022. So he has been structuring the payroll for this moment and for this type of player. So Mookie Betts comes into spring training and immediately makes an impact with a clubhouse speech, the leadership, the way he assimilates with the ball club.

As good as he is on the field, he may make more of an impact with this organization off the field. And that's crazy to say. But it's true. And not only with his teammates. but also within the community, socially. There are so many tentacles to this contract that, again, I think Andrew Friedman hit an absolute home run. And Mookie Betts is going to assimilate into this community and this organization

as well as you could possibly expect. I mean, this couldn't have been drawn up any better. So I'm watching Nats Yankees last night, and it is weird. You got nine stars in that game, and it is, there's just, no, there's nothing. I mean, there's just, you know, you're going to have empty stadiums. And I was saying this to John Smoltz the other day. I don't know, so I'll ask you eventually how it affects hitters, but as a pitcher, I remember talking to Kurt Schilling about this. Like, you get into these big moments and, you know, you're in the eighth inning, and you got

about two fastballs left in the mid-90s. And you're sitting on that mound, and you can't tell me Fenway Park. You can't tell me Yankee Stadium. You can't tell me I don't get a little juice from the crowd to rear back and throw 96 for one of the last two times. And John Smolte agreed, he said there's no question that you feed as a pitcher in later innings. That crowd absolutely elevates you. As a batter, does it matter at all? Crowd or no?

Absolutely. I mean, the adrenaline gets going. So now I've got to find something else to get me, you know, there's a lack of a better phrase, but to get me pissed off, to get me fired up, to get me. And I can draw on that. that. It's no different than, it's really no different than an actor having to cry, right? And so they've got to draw on some experience to create that emotion. So now I'm playing. So I've got to think what's at stake or create some sort of false narrative outside of fans and screaming and yelling.

And I can draw on that. And for each player, it's going to be something different, right? maybe I absolutely, maybe the guy out on the mound, I have a dislike for him for some reason. Maybe I can create that dislike. Maybe that bad at the plate, I'm doing it for my kid, right? I'm doing it for, like my family. There's got to be something. And you will create that. And your teammates can help you create that as well.

And I think as we go on in the next, you know, the next couple of weeks, weeks and you know guys have had a little bit of it with with this you know the summer camp the spring training stuff the you're going to find out what makes you tick and what what creates that that adrenaline because it is it is going to the fans and you didn't have to create it yourself and now you will have to find something and guys will find something yeah we're lucky this year we have the Yankees, we have the Dodgers. I don't know if I asked you this. In a 60 game season, the truth of the matter

is your flaws may not be unveiled. And if they are, you're still in playoff contention. I mean, in 162 season, by June, if you've got a bad infield, you're just I'm going to see it. Hell in 60 games, you can fool people for 25.

Is there one crazy team in this sport and you think to yourself, I don't know, but they benefit from a lack of a full season. For me right now, I mean, I think the Astros benefit the most from all of this, right, just because of the no-fan experience. If you're talking about now, you know, can a team with a shortened season physically,

I'd say the White Sox, because they are young enough, athletic enough. They don't, they could, this could be their hot street, these 60 games, right, and where they don't get exposed over 162. you know, they could sneak through with their pitching. They could, and that's a team that, you know, one of my colleague, Frank Thomas, you know, he's actually talked about them going to the World Series. Now, I'm not going to go that far at all. But that's a team that I could see, you know what, they could sneak through it.

If they stay injury-free, the Reds are another team as well that benefit from 60-game season. You know, look, this season is going to be so fun. It really is. Because there's so much unpredictability. And there's going to be something happening every day where people are going to go, oh, my goodness, whether it was Soto yesterday, not being able to play for the Nationals. Right. Two catchers for the Braves today can't suit up.

So that changes. It is crazy what's going to be going on. It's going to be so fun to watch. Eric Caros, 14 years in the Bigs. Fox Sports, good talking you, buddy. Hey, thanks for having me, Colin. Be well, bud. All right, Chris Broussard, NBA, watched it last night.

Like what I saw, he joins me next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds.

I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tapped Little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do with Little Kim? Well, you can find out on the Look Back at it podcast.

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

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

Welcome to my new podcast, Learn the Hard Way with me, your host, and your favorite therapist, Kear Games. And in recognition of Mental Health Awareness 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.

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? quarterback on office blue with 42 hey rep, my mama want you to weigh better What? Where's she at?

Hey, Miss Parker. Listen to the Clifford show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Let's not waste any time. Fox Sports NBA analyst Chris Broussard, former New York Times sports writer Odd Couple. Joining me via the Coward Global Satellite Network, odd couple with my buddy Rob Parker,

Sports Radio. Let's start with this. Lakers. I watched them last night. I like the Dallas roster. I like the Dallas youth. I like the Dallas athleticism. And I'm watching the Lakers and I'm like, my God, if you took LeBron out of this roster, it's the Pelicans four years ago with Anthony Davis. And I don't even think they're as good because I love Drew Holiday. How are they number one in the West by five and a half games, Chris? If LeBron can carry this team to a title, we have to acknowledge this is goat stuff, right? It's second gold. This goat junior stuff.

He'd be second to Jordan, which is what he is right now. Look, they miss Avery Bradley. And if you talk to some people around the league, that's the concern about the Lakers is what's their perimeter defense going to look like. So that is the big question. Look, I'm giving him a shot. LeBron obviously is terrific. He looks like he's in great shape.

Yes. But that was a subtle way for you to say LeBron's the MVP. Yeah. And I'm about to do my, I'm going to fill out all my ballots this weekend, Colin. Yep. And LeBron will not be number one on my MVP. He'll be number two behind Janus. It's cut and dried.

Janus has the regular stats, the analytic stats, the team wins, doesn't have the second superstar. The same formula I used to give LeBron the MVP in 09 in 2010 in Cleveland is the same formula I'm using for Yonis. So it's only fair that the guy in Milwaukee gets it. By the way, Chris Middleton didn't touch a ball for four months. It looked like it last night. Good Lord. That was bad. I want to get to this.

All I know is this. Kauai Leonard's holding a trophy in three months. Third MVP, third win, third franchise. Never been done. How do I not put him in my top five all time or top ten? How do I not? How? Top five all time.

Times? Three titles. Three MVP. I'm a guy that is Pit Kauai to lead the Clippers to the championship this year. But slow down, Colley. There's no way I'm putting him ahead of Shaq, Kobe, Tim Duncan. What about KD? What about KD? He would, his rings would be better than KD's for sure because, you know, those rings in Golden State. Their rings, I'm not trying to disc KD, but they weren't the hard. hardest rings of the world. These would be worth more. Let's say that.

But here's the thing, Colin. Kauai, to me, if he wins it this year, and you're right, he becomes the first guy to lead three franchises. But when he won it in San Antonio, yes, finals MVP, no best player on that team. He averaged 12 points that year. It was still Tim Duncan's team. You had Manu. You had Tony Parker.

I'm not taking it away from him. But your nitpick when you start talking about top five, top. 10 of all time. Then I can look at last year's championship. It was great. Don't get me wrong. But we all know that had Kevin Durant played, I think had Clay Thompson played the whole series, that Golden State wins that series. So I'm just saying slow down. Being top five all time individually, I mean, you got to look at how many MVPs a guy has. He won't have any, you know, regular season MVP's. You got to look at your individual stats. His individual stats throughout his career are not like eye popping.

He's just started delivering the ball and getting more than four assists a game this year. So there's a long way for Kauai to go before we put him in the top five. What I would do if he wins it this year is now he's in that top 20-ish and we want to watch, okay, how high does he climb? He could finish ahead of Kevin Durant historically, but he's got to keep climbing. I believe, Colin, he'll probably win more championships than LeBron James. But would I put him historically ahead of LeBron James? No, not with four or five rings.

To me, you look at him. LeBron's just a better individual player. Yes. I think it'll take six or seven rings from Kauai for me to say, okay, he's better than LeBron. Yeah. By the way, Zion. Rick Buecher said this the other day. he's the number one draw in the league.

And I look at the Duke ratings and the summer league ratings and how the NBA Christmas, bubble, regular season. I got to tell you, Chris, he and LeBron are the two guys I want to watch. Is he the biggest draw in the league? Look, no shade on Rick, but for junk food, junkies, yes. He's the biggest drug. For the guy that we're rather eat a twinkie and have a glass of Coke than a rib-eye steak and a bottle of wine?

Yes. You know, but for the guys, if you really want to watch basketball, I'm excited about Houston. My goodness, I want to see Hardin and Westbrook and Smallball on how far they can go. I'm excited about the clippers just to see great team basketball. I want to watch Philadelphia to see if Embed and Simmons can share the front line together with Shake Milton at the point.

I mean, I like Zion. Don't get me wrong. But for substance at this moment in time, I'd rather watch John Morant for pure substance. He's got the substance and the style. Right now, Zion is style. Okay, I know he's scoring that will and it's great. And don't get me wrong, I like the kid.

But he's not rebounding. We know he's not defending, which I don't hold against him as a rookie. But his game isn't versatile offensively. So he's got a ways to go, Colin. slow down. I know what to get you. When we go out to lunch when I'm back in L.A., I know where to take you.

What's that? McDonald's instead of Fleming's or something like that. Hey, I watch sports so badly. I've got Kauai is one of the great players ever. I just want to, I can't stop myself. All right. Chris Broussard, odd couple later. Fox Sports Radio.

Good seeing you, buddy. Good up. All right, folks. Right now, GICO is offering 15% credit. it and car motorcycle RV policies. Gotta switch by October 7th. To get it right, go to Geico.com.

I mean, I swear to God, last night, I'm switching around. I'm watching that MLS thing, that tournament they got going on. It's really smart. And it's funny. With basketball and soccer, I don't need the fans. I don't. The way the camera angle works, I don't need it. I'm watching the players. It's quick. It's fast.

But baseball is slower, and it constantly reminds you, there's no fans. Foul ball, home run. ball in the stands. In fact, I thought the Dodgers last night, I really like this. The Nance didn't put the fake people behind home plate. The Dodgers did.

I think it mattered. I honestly do. I watched it and I thought it matters. Working at home, working on your fitness. Either way, buy raycon.com slash her. They're great. Wireless earbuds. More base, six hours of playtime.

Buyraycon.com. H-E-R-D. Michael Vic, Jason McIntyre flying. Do an hour three next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. specific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1, and the IHeard Radio app. You okay with feeling older, unwanted weight, putting it on?

No, you're not. You want to feel energized and leaned. Check out MDrive for Men.com. MDrive for Men.com. Lean muscle. So here we go. The NFL, there's some protocols set up. They're getting closer and closer to reporting.

And Michael Vick is now joining me from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, via the coward. global satellite network, 13 years in the NFL, a four-time Pro Boulder. So I got to address the New York Jets situation. So Jamal Adams is a great player. Jamal Adams comes out yesterday and says that the head coach Adam Gase is not the coach to take us to the promised land. This is in the paper. He says he doesn't have relationships with players.

If we're playing lousy, he doesn't address us at half. He sends other coaches to do it. I don't think I've ever seen a play. player make it this personal in my life with a coach. Now, Gays and Jamal Adams, they're coming back this year. I doubt the Jets trade him. He's too talented. Your first reaction to that. What is that going to do to a locker room? First of all, that's very disturbing to hear. And we have a player talking like that. He's talking like that for a reason. He's not just saying that just to be saying that. And you're talking about the leader of the football team. You know, not the

quarterback, the coach. He's the ones that has to guide all of these young men to be better man and better football players. And when you got your star players saying that, you know, that's going to reverberate around the locker room. It's going to be whispers. Everybody's going to take notice to start, you know, paying close attention to where Adam Gates is doing. And, you know, when things like this happen, comments like this are made, you lose the locker room. And I don't know if you can bounce back in this. It's going to be tough because unless everybody gets it to the together and figure out a way to make this work, it's going to be a tough season for the New York Jets. And I hate that this had to happen, you know, at this time of the year, right before the

start of training camp. It's interesting because I'm not going to defend Adam Gase, but I'll throw this out there. Is it possible that Adam Gase is more of an offensive coach, and he doesn't, he doesn't talk with his defensive players? Now, take me back to your career. Did Andy Reed talk, did he have relationships with defensive players? Yeah, see, Coach Reed really know a lot about the defensive side of the ball, so he was able to help his defensive coaches. And I seen it because I was right there watching firsthand. I've been to meeting with Andy and the defensive coach and walk in and they'll talk defense.

He spent time with everyone. So to not have, you know, that defensive touch or the knowledge of what the defense has to be doing, meaning you cater to the offensive side of the ball and it shows that that's all you care about, but you have to be able to lead those guys on defense as well. and I see him communicate with everyone. And he was just as close as with defensive players as he was or offensive players, and I thought that was special. Do you, Michael, go back to high school, high school,

then you had a college, Frank Beamer, then you go to the NFL. Did you have to like your coach? You have to like your coach. You don't have to necessarily agree on everything, but you all have to have a common respect, a mutual respect. for one another in order to move forward and win, especially when you're a star caliber player. When you're in that position,

communication has to be constant and consistent. And when it's not, these type of things are going to happen. You're going to have guys, you know, talking and saying things that he probably shouldn't say within the media. But, you know, as a leader of the team, you know, guy like Jamal Adams, got to speak out on things like this because it just needs to be said when it's brought about like this. Did you ever have a team where what was the best locker room you were ever at?

Where there was real unity and everybody was really on the same page. And I understand, I mean, you got 50 millionaires, you got veteran guys, you got young guys, you got stars, you got guys who were just like gunners on special teams. I understand that some guy, everybody thinks they're better than they are, they want to get paid. But what was the best locker room you ever at? Man, I would have to say, I had some great times in Atlanta. I can't take credit away from what we built and the chemistry we had within the locker room, the camaraderie. You know, certainly when I got to Philadelphia, it was a different dynamic because it was,

it was the old and the new, it was Dishan and Lishan and Germany, you know, the younger, the next generation, along with older guys like myself and Brian Westbrook and Donovan. And we just had that mess. We had that togetherness because we could all relate on so many levels. We knew about, you know, what the younger guys were going through. We was able to teach them. And then we was also able to learn from them as well. So the locker room in Philadelphia was so diverse, man.

All the defensive players got along with the offensive players. And, you know, our battles and our struggles on the field led to our togetherness off the field. And, you know, those guys, you know, were dynamic in their own right. And then, you know, the Jets locker room was amazing. And then I would say close to that was. the Pittsburgh Steelers' locker room, you know, there was no egos, you know, all across the board, and guys came to work every day, and they believed in it, and they followed their leader and Ben Rodis Berger, and that's what made it a great experience.

You know, it's interesting. I was thinking about the Cowboys and Dak Prescott. So the reason I think that Dak Prescott and Jason Garrett worked is they both needed each other. Dak breaks into the league, and he needs to understand that he needs mentorship, and Jason Garrett had quarterback in the league. so he needs him. And then Jason Garrett needed DAC because they were four and 12 a year before. Tony Romo got hurt again in the preseason.

So Jason Garrett, you can't win in this league if you don't have a starting quarterback, so he needed stability, and DAC provided that in one games. So it worked because they needed each other. And I contend they're both good for each other. But then here's Mike McCarthy. Mike McCarthy's already got a Super Bowl. He got a five-year, $30 million deal. He doesn't need DAC for money.

He doesn't need him for money. security. He doesn't need him for his legacy. He doesn't need him for a Super Bowl. And he's worked with Farvin Rogers. I wonder, because there's a story out today from somebody inside the cowboy locker room that Dak was really not happy with Jason Garrett being let go. And again, I want to ask you on personal experiences. Do you think it's possible? Dax thinking, hey, Garrett had my back. I don't know if McCarthy has my back. You think that's possible? that's normal the quarterback position to fill that way. Hey, I was livid when Andy Reid got fired.

You know, I was upset when Dan Reeves got fired. You know, I was upset when Jim Moore got fired. And I felt like, man, we just needed a couple more seasons to get this right. You know, it's normal for a quarterback to feel that way and say those type of things. But, you know, is that the best thing for the team right now? You know, that's not the quarterback's decision to make. But when Andy was fired in 2013 and Chip Kelly was coming in. I felt like I was just kind of left out there.

And, you know, what was next for me? Am I going to be accepted? You know, am I going to be in a quarterback battle? You know, all these things run through your head. And it's realistic thoughts for a quarterback like that who's a very competitive quarterback. So, yeah, of course, those feelings and those relationships, you know, they're real. You know, it's a real thing. And when they're severed, sometimes things.

has come out, but it's up to debt now because I've been through it. Now you have to start to develop that relationship with a new coach and get the norm. It's just going to take time like anything else in life that you want to perfect and be great at. You know, you've got to put the time into it. So that mess will come over time. That's interesting. We were talking yesterday about Cam Newton and we said it'd be one thing if he had an OTA in New England and a full preseason in New England and 45, 55 practices. He's got none of it. So you tell me, how long did it take, because I think Belichick's a great coach and Andy Reid's a great coach. How many practices did you need with Andy Reed before you got behind the center and you felt like, okay, I'm humming on this thing.

I don't have to sit here and it's kind of becoming natural to me. Damn good question because when I think about all the questions I've answered about Cam and, you know, people saying he's going to start and he should be out in the field in the beginning of the year, The Cam can be put in a bad situation and Bill Belichick won't do that. He can't go out there if he don't have, you know, a true understanding of the offense, which takes time. And he hasn't had any OTAs, had, you know, won't get any real preseason or training camp reps right now. And it's not going to be, you know, the most effective for Cam. Yes, he can get out and he can throw as much as he can. I believe he's in shape.

But, you know, the knowledge is power at the quarterback. position and I think Cam will probably understand that. So we can't get the car before the horse right here. You know, it's impossible to go out there and play if you don't understand, you know, exactly what, you know, needs to happen, you know, on every particular play. And Cam's going to need some time. He's going to need some reps. He's going to need a lot of drops in that this time right here is not helping him. But he can take advantage of every rep, you know, if he's not going into it, you know, the season as a starter, he can take advantage of every rep, you know, live vicariously through sit them, you know, learn from the background.

And there's nothing wrong with that. It'll pay dividends in a long time. By the way, you were a college football star, but when you came into the NFL, you've got to sit for a year. Joe Burroughs not going to sit for a year. My gut feeling is Tua is going to be too good at practice. He's not going to get a year to sit. It is strange. You go from college football to pro football, different system, different scheme, edge

rushers are faster. When you went to the NFL and you didn't have to start first game, But when you went to practice for the first time, like, what did you notice the biggest difference between college and pro football? And you were a world-class athlete. But how many practices before you started noticing the gap in talent speed and pass rushing? It was after my first practice that I knew I was going to have to put an immense amount of work into getting caught up to speed. First and foremost with the offense and being able to just verbalize everything that needs to. to be said in the huddle, getting out of the huddle,

getting to the line of scrimmage was something that was just, you know, so new. And the process had to be expedited because, you know, when you're number two in practice and your reps are up, you know, it's your rep. You got to step up. So I was like, man, I just need reps.

I need reps. But Chris Chandler was there and I sat behind him. So I just had to really be keen and watching him and studying everything that he did, his every move, even though I games was totally different, different styles. I wanted what he had in the passing games. So I needed those reps and I needed them now.

But I didn't get them and it hurt me as far as development. And that's why I wasn't ready until my second year. But, you know, young guys who are throwing into the fire going to learn faster because they're going to make mistakes and learn from. Yeah. He's in Fort Lauderdale. You can see all those beautiful, he's got trophies behind them. He's got all sorts of stuff. Looking good over here.

Yeah, I can tell you're not golfing today. That's like a go out. That's a good-looking shirt. That's a take-your-wife out to dinner shirt right there. Absolutely. Even though I'm staying COVID-free, you know, maybe I ought out tonight and drink something there. But I just wanted to walk around and look good and feel good today. Go off the gun.

A little gun show there. Looking pretty good, Michael. Good seeing you, buddy. Thank you. Good seeing you. All right. One thing hasn't changed this year. How much we depend on our cars?

CarShield.com code heard. Cars break down statistically more in the summer. We're in them more. The roads are hot. AC goes on the Fritz-car shield.com code herd. Here's John Goulet with the news. No, no, no, no, no.

Turn on the news. This is the Heard Line News. You alluded to the story a little bit with Michael Vick. According to Brian Brodus of 105 3, the fan in Dallas, DAC is not all that ecstatic about being a cowboy, potentially. Brodus is a former scout.

He said he had a conversation with a former Cowboys coach that said Dak was not happy the team let go with Jason Gary. and doesn't want to be a cowboy long term. Now, it sounds kind of crazy, but then you remember his brother kind of alluded to that on Twitter

when he didn't sign his extension and he just took the franchise tag saying how he might not be a Cowboys fan for much longer. I had a discussion yesterday with a buddy of mine in the media, and we were talking about this, and I said, listen, if you went to a company for four years and you kind of saved him, and then for four years, you know,

you won a lot more guys, games, then you lost, and they gave you a one-year deal. And it was a lot of money for one year. Regardless of how much money, guys like me talk too much about the money, right? Regardless of $31 million, you'd feel kind of like, I kind of saved the franchise a little bit, and you're the biggest brand in the country. So I probably made the owner about $200 million. I get a little bitterness. Like, I get it. I get the Dax not overwhelmingly happy. I totally get bad. There's, I mean, you would think most quarterback, like, if you

had your pick, you would pick Cowboys for exposure, for financial, you know, the money you can make off the field. They also have a good O line and good weapons, so you think it's a dream spot, but I mean, most sportscasters want to work at a company that you used to work for, but things change. And then you go, no, I want to go somewhere else. Maybe he just goes,

if you don't want me to be here, then I don't want to be here. Yeah, I just think, listen, everybody acknowledges that the leadership thing with him, the Moxie thing with him is really good. That's really good with that. He is going to say the right stuff. And by the way, Kirk Cousins, not that he unraveled in Washington,

but he didn't hide his feelings when they franchised him. He was very emotional. I think Dak will hide it. He'll say all the right stuff. And $31 million is a lot of money. But if you felt you saved your boss, you saved the company, and you can argue, no, I don't even think it's arguable.

DAC did. They were 4 and 12 and Tony Romo was hurt. They were a disaster in the one year that didn't have DAC. That's where I think bitterness comes. And everybody always says, well, he makes a lot of money. Nobody's denying that. But a long-term contract is beyond money. It's respect.

I want to be in a relationship. It doesn't matter if you're a man, a woman, it's the ring. It's the respect of, I want you to be part of my life for a long time. And they would be saying you're the guy. You're the face of the team for the next five years. I would rather be low-balled by my company, but they offer a long-term deal. That's telling me they like me. We can disagree on money.

But when they- Well, hold on, though. They did, right? They have offered him a four-year deal or excuse me a five-year deal for a lot of money. He wants more money. But the deal, there was a long-term offer on the table. Well, he wants more money in shorter years. Correct. So there are a lot of expectations on Tom Brady and the bucks in 2020, even though most kind of

analytics and betters would tell you they're like nine and seven maybe 10 and 16. However, Maurice Jones drew on the NFL network this morning, uh, talked about what Tom Brady can actually accomplish this season. He's going to thrash 2007. I think he's going to throw 55 touchdowns, 4,500 yards passing probably close to 5,000. The bucks are going to be one of the toughest teams to stop because their defense calls is turnovers and they get him up more opportunities.

Well, guys, let me tell you why I said. 55 touchdowns. James Winston joined the 30-30 club. Let's just cut that in half, right? So now it's 45-15. You're telling me Tom Brady can't throw 10 extra touchdowns. Bruce Ariens, Byron, leffers are going to air this thing out. I listen, it's that is like on the low end for me. That's actually pretty conservative. He may end up going for 60, but I'm going to stay with 55 right now. I'm just going to stay with 55 and let it rock out. So he said that the achieving or tying all-time passing touchdown record would be a conservative guess for what is going to happen this season with the bucks. Yeah, I'm not going to.

James throws a lot of interceptions, we throws a lot of touchdowns. He threw 33 with that receiving core. I think it's very realistic to say Tom's going to throw for 32 touchdowns, 12 picks. Yeah. And they'll win nine games. That's what I was going to ask you. Realistically, 30, 30, 32 touchdowns. I mean, it wouldn't shock me if it was 29.

it was less than James because the continuity issues he hasn't played with him. But here's what I guarantee you. He'll have less than half of the picks. Here's what I won't guarantee you. He'll throw for more touchdowns. If James has more touchdowns

last year than Tom this year, I get it. If he threw for 29, their running game should be ramped up. They've got a right tackle and another running back. Yeah, if you're trying to defend the bucks this year, it's all about stopping the pass, right? They have two great receivers, great tight ends.

So a lot of runs are going to be available. Brady doesn't care. Brady would happily throw it 10 times if they blow out the other team. And they brought in Gronk to block more than pass catch because Gork's a great blocking tight end. They solved. They got a right tackle who's seen as more of a blocking tackle. And they drafted a running back. I doubt they have, I don't know how many attempts James Winston had last year.

They won't throw the ball nearly as much this year. Yeah, he was up. He was either, I can't remember. He either led the league or was second in passing yards. But a lot of that is I threw two picks in the first quarter. we're down by 14, I have to chuck the ball. Yeah, and they won't trail as much. Yeah, so Tom's not going to throw as many times

or for as many yards probably. He just wants to win. If they can win by running the ball with Vaughn or with Ronald Jones, I don't think he cares. He just wants to win. And finally, we need to pass our congratulations on to another one of your favorite quarterbacks. Russell Wilson and Sierra had their son.

They named him Win Harrison Wilson. That is a great name. Win is a pretty good name. And by the way, did they spell it W-I-N? Yes. Okay, I'm in. That's the greatest name of all time. I thought you would like that.

So I get the W. And then Harrison sounds very stately, very regal. Harrison. Have you ever met a Harrison? How about just Win Wilson? God. Look at, by the way, who looks that good right after having a baby? Nobody?

You do love her. do love Sierra. Respectfully. I admire her. I think you love her husband more. He's a very good football player. So congrats on baby win. Nobody looks that good after having a baby.

That should almost be illegal. John Goulet with the news. Well, that's the news. And thanks for stopping by. The Hurd Lie News. His name is Jason McIntyre. He's a former newspaper reporter. So he digs deep to come up with predictions

for the headlines and newspapers coming up very soon. And he's bizarrely accurate, and he joins us next. Be sure to catch live editions of the herd. Weekdays in noon Eastern, 9 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio, FS1 and the IHard Radio app. Listen up, fellas, write tools for the job. Thanks to this revolutionary company, Manscape, the lawnmower 3.0, Skin Save Technology, 20% off free shipping.

Manscape.com code herd, get trimmed the right way. Well, there's very few people that I know that follow the New York Jets more than Jason McIntyre. It's time for tomorrow's headlines today. J. Mack is joining us from the comforts of his home, via the Cowards Global Satellite Network. All right, let's start with the Jets. Those comments today by Jamal Adams in a New York newspaper, I have never heard a player going into a season. He hasn't been traded. He's going to be in the locker room with him.

literally tear into Adam Gase and his lack of leadership skills. You have a lot of connections back in New York. What do you make of that story? Everybody's rooting for the Jets to do well for one reason, Colin. You don't want to have to get a new coach, and Sam Darnold would then have his third head coach in four years. That's just not a recipe for success. Remember, Todd Bowles was a coach when he was drafted.

Then they went to Adam Gaze, who was kind of a train wreck so far, and the players don't seem to love him. This is disappointing all around, but it's the New York Jets. What can you say, right? This is the moment they're supposed to strike as the Patriots are down. The dolphins are still a dumpster fire. Nobody trusts the bills in Josh Allen. You'd think the Jets could jump ahead and it's just one train wreck after another.

I'm embarrassed to be a Jets fan, Colin. Yeah, what a mess. The Woody Johnson story as well. Okay. Oh, geez. Yeah. I mean, it's just everything. It's just more stuff to deal with.

All right, we call it tomorrow's headlines today. That's what we call it, where Jason McIntyre guesses tomorrow. So what's going to be the headline? I talked about Kauai being a top five, top 10 player if they win the championship. What's the headline going to be if he wins his third crown for three teams and is the MVP for the third time? Yeah. So, Colin, you know, we are big in the sports industry. We consider ourselves thought leaders.

and when I heard you say top five, my mind was blown. The headline will be, Kauai Mia River, Colin, get out of here. Are you serious? Hold on, timeout. I need a big timeout. Larry Bird won three straight MVP awards. Kauai Leonard has zero, none.

No MVP awards in his career. How is Kauai passing bird? Tim Duncan, five rings, five. MVP awards. How could Kauai Leonard pass him? This is total insanity. Listen, Kauai Leonard's a great player, but as long as he's load managing, Colin, I'm sorry. Kauai Leonard cannot be considered a top 10 player all time. Yeah, the load management thing drives people crazy, and I get it. But my argument's always been, yeah, shacked load management the last eight years of his career.

Nobody had a name for it. But, you know, by the way, Greg Popovich and Tim Duncan, they did load management. They just didn't have, it was called a night off. But, I mean, if you give something a nickname, it has been tied to him, and I get it. So I do get the, I do get why that drives people crazy. Yeah. But again, he's got to win an MVP. He's got to be the best player in the league.

He's never been that, Colin. All right. Tomorrow's headlines today. What's going to be the headline for Zion and the Pelicans for the rest of the regular season? So I'm very hopeful we get Zion versus LeBron, the NBA, wants it. You want it. I want it. The headline will be. Hell it can make the playoffs. We need Zion back in the bubble. And Colin, this just sets up the perfect first round matchup. Lonzo Ball wants revenge. Okay. You want Drew Holiday trying

to guard LeBron because they have nobody on the wing to guard him. Brandon Ingram wants revenge. Josh Hart. This is just the perfect first round matchup. I mean, I don't want to poo-poo what the Pelicans have done because they're far behind right now, the Grizzlies, but they've got some ground to make up it. They can go six and two or seven and one, and Memphis stumbles. And Memphis is not great. We know that. John Morant's excellent.

But this is a young team, very little playoff experience. I think the pelicans can do it, Colin. I'll tell you this, Brandon Ingram, you got to give him credit. If you're a Laker friend, it's disturbing, he actually played great. He made a- He looks like the most improved player in the NBA. And a quick word, I know you watched the scrimmage last night, the Lakers against Luca Donchich. I didn't want to call him out, but Kyle Kuzma tried to guard

Luca Donchich, like five possessions in a row. Luca torched him. And then Kuzma comes down. He's like, I got to get a basket. And he couldn't even score on him. I mean, Kuzma, I like him. I want him to do well, but they miss Brandon Ingram. You're right.

Yeah, there's no quite. And by the way, in the Laker organization, people thought Ingram, they thought Kuzma was a little tougher. He'd played through injuries. He had some leadership skills. But Ingram is the better offensive talent. tomorrow's headlines today what's going to be the headline for the Milwaukee bucks postseason so Colin I think without question the bucks are the number one story in the bubble they have to be because

it's all resting on Janice's shoulders this is the off season he could get the big contract the headline will be Milwaukee's best not good enough now I know all my college buddies out there watching we drank Milwaukee's best beer didn't I know that's a little lowbrow for you. Come on. You were not drinking that. So, Colin, listen, you look at Janus and after him, tell me who's their second best player. Is it Chris Middleton? Yes. The guy who averaged 13 a game against the Raptors last year?

Struggles. Is it Eric Blenzo? Come on. I just don't trust this team. They're built for the regular season. We talk about this a lot, right? The bucks in the regular season, they go 10 deep. They're excellent. But then what, and you get to the playoffs, it's a tighter game. Janice is only playing 30 minutes a game now. He's going to go 40. And then what happens to the bench, you've got to contract it. I don't trust this Milwaukee team.

I'm sorry. No, you know, it is interesting. Depth is important. But the reason the depth for the Clippers matters is because they've got three elite scores, Kauai, Paul George, and Lou Williams. So I've always thought depth is a little overstated because usually you contract. You go from plan nine to plan seven guys. Calvert, are you there?

Yes, I'm here. Gosh, I didn't get to finish. the Milwaukee bucks. That's okay. All right, tomorrow's headlines today. What's going to be the headline for the team that wins the East? Who did we lose him? For the second? I've been on the second. Okay. All right. Hold on one second. Let's make sure he's okay, guys. I want to hear this, by the way. I want to hear this. Can we get Jason McIntyre back? All right. I want to hear this. This matters to me in my life. This is very important for me in my life.

Do we have him? There we go. Can I see him? Are you there, J-Mack? Yeah, we just lost him. What was his headline anyway? Can you give me the headline or is that finally processed? Heath picks the Sixers to win the East.

Finally processed. I don't. They're starting, I'll tell you this. one through six, Boston and Philadelphia are really good one through six. I don't know if Philadelphia has much after six, but they're good to that point. Philadelphia is a strange team where some people are saying that actually the lack of being together is a huge advantage because Simmons and Ambide don't necessarily like each other. I said this a couple years ago. Ben Simmons walked into the league, and Doug Gottlie told me this. He said he's the best one and done prospect that the sports ever had since Carmelo Anthony.

Because LeBron went straight from high school to the NBA. So he was the best prospect. And so he comes into the league and he has a little injury. Then he comes out and he's terrific and he only has one flaw. He defends. He's a great passer, unbelievable vision, great body, gets the ball to three-point shooters. Actually, a very good defender for a young NBA player. He's just got this thing where he doesn't shoot particularly well.

So you think to yourself, all right, like a lot of guys, like Zion, everybody worried Zion can't shoot. I never kill a guy because he can't shoot. And then Ben Simmons doesn't work on his shot at all and becomes more reluctant to shoot. And it's the strangest story in the NBA that this kid has virtually everything going for him. He got the DNA, the size, the vision. He dribbling. He's a great ball handler, a very good defender, and he just won't improve on his shooting. and you don't have to be a great shooter in the NBA.

You don't. Even in this shooter's era, Russell Westbrook is still a very good player. He can't shoot threes. I think he shoots like 25% this year. It's the lowest in the NBA for anybody with like 200 or 100 threes. You don't have to be a great three-point shooter. You don't. Yonnis, you can have other skill sets.

Even as a guard, Westbrook doesn't. But you got to occasionally be able to hit a 15-footer. And Ben Simmons can't. And it's just unbelievable. Like Magic Johnson was not a good shooter when he walked into the NBA. I'm not sure he was a good shooter when he left at 31, 32 years old. But you've got to be a threat. And Simmons has decided, I'm not going to shoot at all.

And the only way it works in Philadelphia with him and Embedde is, Embedd has to clear the lane. Because Simmons to score, he has to be a scoring threat. And he is a scoring threat at the rim. So if Embeddeads planted around the rim, I mean, LeBron James had Chris Bosch, And LeBron James had Kevin Love. What did he want from both?

Clear out. Let me score at the basket. Because LeBron is a guy that loses confidence in his jumper. And when he does, he wants to score at the basket. So Kevin Love gets marginalized. Chris Bosch kind of becomes his valet. They become perimeter players, even though they have like 9, 10, 11 rebound averages in their career. So if MB doesn't move, Simmons doesn't score.

And he's too talented to be averaging A to game. Say hello to Casper, sleep company with outrageously comfortable products, award-winning mattresses, pillows, betting, they've got it all. Go to casper.com right now. The dream bedroom. It was their goal, and now they've realized it. And we are done. I want to thank Antonio Daniels, Eric Carrolls, Chris Broussard, Michael Vick, and briefly Jason McIntyre.

We're gone. We'll see you Monday. Live in Los Angeles. It's The Hurt. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guide, not. Quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, S&L'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. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal but encouraged.

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

or wherever you get your podcasts. On the Look Back at a Podcast. From 1979, that was a big moment for me. 84 was big to me. I'm Sam Jay. And I'm Alex English. Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it.

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

listening to Learn the Hardway with your favorite therapist and host Kear Games. This space is about black men's experiences, having honest conversations that it's really not safe to have anywhere, but you're having them with a licensed professional who knows what he's doing. How many men carry a suit or armor. It signals to the world that you're not to be played with. And just because you have the capability that does not mean that you need to, listen to learn the hard way on the AHA radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an I-Heart podcast

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